All Things 2018 Gophers Basketball Recruiting Thread

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RatherBeGolfing said:
Not a huge fan of offering kids at this point in the cycle. Outside of the elite kids waiting to commit at the McDonald's game, most are still available for a reason. Would much rather explore the transfer market than a HS guy at this point
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2018 kid. Still a junior.
 


My apologies... I read it as 2017 even in the 2018 thread. Ignore me, time to call it a day
 




Adams looks steady, if unspectacular. Reminds me of Nate Mason with his change of pace
 


RatherBeGolfing said:
Not a huge fan of offering kids at this point in the cycle. Outside of the elite kids waiting to commit at the McDonald's game, most are still available for a reason. Would much rather explore the transfer market than a HS guy at this point
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This is a 2018 kid not a 2017 kid though. I hear what you're saying, spring recruits are rarely a good idea. But I don't think this qualifies.


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jmag21 said:
This is a 2018 kid not a 2017 kid though. I hear what you're saying, spring recruits are rarely a good idea. But I don't think this qualifies.


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And again, as I clarified above, I made a mistake and thought I was reading through the 2017 thread. Disregard my comment
 



Hopefully this season gets kids excited about us. We have a lot of slots to fill for a 2018 team that should be coming off an even better year than this year. We've seen pitino recruit well after a bad year. Let's see what he can do off a huge turnaround.


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Otero, Thompson, Kalesheur, and Jones please!
 

I have been attending a lot of high school games trying to see the 2018 recruits. Rather than fighting the crowd at Champlin Park I went to Delano vs. Orono last night. I was shocked, in a positive way, at how good Calvin Wishart is! And not just because he scored 30 (I think he actually struggled with his three point shot last night); his overall game is excellent and I was especially surprised at how quick he is. Plays with a great deal of energy on both ends of the court. Could be a good shooting prospect for the Gophers. Second to Oturu, Wishart has been the most impressive I have seen in the 2018 class (I have not seen Tre this year, yet).
 

I've seen Wishart a couple times. Interesting player. Lacks explosiveness but can certainly put the ball in the bucket. Unfair to him, but his team is lacking which makes it hard to see how good he really is.

I wouldn't think he is the best the Gophers can get but could be wrong.
 



It's hard to gauge how good a player is from watching high school hoops. Even if we all feel AAU is ruining basketball, it really does provide an opportunity to watch the best compete vs the best and get a sense of how good a player can be at the next level
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I've seen Wishart a couple times. Interesting player. Lacks explosiveness but can certainly put the ball in the bucket. Unfair to him, but his team is lacking which makes it hard to see how good he really is.

I wouldn't think he is the best the Gophers can get but could be wrong.
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Delano is top 10 in their class and have beaten some really good teams. I wouldn't say his team is "lacking".
 

Wishart is a stud. A treat to watch. Not sure he's a Big 10 guy though - then again he could be a guy that goes and whoops up on people at the mid major level and we are left wishing we would've taken him.

I guess I'd consider him a solid fallback option or late signing if we also add 3 or 4 other high quality guys. You get Oturu, Thompson, maybe AJ Green and Sidney Wilson and you can afford to take a kid that might be more of a project play.
 

manderson1984 said:
Delano is top 10 in their class and have beaten some really good teams. I wouldn't say his team is "lacking".
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Where do you see them in the top 10? NHR would disagree.

A few people seem to really like the kid. I just don't think he would help the Gophers
 


A nonymous said:
Adams looks steady, if unspectacular. Reminds me of Nate Mason with his change of pace
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I agree he has that quiet to explosion that looks just like Mason. Coaches see something they like I won't second guess.
 

Regarding Adams: Do you suppose the thinking is that it will be difficult to recruit a top-flight point guard the year after landing Washington? Yet, we need two point guards, so it is a position of need. If we could land another Nate Mason, who somewhat flew under the radar when we signed him, that would be a great addition. Assuming Washington is everything we expect him to be (big assumption), then we probably need 10-15 minutes a game from the backup. And in a couple of years, we go hard after another top-flight point. Thoughts?


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Bordergopher said:
Regarding Adams: Do you suppose the thinking is that it will be difficult to recruit a top-flight point guard the year after landing Washington? Yet, we need two point guards, so it is a position of need. If we could land another Nate Mason, who somewhat flew under the radar when we signed him, that would be a great addition. Assuming Washington is everything we expect him to be (big assumption), then we probably need 10-15 minutes a game from the backup. And in a couple of years, we go hard after another top-flight point. Thoughts?


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When Washington is a Sophomore, we will still have McBreyer and hopefully Coffey and Harris is considered a combo guard, so between the three I think we can get 10-15 minutes of PG out of them, already are with Dupree and to a lesser extent Coffey this year. On the flip side can never have enough good ball handlers, the 2010-2011 season and the end of last year come to mind as to why, but I would say getting pieces to the front court will be the most important need, will need another 2/3 type as well.
 

Didn't Pitino say he tries to recruit the PG position every year?
 

I want Mason to be the one who ends up establishing Minnesota as "Point Guard U" like Georgia Tech was in the late 80s/early 90s. With Washington following Mason it would then be awesome to follow him with Suggs. A fan can dream...
 

Follow Washington with Jones or Green. DeLaSalle's got a PG in the 2019 class that will attract DI looks. Then get Suggs (1 and done) and keep adding. Heck maybe one of Suggs' teammates at Minnehaha (Kaden Johnson or Terry Lockett) can come with him and be something of a combo guard.
 



There aren't many 2018 commits yet across the country, but Scout lists Gophers as the 10th best recruiting class in the nation as of now.

#10 Minnesota

Minnesota had success on and off the court this year. On it the Gophers reeled off 23 wins, off of it they picked up an early pledge from No. 64 Daniel Oturu, a native of Minnesota. Oturu, the No. 8 center, is a good athlete. He's mobile, runs the floor well, does a good job of protecting the rim and is a willing rebounder. Oturu is a very good start to the Gophers 2018 class.
Notable Commitments: Daniel Oturu (64)

http://www.scout.com/college/basketball/recruiting/story/1760978-2018-top-10-class-rankings

Go Gophers!!
 



Q&A: Race Thompson Talks Recruiting, Reaction to Daniel Oturu Committing to Gophers
By Chris Monter

http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/773255?referrer_id=331171

Race Thompson, a 6-foot-7 junior forward from Robbinsdale (MN) Armstrong, is one of the top big men in the Midwest in the Class of 2018 and is considered the number three prospect from Minnesota in the class. Thompson received a scholarship offer from Minnesota last year.

Thompson averaged 20.1 points and 8.9 rebounds per game this season for the Falcons, who finished 18-9, losing to crosstown rival Robbinsdale Copper 82-74 in the first round of the Section 6AAAA playoffs. He scored in double figures in all 27 games, including a season-best 36 points versus Totino-Grace and has had twelve more other games of 20 or more points and another contest of more than 30 points, scoring 33 in the playoff loss to Cooper.

Gopher Hole caught up with Thompson Wednesday as he watched the Class AAAA State Tournament to talk about the latest on his recruitment and junior season.

Gopher Hole: You are here watching the games at the state tournament. What is it going to take for Armstrong to be here next year?

Race Thompson: Just a lot of time in the gym. We are getting a new section, I think this next year, so we just have to come to this season prepared, ready to go and just be prepared to win the games and get here and take over the state tournament.

Gopher Hole: You had a really good regular season. Unfortunately, you played your big crosstown rival in the first round of the playoffs. What happened that night?

Race Thompson: I wouldn't say anything in particular. Our point guard got hurt, which was tough for us, but no excuses. We could still have won that game, but it is a rivalry game, so we both had a lot of energy coming into the game. They didn't have the best regular season. They wanted to beat us. We wanted to beat them and it was just a good game, all-around and they just came out on top.

Gopher Hole: Is getting knocked out a little earlier than you had hoped a motivating factor for the returnees next year?

Race Thompson: Oh, yes. It definitely is. We have already been in the gym a couple of times, getting ready for next year. Just trying to get better every day is the goal.

Gopher Hole: The next thing you are getting ready for is AAU season. What are the expectations? I know that you guys will have not only one of the better teams in the state, but in the Midwest.

Race Thompson: We definitely think that we have the best team in the country. We don't think that anyone can play with us. We are just going to go into all of our tournaments, The Gaunlet and play hard as we can and try to win every game we can.

Gopher Hole: What things are you really trying to work on now that the season is over to continue to improve yourself as a player?

Race Thompson: Just being able to be more versatile. Get more versatile than I already am. Just working on ball handling, shooting and all that other stuff.

Gopher Hole: Did you get a chance to go to many college basketball games this season? I know it is tough with your own high school schedule.

Race Thompson: I went Baylor, Marquette, Iowa State, Northwestern. I went to Minnesota, of course.

Gopher Hole: How many Gopher games did you get a chance to make it to?

Race Thompson: I made it to two or three.

Gopher Hole: Minnesota was 8-23 last year, but were one of the most improved teams this season. Does that change how you look at them at all?

Race Thompson: To go to a bigger school, I'm not really looking how they are doing. I'm just trying to feel comfortable with where I am at. I want to feel at home. That is the main goal.

Gopher Hole: The Gophers got a commitment from another junior, Daniel Oturu. Do you know him very well?

Race Thompson: Me and Daniel talk a lot. I'm not going to say that is going to influence my decision, but it is cool to see one of my friends going there and that is definitely in the back of my mind when I make my decision.

Gopher Hole: Has he tried to work on you a little bit, though?

Race Thompson: A little bit as a joke, but he knows the process and knows what people look for in schools, so he knows that doing that is not really going to change anything.

Gopher Hole: When you finally pick a school. What are going to be the main factors that make you pick School A over School B or C?

Race Thompson: I would say style of play. Where they see me playing and relationships.

Gopher Hole: How many offers are you up to right now?

Race Thompson: Eleven. (Nebraska, Iowa State, Baylor, Minnesota, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, Arizona State, Marquette, Northwestern, Creighton and Kansas State.)
.
Gopher Hole: Any other schools besides those eleven that you are hearing from a lot?

Race Thompson: I hear from Butler, Michigan, Michigan State and Texas. That is all I can think of right now.

Gopher Hole: Do you watch the NCAA Tournament that much?

Race Thompson: Yes. I watch it.

Gopher Hole: What would it mean to maybe play in the NCAA Tournament?

Race Thompson: I think that I have a good chance of playing in the NCAA Tournament, if I pick my school. It would definitely be a cool thing because everybody in the country watches it. Everybody fills out a bracket, so that is definitely cool.

Gopher Hole: Did you fill out a bracket?

Race Thompson: No, I didn't.
.
Gopher Hole: Do you have a team that you would like to win?

Race Thompson: No. I don't really have a team. I just watch them.

Gopher Hole: When you watch college games, what do you watch for? Do you watch players who play your position or what do you watch?

Race Thompson: I would say that I watch the whole game, but I guess that I would say that I watch the game different now that I know what I am going to play, where I am going to play, so I probably just watch my position and style of play.

Gopher Hole: Next year, you are going to be a senior. Is that kind of weird?

Race Thompson: It is definitely weird. These past three years went super fast, so just try to make the most of my senior year.

Gopher Hole: What is it going to mean to play Division I basketball?

Race Thompson: It means a lot. I put a lot of work in and it is going to pay off one of these days, so that is the main thing.
 

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