Shabazz Muhammad to UCLA

[FerryFor50]

if call can convince him that he's the final piece to another championship team, that's got to look attractive to him...

It's not like he couldn't win one with Duke. They *did* win it in 2010, so it's not like it's been awhile.

Plus, has Cal won Olympic gold? Has he coached *actual* NBA players to championships instead of prospective NBA players?

I would think K could and should be working that angle...

[CDu]

LOL...I just don't see him going to UCLA. It doesn't make sense to me...but hey, teenagers don't make sense sometimes...

Well, I can think of a few very sensible reasons:
1. LA is pretty close to home; Duke and Kentucky are very far from home.
2. LA is LA: beautifual women all around, beaches only a short distance away, LA night life.
3. UCLA has a storied tradition.
4. UCLA has big backing from Adidas.
5. Very reasonable path to a Pac-12 championship and high seed because that conference stinks.
6. Presumably a less challenging academic schedule than Duke (a relevant consideration for a one-and-done - even one who values education).

I can also think of reasons to go to Duke:
1. Better coach.
2. Better/more experienced teammates (though this might be mitigated if UCLA or Kentucky land even more big-time prospects).
3. More TV exposure.
4. A school with a winning tradition.

I can also think of reasons to go to Kentucky:
1. Presumably the easiest academic schedule.
2. A coach who caters to his stars.
3. A team of young stars as teammates.
4. A school with a winning tradition.

[COYS]

if call can convince him that he's the final piece to another championship team, that's got to look attractive to him...

I feel like the same could be said of Duke, too, with fewer unknowns, especially if Mason returns. Duke's two biggest weaknesses this past year were ability to stop dribble penetration and a small forward with size who could defend and score. 'Bazz fills one need all by himself and that doesn't count the increased contributions from Mike G and Alex. Between the returning group of Tyler, Quinn, and Seth plus the quick and lengthy Rasheed Sulaimon, the other issue should be much better, as well. Duke was very good this past year, but needed a boost to make it into the elite. With Bazz and a senior Mason, plus all the rest of the returning talent, you'd have to peg Duke as one of the serious contenders going into next season.

[UrinalCake]

Well, I can think of a few very sensible reasons:
1. LA is pretty close to home; Duke and Kentucky are very far from home.
2. LA is LA: beautifual women all around, beaches only a short distance away, LA night life.
3. UCLA has a storied tradition.
4. UCLA has big backing from Adidas.
5. Very reasonable path to a Pac-12 championship and high seed because that conference stinks.
6. Presumably a less challenging academic schedule than Duke (a relevant consideration for a one-and-done - even one who values education).

7. Get to play with Kyle Anderson and potentially Tony Parker, both of whom he knows and seemingly wants to play with.
8. Opportunity to build your "brand," develop marketing opportunities by living in LA.

[NSDukeFan]

if call can convince him that he's the final piece to another championship team, that's got to look attractive to him...

Unless a few other dominoes fall, he would only be the first piece to another championship team, hoping they also get Noel and Bennett and somebody from UK's roster doesn't go pro.

[CDu]

7. Get to play with Kyle Anderson and potentially Tony Parker, both of whom he knows and seemingly wants to play with.
8. Opportunity to build your "brand," develop marketing opportunities by living in LA.

Excellent points as well. The only real knock against UCLA is that they've had a very rough patch the past couple of years. But there's quite a lot that they have going for them.

[FerryFor50]

Excellent points as well. The only real knock against UCLA is that they've had a very rough patch the past couple of years. But there's quite a lot that they have going for them.

I would think that it's pretty telling, with all the benefits you listed (in addition to the players they've churned out), that UCLA can't seem to get on track.

[gus]

3. UCLA has a storied tradition.

That seems like a wash to me. All three schools have storied traditions.

All time wins:
Kentucky (1st overall): 2090
Duke (4th overall): 1971
UCLA (8th overall): 1728

Championships
UCLA 12
Kentucky 8
Duke 4

Final Fours
UCLA 16
Duke 15
Kentucky 15

[gam7]

7. Get to play with Kyle Anderson and potentially Tony Parker, both of whom he knows and seemingly wants to play with.
8. Opportunity to build your "brand," develop marketing opportunities by living in LA.

I've seen this "build your brand by living in LA" argument a lot with respect to Shabazz. I just don't understand what it means. Could someone explain it to me, as it relates to a definite one-and-done college basketball player? It makes sense from a professional perspective - more exposure in bigger markets, more endorsements, etc. - but a guy who is playing college basketball in LA for one year is a totally different situation.

If he goes to UCLA, I think it is ultimately an Adidas story for him when it is all said and done. This "LA branding" reasoning for Shabazz is an ex post facto justification in my opinion.

[Class of '94]

I've seen this "build your brand by living in LA" argument a lot with respect to Shabazz. I just don't understand what it means. Could someone explain it to me, as it relates to a definite one-and-done college basketball player? It makes sense from a professional perspective - more exposure in bigger markets, more endorsements, etc. - but a guy who is playing college basketball in LA for one year is a totally different situation.

If he goes to UCLA, I think it is ultimately an Adidas story for him when it is all said and done. This "LA branding" reasoning for Shabazz is an ex post facto justification in my opinion.

IMO, there's no better way to build his brand (outside of winning a NC with any of the schools) than to play for Duke (whose has the most exposure on national tv) and be the major force in helping Duke beat UNC in those nationally televised games. I would argue that Austin "blew up" on the national scene as a legitmate player (and not an onverhyped one) when he made the shot against UNC to win the game for Duke. If something like that were to happen for Bazz, the kind of exposure and branding that he would receive would be out of this world.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

I've seen this "build your brand by living in LA" argument a lot with respect to Shabazz. I just don't understand what it means. Could someone explain it to me, as it relates to a definite one-and-done college basketball player? It makes sense from a professional perspective - more exposure in bigger markets, more endorsements, etc. - but a guy who is playing college basketball in LA for one year is a totally different situation.

If he goes to UCLA, I think it is ultimately an Adidas story for him when it is all said and done. This "LA branding" reasoning for Shabazz is an ex post facto justification in my opinion.

I'm not a fan of this either, I think it is far fetched. Honestly, if there is such a thing as building your "brand" as a 1 year college player, why would it be more beneficial for him to play at UCLA who's been mediocre at best the last few years and playing in a conference that has been ranked lower than the Mountain West the past few years? I think he'd get more exposure playing out East at Duke, UNC, Kentucky, or UCONN, but again...this is IF there is such thing as building the Shabazz "brand."

[Starter]

I've seen this "build your brand by living in LA" argument a lot with respect to Shabazz. I just don't understand what it means. Could someone explain it to me, as it relates to a definite one-and-done college basketball player? It makes sense from a professional perspective - more exposure in bigger markets, more endorsements, etc. - but a guy who is playing college basketball in LA for one year is a totally different situation.

If he goes to UCLA, I think it is ultimately an Adidas story for him when it is all said and done. This "LA branding" reasoning for Shabazz is an ex post facto justification in my opinion.

I think it can have an impact. I'd contend that Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart became far bigger mainstream stars at USC than they would have elsewhere, though I guess I can't prove that. But if you win a championship for one of those big Cali schools, I think it really means something out there.

[UrinalCake]

I've seen this "build your brand by living in LA" argument a lot with respect to Shabazz. I just don't understand what it means. Could someone explain it to me, as it relates to a definite one-and-done college basketball player?

I understand it to mean making connections - meeting people in the entertainment industry, making friends with people in high places, getting exposure to advertisers and marketing people that will become valuable after he leaves college. Think Kevin Love - he was really well known and very marketable the second he left campus. It's not so much playing for UCLA itself as it is the proximity to so many powerful people in the LA area.

It can all be done within the rules. I've heard Jay Williams credit the extra year he spent at Duke as being really valuable in helping him make connections that ultimately led to him getting the broadcasting job at ESPN. As another hackneyed cliche goes, it's not what you know, it's who you know, and Bazz would get to know more people at UCLA than at Duke, at least when it comes to the entertainment industry.

[Ichabod Drain]

That seems like a wash to me. All three schools have storied traditions.

All time wins:
Kentucky (1st overall): 2090
Duke (4th overall): 1971
UCLA (8th overall): 1728

Championships
UCLA 12
Kentucky 8
Duke 4

Final Fours
UCLA 16
Duke 15
Kentucky 15

I believe that was in response to "why would anyone want to go to UCLA in the first place" not why someone would choose UCLA over Duke or UK.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

I think it can have an impact. I'd contend that Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart became far bigger mainstream stars at USC than they would have elsewhere, though I guess I can't prove that. But if you win a championship for one of those big Cali schools, I think it really means something out there.

USC is a completely different animal than UCLA basketball and even more so, college football is a heck of a lot bigger than college basketball when it comes to $$$$ and marketing athletes. I get what you are saying, but I don't think those are fair comparisons.

[ChicagoCrazy84]

I understand it to mean making connections - meeting people in the entertainment industry, making friends with people in high places, getting exposure to advertisers and marketing people that will become valuable after he leaves college. Think Kevin Love - he was really well known and very marketable the second he left campus. It's not so much playing for UCLA itself as it is the proximity to so many powerful people in the LA area.

It can all be done within the rules. I've heard Jay Williams credit the extra year he spent at Duke as being really valuable in helping him make connections that ultimately led to him getting the broadcasting job at ESPN. As another hackneyed cliche goes, it's not what you know, it's who you know, and Bazz would get to know more people at UCLA than at Duke, at least when it comes to the entertainment industry.

What, is Bazz looking to get into acting??? I'm sorry, I just don't buy this stuff. UCLA has/had marketing power not because of its proximity to LA, but because of their personnel. Kevin Love is a very marketable guy and I think he was going to get his endorsements and national appeal if he would've played out East. Look at John Wall when he came out. People were drooling over that guy. It's what you do with your opportunity that makes you appealing. Is Jrue Holiday and Russell Westbrook benefiting more because they went to UCLA? They are very good and obviously playing well, but I don't think they are anymore marketable than Kyrie Irving or Gerald Henderson.

[devildeac]

That seems like a wash to me. All three schools have storied traditions.

All time wins:
Kentucky (1st overall): 2090
Duke (4th overall): 1971
UCLA (8th overall): 1728

Championships
UCLA 12
Kentucky 8 (*)
Duke 4

Final Fours
UCLA 16
Duke 15
Kentucky 15

Modified your post slightly.

[nmduke2001]

Didn't see this posted anywhere. For what it's worth, Matt Jones and Sheed think Shabazz is coming to Duke...

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/...d-noel-will-go

[ChicagoCrazy84]

Didn't see this posted anywhere. For what it's worth, Matt Jones and Sheed think Shabazz is coming to Duke...

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/...d-noel-will-go

Yeah, but meanwhile everyone else thought he'd be heading to UCLA or Kentucky. I was hoping we'd get some outsider love, but nope..

[SeattleIrish]

How exactly does the shoe issue play into recruits thinking, generally?

People keep mentioning that UCLA is an "Adidas School", and that could/should play into a recruits decision making. How does that play out? Is it direct overt pressure from a Shoe Rep, telling the kid to go to "their" school? Is it pressure from the AAU coach, who's getting paid by that shoe company? Is it simply brand allegiance by the recruit, wanting to look good? Is it a less overt pressure in the form of connecting to a shoe contract once the recruit goes pro (and is that communicated by someone from the shoe company)?

I'm a bit lost on the whole brand tie-in to recruiting, but it does come up from time to time. Any help?

thanks,

s.i.