Just a information note that makes me envinous :dis: - Texas according to ESPN already has 4 commitments for 2011.
IMO there is a level above the Xavier/Gonzaga and below the Kentucky/Memphis. Xavier is never going to get the top players from their area, Ohio State will. LSU has the ability to get the top players from their state, plus top 100 type players regionally like Xavier does. With that, we can be a consistent program that doesn't have the awful years that the Brady regime had. And once we develop into that type of consistent program, we can start to get some national type prospects like a Texas is doing now.
I certainly hope you are right. I actually thought about referring to Texas earlier in the thread, b/c they are good comparison point--football school that has essentially created a basketball brand. Rick Barnes has been there a while, and has gotten close, but not won it all. Nevertheless, they are certainly recruiting very "nationally" right now and more or less picking off who they want in TX. But, here's something to consider. Who has won the whole schabang the last few years.... UNC (4) Kansas (5) Florida (5) Florida (0-N/A, since everyone came back) UNC (4) UConn (2) Syracuse (1) Maryland (3) Duke (1) Michigan State (2) Mostly blue bloods, and with the exception of Florida, really mostly basketball schools. If you take it further on this "talent" argument, you look at the number next to the champions as well, that's the number of NBA draft picks (in either round) taken from their roster. That's an average of 3 NBA draft picks per team of the last 9 NCs (if you take out Florida's first year when everyone chose to come back). This may give you a greater appreciation of what Boeheim did with Carmelo Anthony in 2003, or Coach K did with just Shane Battier in '01, as opposed to the "stacked" Kansas, Florida and UNC teams. I guess my point is that at some level, you still need perhaps at least two impact players to take it all the way (where you have a low number of players, they are still IMPACT players--Anthony for Syracuse, Okafor/Gordon for UConn). I think Colts, you're right, in the sense that could LSU be somewhere in between "mid-major" and UNC and Kansas? Yes, but they're not there yet. Right now, Xavier and Gonzaga are maybe 1 draft pick kind of teams (Brown and Daye, went this year). But, that's sort of where LSU is (Thornton). So, can LSU overall improve their talent base to get to 2 or 3 draft picks on a year in and year out basis? :huh: I think so and hope so... the interesting thing about Mr. Trent Johnson is that he's had his fair share of NBA draft record. Go back in this same period of time at Stanford, either as the right hand man for Montgomery or HC at Stanford, and you see the Collins twins, Borchardt, Jacobsen, Madsen, the Lopez Twins, and you see some pretty decent draft picks where perhaps these kids WERE NOT McD A-As, who Trent coached up. You look at a kid like Casey Jacobsen, who compares VERY CLOSELY to Matt Derenbecker in size and skills. Could a few years from now, kids like Stringer, Derenbrecker, Turner, kids who may be top 20 kids be draftable? Absolutely. So, I have hope and reason to be optimistic. Trent shooting for top 75-100 kids that he can coach up, and get ready for the league after playing 3-4 years, is the foundation, and after that, landing that one or two 1-2 year players to add to that foundation, could be the recipe for LSU's ultimate success in hoops. :geauxtige:thumb: KEEP THE FAITH. IN TRENT WE TRUST.
Tigerbait had some nice updates on the Jackson 2 today. Jalen Courtney says he is solid, and also implies that he will be a 3 or 2 at LSU. http://lsu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=962569 Stringer still claims LSU and Bama as his top 2, but will visit Marquette and Miami, FL. The competition is getting tougher for LSU. http://lsu.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=962493
Yes, he is, to the extent possible. Both kids mentioned each other in their articles. I think Jalen's commitment, got Stringer in LSU's sights in the first place. Other nice tidbits from the articles, Stringer is definitely visiting both LSU and 'Bama, so at least we'll have a legitimate visit. Also, Courtney is up to 6'8" 212 according to him. The kid could get taller, and play the 3, even the 2 he says. Also, Courtney said about the only thing to shake him for LSU is Trent Johnson not being here... Trent does have some sway with these kids :yelwink2:
I'm posting this in two threads, but it's really about various classes. It's a shame nothing ELSE was reported like how the kids looked or whatever. But, tidbits exist on Derenbecker, Isaac, Fab Five, etc. Must have been a nice event to go to and be a fly on the wall... 2theadvocate.com | Sports | Area?s top basketball prospects converge — Baton Rouge, LA
Any Ideas on who DD was refering to today when he said TJ & LSU were in the final two on two national recruits?
My guess is Dandy Don is reading the same stuff all of us are, and he's just posting stuff--he tends to be fairly imprecise when it comes to hoops talk, and he's admittedly NOT in the know on alot of hoops recruiting. My guess is he's referring to any two of Stringer, Turner and Derenbecker and my sense is that he's probably referring to Stringer and Turner, b/c LSU is in the "final two" with both of them along with Alabama. Alot can change, as we know, quickly. What we should know is July is a heavy coaches' evaluation month, and I know Trent and his staff are out and about looking at a lot of prospects--typically one of the big events that kids in the south go to is the Peach Jam tourney. So, my sense is that they're definitely very much in contention with, and staying actively engaged with, Turner, Derenbecker and Stringer--but, there's only so much you can do at this stage when they've all told you that they want to officially visit LSU but are also seeing who else comes calling. You have to play that dance of definitely targeting them and zeroing in on them, while making sure that your bases are covered if they drop out. That means we may hear of in the next few weeks, more rumors, more new names, etc. At the end of the month, we're hoping we have some definite visit dates and more folks to keep on the radar. I don't know anything about these kids since there hasn't been a ton of pub on them, but as far as LA recruits go we may have other options that we are exploring... I know that Ron McGhee is highly rated, and hasn't been front and center on the radar, but he's a talented wing guard. Shavon Coleman a 6-6 LA SF, has been impressing early in AAU (Texas Basketball Inc: Spiece Mo-Kan 71 Texas D-1 Ambassadors 69 (OT)) as well.
