Jay Wright on Cousins

[slides]

Jay Wright says they knew about Oklahoma PG Isaiah Cousins of Mount Vernon "but we just kind of passed."

I know you have to make choices, but seems like an odd thing to say right now, sure he was answering a question, but still

 

[furge]

In Wright 's defense, Frag was a late-addition flyer to Kruger’s second recruiting class and was rated 2 - star by Scout and Rivals. Nova makes their hay with "diamond in the rough" type gritty NYC/Philly guards but given the recent stature of the program it's not like they didn't have their pick of options. Just goes to show how great our scouting and coaching has been these last four years.

 

[TheMont]

They've been giving us quite a bit of bulletin board material.

 

[Zimwillett]

They've been giving us quite a bit of bulletin board material.

First, Wright's comment seems pretty minor. Second, what other comments have they made? Outside of maybe being a little dismissive of OU's win back in December, most of what I've seen from Nova has been very complimentary of OU.

 

[scrybe]

First, Wright's comment seems pretty minor. Second, what other comments have they made? Outside of maybe being a little dismissive of OU's win back in December, most of what I've seen from Nova has been very complimentary of OU.

I think you're right. TheMont may have been referring to the stuff we've been hearing from the Villanova fans. Nova fans – at least in most on-line comments I've read – believe our Sooners have no chance against their team Saturday. I think that improbable win over KU caused damage to their reasoning abilities and logic.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

I think you're right. TheMont may have been referring to the stuff we've been hearing from the Villanova fans. Nova fans – at least in most on-line comments I've read – believe our Sooners have no chance against their team Saturday. I think that improbable win over KU caused damage to their reasoning abilities and logic.

The Oregon fans and team seemed to think the Sooners had no chance against their team either.

 

[WTSooner]

The Oregon fans and team seemed to think the Sooners had no chance against their team either.

That's what fans do. OU fans thought we'd stomp Clemson in the OB. Fans of good teams never think they are going to lose.

 

[Chaser728]

First, Wright's comment seems pretty minor. Second, what other comments have they made? Outside of maybe being a little dismissive of OU's win back in December, most of what I've seen from Nova has been very complimentary of OU.

Yeah, definitely think it's minor, but I think the intent of OP was to question why Wright would even say this into a mic... It just isn't wise. And as far as Nova's comments, I think we as fans can be too sensitive and look for "bulliten board material".

 

[Big Old Booger]

Yeah, definitely think it's minor, but I think the intent of OP was to question why Wright would even say this into a mic... It just isn't wise. And as far as Nova's comments, I think we as fans can be too sensitive and look for "bulliten board material".

I like Cousins playing for my team as much as anyone but he's rough around the edges. How many times has he gotten T's for kicking basketballs, shoving opponents, etc.? I also remember the KU game last year when he refused to shake Bill Self's hand and some other antics he displayed. The guy is a great talent but I can see why a private school would pass on him.

 

[Chaser728]

I like Cousins playing for my team as much as anyone but he's rough around the edges. How many times has he gotten T's for kicking basketballs, shoving opponents, etc.? I also remember the KU game last year when he refused to shake Bill Self's hand and some other antics he displayed. The guy is a great talent but I can see why a private school would pass on him.

Yeah he has a feistiness that most of our players don't have and have no qualms about them passing on a then 2* recruit... But why talk about a guy like that publicly? Just doesn't make any sense...

 

[skyvue]

Fans of good teams never think they are going to lose.

Unless we're facing Duke, right?

 

[sperry]

Don't think that's exactly bulletin board materials. He didn't recruit Isiaiah, not like he can lie and say he did. Bill Self has admitted the same with Buddy. He was in his back yard and probably would have gotten him he'd gone after him, he just didn't realize he woudl become even half the player he did.

 

[slides]

. Bill Self has admitted the same with Buddy. He was in his back yard and probably would have gotten him he'd gone after him, he just didn't realize he woudl become even half the player he did.

Kind of the point, you can't recruit everyone, but the way Self answered this question and the way Wright did are quite different. Granted, I wasn't there, and don't know the context, just the quote, just seems very dismissive of a PG who dropped 19 pts, 10 dimes, and 6 rebs on you, that you are about to play again in the final four.

It is minor and not necessarily BB material, but individual players hang on to things.... Just not the way i would expect a coach to handle this

 

[scrybe]

Unless we're facing Duke, right?

:ez-roll: Good one, skyvue!

 

[sperry]

Kind of the point, you can't recruit everyone, but the way Self answered this question and the way Wright did are quite different. Granted, I wasn't there, and don't know the context, just the quote, just seems very dismissive of a PG who dropped 19 pts, 10 dimes, and 6 rebs on you, that you are about to play again in the final four.

It is minor and not necessarily BB material, but individual players hang on to things.... Just not the way i would expect a coach to handle this

It's insulting to the players he did recruit if he is out there saying "OH yeah, I blew it, I should have signed Isaiah Cousins."

 

[scrybe]

It's insulting to the players he did recruit if he is out there saying "OH yeah, I blew it, I should have signed Isaiah Cousins."

I think you're totally missing the point many posters are making here. No, Wright had absolutely no obligation to recruit Cousins. He can recruit any player he chooses and offer a scholarship to whomever he can convince to sign the dotted line.

But Wright chose to travel the low road, saying he and his staff knew about Cousins, "but we just kind of passed."

 

[TheMont]

I know zero context behind his comment, and it's highly likely he said it without a cocky or negligent intent, but still -- if I'm a coach, I go up to Cousins and say "Hey Cuz, this coach that you dropped 19 points and 10 assists on says he passed on you. Go get em." It may be minor, but it still probably wasn't smart to say.

There's a way to answer the question without disrespecting Isaiah or the current Villanova players.

I also read an article (I can't find it now) with quotes from Nova about how, in Hawaii, Buddy was contained and it was the the supporting cast who really hurt Nova, which is true and it was very complimentary of Cousins, Woodard, Spangler, etc. But there were also quotes about how they were satisfied with how they contained Buddy (he had 18 points [on admittedly poor shooting], 8 points more than the leading Nova scorer). Again, I FULLY trust they respect Buddy, but if I'm a coach, I make sure Buddy knows that they think they can guard him.

 

[opsooner]

Cousins showed some talent his freshman year but he was very raw on ball handling and several other skills. I can see how some top schools passed on him. I like that we were able to give him the experience, coach him, and allow him to cook his skills to where they are now. He needed the time and he deserves all the credit now. He can handle, shoot, defend, and rebound.

 

[colston15]

I like Cousins playing for my team as much as anyone but he's rough around the edges. How many times has he gotten T's for kicking basketballs, shoving opponents, etc.? I also remember the KU game last year when he refused to shake Bill Self's hand and some other antics he displayed. The guy is a great talent but I can see why a private school would pass on him.

I would've kicked the ball at K-State, too. Only much higher and farther.

I like 'rough around the edges' players. We need more. Spangler is no boy scout.

 

[scrybe]

Another thing: He may not have meant it in this context, but Wright's statement could at the very least imply that he thinks Isaiah is a troublemaker and was not worthy of being considered as a Villanova recruit.

Maybe I'm wrong, but…