Building for the future: Hammond and Harris

[Sam]

OU staff has started aggressively recruited instate recently and two of the young players they are keeping tabs on are Omega Harris of Putnam City West and Jacob Hammond of the OKC Storm.

Here is an article by Will Jennings highlighting them as Sooner recruits along with some other recruiting news.

Hammond and Harris

 

[NYC-Fool]

Thanks Sam - In your opinion, who are the top high major prospects in the state (regardless of class)?

 

[coolm]

OU staff has started aggressively recruited instate recently and two of the young players they are keeping tabs on are Omega Harris of Putnam City West and Jacob Hammond of the OKC Storm.

This makes me very very happy. Recruiting should ALWAYS focus on local first. always. It's just plain ignorance not to.

 

[Sam]

Thanks Sam - In your opinion, who are the top high major prospects in the state (regardless of class)?

2012 - Nino Jackson (likely will end up at a juco, so keep an eye out for him in 2014.)
2013 Jordan Woodard, Stevie Clark, Juwan Parker, Jakob Hartsock, Shaq Morris
2014 Omega Harris, Jacob Hammond
2015 Allonzo Trier, Douglass Moore, Curran Scott

Jokolby Long is a 8th grader to keep an eye on, son of Douglass coach Terry Long. Supposed to be really good and could be the next Xaiver Henry, Blake Griffin, type out of Oklahoma.

 

[TheGimper]

This makes me very very happy. Recruiting should ALWAYS focus on local first. always. It's just plain ignorance not to.

That's why Duke had maintained success through out the ages. They only recruit local kids.

 

[Sawyer]

That's why Duke had maintained success through out the ages. They only recruit local kids.

I'm not sure I'd use what works for Duke as the model for Oklahoma recruiting.

 

[TheGimper]

I'm not sure I'd use what works for Duke as the model for Oklahoma recruiting.

I know. I was just being smarmy. It just irks me when people say we should only concentrate on in-state talent. I understand recruiting from your pipelines, but I'm also logically sound so it makes sense to recruit kids across the Mario that have interest in your university.

 

[CoachTalk]

I know. I was just being smarmy. It just irks me when people say we should only concentrate on in-state talent. I understand recruiting from your pipelines, but I'm also logically sound so it makes sense to recruit kids across the Mario that have interest in your university.

No one is saying to solely recruit OK, they are saying keep that pipeline open, show early interest in kids, even if you dont offer early, it couldnt hurt future relationships with coaches, kids, family members etc...

 

[WTSooner]

No one is saying to solely recruit OK, they are saying keep that pipeline open, show early interest in kids, even if you dont offer early, it couldnt hurt future relationships with coaches, kids, family members etc...

IMO, OU has recruited the state just fine over the last two decades. We're going through a couple of years with a lot of D1 prospects. That isn't always the case. Of course this is a good time to focus on OK kids, there are a lot of them, and they are solid. When it goes back to having borderline D1 kids leading the class, we need to go back to no trying to get kids from OK.

 

[CoachTalk]

IMO, OU has recruited the state just fine over the last two decades. We're going through a couple of years with a lot of D1 prospects. That isn't always the case. Of course this is a good time to focus on OK kids, there are a lot of them, and they are solid. When it goes back to having borderline D1 kids leading the class, we need to go back to no trying to get kids from OK.

I agree 100%. The next few years are huge for OU and the Okla kids! I think we need a good mixture of both. The next 2 or 3 classes are loaded with top 150 kids!

 

[coolm]

I didnt say CONCENTRATE on local talent. I said it should be our first step/stop. So you can save the smarmy.

 

[WillJennings]

In fairness to the staff, they are all over the map. They are out east looking big guys in the late period. They have also been at two juco events in Dallas and Coffeyville the past two weeks looking for under the radar players. There still is a chance OU gets a big guy before the early signing period. Also in 2013 we haven't touched on a few kids like 6'9 forward Austin Colbert of New Jersey and 6'4 shooting guard Al Freeman of Florida that OU is strongly in the hunt for.

As for the local kids, OU wants to get in on them early. One complaint of the old coaching staff was underevaluating instate talent. Especially when talented players like Amric Fields gets away. Also when you look at a kid like Josh Richardson, the 6'6 wing from Edmond, the damage in recruiting had already been done so OU really couldn't get in the mix with him. In the case of Hammond, who right now is very raw but is also 6'9 and plays with a lot of intensity, you have to recruit him. The staff was first with Hammond so if he does turn out to be a major prospect, OU has an early advantage. The same goes with Harris, who is as skilled as any guard in the state and has shown he can compete well on a national stage.