State of Recruiting/Do Rankings Matter?

[KingPG21 6,584]

Wow, Bob Knight was absolutely right on that.  There really is probably no difference between the 8th ranked SF in the country and the 32nd ranked PF.

 

The fact is that recruiting and scouting is such a business now.  Where there's money to be made, it's going to be made.

What? This is probably just going to piss off the older fans, but the statement he made probably speaks more to how out of tune Knight was with the current college basketball game and the game at the end of his tenure. Which is what led to his drop off in that aspect, as well as him not really putting in the effort. What Knight did for the program was out standing, no questioning that, but his statement on recruiting quite frankly is stupid and completely over generalizes the current recruiting and coverage of recruiting we are seeing. 

 

And there is a huge difference between the 8th ranked small forward and 32nd ranked power forward......

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

What? This is probably just going to piss off the older fans, but the statement he made probably speaks more to how out of tune Knight was with the current college basketball game and the game at the end of his tenure. Which is what led to his drop off in that aspect, as well as him not really putting in the effort. What Knight did for the program was out standing, no questioning that, but his statement on recruiting quite frankly is stupid and completely over generalizes the current recruiting and coverage of recruiting we are seeing.

And there is a huge difference between the 8th ranked small forward and 32nd ranked power forward......

So very true. But if we land the 3 star PF, you can bet our fanbase will think he is better than the 8th rated one because unless you are from Indiana you cant judge basketball talent. We all know that.

[HoosierTrav 7,890]

Recruiting classes don't mean nearly as much to me as individual player rankings. LSU had a far better haul than we did but we'd wipe the floor with them IMO.

[Uspshoosier 45,686]

So very true. But if we land the 3 star PF, you can bet our fanbase will think he is better than the 8th rated one because unless you are from Indiana you cant judge basketball talent. We all know that.

if the 8th rated 5 star pf was Chris walker then yes I would rather of had the 132 rated 3 star pf Nigel Hayes

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

if the 8th rated 5 star pf was Chris walker then yes I would rather of had the 132 rated 3 star pf Nigel Hayes

[BtownBanner6 1,298]

Guys it's simple, rankings give a good a good idea on what this player can become. It's all based on potential. 5 stars can lose work ethic or stop caring as much and be a bust, while 3 stars can work their as off, get help from a good coach and explode. In the end it's all on a coach and how they read and interact with players.

[BtownBanner6 1,298]

My bad on two "a good"

[Uspshoosier 45,686]

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

Guys it's simple, rankings give a good a good idea on what this player can become. It's all based on potential. 5 stars can lose work ethic or stop caring as much and be a bust, while 3 stars can work their as off, get help from a good coach and explode. In the end it's all on a coach and how they read and interact with players.

this is just it. Odds in favor or talent as always. Go back through top50 recruits from 2012 until now. They are either in the NBA or comprise of the best NCAA ball players for the most part. A few knuckleheads waste their talents but the preponderance of these players have success.

[JSHoosier 20,241]

Rankings aren't the be all end all.  There are players that are underrated and players that are overrated; but they do a pretty good job as a guide.  Generally speaking a top 50 player has a better chance of panning out than a player barely in the top 150.  A player in the 130s or so (or not ranked at all...) isn't necessarily a diamond in the rough or the next Vic, odds are he's just not that good.

 

Players like Vic that blow up and come out of nowhere make a good story for a reason, it doesn't happen that often.

[mdn82 25,510]

There are hundreds of stellar recruiting classes that work out "just fine". Look at Duke, UK, Arizona and countless others. Using our 1 bad highly ranked recruiting class to justify mediocre results doesn't make much sense to me.

I keep seeing Arizona brought up as a barometer. They essentially are the only power team out west right now. They really have underperformed with the talent they have had. They have had multiple top 5 classes since Miller came in and have been bounced fairly early from what's expected every year.

[MartintheMopMan 7,765]

I keep seeing Arizona brought up as a barometer. They essentially are the only power team out west right now. They really have underperformed with the talent they have had. They have had multiple top 5 classes since Miller came in and have been bounced fairly early from what's expected every year.

He's been to 5 sweet sixteens and 3 elite eights since he began which is hard to argue with even though you're right. Miller has had more than one Final Four/Runner-up level team in there for sure and been unable to finish. Though, two of those losses came to the eventual champions, and his 3 best to Big Ten schools, what what! 

 

The talent level he's bringing in though is better than that. I bet Indiana fans would already be pretty unhappy he hasn't brought home a championship.

[mdn82 25,510]

He's been to 5 sweet sixteens and 3 elite eights since he began which is hard to argue with even though you're right. Miller has had more than one Final Four/Runner-up level team in there for sure and been unable to finish. Though, two of those losses came to the eventual champions, and his 3 best to Big Ten schools, what what!

The talent level he's bringing in though is better than that. I bet Indiana fans would already be pretty unhappy he hasn't brought home a championship.

Thats what I am saying. Unfair or not he hasn't been to a final four with all that talent. IMO he is the most consistent recruiter not named Calipari.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,386]

Thats what I am saying. Unfair or not he hasn't been to a final four with all that talent. IMO he is the most consistent recruiter not named Calipari.

and Coach K of course.

[mdn82 25,510]

He's been to 5 sweet sixteens and 3 elite eights since he began which is hard to argue with even though you're right. Miller has had more than one Final Four/Runner-up level team in there for sure and been unable to finish. Though, two of those losses came to the eventual champions, and his 3 best to Big Ten schools, what what!

The talent level he's bringing in though is better than that. I bet Indiana fans would already be pretty unhappy he hasn't brought home a championship.

He actually missed the tournament twice (2010 & 2012). In 2012 his team had back to back top 5 classes according to 247 composite. I think we would have plenty of people ready to walk him out of town after that. In 2009 his first year he had a top 15 class. His second year was the outlier top 40 class with one recruit. After that he has hovered around 5 every year with no final fours and upperclassmen. That's nuts.

[mdn82 25,510]

and Coach K of course.

Before Coach K got Rivers his classes were very inconsistent for about 10 years. He wasn't looked at as a great recruiter. Since then? He has been phenomenal. Even during those "down" recruiting years he was constantly out recruited by UNC.

[Brass Cannon 24,811]

Before Coach K got Rivers his classes were very inconsistent for about 10 years. He wasn't looked at as a great recruiter. Since then? He has been phenomenal. Even during those "down" recruiting years he was constantly out recruited by UNC.

It's hard to beat not having to go to class.

[ALASKA HOOSIER 11,276]

It's hard to beat not having to go to class.

Or, Not having any class.

[mdn82 25,510]

On the RMK talk, back then they didn't have so much money being spent by companies like ESPN etc nor did they have You-tube or the HUGE programs set up by Nike and Adidas funding basically all year long basketball leagues. Huge difference!

Right! Unless there was a short blip in the Journal Gazette I didn't know about a commit until he was on campus and I got a magazine.

[DChoosier 8,460]

Unless you are Bo Ryan, Brad Stevens or Bob Knight 25 years ago recruit rankings matter. And when you have a very mediocre coach recruit rankings REALLY matter. A whole bunch.

This is not a knock on RMK, as I think he is one of the best ever and I was lucky to be at IU during his glory years, but I disagree in regards to him not needing or caring about highly recruited players when he was coach. In 29 years at IU he was in 4 FF's winning, of course, three. The FF years were:

'75-76 - team was LOADED with talent with Buckner, Benson and May being among the most coveted recruits in the country.
'80-'81 - team was LOADED with 3/5 starters being McDonalds All Americans plus Wittman who played in the NBA for a decade.
'86'--'87 - in my opinion his best NC coaching job as IU's talent did not compare to other top tier teams.
'91-'92 - team was LOADED with 4 McDonalds All Americans, plus a Parade All American plus Calbert who was (even though many call him an unknown) top 50 player that was hurt his senior year in HS.

Yes, in every year you can find 5 stars that bombed and 3 stars that surprise but the odds of success are much higher, but not guaranteed, if you have class after class of highly rated recruits rather than hoping diamonds in the rough work out.


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