Men's Bball Recruiting

[Guest HowieP1]

That would be nice, but that is absurd to think we can get a player of that caliber to come here.  bird went to a small school, but today's game is much different than back then.

The admiral went to the Navy, that is a special circumstance which we will never see fall in our favor.

Well, we do have something going for us and that's FLORIDA.

Kids growing up in NY/NJ/Conn who want to play in the Big East, but ALSO want to get away from the cold weather and snow, plus have a real opportunity to get playing time immediately, will find USF very attractive.

Here are the names of some TOP recruits listing USF for the 2006 class:

Pos Nat'l

Rank Nat'l

Rating Name

(School) Hometown  Video HT/WT/PPG  Interest Level Offer? Schools of Interest

PF  2    Derrick Caracter

(St. Patrick HS)

Elizabeth, NJ   6-9/300/16.0  Med No  Connecticut, Duke, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, North Carolina, Rutgers, South Florida, St. John's, Stanford  

PF  7    Curtis Kelly

(Rice HS)

New York, NY   6-8/215/16.0  Med Yes  Connecticut, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, South Florida, St. John's, Syracuse, Texas, Virginia Tech  

SF  9    Rob Thomas

(South Kent School)

South Kent, CT   6-6/185/19.0  High No  Connecticut, Florida, Miami (Fl), Ohio State, South Florida, St. John's, Syracuse, Hofstra, Iona, Iowa, Middle Tenn. State, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh  

http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=359&p=9&cfg=bb&c=4&yr=2006

[GarySJ]

mchugh is 6-6 180...

And if you include his hairstyle, he's 6-10.

[Velcro]

at least... he might be taller than Peruzzo!

[GarySJ]

As for the nation's 150 unsigned players, for both high school and JUCO, it does not look good right now. We do not appear to be in any major hunts.

Question: What recruiting surprises will Coach Mac and Co. offer us this year?

How about this for a surprise: maybe RMC is recruiting players to fit his system, rather than concerning himself with how many recruiting-service stars they have.

You know, the object of the game isn't to collect recruiting stars, but rather to assemble the best team. History is replete with can't-miss prospects who missed, and with teams who achieved far beyond their individual talents. RMC appears to be working towards the latter, which is exactly what USF basketball needs.

[Guest HowieP1]

How about this for a surprise: maybe RMC is recruiting players to fit his system, rather than concerning himself with how many recruiting-service stars they have.

You know, the object of the game isn't to collect recruiting stars, but rather to assemble the best team. History is replete with can't-miss prospects who missed, and with teams who achieved far beyond their individual talents. RMC appears to be working towards the latter, which is exactly what USF basketball needs.

Funny you should mention that. I happened to speak with Coach Mac at the athletic facility and I mentioned a highly ranked player who didn't sign with USF and he said we never offered him. So, sometimes we may see a recruits name who is interested in us, but we are not interested in him for some reason.

[dabull80]

Its not absurd at all Velcro,  Bird went to Indaina and hated the big school/coach and transfered back close to home at Indiana State.  Why cann't there be another player that comes from the Tampa area goes to Duke and hates it and comes home to USF ?  Robinson was not a great player coming out of High School(very good yes) and got to Navey at 6'7" and graduated at 7' .  Just mother nature took over in his case and he kept all his skills at 6'7" but then you had a guy who was almost half a foot taller.

[Velcro]

Its a different world out there now than then...  20 years ago, sure...  but i don't see anythign like that happening in basketball nowadays.  Now the superstars go to a big school for a year, then nba, or go straight to NBA... The larry birds of the world are a dead breed.

[Markeymark]

You are right Velcro, but remember that some kids, like Larry Hughes will stay home (in his case, St Louis) and play college ball for a year or two. DePaul had a few kids like "Q" and Bobby Simmons who did the same thing. The reality is that the top programs are having to gamble to remain in the top ten, even teams like Duke and others with near-100% graduation rates are becoming a relic of the past. Calipari is one coach who seems to be embracing the new philosophy that you just go out and get the best players and just get as much out of them as they do their 1-2 years on the way to the NBA. The problem is that team chemistry suffers and you end up with prima-donna's, and I don't think that coach MAC is going to embrace that idea.

The college game is different in that kids who show any potential for the next level will just go pro, get paid and if things don't pan out, well they still have the $$$. There is no "hardship" clause like there was back in the day...the hardship now is having to stay in college instead of getting paid right away.

[Velcro]

Right, and those type of name players, i could see us getting... once in a while, but they aren't David Robinsons or Larry Birds... they are just decent pros, not superstars.

[Bullpride08]

Its not absurd at all Velcro,  Bird went to Indaina and hated the big school/coach and transfered back close to home at Indiana State.  Why cann't there be another player that comes from the Tampa area goes to Duke and hates it and comes home to USF ?  Robinson was not a great player coming out of High School(very good yes) and got to Navey at 6'7" and graduated at 7' .  Just mother nature took over in his case and he kept all his skills at 6'7" but then you had a guy who was almost half a foot taller.

Exactly, as HS seniors both were not as highly touted, and turned out to be sleepers.  Why does it have to be a transfer?  Why can't Zaronn Cann develop into a dominating PF?  Why can't Chris Howard turn into a top notch PG?  It's just as likely as David Robinson growing almost 7 inches after his eighteenth birthday, or Bird getting homesick at IU.  Those were freak occurrences, not what you build a program around.