2023 Men's Basketball Recruiting

[tommy]

Do you think he ever suits up at UK? I get the sense that Dillingham will play in a pro league.

Agree w you. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he never plays at UK.

[9dukejames]

If I were a UK fan, I would hold off celebrating. From what I have read, this young man has some people advising him and that could wind up him bypassing college.

[Steven43]

Top 10 prospect in 2023 has decommitted from Oregon Ducks. The 6'7" forward from Portland had previously listed Kentucky among his possible schools.

https://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/202...gon-ducks.html

Can you come up with a better name than Mookie Cook? I can’t.

[Kedsy]

Can you come up with a better name than Mookie Cook? I can’t.

If you like rhyming names, there was a kid who played for Oregon State in the 90s named Mustapha Hoff. You kind of don't even realize it rhymes until you say it out loud.

[camion]

If you like rhyming names, there was a kid who played for Oregon State in the 90s named Mustapha Hoff. You kind of don't even realize it rhymes until you say it out loud.

I guess it rhymes when you say it out loud. It doesn’t rhyme when I say it out loud.

[Kedsy]

I guess it rhymes when you say it out loud. It doesn’t rhyme when I say it out loud.

How would you pronounce it? I'm fairly certain Mustapha is pronounced "Moo-stoff-a," and "stoff" rhymes with "Hoff." Or are you just messing with me?

[gumbomoop]

Can you come up with a better name than Mookie Cook? I can’t.

I’ll go with Flenoil Crook.

Mostly because mentioning this name allows me to quote one of this young man’s fans, a white-haired senior lady, it is said, who encouraged his play thusly: “Dance on his face, Flenoil.”

[Steven43]

If you like rhyming names, there was a kid who played for Oregon State in the 90s named Mustapha Hoff. You kind of don't even realize it rhymes until you say it out loud.

That’s pretty good. It would have sounded even better had it been Mustapha Hoffa. He really should have considered adding an “a” on the end.

Would’ve made Jimmy proud.

[Steven43]

I’ll go with Flenoil Crook.

Mostly because mentioning this name allows me to quote one of this young man’s fans, a white-haired senior lady, it is said, who encouraged his play thusly: “Dance on his face, Flenoil.”

Yeah, that’s a good one. Weird comment from that old lady, though, right?

[gumbomoop]

Yeah, that’s a good one. Weird comment from that old lady, though, right?

You know, it’s hard to know what word could adequately do justice to these words of encouragement to this fellow’s offensive magic. None of weird, unusual, hilarious, whoa!, huh? seems a sufficient response to the creativity of this jibe. It’s otherworldly-class heckling, probably best appreciated in a smallish gym, sparse crowd, where everyone could hear the taunt. I imagine the scene: everyone on and around the court, by no means excluding the refs and even the object of Flenoil’s gyrations, doubled up, falling down, tears of laughter all ‘round. The game pauses as the white-haired lady rises to acknowledge the standing ovation, resumes her seat, looks for her spittoon. An American small-town classic, worthy of a John Prine song.

[Steven43]

You know, it’s hard to know what word could adequately do justice to these words of encouragement to this fellow’s offensive magic. None of weird, unusual, hilarious, whoa!, huh? seems a sufficient response to the creativity of this jibe. It’s otherworldly-class heckling, probably best appreciated in a smallish gym, sparse crowd, where everyone could hear the taunt. I imagine the scene: everyone on and around the court, by no means excluding the refs and even the object of Flenoil’s gyrations, doubled up, falling down, tears of laughter all ‘round. The game pauses as the white-haired lady rises to acknowledge the standing ovation, resumes her seat, looks for her spittoon. An American small-town classic, worthy of a John Prine song.

Made me laugh a couple of times while reading that. 😂

It’s funny you should mention John Prine because I just heard one of his songs ‘Fish and Whistle’ while driving home from the ER at UNC Hospital a short while ago for my third — but unfortunately not last — visit as part of the rabies regimen they’re administering. Interesting song.

[HayYou]

Agree w you. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if he never plays at UK.

I'll add this: It is possible he's publicly committed to UK this early to start the bidding between UK (or some college, but probably UK) and the various pro Leagues.

If the Pro League's feel like they are bidding only between each other, that is one thing. If they also have to contend with a school willing to spend whatever on a player (and I'm not yet convinced that UK's boosters will do this for any frosh who isn't on the KD/AD/Zion level) it is something else.

THAT SAID, I'd be concerned with eligibility issues also if I was UK. This kid seems zeroed in on a pro league for OTHER reasons, and I'm not that convinced he's all that chuffed about the academic side. We all know how easy it is to keep a kid eligible at the HS level. Especially for a kid that seems to shop schools. But meeting the NCAA threshold? Even that isn't hard, but the kid has to do a modicum of work, and Dillingham's behavior to this point screams: I don't want to go to class anymore. Which is fine, because I knew some CPS guys in college who were much the same and they've done fine.

Further, Dillingham has a Caleb Love profile. Elite (but not really) athlete whose skill is a little lacking. In other words, he needs the transition based game of the pro leagues rather than the more structured style of college. Transition ball lets him do what he's best at, while hiding his true weaknesses.

This will probably drop him out the top of the lottery, unless he's a much better shooter than I think, but it keeps Dillingham solidly in the middle of the first round. Better that than the Caleb Love slide out of the first round.

[flyingdutchdevil]

How would you pronounce it? I'm fairly certain Mustapha is pronounced "Moo-stoff-a," and "stoff" rhymes with "Hoff." Or are you just messing with me?

If his name was Mustapha Hoffa, It'd be a lot better.

Favorite not real name: Tum Tum Nairn.

Favorite real name: Lionheart Leslie

[Kedsy]

If his name was Mustapha Hoffa, It'd be a lot better.

Favorite not real name: Tum Tum Nairn.

Favorite real name: Lionheart Leslie

I'll go with House Guest and God Shammgod (though Lionheart Leslie is definitely a good one).

[TrickDribbles99]

At the intersection of great college basketball names and white-haired old ladies is where you'll find Exree Hipp.

[HayYou]

God Shamgod.

mike drop

[MartyClark]

I'm not sure why, but I've always chuckled at the name Deltlef Schremph.

And his German colleague Uwe Blab who played high school ball for the Effingham Flaming Hearts.

[CDu]

Two words. Dick Trickle.

[HayYou]

Two words. Dick Trickle.

Well, jeez, yeah. I thought we were sticking to hoops names.

Also, Dick Army.

[camion]

How would you pronounce it? I'm fairly certain Mustapha is pronounced "Moo-stoff-a," and "stoff" rhymes with "Hoff." Or are you just messing with me?

Try this link with three different pronunciations.

Linky

No guarantee that the bball player cares what the internet thinks though.