[Cracked Sidewalks] How did MU make top 5 of two 6-foot-9 stars?

[CrackedSidewalksSays]

How did MU make top 5 of two 6-foot-9 stars?

Written by: jpudner@concentricgrasstops.com (bamamarquettefan1)

On August 26, Mike Shaw’s AAU coach announced Marquette was one of five finalist for Rival’s 58th ranked prospect.  The next day, Scout’s No. 2 ranked player Quincy Miller twitted that he had added Marquette to a list of 12 other schools he had been considering.

Sunday the news got even better as Miller posted, "My list currently has 5 schools on it. Duke, Louisville, Baylor, Oklahoma and Marquette."  Narrowing it to that five dropped Georgetown, Illinois, Kentucky, Memphis, Oregon, Syracuse, Tennessee and Wake Forest from the list.

How did Marquette make the Final 5 list for two of the top 6-foot-9 prospects in the country for 2011?

There is much speculation about how much players weigh Buzz vs. other coaches, programs' ability to produce NBA players, Final Four runs, conferences, tradition, climates, etc.  While these may be given reasons given on signing day, I do believe the biggest factor is probably communication between players and potential players.

If an 18 year old has to filter through all the hype and plays to their ego, who is he going to trust the most?  I’ve got to believe they turn to their peers â€" players who just went through the same decision â€" to find out if they regret or are thrilled with the choice they made.

For all our speculation, the fact is that Mike Shaw may simply be hearing very good things from his friend and MU freshman Reggie Smith.  Quincy Miller may simply be hearing good things from his former USA national teammate and MU freshman Vander Blue.

I believe we all are confident Buzz is a great guy and probably makes an excellent pitch when he gets a visit, but don’t you think potential recruits check with current players to see what he is really like?  To ask how players are really received on campus?  We will never know what other questions are important when you are an 18 year old elite player, but I’m pretty confident they are asking their peers the questions that really determine their final commitment.

I’m as guilty as anyone of wanting to know right now who is going to be in the 2011 class and exactly what is happening, but the fact that Shaw and Miller even have MU in their Top 5 is a great sign that good things are being said about the program by they only guys who really matter â€" the players.

This year is going to be fun, and if we land a 6-foot-9 player like either Shaw or Miller, MU will truly be among the elite programs having filled the only weakness from the last few years (no elite big man).  Let’s relax, and hope, and just wait for the announcements.

http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2010/09/how-did-mu-make-top-5-of-two-6-foot-9.html

[tower912]

Either is a phenomenal get, both would be otherworldly.   

[NersEllenson]

"Peer references" definitely help in all cases.  We trust our peers/friends more than anyone, in most cases.  That said, in the case of an elite teenage basketball player - his Mom/Dad/AAU coach all play influential roles as well.  I have ZERO doubt that Vander getting to know Quincy on the USA team helped and was the catalyst for MU getting on Quincy's list.  In the case of Shaw - not so much the Reggie Smith connection - as MU has been recruiting Shaw for 3 years now..and of course they could have been recruiting Reggie simulatneously.

IN the same vein, some have speculated Buzz recruited Maymon not only for his talent, but also for his association/friendship with Vander.  I wouldn't doubt that thought process for a minute.  What is notable though, is that even though J-May transferred  - there was never one shadow of doubt from Vander or his Mom that his commitment to Buzz/MU ever wavered.

[NYWarrior]

let's hope Buzz gets some coffee here .... coffee is for closers. 

[Canadian Dimes]

Q. How did MU make top 5 of two 6-foot-9 stars?

A. Simple the shackles have been removed...they now reside in Bloomington, IN. 

[RubyWiscy]

Code Select Expand

Q. How did MU make top 5 of two 6-foot-9 stars?

A. Simple the shackles have been removed...they now reside in Bloomington, IN.

Big YAWN!!!

[NYWarrior]

Q. How did MU make top 5 of two 6-foot-9 stars?

A. Simple the shackles have been removed...they now reside in Bloomington, IN. 

I don't think the point is that MU is in on 2 bigs this late in the game ... the point is that Buzz embraces an affinity-based strategy for recruiting.  The 6'9" kids are just two examples of how that strategy is currently manifesting itself.  I'd argue that outside of Mo Acker/Jerel TC did very little of this, whereas Buzz seems to think that the guys in his program are his best ambassadors.  Something like that anyway....let the program as much as the coach recruit. 

[Skatastrophy]

let's hope Buzz gets some coffee here .... coffee is for closers. 

Epic speech!

Edit:  NSFW language.  Headphones are appropriate for this one, folks.

http://www.youtube.com/v/TROhlThs9qY

[HoopsMalone]

Buzz has the talent to make a good run in the next few years.  Hopefully these two guys see that they can be the final piece to something pretty special.

They should come to MU and push each other in practice.  They would probably both still play and maybe even both start.

[HoopsMalone]

Q. How did MU make top 5 of two 6-foot-9 stars?

A. Simple the shackles have been removed...they now reside in Bloomington, IN. 

Yep.

We have a better coach.  That variable has changed more than any other.  Crean could sell putting players in the NBA as well, and Buzz has not been really able to do that until this year.  Buzz is just more talented and is a better coach.

[Brewtown Andy]

I don't think the point is that MU is in on 2 bigs this late in the game ... the point is that Buzz embraces an affinity-based strategy for recruiting.  The 6'9" kids are just two examples of how that strategy is currently manifesting itself.  I'd argue that outside of Mo Acker/Jerel TC did very little of this, whereas Buzz seems to think that the guys in his program are his best ambassadors.  Something like that anyway....let the program as much as the coach recruit. 

And when you combine that with Buzz's professed insistence on honesty, you get a nice dose of "Everything Buzz told me is true" in those conversations.

[downtown85]

Let's land one of them before getting all worked up.

[goodgreatgrand]

And when you combine that with Buzz's professed insistence on honesty, you get a nice dose of "Everything Buzz told me is true" in those conversations.

Newbill?

[ATL MU Warrior]

Newbill?

here we go....

[Nukem2]

MU has been in the final 5 of many talented 6'9"(+) guys over the years.  Just an't seal the deal.

[NYWarrior]

MU has been in the final 5 of many talented 6'9"(+) guys over the years.  Just an't seal the deal.

yup ... .lots of people are in these kids' living room.  Gotta close

[TheTasteofGarlic]

MU has been in the final 5 of many talented 6'9"(+) guys over the years.  Just an't seal the deal.

Let's see if the new sheriff can get some skin. The other guy is flailing down south. Didn't he think recruiting to that magic kingdon would be so much easier?

[NersEllenson]

Newbill?

Yeah - every program has a few warts...but..at least in the case of Newbill, we know that he didn't even file his application with MU for admission.  I wonder why? 

On another note, at least we have some standards as far as player conduct at MU.  Would you care to comment on your school, Syracuse, and it's allowance of Erik Douchendorf Devendorf to rejoin the program after he punched a girl on campus?

[MarkCharles]

Yeah - every program has a few warts...but..at least in the case of Newbill, we know that he didn't even file his application with MU for admission.  I wonder why? 

On another note, at least we have some standards as far as player conduct at MU.  Would you care to comment on your school, Syracuse, and it's allowance of Erik Douchendorf Devendorf to rejoin the program after he punched a girl on campus?

Ners...good point on Devendorf. And don't forget, it was his 2nd assault of a female as a Cuse student, and he was back on the program in a week after intially being kicked off the team for the year by the school's board. Assuming goodgreatgrand is the same as bigeastbailout on the jsonline blog (I can't imagine there are many other Syracuse fans that spend as much time on multiple blogs of another team that is hardly a rival), I have already brought this point up to him, to which he offered no real response.

Remember that ggg? Its MarkyD

[tower912]

If I have read the reports correctly, these guys are talented, versatile, 3/4 types that are 6'9", not back to the basket post men.   

[PGsHeroes32]

do we even have a prayer to get one of these guys?

[Golden Avalanche]

Mike Shaw isn't 6'9''.

He's a 6'7''/6'8'' with shoes versatile 4 man who may play 5 for us if we continue in the 4-guard sets. If Otule or Gardner develop as reputable 5 men, then Shaw's talent is doubled as he'll play his natural position and could dominate the shorter opposition or the slower and taller defender.

He presents many options.

[chapman]

Let's land one of them before getting all worked up.

This.  Winner takes all and the reward for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th place is a lot of lost recruiting time.

[NersEllenson]

Ners...good point on Devendorf. And don't forget, it was his 2nd assault of a female as a Cuse student, and he was back on the program in a week after intially being kicked off the team for the year by the school's board. Assuming goodgreatgrand is the same as bigeastbailout on the jsonline blog (I can't imagine there are many other Syracuse fans that spend as much time on multiple blogs of another team that is hardly a rival), I have already brought this point up to him, to which he offered no real response.

Remember that ggg? Its MarkyD

Yeah..it wouldn't surprise me if goodgreatgrand is the JS poster known as Big East Bailout or Speakeasy.  90% of GGG's post's her pertain to Syracuse, the other 10% make passive insults toward the MU program.  Don't mind someone being a Syracuse fan..but posing as an MU fan too is just lame. 

[LON]

Yeah..it wouldn't surprise me if goodgreatgrand is the JS poster known as Big East Bailout or Speakeasy.  90% of GGG's post's her pertain to Syracuse, the other 10% make passive insults toward the MU program.  Don't mind someone being a Syracuse fan..but posing as an MU fan too is just lame.  

Ha, I thought I was the only one making that connection.  Like you said, it wouldn't surprise me, either.