All Things Kerwin Walton Recruitment Thread (Class of 2020)

[USAF]

Yes, again with your uber-cynical view point. 2 of those things are speculation. Yes, if you want to assume everything plays out worst-case, then maybe 7-8 wins. But if one or both of those go the Gophers way, then it looks quite a bit different next year.

They'll need both of those things to "go the Gophers way" just to get to 7-8 B1G wins.

 

[Goldy Gopher]

This article claims that they will have a bunch of schollys open and that one of the guys I mentioned- Josh Brown is likely going into the draft. Perhaps part of Walton's hesitation there, if they are the favorite that people say- is he wants to know who is going to the NBA and who is staying...

Who can Arizona add to fill out the 2020-21 roster?

Here’s a list of targets

www.azdesertswarm.com

The Arizona Wildcats have a busy offseason ahead of them, still needing to add multiple players and, now, a new assistant head coach after Justin Gainey left for Marquette.

While the NCAA recently extended a recruiting dead period that prohibits in-person contact and on-campus visits through May 31, electronic communication is still allowed, forcing programs to get creative with their recruiting pitches.

Assuming Nico Mannion and Josh Green join Zeke Nnaji in the NBA Draft as expected, the Wildcats have eight players under scholarship for the 2020-21 season: James Akinjo, Brandon Williams, Jemarl Baker Jr., Dalen Terry, Ben Mathurin, Jordan Brown, Ira Lee, and Christian Koloko.

It’s not a highly-regarded group as no major outlets have Arizona in their early preseason rankings. But a lot can change as the Wildcats can still add as many as five players.

Yeah Mannion and Green seem like sure things to turn pro. The interest part of that list of 8 players and now 9 with the grad transfer addition is 4 are guards and another 2 are wings.

 

[skiumah1]

I still find it remarkable that Walton hasn't made a decision yet. I know it's the biggest decision of his life to date, and he's certainly entitled to do so at his own pace, but his ability to control his own destiny diminishes the longer he waits.

There is very little information left to gather. He's got the menu right in front of him, he's sampled all the offerings, and all he has to do is choose.

Could be waiting for rosters to fill out a little bit. Not the worst decision on his part if that's why he's doing it.

 

[builtbadgers]

Could be waiting for rosters to fill out a little bit. Not the worst decision on his part if that's why he's doing it.

Pretty sure that is a huge factor and very smart. Ben Carlson did a version of that hoping for his dream offer which simply did not come because it was not open. He was ready earlier and did not wait as long as Walton but considering all the factors he looks smart. Hell some kids now are even worrying about senior year requirements.

 

[NWMetroGopherFan]

I still find it remarkable that Walton hasn't made a decision yet. I know it's the biggest decision of his life to date, and he's certainly entitled to do so at his own pace, but his ability to control his own destiny diminishes the longer he waits.

There is very little information left to gather. He's got the menu right in front of him, he's sampled all the offerings, and all he has to do is choose.

It could very well be that Walton has decided, is talking to the coaches and just hasn't made it public yet. He's waiting until at least April 15 to announce it, but that doesn't mean the coaches involved in his recruitment don't already know or at least have a sense where he's headed.

I don't have any inside knowledge, but from the reading I've done its essentially down to Minnesota and Arizona.

 

[GopherBlood777]

It could very well be that Walton has decided, is talking to the coaches and just hasn't made it public yet. He's waiting until at least April 15 to announce it, but that doesn't mean the coaches involved in his recruitment don't already know or at least have a sense where he's headed.

I don't have any inside knowledge, but from the reading I've done its essentially down to Minnesota and Arizona.

I would be more surprised if he chose us over creighton

 

[Goldteam]

Man, you really are hammering this take over and over aren't you? I can tell if Pitino finishes out the spring with a good recruiting/transfer class (right now he is halfway there with Robbins in the fold), it's going to be really hard for you to admit and accept. God forbid, we get Walton or a solid wing transfer. You might have to go into Witness Protection for awhile.

You do realize the gophers were 8-12 and just lost one of the top 5 players in the Big 10.

You do realize this, right?

You might want to tone it down some. You've been burned before with it.

 

[WriterGoph]

You do realize the gophers were 8-12 and just lost one of the top 5 players in the Big 10.

You do realize this, right?

You might want to tone it down some. You've been burned before with it.

I don't think so, brah. If the Gophers get Walton, the whole narrative about Pitino not being able to recruit and having lost the plot is totally dead. Lots of haters on here praying they don't have to eat crow.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

It could very well be that Walton has decided, is talking to the coaches and just hasn't made it public yet. He's waiting until at least April 15 to announce it, but that doesn't mean the coaches involved in his recruitment don't already know or at least have a sense where he's headed.

I don't have any inside knowledge, but from the reading I've done its essentially down to Minnesota and Arizona.

Since Pitino is still quite active in the recruiting trail, this would then be a telling sign Walton isn't in our cards, no?

 

[builtbadgers]

I don't think so, brah. If the Gophers get Walton, the whole narrative about Pitino not being able to recruit and having lost the plot is totally dead. Lots of haters on here praying they don't have to eat crow.

I hope like hell he gets Walton and that would be a good job recruiting on the surface but will you admit that it has to translate to winning something significant in year 8 right. He has recruited on par with a whole bunch of programs that have easily out distanced his teams in accomplishments. Fans tend to hype most recruits which i get from a enthusiastic approach. What i do is look back to the win totals by each class. Did they win any conference titles, did they get to a final 4, did they make the NBA.

 

[alchemy2u]

Since Pitino is still quite active in the recruiting trail, this would then be a telling sign Walton isn't in our cards, no?

All it really tells is that it is not a yes.

Any coach would be crazy not to keep as many irons in the fire if all you have is a "maybe" from a target recruit. It is not like you only recruit one person at a time and start from scratch after they pass on you.

 

[builtbadgers]

All it really tells is that it is not a yes.

Any coach would be crazy not to keep as many irons in the fire if all you have is a "maybe" from a target recruit. It is not like you only recruit one person at a time and start from scratch after they pass on you.

Great post. Always recruiting.

 

[WriterGoph]

I hope like hell he gets Walton and that would be a good job recruiting on the surface but will you admit that it has to translate to winning something significant in year 8 right. He has recruited on par with a whole bunch of programs that have easily out distanced his teams in accomplishments. Fans tend to hype most recruits which i get from a enthusiastic approach. What i do is look back to the win totals by each class. Did they win any conference titles, did they get to a final 4, did they make the NBA.

I'm solely talking recruiting at this point. Obviously we can't judge the on-court results until early 2021. My point is that as soon as he was retained, nearly everyone had already written off how this recruiting period was going to play out in such a negative way.

 

[Ski-U-Ham]

All it really tells is that it is not a yes.

Any coach would be crazy not to keep as many irons in the fire if all you have is a "maybe" from a target recruit. It is not like you only recruit one person at a time and start from scratch after they pass on you.

Understood. So then, going back to post 725, I wonder what Pitino is thinking. Is it, "I really like my chances with Kerwin, but I need to keep all of these other plates spinning just in case," or I it, "Damn, I'm just not getting a good feeling from Kerwin. Oh well, time to keep on keeping on." Because if it was "I've got Walton locked up," he wouldn't still have so many irons in the fire would he? I guess we'll know for sure either when Kerwin decides or when we lock down Peterson/ Murphy/ Johnson (hopefully one of those things happens).

Also, off topic but Haarms is a grad transfer right? I assume we'd only be interested in him if Robbins is forced to sit this year. If that's the case when do we know if Robbins plays next year? Seems like we'd need to know STAT.

 

[GameDay]

Understood. So then, going back to post 725, I wonder what Pitino is thinking. Is it, "I really like my chances with Kerwin, but I need to keep all of these other plates spinning just in case," or I it, "Damn, I'm just not getting a good feeling from Kerwin. Oh well, time to keep on keeping on." Because if it was "I've got Walton locked up," he wouldn't still have so many irons in the fire would he? I guess we'll know for sure either when Kerwin decides or when we lock down Peterson/ Murphy/ Johnson (hopefully one of those things happens).

Also, off topic but Haarms is a grad transfer right? I assume we'd only be interested in him if Robbins is forced to sit this year. If that's the case when do we know if Robbins plays next year? Seems like we'd need to know STAT.

First of all, long shot that Haarms ends up here. But the pitch and plan would be for him to start this season then Robbins the following when he gains eligibility.

If by some stroke of luck the NCAA decision wheel falls in Robbins favor, you start them both. You just do, understanding that what you lose in frontcourt mobility you make up for by being the best rim-protecting team in the country.

Sorry to derail with hypotheticals, back to Kerwin.

 

[alchemy2u]

Understood. So then, going back to post 725, I wonder what Pitino is thinking. Is it, "I really like my chances with Kerwin, but I need to keep all of these other plates spinning just in case," or I it, "Damn, I'm just not getting a good feeling from Kerwin. Oh well, time to keep on keeping on." Because if it was "I've got Walton locked up," he wouldn't still have so many irons in the fire would he? I guess we'll know for sure either when Kerwin decides or when we lock down Peterson/ Murphy/ Johnson (hopefully one of those things happens).
....

Pitino looks like a straight shooter. I would think that he tries to have a heart to heart with these players and lets them know the situation that his team is in. Something along the lines that "I will try and hold a spot if your are serious, but I can only hold it for so long".. and "let me know if you have decide not to come to the U so I can give the spot to another player". I think being frank and honest is the best way to handle recruits, just like telling them playing time is available, but you need to earn it. Player don't like BS or being lied to...

 

[builtbadgers]

Understood. So then, going back to post 725, I wonder what Pitino is thinking. Is it, "I really like my chances with Kerwin, but I need to keep all of these other plates spinning just in case," or I it, "Damn, I'm just not getting a good feeling from Kerwin. Oh well, time to keep on keeping on." Because if it was "I've got Walton locked up," he wouldn't still have so many irons in the fire would he? I guess we'll know for sure either when Kerwin decides or when we lock down Peterson/ Murphy/ Johnson (hopefully one of those things happens).

Also, off topic but Haarms is a grad transfer right? I assume we'd only be interested in him if Robbins is forced to sit this year. If that's the case when do we know if Robbins plays next year? Seems like we'd need to know STAT.

He likely is leaned to one side on Walton but it does not change recruiting because you never know, especially right now.

 

[builtbadgers]

Pitino looks like a straight shooter. I would think that he tries to have a heart to heart with these players and lets them know the situation that his team is in. Something along the lines that "I will try and hold a spot if your are serious, but I can only hold it for so long".. and "let me know if you have decide not to come to the U so I can give the spot to another player". I think being frank and honest is the best way to handle recruits, just like telling them playing time is available, but you need to earn it. Player don't like BS or being lied to...

I know coaches who literally go first come first serve.

 

[Biggsohnasty]

I wonder how much Pitino is willing to wait on Walton and if it might be longer than a typical recruit given the information out there about his relationships with D1 Minnesota (Walton's grassroots team) and his lack of in-state recruiting success.

Could that be something that pushes him to wait the whole thing out even at the cost of getting burned?

Because by mid-April, if the kid is still stringing you along, I think it is fair to go in another direction and take a kid who wants to be here (assuming it is a grad transfer or transfer and not a Greenlee level player). But as we all know, the mob cares more about in-state recruiting than anything. He's aware of that. Getting Walton would be huge not only in the sense that they would be getting a good prospect, but huge in terms of potentially changing the narrative around him and in-state recruiting. That could be something that legitimately offers him new life in the eyes of the AD. Food for thought.

 

[Just Gopher It!!]

It could very well be that Walton has decided, is talking to the coaches and just hasn't made it public yet. He's waiting until at least April 15 to announce it, but that doesn't mean the coaches involved in his recruitment don't already know or at least have a sense where he's headed.


I don't have any inside knowledge, but from the reading I've done its essentially down to Minnesota and Arizona.

Would go down as The Silent Verbal if All Time!

 

[alchemy2u]

I wonder how much Pitino is willing to wait on Walton and if it might be longer than a typical recruit given the information out there about his relationships with D1 Minnesota (Walton's grassroots team) and his lack of in-state recruiting success.

Could that be something that pushes him to wait the whole thing out even at the cost of getting burned?

Because by mid-April, if the kid is still stringing you along, I think it is fair to go in another direction and take a kid who wants to be here (assuming it is a grad transfer or transfer and not a Greenlee level player). But as we all know, the mob cares more about in-state recruiting than anything. He's aware of that. Getting Walton would be huge not only in the sense that they would be getting a good prospect, but huge in terms of potentially changing the narrative around him and in-state recruiting. That could be something that legitimately offers him new life in the eyes of the AD. Food for thought.

Sorry, but he shouldn’t wait if it means he loses on another recruit that can really help the team. If getting Oturu, and having him jump to the NBA early, didn’t change the attitude of local kids or local AAU team influencers, then nothing will. The mob cares about winning, and waiting for local kids to just turn you down will not produce a winner.

 

[Goldteam]

I don't think so, brah. If the Gophers get Walton, the whole narrative about Pitino not being able to recruit and having lost the plot is totally dead. Lots of haters on here praying they don't have to eat crow.

So getting Walton, a freshman, will put us over the top.

Got it!

 

[Goldteam]

I'm solely talking recruiting at this point. Obviously we can't judge the on-court results until early 2021. My point is that as soon as he was retained, nearly everyone had already written off how this recruiting period was going to play out in such a negative way.

I thought it was more how bad we will be next year. What did I miss?

 

[GameDay]

So getting Walton, a freshman, will put us over the top.

Got it!

How can you comfortably say that he wouldn't. If this year's team had Tyrell Terry I guarantee they'd be comfortably dancing if COVID-19 didn't cut the season short.

Not unreasonable to think Kerwin couldn't have a similar impact next year for whatever team he chooses.

 

[Goldteam]

How can you comfortably say that he wouldn't. If this year's team had Tyrell Terry I guarantee they'd be comfortably dancing if COVID-19 didn't cut the season short.

Not unreasonable to think Kerwin couldn't have a similar impact next year for whatever team he chooses.

Because we lost a top 5 player in the conference, that's why! We were 8-12 with him.

I love the homerism, but seriously!

 

[bizzle22]

Coyle had an opportunity to make change. He didn't. Stop blaming RP.

No excuses necessary.

This is a different world right now. You've disagreed.

I've repeatedly asked for a list of the major conference schools to make a coaching change this season.

List them please.

 

[60's Guy]

You do realize the gophers were 8-12 and just lost one of the top 5 players in the Big 10.

You do realize this, right?

You might want to tone it down some. You've been burned before with it.

We did but last year is not necessarily a predictor for the coming year.
Robbins could be eligible. We could recruit an amazing scorer with our remaining scholarship. And maybe say Greenlee decides he wants to stay closer to home and come May Walton chooses Minnesota. Carr ends his flirt with the NBA. Ihnen becomes a Wooden candidate and Pitino figures out how to win the games we could have won last year plus gets lucky on a couple in the coming year and the Gophers go 18 and 2.
That is all not that impossible. All of it could be unlikely but maybe we substitute some other good fortune possibilities instead.
On April 6th we don’t have to finish 8th or lower. Higher is possible. It many ways it has nothing to do with last year. 2020-21 is a fresh slate.
Put some maroon in the mix to go with the gold. Sure you might be right, but nobody knows for sure today.
Go Gophers!

 

[BarnBurner]

This is a different world right now. You've disagreed.

I've repeatedly asked for a list of the major conference schools to make a coaching change this season.

List them please.

So other schools dictate what Mark Coyle does? Sorry, drizzle, Coyle makes the decisions on when and who at the U of MN. Coyle could have made an offer to a coach or coaches at any time, correct?

Coyle is responsible for results. Period.

 

[Just Gopher It!!]

This is a different world right now. You've disagreed.

I've repeatedly asked for a list of the major conference schools to make a coaching change this season.

List them please.

FWIW - maybe this helps and maybe it doesn't .

Every D1 coach receives 2 comp tickets to the FF - I think this may extend to assistants as well. So this ends up being a big party/bull session, but also a networkingl job fair. Many ADs go as well and it becomes very easy for them to interview multiple canidates in a short time, in the same place. They can sit down and see if they really feel the coach is a fit etc and find out from their agent what type of coin they're looking for - do the short list is winnoned down. The AD then communicates to their stakeholders and figures out who to offer the job to. Without the FF logistics become much more difficult and likely not possible with the current mess we're in.

No sense in rushing the hire if Coyle felt he couldn't do it the way he needed to; I'm sure he has a process he uses/is comfortable with at this point. He got us Fleck, so yah, I'm trusting he knows more about hiring a coach than anyone on this board.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

FWIW - maybe this helps and maybe it doesn't .

Every D1 coach receives 2 comp tickets to the FF - I think this may extend to assistants as well. So this ends up being a big party/bull session, but also a networkingl job fair. Many ADs go as well and it becomes very easy for them to interview multiple canidates in a short time, in the same place. They can sit down and see if they really feel the coach is a fit etc and find out from their agent what type of coin they're looking for - do the short list is winnoned down. The AD then communicates to their stakeholders and figures out who to offer the job to. Without the FF logistics become much more difficult and likely not possible with the current mess we're in.

No sense in rushing the hire if Coyle felt he couldn't do it the way he needed to; I'm sure he has a process he uses/is comfortable with at this point. He got us Fleck, so yah, I'm trusting he knows more about hiring a coach than anyone on this board.

This all sounds awesome but it isn't true.

A lot of the firing and hiring is done well before the Final Four because generally the teams firing and hiring are done weeks before this and probably decided to move on well before the NCAA tournament selection committee snubbed their 9-23 team.

If your AD is waiting for a gathering of coaches at the final four to interview...your AD sucks.