2021 Recruiting

[Stikboy]

I've heard the same thing....hope Mama wins out.

How do we know that mama doesn't want him at Kentucky now that Jai Lucas is there? Wasn't Texas' big selling point the Lucas relationship with the family? Then you add the blueblood factor....

 

[CoachTalk]

How do we know that mama doesn't want him at Kentucky now that Jai Lucas is there? Wasn't Texas' big selling point the Lucas relationship with the family? Then you add the blueblood factor....

Lexington is a long ways from home.

 

[WaymanFan]

I freaking hate Kentucky with a passion. A 5 star came come to OU, win national player of the year, and be a lottery pick just as much or more as they could there. They will be the guy. Not just another 5 star on an underwhelming Calipari team.

And that's what Lon has to sell him on why to come to OU. It's not as if Trae Young would have been an NBA bust had he gone to Kansas or Kentucky, but there is no way he would be this far along this quickly. Going to OU and having the autonomy to "Be the man" accelerated his development. It can be a great selling point if done effectively.

 

[BoulderSooner]

How do we know that mama doesn't want him at Kentucky now that Jai Lucas is there? Wasn't Texas' big selling point the Lucas relationship with the family? Then you add the blueblood factor....

distance is a big deal to the family

 

[Stikboy]

distance is a big deal to the family

I sure hope you guys are right and that is the deciding factor. Besides just the player, getting a 5 star at that position would probably help OU basketball recruiting in many other ways...

 

[Stikboy]

And that's what Lon has to sell him on why to come to OU. It's not as if Trae Young would have been an NBA bust had he gone to Kansas or Kentucky, but there is no way he would be this far along this quickly. Going to OU and having the autonomy to "Be the man" accelerated his development. It can be a great selling point if done effectively.

Huge, great point. Collins needs to know that he could probably step right in for Manek(especially if they're selling him on playing outside some) and as long as he earns it be a star at the 4 from the get go. Not sure if he could have that same opportunity at Keen-tuck. The Big 12 is a better conference than the SEC, and he'd have all the same exposure.

 

[BCSooners]

Collins, Vic, & Rick in the frontcourt...sheesh that’s athletic

 

[skyvue]

Trae, Buddy, even Blake -- Has UK had any players develop better and become bigger stars than these?

 

[BCSooners]

Trae, Buddy, even Blake -- Has UK had any players develop better and become bigger stars than these?

developed & bigger stars in college or NBA?

 

[hoopsaustin]

Trae, Buddy, even Blake -- Has UK had any players develop better and become bigger stars than these?

Anthony davis, cousins, meeks, jamal murray, off the top of my head

 

[WichitaSooner]

Trae, Buddy, even Blake -- Has UK had any players develop better and become bigger stars than these?

Well, Anthony Davis, John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Booker, Murray, Bam, Fox, KAT. That’s a pretty impressive list of great NBA players over the past decade, and most of them had great college careers, too. No one wants Collins to pick us more than I do, but I think it’s wrong to act like any elite player choosing UK would be making an objectively bad decision. Obviously not all of their blue chippers pan out. Some end up with limited minutes because they are beaten out by another five star. But Cal has a pretty darn good track record of not only signing great recruits, but getting them to the lottery pretty quickly.

I just hope that the time and effort OU put in with Collins carries the day. Kentucky wins lots of recruiting battles, but not all of them.

 

[BCSooners]

Let's compare Buddy, Blake, & Trae to AD, Wall, & Booker so we have a PG, wing, & post.
College: Wall > Trae
Buddy > Booker
Blake > AD (That would've been an amazing battle head to head)
NBA: Trae > Wall (If Trae is willing to play an ounce of defense this won't be very close)
Booker > Buddy
AD > Blake

All the Kentucky players were higher ranked & all have more natural ability than all the OU players so it's understandable they'd be better in the NBA. But the OU players were allowed to showcase & develop their talents better at OU.

 

[skyvue]

I guess Buddy's the only true example of the point I'm making. UK gets five-stars, they play a year or two and then they're off to the NBA. But does UK do anything for those players that Kruger and Co. couldn't do at OU? I would argue no. They're usually a better team than OU, which is obviously a strong argument in their favor, but from an individual POV -- development, NBA prospects, etc. -- Collins would lose nothing by choosing OU, and he might gain from being more of a standout at OU than he would with (potentially) fewer minutes at UK.

I'm not saying choosing UK is a bad decision (except I consider their coach to be slimy -- I'd choose Kruger for my kid every time). I am saying that I don't think a top-shelf player has a better chance of succeeding, of excelling, of making it to the NBA at UK than at OU.

But of course UK has the tradition and the blue-blood thing, just as OU does in football. I certainly understand the appeal.

 

[thebigabd]

I guess Buddy's the only true example of the point I'm making. UK gets five-stars, they play a year or two and then they're off to the NBA. But does UK do anything for those players that Kruger and Co. couldn't do at OU? I would argue no. They're usually a better team than OU, which is obviously a strong argument in their favor, but from an individual POV -- development, NBA prospects, etc. -- Collins would lose nothing by choosing OU, and he might gain from being more of a standout at OU than he would with (potentially) fewer minutes at UK.

I'm not saying choosing UK is a bad decision (except I consider their coach to be slimy -- I'd choose Kruger for my kid every time). I am saying that I don't think a top-shelf player has a better chance of succeeding, of excelling, of making it to the NBA at UK than at OU.

But of course UK has the tradition and the blue-blood thing, just as OU does in football. I certainly understand the appeal.

I get what you are saying, and tend to agree... However, that logic is probably true of playing anywhere.

For example... would Cade Cunningham enter the NBA with the same level of NBA preparedness despite where he goes?

Whether its Mike Boynton, Calipari, Chris Beard, Lon Kruger???? Or even dropping a level, playing for Rodney Terry at UTEP, Ron Sanchez at Charlotte, or Eran Ganot at Hawaii? Does it change much for players of that caliber?

 

[skyvue]

I get what you are saying, and tend to agree... However, that logic is probably true of playing anywhere.

For example... would Cade Cunningham enter the NBA with the same level of NBA preparedness despite where he goes?

Whether its Mike Boynton, Calipari, Chris Beard, Lon Kruger???? Or even dropping a level, playing for Rodney Terry at UTEP, Ron Sanchez at Charlotte, or Eran Ganot at Hawaii? Does it change much for players of that caliber?

I would say dropping a level makes a difference, though the player will still get to the NBA. It hurts development (you're playing against slightly less talented competition) and you're less likely to blow up as much, publicity-wise, as you would at a school like OU. Would Trae have gotten as much attention at UTEP? I don't think so (and I'm not sure he would have gotten more at UK -- I'm not sure it's possible to get more attention than he got at OU).

Would be Buddy have been Player of the Year at UTEP? Almost certainly not. One could argue that for a top-line player, a school like OU (and the other schools you mentioned) gives a five-star player the best of both worlds -- he get to be THE top dog at his school and if he really delivers on the court, he'll get all the publicity he could ask for.

 

[Stikboy]

I would say dropping a level makes a difference, though the player will still get to the NBA. It hurts development (you're playing against slightly less talented competition) and you're less likely to blow up as much, publicity-wise, as you would at a school like OU. Would Trae have gotten as much attention at UTEP? I don't think so (and I'm not sure he would have gotten more at UK -- I'm not sure it's possible to get more attention than he got at OU).

Would be Buddy have been Player of the Year at UTEP? Almost certainly not. One could argue that for a top-line player, a school like OU (and the other schools you mentioned) gives a five-star player the best of both worlds -- he get to be THE top dog at his school and if he really delivers on the court, he'll get all the publicity he could ask for.

Well done!

 

[CoachTalk]

I would say dropping a level makes a difference, though the player will still get to the NBA. It hurts development (you're playing against slightly less talented competition) and you're less likely to blow up as much, publicity-wise, as you would at a school like OU. Would Trae have gotten as much attention at UTEP? I don't think so (and I'm not sure he would have gotten more at UK -- I'm not sure it's possible to get more attention than he got at OU).

Would be Buddy have been Player of the Year at UTEP? Almost certainly not. One could argue that for a top-line player, a school like OU (and the other schools you mentioned) gives a five-star player the best of both worlds -- he get to be THE top dog at his school and if he really delivers on the court, he'll get all the publicity he could ask for.

Big 12 is below SEC? H2H disagrees from 2013 to 2020.

Big 12 leads the series by 10 games.

Sec isn’t a superior conference

 

[skyvue]

I was responding to ABD's reference to dropping a level below OU to a school like UTEP or Charlotte. I certainly don't rank the SEC above the Big 12.

 

[hoopsaustin]

Big 12 is below SEC? H2H disagrees from 2013 to 2020.

Big 12 leads the series by 10 games.

Sec isn’t a superior conference

I dont think hes saying that. I think he think means utep vs. UK/OU. Otherwise its negligible

 

[WaymanFan]

I'm not as impressed with the list of NBA Kentucky players the past 10 years as others. 29 1st round draft picks and (so far) only 6 made an All-Star roster. Three of the six were #1 overall picks. In OU's history, I believe we have only produced 8 1st round picks, with 4 making at least one All-Star appearance so far. 50% seems like a solid percentage and it has a chance to go north of 60% if Buddy can bounce back after a slight regression this year. Kentucky may end up with 9 or 10 of those guys total, but at slightly over 20% at the moment, that's hardly impressive.

My point earlier was that a lot of their 5-star players get lost in the mix...never really develop into great players, whether it is at the college level or pro level. While I believe Trae Young would have been successful in the NBA at Kentucky, in no way would he be at the level he is playing at right now. John Calipari all but admitted that during Trae's year at OU. He praised Lon for his development, but came right out and said it would have been a lot different at Kentucky playing with all those other 5-star players.

No doubt Collins can succeed wherever he goes...but there is a precedent that picking OU over Kentucky would allow him an opportunity to showcase his talents sooner.