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KelleyHoosh

2015 Basketball Recruiting Class

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I guess the most notable thing to happen was the commitment today from Raymond Spalding to UL. Posted my thoughts somewhere else on that but the bottom line is that it wasn't surprising. So where does that leave us regarding bigs...

 

 

Thomas Bryant is really a player. Just watching him this July on streams and on ESPN today you can see why he is 10th in the ESPN's rankings. IU got involved, most likely, when they got word it wasn't looking good with Raymond Spalding. IU strangely got in a good position here it sounds like. Still far too early to realistically be excited about anything coming to fruition but if it were to it definitely makes the RS loss go away. RS can play, Thomas Bryant will play in the NBA, imo. One thing to keep in mind is how much better Crean does in short term recruitments, if you're looking on the brightside. Most long term recruitments tend to come on hot and flame out with IU. I still think Crean is going to have a really tough time landing top 40ish prospects until word around coaching circles and AAU tourneys is that Crean has stabilized the program and he is, indeed, who will be the coach. I realize I'm talking about '15 recruits. That's going to take winning, no way around that. Anyways, this isn't a Crean thread but that idea is kind of relevant. 

 

Juwan Morgan I think he is realistic at this point. He took an oddly long trip to IU. He isn't the answer to problem though. There are some stats to back up the lack of need for interior/post offense, but not much to support not having a post defense. I think Morgan could play 4 offensively, maybe defensively, but he isn't a rim protector or someone who can bang in the post. I like him as a prospect and he seems like quite the kid. Hopefully IU can bring him in, but they'll still need that 5. He seems to be more likely than Shake Milton. I think bringing in Morgan helps with Milton, but it would be far from a done deal. Shake can really play. His size/athleticism/wingspan really makes him an interesting prospect at the 1. He looked very good playing the 1 this weekend at Peach Jam on the stream.

 

Nick Marshall I don't know anything about really. I guess he is ranked close to 100 but has Kansas, IU and a few others showing initial interest. Not sure how IU got into the top 5 there. Maybe some connection, idk.

 

Swanigan just really doesn't seem to be coming to IU. Kind of a strange recruitment going on here. No doubt Swanigan is going to be a great player.

 

IU is in with a host of wings/combo guards. Typically, I think it would be easy to be excited about the position they are in and the likelihood that IU gets a verbal from one of them but I do think things are hinging on the CTC status. I saw Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Jones in person 2 weeks ago and they are both the real deal. I know UL and IU are in on a host of guys due mostly in part to KJ's relationship with them. Things will start moving faster based on a few commitments, just need one domino to fall. With Mitchell, some pro UL talk with Briscoe and the fact that they may take one guard. Providence is still going to be tough. They've been on him the longest and it's not even close. 

 

Last thing about the combos/wings, I am a bit puzzled by the fact that Chris Clarke doesn't have an IU offer. Especially when you see them offer a kid at his position in the class behind him out of left field in Lamar Stevens. Maybe they aren't sold on Clarke, seems unlikely idk, could be a bunch of things.

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I guess the most notable thing to happen was the commitment today from Raymond Spalding to UL. Posted my thoughts somewhere else on that but the bottom line is that it wasn't surprising. So where does that leave us regarding bigs...

 

 

Thomas Bryant is really a player. Just watching him this July on streams and on ESPN today you can see why he is 10th in the ESPN's rankings. IU got involved, most likely, when they got word it wasn't looking good with Raymond Spalding. IU strangely got in a good position here it sounds like. Still far too early to realistically be excited about anything coming to fruition but if it were to it definitely makes the RS loss go away. RS can play, Thomas Bryant will play in the NBA, imo. One thing to keep in mind is how much better Crean does in short term recruitments, if you're looking on the brightside. Most long term recruitments tend to come on hot and flame out with IU. I still think Crean is going to have a really tough time landing top 40ish prospects until word around coaching circles and AAU tourneys is that Crean has stabilized the program and he is, indeed, who will be the coach. I realize I'm talking about '15 recruits. That's going to take winning, no way around that. Anyways, this isn't a Crean thread but that idea is kind of relevant. 

 

Juwan Morgan I think he is realistic at this point. He took an oddly long trip to IU. He isn't the answer to problem though. There are some stats to back up the lack of need for interior/post offense, but not much to support not having a post defense. I think Morgan could play 4 offensively, maybe defensively, but he isn't a rim protector or someone who can bang in the post. I like him as a prospect and he seems like quite the kid. Hopefully IU can bring him in, but they'll still need that 5. He seems to be more likely than Shake Milton. I think bringing in Morgan helps with Milton, but it would be far from a done deal. Shake can really play. His size/athleticism/wingspan really makes him an interesting prospect at the 1. He looked very good playing the 1 this weekend at Peach Jam on the stream.

 

Nick Marshall I don't know anything about really. I guess he is ranked close to 100 but has Kansas, IU and a few others showing initial interest. Not sure how IU got into the top 5 there. Maybe some connection, idk.

 

Swanigan just really doesn't seem to be coming to IU. Kind of a strange recruitment going on here. No doubt Swanigan is going to be a great player.

 

IU is in with a host of wings/combo guards. Typically, I think it would be easy to be excited about the position they are in and the likelihood that IU gets a verbal from one of them but I do think things are hinging on the CTC status. I saw Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Jones in person 2 weeks ago and they are both the real deal. I know UL and IU are in on a host of guys due mostly in part to KJ's relationship with them. Things will start moving faster based on a few commitments, just need one domino to fall. With Mitchell, some pro UL talk with Briscoe and the fact that they may take one guard. Providence is still going to be tough. They've been on him the longest and it's not even close. 

 

Last thing about the combos/wings, I am a bit puzzled by the fact that Chris Clarke doesn't have an IU offer. Especially when you see them offer a kid at his position in the class behind him out of left field in Lamar Stevens. Maybe they aren't sold on Clarke, seems unlikely idk, could be a bunch of things.

 

 

Sorry if that seemed gloomy. It really could turn out fine and I don't think Crean has lost his "touch" on the recruiting trail. His product just isn't stable. It's hard to sell that to a kid with a ton of options. The correlation between on the court success and recruiting works both ways.

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