Rick’s Targets

[austour]

How about shooting, spacing and listening to the coach. I will take the new guys. It’s all not cut in dry. And we should revisit this argument at the end of next season. Time will tell. And the overall record will be a big indicator.

We will never know how last year's team would have responded to RP so this is a discussion we can continue to have until the cows come home, which apparently they never do (though I can tell you a story about the eclipse in Wyoming that speaks to the contrary, but I digress). Were they truly uncoachable or was there a distinct lack of coaching? Are they really totally disrepectful or did they just not respect CMA? Those who say look at last year and project it to next year are laying the lion's share of the blame on the players, not CMA. And in fact that could be true. We'll never know though. But in past accomplishments at a P6 level, and in skill level that would show up in a combine or pro day RP has not replaced what he lost. He does, however, have a bunch of guys that he "knows" he can coach up some of whom certainly have the potential to shine in the BE if they make the leap. Some I'm not so sure about.

 

[Sherman Sheridan & Grant]

We will never know how last year's team would have responded to RP so this is a discussion we can continue to have until the cows come home, which apparently they never do (though I can tell you a story about the eclipse in Wyoming that speaks to the contrary, but I digress). Were they truly uncoachable or was there a distinct lack of coaching? Are they really totally disrepectful or did they just not respect CMA? Those who say look at last year and project it to next year are laying the lion's share of the blame on the players, not CMA. And in fact that could be true. We'll never know though. But in past accomplishments at a P6 level, and in skill level that would show up in a combine or pro day RP has not replaced what he lost. He does, however, have a bunch of guys that he "knows" he can coach up some of whom certainly have the potential to shine in the BE if they make the leap. Some I'm not so sure about.

Cows may be coming home

 

[austour]

Donovan Mitchell isn’t walking through that door. Jamal Mashburn isn’t walking through that door, Ron Mercer isn’t walking through that door, Antoine Walker……

Yea and none of those guys were who they were before Rick Pitino go his hands on them. So perhaps lets wait it out and see who the next guy in this lineage is before we flush the baby with the bathwater...7 months before the first game...

Donovan Mitchell - #25 in his class, 4 star (247)
Jamal Mashburn - - #88 in his class, 4 star (Hoopscoop, is Clark still around?)
Ron Mercer - McDonald's all american
Antoine Walker - McDonald's all american

WASJU's OP was a joke for sure. Was yours?

 

[austour]

A few of our former players have landed . Let’s review . Stanley to Boise State . Ok , is that a better program or more major than Iona ? Cluess and Pitino had Iona in the dance almost every year . Can’t say the same about Boise .

You do realize Boise St is in a much tougher conference and got an at large bid this year, right?

 

[NCJohnnie]

You do realize Boise St is in a much tougher conference and got an at large bid this year, right?

They had 3 teams in the tourney and one in the final 4.

 

[austour]

They had 3 teams in the tourney and one in the final 4.

Well Iona did get one of the two at large bids in the MAAC's history in 2012 so they got that going for them. (1995 Manhattan)

 

[SLYFOXX1968]

They had 3 teams in the tourney and one in the final 4.

i did not know that and spoke before checking the facts . I knew Boise State as a very good football program but was unaware they were in a multi bid BB league . I incorrectly referred to them . It was my mistake . You are right in pointing that out . We will see how Stanley will do there . He played hard on the Court , could hit a jumper from most spots .

 

[fan5577]

That's the point of keeping the majority of our guys... It appears...and I'm as out of touch as anyone...that the players were let go to boost the school's lawsuit against Anderson.

All season we knew there was something going on behind the scenes with this team. Now we see it was worse than we thought. I am sure if Pitino thought any of the past players would be a benefit to the team he would have kept them. By benefit I mean both on and off the court.. It was obvious, after his own observations, discussions with the athletic department and Father Shanley he knew who he believed should be kept and who would be better served by leaving.
The new Kid who just came in from Iona said Pitino makes no promises for playing time or anything like that. If the kids he offered to stay did not think they could get the minutes they wanted, then who needs them? I would prefer someone who has the I'll show you I deserve the minutes attitude rather than the give me this or I will not be happy attitude.

 

[Marillac2]

Compare it to his peers like Duke and North Carolina. St. John’s is not a comparison with Louisville and Kentucky. Providence went to the final four with Billy Donovan as their point guard. Fairfield wouldn’t take him in a transfer 2 years before. Russ Smith was a 3 star recruit. Won a national championship at Louisville. The rest of those teams rosters weren’t filled with star players either. Again, besides the point. I give up

I agree he did more with less than other blue bloods, but how is that even remotely relevant to him not having a single top 100 player here?

The fewest top 100 players he ever had at Louisville was FOUR his first year. He had a half-dozen years there where his top 5 leading scorers were all top 100 recruits and as many as his top 8 scorers (and 9/10). So this roster is unique.

 

[fan5577]

Here is the thing you would have to assume last year’s players would be better with Rick.

Center-Next year Soriano because he will be like 25 and have a coach.

PF- Would have like to see Jones and Stanley coached by Pitino. Haven’t really seen anything of Slazinski.
Edge last year.

SF- not a Wusu guy, but curious what would have happened with Pitino. Edge Alleyne.
Edge this year.

SG-I actually Davis but Storr under Pitino….
Never saw Conway except of the clip
Huge edge last year

PG- Posh never going to be a good shooter and not an athletic freak so….Not even a true PG. But Posh getting 12/6/4 and harassing the other teams Point like he did his first 2 years is way better than Jenkins and think we will see that if Posh goes to SH.
Edge last year.

Bench- not final obviously, but at this point
Huge edge last year.

 

[basketballjones]

I agree he did more with less than other blue bloods, but how is that even remotely relevant to him not having a single top 100 player here?

The fewest top 100 players he ever had at Louisville was FOUR his first year. He had a half-dozen years there where his top 5 leading scorers were all top 100 recruits and as many as his top 8 scorers (and 9/10). So this roster is unique.

Not arguing any particular point other than waiting to pass judgement. It’s relevant from the perspective that you can’t pass judgement before the roster is complete and the team’s on the floor. When he was going to 7 final fours it was not with one and done players. Yes, we can point to Donovan Mitchell, Antoine Walker, Mashburn. That 3 and some more out of about 500 players in 35 years.

 

[Marillac2]

Not arguing any particular point other than waiting to pass judgement. It’s relevant from the perspective that you can’t pass judgement before the roster is complete and the team’s on the floor. When he was going to 7 final fours it was not with one and done players. Yes, we can point to Donovan Mitchell, Antoine Walker, Mashburn. That 3 and some more out of about 500 players in 35 years.

He averaged almost 7 top 100 RSCI ranked recruits per roster. We aren’t talking about just 3 guys in 35 years Even if he landed his top 2 remaining targets this roster would still be anomalous to his rosters at UK and Louisville.

Also, isn’t the whole purpose of a fan message board to speculate? If not we’d just come here at the end of the season to summarize.

 

[basketballjones]

He averaged almost 7 top 100 RSCI ranked recruits per roster. We aren’t talking about just 3 guys in 35 years Even if he landed his top 2 remaining targets this roster would still be anomalous to his rosters at UK and Louisville.

Also, isn’t the whole purpose of a fan message board to speculate? If not we’d just come here at the end of the season to summarize.

I didn’t say just 3 guys, so since you’re not reading it’s not worth continuing. We’ll agree to disagree speculate on his job recruiting all you want.

 

[redfan9999998]

Cormac Ryan UNC

 

[Hardy]

Current roster is also not comparable to Louisville etc bc pitino is recruiting several much more experienced/older players here (Soriano and slazonski have already been in college for 4 years). Hopefully that experience can offset some of the talent gap a bit.

 

[billthetruth]

Jones? Please, he was the least efficient player I've seen in a LONG time. How was that going to work with Pitino? btw, he was the exact same at Depaul.

Why anybody would want his out of control game of chucking up 3s and missing so many back is quite baffling

 

[Marillac2]

Current roster is also not comparable to Louisville etc bc pitino is recruiting several much more experienced/older players here (Soriano and slazonski have already been in college for 4 years). Hopefully that experience can offset some of the talent gap a bit.

Congrats on making the only sensical argument for our lack of talent. I tend to agree here, but will also point out that we aren’t event getting top 25 transfers. Pitino landed the #1 grad transfer, Damien Lee, and top 10 transfer, Trey Lewis at Lousiville as well.

 

[Wolfie]

No doubt the experience level is a big deal as is that both Jenkins and Slazinski know Rick's system, plus Alleyne's high major creds and Thomasson's scoring prowess also likely makes these guys greater than the sum of their parts.
So, while I'm a tad anxious we haven't aced the portal yet, nor have gotten 1 - 3 of the 9 - 10 unsigned/not leaning/ decomitted Top 150 H.S. recruits, that's okay.
We were late to the chase and we're still 'pursuing' 3.
Plus, there are still 4 'ships left (counting Thomasson).
So, I remain confident Rick will land a few impact players before this year's recruiting/portal season is over.

 

[ADORAZ]

It's odd that there's been virtually nothing regarding Brandon Gardner on the Internet since he decommitted a couple weeks ago. You'd think a top 75 recruit would garner (almost a pun) a lot of attention, but there hasn't been any news on his recruitment nor any fan bases clamoring for his commitment. I wonder if he (big fan of St. John's) or the staff (in need of a PF) regrets cutting things off.

I realize most likely he'll commit somewhere soon, and like nearly all of our former players it'll be a low-key announcement, but still odd how silent things have been.

 

[SJU85]

After skipping a bunch of the posts over the last few pages because well, I am not ready to hit the ignore button but I had to scroll back to the top of this one to see what thread I was on.

So right now for Ricks Targets not counting the ones we have signed, we have Dunlap visiting this weekend, Thomasson next week and Demary is still in play and Ryan and Ledlum picking other programs this week.

Any other updates on players we are targeting?