2021 Men's Basketball Recruiting Thread

[JasonEvans]

Christie. Though I don't think we couldn't still get both.

I think it is fairly easy for a team to find large roles for two scoring wings. Duke has repeatedly shown that it will play the best players, regardless of position. If both kids want to come play for the GOAT, the GOAT will figure out how to use them both.

[revmel53]

...don't believe too many wing guards would be a problem, not that both will end up committing. But, would Keels be a better long term commit? Just a thought...

[jhmoss1812]

As a UVA fan, I would truly appreciate it if you guys would back off Trevor Keels. Thank you kindly for your consideration.

[flyingdutchdevil]

As a UVA fan, I would truly appreciate it if you guys would back off Trevor Keels. Thank you kindly for your consideration.

You sure you want highly rated prospects? Bennett is the best in the industry at getting mid-level talent (ie stars) players to play like 5-star talent. Maybe if he gets 5-star talent, they'll play like 3-star talent.

[devildeac]

You sure you want highly rated prospects? Bennett is the best in the industry at getting mid-level talent (ie stars) players to play like 5-star talent. Maybe if he gets 5-star talent, they'll play like 3-star talent.

Whoa, wait a minute there. Are you suggesting they go to "u"nc now instead?

[Adaephon]

You sure you want highly rated prospects? Bennett is the best in the industry at getting mid-level talent (ie stars) players to play like 5-star talent. Maybe if he gets 5-star talent, they'll play like 3-star talent.

This really could be true. System matters. Obviously cross country is a very different sport, but my college coach took a small program to a top 5 finish at NCAAs and then left for a bigtime Big 10 program. He never had success there despite getting blue chip recruits because his system and culture was designed for grinders with chips on their shoulders.

[DavidBenAkiva]

You sure you want highly rated prospects? Bennett is the best in the industry at getting mid-level talent (ie stars) players to play like 5-star talent. Maybe if he gets 5-star talent, they'll play like 3-star talent.

Just so we are all clear, the one and only time Virginia made the Final Four under Tony Bennett, it was with a recruiting class of 4 top-100 recruits, including Kyle Guy, a McDonald's All-American player. That recruiting class was ranked 7th in 2016. Braxton Key, a transfer by way of Alabama, was another 4-star/top 100 recruit when he was a senior in high school. It's not like Bennett is regularly turning 3-star guys into NBA 1st rounders. He's good, but he's not an alchemist.

[Bluedog]

Are these recruits still playing these days? Honest question as I don't know...Don't know how they continue to stay in shape/get up shots unless they have access to a private gym (even outdoor b-ball courts by me are closed), which some may. It also may vary state to state. I wonder if some guys are planning on moving over the summer to join different leagues. Not trying to make this a COVID thread as we already have one, but just curious on if competitive basketball has started anywhere or is planned to start and how these guys are staying in shape/improving their games.

[dukebballcamper90-91]

Christie or Keels? With both offered, I suppose the first to commit gets the spot. Curious which one y'all prefer.

Keels, kid has good size and can shoot with range effortlessly. Oh and he's from DC area, another plus in my book.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

Are these recruits still playing these days? Honest question as I don't know...Don't know how they continue to stay in shape/get up shots unless they have access to a private gym (even outdoor b-ball courts by me are closed), which some may. It also may vary state to state. I wonder if some guys are planning on moving over the summer to join different leagues. Not trying to make this a COVID thread as we already have one, but just curious on if competitive basketball has started anywhere or is planned to start and how these guys are staying in shape/improving their games.

Doubtful. My son plays AAU and they are still not practicing. One problem is there’s nowhere to practice. They usually practice at Woollen gym over at Cheater U. Or sometimes at local school gyms. Tournaments are usually played at schools with multiple gyms. But everything is, of course, closed. I guess it’s possible they start to open this up again across the summer. But my kid is spending a lot of time putting up shots in the driveway. I assume everyone else is doing the same.

[SavDukeGrad]

Doubtful. My son plays AAU and they are still not practicing. One problem is there’s nowhere to practice. They usually practice at Woollen gym over at Cheater U. Or sometimes at local school gyms. Tournaments are usually played at schools with multiple gyms. But everything is, of course, closed. I guess it’s possible they start to open this up again across the summer. But my kid is spending a lot of time putting up shots in the driveway. I assume everyone else is doing the same.

I remember when Nolan did that Zoom call with Joey, Jordan, Matt, and Wendell a few weeks ago. He asked what they were doing to stay in shape/work on their game. They all talked about working out at home. And Joey said he was lucky because he had access to a gym to practice his shooting. But it didn’t sound like they all had gym access.

[MChambers]

I remember when Nolan did that Zoom call with Joey, Jordan, Matt, and Wendell a few weeks ago. He asked what they were doing to stay in shape/work on their game. They all talked about working out at home. And Joey said he was lucky because he had access to a gym to practice his shooting. But it didn’t sound like they all had gym access.

Should we start the playing time thread? I'm thinking Joey gets 28+ a game.

[devildeac]

Just so we are all clear, the one and only time Virginia made the Final Four under Tony Bennett, it was with a recruiting class of 4 top-100 recruits, including Kyle Guy, a McDonald's All-American player. That recruiting class was ranked 7th in 2016. Braxton Key, a transfer by way of Alabama, was another 4-star/top 100 recruit when he was a senior in high school. It's not like Bennett is regularly turning 3-star guys into NBA 1st rounders. He's good, but he's not an alchemist.

Always nice to get a Ymm, Beer reference on a recruiting/hoops thread:

https://alchemistbeer.com/

[jhmoss1812]

Just so we are all clear, the one and only time Virginia made the Final Four under Tony Bennett, it was with a recruiting class of 4 top-100 recruits, including Kyle Guy, a McDonald's All-American player. That recruiting class was ranked 7th in 2016. Braxton Key, a transfer by way of Alabama, was another 4-star/top 100 recruit when he was a senior in high school. It's not like Bennett is regularly turning 3-star guys into NBA 1st rounders. He's good, but he's not an alchemist.

First of all, we didn't just make the Final Four. Why you gotta stop there?

Secondly, Kyle Guy might have been a McDonald's AA but he was the #43 recruit in the country in 2016. That has to be one of the lowest rankings for a McDonald's AA.

Finally, there's not a single coach in the country that regularly turns 3-stars into NBA 1st rounders. I'm not sure that should be the standard lol.

Bennett has had four 1st round picks though and none of them were considered 1st rounders coming into college. Here are their Rivals ranking.

Klay Thompson - #51 in 2008
Justin Anderson - #35 in 2012
Ty Jerome - #53 in 2016
DeAndre Hunter - #60 in 2016

To sum up, stay away from Trevor Keels

[lotusland]

First of all, we didn't just make the Final Four. Why you gotta stop there?

Secondly, Kyle Guy might have been a McDonald's AA but he was the #43 recruit in the country in 2016. That has to be one of the lowest rankings for a McDonald's AA.

Finally, there's not a single coach in the country that regularly turns 3-stars into NBA 1st rounders. I'm not sure that should be the standard lol.

Bennett has had four 1st round picks though and none of them were considered 1st rounders coming into college. Here are their Rivals ranking.

Klay Thompson - #51 in 2008
Justin Anderson - #35 in 2012
Ty Jerome - #53 in 2016
DeAndre Hunter - #60 in 2016

To sum up, stay away from Trevor Keels

Marshall Plumlee says hi.

[jhmoss1812]

Marshall Plumlee says hi.

Yeah Marshall probably wins that award. That's why I said "one of the lowest" and not "the lowest".

[DavidBenAkiva]

Yeah Marshall probably wins that award. That's why I said "one of the lowest" and not "the lowest".

UNC has a history of getting modestly-rated recruits into the McDonald's All-American game.

Last summer, RJ Davis was ranked 47th by RSCI and is currently the 247Sports composite rankings. He was given an invite the McDonald's All-American game this summer. Some previous Tar Heels that got similar treatment:

2013: Kennedy Meeks (56)
2004: Larry Drew II (44)
2000: Neil Fingleton (54)

[JasonEvans]

2000: Neil Fingleton (54)

Fingleton was more than 7-7, the tallest British man ever recorded. His basketball career was a bit of a flop but he actually became an actor. He was perhaps best known for playing Mag the Mighty, a giant on Game of Thrones.



He was also the motion capture for Ulton in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The character may have been voiced by James Spader, but Fingleton was the guy in the green costume playing Ultron on set.

Fingleton was injured and only appeared in 1 game for the Heels, failing to score and grabbing 1 rebound. He eventually transferred and played two seasons for Holy Cross. He averaged 2.7 ppg and 1.6 rpg... in the Patriot league. Though he was, by all reports, a really nice guy, he may be the worst performing McDonald's All-American of all time.

-Jason "sadly, Neil died in 2017 of heart failure" Evans

[Rich]

First of all, we didn't just make the Final Four. Why you gotta stop there?

I just remember them as the only one seed to lose to a 16 seed.

But you have to give them credit, they're the only team to be champions for 2 straight years without playing a tournament game the second year (or something like that).

[Jaks19]

2021 is going to be a very interesting recruiting class. Not only is Duke is in a battle with other schools and the G League for top recruits, but COVID-19 is also having an impact on these players. Both Christie and Baldwin could stat close to home and Banchero could stay out on the West Coast.