7 footer visiting MU

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

Anyone know how interested we are in this guy?



From Louisville Courrier Journal 8/28/07

Who is Garrett Stutz?
I have been asked time and time again over the last few weeks, who is Garrett Stutz? And I have to admit that I also had to go searching.

And I found the most interesting story of the year so far on the recruiting trail.

I will try to explain this in the blog but will also have a complete story that will be posted at http://www.courier-journal.com/ sometime early in the day tomorrow.

Stutz is a true sleeper!

His father explained to me just why he's been a sleeper and that's because on his first day of high school he was only 6 feet 2. And in the last year, Garrett has grown five inches and put on 40 pounds. He's now 7 feet tall (almost 7-1) and 225 pounds.

Stutz has a 7-2 wing span and a 9-2 reach! Oh, and he won't be 18 until February and his father - Bill - said there's a chance he could grown an inch or two more.

"He's a unique sleeper," Bill Stutz said. "I was just like him. I was 5-7 when I started in high school and 6-5 by the time I graduated. I was 6-8 when I finished."

So, as Garrett grew over the past year his skill level on the basketball court also grew by leaps and bounds. He started the spring without even many small school looks and after the Kingwood Classic in April the player said he started getting the smaller schools to call.

But as the summer went on, the colleges started to flock towards Stutz. He turned in solid efforts in Denton, Texas, Tulsa and Las Vegas. Bill Stutz said 40-50 schools called in July alone and the phone hasn't stopped ringing.

"Coaches were asking where did this kid come from?" Bill Stutz said.

Stutz said he has about 11 offers and has made a list of schools by conference. He said Kentucky assistant coach Jeremy Cox started late in the summer and that he's had a number of e-mail contacts with UK coach Billy Gillispie.

"I feel like I want to stay in the Midwest," Garrett said. "But there would be a couple of schools that I could see myself going a little away from home for and Kentucky would be one of those. I like the distance to Kentucky."

Stutz, who played pickup at Kansas on Monday night with some of the Jayhawk players, said he's coming to Kentucky for Midnight Madness and staying over for the football game the following day against LSU. Garrett said as of right now he'll use the UK visit as one of his five "official" visits but noted that could still change to an unofficial.

"I remember watching Kentucky when I was seven or eight years old," he said.

Garrett said he might also visit Marquette as one of his official visits, while other schools likely to get an official or unofficial visit were Kansas, Iowa State, Nebraska, Kansas State, Wichita State, Missouri State and Saint Louis.

Now, just how good is Stutz?

The College Coaches Network blog says he's a "big body and long. Keeps ball up. Soft touch. Great mits. Huge upside! Mobile."

And ESPN.com says he's "rapidly improving. His greatest asset lies in his knowledge of the game. He understands the nuances of the low post game (sealing, re-posting, passing out of the post, screening angles). Garrett finishes effectively around the basket with either hand."

It will be fun to keep up with the progress of Stutz, who played at Plaza Heights Christian in Blue Spring, Mo., for three years. He averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds, while hitting 80 percent from the free-throw line as a junior.

Stutz has transferred to North Kansas City High School for his senior season.

[ecompt]

If Kentucky is interested, we have no shot.

[Avenue Commons]

If Kentucky is interested, we have no shot.

Schools like KU get interested in lots of players. That doesn't mean they'll make the kid an offer. He'll go to one of the schools that makes him an offer. We'll see. Sounds like an interesting project.

[muwarrior87]

mobile and that big!? If someone can find some video of him, that would be great. Don't know how readily available it will be since he's not a big name. Is he listed on scout or rivals?

[MUEng92]

I am just happy seeing that thread title on this board.  Hopefully we will see it more often.

[bma725]

mobile and that big!? If someone can find some video of him, that would be great. Don't know how readily available it will be since he's not a big name. Is he listed on scout or rivals?

His name didn't come up on Rivals.  He's on Scout.

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=3332463

[StillAWarrior]

It will be fun to keep up with the progress of Stutz, who played at Plaza Heights Christian in Blue Spring, Mo., for three years. He averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds, while hitting 80 percent from the free-throw line as a junior.

I'm not a recruiting expert by any stretch of the imagination, so can someone explain how a 6'11" kid who averaged 25/12 as a junior has no scholarship offers?  Seems a bit odd to me.

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

It will be fun to keep up with the progress of Stutz, who played at Plaza Heights Christian in Blue Spring, Mo., for three years. He averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds, while hitting 80 percent from the free-throw line as a junior.

I'm not a recruiting expert by any stretch of the imagination, so can someone explain how a 6'11" kid who averaged 25/12 as a junior has no scholarship offers?  Seems a bit odd to me.

My guess is that when you play at Plaza[?] Heights Christian your competition may be a little short

[77ncaachamps]

I thought of the same thing too. One word came to mind: PROJECT. And that kinda turns off the big names...

[muwarrior87]

Crean is someone that does like a project now and again. Ouse was definitely not right there w/ all the pieces as a freshman. He still isn't the full package but has come along quite nicely. Think this kid could be another like that?

[Eye]

I'll happily sign for another Ousmane Barro in next year's recruiting class for MU.

[herboturbo]

I'm not a recruiting expert by any stretch of the imagination, so can someone explain how a 6'11" kid who averaged 25/12 as a junior has no scholarship offers?  Seems a bit odd to me.

It states right in the article that he grew 5 inches and gained 40 pounds his junior year while also playing much better and went from being recruited by d-ii and low d-1 to the big boys

[Phi Iota Gamma 84]

mobile and that big!? If someone can find some video of him, that would be great. Don't know how readily available it will be since he's not a big name. Is he listed on scout or rivals?

Scout has him under MU now right after Fabrizius