ESPN Insider Blue Chip Battles

[CAGASS24]

Diamond Stone

Diamond Stone | @Diamond_Stone33 | Sophomore
Milwaukee Dominican | C | 6-10/252 | ESPN 25 Rank: No. 2

Previous BlueChipBattles rank: Unranked

Who wants him? Marquette, Wisconsin, Louisville, Illinois, Arizona, Indiana, DePaul, Tennessee, Michigan, among others.

Front-runner: Wisconsin, Marquette, Tennessee and Louisville.

Dark horse: Illinois, Michigan and Indiana.

@ReggieRankin with the buzz: When you're in the discussion for the nation's top sophomore prospect, you can expect to see a who's who of coaches throughout the AAU season. That was the case for Stone at this past weekend's NY2LA Sports Extravaganza. Coaches from Kansas, Duke, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Georgetown, Marquette and several others took in Stone's dominant post play and an occasional trail 3.

Stone is only a sophomore and continues to develop so expect the number of programs interested to grow significantly. His recruitment is definitely a #BlueChipBattle that is ongoing as he and his father, Bob, closely watch programs they can envision Stone fitting and thriving in.



--------Just keep improving, and hopefully he can be the gem of the Buzz Williams era at Marquette

[CAGASS24]

Kevon Looney | @Loon_Rebel5 | Junior
Milwaukee Hamilton | PF | 6-7/185 | ESPN 60 Rank: No. 7

Previous BlueChipBattles rank: Unranked

Who wants him? Duke, Florida, Michigan State, Michigan, Kansas, Louisville, Tennessee, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Maryland among others.

Front-runner: Duke, Florida and Michigan.

Dark horse: Georgetown, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

@ReggieRankin with the buzz: Looney took his versatile game to Minneapolis this past weekend to compete in the NY2LA Sports Extravaganza. Despite his lofty ranking and vast offensive arsenal, the 6-foot-9 forward routinely created easy buckets for his Milwaukee Running Rebels teammates. That should bode well for his recruitment as Tennessee's Cuonzo Martin, Georgetown's John Thompson III, Wisconsin's Bo Ryan and Duke assistant Nate James were all in attendance checking in on Looney and other stars of the 2014 class. The Blue Devils staff reportedly made an in-home visit with Looney Wednesday.

[Eldon]

Kevon Looney | @Loon_Rebel5 | Junior
Milwaukee Hamilton | PF | 6-7/185 | ESPN 60 Rank: No. 7

Previous BlueChipBattles rank: Unranked

Who wants him? Duke, Florida, Michigan State, Michigan, Kansas, Louisville, Tennessee, Georgetown, Wisconsin, Maryland among others.

Front-runner: Duke, Florida and Michigan.

Dark horse: Georgetown, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

@ReggieRankin with the buzz: Looney took his versatile game to Minneapolis this past weekend to compete in the NY2LA Sports Extravaganza. Despite his lofty ranking and vast offensive arsenal, the 6-foot-9 forward routinely created easy buckets for his Milwaukee Running Rebels teammates. That should bode well for his recruitment as Tennessee's Cuonzo Martin, Georgetown's John Thompson III, Wisconsin's Bo Ryan and Duke assistant Nate James were all in attendance checking in on Looney and other stars of the 2014 class. The Blue Devils staff reportedly made an in-home visit with Looney Wednesday.

So we're basically out of the running, I guess.  That YouTube video of him (that recent interview from ChicagoHoops or whatever) along with this shows that we are not on his radar. 

At the very least, hopefully the dark horse Georgetown can pull him in.  They can sell him on visiting Milwaukee every (?) year (as well as closeby Chicago)

[KenoshaWarrior]

How is Wisconsin in the lead for him?

Why are we listed second.

[Hards Alumni]

How is Wisconsin in the lead for him?

Why are we listed second.

Calm down, Chicken Little.

Its an article.  It doesn't have the leader for him ranked.  Those 3 are probably all considered the front runners.  Otherwise why list 3?

[Rockmic87]

For those of you that are anointing MU as an elite program, notice that a majority of these recruits are from the midwest, and we are only list for Stone.....

[MUFlutieEffect]

Right after Vander left, everyone pointed to Looney as the realistic possibility and Stone out of our realm - looks like this suggests the exact opposite.  Leaves you wondering how credible any one article really is.

[Goose]

Rockmic

What are you talking about?

[Mayor Frank Ortis]

More from ESPN Insider on Best First Impressions (likely future blue chip battles)...


Class of 2014
Myles Turner (Euless, Texas/Trinity)
PF/C, 6-foot-11, 225 pounds
Current offers: Auburn, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Houston, Texas A&M, Texas, Rice, TCU, Illinois-Chicago, Kansas, North Texas, SMU, Oregon State, USC, Texas-Arlington, UCLA, Vanderbilt, Marquette and growing daily
Turner, who plays on the travel team circuit with Texas Select, continues to see his stock rise by the event. He is a long and athletic power forward with an excellent face-up game and range to the 3-point arc when he gets time and space. He is a terrific free throw shooter for a post player as well. Turner blocks shots with his great length and timing and is a top-notch passer when he draws multiple defenders. He is also a good rebounder and runs extremely well for his size. But the best thing about Turner is that he is a nice young man who has not yet scratched the surface in terms of how good he could become.

Class of 2016
Jayson Tatum (St. Louis/Chaminade)
SG/SF, 6-7, 175
Current offers: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Marquette and Florida
Current interest: St. Louis, Indiana and Michigan State
Tatum is a long and athletic wing who can flat-out score in a variety of ways. He can get to the rim and finish on the break or stop and pop inside the arc, including a smooth step-back going to his left. Tatum can also create and take advantage of smaller defenders by posting up or backing them down and shooting over them. Playing for the St. Louis Eagles U16 on the travel circuit, he is reminiscent of a young Joe Johnson.

[Tums Festival]

Right after Vander left, everyone pointed to Looney as the realistic possibility and Stone out of our realm - looks like this suggests the exact opposite.  Leaves you wondering how credible any one article really is.

I think the general Scoop feeling has been that between the two, we've got a better chance landing Stone than Looney. Both those Insider posts seem to support that.

[🏀]

Looney isn't interested in staying at home, there is a direct source on this board.

Looney will end up with a blue-blood program.

[Goose]

PTM


Well stated.

[GGGG]

Right after Vander left, everyone pointed to Looney as the realistic possibility and Stone out of our realm - looks like this suggests the exact opposite.  Leaves you wondering how credible any one article really is.

No, it was the opposite.

[Dawson Rental]

How is Wisconsin in the lead for him?

Why are we listed second.

I think that those phone calls you made to his home backfired.

[willie warrior]

Man, this will not be good if wee miss out on both Stone and Looney.

[PJDunn]

There is a good chance that we will miss out on both.  And if that happens, the program will survive.

[avid1010]

How is Wisconsin in the lead for him?

Why are we listed second.

I think he has teachers that want him to go to UW....I hear it happens all the time in Racine/Kenosha....

[Otule's Glass Eye]

There is a good chance that we will miss out on both.  And if that happens, the program will survive.

Adding one or both could take us to new heights with Buzz. I'm content with 4 stars, but we need to start getting a 5 star here and there, especially if their home city is the same as Marquette's.

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Man, this will not be good if wee miss out on both Stone and Looney.

It will be about the same as the past 30 years. Tough, but nothing new really.