Hasahn French will be visiting 9/23
According to Ryan James he won't be visiting until October
Hasahn French will be visiting 9/23
Hasahn French will be visiting 9/23
French is not currently ranked in ESPN's top 100, but he is the 5th best player in the state of Massachusetts and is the 36th best power forward in the country. He performed well on the Nike EYBL Circuit this summer, where he averaged 6.8 points, shot 50 percent from the field, grabbed 7.5 rebounds, and blocked 1.4 shots in 20 total games. At Peach Jam alone, French averaged 5.5 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Cardinals, who lost in the title game to Mokan Elite.
The 6'7" three-star talent has an old school big man game, as he uses his strength, toughness, power, and aggressiveness to bully opposing bigs in the painted area. French is a decent defender (because of his ability to block shots and help from the weak side), and has solid touch around the rim on the offensive end.
If he can develop a more consistent jump shot (even if it's from mid-range), there's no question that the Commonwealth Academy prospect can play at any level in college.
French would add another powerful big man to St. John's front court. Between Michigan State transfer Marvin Clark Jr., Brown and French, the Red Storm would completely overcome the lack of strength that is expected to impact the 2016-17 team.
He also has the ability to run the floor and make plays in transition, which directly correlates to the Johnnies' style of play.
The 2017 class might not be as top-heavy as the 2014 one but given Pitino had no shot at landing Tyus and Vaugn and very little shot at landing Macura and Travis, it wasn't a huge knock on him missing those guys. Missing a bulk of the 2017 guys would be a huge blow because he's going into his fourth year as the team's coach - this is when recruiting should be established and if he's striking out on everyone, that's not good.
We can be as pro or anti Gopher as we want but the talent this state is producing now is better than its ever been from a volume standpoint and if Pitino isn't cashing in on that, he's missing a big opportunity.
Now the other side of that of course is that we don't necessarily need to just recruit the hometown kids. It bugs me sometimes how much the local media (Fuller, Wolfson et all) focus only on the local guys as Gopher targets while seemingly forgetting that we seem to be in on guys like Washington. It doesn't matter where the kids come from as long as they have talent. I get that wholeheartedly. But if you've got quality players - top 150 players - in your own back yard and you can't secure them, something isn't right.
It's not over yet and it seems like they are at least positioned well to get pledges from the remaining three high-major players but because they missed on Reuvers and Davison, they've put themselves in a position where they absolutely need some of these kids to pick them. That's not what you want in the recruiting game where every prospect is a lottery ticket.
DeathClutch is right that Pitino hasn't done too poorly recruiting locally, but I see 2017 as a stumble. One sign of how far the program has fallen is the resignation that, if a blue blood or other prominent program offers one of our recruits, that all hope is lost. That wasn't always the case; under Dutcher and Haskins, the Gophs went up against quite a few blue blood programs and usually came out on top. In fact, there was quite a bit of shock when we lost Copa to Marquette, and El Amin's going to Connecticut had people asking, "What happened?" Pryzbilla was rated the No. 3 recruit in the nation. Even Monson was able to grab five-stars Rickert and Humphries.
I don't think Haskins was a great recruiter.
I haven't watched recruiting quite as closely this year as the last couple years, but would a best guess be the first to commit at each position with the most likely six candidates below?
Wright/Washington/Bede at point guard (one of these three)
John/Sims/French at power forward (one of these three)
I haven't watched recruiting quite as closely this year as the last couple years, but would a best guess be the first to commit at each position with the most likely six candidates below?
Wright/Washington/Bede at point guard (one of these three)
John/Sims/French at power forward (one of these three)
I must disagree. Check out these names.
Ariel McDonald
Randy Carter
Jayson Walton (Parade All-American, third team)
Voshon Lenard
Bobby Jackson
Courtney James (Mr. Basketball Indiana finalist)
Quincy Lewis (Mr. Basketball Arkansas)
Charles Thomas (Mr. Basketball Kentucky)
Joel Pryzbilla
All these players within seven years time. The star system didn't exist in the earlier years, but all of the players listed would have been at least four stars.
I haven't watched recruiting quite as closely this year as the last couple years, but would a best guess be the first to commit at each position with the most likely six candidates below?
Wright/Washington/Bede at point guard (one of these three)
John/Sims/French at power forward (one of these three)
Probably could throw Jacobson in the mix also.
To a hardened Gopher BB pessimist (realist?), missing out on Reuvers, Davison and Sims would signal the beginning of the end for the Pitino administration, even if they do get Wright and John. With the deepest and richest local class in recent memory, to come out with only two three-star recruits would be abysmal.
I must disagree. Check out these names.
Ariel McDonald
Randy Carter
Jayson Walton (Parade All-American, third team)
Voshon Lenard
Bobby Jackson
Courtney James (Mr. Basketball Indiana finalist)
Quincy Lewis (Mr. Basketball Arkansas)
Charles Thomas (Mr. Basketball Kentucky)
Joel Pryzbilla
All these players within seven years time. The star system didn't exist in the earlier years, but all of the players listed would have been at least four stars.
Probably could throw Jacobson in the mix also.
I KNEW I forgot someone.
I must disagree. Check out these names. Ariel McDonald Randy Carter Jayson Walton (Parade All-American, third team) Voshon Lenard Bobby Jackson Courtney James (Mr. Basketball Indiana finalist) Quincy Lewis (Mr. Basketball Arkansas) Charles Thomas (Mr. Basketball Kentucky) Joel Pryzbilla All these players within seven years time. The star system didn't exist in the earlier years, but all of the players listed would have been at least four stars.
But Pitinos recruiting as this stage of his tenure has been outstanding imo. Now. If we don't start winning soon he won't make year 5 let alone 13. But if Pitino is coaching here a long time, there is no way his recruiting won't be stellar. He works hard. And frankly, I would gather he would have same or more success if he's here that long. QUOTE]
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Dayton just got a commit from a 6'4" guard Jordan Davis tonight. Might affect the McKinley Wright situation? But this kid doesn't even seem to have a 247 profile, so idk how good he is; maybe they still want Wright.
EDIT: Also, for what it's worth, Quade Green is visiting Syracuse this weekend. He's one of those 5-star point guards they're after, and if they get him, I'd guess they don't end up offering Isaiah Washington. Granted, crystal ball still has Green as a heavy Duke lean, so I'm not getting my hopes up right now.
Wow that sucks
Sims commits to Texas Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You came here just to tell us that?
Sorry I wasn't aware that this thread wasn't for 2017 recruiting?
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