(2016) SG Grant Gelon commits to IU

[Stuhoo]

Much more likely he would be a conditional offer...as in: "We are offering you a scholly spot, but we will not take your commitment quite yet."

 

 

There goes this theory lol

 

 

My theory sucked!

[MikeRoberts]

Nice to see an IU fan/commit from the armpit, typically been PU country

[Stuhoo]

GG seems to fill a spot that CTC likes to have on his roster; a catch and shoot three point specialist that plays the 2/3.

 

I have read that the knock on GG is his defense. That's the primary part that concerns me. Otherwise, looks like a fine pickup. The star power will come with other 2016 recruits; I'm fairly confident about that.

[brtjohns]

I've never heard of him before but I like hearing the words "immediately accepted." It's a welcome change from the "stay tuned, dropping my top 25 list later this week" we see from a lot of the top recruits. We've got a big class to fill this year so realistically they're not all going to be top recruits. It sounds like an Indiana kid's dream came true today, let's hope he can rise to the occasion.

my thoughts too and i'll add, this is the type of player that goes to a mid major and gives high majors fits for a couple years.  being an indiana prospect, if he does prove to be that player then he's someone you're blaming crean for not showing enough interest in. regardless of what jersey he's wearing, he's going to help space the floor and demand his defender play tight at all times.  you can tell by watching his highlights that he's well-coached... fundamental, right place right time on both ends, runs off screens well, can feed the post, high energy.  i'm not going to bash just because he doesnt have a sexy ranking beside his name.  many what turn out to be solid and breakout college players didnt, in every class.  role players are a necessary ingredient on every winning team.  if he can hold his own defensively, he'll be a fan favorite.  welcome to btown, double-g.

[Crimson and Cream]

Not the big star many people like to see, but he's an Indiana kid who can shoot the ball extremely well. I think IU always needs a player like that on their team. Welcome to the Hoosier family Grant!! Go prove those recruiting analysts wrong!

[swatford]

"In his junior season, he set a Crown Point school record with 102 made 3-pointers on 43% shooting behind the arc"

I can get behind that.

[HoosiersLoveBanners]

This board is funny.. quite often, these types of players end up making huge impacts down the road. If he decided to go somewhere else and ends up doing well, we would all rake Crean over the coals. So let's just wait and see how it plays out before we judge the commitment/offer. Welcome to the squad GG!

[rebelhoosier848891]

Welcome aboard Grant !  Z3 will be leaving and Crean likes to have a floor-spacing 3-point shooter on the roster.  I like the size and especially like seeing an Indiana shooter filling that roll for a change.  Good start---now let's go get a highly ranked stud to continue the recruiting momentum. No need to panic yet---we have a lot of spots to fill.  Thanks for getting 2016 started GG !

[sirhoosierlot]

i aint mad at this at all. dude will do his job and play hard. he seems very fundamentally sound from his video. as a sophomore in the vid he's excellent at setting his feet off screens, even when he misses. got a quick release, good dip, square shoulders. i can only image that he's improved. and he's probably a lot more athletic than we think. a year in the weight room will do him good and he's probably already got a strength regiment from coach anderson since he committed. i like that he isnt afraid to crash boards either. welcome to the show young blood.

[Old Friend]

Old Friend would get his wish with Gelon, but I have questions:

 

Could he improve enough to guard at a high level?

Can he be a rotation player on a top 15 quality team?

 

I'm good with grabbing a local Matt Roth-like specialist for the five-six player class we'll likely have in '16, but I'd be a lot better with it if he is the fifth or sixth to sign and we already have some complete players confirmed.

 

Ibi Watson seems like a shooting specialist with far more upside.

Gotta' love the pot shots.   We'll see if he fits and what else he can bring, but I'd sure rather have shooters from around here.   I just hope you don't judge me or him after his first 6 games as a freshman.   I think the impatience of fans expecting immediate contributions from every kid who sets foot on campus is pretty unrealistic.   This kid's Todd Leary.  He's not going to play a huge role, but he brings a skill this team will need.   Not sure why it matters when he signs.   1st?  6th?  So?   We all know Indiana needs more than him.    Watson would be great, also....but here's the difference.

 

A quote from Watson :  "I feel I can create off the dribble and get my own shot.  I think a lot of people think of me as a straight up shooter, but my game is more than that.  I can attack off the dribble and pull up."   Okay....fine.   But so many kids today seem to need the ball to create and be dangerous.  Give me Roth. Give me Hulls.  Give me catch and shoot guys who don't need to create and are dangerous without the ball and lethal when they get it.   Give me kids who want to be here and understand how to play the game instead of just the sport.   I'll take 5 of those kids and beat the pants off 5 kids who need the ball and want to "create."  

 

Edit : Let's say this kid becomes a solid contributor by his junior season, stays 4 years, and ends up a very good player at Indiana.   What will you say to me then?    Instead of being skeptical before he gets here and taking pot shots based on nothing more than said skepticism, why not wait until it plays out?  Neither you nor I are "right."

[WilJos3390]

I'll never understand some IU fans. We got a kid, from Indiana, that can shoot the rock, and he WANTS TO BE HERE! He will fill a roster spot well. Will be a good 4 year player. Thanks for getting 2016 started GG! Can't wait to see this kid light AH's nets on fire!

[Stuhoo]

Gotta' love the pot shots.   We'll see if he fits and what else he can bring, but I'd sure rather have shooters from around here.   I just hope you don't judge me or him after his first 6 games as a freshman.   I think the impatience of fans expecting immediate contributions from every kid who sets foot on campus is pretty unrealistic.   This kid's Todd Leary.  He's not going to play a huge role, but he brings a skill this team will need.   Not sure why it matters when he signs.   1st?  6th?  So?   We all know Indiana needs more than him.    Watson would be great, also.

 

 

Pot shots?  This player is exactly who you were hoping for. SImply said. For an unranked recruit who starts our '16 class, I think this thread has been pretty darn positive!

 

Hope he IS Todd Leary...the player, not the felon ;)  No one (at least, no one with any sense) is expecting him to be a contributor in his freshman year.

However, my questions from about a month ago still apply: will he develop into a player who can guard at the level needed to be a rotation player on a top 15 level team?

 

If he can; this is a indisputably good pickup.

[Old Friend]

Not the big star many people like to see, but he's an Indiana kid who can shoot the ball extremely well. I think IU always needs a player like that on their team. Welcome to the Hoosier family Grant!! Go prove those recruiting analysts wrong!

I think this is a good thing, and I'm honestly very pleased that Crean went a got a kid like this instead of focusing on "stars."    That's a positive step, I think.   Doesn't take over-thinking the room, just takes a simple understanding of the value a kid like this brings, especially at 6'5".  Every team needs stars, but they don't need a roster full of them.  Not enough basketballs.   Fundamentally sound, smart kids who can shoot are generally winners.  

[Old Friend]

Pot shots?  This player is exactly who you were hoping for. SImply said. For an unranked recruit who starts our '16 class, I think this thread has been pretty darn positive!

 

Hope he IS Todd Leary...the player, not the felon ;)  No one (at least, no one with any sense) is expecting him to be a contributor in his freshman year.

However, my questions from about a month ago still apply: will he develop into a player who can guard at the level needed to be a rotation player on a top 15 level team?

 

If he can; this is a indisputably good pickup.

Your post struck me (based solely on the thread a few weeks ago) as a personal shot.  Maybe I mis-read it.  It read to me like you think all I want are kids like this, and that this kid's not very good, but will make me happy; which isn't true or accurate.  I'm really pleased at this pickup because it shows me Crean has focused at least some on kids who don't need the ball, aren't in a national spotlight, and bring a set of skills Indiana will need.   

 

And by the way, I have no idea what he can or will do, but I promise he understands how and why - which I place more importance on than many.

Edit - I'll also say this.  After watching his youtube clip, he understands angles and how to use screens.  Stanford Robinson had no clue on either, and lots of kids don't.   I think kids from around here by and large understand those (and other) details of the game better than others.   Enough said, but that's my general point.  We need kids like this.   We also need horses.

[WayneFleekHoosier]

As I have said before, you fill out your classes with this type of player.

This commit SHOCKS the college basketball world.

Let's be real. No one is envious of us tonight.

PS-I'm sure he is a good kid and a good shooter but WE ARE INDIANA basketball. Or we used to be. A total head scratcher here.

[Alford Bailey]

So who's gonna be the last five? I doubt Gelon will have the ability to recruit anyone, so, up to you guys!

Hard to say at this point but 3-4 of them need to have the ability to contribute immediately.

[Old Friend]

As I have said before, you fill out your classes with this type of player.

This commit SHOCKS the college basketball world.

Let's be real. No one is envious of us tonight.

PS-I'm sure he is a good kid and a good shooter but WE ARE INDIANA basketball. Or we used to be. A total head scratcher here.

Why does the order in which kids commit matter at all?   Are we trying to win the battle on paper and in social media, or trying to win games on the floor?  This kind of player helps any team win games.  Maybe not in his first year or maybe in his first TWO.  But he's clearly a smart player...watch his position defense and how he uses screens.   Leave alone his shot...watch how he sets up other players to score.   I don't understand why his being the first commit for 2016 means a thing.

[MikeRoberts]

As I have said before, you fill out your classes with this type of player.

This commit SHOCKS the college basketball world.

Let's be real. No one is envious of us tonight.

PS-I'm sure he is a good kid and a good shooter but WE ARE INDIANA basketball. Or we used to be. A total head scratcher here.

kind of agree but kind of not. I would like IU to sign the priority, immediate impact guys first and fill out the last two spots with role players like Gelon. But, it doesn't really matter the order, as long as we get 3 or 4 impact guys and 2 to 3 role players. It would just be a nice, "we are here" type statement to land a couple 4 or 5 star guys first. It would look better and maybe help pull other recruits

[Alford Bailey]

As I have said before, you fill out your classes with this type of player.

This commit SHOCKS the college basketball world.

Let's be real. No one is envious of us tonight.

PS-I'm sure he is a good kid and a good shooter but WE ARE INDIANA basketball. Or we used to be. A total head scratcher here.

Head scratcher for sure. So is Crean confident he has the rest of the class figured out so he can go ahead and take Gelon or does he not have a clue and is taking what he can get?

[MikeRoberts]

Why does the order in which kids commit matter at all? Are we trying to win the battle on paper and in social media, or trying to win games on the floor? This kind of player helps any team win games. Maybe not in his first year or maybe in his first TWO. But he's clearly a smart player...watch his position defense and how he uses screens. Leave alone his shot...watch how he sets up other players to score. I don't understand why his being the first commit for 2016 means a thing.

i agree mostly. Unfortunately buzz, momentum does matter a little bit. If we signed a 5 star point guard first, it would be a good selling point to bigs etc and would show recruits, here is who you will be playing with. Goes a long way