Recruiting as of 5/15/25

[DoctorV]

I'd be more willing to bet that in an era where immediate transfer is in play, and when heavy roster turnover will become the norm, Shaka is making a thought out "hedge" play on his "system" with recruits that he deems might have better and longer sticktuitiveness within the program.

What I mean is that Shaka is taking the educated gamble that as he builds a culture around his program, with his type of guys, he feels that these guys a little off the radar without the top 50 hype/resume will come to MU and stay at MU long enough to help the squad get "old" and outcompete the others that will have constant turnover.

It could also be that I'm full of shite, I don't know. All I know is that I've been surprised that he hasn't gone after and gotten more top 75 recruits- which he's clearly very capable of doing if you take his history into account. My justification for that, if I had to take a dive into the mans mind, is what I said above.

It's obviously a gamble- even lower rated recruits can be unhappy, or see grass greener (weenie) elsewhere and jump ship. Or, those recruits could stick around and not be good enough to compete for conference titles.

Or, those recruits can surprise you, get better by the day/year and stick with you (because you believed in them when others didn't and helped take them to the next level), and then you slide in an immediate transfer or impact freshman at the right time and win a National Title.

All I know is that it takes 5 years to judge

[RubyWiscy]

I'd be more willing to bet that in an era where immediate transfer is in play, and when heavy roster turnover will become the norm, Shaka is making a thought out "hedge" play on his "system" with recruits that he deems might have better and longer sticktuitiveness within the program.

What I mean is that Shaka is taking the educated gamble that as he builds a culture around his program, with his type of guys, he feels that these guys a little off the radar without the top 50 hype/resume will come to MU and stay at MU long enough to help the squad get "old" and outcompete the others that will have constant turnover.

It could also be that I'm full of crape, I don't know. All I know is that I've been surprised that he hasn't gone after and gotten more top 75 recruits- which he's clearly very capable of doing if you take his history into account. My justification for that, if I had to take a dive into the mans mind, is what I said above.

It's obviously a gamble- even lower rated recruits can be unhappy, or see grass greener (weenie) elsewhere and jump ship. Or, those recruits could stick around and not be good enough to compete for conference titles.

Or, those recruits can surprise you, get better by the day/year and stick with you (because you believed in them when others didn't and helped take them to the next level), and then you slide in an immediate transfer or impact freshman at the right time and win a National Title.

All I know is that it takes 5 years to judge

LOL. So you are taking every position then?

[Silkk the Shaka]

I think you can read into Shaka's focus on "culture" with Ross.


https://www.thehoophustle.com/news_article/show/1182646

14. Chase Ross, 6'4" Wing, Cushing 2022

You're not gonna find Ross on any national top-100 lists but he's being recruited like a top-50 prospect in 2022. And justifiably so! The Texas-native is a violent athlete who plays the game with the perfect mix of aggression and passion without sacrificing his unselfish nature along the way. When you blend that type of rare skillset with Ross' rare athleticism, you typically get high-level production with a low-maintenance attitude.

If Shaka can get as roster full of 13 unselfish high upside athlete/low-maintenance attitude guys along the 50-250 ranking spectrum then sky's the limit

[genious expert]

Updated 247 rankings today for class of 2023.
Some of these guys may have cut MU from their list or were targets of the previous staff but here's what I've got:

Taison Chatman (Wojo target?) - #29
Braelon Green - #55
Jermaine Coleman - UR
Al Amadou - #97
Aaron Clark - #67
John Lamonthe - #46
Zaide Lowery - UR
Justin Edwards - #11
Taylor Bowen - #21
Dailyn Swain - #62
Asa Thomas - #46
Jalen Hooks - #82
Anthony Finkley - UR
Devin Royal - #121
Horace Simmons - UR
Milan Momcilovic - #41
Gus Yalden - #91
Brooklyn Hicks - UR
Dallas Bear - UR
Darrin Ames - #64

Can probably knock Taylor Bol Bowen off of this list. Just got a Duke offer and there was an article today on his recruitment with no Marquette mention.

[Knight Commission]

If Shaka can get as roster full of 13 unselfish high upside athlete/low-maintenance attitude guys along the 50-250 ranking spectrum then sky's the limit

exactly the wining formula...but lets say 50-150, with at least three starters in the 50-100

[4everwarriors]

I'd be more willing to bet that in an era where immediate transfer is in play, and when heavy roster turnover will become the norm, Shaka is making a thought out "hedge" play on his "system" with recruits that he deems might have better and longer sticktuitiveness within the program.

What I mean is that Shaka is taking the educated gamble that as he builds a culture around his program, with his type of guys, he feels that these guys a little off the radar without the top 50 hype/resume will come to MU and stay at MU long enough to help the squad get "old" and outcompete the others that will have constant turnover.

It could also be that I'm full of crape, I don't know. All I know is that I've been surprised that he hasn't gone after and gotten more top 75 recruits- which he's clearly very capable of doing if you take his history into account. My justification for that, if I had to take a dive into the mans mind, is what I said above.

It's obviously a gamble- even lower rated recruits can be unhappy, or see grass greener (weenie) elsewhere and jump ship. Or, those recruits could stick around and not be good enough to compete for conference titles.

Or, those recruits can surprise you, get better by the day/year and stick with you (because you believed in them when others didn't and helped take them to the next level), and then you slide in an immediate transfer or impact freshman at the right time and win a National Title.

All I know is that it takes 5 years to judge

Yeah butt, yur justa make believe doctor, sew whata ewe no, hey?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Yeah butt, yur justa make believe doctor, sew whata ewe no, hey?

"Remember, half the doctors in this country graduated in the bottom half of their class."
-Famous Rockaway Beach Bartender

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Shaka needs Ferraris to make his system work. The 22 recruits are Ferraris

Nah. This is what he needs.

[Newsdreams]

Nah. This is what he needs.

Personal bias, hey

[Spaniel with a Short Tail]

Personal bias, hey

Have you been looking in my garage!?! 

[NolongerWarriors]

So you guy are really going with Shaka not recruiting the best players (frosh or transfer) he can get and the underwhelming roster is by intention?

This system had really better be Havoc then.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

So you guy are really going with Shaka not recruiting the best players (frosh or transfer) he can get and the underwhelming roster is by intention?

No one had said this.

[tower912]

No one had said this.

He is.   Check his history.

[rocky_warrior]

No one had said this.

Perhaps not, but there has been plenty of suggestion in the thread that Shaka is avoiding (or should be avoiding) top prospects because he can do better with the underdogs.  *shrug*

To me that would not be a long term winning strategy - but I also don't think that is Shaka's intention.  I think he grabbed the best guys he could get this year - it just turns out that their individual rankings may be a little underwhelming.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I think what people have said is that given the choice between a higher ranked player who doesn't fit his system and a lower ranked one who does, Shaka will take the lower ranked one. I also think Shaka is focused on players who are likely to spend multiple years in college instead of one and dones

[Goose]

Having any doubts about Shaka and recruiting is crazy. There is no doubt he is top tier recruiter. I love recruiting for a system and having guys stick around. That said, he will land five stars over the long haul if that is his focus. The guy can flat out recruit.

[dgies9156]

Having any doubts about Shaka and recruiting is crazy. There is no doubt he is top tier recruiter. I love recruiting for a system and having guys stick around. That said, he will land five stars over the long haul if that is his focus. The guy can flat out recruit.

Agreed. Just win baby!

[Hards Alumni]

Perhaps not, but there has been plenty of suggestion in the thread that Shaka is avoiding (or should be avoiding) top prospects because he can do better with the underdogs.  *shrug*

To me that would not be a long term winning strategy - but I also don't think that is Shaka's intention.  I think he grabbed the best guys he could get this year - it just turns out that their individual rankings may be a little underwhelming.

sage.

[bilsu]

Having any doubts about Shaka and recruiting is crazy. There is no doubt he is top tier recruiter. I love recruiting for a system and having guys stick around. That said, he will land five stars over the long haul if that is his focus. The guy can flat out recruit.

I do not agree with this. I see this class as a disappointment. Not necessarily because of the quality of the two committed players, but because I see him recruiting players for positions we already have well covered. Guards are nice, but we have enough of them. I want some bigger players.

[JTJ3]

I do not agree with this. I see this class as a disappointment. Not necessarily because of the quality of the two committed players, but because I see him recruiting players for positions we already have well covered. Guards are nice, but we have enough of them. I want some bigger players.

Nah we've got enough bigs for next year.  If Shaka is going back to a Havoc-like system we're gonna be playing 3 or 4 guards at all times.  His VCU teams always had 4 guys 6'6 and under on the floor.  And both 2022 commits are the level of athlete that thrive in that system.

[TedBaxter]

I do not agree with this. I see this class as a disappointment. Not necessarily because of the quality of the two committed players, but because I see him recruiting players for positions we already have well covered. Guards are nice, but we have enough of them. I want some bigger players.

Is Shaka and the staff done recruiting?  It's been on Twitter that Marquette went to see a 2022 frontcourt prospect twice in September, but didn't pull the trigger on an offer yet and I was told they had considered assessing another player, but he verballed to another school before they could go see him.  I would be surprised if they didn't look into the grad transfer route for a frontcourt player this spring. 

People are going to say this a copout, but in reading Shaka's comments about building culture, he isn't going to sign someone for the sake of signing someone.  He's going to look at talent, but the fit is going to have to be right.

[Uncle Rico]

Is Shaka and the staff done recruiting?  It's been on Twitter that Marquette went to see a 2022 frontcourt prospect twice in September, but didn't pull the trigger on an offer yet and I was told they had considered assessing another player, but he verballed to another school before they could go see him.  I would be surprised if they didn't look into the grad transfer route for a frontcourt player this spring. 

People are going to say this a copout, but in reading Shaka's comments about building culture, he isn't going to sign someone for the sake of signing someone.  He's going to look at talent, but the fit is going to have to be right.

I don't think that's a cop out at all and a fair assessment of the situation.

Concerns about the current commits aren't unwarranted but let's see where things stand after a full season of evaluation of these kids

[bilsu]

What if Lewis has a good enough year to go pro? That leaves us really thin next year as it stands now.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

What if Lewis has a good enough year to go pro? That leaves us really thin next year as it stands now.

There's always the transfer market.

[Uncle Rico]

What if Lewis has a good enough year to go pro? That leaves us really thin next year as it stands now.

Another Wojo player in the association