Some Thoughts On MU Recruiting

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Actually, once you're already at 30, its probably easier to get to 15, because it only takes only one or two players--many of which are legitimately considering you.  And once one elite recruit opens the door, it becomes easier to get the next, and the next and the next.

Meanwhile, if it were easy to get to 30, teams like DePaul, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Providence would all be there. Yet they've all been struggling for years. 

Ask yourself this--which is more likely?

A DePaul or Seton Hall turning the entire program around, becomming a mirror image of Marquette, and becomming capable of  running up 8 tournament appearances? 

Or Marquette landing a player like Diamond Stone for 2015, and then following him up with a Jayson Tatum in 2016, which would propel us into the top 5 right about the time Boeheim, Pitino, Coach K are approaching retirement?

And you could say the same for any consistent 15-30 team.  Any one of them is just one elite-level recruit in two consectuive years away from cracking that top 10/top 15 barrier.

I agree with all of this. Land Diamond Stone and it signals a whole new era in Marquette basketball. We move from the third highest tier of basketball to the second tier. Getting to blue blood status would take years upon years of work....but it's not out of the question

[brewcity77]

I agree with all of this. Land Diamond Stone and it signals a whole new era in Marquette basketball. We move from the third highest tier of basketball to the second tier. Getting to blue blood status would take years upon years of work....but it's not out of the question

Landing one recruit won't signal that. Michael Beasley didn't turn KSU into a top-10 program. Neither did OJ Mayo and Demar DeRozan in back to back years for USC. It will continue to come down to rankings, results in March, and putting players in the NBA. If Jajuan Johnson turns into a Dion Waiters type, if Marial Shayok comes in and has a Wade-like impact, that would have more impact than simply landing Stone, unless he is a NPOY player as a freshman.

I love Stone's potential and really want to see him in Marquette colors, but this program is far bigger than him. As long as Buzz keeps doing what he's been doing, we will continue to move up in the pecking order. I really believe with Buzz (or a comparable coach), we will win with or without Stone. I still want to see him here, but won't lose my mind if he goes elsewhere.

[Benny B]

So in summary...

1) MU's profile when it comes to recruiting could be better, but it has drastically improved over the past decade or two.
2) Buzz is one of the best young coaches in the land, but some people's butts still ache over the fact that we weren't supposed to do better than Crean when he left.
3) We still can't recruit bigs because the weather sucks and/or other coaches are telling recruits "you don't want to go there."  But recruiting 4- and 5-star switchables is well within reach... evidently because those guys don't care about the weather and/or other coaches don't negative-recruit those kids.
4) Diamond Stone plays basketball.  Pretty damn good, apparently.
5) Nov 8 can't come soon enough.

[Lennys Tap]

Actually, once you're already at 30, its probably easier to get to 15, because it only takes only one or two players--many of which are legitimately considering you.  And once one elite recruit opens the door, it becomes easier to get the next, and the next and the next.

Meanwhile, if it were easy to get to 30, teams like DePaul, St. Johns, Seton Hall, Providence would all be there. Yet they've all been struggling for years. 

Ask yourself this--which is more likely?

A DePaul or Seton Hall turning the entire program around, becomming a mirror image of Marquette, and becomming capable of  running up 8 tournament appearances? 

Or Marquette landing a player like Diamond Stone for 2015, and then following him up with a Jayson Tatum in 2016, which would propel us into the top 5 right about the time Boeheim, Pitino, Coach K are approaching retirement?

And you could say the same for any consistent 15-30 team.  Any one of them is just one elite-level recruit in two consectuive years away from cracking that top 10/top 15 barrier.

Totally disagree. On your way to 30 you're passing programs like Minnesota, Iowa and Dayton. It's much easier to go from OK to good than it is to go from good to elite. Good programs can recruit talent when they have immediate playing time to offer. Elite programs stockpile talent, and that's much, much more difficult.

One player (a likely one and done at that) won't make a program elite. We had D Wade for two years and were an elite "team" for that period but we certainly weren't and didn't become an elite program. Buzz has us on the brink of elite. If he stays for a few more years I think we make it, Stone or no Stone.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Landing one recruit won't signal that. Michael Beasley didn't turn KSU into a top-10 program. Neither did OJ Mayo and Demar DeRozan in back to back years for USC. It will continue to come down to rankings, results in March, and putting players in the NBA. If Jajuan Johnson turns into a Dion Waiters type, if Marial Shayok comes in and has a Wade-like impact, that would have more impact than simply landing Stone, unless he is a NPOY player as a freshman.

I love Stone's potential and really want to see him in Marquette colors, but this program is far bigger than him. As long as Buzz keeps doing what he's been doing, we will continue to move up in the pecking order. I really believe with Buzz (or a comparable coach), we will win with or without Stone. I still want to see him here, but won't lose my mind if he goes elsewhere.

I didn't mean to say that Diamond Stone alone turns us into an elite program. I was working off what Equalizer said where once you get one 5 star to commit, its a lot easier to get the next one to commit. A gateway recruit if you will. I think Stone could be that recruit.

I do think that there is a perception right now that elite recruits don't go to Marquette. JJJ is the highest rated recruit we've had since Doc Rivers...and he was outside the top 100 when we started recruiting him. To land a top 10 player who has been in the top 10 since the beginning can change the perception of a program for recruits.

All this being said, Marquette will be great whether or not we land Stone.

[mileskishnish72]

I doubt that Buzz feels he has reached his ceiling at MU. I'd be willing to bet that he is still working his ass off to make the program better.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I doubt that Buzz feels he has reached his ceiling at MU. I'd be willing to bet that he is still working his ass off to make the program better.

Given what we know about Buzz's "him vs the world" mentality, I don't think the guy is ever going to believe that he has reached his ceiling.

The dude works his ass off everyday. That's one thing we can always count on.

[Spotcheck Billy]

So in summary...

1) MU's profile when it comes to recruiting could be better, but it has drastically improved over the past decade or two.
2) Buzz is one of the best young coaches in the land, but some people's butts still ache over the fact that we weren't supposed to do better than Crean when he left.
3) We still can't recruit bigs because the weather sucks and/or other coaches are telling recruits "you don't want to go there."  But recruiting 4- and 5-star switchables is well within reach... evidently because those guys don't care about the weather and/or other coaches don't negative-recruit those kids.
4) Diamond Stone plays basketball.  Pretty damn good, apparently.
5) Nov 8 can't come soon enough.

+1000

[bilsu]

On the Louisville Scout site the fans are discusding the posiblity of Blackshear starting at the 4. It would give them a lineup of 6'6', 6'5", 6'4" 6'3" & 5'10". I wish we were playing Louisville this year.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

On the Louisville Scout site the fans are discusding the posiblity of Blackshear starting at the 4. It would give them a lineup of 6'6', 6'5", 6'4" 6'3" & 5'10". I wish we were playing Louisville this year.

What about Harrell? Isn't he 6"9?

[Dawson Rental]

+1000

I thought that you'd be looking forward to November 24th.

[Dawson Rental]

What about Harrell? Isn't he 6"9?

Evidently, the Louisville fans think that that is only on paper.

[keefe]

I thought that you'd be looking forward to November 24th.