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OU still in play for Trae Young as he explodes nationally
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ocugolfsooner
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Ouch
As he should. You get offered by UCLA, Duke, etc you have to accept that opportunity.
MsProudSooner
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It's not the 1960's. UCLA shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath as Duke.
I understand losing players like Daniel Orton, Xavier Henry, Etan Thomas, Azubuike, and Shelden Williams to out of state teams. But we are really striking out on guys to lesser programs. Milton to SMU, Jolly to Cal, Harris to UTEP, Parker to Georgia, Morris to Wich St, Richardson to Tenn, Spangler to Zags, and Clarke to Ark.
The schools they are choosing seems to me that this is more on the coaches and less on the OU program. Of course, Spangler was clearly on Capel. The coaches need to start picking up the recruiting on these local kids. I rather fail with kids like Cole and Hardrick then to have scholarships available and see these oklahoma kids leave who clearly have talent for programs that are equal or less than our program.
The schools they are choosing seems to me that this is more on the coaches and less on the OU program. Of course, Spangler was clearly on Capel. The coaches need to start picking up the recruiting on these local kids. I rather fail with kids like Cole and Hardrick then to have scholarships available and see these oklahoma kids leave who clearly have talent for programs that are equal or less than our program.
CoachTalk
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Jolly, Harris, Parker Morris and Richardson... We either didn't offer or pulled out offer. So your argument is t really valid.
Some like leaving, you can't help that.
skyvue
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Why? Did things not work out nicely for Wayman and Blake (to name just two)?
I don't begrudge any young athlete who wants to go to a traditional power, but saying they "have to accept that opportunity" is silly.
For example, it might be important to a young man that his friends and family get to see him play on a regular basis. If so, does he drop the ball by signing with a quality -- but not elite -- program like OU? Hardly.
ocugolfsooner
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Exactly. Playing for OU in no way diminishes a player's ability to get drafted in the NBA draft, nor does it cause them to get drafted lower. If you're great, you're great, no matter where you play. Tradition is still important, but doesn't carry as much weight as it used to (unfortunately for OU football at the moment).
Also, in basketball, all it takes is a couple great players to make a Final 4 run, so it's not like football where if you go to just a solid program rather than an elite one, you are foregoing much chance at a national championship or at least a deep tourney run.
We tried very hard to get Milton. Most of the others weren't offered by the current OU coaches. CJ and Hardrick would have a tough time playing at UCO much less OU. We can't recruit guys like this and win.
We also lost Stevie Clark to osu but only after Lon pulled the scholarship offer because of his issues. Turned out to be a good move. We did want Soloman who did a nice job as a freshman for them.
Young can really score and we have offered. He is looking at the big boys. It will be interesting to see how he matures as a person and a player over the next couple of years.
UCLA and Duke have equally been to the final four 3 times in the past 10 years.
It should be important to attend the best school. I laugh at any knucklehead football player from Oklahima who has an offer from Stanford and chooses OU. That's a very dumb decision.
Most kids with football scholarships to Oklahoma are looking to major in football. They intend to pursue a career professionally, or in coaching, with a backup plan of someone will hire me because I played football for OU.
If you're an exceptionally smart kid, like Chase Beeler or something, then going to Stanford makes sense. Elite employers obviously are hiring more Stanford grads than Ou grads.
But a 2.5 in Communications from Stanford isn't going to serve you any better than the same from OU, while the football preparation and connections you'll receive from OU will be far superior.
To the basketball topic specifically, OU has a great coach with connections all over the place in professional basketball. He'll coach you up as good as anyone in the country, and he'll know how to get you to the next level if you're good enough. So you're not leaving anythign on the table if you don't come here.
However, I can also see why you'd want to go play at a blue blood in basketball where the school and student body are nuts about the game, and where you can compete for national titles. It's the same reason why we can snag elite football recruits nationally.
campbest
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1.) After working a couple years, no one cares about your GPA.
2.) Your network "net-worth" is much higher after graduating from Stanford than OU, and that's not a knock on OU by any means. Stanford is just that good.
hoopsaustin
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Durrr
Zimwillett
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Exactly. Plus, in hindsight, Richardson is probably the only one I think would have been a true difference maker. Of course, that's on Capel (Richardson was in the 2011 class).
For an intelligent, ambitious person who does well at Stanford, yes. For an athlete focusing on football, making a 2.5 in sociology, no.
thebigabd
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If I had a free pass to go live, learn, and play basketball for free somewhere it wouldn't be in Oklahoma. I am from Oklahoma, and currently live here, but it would be a tough sell for me to stay in state as a 17 or 18 year old.
I would probably be heading to UC Santa Barbara, Pepperdine, USC, Stanford, Hawaii, or a Florida school.
