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tommy
09-03-2014, 01:57 PM
I have a full story and interview coming soon on the main page on the young man rated by many as the top prospect in the Class of 2016, but while preparing it, today I also learned that Thon is going to be transferring high schools. He'll be leaving the academically excellent Carlisle School, located in Martinsville, VA. He and his guardian are looking at a couple of possibilities, one of which is Hopewell Academy, located just down the road in Cary, NC.

wilson
09-03-2014, 02:12 PM
I'll be looking forward to your story, tommy. In the meantime, I recently read this story (http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2164732-meet-thon-maker-the-seven-foot-phenom-who-has-college-and-nba-scouts-salivating) about the uniqueness of Maker's physique, his game, and his backstory (some shades of Luol Deng there). I'm usually not a big fan of Bleacher Report, but this is a pretty good piece.

Henderson
09-03-2014, 02:42 PM
I have a full story and interview coming soon on the main page on the young man rated by many as the top prospect in the Class of 2016, but while preparing it, today I also learned that Thon is going to be transferring high schools. He'll be leaving the academically excellent Carlisle School, located in Martinsville, VA. He and his guardian are looking at a couple of possibilities, one of which is Hopewell Academy, located just down the road in Cary, NC.

Thanks as always for the excellent intel, tommy.

This multiple transfer thing is getting a little odd. We had this discussion in a previous thread. How many HS's will this be for him? Ordinarily red blinking lights would be going off, but Thon Maker may be different. His guardian seems intent on exposing Maker to a wide variety of cultural and academic environments to help acculturate Thon to the U.S. That's what he says. And maybe that's all there is.

A more cynical person might suggest that a good way to ensure your control over a young charge is to not allow him to form lasting bonds with anyone else. The whole thing seems strange from the outside. Maybe it looks more reasonable if one is on the inside. Gotta trust the Duke staff I guess. I certainly don't know.

tommy
09-03-2014, 03:11 PM
Thanks as always for the excellent intel, tommy.

This multiple transfer thing is getting a little odd. We had this discussion in a previous thread. How many HS's will this be for him? Ordinarily red blinking lights would be going off, but Thon Maker may be different. His guardian seems intent on exposing Maker to a wide variety of cultural and academic environments to help acculturate Thon to the U.S. That's what he says. And maybe that's all there is.

A more cynical person might suggest that a good way to ensure your control over a young charge is to not allow him to form lasting bonds with anyone else. The whole thing seems strange from the outside. Maybe it looks more reasonable if one is on the inside. Gotta trust the Duke staff I guess. I certainly don't know.

It'll be his third high school, which I agree, is usually not a great sign. I really don't think it's an attempt to prevent Thon from forming lasting bonds with anyone else. In this case, it's strictly basketball-related.

bbosbbos
09-03-2014, 07:07 PM
It'll be his third high school, which I agree, is usually not a great sign.

Could not agree more.

wilson
09-03-2014, 07:27 PM
It'll be his third high school, which I agree, is usually not a great sign. In this case, it's strictly basketball-related.


Could not agree more.I too am apprehensive here. To me, repeated basketball-related transfers are no better than those motivated by nefarious relational matters. If we want a program that continues to lay claim to the notion that academics should not be compromised by athletics, then I do not think we should reward a student with a pattern of behavior that runs directly counter to that philosophy. I salivate at Maker's on-court talent, but his high school barnstorming tour gives me pause. If he were a Kentucky signee, we'd all be sanctimoniously screaming from the rooftops.

conmanlhughes
09-03-2014, 08:47 PM
I have a full story and interview coming soon on the main page on the young man rated by many as the top prospect in the Class of 2016, but while preparing it, today I also learned that Thon is going to be transferring high schools. He'll be leaving the academically excellent Carlisle School, located in Martinsville, VA. He and his guardian are looking at a couple of possibilities, one of which is Hopewell Academy, located just down the road in Cary, NC.

I have been inside hopewell academy, and if he ends up there, I will be heavily surprised. It is located in a strip mall, and is not known for basketball. At all. It is best known for its ability to teach students which have trouble learning in a normal school enviroment, and also its exchange program, which could fit Thon well. But to be clear, Hopewell is not the basketball factory often associated with private high schools.

tommy
09-03-2014, 10:54 PM
I have been inside hopewell academy, and if he ends up there, I will be heavily surprised. It is located in a strip mall, and is not known for basketball. At all. It is best known for its ability to teach students which have trouble learning in a normal school enviroment, and also its exchange program, which could fit Thon well. But to be clear, Hopewell is not the basketball factory often associated with private high schools.

The idea of enrolling at Hopewell, if that is the ultimate decision, is to be close to something called the EXOS performance facility. I had not heard of it before, but I looked it up and here's a link (http://www.athletesperformance.com/about/) to its site. It's an athletic training facility. I also looked up Hopewell, and I agree, it certainly does not look impressive from an academic standpoint.

The other possibility mentioned today by Thon's guardian is a place called the Athlete Institute, in Orangeville, Ontario. Here's an article on it. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/ontario-program-aims-to-keep-canadas-basketball-talent-at-home/article15819820/) Sounds like a basketball factory to me, and the kids attend the local public secondary school while living in a dorm setting with their coaches.

I'm going to try to flush out some more details with Mr. Smith over the next few days, and I'm going to hold off on publishing my article until I can do so, because I'm concerned about this development. I had known for some time that they were considering changing schools, but did not anticipate his moving to one of these types of environments, especially coming from somewhere credible like Carlisle -- where I was told he was excelling academically. But who knows, maybe other options will present themselves as alternatives in the days to come.

Des Esseintes
09-03-2014, 11:26 PM
The idea of enrolling at Hopewell, if that is the ultimate decision, is to be close to something called the EXOS performance facility. I had not heard of it before, but I looked it up and here's a link (http://www.athletesperformance.com/about/) to its site. It's an athletic training facility. I also looked up Hopewell, and I agree, it certainly does not look impressive from an academic standpoint.

The other possibility mentioned today by Thon's guardian is a place called the Athlete Institute, in Orangeville, Ontario. Here's an article on it. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/ontario-program-aims-to-keep-canadas-basketball-talent-at-home/article15819820/) Sounds like a basketball factory to me, and the kids attend the local public secondary school while living in a dorm setting with their coaches.

I'm going to try to flush out some more details with Mr. Smith over the next few days, and I'm going to hold off on publishing my article until I can do so, because I'm concerned about this development. I had known for some time that they were considering changing schools, but did not anticipate his moving to one of these types of environments, especially coming from somewhere credible like Carlisle -- where I was told he was excelling academically. But who knows, maybe other options will present themselves as alternatives in the days to come.

Jeff Goodman is reporting Canada (https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/507339794842943488). He suggests college may get bypassed altogether.

wilko
09-04-2014, 07:19 AM
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh
You don't have to go oh oh oh oh oh"

Is it sad this is all I can think of when I read his name?

FerryFor50
09-04-2014, 10:36 AM
The idea of enrolling at Hopewell, if that is the ultimate decision, is to be close to something called the EXOS performance facility. I had not heard of it before, but I looked it up and here's a link (http://www.athletesperformance.com/about/) to its site. It's an athletic training facility. I also looked up Hopewell, and I agree, it certainly does not look impressive from an academic standpoint.

The other possibility mentioned today by Thon's guardian is a place called the Athlete Institute, in Orangeville, Ontario. Here's an article on it. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/ontario-program-aims-to-keep-canadas-basketball-talent-at-home/article15819820/) Sounds like a basketball factory to me, and the kids attend the local public secondary school while living in a dorm setting with their coaches.

I'm going to try to flush out some more details with Mr. Smith over the next few days, and I'm going to hold off on publishing my article until I can do so, because I'm concerned about this development. I had known for some time that they were considering changing schools, but did not anticipate his moving to one of these types of environments, especially coming from somewhere credible like Carlisle -- where I was told he was excelling academically. But who knows, maybe other options will present themselves as alternatives in the days to come.

And this is one of the reasons why I mentioned having concerns with players that have "handlers."

To be fair, they're likely concerned with the pending "two and through" rule, but I have a general mistrust when players have handlers or guardians in lieu of parents (though parents can be pains, too).

Henderson
09-04-2014, 12:47 PM
The other possibility mentioned today by Thon's guardian is a place called the Athlete Institute, in Orangeville, Ontario. Here's an article on it. (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/basketball/ontario-program-aims-to-keep-canadas-basketball-talent-at-home/article15819820/) Sounds like a basketball factory to me, and the kids attend the local public secondary school while living in a dorm setting with their coaches.


I realize the linked article was a puff piece by the Globe and Mail, but it doesn't look like too bad an environment for kids who want a real secondary school education and an intense focus on basketball-related training too. Schools like Findlay Prep and Huntington Prep go just 1 for 2 on that. Plus the kids are forced to speak Canadian and understand the metric system, two important foreign languages.

But all this jumping around from place to place.... I wouldn't want that kind of social development for one of my kids. It seems like Maker would have been better served by going someplace that fit his needs and staying there, or going someplace for a couple years then a place like the Athletic Institute for a year or two. There are certainly life lessons to be learned by changing high schools, locations, coaches, and peer groups every year, but there is a cost, as every military brat can attest. Bouncing from place to place isn't going to make him more visible to pro scouts, and I seriously doubt it aids his basketball development.

NSDukeFan
09-04-2014, 08:09 PM
I realize the linked article was a puff piece by the Globe and Mail, but it doesn't look like too bad an environment for kids who want a real secondary school education and an intense focus on basketball-related training too. Schools like Findlay Prep and Huntington Prep go just 1 for 2 on that. Plus the kids are forced to speak Canadian and understand the metric system, two important foreign languages.

But all this jumping around from place to place.... I wouldn't want that kind of social development for one of my kids. It seems like Maker would have been better served by going someplace that fit his needs and staying there, or going someplace for a couple years then a place like the Athletic Institute for a year or two. There are certainly life lessons to be learned by changing high schools, locations, coaches, and peer groups every year, but there is a cost, as every military brat can attest. Bouncing from place to place isn't going to make him more visible to pro scouts, and I seriously doubt it aids his basketball development.

I think it's aboot time some of these players learn how to speak Canadian, since there is an NBA team in the country. Everyone should know what a double double is, and a toque.

BD80
09-04-2014, 10:48 PM
... the kids are forced to speak Canadian and understand the metric system, two important foreign languages. ...

Not as difficult to learn as Southern, bless their hearts.

Then there's Jerseyeeze; linguists are still looking for a Rosetta Stone to decipher that mess. Part of the problem is that, so far, it seems that only two emotions can (need) be expressed.

tommy
09-04-2014, 11:35 PM
Jeff Goodman is reporting Canada (https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/507339794842943488). He suggests college may get bypassed altogether.

The usually on-target Mr. Goodman is a little premature on this one. I spoke with the coach up at Athlete Institute tonight, and nothing has been finalized. Mr. Smith and both Makers have been up there for a couple of days, checking out the entire situation, so they're obviously serious about it. But no decision has yet been made. To me, though, it does have the look and feel of something that is going to happen.

Tappan Zee Devil
09-05-2014, 07:36 AM
I think it's aboot time some of these players learn how to speak Canadian, since there is an NBA team in the country. Everyone should know what a double double is, and a toque.

and develop a taste for poutine?

NSDukeFan
09-05-2014, 12:31 PM
and develop a taste for poutine?

Or even smoked meat poutine if you are a fan of devildeac's or other cardiologists

DukeRocks12
09-05-2014, 12:51 PM
The usually on-target Mr. Goodman is a little premature on this one. I spoke with the coach up at Athlete Institute tonight, and nothing has been finalized. Mr. Smith and both Makers have been up there for a couple of days, checking out the entire situation, so they're obviously serious about it. But no decision has yet been made. To me, though, it does have the look and feel of something that is going to happen.

Hey Tommy, who do you think are the main schools Thon is looking at in his recruitment? Do you think he'll ultimately go to an Adidas school?

Henderson
09-05-2014, 01:34 PM
Or even smoked meat poutine if you are a fan of devildeac's or other cardiologists

I like poutine. Or maybe I'm confusing it with something that sounds like poutine.

MCFinARL
09-05-2014, 02:15 PM
I realize the linked article was a puff piece by the Globe and Mail, but it doesn't look like too bad an environment for kids who want a real secondary school education and an intense focus on basketball-related training too. Schools like Findlay Prep and Huntington Prep go just 1 for 2 on that. Plus the kids are forced to speak Canadian and understand the metric system, two important foreign languages.

But all this jumping around from place to place.... I wouldn't want that kind of social development for one of my kids. It seems like Maker would have been better served by going someplace that fit his needs and staying there, or going someplace for a couple years then a place like the Athletic Institute for a year or two. There are certainly life lessons to be learned by changing high schools, locations, coaches, and peer groups every year, but there is a cost, as every military brat can attest. Bouncing from place to place isn't going to make him more visible to pro scouts, and I seriously doubt it aids his basketball development.

Another issue with the jumping around is the way it conditions young people to think that, if everything isn't perfect, the best solution is just to change environments instead of changing themselves or working to adapt to the situations they are in. Someone with that mindset may not be ready to make the most of a college experience, or a coaching and team relationship, or even future job situations (not to mention marriage/parenting).

tommy
09-05-2014, 02:29 PM
Hey Tommy, who do you think are the main schools Thon is looking at in his recruitment? Do you think he'll ultimately go to an Adidas school?

They're just trying to figure out and settle on where he's going to be for his junior year of high school right now. He has over twenty college offers, and I'm sure that number is going to rise. But I don't think loyalty to a shoe company is necessarily going to be a big factor. He played for Boo Williams on the Nike Circuit last year and this year obviously on the Adidas Circuit. If he goes to Athlete Institute in Canada, he'd likely run with CIA Bounce, where most of the top Canadian players play AAU, so it'd be back to Nike.

BD80
09-05-2014, 03:35 PM
I like poutine. Or maybe I'm confusing it with something that sounds like poutine.

Can find a good supply of that across the border (southern!) from Deetroit, in Windsor. I hear most of it is imported from the French speaking portion of Canada.

Tappan Zee Devil
09-05-2014, 05:01 PM
I like poutine. Or maybe I'm confusing it with something that sounds like poutine.

Poutine (without smoked meat etc) = french fries, gravy and cheese curds.
It is basically a Quebec thing.

Wahoo2000
09-05-2014, 09:08 PM
Thought you guys would want to know.

While Maker once had UVA as a favorite, I think there a statistically insiginificant probability that we could land him now (though honestly, that would be the same whether he was in VA, NC, or Canada). Not sure how his move affects your chances with him.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/recruiting/basketball/mens/story/_/id/11472092/thon-maker-nation-top-rated-recruit-enroll-athlete-institute-canada

On another note, I don't really think we (UVa) can be that successful with one&dones (or even 2&throughs). Most guys that Bennett brings in don't really "get it" from a defensive standpoint until around the 3rd year anyway, and most of the kids who are "NBA locks" probably don't find our system all that appealing. It's probably the one thing that makes me think we might have trouble maintaining our recent success.

tommy
09-05-2014, 10:52 PM
Yes, Maker to Athlete Institute, and his mentor Ed Smith obtains a coaching position on the staff there. It's not that he's not qualified -- he coached for many years in Australia, where he first connected with the Maker brothers. But still. We've all heard of all the instances of parents and HS and AAU coaches magically getting college assistant jobs at the school where their star son or player enrolls, but this is the guardian getting a high school coaching job where the two kids are enrolling. That's a new one on me.

Duvall
09-05-2014, 11:14 PM
Does it look like Maker will come back to the U.S., or just spend the next three years in Canada?

Henderson
09-06-2014, 10:49 AM
Interesting teaser near the end of that linked ESPN article regarding the possibility that Maker could reclassify to 2015. I wonder if that's a commentator's speculation or based on a conversation with someone.