Recruiting as of 3/15/24

[genious expert]

I was wondering if we'd reach out - Maryland was on him before he committed to Pitt, so there may be some existing ties to Coach Haynes.

Pitt's week was about as bad as it could be:  1) Your lead returning scorer gets arrested for punching a cop; 2) You lose badly to The Citadel; and 3) You lose your only 2022 commit.

Wojo and Killings were recruiting him pretty hard while they were here too, for whatever that's worth.

[BCHoopster]

Give me one reason MU should go after another guard?  Going forward after this year, they might lose Lewis and Kurth.  If that is the case, they have some serious
front court problems.    The 2 centers coming back to me are both projects, and Prosser and Joplin have a long way to go.  They will have to get a grad transfer or a
transfer big to fit into this system or next year they might be in the same situation,  treating water in 9th or 10th place.

[Herman Cain]

Give me one reason MU should go after another guard?  Going forward after this year, they might lose Lewis and Kurth.  If that is the case, they have some serious
front court problems.    The 2 centers coming back to me are both projects, and Prosser and Joplin have a long way to go.  They will have to get a grad transfer or a
transfer big to fit into this system or next year they might be in the same situation,  treating water in 9th or 10th place.

When Buzz went S16/S16/E8 in the old Big East we did not have any conventional centers . Davante was fun but really more of a power forward type .

[Its DJOver]

Where’s Lewis going?

[Uncle Rico]

Where’s Lewis going?

NBA

[Skip Intro]

Where’s Lewis going?

At least one site (ESPN?) had him projected as a 2nd rounder in 2022, so perhaps he tests the waters?  I'm sure a lot of that depends on how the season progresses for him.

[rocky_warrior]

I'm just going to leave this here, as it seems it will get messed up a lot this year.

First name: Kur
Last name: Kuath

To the best of my knowledge, he never goes by some agglomeration of the letters in his first and last name.

[Pakuni]

When Buzz went S16/S16/E8 in the old Big East we did not have any conventional centers . Davante was fun but really more of a power forward type .

Chris Otule begs to differ.

[brewcity77]

Give me one reason MU should go after another guard?

Going forward, this is a team that is likely to round a number of three and even four guard sets. Mintz is a top 50 player who can get to the hoop, hit from outside, and it’s known as a good defender while also having decent size at 6'3".

We also have Lewis, Itejere, Oso, Joplin, and O-Max back. If Lewis goes, then you hit the transfer market for a replacement, but 5 guys for 2.5 spots is okay.

And part of it is probably just talent. If a three star guard like Desmond Claude calls, I'm guessing you tell him you're not taking any more commits until spring, but a top-50 kid like Mintz who is a clear talent upgrade, that's a bit different.

[rocky_warrior]

Wild ass guess, but it's also likely we lose a guard to transfer after this year.  Just going by the normal numbers...

[jfp61]

I mean if you lose Greg and Morsell, you can recruit 3 guards to replace two. Future MU teams will play three guards at once often. Thats what smart did at Texas.

And you dont go for bigs now because bigs seem to get recruited faster than other positions, and shaka likes a specific style of big. My guess is transfers are the best way to find that type of player.

[The Equalizer]

I was wondering if we'd reach out - Maryland was on him before he committed to Pitt, so there may be some existing ties to Coach Haynes.

Pitt's week was about as bad as it could be:  1) Your lead returning scorer gets arrested for punching a cop; 2) You lose badly to The Citadel; and 3) You lose your only 2022 commit.

If you thought our board was down on Wojo last season, hoo boy, there's going to be some angry folks in Pittsburgh if a change doesn't happen.

https://pittsburgh.forums.rivals.com/forums/basketball-board.26/

Popular choices include Pitino, Dennis Gates, Jamie Dixon, Ben Howland, Brandin Knight, Sean Miller.

[Its DJOver]

At least one site (ESPN?) had him projected as a 2nd rounder in 2022, so perhaps he tests the waters?  I'm sure a lot of that depends on how the season progresses for him.

Based on the sample size available (1 season + 1 game), I really don't see him leaving after this year.  I know players have left in the past before they were ready (Vander, DJ), so I wouldn't completely rule it out, but as far a recruiting goes looking years down the line, I think it's safe to play this on as a "I'm assuming he's here at least three if not four years, and if for some reason he isn't the new age transfer market work well enough for a replacement".  That is not sufficiently strong enough to say that we shouldn't be pursuing a borderline top 50 player that happens to be a guard, because one of our frontcourt players may leave, as BC seemed to be indicating.

[Lennys Tap]

If you thought our board was down on Wojo last season, hoo boy, there's going to be some angry folks in Pittsburgh if a change doesn't happen.

https://pittsburgh.forums.rivals.com/forums/basketball-board.26/

Popular choices include Pitino, Dennis Gates, Jamie Dixon, Ben Howland, Brandin Knight, Sean Miller.

Wojo doesn’t make Pitt fans’ final 6?

[avid1010]

Wojo doesn’t make Pitt fans’ final 6?

Lets not forget...Wojo was so friggin' bad his assitant coach landed an "assistant ad of scouting" at the almighty Pitt program.  He did have to first resign from his current job of HS basketball coach...

[Newsdreams]

Give me one reason MU should go after another guard?  Going forward after this year, they might lose Lewis and Kurth.  If that is the case, they have some serious
front court problems.    The 2 centers coming back to me are both projects, and Prosser and Joplin have a long way to go.  They will have to get a grad transfer or a
transfer big to fit into this system or next year they might be in the same situation,  treating water in 9th or 10th place.

Main reason should be that he is ranked too high. Wasn't that the narrative?

[brewcity77]

Lets not forget...Wojo was so friggin' bad his assitant coach landed an "assistant ad of scouting" at the almighty Pitt program.  He did have to first resign from his current job of HS basketball coach...

To his credit, he did put three assistants into HC jobs. Jake wasn't a very inspired hire, but in general Wojo put his assistants into better jobs.

[PGsHeroes32]

Where’s Lewis going?

Well, outside of the bolting for NBA potential that others mentioned.

There’s also now a rule where he can transfer anywhere on a whim as well.

[TedBaxter]

Watched some of the Maryland - George Washington game and video of Sean Jones reminds me a lot of what I saw of Maryland's Fatt Russell, who transferred in from Rhode Island this year.  Similar quickness with the ability to use the dribble to get into the lane or to set up a shot and play defense.  Sean Jones may be a little thicker physically and more vertically explosive than Russell.

[Its DJOver]

Well, outside of the bolting for NBA potential that others mentioned.

There’s also now a rule where he can transfer anywhere on a whim as well.

As can any other player. Not sure why we shouldn’t target a top 50 guard because a sophomore forward has the potential to transfer.

This is why speculations like this in November are foolish.

[PGsHeroes32]

As can any other player. Not sure why we shouldn’t target a top 50 guard because a sophomore forward has the potential to transfer.

This is why speculations like this in November are foolish.

I think we absolutely should go after Mintz. Regardless of our forward situation.

I was just adding another layer to where a player might be off too these days.

Basically I’m saying that saying “If so and so is still here” is really never gonna be outlandish anymore.

[THRILLHO]

Based on the sample size available (1 season + 1 game), I really don't see him leaving after this year.

My impression so far this year was the same. But I think I'm also maybe biased by the Wojo-led program, where guys seemed to improve over the offseason but not really during the season? I think under previous coaches we saw more in-season improvement. And with a new coach and system there's some reason to reset our expectations that guys will be better at the end of the year than at the start.

[Lennys Tap]

As can any other player. Not sure why we shouldn’t target a top 50 guard because a sophomore forward has the potential to transfer.

This is why speculations like this in November are foolish.

This.

In today’s CBB environment every player is year to year. Shaka has a better handle than we do re who may leave but even he will be blindsided from time to time. Always be recruiting. And if a difference maker wants to come at what appears to be a crowded position, take him. Things will sort themselves out.

[Herman Cain]

A game like tonight's big win  can give a little hop in our step with the recruits we are in dialogue with. Gives the coaches something positive to point to.

[MU82]

A game like tonight's big win  can give a little hop in our step with the recruits we are in dialogue with. Gives the coaches something positive to point to.

Agree. And we also should recruit some of the same Chicago kids that Illinois goes after.