Most Disappointing MU Recruits Ever

[Slim]

Tough call!
Ellenson - I can see that he was disappointing, but I also could see him called the best freshman MU ever had.
Maymon - for sure
Reason, Trotter, Downing, Wes, Dom, Jerel, - no way!
I vote Lloyd. And btw, I think it might have been Suburbia- not Subway.

[Heisenberg]

Would you consider Dean Marquardt a disappointment?

He was a major recruit, 6"10" center that turned down Kentucky and, I believe, UNC to come to MU. 

But then this happened.

Is it fair to call someone a "bust" or "disappointment" when this happens? To me, a "bust" is someone that did not have this kind of obstacle and failed to love up to the hype. But when this happens, and again, he almost died in this accident, it is more "unfortunate circumstances."

August 27, 1979

[Nukem2]

BC

I did not have high hopes for those guys.

Yeah, they were last minute signees after other recruits went elsewhere. Hatchett did use his education well and is a urologist. Great name for that specialty!

[BCHoopster]

Yeah, they were last minute signees after other recruits went elsewhere. Hatchett did use his education well and is a urologist. Great name for that specialty!

. M

Who did MU lose on?

[Spotcheck Billy]

Tough call!
Ellenson - I can see that he was disappointing, but I also could see him called the best freshman MU ever had.
Maymon - for sure
Reason, Trotter, Downing, Wes, Dom, Jerel, - no way!
I vote Lloyd. And btw, I think it might have been Suburbia- not Subway.

Suburpia didn't have hot subs back then.

[HutchwasClutch]

Ellenson mentions here are sorry, ridiculous.  He averaged 17 and almost 10 boards a game as a freshman.  Started every game.  Had a huge game in Madison we won.  Just a few picks outside the lottery then. And his coach was one of MU's worst. 

What, he wasn't to MU what Larry Bird was to Indiana St so throw him on the list?  He played one season here as an 18/19 year old. 

[HutchwasClutch]

Shannon Smith has to be up there

That's a good one.  I think it had more to do with him and KO not meshing at all   Too bad. He was very talented.

[Gato78]

His junior year at UWM he was the 3rd leading scorer in the country. Knee injury his senior year. Played in NBA and made some good cash on a deal with Pacers. Hardly a bust.

[HutchwasClutch]

William Gates was much hyped. The next Isaiah Thomas was the word on him coming in.  Yeah, all they had in common was the same high school.  Think that started with a Chicago sportswriter who obviously had no idea what he was talking about. 

A nice guy, not much talent though

[HutchwasClutch]

His junior year at UWM he was the 3rd leading scorer in the country. Knee injury his senior year. Played in NBA and made some good cash on a deal with Pacers. Hardly a bust.

For MU it was a bust.  That's the topic.

[romey]

Suburpia didn't have hot subs back then.

Cousins was on the northeast corner of 17th and Wisconsin and Suburpia was across the street from Real Chili on Wells.  At least in my day that's where they were/

[Skatastrophy]

Ellenson mentions here are sorry, ridiculous.  He averaged 17 and almost 10 boards a game as a freshman.  Started every game.  Had a huge game in Madison we won.  Just a few picks outside the lottery then. And his coach was one of MU's worst. 

What, he wasn't to MU what Larry Bird was to Indiana St so throw him on the list?  He played one season here as an 18/19 year old. 

I disagree. His season with MU was disappointing.

The thing is, though, that it wasn't Henry's fault. It was Wojo's fault. It was my first glimpse of what MU had in Wojo: Someone that tries to ride his star player by giving them the ultra green-light instead of building an offense/defense around his star talent. Hero ball.

I've got nothing against Ellenson. Wojo wasted our time with Ellenson just like he wasted our time with Howard. Not playing team ball is really challenging to watch.

[Pakuni]

William Gates was much hyped. The next Isaiah Thomas was the word on him coming in.  Yeah, all they had in common was the same high school.  Think that started with a Chicago sportswriter who obviously had no idea what he was talking about. 

A nice guy, not much talent though

Those things were said before Gates wrecked his knee in high school. He was never the same player.
Had he stayed healthy, Gates likely would have never made it to Marquette. He'd have been one of the top recruits in the country.

[Viper]

Terry Reason.

California player of the year that ended up being a big nothing.  Also, had a really bad haircut that earned him the nickname "Helmet Head".

100%

[Viper]

Lloyd Moore, big (really big) guy out of Pittsburgh in the mid 80's.

Keith Stewart- from Messmer and transferred from Purdue after one year after KO took over.  A lot of talent, but time at MU was brief and very forgettable. Not even sure where he ended up post MU.

Stewart ended at UC-Irvine, I believe

[ATL MU Warrior]

His junior year at UWM he was the 3rd leading scorer in the country. Knee injury his senior year. Played in NBA and made some good cash on a deal with Pacers. Hardly a bust.

That's pretty much exactly why he was a disappointment for MU.

[WhiteTrash]

Those things were said before Gates wrecked his knee in high school. He was never the same player.
Had he stayed healthy, Gates likely would have never made it to Marquette. He'd have been one of the top recruits in the country.

Agreed. I was at MU with Gates, and I didn't remember much fanfare around his arrival. His stock had dropped significantly after his injury. I thought he was a solid player and lived up to his potential given his injury. And a very nice guy to boot.

[MuggsyB]

I would add Eke.  I was very upset Ikechukwu could never be healthy. 

[El Guerrero 2]

From recent memory, it has to be Erik Williams and Symir Torrence. Two too 100 rated prospects that did nothing at Marquette and then went on to do nothing at their subsequent stops.

[El Guerrero 2]

I would add Eke.  I was very upset Ikechukwu could never be healthy.

Unfair to label a kid a "disappointing recruit" just because he got hurt and could never play basketball again. He was still a positive member of the program. And he was always billed as a project big anyway.

[ATL MU Warrior]

From recent memory, it has to be Erik Williams and Symir Torrence. Two too 100 rated prospects that did nothing at Marquette and then went on to do nothing at their subsequent stops.

These are good recent picks

[BCHoopster]

A player who really was highly ranked was Duane Wilson, saw him in high school, was explosive, lost that with his injuries, good kid.  Ranked 55th on ESPN top 100.

[Goose]

Good call, Atl Warrior

[MU1in77]

Niv Berkowitz

[Jay Bee]

I disagree. His season with MU was disappointing.

The thing is, though, that it wasn't Henry's fault. It was Wojo's fault. It was my first glimpse of what MU had in Wojo: Someone that tries to ride his star player by giving them the ultra green-light instead of building an offense/defense around his star talent. Hero ball.

I've got nothing against Ellenson. Wojo wasted our time with Ellenson just like he wasted our time with Howard. Not playing team ball is really challenging to watch.

I disagree. Horrible comparisons. Henry's supporting cast was lacking. Extremely young squad.

MU's offense wasn't good.

As for Markus, his teams' offenses were exceptional