Steve Taylor vs JP Tokoto

[WarhawkWarrior]

Not sure if you feel like I do.  I was pretty disappointed that Tokoto chose NC.
I feel a whole lot better now with Steve Taylor (ESPN Rank #64 vs Tokoto at #65).
Way to go coaches.

[bilsu]

I was not disappointed he chose NC. His other choice would have been the Badgers. MU was long out of it, although some people here refused to recognize that.

[BCHoopster]

Tokoto is a fine athletic player that has along way to go with his outside shot, he will have a hard time starting
at NC just because the type of players they recruit.  I would never be surprised if he comes back to Milwaukee
just like Wilson did.  He is explosive, the hype for him and most of these kids is ridiculous.  Taylor reminds me of
Carlton Scott, good looking shot, long armed, needs some upper body strength.  Has 2 years to improve his game,
have no clue how his heart works, is he a warrior or squaw on the boards.  Playing time is there, taller than Tokoto.
For MU, Taylor was more important to MU than Tokoto was.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Agree with Hoopster.  Taylor is a great "get" for Marquette.

[Brewtown Andy]

Not sure if you feel like I do.  I was pretty disappointed that Tokoto chose NC.
I feel a whole lot better now with Steve Taylor (ESPN Rank #64 vs Tokoto at #65).
Way to go coaches.

From watching the reactions on Twitter at the time, the reactions from Marquette and Wisconsin fans went generally like this:

Marquette fan: Aww, rats.  Good luck in Chapel Hill, JP!
Wisconsin fan: THAT TRAITOROUS *BLEEP* WHO DOES THAT *BLEEP* THINK HE IS, TURNING DOWN BO RYAN? HAVE FUN NEVER PLAYING.

If someone offers you a full ride to go to college in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, YOU TAKE IT.

[GGGG]

Tokoto is a fine athletic player that has along way to go with his outside shot, he will have a hard time

Well, that is what has knocked him down in the rankings.  In many ways, his story is similar to Jamil's.  They were ranked higher earlier in their HS careers mostly due to their athleticism.  They both fell in the rankings as the others caught up athletic-wise, and concerns developed over their outside shooting.

Reports seem to show that Jamil has worked on his game quite a bit and is going to be a real good addition for MU...JPT is going to need to work on his game similarly.

[BrewCity83]

Hmmmm...JPT must have really dropped.  Usually players' ratings go up after they commit to the powerhouses like UNC. 

[texaswarrior74]

Just came across this 360 tour of all of UNC's basketball facilities including their BB museum.

Not hard to understand why they recruit at another level then you add in the town of Chapel Hill and the amazing campus....tough for most mere mortals to compete with.

http://digitour360.com/unc/basketball/

[muhs03]

From watching the reactions on Twitter at the time, the reactions from Marquette and Wisconsin fans went generally like this:

Marquette fan: Aww, rats.  Good luck in Chapel Hill, JP!
Wisconsin fan: THAT TRAITOROUS *BLEEP* WHO DOES THAT *BLEEP* THINK HE IS, TURNING DOWN BO RYAN? HAVE FUN NEVER PLAYING.

If someone offers you a full ride to go to college in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, YOU TAKE IT.

Lame.

[muball]

great facilities and what u need to recruit the best

[NersEllenson]

Just came across this 360 tour of all of UNC's basketball facilities including their BB museum.

Not hard to understand why they recruit at another level then you add in the town of Chapel Hill and the amazing campus....tough for most mere mortals to compete with.

http://digitour360.com/unc/basketball/

Thanks for finding the UNC video.  Have you ever toured the Al McGuire Center?  While the Carolina facilities look very nice - MU's look equally as nice if not even slightly nicer.  Marquette's campus has come a LONG way in the last 15 years, and shows real well too.  Of course MU can't duplicate NC's weather, or even probably the number of pretty girls - but MU does have a very good image/facilities/campus/locker room/etc. to showcase.

What it doesn't have is  as many National Titles, and players put into the NBA - but for as many McDonald's All Americans and blue chips that select UNC - can't say that their conversion rate to NBA players or even National Championships is all that impressive.

[muhs03]

What it doesn't have is  as many National Titles, and players put into the NBA - but for as many McDonald's All Americans and blue chips that select UNC - can't say that their conversion rate to NBA players or even National Championships is all that impressive.

Coaches get way too much credit at times and are ridiculed too often at other times. So Coach K recruits Kyrie Irving. He spends 9 months on campus, gets injured early in the season, misses most of their games and becomes the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. Coach K is the greatest developer of talent ever! Duke or UNC or whoever recruits an AA and the kid plays for 4 years (instead of one) and doesnt make the NBA. Blame that on the coaches! Some kids peak in h.s.. Some kids develop slowly. Some kids figure it out. Some kids have a poor work ethic and in some cases dont even care and the coaches cant light a fire under their feet no matter what. I would never hold coaches accountable for the development of every player; it's really up to the player himself.

[wyzgy]

From watching the reactions on Twitter at the time, the reactions from Marquette and Wisconsin fans went generally like this:

Marquette fan: Aww, rats.  Good luck in Chapel Hill, JP!
Wisconsin fan: THAT TRAITOROUS *BLEEP* WHO DOES THAT *BLEEP* THINK HE IS, TURNING DOWN BO RYAN? HAVE FUN NEVER PLAYING.

If someone offers you a full ride to go to college in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, YOU TAKE IT.

i'm surprised they didn't throw temper protests, capital take-over, bang the bongos, reefer laden sit-ins, hunger strikes and demand our congressmen intervene.  ply williams with hookers and akahall-photos in compromising positions...pick up your pre-written doctors excuse on your way out

[Tugg Speedman]

I would never be surprised if he [Tokoto] comes back to Milwaukee just like Wilson did.

+1

I've been saying this for a while.  The fact that he was a top 10 player after his Sophomore year and after committing to UNC he drops to 66???  If he committed to UW or MU he would not be in the top 100 right now.  Based on this and the type of player UNC recruits, he's is not going seeing much playing time in Chapel Hill.

Is Tokoto going to take playing time away from Shabazz Muhammad (#1 ranked SF in the nation in his class of 2012), if he commits?  How about incoming freshman (2011 class) James McAdoo (PF with an overall ranked #2 in the nation) or Jackson Simmons (PF with an overall ranked #41 in the nation) if they commit?  What if Harrison Barnes stays?  How about current players John Henson or Reggie Bullock (first team Parade AA coming in)?  Who is he beating out for PT?  I say none of them right now.

So, I have the odds at 50/50 that he transfers after his freshmen year to either UW or MU (if he wants to be closer to home).

Same thing holds true for Bronson Koenig was well (now ranked #57 as a PG).  UNC will have three top 10 PGs in the house before he arrives.  Hope he likes running the practice squad.

[TedBaxter]

.

[4everwarriors]

On the contrary, I'm figurin' Tokoto and Koenig will be very good Tarheels. Both appear to have their stuff together, both on and off the court.

[Sharpie]

I'd like to see both of them do well. My money is on Koenig as better player after 4 years. Only time wil tell. Any player going to unc is going to have a tough time seeing the court especially players that aren't top 25 caliber type players. Just my two cents.

[bilsu]

The thing about North Carolina is you will not be burried behind the players in front of you for long. The good ones leave early. However, you still have to worry about who is coming in behind you.

[Pakuni]

FWIW, in the latest The Sporting News, Mike DeCourcy has a story about the July AAU circuit/evaluation period and in that, he rates Steve Taylor as the most underrated recruit out there (of any class, not just '12).

[wadesworld]

On the contrary, I'm figurin' Tokoto and Koenig will be very good Tarheels. Both appear to have their stuff together, both on and off the court.

I agree with this.  If Roy likes them and wants them, then I'm going to go ahead and assume that there's a reason for that and they're going to be very good players in college.  I will take Roy Williams' opinion over that of ESPN's recruiting person.  Buzz wanted Tokoto too.  And so did just about every college coach.  There's a reason for that.  I don't understand how anyone could expect him to transfer back in state after 1 year without knowing who's going to be at UNC, how he's going to develop both his senior year of high school and while at UNC, etc.  He has all the physical tools to be a stud.  He just has to put it all together.  My money's on Roy being able to help him do that.  And I hope he does.  I hope he's a star at UNC.  And if Koenig ends up there, I hope 2 Wisconsin kids lead them to a number National Championship games (only to lose to Marquette in those   ).

The thing about North Carolina is you will not be burried behind the players in front of you for long. The good ones leave early. However, you still have to worry about who is coming in behind you.

Going along with this, they also play very up tempo and sub A LOT.  Even if you are the 10th man on UNC's team, you are going to see the court.  I would doubt it would be an issue and would be shocked if Tokoto isn't getting pretty significant minutes by his sophomore year there.

Edit: players 1-9 on UNC last year all averaged 14.5 mpg or more.  Nobody averaged 30 or more.  Player 10 averaged just under 10 mpg.  That's how it is at UNC.  There aren't many scholarship players that get buried on their bench.

[Nukem2]

FWIW, in the latest The Sporting News, Mike DeCourcy has a story about the July AAU circuit/evaluation period and in that, he rates Steve Taylor as the most underrated recruit out there (of any class, not just '12).

Saw that too.  Think DeCourcy was talking about 2012.  But, whatever, nice to hear.

[Goose]

Hard to compare the guys. J.P. is a good kid and I believe he will do well at UNC. If unhappy there I would gladly welcome him home. Even though we lost him I am pulling for him big time.

[Pakuni]

Saw that too.  Think DeCourcy was talking about 2012.  But, whatever, nice to hear.

Pretty sure he wasn't, because in the same list he had the best overall prospect being a '13 kid (Taylor's HS teammate Jabari Parker), best shot blocker a '13 kid, and best shooter as a kid from the class of 2014.

[Stretchdeltsig]

JP has great potential.  Surprised he hasn't grown in two years.  Marquette's Anderson and Taylor may be better than JP.  Time will tell. 

[leever]

reefer laden sit-ins,

I'm pretty sure I did this a few times-----not to protest anything.  Just sayin....