All Things Gophers Basketball Class of 2022 Recruiting Thread

Am I crazy for thinking that all this celebration for some 3 stars is a bit.... Over the top? Pitino was bringing in 3-4 stars every year. Who cares where they're from... We're still missing on the key prospects in the state.

Secondly, all the fans of the program are celebrating Johnson's hire because of these signings. Let's hold off a bit until, you know, he starts coaching.

Idk, just seems like he's getting celebrated for some pretty minor achievements before the real challenges begin.
You have to start somewhere, I don't think anyone thinks we're building a national title contender here, but how many years have we watched NCAA tourney with teams with overlooked MN kids playing key roles? Not just high end ones

Regardless of what you think of Ben Johnson hire, he was hired to keep MN kids here and build those connections that Pitino failed to do, and yes, we'd have loved to get 2 that went to MSU and Purdue, but reality is we won't get them all and Ben will have to recruit outside of MN as well.

But I see no reason 1/3-1/2 our roster couldn't be MN kids and have great success with that route
 

Am I crazy for thinking that all this celebration for some 3 stars is a bit.... Over the top? Pitino was bringing in 3-4 stars every year. Who cares where they're from... We're still missing on the key prospects in the state.

Secondly, all the fans of the program are celebrating Johnson's hire because of these signings. Let's hold off a bit until, you know, he starts coaching.

Idk, just seems like he's getting celebrated for some pretty minor achievements before the real challenges begin.
He got 3 kids to commit without having coached a game. That’s something to get excited about. That’s why we’re fans. We get excited.
 

To put it into perspective when Pitino was hired he brought in CC transfer DeAndre Mathieu, transfer Malik Smith, and Daquein McNeil. I remember being super pissed in getting these "Sun Belt" players but we won the NIT that year. Granted, the cupboard was far from bare when Pitino started here.

With that being said I think what we're getting from a rankings standpoint is ahead of where those 3 were. Plus, these guys are MN recruits which so many on here whined we weren't getting over the years.
 

Am I crazy for thinking that all this celebration for some 3 stars is a bit.... Over the top? Pitino was bringing in 3-4 stars every year. Who cares where they're from... We're still missing on the key prospects in the state.

Secondly, all the fans of the program are celebrating Johnson's hire because of these signings. Let's hold off a bit until, you know, he starts coaching.

Idk, just seems like he's getting celebrated for some pretty minor achievements before the real challenges begin.
Pitino was that bad, for too long. I'll celebrate
 

He got 3 kids to commit without having coached a game. That’s something to get excited about. That’s why we’re fans. We get excited.
I would argue that it will get harder after he has coached a season or two. Right now he is selling a blank slate, he can project what ever he wants to it. Once you wrack up a couple of 2 or 4 win B1G seasons, its harder to get people to buy into what your selling as they stare at the game tape and box scores.
 


To put it into perspective when Pitino was hired he brought in CC transfer DeAndre Mathieu, transfer Malik Smith, and Daquein McNeil. I remember being super pissed in getting these "Sun Belt" players but we won the NIT that year. Granted, the cupboard was far from bare when Pitino started here.
that would be comparable to this year's team. You'd have to go to 2014-15's incoming class to compare to the 2022 class. there Pitino brought in Nate, Bakary, and Gaston

adding: the 2014 Mr Basketball was:
Tyus Jones (Apple Valley)Wheeler Baker (Osseo)
Brian Goodwin (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa)
J.P. Macura (Lakeville North)
Reid Travis (De La Salle)

things did get better:
2015 Jarvis Johnson
2016 Amir Coffey and Michael Hurt
shut out in 2017
then oturu, gabe and omersa in 2018

 
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Pitino struggled pretty much across the board, but the one area that I think was probably the worst was his ability to develop guys. When guys like Omersa, Konate, Jelly showed up and had some talent to mold/improve, and he flopped completely at developing that. Sure sometimes guys are just overwhelmed/overrated, but good coaches at least make those guys useful role players. That was always our achilles heal, 0 depth. Like many, I have not seen a ton of the 3 kids we have for next year, but hopefully Ben can at least make them useful even if they arent top end elite players like a Holloman. Thorson gives me some hope there as David Roddy has outperformed expectations at CSU, I just cant help but wonder if he had come here for Pitino if he would have been on the pine and been a total non factor. Anyway thats my hope with JOJ who doesnt have quite the hype that others have
 

Pitino struggled pretty much across the board, but the one area that I think was probably the worst was his ability to develop guys. When guys like Omersa, Konate, Jelly showed up and had some talent to mold/improve, and he flopped completely at developing that. Sure sometimes guys are just overwhelmed/overrated, but good coaches at least make those guys useful role players. That was always our achilles heal, 0 depth. Like many, I have not seen a ton of the 3 kids we have for next year, but hopefully Ben can at least make them useful even if they arent top end elite players like a Holloman. Thorson gives me some hope there as David Roddy has outperformed expectations at CSU, I just cant help but wonder if he had come here for Pitino if he would have been on the pine and been a total non factor. Anyway thats my hope with JOJ who doesnt have quite the hype that others have
Well said and agreed. I'm anticipating this staff to do a better job when it comes to that development.
 

that would be comparable to this year's team. You'd have to go to 2014-15's incoming class to compare to the 2022 class. there Pitino brought in Nate, Bakary, and Gaston

adding: the 2014 Mr Basketball was:
Tyus Jones (Apple Valley)Wheeler Baker (Osseo)
Brian Goodwin (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa)
J.P. Macura (Lakeville North)
Reid Travis (De La Salle)

things did get better:
2015 Jarvis Johnson
2016 Amir Coffey and Michael Hurt
shut out in 2017
then oturu, gabe and omersa in 2018


I think both Coffey and Oturu said that Johnson was a big part of them coming to Minnesota after Johnson was hired, if true not much recruiting by Pitino in Minnesota.
 



I think both Coffey and Oturu said that Johnson was a big part of them coming to Minnesota after Johnson was hired, if true not much recruiting by Pitino in Minnesota.
And gabe
 


Pitino struggled pretty much across the board, but the one area that I think was probably the worst was his ability to develop guys. When guys like Omersa, Konate, Jelly showed up and had some talent to mold/improve, and he flopped completely at developing that. Sure sometimes guys are just overwhelmed/overrated, but good coaches at least make those guys useful role players. That was always our achilles heal, 0 depth. Like many, I have not seen a ton of the 3 kids we have for next year, but hopefully Ben can at least make them useful even if they arent top end elite players like a Holloman. Thorson gives me some hope there as David Roddy has outperformed expectations at CSU, I just cant help but wonder if he had come here for Pitino if he would have been on the pine and been a total non factor. Anyway thats my hope with JOJ who doesnt have quite the hype that others have
There isn't a coach in the country who could've developed Omersa and Konate into giving solid minutes at the B1G level. Pitino isn't a miracle worker.

Also did a very good job developing Nate Mason and Jordan Murphy. I had a lot of problems with Pitino's tenure here including recruiting and coaching style, but player development wasn't really up there for me.
 




interesting about Pierre and Dunn OVs coming up. Dunn refers to Pierre as "My Guy" when retweeting Pierre's final 4. Dunn has a final 8, Pierre a final four, and only Minnesota is on both lists.
Pierre and Dunn are high school teammates at Long Island Lutheran.
 

There isn't a coach in the country who could've developed Omersa and Konate into giving solid minutes at the B1G level. Pitino isn't a miracle worker.

Also did a very good job developing Nate Mason and Jordan Murphy. I had a lot of problems with Pitino's tenure here including recruiting and coaching style, but player development wasn't really up there for me.
I also agree with this, it just seemed there was not a lot of bench development. Coffey, Oturu, Mason, Murphy all became really good players under Pitino. Pitino just ended up really riding those guys and the bench was rarely used. The leashes were very short for those benchers.
 


Am I crazy for thinking that all this celebration for some 3 stars is a bit.... Over the top? Pitino was bringing in 3-4 stars every year. Who cares where they're from... We're still missing on the key prospects in the state.

Secondly, all the fans of the program are celebrating Johnson's hire because of these signings. Let's hold off a bit until, you know, he starts coaching.

Idk, just seems like he's getting celebrated for some pretty minor achievements before the real challenges begin.
So, I'm trying to wrap my mind around this. . .when Ben Johnson was hired back in March, a great number of Gopher fans, I'd guess a strong majority, questioned the hire (myself included). The reasons for criticism were well documented and continue to be expounded upon, as evidence by the recent cbs sportsline article. Then there was an exodus from the previous roster and the new players for this season were roundly questioned as being Big Ten worthy. Most fans have conceded this season is going to be rough on the court.

After Johnson's hiring, the commitments of Owen King, Cam Heide, Demarion Watson, and Tre Holloman were met with a flurry of criticism-perhaps some of it was fair, but honestly, I have a hard time seeing much of it as valid-between Johnson's time on the job and the relationships established already with those coaches of the other programs, I have a tough time finding much to fault with the Gophers efforts on the recruiting trail thus far.

Now we have three prep commits, two (Payne and Joseph) who emerged over the summer circuit as serious prospects, and Carrington who held an offer when Pitino was coach, and Johnson wrapped them all up within a few days of their official visit to the "U". All three had offers from major conference programs (Clemson and Colorado made the tournament last season) and their time at the "U" compelled them to shut down their recruiting and commit to a coach who has yet to have a game under his belt as the head guy. From all indications of those who have watched or followed the summer circuit, these guys are maturing and emerging at the right time, while others (such as Lee and Aligbe) seem to either have plateaued or diminished in competition against their peers.

And. . .we're being told to temper our enthusiasm? To not take the first seeds of a hopeful rebirth of the program, from three kids who are placing their faith in a vision and a promise and little else at this point, and being told that it's inadequate because they aren't Holloman or Heide? I'm dumbfounded at some of the expectations placed on Johnson's shoulders--I have no idea if this grand and bold chance taken by Coyle is going to pan out and I've been looking for something to be optimistic about, but from all indications, these are not warm bodies that will be overmatched from the moment they step on the court. If we can't be optimistic and hopeful now, tell me when?
If it's the approach you want to take, so be it. It seems like a miserable way to approach the Johnson era and it almost seems like there's a part of the fanbase that would rather be proven correct that his hiring was a mistake than actually enjoy the victories, in whatever form they take.
 

Pierre goes to Long Island Lutheran in Elizabeth, NJ and Dunn goes to Perkiomen School in Freeport, NY. per 247 and verbalcommits.com
Perkiomen is a Prep School in Pennsylvania. That is where Dunn will be playing this fall. He just graduated from Long Island Lutheran and played with Pierre this past season.
 

So, I'm trying to wrap my mind around this. . .when Ben Johnson was hired back in March, a great number of Gopher fans, I'd guess a strong majority, questioned the hire (myself included). The reasons for criticism were well documented and continue to be expounded upon, as evidence by the recent cbs sportsline article. Then there was an exodus from the previous roster and the new players for this season were roundly questioned as being Big Ten worthy. Most fans have conceded this season is going to be rough on the court.

After Johnson's hiring, the commitments of Owen King, Cam Heide, Demarion Watson, and Tre Holloman were met with a flurry of criticism-perhaps some of it was fair, but honestly, I have a hard time seeing much of it as valid-between Johnson's time on the job and the relationships established already with those coaches of the other programs, I have a tough time finding much to fault with the Gophers efforts on the recruiting trail thus far.

Now we have three prep commits, two (Payne and Joseph) who emerged over the summer circuit as serious prospects, and Carrington who held an offer when Pitino was coach, and Johnson wrapped them all up within a few days of their official visit to the "U". All three had offers from major conference programs (Clemson and Colorado made the tournament last season) and their time at the "U" compelled them to shut down their recruiting and commit to a coach who has yet to have a game under his belt as the head guy. From all indications of those who have watched or followed the summer circuit, these guys are maturing and emerging at the right time, while others (such as Lee and Aligbe) seem to either have plateaued or diminished in competition against their peers.

And. . .we're being told to temper our enthusiasm? To not take the first seeds of a hopeful rebirth of the program, from three kids who are placing their faith in a vision and a promise and little else at this point, and being told that it's inadequate because they aren't Holloman or Heide? I'm dumbfounded at some of the expectations placed on Johnson's shoulders--I have no idea if this grand and bold chance taken by Coyle is going to pan out and I've been looking for something to be optimistic about, but from all indications, these are not warm bodies that will be overmatched from the moment they step on the court. If we can't be optimistic and hopeful now, tell me when?
If it's the approach you want to take, so be it. It seems like a miserable way to approach the Johnson era and it almost seems like there's a part of the fanbase that would rather be proven correct that his hiring was a mistake than actually enjoy the victories, in whatever form they take.
Great post. Without hope we have nothing. The young men he recruited that accepted may not be top 75 nationally. All i care about is high character and how much they win as a team.
 

He got 3 kids to commit without having coached a game. That’s something to get excited about. That’s why we’re fans. We get excited.
This is the perfect response. I’m fans of sports teams because it makes me happy when they do well. I’m always gonna be optimistic, and if getting a couple recruits gives me some hope and makes me happy, what’s the harm in that?
 

Newest Gophers commit Joshua Ola-Joseph Q&A with GopherHole​

By Chris Monter

 



It appears that MN has its head on straight and is no longer recruiting the same kids as WI. Gotta go the Baylor route and embarrass those schools who think it is 1957. See Gonzaga 2020
 


i'd be happy with a moral victory
For me, if it's close enough to be a moral victory, I'm going to be bummed because that means we had a chance for a victory but couldn't make the big play(s) to win it.
 

For me, if it's close enough to be a moral victory, I'm going to be bummed because that means we had a chance for a victory but couldn't make the big play(s) to win it.
i'm not a huge moral victory guy overall, but this is a game I expect to lose.

I'll be disappointed....
 



I think both Coffey and Oturu said that Johnson was a big part of them coming to Minnesota after Johnson was hired, if true not much recruiting by Pitino in Minnesota.
Ultimately it was Pitino's program, be like giving Thorson all the credit now
 




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