Hunt on Maymon

[WarriorHal]

Michael Hunt | In My Opinion

Perhaps Maymon just wasn't good enough

Posted: Dec. 15, 2009 8:59 p.m.


While the search continues for a smoking gun in the Jeronne Maymon situation, maybe all the side issues are obscuring one basic truth.

Maybe the young man simply cannot play, at least to the level to help a college team in a major conference win basketball games.

Set aside for a moment the Madison Memorial pipeline and the influence of a father intent on micromanaging everything about his son's circumstances, and Maymon was out of his league as a freshman with Marquette.

That's the opinion of a basketball insider in a position to know. He said few top Big Ten Conference or Big East Conference coaches he knew of thought Maymon could help them win. And you don't have to be a hoops guru to know that judgment is reasonably sound, at least so far.

In his short time with Marquette, Maymon did virtually nothing.

That comes back on Buzz Williams for taking on a marginal talent as his first big recruit, thereby wasting a scholarship spot during a season in which there already was zero margin for error on warm bodies.

And if Maymon was an academic risk that Williams was willing to gamble on, all the more reason to hold the second-year coach responsible at a place like Marquette.

More worrisome for Williams is the perception of all the assorted player comings and goings being taken as a whole. To be fair, all have separate circumstances. But when Monterale Clark, who was charged with sexual assault in September, is bundled in the shrinking class with Maymon, Williams is at risk of gaining a reputation for misreading character and skills, or at least blurring the line.

Separating Maymon from the class, give Williams some credit for not caving in to the player's father.

If the family thought Maymon was being played out of position or was somehow not being used in a way to advance his future, it was behaving as a lot of unrealistic families might. Many would rather see their son become all-conference than for his team to win the conference. And that's fine, as long as they remember two cardinal rules about coaches:

They are there to win. And if they listen to family in the stands, they will soon join them there.

Williams was playing Maymon as he should've been played. Given Marquette's situation, Maymon probably was getting more minutes than his production justified.

In his short time at Marquette, Williams has earned the reputation of being tough and demanding, but ultimately fair. At least that was the testimony from the three senior stars he inherited last season.

Suddenly, Wes Matthews, Jerel McNeal and Dominic James became happier people even as they were being pushed to their physical limits. Kids are smart. They know when they or their teammates are being treated inconsistently. They want minutes, but they demand to be treated fairly. Even if some of the departed recruits might disagree, the trio said Williams did that.

But there's more to coaching college basketball, especially at a place like Marquette.

While Williams could not be responsible for what Clark did or did not decide to do in Texas, you have to know what you're taking on from character to skills to the family to the academic ability required to get through Marquette. Even the perception that exceptions are made cannot exist.

And now, people want to know why players are bailing on Williams. Taken individually, there are explanations. Viewed collectively, it creates a perception.

It's up to a young coach to sort it out before it becomes a real problem.

[NotAnAlum]

Any guess on who the "basketball insider in a position to know" is?

[Hards Alumni]

usually, I disagree with him.

and now I only partially disagree with him here.

You can't lump the leavings together here.

[warthog-driver]

you have to know what you're taking on from character to skills to the family to the academic ability required to get through Marquette. Even the perception that exceptions are made cannot exist.

And now, people want to know why players are bailing on Williams. Taken individually, there are explanations. Viewed collectively, it creates a perception.

It's up to a young coach to sort it out before it becomes a real problem.

At the end of the day this is the real issue in all of this Maymon nonsense. Let's hope Buzz can get ahead of the power curve on this.

[NersEllenson]

I just e-mailed Michael Hunt the below:

Please for the sake of credible journalism, make a retraction or modification to this statement:

In his short time with Marquette, Maymon did virtually nothing.

That comes back on Buzz Williams for taking on a marginal talent as his first big recruit, thereby wasting a scholarship spot during a season in which there already was zero margin for error on warm bodies.



THERE IS NO FAULT ON BUZZ WILLIAMS FOR OFFERING THE 2-TIME WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR A SCHOLARSHIP.  FURTHERMORE, MAYMON WAS RATED ANYWHERE FROM THE 55TH-75TH BEST RECRUIT NATIONALLY BY ALMOST ALL RESPECTED RECRUITING SERVICES.

Lastly, the initial premise/lead of your article was that perhaps, at the end of the day, Maymon wasn't good enough to make a major impact at a high-major program, as a freshman.  Yet you end your article by asking why players are bailing on Williams?  You floated that the answer was Maymon wasn't good enough in your lead.  Furthermore, Monterale Clark didn't LEAVE or BAIL on MU, MU bailed on him after he got charged with rape in Texas. 

Buzz Williams has landed back-to-back Top 20 Nationally Ranked recruiting classes; something that hasn't happened at MU since Al McGuire.  To question Buzz at this juncture is premature at minimum, and bad judgement on your part at maximum.

[WarriorHal]

If Maymon is just "a marginal talent," then Buzz isn't the only one who misjudged his ability. Rivals.com rated him as a 4-star prospect, the #47 player in the country overall, and the #7 small forward. Of course, if we had a center and a power forward, it would have been interesting to see what he could do as a small forward. The inability, year after year and coach after coach, to recruit a couple of big men who can play inside--and stay healthy--is beyond frustrating. But if Maymon left because he was playing out of position, that's pretty weak. If my boss gives me an assignment tomorrow and I don't want to do it, I guess I'll just quit and go home.

[warthog-driver]

I just e-mailed Michael Hunt the below:

Well put and I agree with everything you wrote. Having said which, Buzz really does need to get his arms and mind around this whole issue. Mike Hunt writing about the perception management problem is demonstrable proof othat it is already out in the public domain. Imagine what Bo Ryan will be telling recruits and their mothers in the months to come. This is a very bad story to be told in the living rooms of high school kids.

[TVDirector]

marginal talent?
the guy was heavily recruited and, what, POY in WI?

perhaps buzz was overly exuberant about such a recruit- but he was not alone in hotly pursuing this young man.

imagine JM's situation if he was at nova sitting the bench now with fewer minutes and more years to wait before becoming a fixture in the starting lineup.

if it's an academic issue, I wish him well in learning more about life than a basketball playbook can teach him.
if it's typical freshman homesickness, lack of confidence or personal worries, I hope he rediscovers the confidence that made him such a high recruit.
but
if it's arrogance or inflated self-worth, I wish him best of luck at Baylor, UW-GodKnowsWhere or with the Istanbul (not Constantinople) Llamas riding pine, fishing for walleye or avoiding Midnight Express issues as he realizes he walked away from more than a great basketball opportunity at MU.

[bamamarquettefan]

Wow, just got back from a business trip and just seeing the news for the first time. OUCH.  Not sure I quite agree on no statistical evidence he could play.  In 16 minutes a game he was 4 ppg and 4+ rebounds, so as a starter playing 32 minutes would have projected 8 ppg, 8+ rebounds.  That's not bad for a freshman early season - not spectacular, but showed possible potential on a size deprived teams.

Obviously we need Erik Williams to start playing with him gone - pretty depressed. With next year's class coming in though, I do believe in a year or two we will have the depth to not be killed every time a player gets hurt or can't play.

[NersEllenson]

Imagine what Bo Ryan will be telling recruits and their mothers in the months to come. This is a very bad story to be told in the living rooms of high school kids.

I see your point, and obviously it has some merit.  That said, there very well may be more to the story than anyone knows.  It has been floated that it could be an academic issue, and instead of choosing to be ineligbile, J-May chose to quit.  Perhaps there was a discipline/character issue.  Perhaps J-May felt in over his head.  Who knows.  But, I do think Buzz was very hurt/disappointed with this outcome, and whatever the reason for it - we just need to trust that it is the right thing for both J-May and the program.  I am confident in Buzz's character and trust that he can address any concern a prospective recruit or parent might voice over this scenario.

[MrRivals150]

if you want to get a hold of HUNT--TWEET him to death

This man is one in a million and believe me it's not a source.  It's probably just Todd Rosiak.  

[Golden Avalanche]

If there are some in the media out there who truly believe Maymon was a marginal talent and a risk to take on, then I don't ever want to unnatural carnal knowledgeing hear another campaign blistering Marquette for ignoring local talent when trying to build their program.

[AZWarrior]

I just e-mailed Michael Hunt the below:

Please for the sake of credible journalism, make a retraction or modification to this statement:

In his short time with Marquette, Maymon did virtually nothing.

That comes back on Buzz Williams for taking on a marginal talent as his first big recruit, thereby wasting a scholarship spot during a season in which there already was zero margin for error on warm bodies.



THERE IS NO FAULT ON BUZZ WILLIAMS FOR OFFERING THE 2-TIME WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE YEAR A SCHOLARSHIP.  FURTHERMORE, MAYMON WAS RATED ANYWHERE FROM THE 55TH-75TH BEST RECRUIT NATIONALLY BY ALMOST ALL RESPECTED RECRUITING SERVICES.

Lastly, the initial premise/lead of your article was that perhaps, at the end of the day, Maymon wasn't good enough to make a major impact at a high-major program, as a freshman.  Yet you end your article by asking why players are bailing on Williams?  You floated that the answer was Maymon wasn't good enough in your lead.  Furthermore, Monterale Clark didn't LEAVE or BAIL on MU, MU bailed on him after he got charged with rape in Texas. 

Buzz Williams has landed back-to-back Top 20 Nationally Ranked recruiting classes; something that hasn't happened at MU since Al McGuire.  To question Buzz at this juncture is premature at minimum, and bad judgement on your part at maximum.

Well said.

[ChicosBailBonds]

So this basketball insider is saying this is a recruiting miss on the talent assessment front (forget the baggage front)?

That's not a warm fuzzy....but considering it came from Mike Hunt, take it with a grain of salt.

[LovinCrowder]

If there are some in the media out there who truly believe Maymon was a marginal talent and a risk to take on, then I don't ever want to fracking hear another campaign blistering Marquette for ignoring local talent when trying to build their program.

+1   Agreed!!!!!!

[NavinRJohnson]

So this basketball insider is saying this is a recruiting miss on the talent assessment front (forget the baggage front)?

I wouldn't say that is entirely inaccurate...too soon to tell, but I haven't seen anything special there as far as talent goes. Its also rather irrelevant. Given the situation at the the time, Buzz had little choice but to try to go get him and take the chance. Not sure Vander Blue didn't play a role in the decision to do so as well. Regardless of what happens with Maymon, this probably still ends up a net positive once Blue suits up for MU. 

[Mayor McCheese]

That's funny.  Wasn't J May a better recruit (ranking wise) than anything Bo Ryan got for this year?

The walking Bart Simpson name, he absolutely missed his mark on this one:

He should have talked about dealing with overbearing parents, a kid who has been inflated due to marginal talent coming out of Wisconsin the last two years(allowing him to receive Mr. Basketball twice).

Honestly, very poorly researched article.  How can you judge a person's character these days.  Sure there are some sure-fire red flags, but when a man like Tiger Woods is caught having poor character, practically anyone has the possibility to make a mistake that gives "character issues"

[ecompt]

I have never seen Blue play, so perhaps I'm wrong here, but if Maymon was the two-time state player of the year what does that say about Wisconsin basketball? 

[LON]

I have never seen Blue play, so perhaps I'm wrong here, but if Maymon was the two-time state player of the year what does that say about Wisconsin basketball? 

It's not that good.

[Marquette_g]

Jamil Wilson is a one and done player, MU will never get another good recruit if we can't keep A+ level talent like him in state

[Benny B]

I have never seen Blue play, so perhaps I'm wrong here, but if Maymon was the two-time state player of the year what does that say about Wisconsin basketball?  

Wisconsin is just the opposite of Indiana when it comes to basketball:

"Nobody in Wisconsin plays basketball, but everyone goes out for the team."

[muwarrior69]

This from the Mug Rack on Hunts article:

It’s a load of crap. Just absolute garbage. Hunt takes 400 words to bash Buzz Williams for recruiting a player who ‘just wasn’t good enough.’ He starts his article suggesting that Jeronne couldn’t make a huge impact as a freshmen on a top Big East program and ends it by bashing Buzz’s ability to keep certain players, neglecting to mention his top tear recruiting classes.

Well if Michael Hunt is smart enough to realize that, he’s smarter than the coaches at USC, Tennessee, Baylor, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky and Minnesota (on top of being smarter than Buzz) who wanted the #47th best rivals player in the country and the #7 power forward to play for their team too. If that’s the case you’re in the wrong line of work Mikey. Get out from behind the desk littered with old papers and empty Chinese food boxes and start shopping your resume for a recruiting gig.

He’s basically writing as some douche saying “I called this.” Though there is no proof he did that and what he is looking is Jeronne’s stat line and Ignoring virtually everything else.

I guess there will be more coming on this issues. Speculation is still at a high since neither the University/AD/Buzz or the Maymons have commented on the issues.

=The Bartender=

[Marq]

Buzz made a mistake, he had two recruits to choose from in the state, Wilson or Maymon. He obviously chose the wrong man for the job. Wilson looks like a stud in the making in Oregon, while JM looks like overatted daddy's boy who just couldn't hack it. Will this hurt in recruiting? It is yet to be seen. But it obviously can't help. But its time to move on with what we have.

[MrRivals150]

Jamil Wilson is a one and done player, MU will never get another good recruit if we can't keep A+ level talent like him in state

Jamil is good, but no where near a one and done player.  He has raw talent and I think he's like the 6th man at Oregon right now (or at least was a week or so ago when I looked).

The only one and done player that might ever pass through this state is J.P. Tokoto.

Buzz can erect himself a gold statue in front of the Bradley Center is he reels in J.P. TOKOTO.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Buzz made a mistake, he had two recruits to choose from in the state, Wilson or Maymon. He obviously chose the wrong man for the job. Wilson looks like a stud in the making in Oregon, while JM looks like overatted daddy's boy who just couldn't hack it. Will this hurt in recruiting? It is yet to be seen. But it obviously can't help. But its time to move on with what we have.

He didn't make a mistake. It was a calculated decision and one that stands to payoff handsomely.