New ESPNU Ratings out

[brewcity77]

Kris Dunn up to 30, Shaquille Cleare down to 40. MU target Brice Johnson up to 26, MU commit Steve Taylor up to 65.

Also noticed Sam Dekker up to 27 and JP Tokoto down to 66.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/recruiting/rankings

[TallTitan34]

65 Taylor
66 Tokoto

While the rankings don't mean anything, I have to admit this makes me smile.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Wonder why ESPN lists Taylor as 6'7" instead of 6'8" or 9".

[kmwtrucks]

Over the summer he measured 6-8 in shoe's.  I think many times they are just making a guess.  but he is not 6-9.

[ringout]

65 Taylor
66 Tokoto

While the rankings don't mean anything, I have to admit this makes me smile.

Me too.   

[Golden Avalanche]

Wonder why ESPN lists Taylor as 6'7" instead of 6'8" or 9".

Maybe that's his real height as opposed to the always inflated "roster" height.

[Canadian Dimes]

Sam Dekkar will have the same problems almost every other Northern Wisconsin product has ever had ...that is he will be overwhelmed at the high major level.

The list of superstars from the hills of Wisconsin that put up eye popping numbers against a bunch of 5'10" dairy farming Scandanavians is incredibly long.  The number of them that have ever done anything of significance in college or beyond is miniscule.

[bilsu]

Sam Dekkar will have the same problems almost every other Northern Wisconsin product has ever had ...that is he will be overwhelmed at the high major level.

The list of superstars from the hills of Wisconsin that put up eye popping numbers against a bunch of 5'10" dairy farming Scandanavians is incredibly long.  The number of them that have ever done anything of significance in college or beyond is miniscule.

I have never seen him play, but his rankings are going up because of his play in summer tournaments.

[bilsu]

65 Taylor
66 Tokoto

While the rankings don't mean anything, I have to admit this makes me smile.

What I find interesting is many posters on this board have claimed that if a player commits to North Carolina his rankings go up. Given that is Tokoto overrated at 66?

[MuMark]

I thought all North Carolina recruits went up in the rankings?

[GGGG]

Sam Dekker is no more from "northern Wisconsin" than Travis Deiner or Joe Wolf was.  Say what you want about the swing offense (I think it relies too much on the outside shot and doesn't attack the basket enough), but if Bo could build a player to play in it, Sam Dekker would be that kid.  

Do I think he is overated at 27?  Sure.  Does he go to a low level high school?  Yep.  But the guy can play at a high level - as has been reported by a number who follow AAU ball.  He will be a nightmare match-up.

[muhs03]

Not a fan of these rankings. Ledo at #23??? LoL.

[Clam Crowder]

Ricardo Ledo is far better than #23 lol. The only thing that would make a school not want that kid is the fact that he is on his third high school already as a junior and academics will almost certainly be an issue.

[avid1010]

Sam Dekker is no more from "northern Wisconsin" than Travis Deiner or Joe Wolf was.  Say what you want about the swing offense (I think it relies too much on the outside shot and doesn't attack the basket enough), but if Bo could build a player to play in it, Sam Dekker would be that kid.  

Do I think he is overated at 27?  Sure.  Does he go to a low level high school?  Yep.  But the guy can play at a high level - as has been reported by a number who follow AAU ball.  He will be a nightmare match-up.

IMHO, he won't be a nightmare match-up...someone like Taylor is taller, more athletic, and quicker.  What I think he'll be is a good player in a badger uniform.  I still believe Bo does a great job at helping average players look good while also making great players look good.  He'll be a nice four year player for them, but if it wasn't Dekker it would just be someone else to fill the role in the swing offense.  Come March it seems to be UW who struggles to match-up with other teams.  On the ball defense just isn't an issue with WI because of the players they have and the offense they run.  If you can get through or switch on screens, defend the post and rebound you'll have a good chance to beat WI, and you don't need a heck of a lot of talent to do those three things.

[GGGG]

You are right avid..."nightmare match-up" was a bit of an overstatement.  I just think he is going to be one of those players that does a lot of little things very well, and has a very good inside/outside game.

One of the reasons I think that they have trouble in the post-season is because of their reliance on the outside shot.  (Also why I think they play very well at home.)  For instance their starting small forward from last year (Jarmusz) had 40 field goals...32 of them were from 3.

[muhs03]

Ricardo Ledo is far better than #23 lol. The only thing that would make a school not want that kid is the fact that he is on his third high school already as a junior and academics will almost certainly be an issue.

I prefer Scout rankings to espn and rivals. At least I know how they compile the rankings. I dont know what criteria espn and rivals use.

And Ledo is entering his fourth high school in 4 years. Even UK is apprehensive to take him.

[Benny B]

I prefer Scout rankings to espn and rivals. At least I know how they compile the rankings. I dont know what criteria espn and rivals use.

+1.  I've always equated citing ESPNU ratings to citing Wikipedia.  It's not the worst product source of information and it's usually good enough for a fan board, but there are definitely more credible sources out there.

Someone once used the analogy that taking ratings from ESPNU is like buying tools from Harbor Freight.  I never really understood what that meant until I actually went to one of their stores a few weeks back... I have to say, whoever came up with this was spot on.

[Clam Crowder]

I prefer Scout rankings to espn and rivals. At least I know how they compile the rankings. I dont know what criteria espn and rivals use.

And Ledo is entering his fourth high school in 4 years. Even UK is apprehensive to take him.

He went to high school with me his first sophomore year (I think he was a sophomore again at St. Andrews after that) and won us the state championship, but he was a headcase even then. He will be a problem off the court wherever he goes.

[muhs03]

He went to high school with me his first sophomore year (I think he was a sophomore again at St. Andrews after that) and won us the state championship, but he was a headcase even then. He will be a problem off the court wherever he goes.

Who else was on that championship team? Wasnt there one other really good player?

[Canadian Dimes]

Sam Dekker is no more from "northern Wisconsin" than Travis Deiner or Joe Wolf was.  Say what you want about the swing offense (I think it relies too much on the outside shot and doesn't attack the basket enough), but if Bo could build a player to play in it, Sam Dekker would be that kid.  

Do I think he is overated at 27?  Sure.  Does he go to a low level high school?  Yep.  But the guy can play at a high level - as has been reported by a number who follow AAU ball.  He will be a nightmare match-up.

So you dispute my claim by naming two high major contributors that had cups of coffee in the NBA spanning a time frame of 30 years.........I rest my case. 

[Clam Crowder]

Who else was on that championship team? Wasnt there one other really good player?

Billy Baron (Jimmy Baron's younger brother) who went to UVA last year and is now at URI where his dad coaches and his brother played.

[muhs03]

Billy Baron (Jimmy Baron's younger brother) who went to UVA last year and is now at URI where his dad coaches and his brother played.

I think Im thinking about Carter-Williams. Didnt he go to St. Andrews?

[avid1010]

So you dispute my claim by naming two high major contributors that had cups of coffee in the NBA spanning a time frame of 30 years.........I rest my case. 

I think the fact that his stock has risen over the summer (national AAU circuit) is a good one.  All you're saying is that Northern WI isn't a basketball hot-bed....as my nephew would say, "Thank you Captain Obvious."

[TedBaxter]

I'm sure Canadian Dimes has seen Dekker play.

Dekker is very good.  He's athletic, can drive, pass and shoot and can also rebound and play defense.  People have compared him to Robbie Hummel from Purdue and there's a lot of similarities, but I see Dekker is quicker than Hummel where I think Hummel may be a little better rebounder at the same stage.  A very good chance Dekker will be All-Big Ten in the future.

[GGGG]

So you dispute my claim by naming two high major contributors that had cups of coffee in the NBA spanning a time frame of 30 years.........I rest my case. 

You rest your case on what?  That you don't know geography?  Sheboygan is simply not in "northern Wisconsin."  Not a basketball hotbed for sure, but excuse me for pointing out that you can't read a map.