All Things 2018 Gophers Basketball Recruiting Thread

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howeda7 said:
If there is not a second scholarship opening, they have to use this on a PG or a combo guard. Otherwise we are an IW injury away from another train-wreck. McBreyer at PG is only marginally better than Hoffarber.
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Agree 100%. We need a PG first and foremost.
As supportive as coach is to the players remaining on the team (even when they under-perform), I don’t expect he will push Fitz or anyone out. Who is going to really want Fitz for one year as a transfer anyway? My guess is he stays. He seems like a great guy and great teammate, so that’s ok with me, even if we would be better off from a team performance perspective if he moved on. One key point that is missed in all this transfer talk: Don’t you think team morale and unity would be negatively affected by a coach pushing someone out because they are not good enough on the court? Kudos for coach being loyal to these kids.


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Kids are pushed out all the time and have been for as long as I can remember. If you don't move on from recruiting mistakes you are putting your program at a disadvantage, because your competitors are certainly doing it. The Gophers have certainly done it before, I'd be surprised if Buggs had an option to come back for another year or if Gilbert wasn't encouraged to move on. The fact that Diedhiou stayed all 4 years was flat out odd and suggests to me that there were extenuating circumstances beyond Coach Pitino being a "good guy".
 


EG#9 said:
Kids are pushed out all the time and have been for as long as I can remember. If you don't move on from recruiting mistakes you are putting your program at a disadvantage, because your competitors are certainly doing it. The Gophers have certainly done it before, I'd be surprised if Buggs had an option to come back for another year or if Gilbert wasn't encouraged to move on. The fact that Diedhiou stayed all 4 years was flat out odd and suggests to me that there were extenuating circumstances beyond Coach Pitino being a "good guy".
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Visa issues potentially played a role there.
 

I am glad our coach is not known for Creaning his players. With that said if we get a point guard with our last spot and Reid Travis wants to come home to Mn to watch his siblings play at De Lassale it will work out.



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Bordergopher said:
Agree 100%. We need a PG first and foremost.
As supportive as coach is to the players remaining on the team (even when they under-perform), I don’t expect he will push Fitz or anyone out. Who is going to really want Fitz for one year as a transfer anyway?

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Agree on the point guard. That (or at least a combo guard) is an absolute necessity. Nothing else should really be considered. One point guard transfer name that has just popped up is Jalyn Patterson of LSU (I believe he is going to be a grad transfer but he sat out this year anyway). He was offered by the Gophers as a high schooler and he did play significant minutes for LSU over his three year career there.

Disagree about Fitz. I think he could find a D1 scholarship fairly easily, albeit a lower level one. He's about 23 years old, has good size for many schools, and has some inside/outside scoring ability. Grad transfers (I'm assuming he would be one after five years) are the most coveted recruits. They don't have to sit out and, if they aren't very good, they're only around for one year. Furthermore, they're older, more physically mature than the majority of players, and have demonstrated some ability to play and maintain acceptable academic standing. They're the perfect players to fill out a roster late in the season.
 

HOOP DREAMS said:
BS. Harris would be close to Hoff at point, McB is a much better option than Hoff and its not even close.
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Both are bad but tolerable options as a back-up. But if Harris or McBreyer are our starting PG, we're screwed. You only need to watch the Iowa game last year to see McBreyer is a not a starting PG in the B1G. Spending a scholarship on a big and leaving our back court that thin would be coaching malpractice, IMO.
 

STrib: Florida 2018 PG Tai Strickland has Gophers in his final three, sets visit

“I have a great relationship with them and they have shown they are going to give me a chance to come in and compete and earn minutes,” Strickland told the Star Tribune about the Gophers.

Strickland was offered a scholarship by Minnesota after assistant coach Kimani Young saw him play in a Florida state semifinals game March 9. Wisconsin offered him on Feb. 15, so he visited the Badgers last week. Rutgers offered him Feb. 23, so he will visit the Scarlet Knights this week.

Strickland’s flashy handles, crafty scoring off the dribble and ability to get teammates open shots made comparisons to his father, a 16-year NBA veteran, inevitable in high school. “It’s not bad,” the young Strickland said. “Definitely get compared to him often. Even though I make the right play, I’m not score-first or pass-first (point guard).”

Pitino told Strickland he would like to see him compete with current Gophers point guard Isaiah Washington, who will be a sophomore next season. Starting floor leader Nate Mason was a senior this year.

“I’ve seen them play a lot,” Strickland said of the Gophers. “I feel like I could definitely help – and the way they let Nate Mason run the offense was great. They think they have a chance at being really good in the Big Ten and all their players will be back, plus the guys they are bringing in.”

http://www.startribune.com/florida-...hers-in-his-final-three-sets-visit/477465133/

Go Gophers!!
 

I'd rather have a 4 year player like Strickland unless that would prevent us from getting Suggs and some of the other 2019+ PGs. But it shouldn't
 



HOOP DREAMS said:
BS. Harris would be close to Hoff at point, McB is a much better option than Hoff and its not even close.
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Agreed. I'd rather not be forced to play him there, but am far more comfortable with him at point than I would be Hoff or Harris.
 

Otis said:
I'd rather have a 4 year player like Strickland unless that would prevent us from getting Suggs and some of the other 2019+ PGs. But it shouldn't
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0% chance Suggs would be scared off by Strickland committing.
 

Big Ten Championship said:
I am glad our coach is not known for Creaning his players. With that said if we get a point guard with our last spot and Reid Travis wants to come home to Mn to watch his siblings play at De Lassale it will work out.



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Creaning would be over-recruiting and having your players know that one of them is going to be voted off the island, but they don't know which one. Nobody's advocating that approach here.
 

Otis said:
I'd rather have a 4 year player like Strickland unless that would prevent us from getting Suggs and some of the other 2019+ PGs. But it shouldn't
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In an ideal world, I would like us to take Strickland and another pg or combo guard grad transfer. I don't want to have to rely on a freshman backup pg. Obviously we need someone to transfer to take two players though.
 



Frank Grimey Grimes said:
In an ideal world, I would like us to take Strickland and another pg or combo guard grad transfer. I don't want to have to rely on a freshman backup pg. Obviously we need someone to transfer to take two players though.
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Agreed. Strickland is a bigger risk than a grad transfer who is three or four years older, has already demonstrated that he can play at the D1 level, and has also shown that he can survive well enough in college life.

I won't complain if Pitino takes Strickland with one scholarship but there are a fair number of people around here who are always thinking about the "future." If Pitino's team doesn't perform next year, he probably doesn't have a "future." He needs to adopt the George Allen motto: THE FUTURE IS NOW!!
 

On the latest edition of "Talk Gopher Buckets", Ryan James had a couple of interesting nuggets. The first was that he's been told by someone close to the program (I can't recall exactly how he phrased it) that the Gophers are recruiting like they have two scholarships available. The second was that someone involved in the Tai Strickland recruitment (not from the Gophers side, suggested the Badger side) told him that Strickland compares to Jordan Taylor. The other notes on recruiting were nothing we haven't heard before: Gophers are recruiting Ramey and Simons, but they both have a lot of options and Simons very likely could end up in the NBA draft, also still recruiting McGowans but he hasn't decided if he's going to be a 2019 or 2018 kid yet.

I am not sure the etiquette of sharing this information, but if you enjoyed it and want to hear Ryan's thoughts on the state tournament as well as his view of the Jarvis/Gabe battle from last week consider giving "Talk Gopher Buckets" a download from wherever you get your podcasts.
 

EG#9 said:
On the latest edition of "Talk Gopher Buckets", Ryan James had a couple of interesting nuggets. The first was that he's been told by someone close to the program (I can't recall exactly how he phrased it) that the Gophers are recruiting like they have two scholarships available. The second was that someone involved in the Tai Strickland recruitment (not from the Gophers side, suggested the Badger side) told him that Strickland compares to Jordan Taylor. The other notes on recruiting were nothing we haven't heard before: Gophers are recruiting Ramey and Simons, but they both have a lot of options and Simons very likely could end up in the NBA draft, also still recruiting McGowans but he hasn't decided if he's going to be a 2019 or 2018 kid yet.

I am not sure the etiquette of sharing this information, but if you enjoyed it and want to hear Ryan's thoughts on the state tournament as well as his view of the Jarvis/Gabe battle from last week consider giving "Talk Gopher Buckets" a download from wherever you get your podcasts.
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Thanks for the info. I know Ryan James has decent info and sources, but I can't stand his delivery or listening to him in audio form so much appreciated.

The etiquette in sharing is totally fine given that we're talking about a free podcast.
 

Simons officially to NBA Draft

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Cayman said:
Staff is apparently taking a look at Vanderbilt transfer SG Payton Willis. He was a 3 star top 150 recruit with a Gopher offer out of high school. Seems like he was a backup for Vandy, about 5 points in 18 minutes per game, 35% from 3.

https://twitter.com/coachdavidsisk/status/976854006395035649
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Assuming he has to sit out a year, so if we get him, we better get another PG that is eligible this upcoming season too. FWIW, 247 lists him as a PG.
 

Keyser Söze said:
Assuming he has to sit out a year, so if we get him, we better get another PG that is eligible this upcoming season too. FWIW, 247 lists him as a PG.
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I think I was going off of Rivals, Rivals says SG. If he can be a primary ball handler, it would make more sense, though still might be a tad underwhelming, and I’m not sure how much Pitino wants to play the long game right now, seems like he’d be more interested in someone who can contribute this coming year. That said, maybe they’re just taking a cursory look and he’s not a top target.
 

If the Gophers sign anyone who has to sit a year, I just won't get it. Don't waste the 1 or 2 available scholarships on a guy(s) who can't play this season, like they did last year with Stockman.
 


I much prefer Strickland, as I think he has more upside, and could play right away. I’m not crazy about tying up a year’s scholarship for someone that has had two below-average years. There is a reason why he is falling down the depth chart, and it’s more than just a coaching change.


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Bordergopher said:
I much prefer Strickland, as I think he has more upside, and could play right away. I’m not crazy about tying up a year’s scholarship for someone that has had two below-average years. There is a reason why he is falling down the depth chart, and it’s more than just a coaching change.


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To be fair, Vanderbilt has a 5 star guard committed for 2018 and has a decent shot at getting a second. Bryce Drew was hired between the time Willis committed and the start of his freshman year, so I’m not sure if the coaching change in 2016 has much to do with it.
 

Would Carr be eligible right away?
 


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