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

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Holy Man said:
Not to burden the kid, but a guy like this making a commitment can be the foundation of a rebuild. An ability to see beyond the crap, want to be part of something from the ground up, and taking a big risk when he has other options really says something. Programs don't rebuild with five stars, they rebuild with lower level capable competitors who are confident risk takers. I hope he commits here and sends a message.
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He’s a leader and many times they can see things others cannot.

Has he even visited another school?
 



Gopher_In_NYC said:
Txs.

From all indications, State has moved on due to other commitments - no clue about Nebby.

He’s been here twice recently, so that seems like a good harbinger.
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I felt that way about Roddy. Believe he was at a Gophers game during the week he committed.

I think Asuma commits and can be a nice piece to build around for a few years. Maybe not instant impact but he should be a solid 4 year guy. Hopefully all of them here.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I felt that way about Roddy. Believe he was at a Gophers game during the week he committed.

I think Asuma commits and can be a nice piece to build around for a few years. Maybe not instant impact but he should be a solid 4 year guy. Hopefully all of them here.
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These are the guys we can’t afford to miss out on if we want to build a program and have the Ben hire make sense from a recruiting standpoint.
 


UpAndUnder43 said:
They aren’t. Sure—some do get paid. But you think every good player is leaving their programs to go to a better program for more money? No. The problem is that guys leave lower tier programs—mid majors, low majors, D2, Minnesota—to go to better programs. But you know this.

You just couldn’t stay away. Invest your time elsewhere since you’re done with college hoops. I doubt your family enjoys your company but maybe a stray cat or something?
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Most of the top recruits...instate guys like Chatman...are getting paid.

But yes, I actually do take care of stray cats.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
LOL. What's an idiotic statement? A statement that I never made? LOL.

It's his job to put together a team under the current rules. There is a flight risk with some of them and the coach should factor that into his recruiting strategy. Ultimately, he will and should be judged by how good his team is.

If he is coaching one of the worst teams in the country, in the NIL era, in the portal era, and he is banking is roster on a top 20 recruit from California, we can all assume there is risk in that strategy. Hell, most of us wondered if Evans would ever end up a Gopher.
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It's a shame that we have to criticize and call our coach misguided because he signed a 5-star. And tell him he needs to recruit worse players.
 


UpAndUnder43 said:
100%. Can build some success. Still think Johnson is a bad coach which is tough.
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I will say that with Johnson, I was surprised what he got out of the team last year. I have been dismayed with the product this year and in some ways we have more talent and I have said so.
Those are the two data points.

If Johnson had Peyton Willis and Loewe or Stephens paired with Battle, Garcia and Payne he would look like a whole lot better coach this year.

This year has featured bad guard play and bad shooting in general and the pieces have just not fit together at all. However, this last game, I saw some real improvement in the way we are moving the ball and even some things on defense that gave me hope on his coaching.

He's an easy guy to root for and I hope he is able to take a step as a head coach, develop his guys this summer and sell a few key transfer guards on the opportunity here. The best shot we have at being a relevant program any time soon, rests on the shoulders of Ben Johnson.
 



bga1 said:
The best shot we have at being a relevant program any time soon, rests on the shoulders of Ben Johnson.
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This is true and though I’m not overly confident, there’s definitely still hope

Bring in some good guards Ben!
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
100%. Can build some success. Still think Johnson is a bad coach which is tough.
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He coached pretty well Year 1. We were in a lot of games. Something of a mystery why nothing came together Year 2 with a little more talent. The only sliver of light I see is Payne, JOJ, and Henley got better.
 

EasyThere Pilgrim said:
Most of the top recruits...instate guys like Chatman...are getting paid.

But yes, I actually do take care of stray cats.
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Did I say they weren’t?

You also are disgusted by someone who gets paid to play basketball but are totally fine serial rapists. So with someone like that, I’m not sure I want to know what you mean by “take care”.
 

EasyThere Pilgrim said:
How it our coach's fault that all the best players are paid big $ to play elsewhere?
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1. Do you think Evans was offered NIL money before committing to Minnesota? In your mind is it possible he saw this dumpster fire of a season and doubted this coach could get him where he wants to go, or is it all due to money in your mind?

2. If Evans did leave solely for money and Minnesota is lacking NIL support, don’t you think putting a winning product on the court would increase NIL support just like it would attendance. People and businesses generally don’t like to invest their time or
money in a bad investment and that’s what Ben’s gopher program is right now. That’s on him for putting a terrible product on the court.
 



EasyThere Pilgrim said:
It's a shame that we have to criticize and call our coach misguided because he signed a 5-star. And tell him he needs to recruit worse players.
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Oh lord. No one is saying that. If we had 6-8 B1G wins right now losing Evans would be disappointing but not soul crushing.

This team is a disaster. We were told to wait for the vaunted "last 5 games" and then we'd see improvement. Well now we're there and there's little improvement to cling to. So next year's recruits are the only life raft Ben has left. And Evans just poked a crater sized hole in it.
 

FWIW - like most people, I thought the name was pronounced "ah-SUE-mah."

But in the feature story that Chip Scoggins wrote for the Strib, he said the name was pronounced
"AWE-sum-ah." This has apparently been confirmed by Ryan James.

(being an old radio guy, I'm a stickler for pronouncing names correctly)
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Did I say they weren’t?

You also are disgusted by someone who gets paid to play basketball but are totally fine serial rapists. So with someone like that, I’m not sure I want to know what you mean by “take care”.
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Say your prayers, help animals, and pump iron!!!

If you have a better motto...tell me.

It certainly makes Row the boat seem like shit. I'd print that on our basketball jerseys.
 

UpAndUnder43 said:
I felt that way about Roddy. Believe he was at a Gophers game during the week he committed.
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Was Roddy quoted positively in the Strib before his announcement?

I think Ike is too classy to do that and then not commit here.

I’m also wondering what type of relationships he may have with JOJ, Payne and Carrington from AAU ball as well; those relationships often times semi to help.
UpAndUnder43 said:
I think Asuma commits and can be a nice piece to build around for a few years. Maybe not instant impact but he should be a solid 4 year guy. Hopefully all of them here.
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Gopher_In_NYC said:
Was Roddy quoted positively in the Strib before his announcement?

I think Ike is too classy to do that and then not commit here.

I’m also wondering what type of relationships he may have with JOJ, Payne and Carrington from AAU ball as well; those relationships often times semi to help.
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I don’t read the STrib. It’s not great for dozens of reasons.

Mostly was saying I don’t assume anyone is here until they are here. I don’t know Asuma so cannot speak to his character. Sounds like you know him so I’ll assume he commits.
 


UpAndUnder43 said:
I don’t read the STrib. It’s not great for dozens of reasons.

Mostly was saying I don’t assume anyone is here until they are here. I don’t know Asuma so cannot speak to his character. Sounds like you know him so I’ll assume he commits.
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I don’t know him personally, but based on articles written about him -
He has a 3.93 GPA and is in the running for valedictorian
Has a key to school gym, so he can hoop at will

Is do well respected that he was asked by the principal to tape a vid for the grade schoolers on how to conduct themselves with decorum.

He seems like a leader in every way possible, so I don’t see a chessy move forthcoming from him - past results are a good indicator of future actions
 


Gopher_In_NYC said:
I don’t know him personally, but based on articles written about him -
He has a 3.93 GPA and is in the running for valedictorian
Has a key to school gym, so he can hoop at will

Is do well respected that he was asked by the principal to tape a vid for the grade schoolers on how to conduct themselves with decorum.

He seems like a leader in every way possible, so I don’t see a chessy move forthcoming from him - past results are a good indicator of future actions
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If being “that guy” makes you feel better bro, then yo do you

OR

Read my post above where I provide further rationale for my apparent “flights of fancy”

Regardless, I’ll stay an eternal optimist, as that lane is much more enjoyable in me experience and opinion - as someone whose walked both sides of the street 🌞 & ☁️

mplarson7 said:
Hate to be that guy, but...

Reed Travis attended a Gophers game a day or two before he committed to Stanford.
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Dakota2 said:
He coached pretty well Year 1. We were in a lot of games. Something of a mystery why nothing came together Year 2 with a little more talent. The only sliver of light I see is Payne, JOJ, and Henley got better.
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What about Garcia, he's been pretty good after recovering from his injury. Hopefully will have two more years.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
FWIW - like most people, I thought the name was pronounced "ah-SUE-mah."

But in the feature story that Chip Scoggins wrote for the Strib, he said the name was pronounced
"AWE-sum-ah." This has apparently been confirmed by Ryan James.

(being an old radio guy, I'm a stickler for pronouncing names correctly)
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It's a Finnish name. The Finns accent the first and last syllables.
AH-soo-MAH

Toumela would be pronounced TOO-meh-LAH

It would be like saying Ski-u-mah by
pronouncing a strong SKY, followed by a soft you, and finished by a strong MAH. SKI-u-MAH!

Do you know a Finns favorite car?
It's the Chevy IMP-a-LA!
 


MennoSota said:
It's a Finnish name. The Finns accent the first and last syllables.
AH-soo-MAH

Toumela would be pronounced TOO-meh-LAH

It would be like saying Ski-u-mah by
pronouncing a strong SKY, followed by a soft you, and finished by a strong MAH. SKI-u-MAH!

Do you know a Finns favorite car?
It's the Chevy IMP-a-LA!
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Will be. Great name to chant at the Barn!!
 



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