Recruiting Philosophy: 1 and dones or....

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:55 pm

Players that fit into your scheme?

Someone made a comment concerning Billy Donovan's recruiting style and it made me wonder......

Should you recruit a player that may only be here for ONE year or a tier two player that may stay for four years and become a huge contributer?

I ask because in recent years Billy D has stayed away from the OJ Mayos and superstars and focused on players that will stay for 3-4 years. I think after losing Miller, Walsh, Drejer, Harvey, Peep, etc all in consecutive years made him realize that recruiting superstars open you up to them leaving early for the NBA. Actually, it may have been Kwame Brown that broke the camels back.

So, recruiting the second tier players or superstars? Obviously, it paid huge dividends for OSU this year....but if Oden leaves? Where ar ethey at then?

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:19 pm

tOSU recruited more than just Oden. Conley isnt a one and done guy. Neither is Lighty. Hunter is a JUCO but he will be back. Cook is the only other guy besides Oden who is a possible one and done guy, but I am pretty sure Cook is coming back. So if 4 out of the 5 stay at least two years, I would say Matta recruited a good class that will allow them to compete for more than just one year. IMO, Oden comes back if they dont win the title. He likes college too much and I think he likes being a kid.

I prefer a coach recruit the kids that might be there for 2-3 years before jumping but if someone like Durant or Oden want to go to your school, you take them. They are elite prospects. Someone like OJ Mayo, I wouldnt waste my time. Dont just base your whole recruinting class on that one kid.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:25 pm

Cicero wrote: (concerning Oden)......I think he likes being a kid.

I laughed.

buckeye_in_sc · Post by **buckeye_in_sc** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 5:38 pm

Eh...I think it also depends on the character of the kid and it sometimes is hard to tell...

I mean Conley, Oden, Durant, etc..etc...all good kids...Mayo...PIECE of SHIT...and I have thought that way for a long time...buddy of mine lives in the Nati and he used to tell me how North College Hill was like Akron St Vincent St Mary (sup LeBron) with the sellouts and what not but that Mayo and Walker were thug heaven...I mean the one thing holding Mayo back is character correct? Got all the talent, got game, got everything...would Matta take him? Probably not, but did Matta ever really recruit him? Don't know...

I would say you get a core group of guys that will fit your system and or stay 3-4 years like a Hansbrough, Paulus, etc...then if you fill in once or so every couple of years with a super super star then hey more power to you...

Basketball is so much tougher in terms of guys needing to step in and play right away potentially and produce...i mean look at DUKE they take a lot of shit because recruiting has not been stellar lately...but everyone wanted McRoberts, Paulus, Henderson et al...I mean Paulus is a deece player and Henderson will be a above average player and I see both of them sticking around for 3 years and Paulus 4...so they kind of fit that 3-4 year mold and DUKE will sprinkle in Singler, etc next year...

as far as tOSU...if Oden leaves...so be it...but they have a top 10 class next year and a top 5 class for 2008 already...so one guy is not going to bring them down drastically in my opinion...

interesting topic and good debate...

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:05 pm

T REX wrote:
Cicero wrote: (concerning Oden)......I think he likes being a kid.

I laughed.

Would you care to elaborate? Do you have inside info at Ohio St? Probably not.

Not every kid sees money as the only motivating factor.

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:11 pm

He's laughing at the fact that you referred to Pops Oden as a kid, I think.

indyfrisco · Post by **indyfrisco** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:51 pm

A face only a great grandmother could love.

I'm with those who will take the one and done but based upon their character. I would ahve taken Durant or Oden any year. Both kids are all about the game. Mayo can go Jay Williams himself, the selfish fuck.

You take the superstars when you can...but not at the cost of the "team philosophy".

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:00 pm

I'm not a big fan of OJ Mayo either but I think we can all rest assured that every D1 school at least tried to contact him and most would have happily taken him.

Frankly a lot of guys who say they are one and done won't be because they will be exposed in the college ranks. I think you recruit the best players, both from a talent and character perspective and cross the NBA bridge when you get there. Now obviously it is easier for the top echelon schools to try not to wind up with bad character guys but when you start going down the food chain schools have to take more chances on character guys. Even the best schools who have their "pick of recruits" will still wind up with some bad apples, it's how you deal with them that matter.

The long and short of it is if a one and done guy will contribute, and if they are indeed one and done they will most likely have contributed, then they are worth accepting to your school.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:43 pm

I'm still laughing......

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:45 pm

IndyFrisco wrote:A face only a great grandmother could love.

.

I'd hit it!

Sin,
Dins' Great Grandmother

He's a little too old for me.

Sin,
Dins' Grandmother

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 9:48 pm

Mook wrote: Frankly a lot of guys who say they are one and done won't be because they will be exposed in the college ranks.

Werd.

I seem to remember that a guy named Malik Hairston was supposedly the best (arguably, of course) high school player in the country that wasn't headed for the NBA draft 3 years ago.

To date, he's had a couple of halfway decent games, and at this point would be lucky to get a job playing pro in Europe.

Mook · Post by **Mook** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:44 pm

Dinsdale wrote:
Mook wrote: Frankly a lot of guys who say they are one and done won't be because they will be exposed in the college ranks.

Werd.

I seem to remember that a guy named Malik Hairston was supposedly the best (arguably, of course) high school player in the country that wasn't headed for the NBA draft 3 years ago.

To date, he's had a couple of halfway decent games, and at this point would be lucky to get a job playing pro in Europe.

The Kansas fans were really miserable this guy "got away" and wound up Oregon. He was a saviour who was taking Kansas to an immediate championship.

In fairness he's turned into a nice player, but certainly not "one and done" and quite possibly not even "four and done" at least as the NBA goes.

He'll definitely play in Europe. Have you ever looked at the rosters and seen some of the dudes who play over there?

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:30 am

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/ncaatourn ... id=2817149

Great article and very fitting....this came out AFTER I posted this thread on the same day.

And my apologies to Sky.....Humphery was NOT as big as recruit as I thought. I know he's from the Tucky/Tenn area and UK fans were pissed that Tubby didn't land him.