Anyone hear of this guy yet.
http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/basketball/article_4e369042-9c49-11df-be7a-001cc4c002e0.html (http://lacrossetribune.com/sports/basketball/article_4e369042-9c49-11df-be7a-001cc4c002e0.html)
2nd ranked player in the class of 2013 according to Mark Miller over at Wissports. I haven't seen him play but from all accounts he is the real deal with great passing skills and quickness. He already has offers from Wisconsin, UWGB, Toldeo and now Marquette with more sure to come.
Nice. He'll continue the rich tradition of stellar PGs at MU.
If I'm not mistaken, he plays for the same high school as Scott Christopherson.
(http://www.ny2lasports.com/ImageFilesPlayerProfiles/2013%20Bronson%20Koenig-X.JPG)(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_eWBRpuz2rqU/TCC4bSBdqVI/AAAAAAAABfI/NdXoR917QUs/s1600/bkoenig_erikdaily.jpg)
Evidently sometimes he wears a parachute attached to his back when he plays. He does know that you can't carry the ball in the NCAA, right?
You are indeed correct 77ncaachamps. Aquinas is a rather small high school as they are only in Division 3, but the conference they play in contains all Division 1 and 2 schools. Would be great to land a kid from western Wisconsin if he can play.
Quote from: Stronghold on August 01, 2010, 03:48:37 AM
You are indeed correct 77ncaachamps. Aquinas is a rather small high school as they are only in Division 3, but the conference they play in contains all Division 1 and 2 schools. Would be great to land a kid from western Wisconsin if he can play.
All the crappy D1 schools. When is the last time a school from the LaCrosse area made the state tournament at the D1 level?
Let's see....kid from LaCrosse..."real deal" after freshman year.... I think I have heard this before.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on August 01, 2010, 07:52:35 AM
All the crappy D1 schools. When is the last time a school from the LaCrosse area made the state tournament at the D1 level?
Let's see....kid from LaCrosse..."real deal" after freshman year.... I think I have heard this before.
Well, he does also play for Wisconsin Playground Warriors, the same outfit JP Tokoto is currently playing for. I think that coaches can probably give him a fair evaluation by looking at the success of his AAU career, because in that he'll be playing against and with legitimate talents. Their current top listed class has placed 7 of 12 players at D1 schools, including two high-majors (Noah Cottrill to WVU and Evan Anderson to UW). Two of the five that don't have D1 offers are JP Tokoto (class of 2012) and Trevor Jorgenson (class of 2011) so they aren't yet eligible to sign NLI's.
Agreed on being hesitant, but if he's legitimately good, he'll have plenty of chances to prove himself at the AAU level.
Koenig won MVP in Vegas this past week and may be the next "Teenage Assassin" from this state.
Do people understand that most of the real recruiting is done at AAU tournaments, not driving out to minor conference games in the middle of nowhere. Obviously coaches will see what a player does with their high school, but for the most part coaches prefer to get a look at players at the AAU where the playing field is more even.
Scott Christopherson - Mr. Basketball/Stud recruit from Aquinas. Well, we all know how that turned out. Maybe this kid is different.......
Christoherson was not as bad as people make him out to be. He was not as athletic or quick as the three amigos so he looked bad. However, he could shoot the three.
Quote from: groove on July 31, 2010, 11:20:40 PM
Evidently sometimes he wears a parachute attached to his back when he plays. He does know that you can't carry the ball in the NCAA, right?
So others don't jump on ya, I'm sure that the above is sarcasm. ;)
Koenig can play. Trust Buzz on this. Remember the departed was the coach when Christopherson was recruited.
Quote from: 4everwarriors on August 01, 2010, 12:38:37 PM
Koenig can play. Trust Buzz on this. Remember the departed was the coach when Christopherson was recruited.
He was also the coach for the recruitment of DWade/Merritt/Diener/Novak/James/Matthews/McNeill/Hayward. So, your point being.... ::)
Quote from: 4everwarriors on August 01, 2010, 12:38:37 PM
Koenig can play. Trust Buzz on this. Remember the departed was the coach when Christopherson was recruited.
Well....I guess. I mean, it's not as though Buzz has a history of signing players that become quick flame-outs. ::)
And seriously, I do know that verbal offers to incoming sophomores don't mean a hell of a lot.
Quote from: 4everwarriors on August 01, 2010, 12:38:37 PM
Koenig can play. Trust Buzz on this. Remember the departed was the coach when Christopherson was recruited.
// Crosses fingers
Please let this be another Buzz vs Crean thread... please let this be another Buzz vs Crean thread... please let this be another Buzz vs Crean thread...
sounds like a nice player
Quote from: mikem91288 on August 01, 2010, 11:30:42 AM
Scott Christopherson - Mr. Basketball/Stud recruit from Aquinas. Well, we all know how that turned out. Maybe this kid is different.......
I haven't seen Christopherson play since he left MU, but he did play 26 minutes a game as a sophomore at Iowa State. He also hit a ton of 3's at a great percentage. He will probably put up good numbers the rest of his career.
Bronson must be a hell of a player.....offers from MU and UW going into his sophomore year! He has obvioulsy looked very good on the AAU circuit!
Quote from: DomJamesToTheBasket on August 01, 2010, 04:02:42 PM
Bronson must be a hell of a player.....offers from MU and UW going into his sophomore year! He has obvioulsy looked very good on the AAU circuit!
Just like Christopherson. For that reason alone, I would hold up offering a scholarship until next year.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on August 01, 2010, 07:52:35 AM
When is the last time a school from the LaCrosse area made the state tournament at the D1 level?
Tomah, 1994
Quote from: Nukem2 on August 01, 2010, 12:49:14 PM
He was also the coach for the recruitment of DWade/Merritt/Diener/Novak/James/Matthews/McNeill/Hayward. So, your point being.... ::)
Manchild Matthews, Carlton Christian, Bell, Menard, Howard, Bradley, Niv, Mortenson, et al
Quote from: MedicineHatSpanker on August 01, 2010, 05:12:41 PM
Manchild Matthews, Carlton Christian, Bell, Menard, Howard, Bradley, Niv, Mortenson, et al
Bradley was solid.
Story on Bronson Koenig and his offer from Buzz Williams ...
http://www.wissports.net/sports/hoopsb/blog/message.aspx?f=123&id=1168299
Quote from: MUBalla23 on August 01, 2010, 02:31:03 PM
My son has played against this kid numerous times. He has been nothing but a ball hog/headcase player. I wont be mad if we dont get him.
Check out the schools dogging him. Not bad for a ball hog/headcase, aina?
Quote from: Eye on August 01, 2010, 04:38:59 PM
Tomah, 1994
Wasn't that the dive bar up on like 20th and Wells? How did they get to the state tourny?
Quote from: MUBalla23 on August 01, 2010, 02:31:03 PM
My son has played against this kid numerous times. He has been nothing but a ball hog/headcase player. I wont be mad if we dont get him.
He is on the other team, he is not suppose to give your kid the ball. ;D
Christopherson would have been a solid role player at MU. I don't consider him a wasted schollie at all.
Quote from: Nukem2 on August 01, 2010, 12:49:14 PM
He was also the coach for the recruitment of DWade/Merritt/Diener/Novak/James/Matthews/McNeill/Hayward. So, your point being.... ::)
Chicos?
Quote from: Skitch on August 02, 2010, 02:55:37 PM
Wasn't that the dive bar up on like 20th and Wells? How did they get to the state tourny?
You probably don't understand how completely appropriate it is to put Tomah and dive bar into the same sentence.
Quote from: AWegrzyn17 on August 01, 2010, 08:50:56 AM
Do people understand that most of the real recruiting is done at AAU tournaments, not driving out to minor conference games in the middle of nowhere. Obviously coaches will see what a player does with their high school, but for the most part coaches prefer to get a look at players at the AAU where the playing field is more even.
er...where the playing field is MUCH better competition
Quote from: Stronghold on August 01, 2010, 03:48:37 AM
You are indeed correct 77ncaachamps. Aquinas is a rather small high school as they are only in Division 3, but the conference they play in contains all Division 1 and 2 schools. Would be great to land a kid from western Wisconsin if he can play.
Why? Is western Wisconsin a hotbed of hoops?
Also, wouldn't it be great to land a kid from
anywhere if he can play? ;)
Quote from: MerrittsMustache on August 03, 2010, 10:13:06 AM
Why? Is western Wisconsin a hotbed of hoops?
Also, wouldn't it be great to land a kid from anywhere if he can play? ;)
You know what he means, no reason to get snippy. Adding local kids that can bring success is always good for a program...especially when Marquette is the enemy in most of Wisconsin.
Quote from: KCMarq09 on August 03, 2010, 10:34:04 AM
You know what he means, no reason to get snippy. Adding local kids that can bring success is always good for a program...especially when Marquette is the enemy in most of Wisconsin.
Why is bringing in local kids so important to some people? Do Duke and NC bring in a lot of players from NC? Does Kansas scour The Great Plains for local talent?
Under Mike Deane, it was important to bring in local kids because that was the best option. MU basketball is on a much bigger stage now. Wade put MU back on the map, Crean helped get MU into the Big East and now Buzz is carrying that on and creating a well-respected, national program. They bring in players from NY, NC, Florida, Texas, etc. Drooling over a 3-star recruit simply because he's from Eau Claire doesn't make sense when there are much better options available, even if it means bringing in players who are from a different time zone.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on August 01, 2010, 07:52:35 AM
All the crappy D1 schools. When is the last time a school from the LaCrosse area made the state tournament at the D1 level?
Let's see....kid from LaCrosse..."real deal" after freshman year.... I think I have heard this before.
TEAL? Really?
I mean surely a team making the state tournament and an individual player directly correlate.
Quote from: MerrittsMustache on August 03, 2010, 10:58:10 AM
Why is bringing in local kids so important to some people? Do Duke and NC bring in a lot of players from NC? Does Kansas scour The Great Plains for local talent?
Under Mike Deane, it was important to bring in local kids because that was the best option. MU basketball is on a much bigger stage now. Wade put MU back on the map, Crean helped get MU into the Big East and now Buzz is carrying that on and creating a well-respected, national program. They bring in players from NY, NC, Florida, Texas, etc. Drooling over a 3-star recruit simply because he's from Eau Claire doesn't make sense when there are much better options available, even if it means bringing in players who are from a different time zone.
First off, who said drooling? And I didnt say I even liked this player over other recruits we could get ( I dont know enough about 2013 recruits). But your your response to Stronghold that it wouldnt be nice to have success with local kids/Wisconsin kids is wrong and/or poorly communicated - What do you think we have been doing with Blue, Wilson and Maymom (and even Smith now)? Obviously Wisconsin is not a barren wasteland of hoops talent. We are not Duke. We are not UNC. We are not Kansas. Almost every other school understands that and puts an emphasis on recruiting and retaining the best local talent.
The barriers to entry/access to a local recruit are much lower than a national recruit hundreds/thousands of miles away. This is basketball where you need about 3-4 recruits a year, not 25 like football. Adding 1 or 2 every now and then is good for any program. We do not have the national recognition of private schools like Duke and Georgetown, so maintaining and strengthening our base is important.
Oh, and you know nothing of this kid. He is a 2013 recruit for god's sake! A lot can happen in recruiting rankings since he is only a sophomore. Oh and he is hearing regularly from Arizona, Butler, Iowa, Kansas, Louisville, Minnesota, North Carolina and Northern Iowa. I think there's more to like about this kid than just being from Eau Claire
I wasn't speaking about this kid specifically. I should have been more clear about that. The point I was making is that many MU fans seem to think that every marginal D1 recruit from Wisconsin should be at the top of Buzz's wishlist because "it's good for the program." What no one seems to explain, however, is WHY this is good for the program. Yes, it's nice to bring in "local" players when they're highly-rated recruits (Blue, Wilson, JPT?) but it's not any better for the program than bringing in a highly-rated recruit from a different part of the country.
Marquette is a nationally recognized program in arguably the best conference in the country. They no longer need to rely heavily on bringing in local talent, yet the obsession that some fans (not necessarily you, KC) have with signing local players is bizarre. Take Ben Mills, for example (I think that's his name - the big kid who was headed to Boise). Some posters talked about him like he was the second coming of Kareem and didn't understand why Buzz wasn't all over him, but the fact of the matter is that he's a marginal mid-major prospect...and MU is no longer a marginal mid-major.
As for Koenig, you're right. I know nothing of this kid. If he's a stud then I hope he comes to MU, but at the end of the day, I'm going to be skeptical when posters build up in-state recruits as All-Americans based largely on the fact that they're from Wisconsin.
Quote from: MerrittsMustache on August 04, 2010, 08:53:47 AM
I wasn't speaking about this kid specifically. I should have been more clear about that. The point I was making is that many MU fans seem to think that every marginal D1 recruit from Wisconsin should be at the top of Buzz's wishlist because "it's good for the program." What no one seems to explain, however, is WHY this is good for the program. Yes, it's nice to bring in "local" players when they're highly-rated recruits (Blue, Wilson, JPT?) but it's not any better for the program than bringing in a highly-rated recruit from a different part of the country.
Marquette is a nationally recognized program in arguably the best conference in the country. They no longer need to rely heavily on bringing in local talent, yet the obsession that some fans (not necessarily you, KC) have with signing local players is bizarre. Take Ben Mills, for example (I think that's his name - the big kid who was headed to Boise). Some posters talked about him like he was the second coming of Kareem and didn't understand why Buzz wasn't all over him, but the fact of the matter is that he's a marginal mid-major prospect...and MU is no longer a marginal mid-major.
As for Koenig, you're right. I know nothing of this kid. If he's a stud then I hope he comes to MU, but at the end of the day, I'm going to be skeptical when posters build up in-state recruits as All-Americans based largely on the fact that they're from Wisconsin.
Gotcha. I agree...if they are marginal talents at best then the advantage they add to our program is moot. We want local kids, but we also want them to be great and lead Marquette to some special seasons or something along those lines.
In the end though...In Buzz I Trust...his marginal 3-star and under recruits have turned out to be anything but marginal so far.
What is a marginal recruit? Although the 10th through 13th player may move up the ladder as the player gets older, the 10th through 13th no matter how good are practice players. Now it is better that they are top 150 players vs being top 300, but the team is going to only play 7-9 players in a competitive game. It is hard to find a player that is happy sitting on the end of the bench. If the 10-13 player are unhappy they should transfer out. If they are happy they are valuable to the team. What is important in recruiting for MU is to sign two top 75 players a year and then add players that fit in. To expect more than that every year is unreasonable.
Mike Deane would have been all over Ben Mills.. like a fat lady on a stool.
From an Article on WSN
....
QuoteKoenig, who is making a very strong case for being the top class of 2013 prospect in Wisconsin, currently holds scholarship offers from Green Bay, Marquette, Milwaukee, Texas-Corpus Christi, Toledo and Wisconsin.
He is also hearing regularly from Arizona, Butler, Iowa, Kansas, Louisville, Minnesota, North Carolina and Northern Iowa.
"I really had no idea things would go like they have when I started playing AAU back in April," Koenig said. "It's been crazy."
Koenig has been in recent communication with the coaching staff at North Carolina and calls the Tar Heel program his "dream school." North Carolina coach Roy Williams watched Koenig in Wisconsin Dells last Friday.
"I've always liked North Carolina," he said. "Michael Jordan has always been my favorite player and that is where he went to school."
Yes, he is saying nice things about MU in the article but this is almost exactly what Harrison Barnes said about UNC......and we all know how that one one turned out...this will be like Tokoto...fun to watch and hopefully not terribly disappointing.
http://www.wissports.net/sports/hoopsb/blog/message.aspx?f=123&id=1168299
Quote from the article:
"Koenig has been in recent communication with the coaching staff at North Carolina and calls the Tar Heel program his "dream school." "
Sounds a little like Novak. Hopefully, he'll end up not being a serious candidate for them, either.
Then again, Joe Wolf.....
Quote from: LittleMurs on August 09, 2010, 09:14:46 PM
Quote from the article:
"Koenig has been in recent communication with the coaching staff at North Carolina and calls the Tar Heel program his "dream school." "
Sounds a little like Novak. Hopefully, he'll end up not being a serious candidate for them, either.
Then again, Joe Wolf.....
Apples to Oranges: Koenig needs a serious growth spurt or duct tape a dwarf to his head to equal Joe Wolf's height.
I say if this kid from Lacrosse, WI is good enough to get a scholarship to UNC, he should go for it. It would certainly mean a lot more for a small-town WI kid to go to UNC than to one of the in-state schools.
Of course, if he is this good, I would also love to see him at MU.
still amazed on the power of Michael Jordan. He's always been Koenig's favorite player.
Jordan retired from the Bulls in 1998. Wasn't Koenig about 4 years old in 1998? Maybe he remembers the Wizard years.
Quote from: MerrittsMustache on August 03, 2010, 10:13:06 AM
Why? Is western Wisconsin a hotbed of hoops?
Also, wouldn't it be great to land a kid from anywhere if he can play? ;)
I guess being from northwestern Wisconsin it is somewhat of a personal thing. Some idiots up there barely know Marquette exists, or think it's in Marquette, Michigan. Maybe local kids going to MU can alter their blind obedience to the Badgers.
Pet Peeve, but really Northwestern Wisconsin. La Crosse, is like the equivalent of Sheboygan/Fond Du Lac, while it is north, it is way more south than even the northern half of the state. I know everyone says anything north of Milwaukee is Northern WI. Rant over.
Two things come to mind after reading this string for the first time.
1. I think it is nice when Mu signs a Wisconsin kid. like stronghold states it help the brand equity throughout the state. However, i am not from Wisconsin and am much less concerned about Mus perception in Wisconsin as i am Mu 's perception across the country. If Mu can sign 4 and 5 star kids from Wisconsin then great if we sign three star kids from the state then that will ultimately hurt the program. Mu needs to find the best players regardless of location.
2. point 1 leads into point 2. Buzz has said before about recruitng in Texas and houston in particular is that it is exponentially easier. IIRC like 5 years ago 30+ kids signed with D! schools in the same year from Houston. Buzz staed he could go see a different D! prospect every night after practice by driving across town. Versus having to get in a plane and flying to wherever where it become at minimum a 12-18 hour ordeal. That is one nice thing about recruitng guys like a Mathhews or a Blue or is that he can be so much more effective as a recruiter and a coach and be infront of that kid numerous numerosu times with very littel effort. Unfortunately recruiting to MU is tough becuase there is so little talent in the state, hence the reason Wisconsin has been the doormat of the B10 in basketball sans the last 10 years. Chicago has been a blessing to Mu over the years .
Quote from: Canadian Dimes on August 12, 2010, 10:26:53 AM
Two things come to mind after reading this string for the first time.
1. I think it is nice when Mu signs a Wisconsin kid. like stronghold states it help the brand equity throughout the state. However, i am not from Wisconsin and am much less concerned about Mus perception in Wisconsin as i am Mu 's perception across the country. If Mu can sign 4 and 5 star kids from Wisconsin then great if we sign three star kids from the state then that will ultimately hurt the program. Mu needs to find the best players regardless of location.
2. point 1 leads into point 2. Buzz has said before about recruitng in Texas and houston in particular is that it is exponentially easier. IIRC like 5 years ago 30+ kids signed with D! schools in the same year from Houston. Buzz staed he could go see a different D! prospect every night after practice by driving across town. Versus having to get in a plane and flying to wherever where it become at minimum a 12-18 hour ordeal. That is one nice thing about recruitng guys like a Mathhews or a Blue or is that he can be so much more effective as a recruiter and a coach and be infront of that kid numerous numerosu times with very littel effort. Unfortunately recruiting to MU is tough becuase there is so little talent in the state, hence the reason Wisconsin has been the doormat of the B10 in basketball sans the last 10 years. Chicago has been a blessing to Mu over the years .
Here's the only problem with that....if Buzz leaves (yes, I know he's here as long as we will have him) and the replacement doesn't have a Texas connection, then you may have to go back to your roots which is Illinois, Wisconsin, midwest, etc. The Texas connection is easier for Buzz, no doubt. It makes sense for him to recruit heavily there and at the JUCO level since that is where his relationships are. As long as we don't ignore the top prospects around the state, then that's fine. For the record, I don't think he is ignoring the top prospects in the state and I hope that continues.
Quote from: Canadian Dimes on August 12, 2010, 10:26:53 AM
Two things come to mind after reading this string for the first time.
1. I think it is nice when Mu signs a Wisconsin kid. like stronghold states it help the brand equity throughout the state. However, i am not from Wisconsin and am much less concerned about Mus perception in Wisconsin as i am Mu 's perception across the country. If Mu can sign 4 and 5 star kids from Wisconsin then great if we sign three star kids from the state then that will ultimately hurt the program. Mu needs to find the best players regardless of location.
2. point 1 leads into point 2. Buzz has said before about recruitng in Texas and houston in particular is that it is exponentially easier. IIRC like 5 years ago 30+ kids signed with D! schools in the same year from Houston. Buzz staed he could go see a different D! prospect every night after practice by driving across town. Versus having to get in a plane and flying to wherever where it become at minimum a 12-18 hour ordeal. That is one nice thing about recruitng guys like a Mathhews or a Blue or is that he can be so much more effective as a recruiter and a coach and be infront of that kid numerous numerosu times with very littel effort. Unfortunately recruiting to MU is tough becuase there is so little talent in the state, hence the reason Wisconsin has been the doormat of the B10 in basketball sans the last 10 years. Chicago has been a blessing to Mu over the years .
typo record?
Quote from: MarkCharles on August 12, 2010, 02:06:26 PM
typo record?
Not for him. At least he started using paragraphs.
Buzz SIGNED the top prospect in the state in each of his first two years. He won't "ignore" anyone who he thinks can play.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on August 12, 2010, 02:54:12 PM
Buzz SIGNED the top prospect in the state in each of his first two years. He won't "ignore" anyone who he thinks can play.
Agreed (as stated), hope that continues. Where it gets interesting is what happens if the state has a run 3 or 4 years in a row where the top kid is good, good enough to play at MU but not get a ton of time. Many top programs in the past, especially state schools, have still gone after those kids. It's as much a PR game with high school coaches, fans, AAU coaches, etc as anything else. Will we do this? I don't know....Buzz will have to make that call.
Quote from: ChicosBailBonds on August 12, 2010, 03:08:32 PM
Agreed (as stated), hope that continues. Where it gets interesting is what happens if the state has a run 3 or 4 years in a row where the top kid is good, good enough to play at MU but not get a ton of time. Many top programs in the past, especially state schools, have still gone after those kids. It's as much a PR game with high school coaches, fans, AAU coaches, etc as anything else. Will we do this? I don't know....Buzz will have to make that call.
You're walking a tightrope with those kind of kids. If you don't recruit them it can have negative repercussions. If you recruit them and they're not good enough to play much and therefore become unhappy things can get even more negative.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on August 12, 2010, 03:28:18 PM
You're walking a tightrope with those kind of kids. If you don't recruit them it can have negative repercussions. If you recruit them and they're not good enough to play much and therefore become unhappy things can get even more negative.
I agree, that's what makes it tricky. On the flip side, you walk a tight rope with some of the coaches who think their kids should be recruited by the university and they take it as a slap against them if you don't. Communication and relationships are key to be able to get through those players that are right on the cusp and could go either way.
Quote from: Strokin 3s on August 12, 2010, 10:21:37 AM
Pet Peeve, but really Northwestern Wisconsin. La Crosse, is like the equivalent of Sheboygan/Fond Du Lac, while it is north, it is way more south than even the northern half of the state. I know everyone says anything north of Milwaukee is Northern WI. Rant over.
This is true. For the longest time I assumed La Crosse was north of the Twin Cities along the Miss. River until I looked it up. I assume people think Appleton (where I grew up) is near Monocqua (sp).