(2021) SF Bryce Hopkins

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

I'm certainly not holding my breath on this kid but at least we won't be in a "wondering if" mode much longer.

Jake @jakeweingarten

Top-40 senior Bryce Hopkins capped off all virtual meeting this past week and is set to make his decision. Hopkins told

@Stockrisers that he will ‘likely’ make his college choice this upcoming week.

[Stuhoo]

3 hours ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

I'm certainly not holding my breath on this kid but at least we won't be in a "wondering if" mode much longer.

Jake @jakeweingarten

Top-40 senior Bryce Hopkins capped off all virtual meeting this past week and is set to make his decision. Hopkins told

@Stockrisers that he will ‘likely’ make his college choice this upcoming week.

Well then, we got the last (virtual) visit.

 

[Hoosier1984]

247 has his commitment date as October 20....for what it’s worth

[Stuhoo]

Expert Roundtable--handicapping each of the four remaining contenders for the Hopkins commitment via a roundtable with a reporter/insider from each school. Interesting reading. Summary?

1. We are a long shot--seems like the longest odds of the final four.
2. Because no one really knows, being in the final four means we are still a viable option.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Expert Roundtable: Bryce Hopkins
 

One of the most highly anticipated recruitments right now is that of Bryce Hopkins. The forward out of the Chicago area is ranked No. 30 nationally by Rivals.

Hopkins trimmed his list to nine schools on August 30. The group includes Kentucky, Cal, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Michigan, Oregon, Providence, and Texas.

Cats Illustrated spoke with the player's father, Clyde Hopkins, just a few days ago. He said the five who have legitimate chances and who are recruiting him the hardest are Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Providence. However, Chris Balas of The Wolverine told Cats Illustrated over the weekend that Michigan is not actively recruiting Hopkins now.

There have been some mixed signals in this recruitment over the past few weeks. One of the Wildcats, Fighting Illini, and Friars have all been considered to be the leader at one time or another. These coaching staffs are going all out, and it has been reported that he has had Zoom calls with each program in the past few days.

Hopkins' father confirmed that the process of making the commitment video began on Saturday. He told us that after the editing process is completed his decision will become public. A source close to the recruitment informed us over the weekend that segments of the video could possibly be done on different days, and the recruitment could still go on for another week.

So what do we make of all of the noise and where things stand? Cats Illustrated spoke with media members who cover recruiting for each school. These educated individuals gave their opinions of what things are looking like on their campus with Hopkins.

Illinois - "As the decision day for Bryce Hopkins looms closer,and he is expected to film a commitment video on Saturday before announcing next week, Illinois continues to put in work in attempting to pull the top 30 player from what most believe to be a likely Kentucky selection. You wonder how many different videos will he do? The Illini held a zoom with Hopkins and his family on Thursday evening that went very well as they showcased what is one of the best strength and condition programs in the country (See the physical changes in Ayo Dosunmu for instance) and his ability to be a hometown hero. His father has stated those are keys in this recruitment as he wants to get to the next level. He also mentioned staying closer to home in some instances and in others has felt distance was not a factor.

The Illini are a national media darling heading into the 2020-21 season and make no mistake, Hopkins has noticed. He has long term connections to Providence and Kentucky is, well, Kentucky. That means the Illini have a shot, where they probably didn’t just a few months ago. It was known by most people in the Chicago area last winter that he would not stick with the Cardinals and Chin Coleman has been working it for quite some time. Most feel Kentucky will be the choice, but Illinois is deeply in this one along with the other 2 schools, with Indiana also making up the final group. Will he shock the world?" Brad Sturdy, Orange and Blue News

Indiana - "Indiana was originally involved in Hopkins’ recruitment the first time around, with Hopkins even visiting IU. After he opened up his recruitment earlier this summer, Archie Miller jumped right back in the race and has been extremely active in trying to get Hopkins to Bloomington.

Part of Indiana’s pitch has revolved around Clif Marshall, its director of athletic performance, and that has pulled a lot of weight in the mind of the entire Hopkins family. Whether it be the nutrition aspect or weight training, Marshall’s impact in this recruitment has definitely helped Indiana.

The main thing woking against IU’s chances is its heavy involved with four-star forwards Trey Kaufman and Mason Miller. While not exactly the same skill set as both, because of the depth at the guard position for the next few years, Hopkins would realistically be looking at playing roughly the same position as either, more as a 3 and not as much at the 2 which he may want.

While Indiana is near the top of the list, the Hoosiers still have an uphill battle for Hopkins to land in Bloomington." - Eric Lasley, The Hoosier

Kentucky - "In the words of the late, great Jerry Garcia, 'What a long, strange trip it's been.' Shortly after Bryce's de-commitment from Louisville, Kentucky began getting involved. We were told that if one did come his way he would commit to the Cats. It hasn't happened as quickly as we thought it might, but it appears John Calipari is on the verge of landing his second recruit of the 2021 class.

It looked as if things might go in another direction. But in the past few days we have been told the Kentucky staff has amped up their attention. The results have been Big Blue projections across the board. Information from sources close to the recruitment have led to mass predictions for Kentucky from national analysts to educated voices behind the scenes who follow basketball recruiting closely. Things can always change in the wacky world of recruiting, but from all indications it is looking good for Kentucky at the present.

Sources we have heard from around the Illinois program are in agreement with Brad Sturdy. We were told that Kentucky is the leader, but the staff gave Hopkins 'something to think about' in the Zoom meeting. We were also told, "Not to count them out.' I would currently handicap this as Kentucky being the leader with the Illini having a puncher's chance." - David Sisk, Cats Illustrated

"While Illinois and Providence both had some momentum at the end of last week, there’s reason to believe that Bryce Hopkins will end up a Kentucky Wildcat. A source close to Bryce’s AAU program said that Kentucky would be the choice and a source close to another school that Kentucky is competing in this recruitment has said the same. It would be foolish to call Kentucky a lock, but the ‘Cats wouldn’t trade their place with any other school in the Bryce Hopkins sweepstakes at this time." - Travis Graf, Cats Illustrated

Providence: "Providence appears to have a unique `in' with Bryce Hopkins that is allowing them to be serious contenders for a star player from Chicago. Not only does he attend a high school with the same Order (Dominicans) of priests as Providence College but coach Ed Cooley is a long-time acquaintance of Bryce's uncle and clearly has established a bond with the family. Bryce has family here in the Providence/New Bedford area.

"I often shake my head at why kids choose to stockpile into Kentucky's program and compete against one-and-done talent on a yearly basis. Rhode Island transfer Jacob Toppin is a good example. I applaud them for challenging themselves at the highest level but some kids inevitably get lost in what is a very deep pool." - Kevin McNamara, KevinMcSports.com

[Demo]

38 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Expert Roundtable--handicapping each of the four remaining contenders for the Hopkins commitment via a roundtable with a reporter/insider from each school. Interesting reading. Summary?

1. We are a long shot--seems like the longest odds of the final four.
2. Because no one really knows, being in the final four means we are still a viable option.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Expert Roundtable: Bryce Hopkins
 

One of the most highly anticipated recruitments right now is that of Bryce Hopkins. The forward out of the Chicago area is ranked No. 30 nationally by Rivals.

Hopkins trimmed his list to nine schools on August 30. The group includes Kentucky, Cal, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Michigan, Oregon, Providence, and Texas.

Cats Illustrated spoke with the player's father, Clyde Hopkins, just a few days ago. He said the five who have legitimate chances and who are recruiting him the hardest are Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Providence. However, Chris Balas of The Wolverine told Cats Illustrated over the weekend that Michigan is not actively recruiting Hopkins now.

There have been some mixed signals in this recruitment over the past few weeks. One of the Wildcats, Fighting Illini, and Friars have all been considered to be the leader at one time or another. These coaching staffs are going all out, and it has been reported that he has had Zoom calls with each program in the past few days.

Hopkins' father confirmed that the process of making the commitment video began on Saturday. He told us that after the editing process is completed his decision will become public. A source close to the recruitment informed us over the weekend that segments of the video could possibly be done on different days, and the recruitment could still go on for another week.

So what do we make of all of the noise and where things stand? Cats Illustrated spoke with media members who cover recruiting for each school. These educated individuals gave their opinions of what things are looking like on their campus with Hopkins.

Illinois - "As the decision day for Bryce Hopkins looms closer,and he is expected to film a commitment video on Saturday before announcing next week, Illinois continues to put in work in attempting to pull the top 30 player from what most believe to be a likely Kentucky selection. You wonder how many different videos will he do? The Illini held a zoom with Hopkins and his family on Thursday evening that went very well as they showcased what is one of the best strength and condition programs in the country (See the physical changes in Ayo Dosunmu for instance) and his ability to be a hometown hero. His father has stated those are keys in this recruitment as he wants to get to the next level. He also mentioned staying closer to home in some instances and in others has felt distance was not a factor.

The Illini are a national media darling heading into the 2020-21 season and make no mistake, Hopkins has noticed. He has long term connections to Providence and Kentucky is, well, Kentucky. That means the Illini have a shot, where they probably didn’t just a few months ago. It was known by most people in the Chicago area last winter that he would not stick with the Cardinals and Chin Coleman has been working it for quite some time. Most feel Kentucky will be the choice, but Illinois is deeply in this one along with the other 2 schools, with Indiana also making up the final group. Will he shock the world?" Brad Sturdy, Orange and Blue News

Indiana - "Indiana was originally involved in Hopkins’ recruitment the first time around, with Hopkins even visiting IU. After he opened up his recruitment earlier this summer, Archie Miller jumped right back in the race and has been extremely active in trying to get Hopkins to Bloomington.

Part of Indiana’s pitch has revolved around Clif Marshall, its director of athletic performance, and that has pulled a lot of weight in the mind of the entire Hopkins family. Whether it be the nutrition aspect or weight training, Marshall’s impact in this recruitment has definitely helped Indiana.

The main thing woking against IU’s chances is its heavy involved with four-star forwards Trey Kaufman and Mason Miller. While not exactly the same skill set as both, because of the depth at the guard position for the next few years, Hopkins would realistically be looking at playing roughly the same position as either, more as a 3 and not as much at the 2 which he may want.

While Indiana is near the top of the list, the Hoosiers still have an uphill battle for Hopkins to land in Bloomington." - Eric Lasley, The Hoosier

Kentucky - "In the words of the late, great Jerry Garcia, 'What a long, strange trip it's been.' Shortly after Bryce's de-commitment from Louisville, Kentucky began getting involved. We were told that if one did come his way he would commit to the Cats. It hasn't happened as quickly as we thought it might, but it appears John Calipari is on the verge of landing his second recruit of the 2021 class.

It looked as if things might go in another direction. But in the past few days we have been told the Kentucky staff has amped up their attention. The results have been Big Blue projections across the board. Information from sources close to the recruitment have led to mass predictions for Kentucky from national analysts to educated voices behind the scenes who follow basketball recruiting closely. Things can always change in the wacky world of recruiting, but from all indications it is looking good for Kentucky at the present.

Sources we have heard from around the Illinois program are in agreement with Brad Sturdy. We were told that Kentucky is the leader, but the staff gave Hopkins 'something to think about' in the Zoom meeting. We were also told, "Not to count them out.' I would currently handicap this as Kentucky being the leader with the Illini having a puncher's chance." - David Sisk, Cats Illustrated

"While Illinois and Providence both had some momentum at the end of last week, there’s reason to believe that Bryce Hopkins will end up a Kentucky Wildcat. A source close to Bryce’s AAU program said that Kentucky would be the choice and a source close to another school that Kentucky is competing in this recruitment has said the same. It would be foolish to call Kentucky a lock, but the ‘Cats wouldn’t trade their place with any other school in the Bryce Hopkins sweepstakes at this time." - Travis Graf, Cats Illustrated

Providence: "Providence appears to have a unique `in' with Bryce Hopkins that is allowing them to be serious contenders for a star player from Chicago. Not only does he attend a high school with the same Order (Dominicans) of priests as Providence College but coach Ed Cooley is a long-time acquaintance of Bryce's uncle and clearly has established a bond with the family. Bryce has family here in the Providence/New Bedford area.

"I often shake my head at why kids choose to stockpile into Kentucky's program and compete against one-and-done talent on a yearly basis. Rhode Island transfer Jacob Toppin is a good example. I applaud them for challenging themselves at the highest level but some kids inevitably get lost in what is a very deep pool." - Kevin McNamara, KevinMcSports.com

I didn’t realize that Hopkins went to the Justin Smith School of I-really-really-want-to-be-a-2-though-I’m-obviously-not. 
Makes me even less interested in this kid than I was before.
 

[Stuhoo]

19 minutes ago, Demo said:

I didn’t realize that Hopkins went to the Justin Smith School of I-really-really-want-to-be-a-2-though-I’m-obviously-not. 
Makes me even less interested in this kid than I was before.
 

 

Blake Wesley at the '1', Hopkins at the '2'  ...  lol

• Hey Jordan Geronimo; what position do you want to play? "Wherever coach asks me to."
• Hey Logan Duncomb; you're a 6'9" center in high school ... where do you think you project for college? "Down low. Doing the dirty work."

 

[Honkyman]

"which he may not want"--This is the writer speculating not Bryce Hopkins' words.

[Stuhoo]

2 hours ago, Hardwood83 said:

Of the finalists I hope he chooses Providence. I'm all for getting talent, but he sure doesn't seem like an IU fit to me.

I hope he chooses IU!

He’s the kind of player that wins national championships; not big or athletic enough to leave early, but skilled and outworks everyone.

The family has kept the recruitment decision completely under wraps, which is nice.

 

[WayneFleekHoosier]

I hope he chooses IU!
He’s the kind of player that wins national championships; not big or athletic enough to leave early, but skilled and outworks everyone.
The family has kept the recruitment decision completely under wraps, which is nice.
 

I won’t lose sleep but always accumulate talent.

Strong 1a/b. Kaufman and Muhammad.

Not sure if Mason Miller is still in play.

I think we get Kaufman, Muhammad is a wild card.

Archie, recruiting wise, might finally be building something.




Sent from my iPad using BtownBanners mobile app

[Stuhoo]

7 minutes ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

I won’t lose sleep but always accumulate talent.

Strong 1a/b. Kaufman and Muhammad.

Not sure if Mason Miller is still in play.

I think we get Kaufman, Muhammad is a wild card.

Archie, recruiting wise, might finally be building something.




Sent from my iPad using BtownBanners mobile app

I agree—I think we get Kaufman, Muhammad, and a late bloomer who we haven’t yet contemplated to go with Duncomb.

That would be Archie’s best class (on paper) yet, with both high end talent and high character.

 

[Stuhoo]

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Going to pUKe.  Wow, what a shocking surprise  --  not.