Bad news on Lamb

[BigTime]

Written in today's New Haven Register:

Doron Lamb is making an official visit to UConn this weekend. He arrived late last night and will leave tomorrow morning.

Lamb says his list of schools is down to five: Kansas, Kentucky, UConn, Arizona and Oklahoma. He's visited all but Arizona so far, and will be visiting that school soon.

Lamb says he will commit in the fall but wait until April to sign.

"I’m just looking for a good coaching staff, a winning school, good players that I can work around," he said. "A school that's basketball-first."

He added that he doesn't have a frontrunner right now. Lamb is teammates at Oak Hill Academy with Roscoe Smith, whose final three schools are down to UConn, Georgetown and Duke. Smith said last night that he has a frontrunner, but wouldn't hint at who that is.

"He's a good player," Lamb said of Smith. "When he went to Oak Hill, he didn't realize it was strict and all that, in the middle of nowhere. But he realized what he's got to do out there, so he's doing better now."

Let's hope this was somehow taken out of context (can't see how). Dangit!

 

[thebigabd]

Maybe after seeing OU's practice facilities and how Capel puts guys in the NBA he thinks OU is basketball first.

Hell, someone show him the football teams record, lol.

 

[Krugerfan52]

Well, I guess that's that. IMO that's the last we'll hear of Lamb.

I had my hopes up the entire time on him, but that quote to me says that OU is eliminated from the group. I was already getting the feeling that if he was going to come to OU he would have done it already and not started adding schools to his list. But now I give him a 0% chance of being a Sooner.

To bad. I've now put all my hope into landing Terrance Jones.

 

[BigTime]

Our only hope now is that Tiny can convince Doron that OU is a big enough hoop's school, and that he is the missing link to deep tourney run/national championship.

Work him, :tinypower!

 

[kbsooner]

Why would he still claim OU as top 5 and make that statement? Seems a bit off, but speaks volumes of what Capel has done to the perception of OU. No reason we can't compete on an elite level with both sports @ OU.

Why would being a "basketball-first" school really matter to a recruit? National media exposure maybe (see Dick Vitale, east cost bias)? I thought the national coverage of Blake last season and the WW preseason pub would quell any of those doubts. If I was a high level recruit, I would just worry about finding a coach that can make me better (Capel +), finding a team situation that you could fit in and fill a role (Tiny +, SG need +), and joining a winning program with a chance for a deep tourney run (On paper = future bright +). With our core of freshman, in-coming recruits and the likely departure of WW, I think OU is a great fit.

 

[Sooner23]

I hate to be the "we didn't want him anyway" after the fact guy, but now that I've seen Pledger I think we will be fine if we don't get Lamb. Don't get me wrong though, I'd still love to have Lamb.

 

[BigTime]

Why would he still claim OU as top 5 and make that statement? Seems a bit off, but speaks volumes of what Capel has done to the perception of OU. No reason we can't compete on an elite level with both sports @ OU.

Why would being a "basketball-first" school really matter to a recruit? National media exposure maybe (see Dick Vitale, east cost bias)? I thought the national coverage of Blake last season and the WW preseason pub would quell any of those doubts. If I was a high level recruit, I would just worry about finding a coach that can make me better (Capel +), finding a team situation that you could fit in and fill a role (Tiny +, SG need +), and joining a winning program with a chance for a deep tourney run (On paper - future bright +). With our core of freshman, in coming recruits and the likely departure of WW, I think OU is a great fit.

Yeah, Blake was the most publicized figure in college hoops last year....by far. So that is a myth.

 

[Cheno]

Why would being a "basketball-first" school really matter to a recruit? National media exposure maybe (see Dick Vitale, east cost bias)? I thought the national coverage of Blake last season and the WW preseason pub would quell any of those doubts. If I was a high level recruit, I would just worry about finding a coach that can make me better (Capel +), finding a team situation that you could fit in and fill a role (Tiny +, SG need +), and joining a winning program with a chance for a deep tourney run (On paper = future bright +). With our core of freshman, in-coming recruits and the likely departure of WW, I think OU is a great fit.

Really though all of the schools on his list (except probably Arizona) fit that bill. Then with Kansas, Kentucky & UCONN you have the basketball first schools. Big crowds, huge fan support, lots of national exposure, etc.
So if that's what he's looking for it probably will be one of those schools.

 

[BigTime]

Of course KU, UCONN, and UK are going to use that slant. OU just needs to stick to pitches that they have been using from day 1:

- Lamb can come in next year and fill in after Willie leaves. All three other schools are loaded at the shooting guard position. KU's E. Johnson is really talented. He, Tyshawn, and either Knight or Selby will start. UCONN has 2 talented SGs on the roster (one is a frosh) and already has a commitment from a 4 star SG. UK has 3 SGs/wings on their roster and has a commitment from a wing. They are also in on some top PGs to go along with Bledsoe.

- Lamb can come in and play with his buddy Tiny Gallon.

-Doron can come in and play for a hip, young coaching staff that just put out the #1 draft pick.

Just stick to the good points. The LNC has a really, really high all-time winning % (2nd best in the Big 12), so while having all the fans is great, it doesn't win games or get you drafted. He will get plenty of exposure at Oklahoma. Just look at Blake and Willie.

I also like the fact that this team is poised for a title run. All of his other schools already have titles. How cool would it be to become a legend by winning OU's first ever title? I think that would be really intriguing to do something that has never been done...unless we do it this year!

 

[kbsooner]

Really though all of the schools on his list (except probably Arizona) fit that bill. Then with Kansas, Kentucky & UCONN you have the basketball first schools. Big crowds, huge fan support, lots of national exposure, etc.
So if that's what he's looking for it probably will be one of those schools.

Agreed Cheno, it sounds like it could be a bigger factor for him than we would like. OU is likely on the next tier of those elite "names" in terms of recognition. But I think the points I listed above and BT's post are the reason OU is still a player in his recruitment.

 

[BigTime]

Agreed Cheno, it sounds like it could be a bigger factor for him than we would like. OU is likely on the next tier of those elite "names" in terms of recognition. But I think the points I listed above and BT's post are the reason OU is still a player in his recruitment.

Another good one working for OU is the family environment that OU has created within its hoop's program. Now, every team says they are like a family, but Coach Capel and his entire staff have done a great job creating a close knit group.

Being comfortable is HUGE (biggest factor imo) in most kid's bball recruitment.

 

[MNsooner]

I think something else worse noting is that although we are a football school, it doesn't mean that the athletic department does it at the expense of BBall. There is great institutional support for the program. A growing fan base and basketball program that should legitimately challenge for a national championship over the next few year. The only difference between us and a basketball-first school is perception and fans. I have always though having a good football program and having good relations between players should be a selling point.

 

[Cheno]

Agreed Cheno, it sounds like it could be a bigger factor for him than we would like. OU is likely on the next tier of those elite "names" in terms of recognition. But I think the points I listed above and BT's post are the reason OU is still a player in his recruitment.

I'm not the one saying he's not. You had just asked why being a basketball school mattered to a recruit. I think all things being equal between the schools on his list that tradition/support is one thing that stands out with KU, Kentucky & UCONN. And I wouldn't say immediate playing time is that big a positive for OU. TMG, Pledger & Clark is probably the best perimeter out of the bunch. KU has Tyshawn, Elijah Johnson & Tyrel Reed back probably. Kentucky has no 2G's back and none signed. UCONN loses Dyson and has no good 2G's other than him on the roster. The most immediate playing time is at Kentucky and UCONN and it's not even close. And those are two BIG basketball schools. My guess he's goes to one of them.

 

[FaithfulSooner]

I wouldn't count us out just yet. Just keep following his recruitment and you'll understand what I'm talking about. BOOMER SOONER BABY!!!

 

[buttermaker1]

Removed as message was intended as a flame.

 

[Seymore Cox]

I'm not worried about it. Good chance he saw the Nebraska game 2 weeks ago.

 

[skyvue]

I'm not worried about it. Good chance he saw the Nebraska game 2 weeks ago.

Yep, that loss pretty much signified that we'll never be top tier in football again. And thankfully, we never stub our toes that way in basketball. We win every game we're supposed to.

 

[JBaker]

Tell him that the basketball team has lost the same number of games as the football team in 2009...

 

[Cheno]

OU football is fine. Just couldn't overcome the injuries this year. 4-5 losses is what realistic people should have expected after the opening game loss and Bradford getting hurt. People saying they'd still only lose 2-3 were just thinking with their hearts. We've all done it. If they can close the season out with two wins and win the bowl game it was a pretty good season all things considered.

 

[jmill1200]

Yep, that loss pretty much signified that we'll never be top tier in football again. And thankfully, we never stub our toes that way in basketball. We win every game we're supposed to.

Really, are you being sarcastic? OU is still a top tier football program. If you look at the injuries this season, OU has had more starters miss games, than any other team in CFB. Plus some of the injuries are unexplainable, like a broken heel, might be the first one ever on an OU team. Don't get me wrong, it has been a terrible season, but everybody has em, every now and then. Look at LSU last year 7-5, what about USC this year, they haven't looked that great either. Guess they have fallen from top tier status as well. Maybe a few recruits want a basketball first school and thats fine, but I would think that the Basketball program has benefited from all the money the football team makes. Florida is proof that a football school can win a championship in basketball.