Most Important MU Recruits Ever

[wadesworld]

It seems like every 4/5 we are recruiting mentions how MU uses Oso as being one of the most attractive things about MU lately.  This got me thinking about who the most important recruits ever have been at MU.  The obvious answer in my lifetime is Wade.  I wasn't old enough to remember much prior to that, but since then I think Oso might turn out to be our most important recruit ever.  Him sticking around after the coaching change is paying dividends obviously on the past 2 teams plus this year and possibly next year, but it will be paying dividends in who it will attract going forward.  I think Shaka would have success here regardless, but him being able to point at Oso as proof of concept has been a huge benefit on the recruiting front.

Which is wild to think about because he didn't show much early in his freshman year, got thrown into action due to injuries later in the season and showed he could at least be competitive, but I don't think anybody saw him turning into a major playmaker for us offensively.  His development has been incredible to see.

So off of that, who have been the most important recruits to land at Marquette?

[MUfan12]

James/McNeal/Matthews was a turning point class.

[Galway Eagle]

The 90 class. If we take everyone at their word that MU was considering dropping bball then Mac's class saved the day and built the foundation Miller, Crawford Mckaskill all continued for a few years. Sure we took a big step back 98-01 but at least we had 5yrs of proof you could still win at MU.

The 3 amigos were massive for stepping up to the Big East after a post FF step back.

Markus Howard was big because if it weren't for him we'd have had absolutely unwatchable basketball under Wojo, at least with Howard there was a chance of seeing something historic.

[Dickthedribbler]

I believe most older fans such as myself would say George Thompson in1965. It was the McGuire signing of Thompson out of Brooklyn from which everything else, and I mean everything, flowed for the next 15 years. Even beyond.

[Galway Eagle]

Actually screw it it was Terry Rand. Without him does MU Hoops ever even start?

[El Guerrero 2]

Joey Hauser… without him Wojo might still be here.

[We R Final Four]

Robbie/Big Mac/Damon Key

[Jockey]

I believe most older fans such as myself would say George Thompson in1965. It was the McGuire signing of Thompson out of Brooklyn from which everything else, and I mean everything, flowed for the next 15 years. Even beyond.

Ding. Ding.

Absolutely the most important recruit in MU history.

[dyckesville]

I agree with George Thompson, without him we wouldn't get to our first NIT championship game, which led to Jim Chones recruitment and some of the best recruiting years.

[Gato78]

1. George Thompson
2. Dean Meminger
3. Bo Ellis
4. Earl Tatum
5. Butch Lee
6. Jerel, Wesley, Dominic and Burke

George was first and got it all going. Dean was a 4 time All-City in NYC—Lew Alcindor only other 4x. Bo was what would have been a 5 star and led us to 2 NCAA Championship games. William Earl Tatum was also what would have been a 5 star and one of the best in New York metro area on a loaded team. Butch was also the best player in NYC and a 5 star. The amigos and Burke was an incredible haul—great players and great reps of MU. 

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

The next one.

[Herman Cain]

George Thompson was the key to everything. His reputation was big coming in and he exceeded it when he got to MU. The stream of 5 star type recruits followed  which led to a Natty.

Earl Tatum and Doc Rivers were the two most celebrated recruits . Both were considered ,by some , to be the top players in their recruiting class.

Tatum backed his rep up on the court and patiently waited through Al’s Senior are The Stars system.

Docs recruitment was highly publicized in The Chicago press and National Media. Unfortunately Doc had to play for Hank.

Wade restored MU to being in the National Conversation . That unleashed many years of prosperity until MU was stymied by Wojo

[BCHoopster]

As much as I agree that George and Dean got it started, but the next step in recruiting was recruiting bigs and they got Jim Chones, then McNeil, Lucas, Whitehead, those were all aircraft carriers. Top 10 for 8 straight years.

[shoothoops]

The next one.

Yep. I was looking for this. The best recruit is always the next one.

[Mu8891]

Biggest single recruit?  Wade

But, the class w / Mac, Key and Logterman ( w / KO ) may have saved hoops at MU

[Tha Hound]

Biggest missed recruit? Jeenathan Williams('s neck)

[marqfan22]

Ledaryl Billingsley:
Committed to MU and then went to Tulane

[BCHoopster]

George Thompson was the key to everything. His reputation was big coming in and he exceeded it when he got to MU. The stream of 5 star type recruits followed  which led to a Natty.

Earl Tatum and Doc Rivers were the two most celebrated recruits . Both were considered ,by some , to be the top players in their recruiting class.

Tatum backed his rep up on the court and patiently waited through Al’s Senior are The Stars system.

Docs recruitment was highly publicized in The Chicago press and National Media. Unfortunately Doc had to play for Hank.

Wade restored MU to being in the National Conversation . That unleashed many years of prosperity until MU was stymied by Wojo

Pretty sure that Bernard Toone was one of the highest rated recruit in Al’s tenure

[Goose]

Post Al, KO’s class of local guys was the most important, IMO. It changed the program and gave life back to the program.

Most important to me is George Thompson and greatest is Wade. Biggest losses was missing out on the Chicago pipeline in ‘78, followed by Joe Wolfe.

[MuggsyB]

Wade helped. 

[BLWarrior91]

Joe Nethen?

[BLWarrior91]

The 90 class. If we take everyone at their word that MU was considering dropping bball then Mac's class saved the day and built the foundation Miller, Crawford Mckaskill all continued for a few years. Sure we took a big step back 98-01 but at least we had 5yrs of proof you could still win at MU.

The 3 amigos were massive for stepping up to the Big East after a post FF step back.

Markus Howard was big because if it weren't for him we'd have had absolutely unwatchable basketball under Wojo, at least with Howard there was a chance of seeing something historic.

Great point about that 1990 class.  The program had hit a modern day low under Dukiet and this was the group that KO got back to the NCAA tournament with.  Charles Brakes was the fourth guy in that class but he transferred.  Mac, Key, and Robb brought the team back from the abyss.

[BCHoopster]

Post Al, KO’s class of local guys was the most important, IMO. It changed the program and gave life back to the program.

Most important to me is George Thompson and greatest is Wade. Biggest losses was missing out on the Chicago pipeline in ‘78, followed by Joe Wolfe.

Goose, it might have been Scooter McCray, then you get Rodney the next year

[Johnny B]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

[Herman Cain]

Pretty sure that Bernard Toone was one of the highest rated recruit in Al’s tenure

Well written article in remembrance, he definitely was also very highly touted 

https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/high-school/basketball/2022/07/22/yonkers-remembers-bernard-toone-gorton-great-marquette-nba-player/65379920007/

[Dickthedribbler]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

Yes.

[4everwarriors]

I agree with George Thompson, without him we wouldn't get to our first NIT championship game, which led to Jim Chones recruitment and some of the best recruiting years.

#22 was already a freshman when the Warriors won the 1970 NIT Championship, hey?

[Nukem2]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

George was huge for this program. He put us on the map, plain and simple. Saw him play and he was an unusual talent given his height. Gave Al the inside road to the NYC area. Cannot dismiss his importance to our program Hard to imagine now, but it was significant.

[Viper]

I believe most older fans such as myself would say George Thompson in1965. It was the McGuire signing of Thompson out of Brooklyn from which everything else, and I mean everything, flowed for the next 15 years. Even beyond.

100% yes

[Viper]

George was huge for this program. He put us on the map, plain and simple. Saw him play and he was an unusual talent given his height. Gave Al the inside road to the NYC area. Cannot dismiss his importance to our program Hard to imagine now, but it was significant.

also 100% yes

[Gato78]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

Yep. 6’2” but best playing at low post. Huge thighs like Quadzlla. Had ability to hang in the air—like he almost defied gravity, at least temporarily. Not a shooter. So powerful and tough—very difficult to defend. In those days, we were all judged by moves and he had multiples.

[avid1010]

George...then Wade

[dyckesville]

#22 was already a freshman when the Warriors won the 1970 NIT Championship, hey?

I was talking about when they lost the NIT championship to the Salukis

[Lennys Tap]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

I was a freshman when George was a sophomore (and first eligible) so I saw all of his home games. Every road game of his that I didn’t see in person I watched on TV or listened to on radio.

I’m with Goose on this - he was our most important recruit,  DWade was our greatest.

[MU82]

So little love for Wally Ellenson.

[Dickthedribbler]

#22 was already a freshman when the Warriors won the 1970 NIT Championship, hey?

But a freshman who didn't play in that 1969-70 season.

[BCHoopster]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

First game I saw was George scored like 40 points as a freshman,  6’2” forward that could jump out of the gym.  Insane hops, good shooter, most exciting player in MU history not called DWade.  He got me excited about hoops!

[Dickthedribbler]

As an aside, George's final game at Marquette was a 2 point overtime loss to Purdue at the UW Field house in the 1969 Elite 8 game, on a Rick Mount jumpshot at the buzzer. An eyelash away from a first final four. Ouch. I still have a headache.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

As I understand the question I would rank them:

1. Brute Force
2. Wade
3. Ellis
4. The Class of 1990
5. The Three Amigos

The stories of Oso, F 'Em, O-Max, Kam, and crew are still being written. Could easily find themselves in the top 5 when it is all said and done.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

I was a freshman when George was a sophomore (and first eligible) so I saw all of his home games. Every road game of his that I didn’t see in person I watched on TV or listened to on radio.

I’m with Goose on this - he was our most important recruit,  DWade was our greatest.

1000%   Saw every home game as well. Listened religiously to radio broadcasts. Knew George personally and he was an outstanding person.

[Goose]

BC

I agree that losing Scooter was equally as big as losing Mark Aguirre. Both loses caused MU to miss out on future recruits and it changed the program in a very big way.

Good news, I would rather be talking about the current state of the program and future recruits than recruits from decades ago. Shaka has brought this program an awfully long way in a short period.

[ATWizJr]

Biggest missed recruit? Jeenathan Williams('s neck)

. Mark Aguirre biggest miss. If Al stayed Mark was in.

[Goose]

TAMU

Shaka retaining everyone, aside from Omax,  might end being the most important recruiting job ever.

[StillAWarrior]

Shaka retaining everyone, aside from Omax,  might end being the most important recruiting job ever.

No offense to Wrightsil, Ellis, or Itejere, of course. 

I've gotta admit, I really would have liked to see Wrightsil back on the roster. I think he did a lot for the team last year from his seat on the bench and in the locker room.

[MuggsyB]

. Mark Aguirre biggest miss. If Al stayed Mark was in.

Would have we gotten Isaiah Thomas, Aguirre, and Terry Cummings?  Smh. 

[Lennys Tap]

As an aside, George's final game at Marquette was a 2 point overtime loss to Purdue at the UW Field house in the 1969 Elite 8 game, on a Rick Mount jumpshot at the buzzer. An eyelash away from a first final four. Ouch. I still have a headache.

Two nights earlier we had beaten Adolph Rupp and Kentucky - the biggest win at that point of the McGuire era.

We planned on staying in Madison after the Purdue game to party. Turned out to be the most quiet 80 mile car ride back to Milwaukee instead.

[dyckesville]

That Purdue loss was a killer. The game I remember most was a game with Detroit where it sounded like Brute Force just dominated Spencer Haywood. Granted it was on the radio.

[swoopem]

Would have we gotten Isaiah Thomas, Aguirre, and Terry Cummings?  Smh.

I’ve heard about Aguirre and Terry Cummings but Isaiah Thomas was considering MU also? Never heard that

[Coleman]

James/McNeal/Matthews was a turning point class.

This is the correct answer

[Galway Eagle]

I’ve heard about Aguirre and Terry Cummings but Isaiah Thomas was considering MU also? Never heard that

I don't want to call bs on all the stories because I wasn't there but sometimes the stories make it sound like every great that went to anywhere else after 77 was 100% coming to MU. I think I've found one article where a player mentioned that so it's all here say from what I can gather.

[Coleman]

Everyone forgets Wade was hardly recruited at all. Only other schools interested were Illinois State and DePaul. Definitely one of MU's most important PLAYERS ever but not a particularly big recruit.

When I think of biggest recruits I think of significant signings of high school players that changed the way MU was perceived vis a vis its ability to recruit. Landing Wesley Matthews, who was Wisconsin's Mr Basketball and a son of a UW alum turned NBA player, was a HUGE coup in the mid 2000s.

[wadesworld]

Everyone forgets Wade was hardly recruited at all. Only other schools interested were Illinois State and DePaul. Definitely one of MU's most important PLAYERS ever but not a particularly big recruit.

When I think of biggest recruits I think of significant signings of high school players that changed the way MU was perceived vis a vis its ability to recruit. Landing Wes Matthews, who was Wisconsin's Mr Basketball and a son of a UW alum turned NBA player, was a HUGE coup in the mid 2000s.

Yeah, my question was more in terms of looking back.  Maybe I should've worded it as "What MU players have had the biggest impact on the course of MU's program."

[Coleman]

Yeah, my question was more in terms of looking back.  Maybe I should've worded it as "What MU players have had the biggest impact on the course of MU's program."

Gotcha. Yeah that is a different question for me. Wade is definitely in that conversation.

[dgies9156]

My five:

1) George Thompson -- Without George and the stream he started, we would have been Creighton East. Thompson lifted us into the big times and started the procession of greatness for more than decade.

2) Jim Chones -- Chones was Marquette's first superstar. We crossed a plain into the very best with Chones and the result was getting folks like Bo Ellis, Butch Lee, Maurice Lucas and others.

3) Dwyane Wade -- Dwyane was more than a basketball player. He defined Marquette as a place willing to take a chance on someone. As others have said, he didn't qualify right away and was not highly recruited. We tried and we won big. Dwyane will be an ambassador for MU all of his life.

4) Doc Rivers -- The only really good "get" of Hank Raymonds tenure. We sucked in those days but Doc's impact as an NBA Coach and Trustee of the University was enormous.

5) Tyler Kolek -- Yes, Tyler Kolek. Our resurgence under Coach Shaka is in no small measure due to Mr. Kolek's presence and ability to run our offense. Without Mr. Kolek, would we be where we are today? I wonder, because it took the right temperament to run Shaka's offense and Tyler did it.

[swoopem]

After Hank took over did he continue to try and recruit New York?

[Goose]

Dgies

I said two years ago that Kolek will be the post Al version of George Thompson. He will be the guy we remember for getting the program rolling again.

[BCHoopster]

After Hank took over did he continue to try and recruit New York?

Hank recruited Sam Worthen and Artie Green but missed on Scooter McCray

[dgies9156]

Hank recruited Sam Worthen and Artie Green but missed on Scooter McCray

Wasn't Sam from Chicago and Artie from Memphis?

[BCHoopster]

No Michael Wilson was from Memphis.

[Lennys Tap]

My five:

1) George Thompson -- Without George and the stream he started, we would have been Creighton East. Thompson lifted us into the big times and started the procession of greatness for more than decade.

2) Jim Chones -- Chones was Marquette's first superstar. We crossed a plain into the very best with Chones and the result was getting folks like Bo Ellis, Butch Lee, Maurice Lucas and others.

3) Dwyane Wade -- Dwyane was more than a basketball player. He defined Marquette as a place willing to take a chance on someone. As others have said, he didn't qualify right away and was not highly recruited. We tried and we won big. Dwyane will be an ambassador for MU all of his life.

4) Doc Rivers -- The only really good "get" of Hank Raymonds tenure. We sucked in those days but Doc's impact as an NBA Coach and Trustee of the University was enormous.

5) Tyler Kolek -- Yes, Tyler Kolek. Our resurgence under Coach Shaka is in no small measure due to Mr. Kolek's presence and ability to run our offense. Without Mr. Kolek, would we be where we are today? I wonder, because it took the right temperament to run Shaka's offense and Tyler did it.

Regarding #2

I disagree. Dean Meminger was our first superstar. He and Kareem were the only two players to make All City in New York four times. If they would have had ratings back then he would have been top 10 (maybe top 5) out of high school.

[Dickthedribbler]

Wasn't Sam from Chicago and Artie from Memphis?

Sam Worthen and Artie Green were both from NYC. Sam was somewhat of a playground legend at the time.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Sam Worthen and Artie Green were both from NYC. Sam was somewhat of a playground legend at the time.

Mandy (NJ) and DJ. Note the Big East started in 1979 and changed everything recruiting wise for MU.

[PJDunn]

Mandy Johnson has to be a top 5 recruit. Put him alongside Pops Simms with Kerry Trotter on the wing and you had pure magic!!

[Jockey]

Anyone on here actually see George play?

Yes.

My dad took me to see him when I was a little kid. He was great (but only the 3rd best player on the court that night).

[Jockey]

Mandy (NJ) and DJ. Note the Big East started in 1979 and changed everything recruiting wise for MU.

DJ was from NYC, but played high school ball in Wisconsin.

[Not A Serious Person]

Biggest missed recruit? Jeenathan Williams('s neck)

Joe Wolf ... this 1983 miss defined 1980s MU basketball

[79Warrior]

Joe Wolf ... this 1983 miss defined 1980s MU basketball

I think the last minute switch by Scooter was a killer.

[Shooter McGavin]

As I understand the question I would rank them:

1. Brute Force
2. Wade
3. Ellis
4. The Class of 1990
5. The Three Amigos

The stories of Oso, F 'Em, O-Max, Kam, and crew are still being written. Could easily find themselves in the top 5 when it is all said and done.

Agreed with the whole post and especially with your last paragraph.

[Shooter McGavin]

TAMU

Shaka retaining everyone, aside from Omax,  might end being the most important recruiting job ever.

Agreed as well.

[muwarrior69]

For me it was not a player, but a coach:

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/sports/2021/02/24/taking-a-look-back-at-the-hiring-of-al-mcguire#:~:text=Orford%20had%20met%20with%20Frank,stayed%20at%20the%20Pfister%20Hotel.

[MU82]

Scoop would have been thrilled in 1964 when Marquette announced the hiring of a guy who had just gone 13-39 in his last two seasons at Belmont Abbey and who thought MU was in Chicago.

[Dr. Blackheart]

DJ was from NYC, but played one year of high school ball stashed in Wisconsin with a MU Accounting professor

FIFY

[Goose]

Dr. B

DJ lived with one on the the most important guys in the program. That professor played a very big role in the program’s history.

[Dr. Blackheart]

On today's date in 2007, Warrior legend Pat Smith passed away of a heart attack at the age of 60 while exercising on a treadmill in his suburban Baltimore home.

“Pat Smith… was the first guy I ever recruited for Marquette,” recalled Al. “I remember I watched him playing on a blacktop in Harlem. He had a good cut above the eye and he didn’t leave the game. He was wearing a sailor’s hat. I said, ‘I gotta start out at Marquette and we need tough guys.’ That’s how I got Pat Smith. That’s how the merry-go-round started. I’m a chain recruiter. Pat Smith led to George Thompson. He led to Dean Meminger… It was a style.”

“The first player McGuire recruited for Marquette was 6'3" Pat Smith out of Harlem," confirmed Sports Illustrated's Curry Kirkpatrick, “a center who could not see and could not shoot, but who used what talents he did have to acquire a distinguished nickname, The Evil Doctor Blackheart."

“Another coach said to me,” Al continued, “‘What do you want Pat Smith for? You can get a hundred Pats,' but it worked out. He's always been my favorite, I guess, and in his own standoffish way I think he's been the leader of the black athletes here-- maybe by strong-arming them, come to think of it."

“He was 6'3", but he played at the 6'10" level," said Thompson, one of Smith’s dear friends. “Fear and intimidation was not in his vocabulary."

A fan favorite for his hustle and hard-nosed play, Smith may not have been an accomplished shooter, but he was a fierce defender and tenacious rebounder who still holds Marquette's single-game record for rebounds after he corralled 28 against Loyola of Chicago on February 8, 1967.

“I remember that game clearly," said Thompson. “He cleaned up like a Hoover vacuum. He cleaned up all the loose change. When we saw the stat sheet afterward, no one was surprised."

As a sophomore, Smith served as Marquette's starting center during the '66-'67 season, when he averaged 7.4 rebounds per game, just behind Brian Brunkhorst's team-leading 7.5, while chipping in 5.8 points per contest.

Smith helped lead Marquette to a 21-9 record that year, marking the program’s first 20-win season under Al.

As a junior on Al's '67-'68 squad, which was ranked as high as 8th by the AP, Smith averaged 8.4 rebounds per game, again just one-tenth of a rebound shy of the team leader, Thompson, who pulled down 8.5 per contest.

Smith also scored 8.8 points per game that season while hitting 59% of his field goals to help Marquette improve to 23-6, marking the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in Warrior history.

The following season, however, Smith was suspended by Al for the first semester of his senior year after failing to show up for Marquette’s season-opening practice.

Smith played in just four games during the ‘68-‘69 campaign before choosing to forego the rest of his senior season, which saw Al’s Warriors go 24-5 to finish the year ranked 14th by the AP.

When Smith graduated from Marquette in May of 1970 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Al beamed, "I couldn't be prouder. I'm prouder of this than I was of winning the NIT. It's the finest accomplishment I've had in basketball. We did our thing together. Marquette stuck with him and did a lot for him. And he did a lot for us. It's a push."

“I never really had any doubts that I'd finish up (with my degree)," said Smith. “I really don't know if I'd have made it without Al though. There was never a time I couldn't speak to him, and he was constantly talking ‘degree, degree’."

Smith was a rags to riches story, growing up in abject poverty in the ghettos of New York City.

“I had never met Pat, and Al sent me to Chicago to pick him up," recalled Hank Raymonds. “It was the first time Pat had three meals in a day. He got sick the next day. He came from a lot of poverty. But he worked hard. He was Al's pet. Al really liked him a lot and was proud of what he accomplished."

In fact, after leaving the Warrior locker room to go back onto the Omni court and accept the 1977 Championship trophy, Al passed Smith and warmly shook hands with him to complete the circle.

“Pat," smiled Al. “You started it all, Pat."

Smith enjoyed a successful career in law enforcement and retired from the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commission in 2003.

“He had a bad heart but was given a clean bill of health," said a somber Thompson, who grew up with Smith in New York City, upon his friend’s passing.

"McGuire understands our background and environment, and he forces us to remember," Smith once remarked. “He keeps reminding us we have nothing to go back to and he's right. Men from the ghetto shape up here."

Indeed.

Rest in peace, Pat.

https://www.facebook.com/100042580727207/posts/pfbid0355CeV6RGUK4qULRnwZMPTVSFhWdSvTFvSB6yA4HbZrX8ViouSWj2AsnRwME7wVyDl/?mibextid=cr9u03

[BLWarrior91]

Joey Hauser… without him Wojo might still be here.

Love this one!