Bronson Koenig

[GGGG]

Watched him in the state semifinals this morning.  Sat much of the first half because of foul trouble, but really took over in the second.  Has a much different game than Scottie C.  Much more aggressive.  And is pretty filled out for a sophomore.

[ringout]

How traditional was he?

[WarriorHal]

Does MU have a shot or is he Madison bound?

[GGGG]

He had a star shaved into the side of his head...so not very traditional.  Way too flashy for Wisconsin. 

[Jay Bee]

Does MU have a shot or is he Madison bound?

If by Madison you mean Chapel Hill...

[Tugg Speedman]

Does MU have a shot or is he Madison bound?

Supposedly he is so good that UNC broke their own rule of not offering Sophomores and offered him about a month ago.  They did NOT do this for Barnes or JPT but did for him.

I guess we'll have to wait until next year for the live broadcast on the local LaCrosse Fox affiliate at the ChunkECheese to find out for sure.

[Eye]

I'd say UNC is about an 80 percent favorite at this point for Koenig. The guy in that league MU has taken a look at it that is seemingly much more of a possibility at this point is Onalaska sophomore Matt Thomas, a 6-1 combo guard who was the co-Player of the Year with Koenig this year in the Mississippi Valley. Thomas' older brother grew to 6-6 later from much smaller earlier in his high school, so more growth potential there for the younger Thomas, too.

[WarriorHal]

"It's pretty amazing being offered by one of the greatest coaches ever.

"He's won so many championships and coached so many NBA players." --Koenig on Roy Williams from a story I saw in the LaCrosse paper.

I suppose we know how MU & Wisc. vs. the Tar Heels will turn out.

[brewcity77]

Yeah, he's a UNC lock. Unless someone else take the schollie first, but I can't see that. Roy breaking his own rules is a pretty big deal. That, and he's close with Tokoto. I really can't see him going anywhere else.

[Tugg Speedman]

Yeah, he's a UNC lock. Unless someone else take the schollie first, but I can't see that. Roy breaking his own rules is a pretty big deal. That, and he's close with Tokoto. I really can't see him going anywhere else.

Again ... Of all the talent that has gone through Chapel Hill, they have never offered a sophomore before Koenig.  Even Tokoto did not get his offer until June 15 between his Sophomore and Junior years, the traditional first day UNC offers.  

Added later ... Harrison Barnes, Tyler Hansborough, Ty Lawson, Brandon Wright, Ray Felton, Rashad MCants, Wayne Ellington, Sean May, Tyler Zeller and John Henson were never offered their Sophomore year.  Some were aggressively recruited by Duke and still not offered their Sophomore year.  Yet Roy saw something in a three star 73rd rank Sophomore from LaCrosse that no one in the basketball world was talking about that was so compelling that he broke his own rule and offered Koenig as a Sophomore.  Does this make sense to you?

Never-mind that ESPN rates this kid #73 in his class.  Roy thinks he must be one of the greatest ever as he broke his own rule to offer him!

So, its either one-and-done at UNC or, if the NBA changes its Collective Bargaining Agreement,  he'll be the first white player ever to jump from High School to the NBA.

What am I suppose to think?  Roy broke his own rule of offer this kid!  Is he the greatest Wisconsin high school basketball ever?

[brewcity77]

Again ... Of all the talent that has gone through Chapel Hill, they have never offered a sophomore before Koenig.  Even Tokoto did not get his offer until June 15 between his Sophomore and Junior years, the traditional first day UNC offers.  Same with Harrison Barnes.

Never-mind that ESPN rates this kid #73 in his class.  Roy thinks he must be one of the greatest ever as he broke his own rule to offer him!

So, its either one-and-done at UNC or, if the NBA changes its Collective Bargaining Agreement,  he'll be the first white player ever to jump from High School to the NBA.

What am I suppose to think?  Roy broke his own rule of offer this kid!  Is he the greatest Wisconsin high school basketball ever?

I have to say, I found it baffling. Was it to secure Tokoto's commitment by offering his buddy? Plenty of services still have Koenig as a 3-star, is it just because they haven't discovered how good he is yet? You'd expect that to come for a top-5 recruit that is deciding between UNC and Duke, not a fairly obscure (by UNC standards) La Crosse kid that has yet to blow up.

Either way, I'm pretty sure in this case, what Roy wants, Roy gets.

[Tugg Speedman]

Was it to secure Tokoto's commitment by offering his buddy?

I've not seen anything that said they were this close.  Same AAU team yes, but not so close that this kind of move would matter to Tokoto.

If Buzz or Bo offered Koenig, are we suggesting that Tokoto would have committed away from UNC?

[brewcity77]

I've not seen anything that said they were this close.  Same AAU team yes, but not so close that this kind of move would matter to Tokoto.

If Buzz or Bo offered Koenig, are we suggesting that Tokoto would have committed away from UNC?

No, I'm pretty sure both have offered Koenig already. But they play on the same AAU team and took their trip to UNC together. And whether we like it or not, Roy is not the same as Bo or Buzz. When he breaks his own recruiting rules, it stands out more and makes more of an impression because he's a national figure in terms of coaching while neither of them are very recognizable other than to die-hard NCAA fans.

Again, I don't know the reasoning, but I would be very surprised if Koenig went anywhere but to UNC.

[Tugg Speedman]

When he breaks his own recruiting rules, it stands out more and makes more of an impression because he's a national figure in terms of coaching while neither of them are very recognizable other than to die-hard NCAA fans.

Again, I don't know the reasoning, but I would be very surprised if Koenig went anywhere but to UNC.

I agree he's going to UNC.  But to repeat what I wrote above ...

J.P. Tokoto, Harrison Barnes, Tyler Hansborough, Ty Lawson, Brandon Wright, Ray Felton, Rashad MCants, Wayne Ellington, Sean May, Tyler Zeller and John Henson were never offered their Sophomore year.  Some were aggressively recruited by Duke and still not offered their Sophomore year.  

Yet Roy saw something in a three star 73rd rank Sophomore from LaCrosse that no one in the basketball world was talking about that was so compelling that he broke his own rule and offered Koenig as a Sophomore. Is Roy saying that Koenig, even though he only a sophomore, is already shown obvious signs that he will be better than this list?  So much so that Roy is breaking his own rules to get him?  Is he the second coming of Lebron James? (a "traditional" chosen one)

Does this make sense to you?

[brewcity77]

I agree he's going to UNC.  But to repeat what I wrote above ...

J.P. Tokoto, Harrison Barnes, Tyler Hansborough, Ty Lawson, Brandon Wright, Ray Felton, Rashad MCants, Wayne Ellington, Sean May, Tyler Zeller and John Henson were never offered their Sophomore year.  Some were aggressively recruited by Duke and still not offered their Sophomore year.  

Yet Roy saw something in a three star 73rd rank Sophomore from LaCrosse that no one in the basketball world was talking about that was so compelling that he broke his own rule and offered Koenig as a Sophomore. Is Roy saying that Koenig, even though he only a sophomore, is already shown obvious signs that he will be better than this list?  So much so that Roy is breaking his own rules to get him?  Is he the second coming of Lebron James? (a "traditional" chosen one)

Does this make sense to you?

Oh, no, I get it. I know what you're saying. And I don't know. I don't know if he's the next Oscar Robertson, if Roy had an ulterior motive, or what possible reason he had for doing this. Either Roy believes Koenig is better than anyone else in the nation realizes, he thought that offering Koenig would lock up Tokoto, he discovered that Koenig wears spandex under his school clothes, or he thinks that Koenig would make a really good suitor for his daughter.

[Dawson Rental]

As MU fans know far too well, Roy Williams had a good deal of success with a guy named Kirk Hinrich, and Williams says that Koenig reminds him of Kirk.  When you think you see the reincarnation of a player who got the job done for you previously, you've got to try and lock him up.

[Tugg Speedman]

As MU fans know far too well, Roy Williams had a good deal of success with a guy named Kirk Hinrich, and Williams says that Koenig reminds him of Kirk.  When you think you see the reincarnation of a player who got the job done for you previously, you've got to try and lock him up.

Only Roy has figured out this kid is the second coming of Hinrich.  The services have him ranked as a 3-star recruit.

[texaswarrior74]

MU84

Sorry, but you have your "facts" wrong......the whole issue of Roy not offering before June 15 is only as of the last few years when the NABC made that recommendation to college coaches...Roy was the only major coach to take it to heart.

In fact, current F point guard Kendall Marshall was offered as a sophomore but it was BEFORE the NABC recommendation that coaches not offer before June 15 after sophomore year.

It seems that one turned out okay for him.....

[Tugg Speedman]

So, 3-star Koenig is worth breaking this rule?  That is the issue.

[77ncaachamps]

I heard about Roy "breaking the rule" but I wonder if they'll cool on him when other players get rated higher and he begins to drop in the rankings...

Watch out! He might get Roy'd!

[brewcity77]

So, 3-star Koenig is worth breaking this rule?  That is the issue.

Well, either way, it's not a hard-and-fast rule from the NCAA or anything. I see it akin to someone saying they won't drink on Sundays, then maybe hanging one on one Sunday night when it's Labor Day weekend. If it was a rule, Crean wouldn't be able to offer high school freshmen as he has in the past year. Either way, it's Roy's decision to offer or not offer. There's no sanctions or anything that would come of it, so who cares? If he sees Koenig as the next big thing when no one else does, more power to both of them.

[Tugg Speedman]

Crean wouldn't be able to offer high school freshmen as he has in the past year.

Didn't Crean offer Jon Scheyer in 8th grade?

[Rollout-the-Barrel]

I'm gonna check him out this afternoon in championship game.  I'll have my mu shirt on. Maybe that will change his mind.

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Didn't Crean offer Jon Scheyer in 8th grade?

That was widely reported in the Chicago newspapers.

[Stretchdeltsig]

With all the talent that NC gets, why aren't they better?   It's really a shame to have good state talent leave the state instead of playing for MU or UW.  Especially considering, that there isn't a lot of Division I talent in the state.  It's really fun to see home grown players compete at MU or UW.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Only Roy has figured out this kid is the second coming of Hinrich.  The services have him ranked as a 3-star recruit.

You do realize that many of the services have Mayo as a 3 star recruit as well...right?  Some even a 2 star

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/118958/todd-mayo

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=3853042

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Todd-Mayo-82845

[Marquette84]

Didn't Crean offer Jon Scheyer in 8th grade?

It was at MU's camp the summer between 8th grade and HS.

[Marquette84]

With all the talent that NC gets, why aren't they better?   It's really a shame to have good state talent leave the state instead of playing for MU or UW.  Especially considering, that there isn't a lot of Division I talent in the state.  It's really fun to see home grown players compete at MU or UW.

It might have to do with youth--they start 2 frosh, 2 sophs, and a junior.  Lot of players with one year or less of D1 experience.

They seem to have gotten things together lately.  Since mid-January the have 2 losses--both to Duke.  And even against Duke they were 2-1.

[Tugg Speedman]

You do realize that many of the services have Mayo as a 3 star recruit as well...right?  Some even a 2 star

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/118958/todd-mayo

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=3853042

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-Todd-Mayo-82845

Why bring this up?  It is completely irrelevant to this thread.

Looking for another reason to take a shot at MU?

[MUMac]

You do realize that many of the services have Mayo as a 3 star recruit as well...right?  Some even a 2 star

Since you constantly bring this up, are you saying he is bad pick up?  He will fail here?

Frankly, you bring on all this animous with constant ankle biting like this.  Give it a rest. 

[4everwarriors]

It was at MU's camp the summer between 8th grade and HS.

Did he get the MVP? Or was that reserved for Riley?