Keion Brooks

[iubud]

i get the sentiment but this board wouldn't even exist if IU hadn't spent decades trying to get the best basketball players possible.

and you would be mightily distressed if IU continued to be a just-inside-the-top-50 basketball program.

i've got to side with fpaugh and that large farva (or whatever) cat on this one. Why spend all this money if you aren't trying to get the best kids? And if we're shooting for 2nd tier, might as well cut 5000 seats out of AH. we won't need them. lol

I didn't see what those others posted , but the best in Indiana is usually going to be a top 40-50 player. Even if they are top 100, I'll take them if we have a need.

It would be stupid to ignore a top 5 player just because they live in another part of the country . Nobody that I have seen is suggesting we ONLY recruit Indiana. I want the best players, but I also want to keep Izzo and others out of our backyard. Most often we can have both.

 

[Wall2Boogie]

I think it will come down to Uk and iu. I do think you guys have the advantage though

 

[TommyCracker]

I'd agree, and I don't think they "want 4" or "want someone to leave" or they'd be gone. But, I think they are just recognizing it's possible and so it seems they're recruiting too many guys, but I think it's just contingency planning.

Yeah it comes down, for me, if they pull a Crean and over commit. If they actually take a verbal when we don't have one and then when asked say 'um it will work itself out'.

Obviously scouting and 'recruiting' dudes is contingency planning in case a dude leaves.

 

[TommyCracker]

I think they're expecting a TJD, Brooks, and Newman class and if by some chance a Watford, Hurt, or Stewart wants to commit they will make room. Or if there is a transfer we can take a grad transfer in the Spring. Yes, from those in the know the staff expects a 4 man class but nothing is set in stone.

Regarding Moore, if he can't make his move this year it's never going to happen. Davis will likely be hobbled for most of the year so it's now or never for him.

I simply don't believe that the staff would make their 2019 recruiting strategy available for those in the know.

I can't see the staff making it public that they want to take four because they think someone will transfer.

Maybe Coach SS is Ed Schilling.

 

[IDontWannaLargeFarva]

What if we had the turnover of an Arizona or Kansas? Would that be a happy middle ground for everyone?

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

We will always have one or two very good players. We should be always be in contention for the Mr. Basketball except for years when players like Mark Jewell win the title.

Sometimes Mr. Basketball will be a fan of another school or have family that attended another school. We can't win them all, but let's start with two in a row.

I'm certainly not arguing that we shouldn't go after our best high schoolers...whether they're Mr. Basketball or not.

But let's say that it is a player like Jewell (which I hate saying...I know Mark, and he's a good guy). Surely you wouldn't argue that we should make that player a priority over an out-of-state player who plays the same position and is regarded by our coaches as a better player (or a better prospect, better fit to the system, etc.)....just because he's from Indiana and we want to protect our turf.

If I'm right that you wouldn't argue that, then maybe you're making more of the idea of 'locking down' the state of Indiana than it warrants. Obviously, there isn't an IU partisan anywhere who doesn't regret our missing out on the Gary Harrises and Trey Lyles of the world. And I'm sure everybody also thinks that our coaching staff needs to have great ties with the HS coaches from around the state.

But (a) every elite player is a unique person with a unique situation, and (b) IU coaches recruiting well inside the state has no bearing on how well they recruit outside the state. If they think a prospect from elsewhere is a better fit than a comparable one from here, they should prioritize the better player.

 

[dbmhoosier]

I'm certainly not arguing that we shouldn't go after our best high schoolers...whether they're Mr. Basketball or not.

But let's say that it is a player like Jewell (which I hate saying...I know Mark, and he's a good guy). Surely you wouldn't argue that we should make that player a priority over an out-of-state player who plays the same position and is regarded by our coaches as a better player (or a better prospect, better fit to the system, etc.)....just because he's from Indiana and we want to protect our turf.

If I'm right that you wouldn't argue that, then maybe you're making more of the idea of 'locking down' the state of Indiana than it warrants. Obviously, there isn't an IU partisan anywhere who doesn't regret our missing out on the Gary Harrises and Trey Lyles of the world. And I'm sure everybody also thinks that our coaching staff needs to have great ties with the HS coaches from around the state.

But (a) every elite player is a unique person with a unique situation, and (b) IU coaches recruiting well inside the state has no bearing on how well they recruit outside the state. If they think a prospect from elsewhere is a better fit than a comparable one from here, they should prioritize the better player.

I definitely don't regret missing out on Trey Lyles.

 

[fpeaugh]

Where did I ever say I don't want OAD's?

I don’t know why it included you. Didn’t mean to. Was responding to Ritika. Sorry

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

'TOADs' as our esteemed colleague TAZ insists on calling them)

Don't know what to laugh about more - the "esteemed" or the insists.

Regardless, well done.

 

[iubud]

I'm certainly not arguing that we shouldn't go after our best high schoolers...whether they're Mr. Basketball or not.

But let's say that it is a player like Jewell (which I hate saying...I know Mark, and he's a good guy). Surely you wouldn't argue that we should make that player a priority over an out-of-state player who plays the same position and is regarded by our coaches as a better player (or a better prospect, better fit to the system, etc.)....just because he's from Indiana and we want to protect our turf.

If I'm right that you wouldn't argue that, then maybe you're making more of the idea of 'locking down' the state of Indiana than it warrants. Obviously, there isn't an IU partisan anywhere who doesn't regret our missing out on the Gary Harrises and Trey Lyles of the world. And I'm sure everybody also thinks that our coaching staff needs to have great ties with the HS coaches from around the state.

But (a) every elite player is a unique person with a unique situation, and (b) IU coaches recruiting well inside the state has no bearing on how well they recruit outside the state. If they think a prospect from elsewhere is a better fit than a comparable one from here, they should prioritize the better player.

I knew Mark from EBA. He admitted Indiana had a down year when he won.

You misunderstood, or I wasn't clear enough. If we had 3 scholarships and one prospect was nearly equal to the Indiana kid, I would prefer the Mr. Basketball. If we had a chance to get 3 much higher ranked players, we obviously would go after the better player.

 

[Tasmanian Devil]

If we had 3 scholarships and one prospect was nearly equal to the Indiana kid, I would prefer the Mr. Basketball. If we had a chance to get 3 much higher ranked players, we obviously would go after the better player.

As it should be.

 

[FormerRevMatt]

I knew Mark from EBA. He admitted Indiana had a down year when he won.

Mark Jewel is a great example. I was a junior at the same high school (Jeff) as Mark when he won Mr. Basketball. He was tall, but he wasn't a great player at all. He was just tall and coordinated. I actually played pickup ball with him on a few occasions. I'm only 6'3" and just a slightly above average athlete, and had no problem playing with him.

He was a senior year transfer from Terre Haute --- no recruiting there, right? Ah, the old days when Jeff was actually relevant...

 

[iubud]

Mark Jewel is a great example. I was a junior at the same high school (Jeff) as Mark when he won Mr. Basketball. He was tall, but he wasn't a great player at all. He was just tall and coordinated. I actually played pickup ball with him on a few occasions. I'm only 6'3" and just a slightly above average athlete, and had no problem playing with him.

He was a senior year transfer from Terre Haute --- no recruiting there, right? Ah, the old days when Jeff was actually relevant...

Without looking I believe he started at Iowa before transferring to UE. He did well at UE. He wasn't a star, but played well in his role.

He was giving my daughter some training at EBA and we were talking about who the Mr. Basketball was going to be that year. I had forgotten he won that. I apologized when I realized he had won. He said it was okay as most were surprised he won.

I thought it was interesting when his son and Marty Simmon's son Blake played for Castle at the same time.

Pat Graham's sons are going to be playing in a few years at Evansville Memorial. I kind of wanted Calbert to get the UE job in case he had a son that played.

 

[hondo314]

You win with the top players, if that means they are one and dones, great!

yup, let's get this car going 100 before we start talking about governors!

 

[ufo33]

yup, let's get this car going 100 before we start taking about governors!

Were you excited about last season's IU Senior Class that was leftover from Crean? I was not. Just because you are a Senior with experience does not always mean better, as we found out with a weak Senior class. If you have 4 and 5 star players that stay 4 years you will have a good team. But in today's NCAA it may mean that Seniors are just not NBA potential players and have little other options. Small PG and developing Big Men are usually the outliers that need more time to develop and need the right team fit to make the NBA. You have to recruit the best talent available that will fit at IU, and if they stay 1 to 4 years, it is not an issue.

 

[rikki-tikka-tava]

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/keion-brooks-jr-is-going-to-la-lumiere-and-the-world-isnt-ending/

 

[IU Hardcore]

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/keion-brooks-jr-is-going-to-la-lumiere-and-the-world-isnt-ending/

Great article IMSAO.
Thanks for the link.

 

[SeaNap]

As much as I detested Crean as our coach...the roster construction for the 2013 team was almost perfect for how I believe you need to build a roster in today's game.

Need some studs to anchor and surround them with really solid foundational guys.

It seems as if people tend to overlook the power of development. There is a big advantage to having a talented kid develop in the program. Even better than the one and done rentals.

Last year I would argue that lowly, undersized three star junior Juwan Morgan was better than every freshman in the country except for Ayton and Bagley. Maybe Jackson could be argued but I think Morgan had a better season and was more consistent.

I'm not arguing potential, just the actual production you get for the one year. The only freshmen I would have considered trading Morgan for straight up would be Ayton or Bagley...and we get Morgan for another year.

There are a lot of Morgan's out there, lowly four and three stars who will develop into great college players.

As a fan it's fun to become invested and watch that development, along with having success hopefully.

That's what that 2013 team was with guys like Watford, Hulls, Sheehey, Elston supporting studs like Zeller and Oladipo (who was of course a lowly three star that we got watch develop into a superstar).

Mohammad Bomba TX, could be involved in
your trade also for Morgan easily.

 

[TommyCracker]

Mohammad Bomba TX, could be involved in
your trade also for Morgan easily.

I remember when Shaka signed Bomba how I was warned about how awesome he is and how awesome Texas was going to be now.

Yeah. No.

Did any of the balleyhooed freshman studs win anything last year? Jackson won the big ten but Ayton, Bagley, Bomba and Young didn't win diddly poo and now they are gone.

They are entertaining for sure and that means something.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

I remember when Shaka signed Bomba...

As much as I hate to be "that guy"...

Mohamed Bamba, the son of African immigrants, is a basketball player currently on the roster of the Orlando Magic.

Brad Bomba is a former All-American tight end for Indiana football who went on to become a longtime team doctor for IU athletics.

 

[speroni]

As much as I hate to be "that guy"...

Mohamed Bamba, the son of African immigrants, is a basketball player currently on the roster of the Orlando Magic.

Brad Bomba is a former All-American tight end for Indiana football who went on to become a longtime team doctor for IU athletics.

And La Bamba was a very popular song by Ritchie Valens...

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

And La Bamba was a very popular song by Ritchie Valens...

...as well as a place to get burritos as big as your head (though, sadly, no longer in B-town).