Recruits Josh/Devin Langford

[Sir Lawrence]

News from Charleston, WV:  http://sundaygazettemail.com/Sports/201001260752

Let's hope Buzz can out recruit (yuck) Huggins.

From the article:

There is a player, however, that Huggins has seen of late.

Followers of the coach's radio show may have noticed the broadcast was moved last Monday from its regular slot.

That's because the coach was in Alabama checking out a 2010 prospect somewhat under the radar. And there's a return trip, either from Huggins or one of his assistants, scheduled for today, according to the prospect's coach.

The recruit is Josh Langford, who plays for Lee High in Huntsville, Ala. And, apparently, the Mountaineers are putting on the full-court press for his services.

"Coach Huggins is coming with it,'' Lee coach Greg Brown said with a laugh, "and I'm glad.''

Langford is a 6-6, 210-pound wing man with interest or offers from Alabama, Auburn, Georgetown, Georgia, Illinois, Clemson, Marquette and UNLV.

"Huggins and [Marquette coach] Buzz Williams were here the other night,'' Brown said. "Buzz wants [Langford] bad too. Georgetown is coming [tonight].''

According to Brown, Langford is a deadly shooter, connecting on 53.4 percent of his shots from the floor for the Generals this season. The coach said his standout is hitting 38 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. He is one of many nominated for the McDonald's All-American game.

"Josh doesn't miss anything from mid-range,'' Brown said.

The Mountaineers, of course, are in desperate need of deadeye shooters, and Langford apparently is interested.

"Oh yeah,'' Brown said. "He definitely has interest. He was excited about [Huggins] being here. He didn't know until near the end [of Monday's game], but he was excited.''

Thus, perhaps, the scheduled return trip.

Brown, however, also said Huggins was taken by another Lee High General: Langford's cousin, Devin, a 6-6, 180-pound shooting guard in the 2011 class.

"He's been compared to Penny Hardaway,'' Brown said.

The Lee High coach said Marquette's Williams has already offered both Langfords. It's been reported other schools like Alabama, Maryland, Wake Forest and Georgia have also already offered Devin Langford.

"Most of the ACC schools have,'' Brown said.

The coach said Devin Langford, like his cousin, is keen on Huggins.

For now, though, keep an eye on Huggins and Josh Langford. Brown said the older Langford had a nice selection of offers, but the Mountaineer coach's appearance made an impact.

"Huggins,'' Brown laughed, "has kind of changed the game.''

Something to keep an eye on.

[Boone]

Huggins can keep Josh. We need a big man.

[damuts222]

 This is Haywards height and I have no problem going after him and getting him. But it sounds as if WV beat us too the punch here.

[wadesworld]

He originally committed to Louisville and backed out.  If he ends up at West Virginia it would appear that he likes the sleezeball, A-hole coaches.

[NotAnAlum]

As much as I'd love to have a 6-6 guy who could shot like that we MUST recruit some size and some bulk and since we're likely to be taking a flyer on some guys that might not work out we probably need two interior players betting that one will work out.  
Keep in mind its not just height its SIZE and STRENGHT.  Lazar is 215 lbs and strong as an Ox so he is able to play much bigger than 6-6.  And even Lazar is often terribly overmatched.  Jimmy B who is about the same height has a different body type than Lazar is going to have a much more difficult time playing on the block and defending on the block.  

[nyg]

Seems like a nice SF, but we need a PF or C, or both.

[bilsu]

As much as I'd love to have a 6-6 guy who could shot like that we MUST recruit some size and some bulk and since we're likely to be taking a flyer on some guys that might not work out we probably need two interior players betting that one will work out.  
Keep in mind its not just height its SIZE and STRENGHT.  Lazar is 215 lbs and strong as an Ox so he is able to play much bigger than 6-6.  And even Lazar is often terribly overmatched.  Jimmy B who is about the same height has a different body type than Lazar is going to have a much more difficult time playing on the block and defending on the block.  

Why? If you are taller than Butler you are not going to get off the bench at MU.

[77ncaachamps]

If he/they can score AND defend,

WELCOME TO MU, JOSH and/or DEVIN!

[bma725]

Said it on the other board and I'll say it here, no disrespect intended to either of the Langfords, but no thanks.  This team is in need of a couple of things next year, neither of which include a 6'6 swingman that is just now learning to be a perimeter player.

We need another true center and a power forward of what you might call more normal size.  Langford's a talented kid, but this team simply can't continue to roll out 6'6 200lb guys at the 4 and expect to have a chance to compete with the upper echelon teams in the Big East.  The only way we should be taking a swing man this year is if he's one of those rare 6'9 guys that is offensively more of a 3 but big enough defensively to play inside. 

[4everwarriors]

But, Buzz says he'd never turn away a good player.

Translation:
This kid is better than any available big man. Thus, the offer.

[Boone]

We already have a glut of perimeter types. Why unnecessarily muddy the waters w/another?

We don't need a great scorer down low (would be nice, but that's gravy), but we need someone who can defend and rebound. Surely, there must be a Marcus Jackson type out there somewhere.

[MR.HAYWARD]

funny thing about it is am sitting here watching the undefeated in the BE Villanova Wildcats and the announcers keep saying hey might be rated #1 next week.  Thye have a 6'8 center and 4 guards in the starting lineup and typically bring in two guards first off the bench.

we have 3 centers on the roster next year and two PF's   se know reason we cannot sign a SF and then a 4 or 5.  I will leave it to Buzz i trust his opinions over yours.

[bma725]

Where the heck are you finding 3 centers are next year's roster?  Otule, Mbao.....

[nyg]

Where the heck are you finding 3 centers are next year's roster?  Otule, Mbao.....

Two project centers and NO PFs. 

[Boone]

Yeah, why the need to upgrade when we've got Mbao, Otule, Fulce and EW manning the inside?

[MR.HAYWARD]

my bad wrong key 2 centers   Ewill and Butler are PF's and i would take Butler at 6'8" over Pena any day of the week.  

[MR.HAYWARD]

Yeah, why the need to upgrade when we've got Mbao, Otule, Fulce and EW manning the inside?

interesting you left out Butler.  Not saying we dont need to upgrade but if Buzz feels a particaulr wing could play the 4 or is good enough to warrant only signing 1 big ten i will defer to Buzz

[Boone]

Thanks for clearing that up. I feel so much better about the future of our inside game now

[79Warrior]

Two project centers and NO PFs. 

Exactly. Both are projects at best.

[HoopsMalone]

I'd like to see DJO improve to a point where he plays 35 mins a game.  If he is playing those kinds of minutes for 2 more years, we do not need any more wings.  Especially if Blue is for real too and could get to 30-35 mins/game.  Unless Buzz lands a one and done type of talent, I don't see a reason to recruit another guard/wing for 2010. 

[nyg]

my bad wrong key 2 centers   Ewill and Butler are PF's and i would take Butler at 6'8" over Pena any day of the week.  

OK, maybe, just maybe Ewill can convert to a PF sometime down to road, but unless Butler has grown two inches in the last few days, he is a 6ft 6in SF/G. No way can he be classified as a PF.

[bma725]

my bad wrong key 2 centers   Ewill and Butler are PF's and i would take Butler at 6'8" over Pena any day of the week. 

Butler is a 3, not a 4.  He plays there now out of necessity, but ideally you'd have a natural 4 playing there so that Jimmy can use his perimeter and mid range game more often as well as drive to the hole.

Plus, as good of a defender as Jimmy is, he simply isn't big enough to go against some of the larger power forwards that MU faces every year.  He'd have to add quite a bit of weight to be able to bang in the post with them, and that would probably be detrimental to his offensive game.

[Boone]

Butler agrees w/you, BMA. He says it all.

"Too big," said 6-foot-6, 215-pound Jimmy Butler, who spent most of his 37 minutes butting heads with the likes of 6-9, 261-pound Arinze Onuaku and 6-9, 240-pound Rick Jackson in the lane.

"I mean, I'm height-big, but I'm not going to say I'm weight-big. They were just big. You know they're big when they're giving Lazar (Hayward) problems down there. You can definitely tell when you've got two guys like that in the paint challenging your shots and having to guard them on the defensive end.

"It's really hard."

[MR.HAYWARD]

butler is every bit of 6'8"  i ahve stood next to him  anumber times he taller than fulce and signifciantly taller than lazar.  not arguing naything about the weight, simply saying he is not 6'6

[bma725]

butler is every bit of 6'8"  i ahve stood next to him  anumber times he taller than fulce and signifciantly taller than lazar.  not arguing naything about the weight, simply saying he is not 6'6

He is significantly taller than both, but Buzz has talked in the past how the listed heights for both players are incorrect.  According to what Buzz said last year, Hayward and Fulce are actually 6'4 and 6'5 respectively, not their listed heights.  So while Butler is in fact taller than both, he's not 6'8.