All Things Isaac Asuma Recruitment Thread (Class of 2024, Minnesota's Top In-State Target)

Manifestations of lack of depth. Injuries everywhere but good teams have enough depth to weather them. We never have.
Agree good teams do weather them. Most cannot handle losing 4 of their top 8 for extended periods and be a tournament team. Most can also still win more than us with what we’ve lost as well.
 



I agree, unfortunately you still need a person at the top who shows an ability to coach those he brings in. To date that ability has not been evident.
You guys all said that Clem was a lousy coach in his first 2 years. But when his first recruits got experience and became upperclassmen...suddenly he became a genius. Funny how that works.
 

You guys all said that Clem was a lousy coach in his first 2 years. But when his first recruits got experience and became upperclassmen...suddenly he became a genius. Funny how that works.
No we didn't. You don't create an alternate history to make a point. If you find yourself doing that, then you're point probably isn't one.
 




The same thing was said last year. And here we are postponing games because we don't have enough scholarship players healthy enough to play.
Last year we didn’t have the same amount of in season injuries and especially with our best players.
 

You guys all said that Clem was a lousy coach in his first 2 years. But when his first recruits got experience and became upperclassmen...suddenly he became a genius. Funny how that works.
"We" did? I was 4 when Clem started as head coach at the U, and I'm not that young. Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet, and the earth was still round back then. Did you hear a lot of grief at the water cooler while you were taking a break from your job cold calling housewives, trying to sell subscriptions to Reader's Digest?
 




"We" did? I was 4 when Clem started as head coach at the U, and I'm not that young. Al Gore hadn't invented the internet yet, and the earth was still round back then. Did you hear a lot of grief at the water cooler while you were taking a break from your job cold calling housewives, trying to sell subscriptions to Reader's Digest?
The same guys saying Ben can't coach would be saying Clem couldn't coach. Guaranteed. I've been on these message boards for 20 years...and some things never change.
 


LOL Not only was I not on this board then, which can be proven but I was more of a UMD fan at that time as I lived in Duluth. Keep it up, you'll soon hit the center of earth.
Oh...UMD fan. Big rival of the Gophers. Funny how these things come out if you press a little.
 



You guys all said that Clem was a lousy coach in his first 2 years. But when his first recruits got experience and became upperclassmen...suddenly he became a genius. Funny how that works.
Oh? I wasn't aware of that claim.

I thought Muss was the best. I wish Ben could pick up a bit of the fire Muss had. Certainly might help Ben's team on the defensive end.
 

LOL Not only was I not on this board then, which can be proven but I was more of a UMD fan at that time as I lived in Duluth. Keep it up, you'll soon hit the center of earth.
Were you a Bulldog when Dan Sojka was on the Bulldog team back in the late 70's early 80's?
 

Oh...UMD fan. Big rival of the Gophers. Funny how these things come out if you press a little.
What is that supposed to mean? I grew up there, so no shocker I was a fan of UMD then. But haven't lived there in 30 years and have been a Gopher fan since leaving. Wanna elaborate as you seem to have no point.
 

Were you a Bulldog when Dan Sojka was on the Bulldog team back in the late 70's early 80's?
Remember the name I think. I remember more when the Barnum HS team that won state had it's two best players go to UMD. Todd Lind and Robbie something.
 

Remember the name I think. I remember more when the Barnum HS team that won state had it's two best players go to UMD. Todd Lind and Robbie something.
That Barnum team got upset in the Section (Region) finals the next year.
How did this thread devolve into UMD basketball, which has always been D2 and rarely been worth talking about? Asuma won't be attending UMD unless he's also a great hockey player.
 

That Barnum team got upset in the Section (Region) finals the next year.
How did this thread devolve into UMD basketball, which has always been D2 and rarely been worth talking about? Asuma won't be attending UMD unless he's also a great hockey player.
GO BULLDOGS!!!!
 

The same guys saying Ben can't coach would be saying Clem couldn't coach. Guaranteed. I've been on these message boards for 20 years...and some things never change.
Since this nonsense keeps springing its ugly head from time-to-time, let me address your faulty logic and hopefully put this to bed once and for all (though I'm sure you'll be back spouting it again in no time).

1. The two coaches were coming in with vastly different resumes and profiles. Haskins was an outstanding college player and the #3 overall draft pick when he came into the NBA, drafted ahead of guys like Clyde Frazier, Pat Riley, and Phil Jackson. He also had 6 years of division I head coaching experience and had led two teams to the NCAA Tournament, including the year he was hired to come to Minnesota. I wasn't a Gophers fan at the time as I was living in South Dakota and in the first grade, but I have to imagine the Haskins hire was pretty well-received and his resume to that point fits the profile of a first-time high major head coach. On the other hand, Johnson was a mediocre college player, didn't sniff the NBA or any professional league, had zero head coaching experience at any level, and had an assistant tenure filled with mediocre-to-bad teams, including somehow getting a head coach fired at Xavier where almost every head coach goes on to a blue blood job. From literally the announcement of the hire, the almost-universal response was "WTF?!?!?" (see this board for proof) because everyone on Earth except the University of Minnesota administration knew that Johnson wasn't qualified for this job and didn't deserve it.

2. The 1987-88 Gophers team, Haskins' second, featured six future NBA players (Burton, Newbern, Coffey, Lynch, Bond and Maxey). SIX! Again, I wasn't watching as I was 8 years old and in South Dakota, but I have to imagine that the potential was self-evident, as all six were sophomores and freshman, and yet Burton and Newbern were both double-digit scorers, with Coffey averaging close to a double-double. The current Gophers roster is untalented and imbalanced, and if any of them ever play a second in a real, competitive, meaningful NBA game, I will be absolutely floored. You think ANY current Gophers are playing in the NBA someday, let alone six of them?

3. The 1987-88 Gophers team was 4-14, and while they did suffer a few blowouts, were generally competitive in most games and usually stayed within a single-digit margin. Meanwhile, the current Gophers squad looks completely lost on both ends of the floor, are getting absolutely destroyed in every game, and only have the one win they do have because Ohio St. is far worse than expected and didn't look like they even wanted to be there the night we played them. We will probably end the conference season 1-19, maybe steal a second win somewhere if we cross our fingers really hard and run into another disinterested opponent.

The TL; DR version:
1. Haskins had playing and head coaching experience and credibility, Johnson has neither.
2. The 1987-88 roster was young and very talented, the 2022-23 roster is not as young as people like to pretend and untalented.
3. We are getting blown off the floor in every game and haven't been in a competitive game in weeks.

Hopefully you'll stop it now, but my guess is we'll be going round and round.
 


As it directly relates to Asuma and the thread:

of those six future NBA players mentioned immediately above from the 1987-88 roster, only one was from Minnesota (Bloomington Jefferson). The other five were from Chicago (2), Detroit, Toledo, and Aurora, North Carolina.
 

I was watching a few Assuma video's.
I had made comparison's between Evans and Joel Pryzbilla in a different post.

I was thinking Assuma has the height and scoring of Devoe Joseph, but he is thicker and has more passing ability. as a jr in high school.

One could also see a taller and definitely a better shooting Al Nolan in his game as well. Al was really quick so I am not sure if Assuma is as quick with me only seeing him against class A high schoolers so far.

Any thoughts?
 

As it directly relates to Asuma and the thread:

of those six future NBA players mentioned immediately above from the 1987-88 roster, only one was from Minnesota (Bloomington Jefferson). The other five were from Chicago (2), Detroit, Toledo, and Aurora, North Carolina.
If Coach Johnson lands Asuma...it puts his recruiting right there with Clem. Evans is higher rated than Burton. Let's not rewrite history and make-believe that Clem had a bunch of highly rated recruits.
 

What are the realistic chances we sign Asuma to a LOI, and when is the earliest he can sign?
 

What are the realistic chances we sign Asuma to a LOI, and when is the earliest he can sign?
He's a Junior. He could sign next fall. The best opportunity for his family to see him play in person is the U.
 

He's a Junior. He could sign next fall. The best opportunity for his family to see him play in person is the U.
He could sign with any B10 school and his family could still see him in person once a year and then see him every game with BTN. If this was prior to BTN, Gophers would be a much bigger draw as it was almost impossible to see other B10 teams play…but BTN changed that. Maybe his family wants to come to multiple games a year, just playing devils advocate. BTN has dramatically taken away the “play in front of your family angle, as now your family can still watch everyone of your games”.
 

He could sign with any B10 school and his family could still see him in person once a year and then see him every game with BTN. If this was prior to BTN, Gophers would be a much bigger draw as it was almost impossible to see other B10 teams play…but BTN changed that. Maybe his family wants to come to multiple games a year, just playing devils advocate. BTN has dramatically taken away the “play in front of your family angle, as now your family can still watch everyone of your games”.
As has been previously mentioned Soggy, he has up to 50 members of his family watch his HS games.

You just always have to be negative, how sad. You must be a joy in everyone’s live you touch.

Can’t wait till St. Thomas gets their own fan board and we somehow have to get by without your presence. You’re not in any way shape or form a Gopher fan.
 

As has been previously mentioned Soggy, he has up to 50 members of his family watch his HS games.

You just always have to be negative, how sad. You must be a joy in everyone’s live you touch.

Can’t wait till St. Thomas gets their own fan board and we somehow have to get by without your presence. You’re not in any way shape or form a Gopher fan.
I’m sure those games are the highlights in Cherry, what else is there to do.

And BTN has hurt every big ten teams pull with in state kids, not just the gophers. If you can’t admit that your delusional.
 





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