Recruiting as of 5/15/25

[MUfan12]

I grew up playing ball in the area, and still follow the HS basketball scene, and it seems like no one overrates players like the City of Milwaukee. HS coaches, AAU coaches, family, all inflate the view these guys have of themselves. It happened with Burton, it happened with Duane, and it'll happen again. Unfortunately, it rarely works out for MKE kids that commit to MU out of HS. Too many people in their ear, too much outside nonsense.

MU has the resources to recruit nationally, and as long as that's the case, I won't any sleep over recruiting Milwaukee.

[Dawson Rental]

Great discussion of what's happening with Milwaukee recruiting and MU.  Thanks to all who shared some insight.

[jsglow]

Great discussion of what's happening with Milwaukee recruiting and MU.  Thanks to all who shared some insight.

For sure. Nothing I see suggests Wojo doingaanything other than his job. All's well but it is probably fair to suggest that it would have been an uphill battle for Lewis.  Next.

[bilsu]

I grew up playing ball in the area, and still follow the HS basketball scene, and it seems like no one overrates players like the City of Milwaukee. HS coaches, AAU coaches, family, all inflate the view these guys have of themselves. It happened with Burton, it happened with Duane, and it'll happen again. Unfortunately, it rarely works out for MKE kids that commit to MU out of HS. Too many people in their ear, too much outside nonsense.

MU has the resources to recruit nationally, and as long as that's the case, I won't any sleep over recruiting Milwaukee.

Maymom and Blue indicates to me that this is not just a Milwaukee problem.

[Bocephys]

Maymom and Blue indicates to me that this is not just a Milwaukee problem.

Literally every industry and every employer has an employee who thinks his poo smells of roses.  It's not unique to college sports, let alone Milwaukee HS basketball.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Recruiting local kids is often very difficult. There tends to be a group of people that will attach itself to the player and start whispering in their ear about how they should be played or how they are much better than other players on the team. These people do it with the best of intentions but often damage and undermine the coaches' relationship with the player. There might also be some friends who are bad influences. We all have that friend at home who never left our hometown and is still getting in trouble like its high school.

This is not just a Marquette problem. TAMU went through it with a player a few years ago. Star from the local high school. Had people convincing him that he should have been starting from day 1. Fought the coaches, got in trouble off the court with some high school buddies. Eventually he was told to pack up.

It's also not just an athlete issue. I work with college students and have found that the local kids struggle a lot more than those that had to travel to college. Many of them seem to never grow up, they seem almost trapped in their high school years. This can be made worse by family members who cater to and coddle them. My favorite are the ones who drive to campus, pick up their kids laundry, drive home without the kid, do the laundry, fold it, and then drive back to their kids dorm.

Of course these are just trends not givens. I know plenty of local students who have succeeded. Alex Caruso is from college station and he was a fantastic member of the team. But there does seem to be some value to students going away for college. It forces them to invest in their college experience and trust their mentors at the college (like coaches).

[Golden Avalanche]

They includes, his parent a high school coach, and his club coach whose son is on our team.  Neither one of those has an interest in jerking us around. So Yes it was a classic case of the kid knew where he wanted to go and lets close the deal and move on.

I get that you have some spent some time on the AAU circuit. So have I.

Many people are saying you don't know what you're writing about. Sad!

[MU82]

I grew up playing ball in the area, and still follow the HS basketball scene, and it seems like no one overrates players like the City of Milwaukee.

Curious, MUfan ... did the City of Milwaukee overrate you?

[GGGG]

Maymom and Blue indicates to me that this is not just a Milwaukee problem.

What was wrong with Blue?

[BM1090]

What was wrong with Blue?

Yeah, I don't think there was an issue there either. He was a cocky kid, but most star athletes are. He didn't have people in his ear telling him to leave. In fact, most were trying to get him to stay including his mother. He just made a decision he thought was best for him.

[GGGG]

Yeah, I don't think there was an issue there either. He was a cocky kid, but most star athletes are. He didn't have people in his ear telling him to leave. In fact, most were trying to get him to stay including his mother. He just made a decision he thought was best for him.

Right.  None of that is really a problem.  He developed into a very good player and a team leader who has never bad-mouthed Marquette as far as I know.  Bilsu has said this kind of stuff before about Vander and I can't quite figure it out.

[NotAnAlum]

Maymom and Blue indicates to me that this is not just a Milwaukee problem.

I'm happy to take another "under performer" like Vander.  In fact a senior year like his junior year would have been just fine thank you very much.

[MUfan12]

Curious, MUfan ... did the City of Milwaukee overrate you?

Turns out it's easy to properly rate an undersized Caucasian with average quickness. 

[4everwarriors]

So, you weren't any good, hey?

[bilsu]

What was wrong with Blue?

He thought he was an NBA player. Goes along with the original post that family and friends are telling him how good he is. He turned into a very good college player, just like Maymon did for Tennessee. However, neither are NBA players even though the closest people were telling them how good they were.

[Pakuni]

He thought he was an NBA player. Goes along with the original post that family and friends are telling him how good he is. He turned into a very good college player, just like Maymon did for Tennessee. However, neither are NBA players even though the closest people were telling them how good they were.

His has been an NBA player.

[Newsdreams]

So, you weren't any good, hey?

Ners posterized him several times......

[bilsu]

His has been an NBA player.

He may of gotten a 10 day contract, but he has not made a team.

[We R Final Four]

(2) 10 day contracts.

[brewcity77]

He may of gotten a 10 day contract, but he has not made a team.

So wait...he's played for two NBA teams, both the Celtics and the Lakers, and he hasn't made a team? I'm not sure you understand what it means to make a team. Can't get on the court if you don't make the team.

[MuMark]

So wait...he's played for two NBA teams, both the Celtics and the Lakers, and he hasn't made a team? I'm not sure you understand what it means to make a team. Can't get on the court if you don't make the team.

Vander must be the greatest NBA player ever.......he scored 27 points without ever making a team!

[bilsu]

So wait...he's played for two NBA teams, both the Celtics and the Lakers, and he hasn't made a team? I'm not sure you understand what it means to make a team. Can't get on the court if you don't make the team.

He played in the NBA, but has a team signed him to more than a 10 day contract? This is a true question, because I do not follow NBA basketball. To me making the NBA means being on the teams roster as a full contract player, which is higher definition than actually playing in the game. Besides that the original post dealt with friends and family telling players how good they are, which makes them think they are better than they are. I cannot get inside Blue's head, but I think he felt he was a fulltime NBA player vs. being  player that has had made good on the little opportunity he has had. So re look at what this post is about. It is not about how good the player is, it is about outside influences resulting in players not agreeing with coaches. Now maybe Blue did not like college, so outside influences did not matter in his decision. However, Buzz and basically everyone here felt he should of stayed.

[Marcus92]

He played in the NBA, but has a team signed him to more than a 10 day contract? This is a true question, because I do not follow NBA basketball. To me making the NBA means being on the teams roster as a full contract player, which is higher definition than actually playing in the game. Besides that the original post dealt with friends and family telling players how good they are, which makes them think they are better than they are. I cannot get inside Blue's head, but I think he felt he was a fulltime NBA player vs. being  player that has had made good on the little opportunity he has had. So re look at what this post is about. It is not about how good the player is, it is about outside influences resulting in players not agreeing with coaches. Now maybe Blue did not like college, so outside influences did not matter in his decision. However, Buzz and basically everyone here felt he should of stayed.

This isn't difficult. If you play in the NBA, you're an NBA player.

It could be a single minute in a single game. You can debate how good Vander Blue is compared to others in the NBA. But there's absolutely no debating that he's an NBA player.

[jsglow]

He played in the NBA, but has a team signed him to more than a 10 day contract? This is a true question, because I do not follow NBA basketball. To me making the NBA means being on the teams roster as a full contract player, which is higher definition than actually playing in the game. Besides that the original post dealt with friends and family telling players how good they are, which makes them think they are better than they are. I cannot get inside Blue's head, but I think he felt he was a fulltime NBA player vs. being  player that has had made good on the little opportunity he has had. So re look at what this post is about. It is not about how good the player is, it is about outside influences resulting in players not agreeing with coaches. Now maybe Blue did not like college, so outside influences did not matter in his decision. However, Buzz and basically everyone here felt he should of stayed.

Semantics.  If you want to discuss 'making the NBA, does this count?' there's a new thread waiting for you.

[wadesworld]

He played in the NBA, but has a team signed him to more than a 10 day contract? This is a true question, because I do not follow NBA basketball. To me making the NBA means being on the teams roster as a full contract player, which is higher definition than actually playing in the game. Besides that the original post dealt with friends and family telling players how good they are, which makes them think they are better than they are. I cannot get inside Blue's head, but I think he felt he was a fulltime NBA player vs. being  player that has had made good on the little opportunity he has had. So re look at what this post is about. It is not about how good the player is, it is about outside influences resulting in players not agreeing with coaches. Now maybe Blue did not like college, so outside influences did not matter in his decision. However, Buzz and basically everyone here felt he should of stayed.

I could've sworn that CC Sabathia more or less single handedly put the Brewers on his back to carry them to their first Playoff appearance in my lifetime.  Little did I know, CC never actually played for the Milwaukee Brewers.