Maker brothers

[TomPritchard25 526]

I have been watching film on both of them, and I really like Matur's game. Thon is a given, but Matur is so much more aggressive than anything we've had in the post in my time watching IU. Hopefully we stand on good terms with matur, not only so we can bring him in, but also so we can bring in THON!!! Anybody know anything about how it's going with those two and us?

[Hutch89 2,939]

Well, we are the only ones to offer Matur Maker at this point.  However, i'm sure that will change soon.

 

I'm glad we offered Matur, because he will be a great player on his own merit... but you count downplay the fact that offering Matur is a gesture by our staff to show our commitment to recruit Thon.  

 

It's a wise move, and i'd be shocked if IU wasn't brought up around the Maker table more often because of our offer to Matur. 

[WayneFleekHoosier 47,524]

I've always wondered about some of our offers, and if they are conditional (which I assume they are).

 

For example, I know we offered Vijay Blackmon a while back and I heard that he wanted to accept while visiting with James.  I think he was told more/less to hold off on accepting the offer.

 

This Vijay news I think has circulated this board (maybe?) but otherwise I've heard this news second hand from the Blackmon family. 

 

Anyway, as it relates to the Makers and some of our other offers, I wish I knew how they handled this situations. 

 

With our dearth of Big Men, I'd say we accept the Makers choice anytime and maybe even the Maker's long lost cousin, jim-bob!

[Alford Bailey 12,302]

I know they have visited UK and I believe Duke and Kansas also. Probably tells us all we need to know.....

[hoosierpap 14,300]

I know they have visited UK and I believe Duke and Kansas also. Probably tells us all we need to know.....

Missouri, as well. IU is definitely in the mix for a visit, I wouldn't count them out by any means.

[Alford Bailey 12,302]

Missouri, as well. IU is definitely in the mix for a visit, I wouldn't count them out by any means.

Anything scheduled?

[FKfootball 1,046]

Too much speculation around Crean to land a 5 star at this current time. We need that speculation to go away, one way or another.

[bnkepner 1,509]

Too much speculation around Crean to land a 5 star at this current time. We need that speculation to go away, one way or another.

I disagree. There are programs that are in just as much hot water and stay in contention for 5 stars

[HoosierAloha 30,021]

I believe Thon is an Adidas kind of guy.  That certainly helps but KU is also Adidas...

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,239]

the Makur brothers are coming to IU, people! I'm going to "will" it.

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,239]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=xXgW_kPJ_-8

 

 

 

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,239]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=03fuzSlx3C4

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,239]

*****WANT!*****

[biteoftheapple 4,115]

If anyone is an ESPN insider, Borzello has posted a Thon feature story there.

[Hovadipo 54,002]

If anyone is an ESPN insider, Borzello has posted a Thon feature story there.

I am...I'll post it if mods don't mind.

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,239]

Please do! I'm no ESPN insider

[Hovadipo 54,002]

Here you go...get it while it's hot. Mods, feel free to delete. This kid is just impressive. I have no other words for it. Unfortunately, I see no scenario where he wears candy stripes.



Thon Maker's next move
Jeff Borzello [ARCHIVE]

ESPN Insider | January 14, 2015
Four countries, three high schools, three AAU circuits.

Thon Maker, a 17-year-old 7-footer, is the vagabond of elite high school basketball.

South Sudan, Australia, soccer, basketball, school in Louisiana, school in Virginia, school in Canada. Just going through the bullet points is exhausting -- and that's without even mentioning Maker's unique talents and enormous potential.

Maker is the most intriguing prospect in high school basketball. He would be in the mix for the No. 1 spot in his class if he wasn't in Canada, but that's not what has attracted so much attention. It's the YouTube videos, the endless storylines -- and the comparisons to a number of NBA stars haven't hurt.

The chatter surrounding him has shown no signs of slowing down, either.

"It's the unknown that scares people," said Ed Smith, Maker's guardian.

Thon Maker
AP Photo/Gregory Payan
Thon Maker was ranked as the No. 1 prospect in 2016 before moving to Athlete Institute in Canada.
Eight out of 10. Nine out of 10. Ten out of 10.

After yet another set of 10 jumpers and free throws, Maker finally seems content with the release on his jumper.

"I let the pinky hang out," Maker says. "So far, it's been good."

For someone his size, Maker has tremendous touch from the field and from the perimeter. He can knock down 3-pointers and has no problem playing away from the basket and forcing opposing big men to guard him around the arc.

His shot isn't perfect, though, and it wasn't good enough to shoot 33.3 percent from 3-point range on the Adidas spring and summer AAU circuit with Team Loaded VA.

The advice to change his shot came courtesy of Smith, his guardian and one of the assistant coaches at Orangeville Prep in Canada. Shortly after the high school season began in the fall, Smith put the finishing touches on Maker's shot.

"We built his shot like you build a house," Smith said. "Work on getting your base right first. Get your feet correctly, then work all the way up."

Thon Maker
Kelly Kline/Adidas
Maker has a unique blend of length and ability that nearly every college coach desires.
To understand Maker's journey to this point, it's imperative to understand Smith's involvement in his life. Had things gone a different way, this could have been a story about a freakishly tall soccer player, a 7-footer playing right wing in Australia.

Maker grew up in South Sudan, but his family moved to Australia before he started grade school. Throughout his childhood, Maker played soccer -- earning the nickname "Longbody" for his lanky frame. By the time he was 13, Maker was already 6-foot-7.

Smith ran a youth outreach program in Australia, involving mostly Sudanese youth. He received multiple grants from the Australian government and had both soccer and basketball programs. As the primary basketball coach, Smith built up his program quickly, helping plenty of players get to the United States to play college basketball, including Ater Majok (Connecticut), Aleks Maric (Nebraska), Luke Martin (UTEP) and others.

Smith also hired multiple coaches to run his programs, including former Ball State forward Majok Majok. Majok was the one who first told Smith about a tall, athletic kid showing off his talents on the soccer pitch.

"No one thought he would evolve into a basketball player," Smith said. "150 pounds was pushing it, that's why nobody would mess with him. Everyone said, 'He's just going to get himself hurt out there.'"

But Smith watched Maker in an open gym and saw his physical traits and competitiveness. The coach knew Maker had potential on the basketball court.

The transition didn't happen immediately. It took plenty of convincing from Smith for Maker to give up his first sport and pursue basketball as more than something to do for fun. Smith told Maker that a player his size simply doesn't play soccer. Maker originally had hopes of playing both sports, but eventually acquiesced to Smith.

Smith then went to Maker's parents and told them he would like to take Maker under his wing. Maker would train with Smith and live with Smith. Maker's parents were on board, and Smith became Maker's legal guardian.

Maker says he talks to his parents every day, but hasn't seen them in a while.

"They always tell me, 'Keep talking to us. We follow along with whatever you're doing. We're supporting you 100 percent. And don't think just because we're somewhere else, we're not behind you guys,'" Maker said.

Maker no longer spends his time trying to become the next global soccer star -- although he still follows Arsenal, his favorite European club team ("I'm a Gunner for life," he says). Up until a couple of years ago, Maker would still sneak off from school to play soccer.

"I miss playing," he said. "The game itself is beautiful. I got a chance to watch a lot, on TV. After I stopped, I still follow it on my phone, watch some of the games at home."

Thon Maker
Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images
Many scouts have compared Maker's body and game to that of NBA veteran Kevin Garnett.
The first thing Maker realized when he switched from soccer to basketball was how much he enjoyed running hills.

The hills that athletes run as a form of punishment or to get in better shape -- Maker liked them.

When Maker was 13 and just starting to play basketball, Smith had Maker and his teammates do plenty of off-court drills to test their mental toughness and get in basketball shape. Since it was the first day of practice, most of the guys couldn't handle it without getting too tired and taking breaks.

But not Maker. He ran 19 hills to start off and kept going. He picked up his teammates who were resting on the hills and made them run more with him.

"It got to a point where I just ran hills for fun," Maker said.

Maker's work ethic and attention to detail stand out to his coaches and others who have watched him develop. And they translate to all aspects of his life; Maker takes the time to fold his uniform and neatly place it in his bag after every AAU game.

"It's a personality trait of Thon," Smith said. "He's very meticulous with everything. It's really easy as a developer. He matches the preciseness with how I coach. Makes progression happen quickly."

The fluidity with which Maker plays and the versatile skill set he possesses don't just magically appear.

When Maker first began playing basketball, Smith wouldn't let him join the other guys in the scrimmages or one-on-one and two-on-two drills. He made Maker sit in a chair in the gym, with one hand behind his back. Six hours a day, practicing form shooting. Then it advanced to ballhandling drills by himself, then ballhandling drills with defenders. Smith continued to add more and more pieces to Maker's game, so he had all the fundamentals before really diving into basketball. Throw in Maker's soccer experience, and he had the footwork and skills most players his size can only dream of.

Thon Maker
AP Photo/Gregory Payan
Although his team is based in Canada, Maker has continued to perform well at American events like the Take Flight Challenge.
"I trusted in the process and it paid off," Maker said. "I kept on going with it. It became an automatic, whenever [Smith] said 'do this.'"

Maker has followed Smith's advice and counsel off the court, too. Smith decided to bring Maker to the United States after becoming Maker's legal guardian, and enrolled him at Metairie Park Country Day School in Louisiana. An eye-opening performance at the John Lucas Camp in 2011 put Maker squarely on the basketball map.

"He was pretty much off the grid up until that camp," said Brian Merritt, the director of scouting for Lucas' camps. "His cousin [Chiir Maker] was the one that people knew. They were supposed to come together [to camp], but Thon ended up coming by himself.

"He came in a week before to train with us; he was soaking it up like a sponge. You could tell those first few hours he was going to be really good. He's not playing around. He's trying to maximize his potential."

The next stop was Virginia, as Smith moved to be closer to his family. Maker was enrolled at the Carlisle School in Martinsville and stayed there for two years. He won a state championship last season, averaging 21.3 points and 13.3 rebounds en route to state Player of the Year honors. Moreover, his brother Matur joined him for his second year at Carlisle -- which helped Thon get further acclimated to basketball and the United States in general.

"With him being around, it's always good," Thon Maker said. "He gets to see what I can do and how I get better, and he gets to copy and add his own stuff to it."

Carlisle would have gladly taken both players back for another year, but Smith and Maker wanted to find a school that made a potential reclassification to the 2015 class possible. Maker is old enough to graduate this spring, provided his academics are up to NCAA standards. Finishing high school a year earlier means going to college a year earlier -- which, of course, means he can jump to the NBA a year earlier.

Athlete Institute (aka Orangeville Prep) in Canada -- in its second year of operation -- offered that opportunity, plus excellent facilities and a marquee schedule that would pit Maker against some of the best players in the United States. The school has already played games in New York, Kentucky, North Carolina, California and Washington, D.C. -- and this weekend, Maker and the Bears head to the Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts.

As a result, Maker is residing in his fourth country -- which has raised some eyebrows in the basketball community.

"A lot of transferring, I think, is always a bad look," one college coach said, noting it could raise questions. "A Canadian school. Why? Something must be up?"

"If we had left Carlisle to go to Montverde or Oak Hill," said Smith, referencing two of high school basketball's elite programs, "no one would be saying he's unsettled."

Thon Maker
Kelly Kline/Adidas
Maker's guardian, Ed Smith, orchestrated the Makers' move to Athlete Institute Canada in September.
It might be easier to stay at one high school or stay in one graduating class, but Maker -- and Smith -- believe all the moving around is necessary for his development.

"Everything happens for a reason," Maker said. "We moved to better places so I can get to where I want to be."

Where does Maker want to be? The NBA is the obvious answer, but there are some decisions to be made before he can get to the next level.

And he's not the only one involved in the decision-making process. How much control does Maker have over his own future?

"He doesn't, unfortunately," one coach involved in his recruitment said.

"Ed is doing everything," said a source with knowledge of Maker's recruitment.

There are myriad options for the next step in his story: graduating in the class of 2016; reclassifying to the class of 2015; playing in Europe or Asia for a year a la Emmanuel Mudiay. There's also the unorthodox option of reclassifying and then doing a postgraduate year at Orangeville Prep. It would enable Maker to go straight to the NBA without playing in college or overseas.

Maker doesn't have a specific deadline for making a decision about his future, but he plans to take a closer look once the first semester of the school year ends and he can see where he stands academically. If he reclassifies, he would immediately become one of the most sought-after prospects in high school.

"That's what we're trying to do," Smith said regarding reclassifying. "We've been pretty forward with that."

Maker said playing overseas for a year is not an appealing option.

"I've been watching college ball for a while," he said. "And it just causes me to think about that, reclassifying. So I can get ready for college ball.

"The college decision, I can't wait for that," he added. "That's what I'm really focused on."

Kansas and Kentucky are the schools most often mentioned, but he has also visited Missouri, Duke, Louisville and Maryland. Indiana and Wake Forest are recruiting him as well.

He might not ever get there, though.

"I don't think he ever sees college," said one high-major assistant coach, estimating the odds that Maker will play college basketball at less than 50-50. Coaches with knowledge of his recruitment are split: Some think Maker will go overseas, others think he'll do the postgrad year, whether by choice or because of potential NCAA questions.

Thon Maker
Kelly Kline/Under Armour
Maker's size makes him a shot blocker, but few 7-footers posses his outside shooting touch.
Smith has a different outlook on the situation.

"If he were coming from Australia, he would not be looking at college ball," he said. "At this stage, if you look at Thon, he's good enough for the NBA to get their hands on and start molding.

"If you're going to do something, it has to be a basketball decision. He has to be going against bigger bodies, which is the reason you're looking at college. He needs to get banged around and play at a pro pace."

Smith is not oblivious to the criticism of him by some in the basketball community. It's impossible not to be aware of it, and Smith's defense is pretty simple: He's been married for 18 years, and has taken in kids for 17 of those years -- and not all of them were professional basketball players. Even Maker wasn't close to the NBA radar when Smith took him under his wing.

Smith references Malcolm Gladwell's "Outliers" and the 10,000 hours theory. He wanted to give Maker 10,000 hours of purposeful training --- giving him access to everything he needs to succeed, taking him everywhere he needs to be in order to get the best training.

"I understand it's a basketball culture thing," he said. "But what if Edward Smith does not get involved with Thon Maker at all? Someone has to take a personal interest to give them a start. Take a vested interest with that person.

"People say those things, like, 'Edward Smith is hanging around to get a payday.' My return is success in life. I leave it at that. I let them clump everyone [I've taken in] together."

Maker doesn't seem fazed by the innuendo and rumors that have surrounded his constant moving around. He seems as happy and content as ever, freely sharing stories of soccer, basketball and the past couple of years.

That's because things are quiet for the time being -- or as quiet as they can be for a potential NBA lottery pick.

A decision about his future doesn't need to be made for a few months, and he won't even know his academic standing until the end of January.

"Right now, we're doing OK," Maker said. "I'm doing OK. I'm good where I'm at, settling down a little bit."

That will change when the summer rolls around, though. All of the big storylines and questions will reappear: Where will he spend next year? When is he graduating high school, and who really controls his recruitment?

For now, he can relax -- but the story is far from over.

[HoosierTrav 7,643]

It seems simple....... Hire Ed Smith! Problem solved.

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

Word on the street at the High School OT Invite was that Thon Maker wants to be a dukie.

[Uwe Robb 1,072]

"I don't think he ever sees college," said one high-major assistant coach, estimating the odds that Maker will play college basketball at less than 50-50. Coaches with knowledge of his recruitment are split: Some think Maker will go overseas, others think he'll do the postgrad year, whether by choice or because of potential NCAA questions.



Hearing Mark Cuban, Bill Walton, and some other talk this could possibly be the route alot of these 1 and dones start taking. They are now being criticized by NBA scouts for all the AAU ball they play with so little coaching and fundamentals taught. NBA scouts and coaches say that players overseas come in more ready play right away than most of the AAU stars and 1 and dones. Mark Cuban has been quoted as saying in 10 years he wouldn't be surprised if the NBA was 80% foreign players.

I know the talent is still there for these kids so they will still get drafted, but surely this talk from GM's coaches and scouts in the NBA could have an effect on some decisions. Brandon Jennings and Emanual Muiday are the only two I have heard about, but Thon would be a huge one.