Recruiting
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The word on Rabb is California as he’s said his relationship with Martin is the best he has with any of the coaches. As far as KU’s chances go, we are late to the game and we usually lose out when that happens. If he comes for a game, great we will show him a great atmosphere and he knows what Self does with bigs. Just seems like we are late to the party for him even with his interest.
If UK loses 3-4 bigs, you can bet your dollar Cal will sign at least 2 bigs. Zimmerman is the most likely I think. If Rabb goes out of state it will be UK. Diallo has played it close to the vest. I think hometown St. Johns is a real possibility, but KU has been their from the beginning and I have seen nothing to see why he’d go to ISU, but experts are trending that way.
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Wayne’s inconsistent play says 4 years but as an All American he was barely supposed to be here 1. Now it looks likely we get 3 at least. That’s great he’s still got the talent to be a 1st rounder but usually when scouts sour on you the more they see you, its hard to just change their minds. GM’s can draft 19 year old kids instead of 21 year olds with less known weaknesses.
To me, 2 of the best players in the draft are Jerian Grant, and Delon Wright but their age is going to keep them from going where their talent says they should. Grant can flat out score, Wright can flat out play defense and for his size will be an excellent combo guard in the league. The more years Wayne stays in college, the more “age” becomes a factor in his draft stock.
Cliff has people influencing him. Will a late first round pick be good enough for him when he was top 10 on hype alone in September? He clearly is the one guy on this team that would have benefited the most from a full summer with the team. Because he was hurt, we was unable to improve on his b-ball skills like he could have. He’s a very raw player and he would improve tremendously with individual skill drills all spring/summer/fall. Will we get that opportunity to see it? Clearly the biggest unknown right now.
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I have a hard time seeing Zimmerman in a UK uniform. He just doesn’t seem like a UK-Cal kind of player.
I still think he is bound for Kansas or UCLA.
But Cal is hot on his trail…
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here is random thoughts of mine. I think Kelly is gone like others have said highest NBA pick probably top 10 first round what I have heard, Cliff needs to come back for Soph yr but think he also leaves, like others have said getting advice from others, BAD AVICE probably but as we all know money speaks very loudly and as we also know and have heard NBA drafts a lot on potential just feel he is gone, feel like there is a legit shot that SVI returns home. you might ask WHY? guess a theory on as to why dramatically reduced minutes, home sick. theory here is go back home, be with mom and dad and play 1 yr of pro ball over there and then declare for the NBA. once again as far as recruits I have been following a couple very closely # 1 Thon Maker making his decision on re-classify by the middle of next week. everything says he will re-classify and KU is in the lead for sure on him but has said will definitely visit KU and UK and MAYBE other schools. cliff leaves and he steps right in. Zimmerman is not coming here you can forget that staying close to home UNLV. everything I’ve seen also shows us in the lead for Malik if we could end up getting Malik to go along with Carlton, and or Thon/Brandon would be huge GO HAWKS
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Somebody rubbed my lamp, so I’m forced to make an appearance :).
@truehawk93 To answer some of your concerns about Zimmerman, I don’t think we’re off his radar, but I don’t think we’re in a favored status currently, either. One of the nice things about the kid is that he and his mother are very open and active on social media, so it’s relatively easy to get him to talk about what he’s looking for. His wishlist thus far has been 1) OAD, 2) get big PT (necessary to OAD in all likelihood), 3) find a good strength and conditioning program.
Zimmerman knows he needs to bulk up in order to compete in the association, and what we have to offer with Hudy sets us apart from even other elite programs. That’s our biggest in. But PT and getting college out of the way seem to be the more important factors for Zimmerman. There was a source at Zagsblog about two months ago that was saying UK was not in the top 3 for Zim, but that he favors staying out west. I don’t know if UK has moved up in that regard (I suspect not because they offered center Thomas Bryant shortly thereafter, but, in retrospect, that could be because of Bragg), but the west coast rumors persist. Basically, UNLV has constant access to the kid and, although they may not win a ton of games or get the same national exposure that KU, UK, and Zona can offer, they have the most in the way of guaranteed PT and he’d be greeted as a hometown hero should he choose that path, so I think @BeddieKU23 is spot on in his analysis. The biggest hurdle for him coming to KU at this point is Big Cliff’s semi-failure to launch. No one can question that when Alexander gets minutes, he’s usually very productive, but the fact that he still hasn’t cracked the starting rotation at this point spells a very likely return, and I don’t think Zim wants to compete for that time. Bragg committing just compounds that.
Now, that said, I don’t really have any inside information about Zimmerman. In the absence of that, I always deffer to looking at Jerry Meyer’s recruiting predictions cause he’s the best in the game. Meyer currently says UK, but admits it’s more of a default position, and one based more on UK making Zim a primary target than the other way around. How meaningful is that prediction then? Who knows? But if you’re wanting to glean something as we approach April, Meyer is the guy to follow.
As for where we wind up with recruiting this year, I’d be genuinely surprised if we added 3, especially given the guys we’re targeting. Dorsey, who was a KU lean back in December, saw the writing on the wall and decided to go Oregon. Malik Newman is a kid that I still have a hard time believing will wind up here, but there is a lot of smoke in that camp at the moment, and that may have triggered Dorsey’s decision. I wouldn’t count out Diallo. I still think he’s quite high on KU. ISU wants him more, but Norm’s done such a good job recruiting him. It’s hard to see him not closing the deal, but again, Cliff’s likely return may ward him off. Duke now having pushed Rasheed Sulaimon out of the picture has basically paved the way for Brandon Ingram to come in and start. I know Bragg wants to play with him, but Ingram is an unabashed Duke fan and now has the golden path. I can’t see it playing out any other way. I’ll like our chances more with Ivan Rabb when we can actually get him to visit campus.
So yeah, I think we’ll add one more top guy, probably Diallo, but maybe Newman, and that will be that.
Lastly, I think Hunter Mickelson has got to go. I’ve got nothing against the kid on a personal level or anything. He seems like a genuinely good dude, but he’s clearly outclassed here and struggling to beat out Landen ‘Paddle Hands’ Lucas for even scrap minutes. He should grad transfer to Arkansas State or some other similarly small school where he’ll actually see the floor, rather than continuing to wilt on our bench. I know Svi isn’t playing much anymore either, but there’s a kid who I know will be ready when his name is called. Mickelson, not so much.
One last word on Thon. He’s reclassifying. We’re in a strong position, having paid him several visits and already having received an unofficial, but that pesky school in Kentucky has also make a push with him recently. That’s right, Louisville is in hot pursuit. Actually, a lot of schools are trying to horn in on Thon. I wouldn’t call KU the definitive leader at this point, but like I said, we’re strong. Him and Diallo basically comprise my wishlist for the rest of the class.
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Surprised so many think Svi goes home when his parents are teachers and value education highly. The kid wants to play College Ball that’s why he is here. He is a 17 year old kid who could have really used a red-shirt year if we had a full roster to sit him. It’s a testament to his talent that he has been able to play at all and start at KU. The experience he’s getting now is only going to help him next year. I still have questions on what level of PT he will get next year assuming our back court doesn’t budge. But a summer for him will be as big as any. We’ve seen the progression from Mason & Greene to Soph. year.
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Spot on about Zimmerman. The word is out that Wood will go pro basically opening the 4 or 5 for him if he’s looking for the most PT. They have Goodluck as well so I see him teaming with him and the transfer from Oregon, Carter in the frontcourt. If he wants to stay west and play for a good team you’d have to think Zona is in a better chance but you’d have to think Zeus would have to leave for that. UCLA is another school in the dark but still there. Parker is likely still there, but Looney is gone for sure.
But if I’m Zimm, why would you go to UNLV when they aren’t going to be very good next year? Vaughn & Wood are likely gone, Doolin & Kendrick are Sr’s. They have Derrick Jones that is an exciting transition player but little outside game. My point is KU has a glaring hole at C. Bragg is a 4, Traylor is a 4 in a 3’s body playing C with Ellis. You come and get Hudy, the exposure & the chance to start from day 1 basically. Mari can go back to a reserve role that’s best served to his talents.
Surprised you think Rabb has a good chance if we get him on campus. I think it would change his recruiting but the family and him seem really comfortable with Cal. Hard to get him off the coast when his family is on board.
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@BeddieKU23 With Rabb, Cal is definitely the heavy-weight favorite, but Rabb likes Self quite a lot and was actually pretty underwhelmed with UK. I don’t know how hard Zona is going after him, but I haven’t heard anything connecting him to UNC or UCLA, so in the absence of other indicators, KU looks to be in 2nd place by default. Of course, in recruiting, coming in 2nd is coming in last, but if we can get him on campus, we have a shot to flip the script. Won’t be easy. I wouldn’t hold my breath or anything, but we aren’t hopeless on this one, either.
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“The biggest hurdle for him coming to KU at this point is Big Cliff’s semi-failure to launch.”
I agree with a lot of your post… but not this part. Cliff has shown his lack of inside game and often not hustling. Zim realizes this and doesn’t put himself in Cliff’s shoes. He is more likely to turn back the clock a year and look at JoJo’s performance. At least it is a player he can better relate to.
I have a hard time seeing Thon at Kentucky. He doesn’t seem like a social mixer with whoever Kentucky has on their roster. We are definitely in the hunt for him… but if he does decide to play in the State of Kentucky, I see him more eating a bucket of KFC in the greasy Yum! Center.
I see us having a solid chance with Thon because Self has been pursuing him for a long time, and the early bird could easily get the worm on this one.
Self is ready to crawl out of his own skin, especially if he doesn’t sign a quality 5 soon, and the pickings aren’t much. This is when he does his best.
I wonder how many recruits he is pursuing have autographed signed books from Hudy?!
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Why would you red shirt Svi? You do this with players that will play 4 years in college and there is no chance Svi will play 4 years in college. If he is not ready for the NBA after next year he will most likely go back and play in the Euro Leagues until he is ready for the NBA.
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I think we can have only a Thon or a Zimm. So, I think Zimm is waiting to see if Thon can reclassify (Clearing House could be hurdle).
So, if both are keen on KU, one may choose to commit sooner than we thought. Don’t think PT is an issue for a true 5.
As both are footers, don’t see them drawing Cliff as example. I think they should be looking at JoJo, Tarik (starting for LA), Jeff, just to name a few.
Either Thon or Zimm, I am sure we will be just as happy.
Hope I am right. RCJH!
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A quick check of mock drafts show Oubre as unanimous Lottery pick, i.e. top 14. Most drafts have Alexander anywhere from late lottery to late fist round…but still fist round. Some list have Ellis and Selden as second round picks but I take it that most are not expecting either to come out this year; if the announce, they both would likely be second round picks but with a strong finish they could sneak in as a late first round picks
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@JayHawkFanToo My gut feel for Ellis is that if we WIN NC, he will be gone. Otherwise, I will see a guy who has invested 3 years to give himself one more chance to get the ring. RCJH!
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I would have red-shirted Svi this year if we hadn’t needed him early this season. He’s a talented kid and Self is very high on his long term ability but I’m not sold he’s just a 2 year player here. All that talk was we had him for at least 2 years because of his age.
I believe this off-season will help him as much as anyone but he has an uphill battle for minutes with a backcourt that’s not likely to lose anyone, and still could add more players to it.
Again I think he’s in America because he wants the education & to play American ball. I think too many people are judging him that he’s just going to bolt home when the reasons he came here in the first place are right here. Staying here will give him the most exposure and if he becomes good enough to start, will give scouts the best chance to grade him out for the NBA. Right now, he’s far away from any scenario of NBA, oversea’s you name it.
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Final Fours
4 Big Mondays
3 CBS Game of the Week
World Wide Following
Representing the USA in the World Games
Historic run of Consecutive Titles
Coach will get you to the NBA
And Finally, you can be a part of history like this: Just bought a page of stamps today.
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Again, why would you red shirt Svi? You would do this only if you expect him to be here for 5 years…right? Worst (best???) possible case is that he stays 4 years until he gets his degree and then he is gone, either to the NBA or the Euro Leagues. I just don’t see any scenario where he stays in college past 4 years, none…but then this just my personal opinion.
Most likely scenario is that he stays one additional year and then he either goes to the NBA or to the Euro Leagues which would prepare him better for the NBA than college would -yes, the Euro pro-leagues are better than college- while making a fair chunk of change.
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The general idea is that at some point he will be making money playing basketball. But I’m thinking that could be anywhere from Next year (not likely in my opinion) to 3-4 years from now. That’s why I think he could have been shirted if we had to. He would have had a year to catch up to his peers in age while preserving a year of eligibility. It didn’t happen, no big deal and he got some valuable playing time early this year.
He got a handful of starts (early) but only 25 minutes in league play. He’s behind on the depth chart if no one leaves and a big question mark if we sign someone else. It could be til his Junior year where we see him get starter type minutes. Who knows
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One thing we cannot do is recruit over Greene. A shooter like this doesn’t usually come to KU. But he have him, he gaining confidence and playing more minutes, and we are seeing the benefits of having a prolific shooter in the game. With Wayne’s shot coming on, can you imagine if we had a back to the basket big who could draw double teams? We haven’t seen that since Arthur throwing it out of double teams, making the defense scramble and making the extra pass to hit Mario or Rush on the wing.
My friends, this year is not over, and I am excited to what we are going to do in March. But next year with Cliff developing a better skill set, only to have Mason, Seldon, Greene, or Svi (better shooters with another off season under their belt) to pass back out to, that is a magical offense that has me giddy.
Get a shot blocker to come in 15-20 minutes a game (I prefer Diallo. Reminds me of a Baylor Acy if he hads some muscle) and that team will do baaaad things.
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Again, do you see Svi staying 5 years at KU? I really don’t. If he red shirts, he has to practice, train and travel with the team just the same, so she does not have any more time for studying than any other non-red shirt player, he just cannot play in games, the one thing that gives him real on-court experience against real competition. No worries, not a big deal anyway.
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At this time, I can see only Oubre as potentially leaving. If this is the case and if we pick up just one more quality big, then we have a super talented and complete team with experience to boot.
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@JhawkAlum Great point. I really hope we don’t recruit over Greene. He is a guy who simply needs reps to get to his ceiling which incredibly high. Has KU ever had a pure shooter this tall? He really is a rare breed.
I know Bill is looking at multiple OAD perimeter players but I honestly hope we don’t land them. I say go all in on post players. Landen / Mickelson are not the answer. Cliff may or may not leave but probably only get another year from him at the most. Bragg is going to be good but how good? We all thought Cliff would be more dominant than he has been. Jamari is a great energy guy and will be a senior along with finesse post player Perry (not an insult, a fact).
I have posted on here multiple times that next year is our year. I am not saying this year is a done deal but KU could be flirting with a 1-2 loss season next year if everyone comes back (except Oubre who is gone) and we get another talented back to the basket player.
Again, sorry that I have posted this multiple times but I am incredibly pumped that next years starting lineup will most likely be predominantly seniors and juniors. A rarity in the OAD era.
Sorry for all of the “next year” talk. I really do think we have a good shot to go far this year. Just hoping that someone, somewhere, somehow can take down the Evil Empire that is Kentucky. If not us, who?
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@truehawk93 Dude, I totally agree with you. I think next year will be a galactically stellar year for KU. I also only see Oubre as a definite possibility of declaring for the draft. I think there is a possibility he stays too but him going is higher. The kid is good. Somewhere between Ben and Wigs. He should go, but I think he may also need to take care of his Fam the way Ben did a couple years back. Cliff? He is like Trob in that another year or two will see him get much better and increase his draft stock.
This season, we arent at our peak yet. I dont feel we will be disappointed in the NCAAs this year at all. But next year with what we have potentially coming back and the new guy or two? I would imagine we would be one of the pre season favorites to win it all.
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@drgnslayr I do think Ellis has set a standard for McDs players. I think he’s sent a message at least to McDs KU recuits that it’s ok to stay 3-4 years. I really think Ellis staying is huge for KU basketball.
I think you might be onto something with this comment. I hope so.
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@jayballer54 There is nothing but unrest in the Ukraine region. If nothing else, Svi is fairly safe. No…I think his parents will influence his decision. European players and kids have a different mindset. They have a totally different work ethic.
I would say to remember Sasha Kaun? He loves Sasha and one of the reasons he chose KU. It doesn’t make sense to come a year and then go back. If he didn’t want to come, he wouldn’t be here. I think he’s here for the long haul. Also, he wants to play in the NBA.
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He just described KU’s system: Pick and pop, pass, and physical inside presence. I don’t think Zona or UK has much of an inside game. I’m not sure what Alford has at UCLA. I’m not too familiar with UNLV either. I think he fits perfectly at KU with his game. He’s much like Withey.
Steve is going to the NBA regardless of the school he picks. The question is which coach and program will showcase his talents. He’ll just be another big at UK. Calipari won’t develop him. I have no idea what Tarc is doing in Zona. I haven’t heard a word from him since he’s been there. I would think the only other teams that might help him are UNC and L’ville.
Once again, I wish he could speak with Withey. I think Withey could really give him some great input. Interestingly enough, remember that Withey transferred from Zona when Olsen retired and Miller took over, why?
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@joeloveshawks Love, love, love Greene. I was never a critic. I followed him from day one from Georgia to KU. Then many KU fans started bashing his defense. I stayed with him. He is the total package. Don’t forget either, he’s an “A” student too. He’s a great rep in the classroom.
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I would like to get Newman and if not Newman, Zimmerman. We have Bragg. I’d be content with Bragg and all others returning. We need Zimmerman he’d be a huge piece to our run in the tourney. He would be the inside rim presence we so desperately need.
Did you read what Niang said about KU this year? When asked what was different about KU this year…he said…“they don’t have that monster Embiid…” Niang went on to say it was impossible to shoot over him. Now, tell me we don’t need Zimmerman.
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@konkeyDong There you are…
- HUDY
Illinois had constant access to Alexander too.
I don’t think Calipari develops bigs at all. In fact, Calipari has too many talented players he can’t begin to develop them.
I respectfully disagree with the competition between Alex, Bragg and Zim. Yes, I think Alex and Bragg will compete. In fact, Bragg is all in Alex’s 4 spot. If I were Zim (and I’m not), I would look at the 5. We don’t have a true 5. We don’t have anyone that even comes close to what Zim offers. Alex is not a 5. He is a PF, solid 4. Perry is arguably turning more into a big 3. Perry’s individual game has blossomed right in front of our eyes. He has turned the corner on his perimeter game and his ability to break his man down. He’s proven to be a true post player.
In short, I don’t think Alexander or Bragg should have any bearing on Zimmerman at all. They are two totally different players. We don’t need anymore guards. We need a real inside footer presence, and his name is Stephen Zimmerman.
I agree with you concerning Mickelson. The team chemistry has changed drastically since his arrival. Great guy, but he’s not quite able to secure any real mins. If Zimmerman comes, Mickelson is history.
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@wrwlumpy Nice lookin’ KU superstar, stud, beast, and all around magnificent athlete.
thanks for posting
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@drgnslayr I think my Zimmerman post was for you, not @konkeyDong…sorry, wrong reply.
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I ate up your post like a bear on honey! I’m lovin’ it!
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@Shanghai_RCJH I like your thinking. I’d take Thon if this crazy “qualifying” crap wasn’t such an issue. I’d rather have Zim at this point. But, if we can get Thon qualified, sure, take him.
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Zimmerman better have some springs and long arms to play near the basket, because he has a looooong neck and that means he plays less like a footer and more like a 6-9 guy from the shoulders down.
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@jaybate-1.0 Physically he may be built a lot like Aldrich. However, he seems a bit more athletic, agile, and has good feet. His offense is better too.
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He is very smooth and has a conventional jump shot both of which are rare for footers.
But that long neck, plus the rounded shoulders, means he probably should be a stretch four if he has the footwork needed.
I like him and would love to have him on our team. I just don’t see him as a dominant shot blocker, unless his arm measurements are crazy long like Cole’s.
The other thing he has going for him is he seems intelligent.
He reminds me of Raef LaFrentz.
Another guy he reminds me of is that forward that played for Rick Majerus at Utah. Superb college player that didn’t translate too well to the pros. But Zim seems taller and so much more likely to cut it.
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Wigs is proof that some guys with long necks can overcome them and play even taller than they are.
Of course, it helps to be able to jump out of the gym.
So glad his management seems finally to have green lighted him.
He will slowly, but inexorably overwhelm the NBA. I expect his career to go like Michael Jordan’s did. 3-4 seasons laboring getting all his skills in order and plugging a few gaps, then he gets his Phil Jackson and its off to the races.
Rock Chalk, Wigs!!!
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The thing about Wilt was, he just couldn’t jump and he wasn’t strong enough.
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Zim would be a monster get.
He will instantly turn us into a top team for the trophy in March.
We’ll have back just about everyone and add in Bragg… So we have the 1-4 covered with guys that are experienced playing without a strong 5 who can shot block. Now add in Zim.
The problem we have had before is our 1-4 were spoiled with someone like JoJo so we were easily beat at the 1-4 spots. Adding in Bragg isn’t adding in a slouch either.
And on offense… hopefully Self keeps the threat alive from 3, and then adds in low post scoring feeds, instead of discounting the 3 like he used to. Hopefully, he continues on the Mayor path of taking what the defense gives and exploit match up areas… spread the floor.
Does anyone know… can Bragg or Zim shoot on the perimeter? I hear Zim talking about pick and pop… but does he have range?
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Love the stamps. Love how they had to stretch them long to an unconventional length to fit in the Big Dipper.
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@drgnslayr With the guys we have returning (or assumed to be) we are going to be a top 5 team with or without Zimmerman. He would be amazing to have of course but we are going to be a really deep and Junior / Senior heavy team regardless of who we sign from here on out.
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@truehawk93 So on the issue of competition between Bragg, Big Cliff, and Big Zim, yeah, I get that Zim’s a 5 and the others are 4s, but Self has played a 4b when he had a true 5 available in the past (see 2008 team), so it wouldn’t be unprecedented for him to play a forward over a center. But more to the point, despite being #1 in his position in his class, generally regarded as very coachable, and usually making a big impact in the minutes he’s given, Cliff still doesn’t start, nor is he regularly getting starter level minutes in the rotation, despite playing behind a much less talented and somewhat spastic Jr. So that raises the obvious question, why come to KU where your minutes aren’t guaranteed when UNLV is more than willing to roll out the red carpet (not to mention that really, there’s no one else standing in the way once Christian Wood declares)? If Self were willing to guarantee Zim 30 minutes a game, I don’t think it would be an issue, but we both know that’s just not how he operates.
I’d love nothing more than to land Zimmerman, but I think it’s much less of a realistic possibility at this point when compared to other available bigs, including Rabb, Diallo, and Thon Maker. And don’t try to apply logic and/or reasoning to this cause we all know logic has nothing to do with 18 yr olds behavior.
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The exposure you get at KU is considerably more than what you get at UNLV, not only because the Big 12 is a better conference, but the time difference does not work well with the sport press which is by and large East Coast based.
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@JayHawkFanToo Didn’t hurt Anthony Bennett a couple years ago.
I think the exposure factor is only relevant if you need to get noticed. Pro scouts have already noticed Zimmerman, so he’ll get watched regardless of where he goes to school.
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@truehawk93 I agree that Cliff staying shouldn’t, logically, influence Zimmerman’s decision. He would be the only true 5. But that doesn’t mean it won’t influence him. He may see Perry, Cliff, Bragg, and Jamari and see a crowed front court. You would think super talented kids wouldn’t worry about that …but quite often they sure seem to.
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And the other two player from UNLV drafted in the last 10 years before Bennett are Joel Anthony in 2008 and Louis Amundson in 2007. UNLV has not been a hotbed for NBA prospects recently, at least not the powerhouse (and NCAA PITA) it used to be under Tarkanian.
The exposure you get playing for an elite program cannot be discounted. Just sayin’
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@jaybate-1.0 Thats what Im sayin! Wigs is gonna be an effing stud! Making his Jayhawk nation proud.
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@Lulufulu I’d say if he gets ROY, he pretty much is a stud!
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@Crimsonorblue22 Almost looks like he is a lock for ROY right now, considering the current competition. Its what Wigs does with his next 5 years that will make him one of the greats.
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@JayHawkFanToo So are you stating that UNLV players aren’t getting drafted because they’re just as good but not getting the exposure?
The other possibility, and more likely, is that they haven’t had the talent that elite programs have, and thus are not getting drafted.
Yes you get exposure at elite level programs. I’m not saying that’s not true. But if you’re a blue-chip, top 10 high school player it’s not going to matter as much where you go. Again, pro scouts know about Zimmerman already. I mean…look at Emmanual Mudiay. He’s playing in freakin’ China! Talk about a time difference…yet look at mock draft boards. Still top 5 (most have him at 2 or 3).
Just sayin’
