Gill to Maryland

[tower912]

http://maryland.247sports.com/Article/lg-gill-transfers-to-maryland-terps-basketball-from-duquesne-45250451

[Marcus92]

Disappointing, but not a surprise.

C'mon, Kalif. We need you. Always wanted a big guy who can grow with the program.

[mileskishnish72]

Shoot!

[77ncaachamps]

Makes sense for him. Not much returning = more playing time.
(Maybe he prefers UA over Jordan?)

Henry leaves a big hole but I'm confident that Fischy and Heldt can help close that gap a bit.
It's just a question of who will add to the frontcourt minutes with them.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

This was always Mr. Young's seat to take. If Gill couldn't be patient, I can't blame him.

[DUNKS45]

Let's hope we land Kalif. I'd also like to see him grow for four years. Go Warriors!

[WarriorFan]

Always better to have a 4 year big guy than a rental.

[willie warrior]

Wojo obviously cooled on the guy, because he always gets his man.

[Dawson Rental]

Wojo obviously cooled on the guy, because he always gets his man.

I think that TAMUEagle's point was that Gill was Wojo's second choice and decided to go to the place where he was first choice.

[MU82]

Wojo has been an outstanding recruiter by just about any measure.

To criticize him for his supposed "misses" is dopey.

Everybody misses. I mean, Calipari and Izzo "missed" on Henry, right?

[MUFlutieEffect]

This was always Mr. Young's seat to take. If Gill couldn't be patient, I can't blame him.

Any idea on Young's timeline?  When does he plan to announce?

[jsglow]

Any idea on Young's timeline?  When does he plan to announce?

He plans to visit Providence this coming weekend and then go home and consider his options with mom and dad.  Seems reasonable.  I'd certainly anticipate a decision before the end of the month.

[Nukem2]

He plans to visit Providence this coming weekend and then go home and consider his options with mom and dad.  Seems reasonable.  I'd certainly anticipate a decision before the end of the month.

Spring signing period ends next Wednesday, 5/18.  Suspect he will sign somewhere by then.  If not, one gets into non-binding scholarship agreements after that.

[Herman Cain]

http://maryland.247sports.com/Article/lg-gill-transfers-to-maryland-terps-basketball-from-duquesne-45250451

Obviously he felt comfortable with the whole situation. When it comes down to one year your going to go with your gut instinct.

I think the parents will have a bigger say on Kalifs decision.  One big selling point with the mother will be our whole academic support system. It is very impressive to parents. Logistically with everything right there at the Al (practice, strength and conditioning and academic support), the parents have a comfort level knowing what their kids daily routine is going to be. MU really sells this aspect very hard to the recruits parents. Tom Ford just retired but he was the guy who was the one who created the whole concept of the Eagles Nest which other schools copied.

[muguru]

Love everyone creaming themselves over Young. Is it his extremely high ranking that's getting everyone so excited?? Besides he will do NOTHING for MU's tourney chances next year. It's not like he's this dominant back to the basket big guy. Wojo gets one of those, then the excitement is warranted. Excuse me if i can't join in the excitement over a 6'9" player that will likely be an average at best contributor his 4 years in school. He goes to Providence, I won't lose any sleep. Would have much rather had Gill. It's about making the tourney THIS coming year.

[Herman Cain]

Love everyone creaming themselves over Young. Is it his extremely high ranking that's getting everyone so excited?? Besides he will do NOTHING for MU's tourney chances next year. It's not like he's this dominant back to the basket big guy. Wojo gets one of those, then the excitement is warranted. Excuse me if i can't join in the excitement over a 6'9" player that will likely be an average at best contributor his 4 years at PC. he goes to Providence, I won't lose any sleep. Would have much rather had Gill. It's about making the tourney THIS coming year.

We lost Gill. So now we are hoping we get Young. As Mr. Bilsu pointed out we need one big a year in our recruiting. Davante was not highly rated and we all enjoyed what he did for us.

[muguru]

We lost Gill. So now we are hoping we get Young. As Mr. Bilsu pointed out we need one big a year in our recruiting. Davante was not highly rated and we all enjoyed what he did for us.

So MU should take a big every year just because he's a big?? nevermind if he doesn't contribute much in his 4 years at MU?? Give me a 15-8 big all day and then we can get excited.

[GGGG]

So MU should take a big every year just because he's a big?? nevermind if he doesn't contribute much in his 4 years at MU?? Give me a 15-8 big all day and then we can get excited.

Agreed. You can win in college basketball with a bunch of guards and slashers.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Love everyone creaming themselves over Young. Is it his extremely high ranking that's getting everyone so excited?? Besides he will do NOTHING for MU's tourney chances next year. It's not like he's this dominant back to the basket big guy. Wojo gets one of those, then the excitement is warranted. Excuse me if i can't join in the excitement over a 6'9" player that will likely be an average at best contributor his 4 years in school. He goes to Providence, I won't lose any sleep. Would have much rather had Gill. It's about making the tourney THIS coming year.

I don't think anyone is "creaming" themselves over Young. I think some people recognize that our need for a big in the 17-18 season is much bigger than our need for a big in the 16-17 season. I don't expect Young to contribute much more than Matt Heldt did last season. But I am excited that if we were to get Young, we wouldn't have to bank on a grad transfer or a freshman to provide meaningful minutes in the post alongside Matt Heldt, our only other big currently on the roster for 17-18.

I want to get into the tournament next season. But I'd rather get into the tournament next season and the season after that. You do that by recruiting a steady stream of guys who might sit on the bench their first and second years but are starters by the third. I know I am in the minority but I think our roster, as it currently stands, can make the NCAA tournament next season. Gill would have cemented my confidence and Young doesn't, but I think this squad will make the tournament and then Young will help them make the tournament again next season.

Finally, I'll admit to being optimistic about Young. He looks like he has some good tools and high upside. He had a couple of blue bloods sniffing around him. They didn't offer but they were at least intrigued. More importantly, from what I've heard, Wojo is really high on the kid. That's enough for me to want him in blue and gold.

[tower912]

I don't know if we get Young or not.    Assuming yes....
Fischer 6'11
Heldt  6'10
Young 6'9
Hauser 6'7
Reinhart 6'6
Cohen 6'6
Johnson 6'5
Cheatham 6'5
Anim 6'5
Wilson 6'2
Carter 6'1
Howard 6'
Rowsey 5'10

Getting there.    Still missing the cliché 6'8 Big East PF and the 6'3 jump out of the gym guard.    You are only as good as what is coming back.    So I only expect small contributions from Howard, Hauser, and Young anyway.      Next year's success will be dictated by how much the returnees improve, what Reinhart delivers as a senior, and whether Rowsey can score and defend in the Big East at his size.   If the answers to those 3 questions are a net positive, MU is likely a tourney team.   Assuming Wojo continues to improve as a coach, too. 

[Herman Cain]

I don't think anyone is "creaming" themselves over Young. I think some people recognize that our need for a big in the 17-18 season is much bigger than our need for a big in the 16-17 season. I don't expect Young to contribute much more than Matt Heldt did last season. But I am excited that if we were to get Young, we wouldn't have to bank on a grad transfer or a freshman to provide meaningful minutes in the post alongside Matt Heldt, our only other big currently on the roster for 17-18.

I want to get into the tournament next season. But I'd rather get into the tournament next season and the season after that. You do that by recruiting a steady stream of guys who might sit on the bench their first and second years but are starters by the third. I know I am in the minority but I think our roster, as it currently stands, can make the NCAA tournament next season. Gill would have cemented my confidence and Young doesn't, but I think this squad will make the tournament and then Young will help them make the tournament again next season.

Finally, I'll admit to being optimistic about Young. He looks like he has some good tools and high upside. He had a couple of blue bloods sniffing around him. They didn't offer but they were at least intrigued. More importantly, from what I've heard, Wojo is really high on the kid. That's enough for me to want him in blue and gold.

You are absolutely correct that we need Young to be a viable player in 17-18 for the reasons you stated. That is why we want him.

I am in the camp that says we will better this year. If we can get through the non conference with 10 wins I think 10-8 is a possibility in the Big East regular season.   

[brewcity77]

So MU should take a big every year just because he's a big?? nevermind if he doesn't contribute much in his 4 years at MU?? Give me a 15-8 big all day and then we can get excited.

It takes 15/8 to get you excited? Better not hold your breath, there were only 12 high-major players in the country last year that put up those kind of numbers:

Ben Simmons, LSU (192/11.8)
Josh Hawkinson, Washington State (15.4/11.1)
Brice Johnson, UNC (17.3/10.5)
Devin Thomas, Wake Forest (15.6/10.2)
Ryan Anderson, Arizona (15.3/10.1)
Henry Ellenson, Marquette (17.0/9.7)
Moses Kingsley, Arizona (15.9/9.3)
Dedric Lawson, Memphis (15.8/9.3)
Jakob Poetl, Utah (17.2/9.1)
Josh Scott, Colorado (16.3/8.8)
AJ Hammons, Purdue (15.0/8.2)
Yante Matin, Georgia (16.5/8.0)

Before Henry, Jae Crowder in 2010-11 (17.5/8.4) and Lazar Hayward in 2008-09 (16.4/8.6) were the only two players to accomplish that feat at Marquette since 1987. So we went roughly 30 years and had 3 players that put up 15/8. Doubt we'll just happen across one of those guys.

[wadesworld]

Love everyone creaming themselves over Young. Is it his extremely high ranking that's getting everyone so excited?? Besides he will do NOTHING for MU's tourney chances next year. It's not like he's this dominant back to the basket big guy. Wojo gets one of those, then the excitement is warranted. Excuse me if i can't join in the excitement over a 6'9" player that will likely be an average at best contributor his 4 years in school. He goes to Providence, I won't lose any sleep. Would have much rather had Gill. It's about making the tourney THIS coming year.

You are excused.

Not sure why anyone bothers bringing facts into a debate with muguru.  It's doom and gloom no matter what.  You could get the entire Golden State Warriors roster playing at Marquette and he'd wonder why we can't get MJ in his prime to MU.

[bilsu]

So MU should take a big every year just because he's a big?? nevermind if he doesn't contribute much in his 4 years at MU?? Give me a 15-8 big all day and then we can get excited.

Yes, MU should try to recruit a big every year and not be afraid to red shirt him the first year.

[1SE]

Wojo has been an outstanding recruiter by just about any measure.

To criticize him for his supposed "misses" is dopey.

Everybody misses. I mean, Calipari and Izzo "missed" on Henry, right?

Yeah, but UK brought in a 5 star and a 4 star center while MSU brought in Davis - not exactly scraping the barrel.

I'm fine with us "missing" on Gill but if we also miss on Young there's nothing dopey about criticism.  We need some kind of 4 for next year - even if it's for ten minutes, a few Rebs, a few big-body fouls and some decent D.  It's marginal stuff like that that turns an "outside looking in" team into one that dances.