Richard Pitino on Front page of ESPN Recruiting

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When Tubby Smith was the head coach at Minnesota, the Gophers focused their recruiting efforts primarily on Middle America, anchoring themselves in Minnesota and nearby states while occasionally stretching south to states like Texas or west to California.

In the one month since Richard Pitino has taken the helm of the program, it has become abundantly clear that Minnesota’s recruiting geography is in for a significant change.

The Gophers have made it extremely clear they intend to defend their back yard. Pitino made that evident by hiring Minnesota alum Ben Johnson away from Nebraska and making an immediate push at local product Tyus Jones (Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley), the top point guard and nation’s No. 2 overall prospect in the Class of 2014.


Joel Francisco/ESPN
Abdul-Malik Abu is one of several ESPN 60 prospects in the Northeast being recruited by Minnesota under Richard Pitino.
While it remains unclear whether the Gophers will look to continue to have any type of presence in places like Texas and California, what has become obvious is that they intend to have a major presence in the Northeast.

Pitino and his two other assistant coaches -- Dan McHale and Kimani Young -- all have deep ties to the region. Pitino practically grew up in the Northeast as his father coached Boston University, Providence College and the New York Knicks. He later returned to Providence College for his undergraduate degree before making coaching stops at Northeastern and Duquesne as an assistant.

McHale is a New Jersey native who is leaving a similar position at Seton Hall, while Young is a New York native and former AAU coach with deep ties not just to New York City but to the entire Tri-State area.

In only one month on the job, the new Minnesota staff has already been extremely active in the Northeast. The Gophers’ first commitment came from Daquein McNeil, a Baltimore native currently in the New England prep school ranks at Vermont Academy who had initially pledged to Pitino at Florida International.

And in the past two weeks, Pitino and Young have both been working to develop inroads into the Northeast’s Class of 2014 by targeting, and reportedly offering, many of the area’s most talented prospects, including Goodluck Okonoboh (Boston/Wilbraham & Monson), Abdul-Malik Abu (Boston/Kimball Union Academy), Kaleb Joseph (Nashua, N.H./Cushing Academy), Marial Shayok (Ottawa, Ontario/Blair Academy) and Terry Larrier (Bronx, N.Y./The Phelps School).

In total, those five recruits represent all but one of the currently uncommitted ESPN 60 prospects playing in the Northeast.

Just how close the Gophers are to landing commitments from any of those players remains to be seen. But the message, to both recruits and competing schools alike, is clear: Minnesota intends to be in the mix with each and every one of the top prospects the Northeast region has to offer, beginning north in New England, traveling down through the Tri-State area and potentially even into the "DMV" area of Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
 

My appreciation for this hire grows with every passing day. Couldn't be happier about Teague's decision to ditch Tubby and hire Pitino.
 

MadtownGopher said:
My appreciation for this hire grows with every passing day. Couldn't be happier about Teague's decision to ditch Tubby and hire Pitino.
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So you're not exchanging hate mail with Norwood?
 



MadtownGopher said:
My appreciation for this hire grows with every passing day. Couldn't be happier about Teague's decision to ditch Tubby and hire Pitino.
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Coach P. certainly knows how to work a fanboard. I think we should wait to see how many make it on campus before we hang his jersey on the wall.

Have you had the opportunity to place me on your ignore list yet?
 


howieramone said:
Coach P. certainly knows how to work a fanboard. I think we should wait to see how many make it on campus before we hang his jersey on the wall.

Have you had the opportunity to place me on your ignore list yet?
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Not yet, more then willing to accommodate you if that is your wish though.
 



unscientific study.

Type "richard pitino working hard" into google. See how many exact matches apply to the coach

Type "<insert previous gopher coaches dating back to who cares> working hard" into google, see how many matches apply to the coach....

Smile.
 

Coach Pitino and his pack of young pups are out hustling for big dogs to join the NEW America's Team, the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
 

Evan Daniels tweeted that Allerick Freeman visited Minnesota this past week too....
 

New coach & new assistants = Welcome to the new Minnesota Mens Basketball program - Gopher Nation should be VERY happy these days..!!
 



PMG911 said:
New coach & new assistants = Welcome to the new Minnesota Mens Basketball program - Gopher Nation should be VERY happy these days..!!
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Seems very similar to how Tubby started, he brought in Minnesota's top players. Obviously, the players this time are a better tier of talent, and less likely to come here. Hopefully, he doesn't let the second tier players in Minnesota get away Samuel Dower 2009 (Gonzaga), Kyle Washington 2011 (NC state). Kyle and Sam would be perfect right now to fill our void on the front line
 

Texas and California? Tubby recruited guys from all over the continent.

Illinois
Missouri
S. Dakota
Ontario
Georgia
California
Nebraska
Tennessee
New Hampshire
Louisiana
Texas
Wisconsin
 

It seems to me that this staff is offering a lot more players than Tubby's. I might be wrong but it seemed like Tubby kind of put most of his eggs in one basket and when we missed out on players we were forced to scramble after the second or third tier players who waited for the late signing period, (Chip, Mav, Mo). I just hope we really would be happy with everyone we are offering signing. Obviously they all can't/won't come here. Hopefully we get a large percentage of recruits we "really" want.
 

shickmyjanski said:
It seems to me that this staff is offering a lot more players than Tubby's. I might be wrong but it seemed like Tubby kind of put most of his eggs in one basket and when we missed out on players we were forced to scramble after the second or third tier players who waited for the late signing period, (Chip, Mav, Mo). I just hope we really would be happy with everyone we are offering signing. Obviously they all can't/won't come here. Hopefully we get a large percentage of recruits we "really" want.
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If ya offer twenty five studs, and get three, thats better than offering four studs and getting none. It's a numbers game, sports fans. And Richard Pitino is aggressive after studs. He is a lot better a judge of potential for his needs than any of us.

Go Gophers................
 

shickmyjanski said:
It seems to me that this staff is offering a lot more players than Tubby's. I might be wrong but it seemed like Tubby kind of put most of his eggs in one basket and when we missed out on players we were forced to scramble after the second or third tier players who waited for the late signing period, (Chip, Mav, Mo). I just hope we really would be happy with everyone we are offering signing. Obviously they all can't/won't come here. Hopefully we get a large percentage of recruits we "really" want.
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I believe Mo was considered somewhat a big time recruit at the time, if I remember right he was a top 150 on rivals, but I might be mistaken, but yes, your point is valid, This staff is offering a lot more than the old staff.
 

shickmyjanski said:
It seems to me that this staff is offering a lot more players than Tubby's. I might be wrong but it seemed like Tubby kind of put most of his eggs in one basket and when we missed out on players we were forced to scramble after the second or third tier players who waited for the late signing period, (Chip, Mav, Mo). I just hope we really would be happy with everyone we are offering signing. Obviously they all can't/won't come here. Hopefully we get a large percentage of recruits we "really" want.
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No more like transfers caused them to scramble.
 

GuyFawkes said:
I believe Mo was considered somewhat a big time recruit at the time, if I remember right he was a top 150 on rivals, but I might be mistaken, but yes, your point is valid, This staff is offering a lot more than the old staff.
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No, you're definitely right. Mo was a very solid pickup and was the #9 center in his class according to ESPN. He just hasn't panned out the way we were hoping (yet).
 

Rick Pitino did not coach the Knicks, he coached the Celts.
 




Gold Vision said:
Texas and California? Tubby recruited guys from all over the continent.

Illinois
Missouri
S. Dakota
Ontario
Georgia
California
Nebraska
Tennessee
New Hampshire
Louisiana
Texas
Wisconsin
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I don't quite get the article. Our best players are from Tennessee. I mean, that's fine that Rich is sniffing around the northeast, but there are good players all over the country. I never thought Tubby was limited to Minnesota and border states for players.
 

Gold Vision said:
Texas and California? Tubby recruited guys from all over the continent.

Illinois
Missouri
S. Dakota
Ontario
Georgia
California
Nebraska
Tennessee
New Hampshire
Louisiana
Texas
Wisconsin
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Don't forget Latvia.
 


KyGopherfan said:
I don't quite get the article. Our best players are from Tennessee. I mean, that's fine that Rich is sniffing around the northeast, but there are good players all over the country. I never thought Tubby was limited to Minnesota and border states for players.
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It won't be long for the media start kissing Calamari's a$$ again instead of Pitinos'. They always like the winners because people get more excited about them. As "Gold Vision" listed here, Tubby did go all over the world.

Go Gophers
 

KyGopherfan said:
I don't quite get the article. Our best players are from Tennessee. I mean, that's fine that Rich is sniffing around the northeast, but there are good players all over the country. I never thought Tubby was limited to Minnesota and border states for players.
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Our best players are from Memphis, true. However, the best players typically come out of the NE, specifically Baltimore if my memory serves me correctly from at least what the national media believes (maybe it's just that east coast bias). Yes there are great players everywhere, but going by state I'd have to believe a large number come from the NE. I'd assume someone has done some actual research on this too.
 

scher215 said:
Our best players are from Memphis, true. However, the best players typically come out of the NE, specifically Baltimore if my memory serves me correctly from at least what the national media believes (maybe it's just that east coast bias). Yes there are great players everywhere, but going by state I'd have to believe a large number come from the NE. I'd assume someone has done some actual research on this too.
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I count 7 out of the top 50 2014s from Baltimore and the NE. 13 from MN, WIS, IL, and IND including 3 of the top 4. the NE is weak.
 

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