[Paint Touches] Greska: Class of 2013 crucial for Buzz Williams

[PaintTouches]

It's no secret Buzz has been a magician with JUCOs, however, his high school recruiting has yet to produce one NBA player. I argue the 2013 class will be the most important of Buzz Williams' career.

http://bit.ly/15mAtC5

[Clam Crowder]

Man in 5 years the guy has had what??? 1 class of 4 year HS recruits??? lol. Junior was his 1st 4 year player from HS thru college correct?

[keefe]

I'm sure Buzz will toss and turn tonight...

[Clam Crowder]

Seriously. What an awful coach not producing a single NBA player of his HS recruits in 5 years....

[dgies9156]

If I didn't know better, I'd think we were back to Hiroshima again!

Look, Buzz has produced. Period. Jimmy Butler and Wesley Matthew learned to lead under his tutulage. They are pros in no small measure because of Buzz. Vander made a horrible mistake and the verdict is out on Todd Mayo and Davante.

To criticize Buzz for Steve Taylor, who is a sophomore and shows enormous promise, or Juan Anderson, is nuts. There's talent up and down the roster and they'll make the NBA if they're good enough. Period.

[GGGG]

I'm pretty sure that Clam was using teal without using teal.

[keefe]

I am guessing that Marquette's J- School is like Flight Training. Make your mistakes now in simulators before you strap a real jet on your a$$ and hurt somebody.

[BallBoy]

I don't believe that the 2013 class is/was/will be the most important in Buzz's career.  His first class was by far more important.

• The success of the Jucos versus high school recruits is meaningless.  A recruit is not going to say "Sorry Buzz, I am not going to go with you because your track record of getting high school players into the NBA is not good."  The only people that will care about this argument is administrators, alumni, and a sports writer looking for something to fill content.  Recruits go where they can win and get into the NBA.  Buzz and Marquette have put quite a few players into the NBA and all Juco players were High Schoolers at some point.  Just because you had one year of Juco doesn't mean you are going to develop any differently.
• Without the success of Buzz's first class, there wouldn't be any of these classes.  If Buzz faltered out of the gate, there is a good chance we would already have another coach.  Buzz created a winning atmosphere and a brand.  Recruits have bought into that brand and are now coming in
• Players Transfer - They have and they will.  It isn't going to change.  Buzz has filled the void with better or equal players.  I will not be surprised if one member of the class transfers.  If they don't meet expectations then they will transfer out and someone else will come in.
• Matthews, James, McNeal - The 2013 class reminds me a lot of this class. It happens to be the same class in Crean's tenure as Buzz's.  Three years later Crean was gone and left his prize class for someone else to close out.  I call this out because MU continued on.  Crean also continued on and arguably had successful classes at IU.  His 2005 class did not define him.
• 2013 Recruits meet expectations - If these recruits live up to expectation or even exceed, it could be Buzz's Best class but best and most important are two different measures.

[Galway Eagle]

I disagree with this assessment.  I think that this class could be the difference between staying as a permanent fringe top 25-15 range team or developing into a true elite school again but Buzz's first class was much more important. 

[Clam Crowder]

Yeah I think the teal was unnecessary with that statement hahaha

For the record I didn't read the article. Just by looking at the title I knew it would be a waste of time...A college basketball player is a college basketball player a coach who recruits JUCO's and produces pro players is just as good as guy that has 4 years with someone if not more impressive due to the lesser amount of time he has with them....

[GGGG]

Yeah I think the teal was unnecessary with that statement hahaha

For the record I didn't read the article. Just by looking at the title I knew it would be a waste of time...A college basketball player is a college basketball player a coach who recruits JUCO's and produces pro players is just as good as guy that has 4 years with someone if not more impressive due to the lesser amount of time he has with them....

The only problem is APR.  None of the non-qualifying JUCOs under Buzz (2 year players) has graduated.

[Aughnanure]

The only problem is APR.  None of the non-qualifying JUCOs under Buzz (2 year players) has graduated.

Jimmy and DJO were here for 3. Did they graduate?

[Galway Eagle]

Jimmy and DJO were here for 3. Did they graduate?

I know DJO did don't know about Jimmy. 

[TJ]

If you aren't counting Wes and Lazar as players recruited out of high school to Marquette that Buzz has helped get into the NBA, then you can't say that Buzz has had 5 years worth of chances to put high school recruited MU players into the NBA.  He has had 2 years at best, really just 1 if you're being fair.  The jury is still out on the only high school recruited player from his first class (Otule).  Everyone else left because of TC or for health reasons (McMorrow).

So yes, criticize away.  Buzz is 0-1 when it comes to getting his high school recruits into the NBA.

[GGGG]

I know DJO did don't know about Jimmy. 

Jimmy went through the ceremony but I don't think he graduated.  I had heard he was on campus and perhaps taking classes though.

McKay has a bunch of credits and might be able to get it done in two years.

[Clam Crowder]

If you aren't counting Wes and Lazar as players recruited out of high school to Marquette that Buzz has helped get into the NBA, then you can't say that Buzz has had 5 years worth of chances to put high school recruited MU players into the NBA.  He has had 2 years at best, really just 1 if you're being fair.  The jury is still out on the only high school recruited player from his first class (Otule).  Everyone else left because of TC or for health reasons (McMorrow).

So yes, criticize away.  Buzz is 0-1 when it comes to getting his high school recruits into the NBA.

Amen. I agree entirely.

[bilsu]

I also think Buzz had to take chances at the start to bring in talent. Nobody knew who he was. Now I would think most recruits would have an idea who Buzz is, if he called them on the phone.

[The Equalizer]

I also think Buzz had to take chances at the start to bring in talent. Nobody knew who he was. Now I would think most recruits would have an idea who Buzz is, if he called them on the phone.

Just curious, do you think AAU/HS coaches & players know who Isaac Chew is?

[GGGG]

Just curious, do you think AAU/HS coaches & players know who Isaac Chew is?

Sure.  Not all of them...not even a majority...but a lot of them do.

[jmayer1]

Sure.  Not all of them...not even a majority...but a lot of them do.

Chew is also an assistant while Buzz is the head coach. I'm sure Buzz was known in basketball circles when he took over MU, but maybe not necessarily by a ton of recruits. I'm not sure what SJS is getting at with his question.

[bilsu]

I also think Buzz had to take chances at the start to bring in talent. Nobody knew who he was. Now I would think most recruits would have an idea who Buzz is, if he called them on the phone.

I can see a little clarification is needed. By no one, I meant high school recruits accross the country and their parents generally had no idea who Buzz was. Remember with all of MU's success a lot of people still think Marquette is located in Michigan.

[The Equalizer]

Chew is also an assistant while Buzz is the head coach. I'm sure Buzz was known in basketball circles when he took over MU, but maybe not necessarily by a ton of recruits. I'm not sure what SJS is getting at with his question.

The the comment that "Buzz had to take chances" when he became coach "becuase he was an unknown" doesn't fit with reality, and we only need to look at Issac Chew's reputation today.

As MU's recruiter one year into the job (with prior experience at Missouri), Isaac Chew is very well known among HS & AAU coaches and recruits. He holds the same role with similar experience that Buzz held in 2007-08.

You can't say Chew is well known and at the same time allege that Buzz was unknown. There's a reason why so many programs hire top D1 assistants as head coaches--its specifically becuase they ARE well known in the circles that count. 

[GGGG]

The the comment that "Buzz had to take chances" when he became coach "becuase he was an unknown" doesn't fit with reality, and we only need to look at Issac Chew's reputation today.

As MU's recruiter one year into the job (with prior experience at Missouri), Isaac Chew is very well known among HS & AAU coaches and recruits. He holds the same role with similar experience that Buzz held in 2007-08.

You can't say Chew is well known and at the same time allege that Buzz was unknown. There's a reason why so many programs hire top D1 assistants as head coaches--its specifically becuase they ARE well known in the circles that count. 

Chew was well known in the midwest...particularly Chicago.  Where MU generally recruits from.

Buzz was not known in the midwest much at all.

[BallBoy]

The the comment that "Buzz had to take chances" when he became coach "becuase he was an unknown" doesn't fit with reality, and we only need to look at Issac Chew's reputation today.

As MU's recruiter one year into the job (with prior experience at Missouri), Isaac Chew is very well known among HS & AAU coaches and recruits. He holds the same role with similar experience that Buzz held in 2007-08.

You can't say Chew is well known and at the same time allege that Buzz was unknown. There's a reason why so many programs hire top D1 assistants as head coaches--its specifically becuase they ARE well known in the circles that count. 

They hire assistants for their Rolodex but that doesn't get you a player. It gets you a phone call. Besides Chew wasn't here when Buzz started at MU so Chew's impact is minimal to date. Would Chew have taken the job 5 yrs ago. Probably not.

Let's take tyshawn Taylor. Buzz was known to him. Buzz recruited him but Buzz was an unknown head coach and when you have NBA prospects you don't roll the dice on a new head coach.

[keefe]

Let's take tyshawn Taylor. Buzz was known to him. Buzz recruited him but Buzz was an unknown head coach and when you have NBA prospects you don't roll the dice on a new head coach.

I think this was less Buzz Williams and more KU.