I'm going to include two of your recent posts together, cause they could have similar themes in my answers.
I don't know if Cassell Jr. is good, that is why I asked the question? However, I would note he apparently had a scholarship to Maryland so I would assume he is a legitimate D-1 prospect just as I would assume any kid getting a scholarship to OU is a legitimate D-1 prospect.
Perhaps you are not old enough to remember his dad but he was quite good. You also may not be old enough yet to note how often genetics actually are a key to athletic success. As you age and mature you will soon recognize that genetics are perhaps the single most important factor in athletic success. I can name plenty of examples of successful father son athletes such as Manning, Griffey, Fielder, Hill, Bonds, Alou, Howe, Hull, Walton, Gwynn, Norton, Long, Dorsett, Rivers, Bryant, Winslow, Bradford, Henry or families (and I will stick to Oklahoma) such as Peters, Gundy, Selmon, Price, Griffon, Shepard, Sanders, Bookout, etc.
First, I just hope as I age I don't use the "age card" as my go to comeback when people have opinions that differ from my own. Maybe I can just keep my smugness and poor attempts at dry humor as my go to move(s).
Yeah I recall Cassel, cause against all odds I shockingly watched a lot of basketball as a youth. Some kids do that!
I recall him as a player consistently in the league and he seemed average at the time (and yes I understand how awesomely good at basketball you have to be to even get invited to try out for a NBA team).
To be honest though, my main memories of him are; him getting called for a 8 second call as a Clipper in the 4th quarter of a playoff game and him and Popeye Jones consistently fighting for which NBA player most looked like he was Gollum's stunt double in Lord of the Rings. So perhaps I undervalue his athletic ability.
I just thought this was a silly post because if Sam Cassel Jr didn't have a famous name, this wouldn't even be brought up. He's a kid that has some qualifying issues, which seems to be a red flag for many on here after the Capel era. Not to mention he's another combo guard. OU just signed two combo guards and a 2/3, along with a 2013 PG committed. I'll get to the whole OU needs bigs over guards in 2013 for the rest of the recruiting in much more longwinded detail down below. So OU should add another combo guard that was a fringe Top 150 guy (for those who love rankings!) just because his dad was a NBA player?
On genetics, yes even one as young, belligerent and foolhardy as myself understands that you get your DNA from your parents. And sure having an elite athlete for a parent does improve your chances. But I don't see it as the end all for producing the next generation of elite athletes. (To produce a freak like Lebron, he clearly should've been the off spring of Michael Jordan and Flo Jo, instead of Gloria James and whoever preceded Delonte West)
For as many elite athletes that have been the offspring of elite athletes, there are some who aren't. So as much as having a good genetic pedigree is nice, I'd argue genetics can still be a bit random (although I'm becoming convinced tall women increase the chances at having taller sons).
Also by the blanket logic that Pro Athletes/College athletes' offsprings = super stars. Someone could make a killing investing in a training academy school for Antonino Cromarite's ever expanding roster of children, heck throw in Larry Birdine's kids for kicks and giggles (would make the kids a lot more quotable!). That surely should produce some NFL players, Olympians in handball or speed walking based on their father's genetics.
Why does everyone think OU only needs big guys? Next year OU returns M'Baye, Neal, Spangler, Bennett, Cole and they have Elliott committed. That is 6 forwards. Realisticially only 4 of them can play and only 3 of them for significant minutes.
Two quick thoughts on that first.
Even after a year of redshirt, I have my doubts on Cole being ready to contribute at the Big 12 level. Maybe he'll prove my statement idiotic and advance more rapidly than I'm guessing.
Unless Neal starts to put on a lot more weight, I think he will always be more of a wing type than a post. It just seems to be his DNA (based on analysis from my couch life).
I will also continue to beat the drum that M'Baye could possibly be one and done. I get the feeling that the possibility of him leaving early is a factor in OU's focus on bigs in recruiting. Its my opinion and I'm sticking to it (I've also met people much more knowledgeable about basketball that share similar opinions on this subject).
So even if M'Baye comes back that leaves Spangler and whatever minutes Bennett get this year as players with D-1 experience. (I'm not a huge Bennent fan, he didn't put up good numbers at juco and that seems like a red flag to me. But I haven't seen enough of him to say I have anything stronger than a gut feeling on him that could also be described as a stab in the dark.)
I do think Elliot has some potential though, seems like a better version of C.J. Washington based solely on first year juco stats (again gut feeling, stab in the dark, the babblings of an ill informed youth that doesn't understand genetics).
Among those post options, only Bennett is close to being a true 5 in my book.
OU potentially has a very good and young guard group (I love the potential of OU's backcourt! Good size, good athleticism, etc, really think this could be a special group down the road. Can't stress this enough.) but the post options seem a bit hodge podge. Also I think you'll see a theme of a lot of the 4s OU bring in with the potential to play the 3 like M'Baye. There's also a lack of back to basket scorers in the current group for 2013-14, so for my viewpoint it makes sense to leave no stone unturned with big man recruiting.
The backcourt is Hield, Hornbeak, Cousins, Woodard and Clark. Given that I have not seen four of these guys play and Clark is not a great outside shooter, I would think a shooter is as big a need as a center. Personally, I think every team needs a guy like Pledger, Sieger, Michael Neal, Hollis Price etc. to knock down point shots. Who is that guy for OU next season? I can tell you it isn't Cam Clark.
I would like to see OU get another PF/C and another g/w player that is an excellent shooter. Just having a shooter come off the bench is huge.
Its Hield. Hield can shoot the ball well.
As I've hinted above, I'd take that 6 person back court (counting Neal among them) over what's OU bringing back up front for 2013-14 season. It also going to be hard to bring in some guards this year because OU already has talented young guards (with more and more basketball players disliking having to wait their turn, it seems a lot of the top guards would be more likely to go to schools with a more open backcourt depth chart).
One last thing, here's the thing about OU just getting an "elite shooter" (this is a pet peeve of mine on all posts like this).
You make it seem like recruiting is like an internet dating website. Just fill out what you're interested in AND boom you'll get what you're looking for.
Example
College basketball team, young and exciting roster but with a mature influence.
Yes, we are looking to settle down, at least for the next four years.
Looking for:
6 foot 4 guard that excels from behind the three point line, doesn't need to be an elite athlete. Also must enjoy midnight strolls on the beach, playing Scrabble and Antique Roadshow because Words with Friends and Pawn Stars are just too modern.
Boom, happily ever after and all that jazz.
Sadly recruiting isn't that simple.
