I like "where" they come from

[cowboysooner]

I don't know anything about Hornbeak or Hield but I like where they come from. Hield is from Sunrise in Witchita, which is a basketball prep school that year in and out will have a number of high major players and is just a couple hours from Norman. So, maybe Lon can develop a pipeline into Sunrise. It wouldn't hurt.

Likewise, Jelon is out of Arlington Grace, a tradional power basketball school that routinely produces good players out of the Dallas/fort worth area. Again, maybe lon can use Jelon to develop a pipeline into the Dallas area.

Both kids sound like good all round basketball players and I like their length. From some of the film, it looks like Hield has really good handles and is really athletic. If Jelon is similiar then, then they will really be interchangeable. I could see Hield become a really good defender. He looks really long and laterally quick on film (not sure of the competition).

 

[AdaSooner]

Good point about developing a pipeline to two programs known for producing talented players over the years. That can only help in our efforts to recruit from those schools in the years to come. It's also good that Coach Kruger and his staff are making an immediate impact in cities like Wichita and the DFW areas, both known as hotbeds for basketball players.

I have gone on record a number of times in saying that there is no substitute for developing relationships with high schools coaches, teachers and the families of the kids we're trying to sign. It's obvious that Jelon Hornbeak's mother and grandmother played a major role in his decision to come to OU. Lon Kruger is a smart man! He knows that selling the parents, grandparents, guardians, or whoever has the most influence on a kid, is often just as important as anything you do in selling your program to the recruit.

 

[OKURanger]

I agree with the idea of establishing links/pipelines with the Wichita and DFW areas. Further, I think if OU focused on getting the best players possible from KS, OK, and North Texas the coaches wouldn't need to go outside of that radius very often to field a talented team. I'm sure that Kruger still has contacts in the west that he could use, but I'm not sure he needs them.

 

[25mob]

It's called experience. you can see that he knows how to build a program. Coach Kruger doesn't seem to be interested in those kids who think they are one and done types which should allow him to build depth on his roster. Coach Kruger looks to have a good plan in place to bring the program back to contender status.

 

[daqman]

Great job Lon.