Joel Embiid 2013C

[Room510]

ESPN reporting MU and DePaul have offered him.  Not an Insider, so I can't read the rest of this story.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/dave-telep//post/_/id/2076/embids-recruitment-gaining-steam

[brewcity77]

Outside of Nunn, there is no one I want more in our 2013 class.

[AirPunches]

Texas, Florida, UCLA, Marquette, Depaul, Louisville, and Virginia are the schools mentioned. Transferred from Montverde (Jamail Jones) in March to another Florida school.

[Ben Golds Five]

The last time he had a national audience, center Joel Embiid (Cameroon/The Rock) was on the wrong side of a clinic at the hands of Brandon Ashley. Then a junior center for Montverde, Embiid was given the unenviable task of trying to slow down a grooving Ashley. He didn't and Montverde succumbed to Findlay Prep in the NHSI championship.

• Enlarge
  Joel EmbiidPaul BiancardiOnly recently Joel Embiid has transitioned from bumping, setting and spiking to dribbling, passing and dunking.
  A lot has changed since last March. For starters, Embiid is no longer at Montverde. The near 7-footer transferred to The Rock in Gainesville, Fla. With Dakari Johnson (New York/Montverde) gobbling up court time, Embid might not have seen as much playing time as he would have liked, so he bolted.
  
  "He is a surprise to me and a pleasant one at that," The Rock coach Justin Harden said. "He's every bit of 6-11. He can do a lot of good things with the ball. He's only been playing 18 months. Was a volleyball player before that."
  
  Read the last two lines carefully. Embiid used to play more volleyball than hoops and is only 18 months into his basketball career. Gill Grissom doesn't miss clues like that and neither should we.
  
  "At 6-11, he's got an effortless shot," Harden said. "He's a long-term stock. With what he's been able to do in 18 months in terms of skill development (it's impressive). Once he gets consistent weight training the sky is the limit."
  
  Last season, Embiid had trouble understanding English. Basketball terminology was likely more foreign than the actual English language. At the time of the schooling at the hands of Ashley, Embiid looked like a deer in headlights. However, go back and look at the tape of the game that was on ESPN and you'll notice he was a long, lean potential guy. That much we acknowledged. After last summer, he's got everyone's attention.
  
  Texas, Florida and UCLA are looking. DePaul and Marquette offered. Louisville and Virginia are sniffing around. UCLA's interesting because former Bruin Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is a mentor. The Gators have a slight advantage here as well. Embiid's new school, The Rock, is in Billy Donovan's zip code. Florida can babysit the big fella as required.
  
  Multiple coaches have indicated that Texas and UCLA are not going anywhere and will be factors when decision time comes.
  
  In a few days, college coaches are going to be able to watch workouts and do home visits. All of the guys on Embid's list -- and more -- will flock to The Rock. Most will offer based solely off background information, limited viewings and Embid's potential. At that point, we'd expect UCLA and Texas to be granted visits and the jockeying for position on his list continues.
  
  You might not know much about Embiid right now, but don't say you weren't warned.

[ATL MU Warrior]

Outside of Nunn, there is no one I want more in our 2013 class.

Funny, I would have thought his name would have come up before this if that was the case. 

[Dawson Rental]

The last time he had a national audience, center Joel Embiid (Cameroon/The Rock) was on the wrong side of a clinic at the hands of Brandon Ashley. Then a junior center for Montverde, Embiid was given the unenviable task of trying to slow down a grooving Ashley. He didn't and Montverde succumbed to Findlay Prep in the NHSI championship.

• Enlarge
  Joel EmbiidPaul BiancardiOnly recently Joel Embiid has transitioned from bumping, setting and spiking to dribbling, passing and dunking.
  A lot has changed since last March. For starters, Embiid is no longer at Montverde. The near 7-footer transferred to The Rock in Gainesville, Fla. With Dakari Johnson (New York/Montverde) gobbling up court time, Embid might not have seen as much playing time as he would have liked, so he bolted.
  
  "He is a surprise to me and a pleasant one at that," The Rock coach Justin Harden said. "He's every bit of 6-11. He can do a lot of good things with the ball. He's only been playing 18 months. Was a volleyball player before that."
  
  Read the last two lines carefully. Embiid used to play more volleyball than hoops and is only 18 months into his basketball career. Gill Grissom doesn't miss clues like that and neither should we.
  
  "At 6-11, he's got an effortless shot," Harden said. "He's a long-term stock. With what he's been able to do in 18 months in terms of skill development (it's impressive). Once he gets consistent weight training the sky is the limit."
  
  Last season, Embiid had trouble understanding English. Basketball terminology was likely more foreign than the actual English language. At the time of the schooling at the hands of Ashley, Embiid looked like a deer in headlights. However, go back and look at the tape of the game that was on ESPN and you'll notice he was a long, lean potential guy. That much we acknowledged. After last summer, he's got everyone's attention.
  
  Texas, Florida and UCLA are looking. DePaul and Marquette offered. Louisville and Virginia are sniffing around. UCLA's interesting because former Bruin Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is a mentor. The Gators have a slight advantage here as well. Embiid's new school, The Rock, is in Billy Donovan's zip code. Florida can babysit the big fella as required.
  
  Multiple coaches have indicated that Texas and UCLA are not going anywhere and will be factors when decision time comes.
  
  In a few days, college coaches are going to be able to watch workouts and do home visits. All of the guys on Embid's list -- and more -- will flock to The Rock. Most will offer based solely off background information, limited viewings and Embid's potential. At that point, we'd expect UCLA and Texas to be granted visits and the jockeying for position on his list continues.
  
  You might not know much about Embiid right now, but don't say you weren't warned.
  

ESPN had a dearth of information about this kid, and your post certainly explains why.  There are always some guys whose status blows up the summer before their senior year.  But when that kid is 6'11" and still learning the game, he's gonna get noticed.

He sounds like he'll be a tough get for MU.  I don't know what kind of contacts, if any, Buzz would have with anyone connected with the kid.  Obviously, he's foreign.  Do you know where he came from?

[brewcity77]

Funny, I would have thought his name would have come up before this if that was the case. 

It has. It's actually surprised me he wasn't mentioned here sooner.

[muguru]

His mentor is the Bucks's Mbah a Moute. Embid actually has some pretty strong ties to Milwaukee in other ways.

[Dawson Rental]

His mentor is the Bucks's Mbah a Moute. Embid actually has some pretty strong ties to Milwaukee in other ways.

Fantastic.  It probably makes more sense for him to go to a school in the same town as his mentor, rather than go to his mentor's old school 2,000 miles away.  His last name has two i's in it right?

[Dawson Rental]

Outside of Nunn, there is no one I want more in our 2013 class.

That's a pretty strong statement with MU still on Kyle Washington's list.  I'm not sayin' you're wrong, just noting you must really like his potential a lot.

[muguru]

Fantastic.  It probably makes more sense for him to go to a school in the same town as his mentor, rather than go to his mentor's old school 2,000 miles away.  His last name has two i's in it right?

Yes, my mistake. He does have two ii's in it.

[ATL MU Warrior]

It has. It's actually surprised me he wasn't mentioned here sooner.

Yeah, I guess I was referring to Scoop specifically.  

What do you know about him?

[brewcity77]

That's a pretty strong statement with MU still on Kyle Washington's list.  I'm not sayin' you're wrong, just noting you must really like his potential a lot.

He strikes me as a rich man's Mbao. The kid is a top-100 recruit and has been playing basketball for less than 2 years. His volleyball background makes him a natural shot-blocker, though his offense is a work in progress. Legitimate center with room to fill out. What may be of huge importance is his relationship with Mbah a Moute, and could help us more than UCLA as Mbah a Moute is currently with the Bucks.

I like Washington, I just think Embiid has more upside. As of now, the services listing both have them rated pretty closely, which shows how far Embiid has come in a short time. Adding Nunn and Embiid and having a 5-man class of top-100 level talents would be immense.

[GGGG]

That's a pretty strong statement with MU still on Kyle Washington's list.  I'm not sayin' you're wrong, just noting you must really like his potential a lot.

IMO, Embiid is more of a center while Washington is more of a PF.

[brewcity77]

IMO, Embiid is more of a center while Washington is more of a PF.

Agreed, and with McKay on board, Embiid would have a year behind Gardner and possibly Otule. If he was ready for 20 minutes as a sophomore, that would allow McKay to spend at least the majority of time at his natural position both of his years here.

[Dawson Rental]

So, MU is looking at the same guy as UCF and Virginia Commonwealth and MU offers first.  Somebody needs to wake up and it ain't us.  Florida, Louisville, Texas and UCLA can try to crash the party, but color UCF and Virginia Commonwealth gone.

[mr.MUskie]

Obviously, he's foreign.  Do you know where he came from?

Eighteen months ago, Joel Embiid had never played basketball.

He was in his native Cameroon, and despite standing over 7-feet tall, Embiid and basketball were never a match.

http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/19714273/from-cameroon-to-florida-embiid-quickly-emerges-on-recruiting-scene

[bilsu]

Outside of Nunn, there is no one I want more in our 2013 class.

We can always recruit guards, so since I beleive we will sign two more, I would rather have Washington and Embiid than Nunn and one of them.

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

Eighteen months ago, Joel Embiid had never played basketball.

He was in his native Cameroon, and despite standing over 7-feet tall, Embiid and basketball were never a match.

http://www.cbssports.com/columns/story/19714273/from-cameroon-to-florida-embiid-quickly-emerges-on-recruiting-scene

Only been playing 18 months and look at what he does at 2:54 in that video.  The classic Wade move! IMPRESSIVE.

[Benny B]

A cursory review of Ye Olde Twitta Tracka would seem to indicate that Embiid is a UL lean... the UL students/fans/alums have been doing a great job recruiting him, apparently.

(Credit to Rubie Q and PT for yesterday's banter.)

[Jwillkom]

MU very much has a shot here....Joel trains in the summer with a friend of mine in Milwaukee. Mbah Moute being in Milwaukee is a huge deal. This kid has tremendous upside, is severely underecruited, and has more potential than any BIG in the class of 2013. Would love to see him an MU uniform.

[kmwtrucks]

Jwilkom?

Do you know if he is scheduled for an offcial Visit?  What other High Major's is he looking at?

[kmwtrucks]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6PfhukWLyQ

Cardinal Connect Q&A with 2013 Recruit Joel Embiid: 4 days ago.
CC: What are your initial thoughts on receiving an offer from Louisville?

Embiid: "I don t know a lot about Louisville, but I watched some games during the NCAA tournament. I really like the style of play. I think I would fit nicely. Coach Pitino was here today, he watched me work out and play. He offered me a scholarship himself."

CC: What other schools have offered you a scholarship?

Embiid: "Kansas, Florida, Texas, Marquette, DePaul, George Washington, SMU, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Virginia and now Louisville have offered me."

CC: Any plans to visit Louisville and have you thought about when you'd like to make a decision?

Embiid: "I will visit Louisville but I don't know when. I'm not sure when I'll want to make a college decision."

[The Process]

Outside of Nunn, there is no one I want more in our 2013 class.

So... How hard do we pursue him now?

[mr.MUskie]

So... How hard do we pursue him now?

I guess we should all tweet him and tell him how much we love him.