Shooter: Spotlight grows for Minnesota basketball prodigy Tyus Jones

[BleedGopher]

Shooter Now: Spotlight grows for Minnesota basketball prodigy Tyus Jones
By Charley Walters
Updated: 06/22/2010 11:25:30 AM CDT

Minnesota's next basketball prodigy, Tyus Jones, could get some national exposure soon.

Word in basketball circles is that the 6-foot, 165-pound incoming Apple Valley High ninth-grader, who turned 14 years old last month, was invited to try out for the USA junior national (16-and-under) team and is expected to accept.

Jones, who is also an exceptional quarterback and a pitcher-shortstop, has decided to at least temporarily bypass football and baseball to focus on basketball, and this summer is playing for the Howard Pulley Under-16 team that recently was invited to the prestigious Peach Jam in South Carolina.

Jones' father, Robert, said football "keeps me nervous" about Tyus, whose baseball fastball has been clocked at almost 80 mph.

Tyus said it wasn't easy to pass up baseball and football for the time being.

"Very tough; our family talked about it for quite a while," he said.

Jones is a pass-first, shoot-second point guard who already has the University of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan State drooling over his play, although no one has offered a tender yet. He is soft-spoken, articulate and an A student.

"I've always been a Michigan State fan," Tyus said, "but I'm not thinking about college too much now. The Gophers are an option also. We'll just have to see. Most likely, I would wait to see how everything plays out."

Meanwhile, forget the rumors, Jones' father said, that he's transferring to Hopkins.

"Not true," he said.

http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_15350023

Go Gophers!!

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

I like everything except for this.

"I've always been a Michigan State fan," Tyus said, "but I'm not thinking about college too much now. The Gophers are an option also. We'll just have to see. Most likely, I would wait to see how everything plays out."

 

[ShowinGoldyLove]

"I've always been a Michigan State fan." Then...."the Gophers are an option also."

Someone should be coaching this kid on PR; even though he's only in 9th grade, you really don't want to rile up your home state fan base with a perceived snub. Even if it came out wrong...he has to be smarter than that...

 

[thadevoeshow]

HE IS ONLY IN 8th GRADE!
I doubt that the coaches at MN will care two years down the line that he said what he said. It doesn't sound like he actually meant to come off that way, thats just how it was taken.
I think the fans in Mn actually need to worry more about how they would come off to him, He is a can't miss prospect right now, so don't piss him off, lol

 

[coolhandgopher]

What devoeshow said.

Someone coaching Jones on PR, when he makes an innocuous comment about always liking Michigan State and follows that in the next breath that he's not thinking about college right now? From a kid who's yet to begin high school, who won't play with any current players on the Gophers or Spartans or any other college team except for those who redshirt/transfer and last til their senior years? Who by the time he arrives on campus could see some of the major names in coaching retired, struggling, in the NBA, etc?

While Jones certainly is intriguing as a prospect, I have a feeling the next four years on the GH will be how to say, overzealous, overwhelming, overwrought (pick your choice of over) when Tyus Jones' name is brought up in conversation. From a veteran of the GH who has followed the previous dramas surrounding Rick Rickert, Kris Humphries, Bryce McNeal, Seantrel Henderson, and several others I think I'll stock up on the Tylenol now.

 

[underground629]

Not a very good sign already

 

[howeda7]

Not a very good sign already

Oh good lord. Who on this board, most of whom were not D-1 athletes, can say they knew where they wanted to go to college when they were in 8th grade? Next to none, I'm guessing. Sure, it'd be nice if he'd say it's his life-long dream to be a Gopher, but even then, it wouldn't mean much. I'd say a nice Sweet 16 or two sometime in the next 3 years would go a long way to swaying him, don't ya think? Either way, I imagine he'll change his mind a few hundred times in the next few years, and I'd suggest spending your time doing something other then worrying about it.

 

[Brew_recruit]

"I've always been a Michigan State fan." Then...."the Gophers are an option also."

Someone should be coaching this kid on PR; even though he's only in 9th grade, you really don't want to rile up your home state fan base with a perceived snub. Even if it came out wrong...he has to be smarter than that...

HE IS 14 YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW anyone who gets mad at a 14 year old for liking a big ten team that has been as successful as State has been is completely out of touch with reality. You seem like the kind of guy who gets a few beers in him and cusses out the 10 year old wearing the badgers shirt as you walk to the arena.

 

[KyGopherfan]

The current coaching staff won't even be here when Tyus enrolls as a freshman.

 

[vinko bogataj]

HE IS 14 YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW anyone who gets mad at a 14 year old for liking a big ten team that has been as successful as State has been is completely out of touch with reality. You seem like the kind of guy who gets a few beers in him and cusses out the 10 year old wearing the badgers shirt as you walk to the arena.

I live in Apple Valley and am more connected to the hockey program than basketball, but by all accounts Jones is a polite kid who happens to excel at hoops. I wouldn't read much into his comments either and your points on MSU are dead on. They've been successful, have a classy coach in Izzo and have been a nice national success story given their success in a state that has faced challenges beyond even the norm with the national economy. Considering that, what's not to like about them. As to Jones, I'm certain that at the end of the day, Tubby will be in the hunt for him.

Lastly, in fairness to the poster you ripped, you should at least acknowledge that as a general rule most 10 year old's (actually about 8 and over) wearing Badger shirts are drunk and cussing a blue streak themselves anyhow, so it might just be reciprocation.

 

[jovs]

The current coaching staff won't even be here when Tyus enrolls as a freshman.

Hard to predict what is going to happen tommorow much less five years down the line, why it's even part of the discussion other than this kid from Minnesota is good, is kind of funny.

 

[ShowinGoldyLove]

HE IS 14 YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW anyone who gets mad at a 14 year old for liking a big ten team that has been as successful as State has been is completely out of touch with reality. You seem like the kind of guy who gets a few beers in him and cusses out the 10 year old wearing the badgers shirt as you walk to the arena.

You obviously aren't much older than Tyus yourself.

To those that have issues with what I said; it's simple: I understand he is now a freshman in high school. I understand he is young. I also understand that he probably admires MSU. I have no problem with that. I know exactly what he's talking about, and I'd be thinking the exact same thing. MSU is a better program than ours, with a stronger tradition in the last 20 years, with arguably the best collegiate coach in America.

I'm not "mad" at the kid, nor am I out of touch with reality. What I'm attempting to say, is that for his sake, he needs to be coached on playing up the home state team, even if he ultimately decides against it; it's just the PC thing to do for athletes (ala Cole Aldrich, Seantrel Henderson, etc.).

Ultimately, I don't care where Jones or any other kid goes; they have to go where they want to play. However, it'll be much easier on them and their family if they "play the game" with the home state in the long run.

 

[Facts34]

You obviously aren't much older than Tyus yourself.

To those that have issues with what I said; it's simple: I understand he is now a freshman in high school. I understand he is young. I also understand that he probably admires MSU. I have no problem with that. I know exactly what he's talking about, and I'd be thinking the exact same thing. MSU is a better program than ours, with a stronger tradition in the last 20 years, with arguably the best collegiate coach in America.

I'm not "mad" at the kid, nor am I out of touch with reality. What I'm attempting to say, is that for his sake, he needs to be coached on playing up the home state team, even if he ultimately decides against it; it's just the PC thing to do for athletes (ala Cole Aldrich, Seantrel Henderson, etc.).

Ultimately, I don't care where Jones or any other kid goes; they have to go where they want to play. However, it'll be much easier on them and their family if they "play the game" with the home state in the long run.

Says who? And why? Because it makes a bunch of people he doesn't know, never will know, and will have no impact on his life happy?

Probably not worth the hassle to bash the hometown team, but the only people that seem to care when a local kid doesn't stroke the egos of the homers . . . are the homers themselves.

He's 14. I'd much rather let the kid be a kid instead of having him all contrived and robotic.

 

[GophersOnTheRise]

Says who? And why? Because it makes a bunch of people he doesn't know, never will know, and will have no impact on his life happy?

Probably not worth the hassle to bash the hometown team, but the only people that seem to care when a local kid doesn't stroke the egos of the homers . . . are the homers themselves.

He's 14. I'd much rather let the kid be a kid instead of having him all contrived and robotic.[/QUOTE]

+1

His current favorite teams will have little to no impact on what team he ends up signing with when he's a senior. Let's let him be a kid and relax a little bit. I want him to choose the Gophers as much as if not more than anyone, but it's simply just too early to stressing.

 

[vinko bogataj]

Ultimately, I don't care where Jones or any other kid goes; they have to go where they want to play. However, it'll be much easier on them and their family if they "play the game" with the home state in the long run.

I don't see anyone bashing the home team or not "playing the game". I see nothing derogatory in any of his statements so far. Not sure how much a kid "plays the game" means anyway. Trevor Laws didn't and there really wasn't any price other than the scorn of some hardcore Gopher fans (myself included). On top of that, Seantrel Henderson played that game well and isn't exactly getting any love here either. I just don't buy the idea that the way a kid handles himself during recruitment matters to anyone (at least in Minnesota) other than a small number of Gopher fans. We'll just have to disagree on the impacts.

 

[ShowinGoldyLove]

Says who? And why? Because it makes a bunch of people he doesn't know, never will know, and will have no impact on his life happy?

Yes, exactly.

The thing is, you never know who/what may or may not have an impact on his life. Better safe than sorry IMO.

Chances are not good for him to make a living playing basketball. That's just reality.

Thus, if he wants to be close to home after his playing days are over (like many Minnesotans), if you don't think that people (read: potential employers) won't remember how he came off to his home state fans, you're mistaken.

Many of those employers/hiring managers are U of MN alumni, or could just be Minnesotan "homers" as you would call it, that love the Gophers. I don't take his comments as a slight, but many more "hardcore" fans may, and will if they continue through his playing career. Hence the reason I thought maybe someone should just give him some helpful advice.

Again, better safe than sorry.

 

[Brew_recruit]

Yes, exactly.

The thing is, you never know who/what may or may not have an impact on his life. Better safe than sorry IMO.

Chances are not good for him to make a living playing basketball. That's just reality.

Thus, if he wants to be close to home after his playing days are over (like many Minnesotans), if you don't think that people (read: potential employers) won't remember how he came off to his home state fans, you're mistaken.

Many of those employers/hiring managers are U of MN alumni, or could just be Minnesotan "homers" as you would call it, that love the Gophers. I don't take his comments as a slight, but many more "hardcore" fans may, and will if they continue through his playing career. Hence the reason I thought maybe someone should just give him some helpful advice.

Again, better safe than sorry.

Yep thats what the hiring executives are going to say. Didn't this kid not want to go to the U when he was 14, LETS NOT HIRE HIM!

 

[vinko bogataj]

Many of those employers/hiring managers are U of MN alumni, or could just be Minnesotan "homers" as you would call it, that love the Gophers. I don't take his comments as a slight, but many more "hardcore" fans may, and will if they continue through his playing career. Hence the reason I thought maybe someone should just give him some helpful advice.

Sid! Sid Hartman! I knew you read this page!

 

[JohnnyGopher]

"although no one has offered a tender yet"

you sure about that Shooter

I also believe that his brother, JD, is friends with Alan Anderson who played at Michigan St. so that may be the source of MSU affection.

 

[Drex96]

The young man sounds like he is pretty smart to me. Let Izzo (and others) know he is not wedded to UMN. That opens up his options. Besides, all he has to do is read this board to get a drift of why choosing "hometown team" over "best interests" isn't necessarily a good thing.

And by the way, know a TON of 8th graders who are "thinking about college" and more importantly, preparing for it.

 

[ShowinGoldyLove]

The young man sounds like he is pretty smart to me. Let Izzo (and others) know he is not wedded to UMN. That opens up his options. Besides, all he has to do is read this board to get a drift of why choosing "hometown team" over "best interests" isn't necessarily a good thing.

And by the way, know a TON of 8th graders who are "thinking about college" and more importantly, preparing for it.

Agreed on all accounts.

 

[BigGopherFan]

What devoeshow said.

Someone coaching Jones on PR, when he makes an innocuous comment about always liking Michigan State and follows that in the next breath that he's not thinking about college right now? From a kid who's yet to begin high school, who won't play with any current players on the Gophers or Spartans or any other college team except for those who redshirt/transfer and last til their senior years? Who by the time he arrives on campus could see some of the major names in coaching retired, struggling, in the NBA, etc?

While Jones certainly is intriguing as a prospect, I have a feeling the next four years on the GH will be how to say, overzealous, overwhelming, overwrought (pick your choice of over) when Tyus Jones' name is brought up in conversation. From a veteran of the GH who has followed the previous dramas surrounding Rick Rickert, Kris Humphries, Bryce McNeal, Seantrel Henderson, and several others I think I'll stock up on the Tylenol now.

Oh I get it, for the headaches.

 

[Brew_recruit]

The young man sounds like he is pretty smart to me. Let Izzo (and others) know he is not wedded to UMN. That opens up his options. Besides, all he has to do is read this board to get a drift of why choosing "hometown team" over "best interests" isn't necessarily a good thing.

And by the way, know a TON of 8th graders who are "thinking about college" and more importantly, preparing for it.

If this kid is as talented as people seem to think he is Izzo or the other top coaches won't give a damn if he says he is going to the gophers 100%, they would recruit him until the day he signs.

 

[underground629]

Wow. You have so many incorrect assumptions in that post. I know he's only in 9th grade. I know he doesn't have his mind made up and that he really has no idea where he's going to go. You're exactly right, it would've been nice if he sounded a little more upbeat about his hometown team. Of course I don't think that his statement means he's not coming here, but don't act like you weren't at all disappointed reading that. Don't act like you're just as confident as you were before about his chances of coming here. I mean, it's not like we ever lose our best in-state athletes to other schools... right?

Yeah...I think a sweet 16 or two in the next 3 years would go a long way toward swaying him... couldn't you say the same thing about any program that offers? I'd say a few middle of the pack BT finishes in the next 3 years would also go a long way toward swaying him elsewhere, don't ya think? Now tell me, which scenario do you think is more likely?

By now I'd think you would know that I'm not one of those Gopher-bashing posters on here. In fact, I'm one of the more positive and biased Gopher supporters on here. I write one post that was basically saying I was a little disappointed to read a statement. You then proceed to rip me by calling me out on a bunch of false assumptions. Did you read that statement and then decide you were going to call out anyone who you thought read into that statement too much? For your final assumption... I'm not worrying about it, but feel free to keep drawing false conclusions. I'll continue to clear them up.

Oh good lord. Who on this board, most of whom were not D-1 athletes, can say they knew where they wanted to go to college when they were in 8th grade? Next to none, I'm guessing. Sure, it'd be nice if he'd say it's his life-long dream to be a Gopher, but even then, it wouldn't mean much. I'd say a nice Sweet 16 or two sometime in the next 3 years would go a long way to swaying him, don't ya think? Either way, I imagine he'll change his mind a few hundred times in the next few years, and I'd suggest spending your time doing something other then worrying about it.

 

[vinko bogataj]

Of course I don't think that his statement means he's not coming here, but don't act like you weren't at all disappointed reading that. Don't act like you're just as confident as you were before about his chances of coming here.

Really? You find the comment discouraging from an 8th grader (he's been out of school less than 2 weeks, he's still an 8th grader to me)? It shaking your confidence? Sounds like you're looking for reasons to whine. I hardly find anything to take from this statement:

"I've always been a Michigan State fan," Tyus said, "but I'm not thinking about college too much now. The Gophers are an option also. We'll just have to see. Most likely, I would wait to see how everything plays out."

 

[Brew_recruit]

Really? You find the comment discouraging from an 8th grader (he's been out of school less than 2 weeks, he's still an 8th grader to me)? It shaking your confidence? Sounds like you're looking for reasons to whine. I hardly find anything to take from this statement:

"I've always been a Michigan State fan," Tyus said, "but I'm not thinking about college too much now. The Gophers are an option also. We'll just have to see. Most likely, I would wait to see how everything plays out."

we can all laugh at how dumb it was for this grown man to criticize a 8th grader for making normal statements. But I kind of think it is nice that our state finally has the phenom that we can get so excited over that our nut fans get mad at 14 year olds. It must be how Alabama and Texas fans deal/think about their star football players.

 

[vinko bogataj]

we can all laugh at how dumb it was for this grown man to criticize a 8th grader for making normal statements. But I kind of think it is nice that our state finally has the phenom that we can get so excited over that our nut fans get mad at 14 year olds. It must be how Alabama and Texas fans deal/think about their star football players.

True dat.

 

[howeda7]

Wow. You have so many incorrect assumptions in that post. I know he's only in 9th grade. I know he doesn't have his mind made up and that he really has no idea where he's going to go. You're exactly right, it would've been nice if he sounded a little more upbeat about his hometown team. Of course I don't think that his statement means he's not coming here, but don't act like you weren't at all disappointed reading that. Don't act like you're just as confident as you were before about his chances of coming here. I mean, it's not like we ever lose our best in-state athletes to other schools... right?

Yeah...I think a sweet 16 or two in the next 3 years would go a long way toward swaying him... couldn't you say the same thing about any program that offers? I'd say a few middle of the pack BT finishes in the next 3 years would also go a long way toward swaying him elsewhere, don't ya think? Now tell me, which scenario do you think is more likely?

By now I'd think you would know that I'm not one of those Gopher-bashing posters on here. In fact, I'm one of the more positive and biased Gopher supporters on here. I write one post that was basically saying I was a little disappointed to read a statement. You then proceed to rip me by calling me out on a bunch of false assumptions. Did you read that statement and then decide you were going to call out anyone who you thought read into that statement too much? For your final assumption... I'm not worrying about it, but feel free to keep drawing false conclusions. I'll continue to clear them up.

First, I wasn't directing it entirely at you, but at everyone who's over-reacting to this. I'm not assessing my 'confidence level' on landing an 8th grade kid one way or another. It's a huge waste of time. In HS time it's a million years away.

No, a Sweet 16 appearance by the other schools recruiting him would not mean the same thing. The point is that if the Gophers make a run like that (or even deeper) the whole community (where he lives) will get swept up in it the way people tend to. This will have probably have a significant influence on him. Michigan State doing the same would have far less impact.

If Tubby's still here, I like our chances as much as anyone's. Parsing every word the kid says is silly. If Tubby's out the door and replaced by the basketball version of Tim Brewster, we probably have no shot anyway. The later is entirely possible. If you want something to worry about, I'd spend a lot more time worrying about that then the current mind-set of a 14-year old.

 

[underground629]

Discouraged and disappointed are not exactly the same. I used the word disappointed. So since you're implying that you weren't at all disappointed, you're saying that you were 100% neutral to the comments. That's BS and you know it. You said you hardly took anything, meaning you did take something, so what did you take from it?

Um... no... that's not shaking my confidence, but thanks for asking... For the record, he's not an 8th grader, but you can say he is to make him sound younger. Do you call someone a senior 2 weeks after finishing his/her senior year? I'm looking for reasons to whine? All I basically said was that I was disappointed by his comments. Apparently that's a huge deal to you and you then felt you needed to whine about my comments.

Really? You find the comment discouraging from an 8th grader (he's been out of school less than 2 weeks, he's still an 8th grader to me)? It shaking your confidence? Sounds like you're looking for reasons to whine. I hardly find anything to take from this statement:

"I've always been a Michigan State fan," Tyus said, "but I'm not thinking about college too much now. The Gophers are an option also. We'll just have to see. Most likely, I would wait to see how everything plays out."

 

[underground629]

First of all, you over-reacted to my original comment. I said that it wasn't a good sign already. You had no idea what my intended tone was yet you read it a certain (incorrect) way and wrote an essay ripping me. You can try to make the question about whether or not you had a completely neutral reaction to his statement sound ridiculous, but I think you know you didn't have a completely neutral reaction to it. He's no longer in 8th grade btw.

You're still talking about the what-if scenario of a Sweet 16 appearance or even deeper. You still didn't answer my question. Which scenario do you think is more likely... some more middle of the pack BT finishes or a Sweet 16. Add in the fact that by the time he would eventually attend MN, Tubby would be a) retired, b) retired at least before he graduates, or c) very old but still coaching. Again, I never said anything about worrying. I basically said that I was a little disappointed. I don't worry about everything that's slightly disappointing. Do you?

First, I wasn't directing it entirely at you, but at everyone who's over-reacting to this. I'm not assessing my 'confidence level' on landing an 8th grade kid one way or another. It's a huge waste of time. In HS time it's a million years away.

No, a Sweet 16 appearance by the other schools recruiting him would not mean the same thing. The point is that if the Gophers make a run like that (or even deeper) the whole community (where he lives) will get swept up in it the way people tend to. This will have probably have a significant influence on him. Michigan State doing the same would have far less impact.

If Tubby's still here, I like our chances as much as anyone's. Parsing every word the kid says is silly. If Tubby's out the door and replaced by the basketball version of Tim Brewster, we probably have no shot anyway. The later is entirely possible. If you want something to worry about, I'd spend a lot more time worrying about that then the current mind-set of a 14-year old.