MUScoop
MUScoop => Hangin' at the Al => Topic started by: CrackedSidewalksSays on August 09, 2011, 03:30:05 PM
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Recruiting: Not Yet Dunn
Written by: noreply@blogger.com (Alan Bykowski)
Marquette fans got great news this past weekend when the #1 prospect in the state of Illinois for 2012, Steve Taylor (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/102263/steve-taylor), orally committed to the Warriors (http://espn.go.com/chicago/ncb/story/_/id/6841858/steve-taylor-announces-commitment-marquette-golden-eagles). But as Marquette Nation is still celebrating the commitment of Buzz's latest acquisition, we learned today that Mitch McGary (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high-school/post/_/id/8774/brewsters-mitch-mcgary-cuts-it-to-six) and Anthony Bennett (http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/aug/09/findlay-preps-anthony-bennett-trims-list-10-school/) would not be picking Marquette. While it's always disappointing to lose a recruit, there are a few consolations here. First, as Al McGuire always said, a no is better than a maybe. Buzz can now move on from both highly-regarded big men and focus on recruits who may say yes. Second, regarding McGary, he didn't list any other Big East schools, which means that while he won't be helping Marquette, he also won't be regularly hurting us. It's similar for Bennett, though he did list UConn, Pitt, and West Virginia as three of his final ten.
Looking ahead, Marquette is still in on a number of prospects for 2012. A number of big men still seem to be interested in Marquette, including Shaquille Cleare (http://scouthoops.scout.com/2/1089953.html), a big man in the Davante Gardner mold but rated by most in the top-25. Others considering Marquette include Zach Auguste (http://www.newenglandrecruitingreport.com/news/article/2083/Las-Vegas-Day-3-Recap.php), Brice Johnson (http://eye-on-college-basketball-recruiting.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/29884776/31124994), and Devin Thomas (http://scouthoops.scout.com/2/1093198.html). But while the prototypical face-up four seems to be the dream of all the Marquette faithful, I think our top target should be Kris Dunn (http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/110410/kris-dunn).
Dunn has had a lights-out summer (http://www.nbebasketball.com/w3/2011-0723/las-vegas-aau-day-1-notebook-jabari-parker-shines-kris-dunn-sparkles-more/) and has been one of the fastest-rising prospects (http://www.thecardinalconnect.com/?p=5124) in all of AAU basketball. While most services ranked him in the mid-40s back in April and May, don't be surprised if Dunn is a top-20, or even top-10 talent by the time the next recruiting rankings come out. Marquette was one of the first high-major schools in on Dunn, and back in late-April he told ESPN's Dave Telep he wanted to go to Marquette (http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog?name=telep_dave&id=6404247&count=51). After his breakout summer, he has offers from Connecticut, Louisville, and Providence. What makes Dunn so ideal for Marquette, more than his shooting ability, his excellent length for the point guard position, or his ability to get to the rim, is that he is a natural point guard. Dunn is a distribute-first kind of player that is working on his decision-making and his handle.
When Junior Cadougan graduates after the 2012-13 season, we will need someone to take over the point. While guys like Vander Blue, Derrick Wilson, and Todd Mayo have all played some point guard, all of them are usually regarded as combo guards. Dunn is a true point that will make everyone around him better. And the odds are he'll do it in the Big East. With the fluid nature of recruiting, it's possible that by the time I finish writing this, Dunn will have committed elsewhere, but if he hasn't, I hope Buzz Williams and his staff make Kris Dunn their top priority for the 2012 recruiting class. He's a perfect fit for Marquette, he has said he wants to be here, and he's the kind of truly elite recruit that the Marquette faithful would be able to get excited about.
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2011/08/recruiting-not-yet-dunn.html
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is a natural point guard. Dunn is a distribute-first kind of player
This contradicts almost everything i have read. The stuff i have read said he has always played the two guard but has the ability and is now working on becoming a PG.
Most natural PG's dont have to focus on decision making and ball handling...those are the main attributes of a natural point guard.
Other articles have described him as a natural 2g that is working on his decision making, distribution and ball handling and have been very impressed with his conversion.
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I don't think we get him for the simple reason that I don't think he is going to be willing to sit and learn for a year behind Cadougan. And I don't think Buzz will start him in front of Cadougan.
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I don't think we get him for the simple reason that I don't think he is going to be willing to sit and learn for a year behind Cadougan. And I don't think Buzz will start him in front of Cadougan.
There are very few freshmen point guards good enough to walk into a solid program and start from day one. Obviously unique situations occur for teams, but if he can play the 2 a bit and pick up minutes behind JC for a year he has a starting BEAST PG position waiting for him for the next 3 years. I think Buzz has a heck of a selling point there and more PT to offer than most big time programs.
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JC can't play every minute of every game. He'll see the floor as a freshman if he comes.
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Honestly, I have been following his recruitment pretty closely, and the providence fan boards seem to think he will be committing there sometime in the next week. They have a similar problem with a couple of young guards, but I feel like he could easily overtake them. The fan previously reported there Gerard Coleman recruit, which was a top 100 recruit for Providence if I am not mistaken. It would be a huge get for Providence, if that was the case. I am in the PF camp for who we should target so I would not be very disappointed if we didn't get him.
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So you'd rather start for an awful team then be a backup for a tournament team for 1 year? Interesting.
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Honestly, I have been following his recruitment pretty closely, and the providence fan boards seem to think he will be committing there sometime in the next week. They have a similar problem with a couple of young guards, but I feel like he could easily overtake them. The fan previously reported there Gerard Coleman recruit, which was a top 100 recruit for Providence if I am not mistaken. It would be a huge get for Providence, if that was the case. I am in the PF camp for who we should target so I would not be very disappointed if we didn't get him.
We talking 'bout Providence?
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JC can't play every minute of every game. He'll see the floor as a freshman if he comes.
And it's not like Buzz doesn't know how to get two point guards to co-exist. I seem to remember us having more than a little success with Acker and Cubillan both playing major minutes. I think Dunn could get himself 15-25 minutes per game as a freshman.
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Providence makes some sense to me if he wants to stay close to home and wants to play. Dunn was an early target of Ed Cooley (PC's new coach), even when he was at Fairfield. There is also talk that Dunn is a little warry of UConn because they have Omar Calhoun committed and they are similar players. I have a feeling that it will come down to us, along with those two...and we will know in September.
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Whether he starts or not Dunn will get plenty of playing time at MU. He could see time at both guard spots. Besides that, if you want to be good, you need to practice against good players.
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But you don't know what his motivations are. Maybe he wants to be close to home so his family can see him play. It's not like Providence is a D3 school...you can get to the NBA from there.
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But you don't know what his motivations are. Maybe he wants to be close to home so his family can see him play. It's not like Providence is a D3 school...you can get to the NBA from there.
If thats his motivation, then it makes sense, but short of that, it would be baffling. And I'm not saying that just cause I want him at Marquette. Of all the places he could go, to go to Providence at this point would be nuts short of wanting to be close to home, over Marquette or any top school looking at him.
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You're acting like he would be choosing to go to Quinnipiac or something. PC is a BE program with a young, energetic new coach. Is going to BE member Providence College in 2011 any more "nuts" than Damon Key and Jim McIlvaine going to MCC member Marquette in 1990??? Those guys had offers from more accomplished schools than MU back then...
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The same line of reasoning can therefore be argued for top recruits who spurn Buzz for UNC, Kentucky, or Kansas, aina?
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When does Dunn plan to announce his decision?
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According to the PC boards he is supposedly going to announce this week for PC, we will see what happens. PC has had 3 players drafted since 2004 in Ryan Gomes, Herbert Hill, and Marshon Brooks.There is certainly a path to the NBA in Providence.
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You're acting like he would be choosing to go to Quinnipiac or something. PC is a BE program with a young, energetic new coach. Is going to BE member Providence College in 2011 any more "nuts" than Damon Key and Jim McIlvaine going to MCC member Marquette in 1990??? Those guys had offers from more accomplished schools than MU back then...
First of all, Key and McIlvane weren't rated anywhere nearly as highly as Dunn.
Secondly, there is a definite "pecking order" in recruiting. Just as most around here abandon all hope when one of our targets is wooed by Duke, UNC, etc., it would be a head scratcher for MU to be beaten out by a Providence. Stuff happens, though.
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I understand the pecking order obviously. But as I said, Damon Key and Jim McIlvaine had "better" offers, but they decided to stay close to home and play for a new, energetic coach who wanted to turn a program around.
If this were a recruit from completely out of the area, I would agree with you - that would be a head scratcher. However it isn't unheard of for a local guy to turn down marquis programs to stay close to home. (Providence is about 60 miles away from New London.) Another example is Vander Blue...is it a head scratcher for UCLA and Arizona that they lost a Wisconsin recruit to Marquette? Not really...
It wouldn't really be an indictment of either MU nor Dunn if he chooses Providence ahead of us.
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I understand the pecking order obviously. But as I said, Damon Key and Jim McIlvaine had "better" offers, but they decided to stay close to home and play for a new, energetic coach who wanted to turn a program around.
If this were a recruit from completely out of the area, I would agree with you - that would be a head scratcher. However it isn't unheard of for a local guy to turn down marquis programs to stay close to home. (Providence is about 60 miles away from New London.) Another example is Vander Blue...is it a head scratcher for UCLA and Arizona that they lost a Wisconsin recruit to Marquette? Not really...
It wouldn't really be an indictment of either MU nor Dunn if he chooses Providence ahead of us.
Point well made.
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First of all, Key and McIlvane weren't rated anywhere nearly as highly as Dunn.
Secondly, there is a definite "pecking order" in recruiting. Just as most around here abandon all hope when one of our targets is wooed by Duke, UNC, etc., it would be a head scratcher for MU to be beaten out by a Providence. Stuff happens, though.
What is the pecking order, out of curiosity?
Here's mine:
Elite: Duke, UNC, UK, KU, UConn
Tier 2: Florida, 'Ville, Zona, OSU, Cuse, MSU, UCLA, Texas
The Rest
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I would put Uconn Tier 2, not tier 1. IMO.
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I would put Uconn Tier 2, not tier 1. IMO.
UConn is Tier One. 3 national titles in the past 12 seasons (four Final Fours); 5 Big East titles in the last 12 seasons; 4 Big East tournament titles in the last 12 years; 13 players on current NBA rosters -- the most of any program the nation (if wikipedia is to be believed).
UConn is the epitome of Tier One.
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I was ranking the 'recruiting' pecking order, not program accomplishments (though there is a correlation). Even so, yeah, I would prob leave the Elite programs as is.
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UConn is Tier One. 3 national titles in the past 12 seasons (four Final Fours); 5 Big East titles in the last 12 seasons; 4 Big East tournament titles in the last 12 years; 13 players on current NBA rosters -- the most of any program the nation (if wikipedia is to be believed).
UConn is the epitome of Tier One.
Disagree. UConn is tier two, IMO. I won't disagree that they have the credentials of a tier one, but they don't recruit the way that the others do. UNC, Duke, UK, and Kansas just have a different level of mystique when it comes to recruiting. Honestly, Indiana isn't far off that, either.
The difference of UConn and the others is sustained success. UConn has been great for the past couple fifteen or so years, the others have been great for decades.
UCLA, however, is tier one, definitely above UConn.
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I would not add IU to the list, though they could be added back down the road if they can start winning again. The Reason I don't think UCONN is on it is, nationally kids talk about Duke, Kansas, Kent, UNC. When it comes to UCONN they talk about Calhoun. When Calhoun is gone are they going to be able to recruit against those 4? Also Uconn has had great success, but if you tell me they had more pure recruiting talent on there roster last year compared to Duke, NC, Kent and Kansas I would disagree. UCLA is a enigma? They should be Tier 1 but people on the west coast just don't seem to care as much about sports and basketball. That includes alumni, students, and the adminstration.
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I would say Uconn is tier one as long as Calhoun is there. I do not think their fans automatically think they will lose a recruit to North Carolina. Whereas, I see Louisville fans complaining when North Carolina or Kentucky shows up on their recruits radar. However, if you want to narrow the tiers , I would say Uconn is tier 2 and Louisville is tier 3.
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I have always considered Marquette as the premier basketball school! As long as I can remember Marquette has had great athletes. When we would play pick up games in our neighborhood, we imitated MU players. Marquette always had a special aura about its basketball. I love the rich history and tradition of MU ball!
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I have always considered Marquette as the premier basketball school! As long as I can remember Marquette has had great athletes. When we would play pick up games in our neighborhood, we imitated MU players. Marquette always had a special aura about its basketball. I love the rich history and tradition of MU ball!
Teal?