D1 prospect Ahjany Lee transferring to Totino-Grace

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If he did play with the Byron kids all summer and pulled this......well, that's a shit move right there.

Coach finds out on social media, too.

I say, LOSER!
 

kg21 said:
If he did play with the Byron kids all summer and pulled this......well, that's a shit move right there.

Coach finds out on social media, too.

I say, LOSER!
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He played AAU all summer for D1 Minnesota. It sounds like one night a week, the Byron basketball players would also have shoot around/etc. He was at those things. So I wouldn't say he played with Byron all summer, he played much more with AAU teammates.

The kid went from one of the top prospects in the 2022 class to see his stock diminishing. It's hard to blame him for wanting to turn that around and thinking that playing HS basketball against better competition might help that.

As far as telling people on social media, yeah, that stinks. But it's a generational thing, it's not uncommon for them to make announcements like that.
 

Generational thing pulling that on your High School coach? I’d call it classless . Announcing is fine but not personally telling the most affected people ahead of time makes me personally cool on him . Does he hold a Gopher offer at this time?
 

Blackhammer said:
Generational thing pulling that on your High School coach? I’d call it classless . Announcing is fine but not personally telling the most affected people ahead of time makes me personally cool on him . Does he hold a Gopher offer at this time?
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As to the Gopher offer, it's debatable. He technically has one, whether or not it is committable at this time is up for debate.

As for the kid lacking class - - maybe. I get your point of view and I don't necessarily disagree but it's super common in this day and age. I'm not defending it as I think it's a bad trend, I just don't think Lee acted uniquely (for his generation) disrespectful.

Then again, I think his coach sounds like kind of a tw@t. The fact that he is going public complaining about how Lee notified him and how this whole thing went down probably tells you a little about him as a person. I think a grown man who probably had his career helped a bit by Lee would have kept it private. I realize Lee didn't, but the coach should have taken the high road (IMO).
 

Everyone seemingly implying it's more difficult for a public to public transfer than a public to private ... but really, with open enrollment, isn't it the same thing?

Everybody wants the same thing:
- for school: we all want it to be that any student can go to any best school (public or private) that they want to go to, so long as the school can/will have them
- for sports: making all-star teams for the new school year/season is cheating, and should not be allowed.

That's how I view it, anyway.


There should really be much fewer scenarios where it should be allowed for any MSHSL player to be immediately eligible if not playing for the exact same team as the previous season.

Should be full interviews, investigation, etc. conducted.


Totino should not be eligible for a MSHSL championship this school year in boy's basketball.
 


MplsGopher said:
Everyone seemingly implying it's more difficult for a public to public transfer than a public to private ... but really, with open enrollment, isn't it the same thing?

Everybody wants the same thing:
- for school: we all want it to be that any student can go to any best school (public or private) that they want to go to, so long as the school can/will have them
- for sports: making all-star teams for the new school year/season is cheating, and should not be allowed.

That's how I view it, anyway.


There should really be much fewer scenarios where it should be allowed for any MSHSL player to be immediately eligible if not playing for the exact same team as the previous season.

Should be full interviews, investigation, etc. conducted.


Totino should not be eligible for a MSHSL championship this school year in boy's basketball.
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I agree. Totino is starting to get out of hand. Fairness needs to be considered for schools that TG will be competing against. This is the high school season. AAU you can switch teams all you want. But high school athletics are supposed to be education based and the MSHSL is supposed to be the organization that develops, applies, and enforces the rules. Instead, they leave it to high schools to supervise themselves. Kids at schools that play by the rules get railroaded by these winter high school "AAU" type teams. It's getting to be a joke.
 

Gophs24 said:
not that this is the only sign that some of the schools have cooled on him....but his latest 3 offers have been from Cal Poly, Lehigh, & George Washington.....
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He is a nice player, soft hands, runs well. But he is not very strong, a little soft, and has limitations. He would be better off at Byron and be the focal point. At TG, he will be just another guy.
 

3399 said:
I agree. Totino is starting to get out of hand. Fairness needs to be considered for schools that TG will be competing against. This is the high school season. AAU you can switch teams all you want. But high school athletics are supposed to be education based and the MSHSL is supposed to be the organization that develops, applies, and enforces the rules. Instead, they leave it to high schools to supervise themselves. Kids at schools that play by the rules get railroaded by these winter high school "AAU" type teams. It's getting to be a joke.
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How’s it any different than Minnehaha
the last couple years or DeLaSalle, Cretin, or Hopkins in the last 15-20 years?
 

Gopherfan84 said:
How’s it any different than Minnehaha
the last couple years or DeLaSalle, Cretin, or Hopkins in the last 15-20 years?
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Not acceptable excuse.

Your neighbor getting away with tax evasion for the last 15-20 years is not legal justification for you to start doing it.

Needs to be cracked down upon for all, now!
 




The other, maybe "easier" solution is to just kick private schools out of MSHSL.

Some states do it that way, and it is what it is.
 


Gopherfan84 said:
How’s it any different than Minnehaha
the last couple years or DeLaSalle, Cretin, or Hopkins in the last 15-20 years?
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Hopkins, DeLaSalle, and Cretin (along with Mpls. North) have a tradition of winning for the past 30+ years. When did Totino become a hotbed for boys basketball? Besides hiring a head coach that uses his platform to manipulate players and their families to attend their school what have they done to attract high level players and transfers?
 



SoMpls said:
Hopkins, DeLaSalle, and Cretin (along with Mpls. North) have a tradition of winning for the past 30+ years. When did Totino become a hotbed for boys basketball? Besides hiring a head coach that uses his platform to manipulate players and their families to attend their school what have they done to attract high level players and transfers?
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Very valid point. Again not saying it’s right or ok, but it was quite predictable that it was going to happen when he was hired by anyone who knew his background. Every successful program has their start. Hopefully they opt up if they continue on this path.
 

adchester said:
Probably will stay with someone on the Totino team during the week and go back to Byron on weekends. The way I understand it when going to a private school, you just have to move out of your current district, so the family could've just moved from Byron to Kasson and he could enroll at Totino without sitting out
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Ll
Bob_Loblaw said:
Yeah, the MSHL makes no distinction between private and public school transfers. The default position is that you must sit out a season unless they change their address. This is obviously bizarre for private schools, but it's the rules. The student can then appeal and point to exigent circumstances.

I'm sure JOJ and/or Lee will just change their address to get around it. "Live" with a teammate or family member. If you change your address, I don't think it even needs to be outside the school district. For example (hypothetical), if Lee lived in Byron with his mom and "moved" next door to live with his dad, he wouldn't have to sit out to transfer when he transfers to Totino Grace.
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SoMpls said:
Hopkins, DeLaSalle, and Cretin (along with Mpls. North) have a tradition of winning for the past 30+ years. When did Totino become a hotbed for boys basketball? Besides hiring a head coach that uses his platform to manipulate players and their families to attend their school what have they done to attract high level players and transfers?
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Thorson when he was at D was as guilty as anyone with the manipulation for his own benefit.
 

Post-Thorson, but Cade Haskins now at Dartmouth transferred from Washburn to DLS before the start of his 2nd semester of freshman year. He played JV until 2nd semester of soph year.
 

SoMpls said:
Hopkins, DeLaSalle, and Cretin (along with Mpls. North) have a tradition of winning for the past 30+ years. When did Totino become a hotbed for boys basketball? Besides hiring a head coach that uses his platform to manipulate players and their families to attend their school what have they done to attract high level players and transfers?
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They are now give full scholarships to some of their "recruits". This just started a couple of years ago. Osseo fellah that committed to MN is now going to go to some prep school out of state.
 

Spottedmuskie said:
Semi related, former Minnehaha elite shooter Donovan Smith has transferred to Spire in Ohio. Same school Terry Locket went to for a year before rejoining Minnehaha. Locket played with Lamelo Ball for that one season
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The word was that Donovan Smith had repeated a grade after seventh and would not have been eligible by MSHSL rules this season, thus the move to a prep school. There is talk that there are as many as seven other players might not be eligible to play in the high school ranks this year and could wind up transferring.
 

jovs said:
Ll


Thorson when he was at D was as guilty as anyone with the manipulation for his own benefit.
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My point was DeLaSalle had a history of success even before Thorson. Totino hasn’t been relevant in boys basketball in over 15 years and they’re Head Coach has a minimal coaching resume before getting the TG job. Now they’re getting the top prospect in the state?
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
As to the Gopher offer, it's debatable. He technically has one, whether or not it is committable at this time is up for debate.

As for the kid lacking class - - maybe. I get your point of view and I don't necessarily disagree but it's super common in this day and age. I'm not defending it as I think it's a bad trend, I just don't think Lee acted uniquely (for his generation) disrespectful.

Then again, I think his coach sounds like kind of a tw@t. The fact that he is going public complaining about how Lee notified him and how this whole thing went down probably tells you a little about him as a person. I think a grown man who probably had his career helped a bit by Lee would have kept it private. I realize Lee didn't, but the coach should have taken the high road (IMO).
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Agree Bob that the coach may not be all there as to people skills. Coach should take the high road. Will see if more comes out of all this.
 

#2Gopher said:
Agree Bob that the coach may not be all there as to people skills. Coach should take the high road. Will see if more comes out of all this.
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Coach should take the high road but has every reason to be upset. Invested in the kid as part of his program only to get poached by a coach who has no integrity when it comes to coaching professionalism
 

SoMpls said:
Coach should take the high road but has every reason to be upset. Invested in the kid as part of his program only to get poached by a coach who has no integrity when it comes to coaching professionalism
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Of course he can be upset but he shouldn't have given interviews in the newspaper dragging the kid. It's tacky, especially considering no one would have been interviewing him but for Ahjany Lee. The Lee family gave a tremendous amount to Byron Basketball. He likely felt his stock slipping and thought playing better competition could fix that. It's hard to blame the kid. How he did it? Yeah, that sucked, but why he did it? Makes sense to me.
 

Take it from me - if another school thinks that School X is somehow violating the transfer rules, they will be the 1st to contact the MSHSL and complain.

had a deal a while back in SW MN. Kid switched school districts on a family move. but his new school held him back a grade level for academic reasons. Kid got to be a senior and a good FB player. His old school realized that he still playing when his former classmates had graduated, and they blew the whistle. Kid was declared ineligible and new team had to forfeit every game he appeared in that season.

And - to be fair - most transfers are for legitimate reasons - family move, new job, divorce, etc. All of the complaining is over a very small number of kids who try to game the system for athletic reasons.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Take it from me - if another school thinks that School X is somehow violating the transfer rules, they will be the 1st to contact the MSHSL and complain.

had a deal a while back in SW MN. Kid switched school districts on a family move. but his new school held him back a grade level for academic reasons. Kid got to be a senior and a good FB player. His old school realized that he still playing when his former classmates had graduated, and they blew the whistle. Kid was declared ineligible and new team had to forfeit every game he appeared in that season.

And - to be fair - most transfers are for legitimate reasons - family move, new job, divorce, etc. All of the complaining is over a very small number of kids who try to game the system for athletic reasons.
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Sorry but after-the-fact retroactive forfeits mean jack squat to me. Players and coaches played the games, won them, they, fans, parents/families got to experience those wins. Those wins prevented other teams from winning and/or moving on in the bracket.

That is a failure.

Give me something to sign that the Totino-All-Stars should not be eligible for the MSHSL championship in boy's basketball, and I will absolutely sign it.
 

MplsGopher said:
Sorry but after-the-fact retroactive forfeits mean jack squat to me. Players and coaches played the games, won them, they, fans, parents/families got to experience those wins. Those wins prevented other teams from winning and/or moving on in the bracket.

That is a failure.

Give me something to sign that the Totino-All-Stars should not be eligible for the MSHSL championship in boy's basketball, and I will absolutely sign it.
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You would have hated a couple of the high school hockey teams I was on. We had one team that had 14 future D1 and four future NHLers on it. Still didn't win state. Ironically when most of those guys were gone we won state in a "rebuilding" year
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Of course he can be upset but he shouldn't have given interviews in the newspaper dragging the kid. It's tacky, especially considering no one would have been interviewing him but for Ahjany Lee. The Lee family gave a tremendous amount to Byron Basketball. He likely felt his stock slipping and thought playing better competition could fix that. It's hard to blame the kid. How he did it? Yeah, that sucked, but why he did it? Makes sense to me.
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His stock slipped when he started playing better competition on the AAU circuit. His transfer has nothing to do with the level of competition. It’s not like he averaged 30 at Byron. He’s transferring because the TG coach can use his platform to hopefully raise his stock. Not blaming the kid but will blame his parents and the TG coach. Your blatantly poaching kids from other schools and having them transfer. It’s at worst classless and unethical
 

Again, if anyone has proof that MSHSL rules were violated, send your info to the MSHSL. I guarantee you that another coach would do that in a heartbeat - IF they had actual proof and not just hearsay or speculation.

If the previous President had actual proof of fraud, he would be the current President.

(Hey, maybe the My Pillow guy has some proof of MSHSL violations...)
 

SoMpls said:
His stock slipped when he started playing better competition on the AAU circuit. His transfer has nothing to do with the level of competition. It’s not like he averaged 30 at Byron. He’s transferring because the TG coach can use his platform to hopefully raise his stock. Not blaming the kid but will blame his parents and the TG coach. Your blatantly poaching kids from other schools and having them transfer. It’s at worst classless and unethical
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Well yeah, that's why Totino Grace would like him to go there. He will help them win. That's pretty simple. Is it classless and unethical? Meh. I highly doubt most coaches who hate it would turn down a talented kid from transferring there. This is especially true if you thought you could help that kid. The Minnehaha kids all turned their backs on their youth programs, I'm guessing they are all happy with that choice.

Why does Lee want to go Totino is the question? I'm not saying he is right, but I think it's pretty clear that HE thinks playing against better competition will help him. I really have no idea if it will work or not, but I think it's pretty clear his intentions are to attempt to improve his stock. I can say with quite a bite of certainty that if you asked Ahjany Lee why he is transferring he wouldn't say "I want to help raise the stock for the TG coach."
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Well yeah, that's why Totino Grace would like him to go there. He will help them win. That's pretty simple. Is it classless and unethical? Meh. I highly doubt most coaches who hate it would turn down a talented kid from transferring there. This is especially true if you thought you could help that kid. The Minnehaha kids all turned their backs on their youth programs, I'm guessing they are all happy with that choice.

Why does Lee want to go Totino is the question? I'm not saying he is right, but I think it's pretty clear that HE thinks playing against better competition will help him. I really have no idea if it will work or not, but I think it's pretty clear his intentions are to attempt to improve his stock. I can say with quite a bite of certainty that if you asked Ahjany Lee why he is transferring he wouldn't say "I want to help raise the stock for the TG coach."
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So you’re an apologist and that’s fine?! If you think he’s going to TG for better competition you’d be wrong. Like I said, playing top competition is the reason his stock dropped. I do agree he’s going there to raise his recruiting stock and that’s the only reason. But why would he do that at TG? Is it because he’s a big-time coach at a basketball powerhouse? Or is because the head coach runs a for-profit national recruiting service? I’m gonna say it’s the later… and what does Minnehaha and youth programs have to do with anything? Coming as a freshman is much different then poaching D1 juniors and seniors to transfer like TG has done the past 2 years. Definitely unethical. Who transfers from Byron MN to Totino Grace? I’m sure those conversation were ongoing all summer while Lee played for D1 MN.
 

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