Naji Hibbert, a 6ft 5in shooting guard from DeMatha HS, Hyattsville, Md. committed to Texas A&M. Hibbert was a 2009 high target of MU, who offered last year. So, in two days we lose two highly ranked 2009 shooting guard prospects in Creek and Hibbert. Least he didn't committ to IU and then others say he went there because of TC, not the program. Lets go Buzz!
it would have been nice to have him but we should focus on landing Lacy and Wilson, if we get those two anything else is just a bonus
I highly doubt MU will land either player, but it would be great if it happened.
MU has to land both of them. Recruiting kids at DeMatha is for nationally known coaches....Buzz ain't one of them. Why does everyone always think we cannot get a player like Wilson? If we had TC would the chances been higher? I see no reason why Buzz should be held to different standard than TC.
MU picked the coach...but the task at hand is set by competition. If he cannot land top local talent then he is wrong profession.
Quote from: THEGYMBAR on May 05, 2008, 10:05:34 AM
If he cannot land top local talent then he is wrong profession.
I agree.
I have been a defender of Buzz thinking he's a "reasonable" pick. But, if he has a substandard recruiting class this year, and next year's team underperforms, he should be a one year coach. To be clear, both would have to happen.
Buzz wanted the job and the downside for Buzz with this position and this team is he has to perfrom NOW. As in this month, get a committment from a decent recruit.
I feel like the overall sentiment on this board has put too many eggs in the Wilson basket. Just bc the kid lives in Wisconsin doesn't mean that we are automatically the front runner. If we are truly a major program, the geography of recruits should be of minimal concern.
We should go after Lacy and Wilson bc they are good players, not because they have a convenient area code, and shouldn't be surprised if they opt to go elsewhere. By the same token, when we get a commitment from a player outside WI, I don't here people saying that Texas should have gotten Erik Williams. Not all kids want to stay close to home. You consider it because it is an obvious choice, but that doesn't make it always the right choice.
Marquett----Recruiting and putting all our eggs in Wilson/Lacy/Maymon basket is needed for the following reasons:
1. Top 15 recruiting class nationally.
2. Allows Buzz to achieve quick national attention.
3. Makes recruiting other local players easier.
4. We need quality players ASAP.
These impact recruits on and off the court. MU probably will never land the best player in Texas but should nab most top players in WI in a given year.
Despite the understandable hatred for UW, the thought that we "should" land most of the top players in WI is misguided.
I agree that class would be very nice, my point is that there are other means of getting a top 15 class if they don't work out. I fully support pursuing all of those players, but believe the overall focus should be on getting us the absolute best players. I also agree we need players and quickly. Wilson isn't going to commit until March of 09, nothing about that says quick.
Quote from: THEGYMBAR on May 05, 2008, 11:05:11 AM
Marquett----Recruiting and putting all our eggs in Wilson/Lacy/Maymon basket is needed for the following reasons:
1. Top 15 recruiting class nationally.
2. Allows Buzz to achieve quick national attention.
3. Makes recruiting other local players easier.
4. We need quality players ASAP.
These impact recruits on and off the court. MU probably will never land the best player in Texas but should nab most top players in WI in a given year.
5. For 2009, at least, are there really any other options?
Marquette---Successful coaches target kids and get them. When I mean should, I mean that should be in the final schools on everyone. Buzz has little choice moving forward...recruit better players than TC or lose ground in BE.
Without knowing a great deal about his assistant coaches, I am not overwhelmed with excitement on the recruiting front. It sems to me the best assistants are young ones. TC and KO were top recruiters in 20's.
Quote from: nyg on May 05, 2008, 09:08:30 AM
Naji Hibbert, a 6ft 5in shooting guard from DeMatha HS, Hyattsville, Md. committed to Texas A&M. Hibbert was a 2009 high target of MU, who offered last year. So, in two days we lose two highly ranked 2009 shooting guard prospects in Creek and Hibbert. Least he didn't committ to IU and then others say he went there because of TC, not the program. Lets go Buzz!
You mean a good player committed to A&M without Buzz being there to recruit him? ;)
I don't want any panic signings just so we have a kid to put in a press release. If Buzz thinks it makes sense, fine. Otherwise he needs to nail the fall class with a good group since 2 of the best players we had that were going to be here in September are now playing at IU and KU.
The other coaches will be telling Lacy and Wilson that Buzz has no track record as a HC and as a result they take a big chance. Buzz will have to produce as a coach in the BE and establish a reputation before it's likely we get the quality recruits. When Crean came here MSU was riding high and he got a lot of credit for that so he had a track record at a high level program.
Check out my post regarding Buzz's Recruiting strategy in '09. it sums up what i think my has to do in the next year or two.