Zach Peters - Class of 2012

[SoonerDAZE]

What sucks is that teams like North Carolina and Kansas will be taking him in order to try and get Randle. OU would gladly take just Peters. He is limited athletically but he has a lot of skill and would fit in well with the type of player that coach Capel wants at the 4.

I STRONGLY disagree. These schools were/are NOT recruiting him to get to Julius. The two are not that close. Zach was/is being recruited on his own merit. In addition, he is ANYTHING but limited athletically. The only thing that limits him is an intermittent lack of motivation and a motor that is not always in high gear. He is incredibly explosive when he is inspired. Personality is too laid back at this age.

Will be a forward in the Taylor Griffin ilk. Has a better body and more complete game than he did at the same point. We'll see if he becomes more driven as he matures. OU would have been a great destination for him; but he will be a big contributor to any program he chooses, if he gets a fire lit in the next couple of years.

 

[Tony]

The guy on here a couple weeks ago claiming to have a son that was dropping OU down his list because we were too mean to TMG. Didn't Norm try to convince us it was this kid's father?

Who wants to lay odds on Peters using tomorrow's press conference to blame Big Old Booger for why he isn't going to OU?

 

[Big Old Booger]

The guy on here a couple weeks ago claiming to have a son that was dropping OU down his list because we were too mean to TMG. Didn't Norm try to convince us it was this kid's father?

Who wants to lay odds on Peters using tomorrow's press conference to blame Big Old Booger for why he isn't going to OU?

OUCH. :ez-laugh:

Why single me out? At least I was complaining about TMG before he bolted. Most didn't start complaining about him until after he left.

 

[Tony]

OUCH. :ez-laugh:

Why single me out? At least I was complaining about TMG before he bolted. Most didn't start complaining about him until after he left.

I'm just kidding around. You were the first person that came to mind. That obviously was not this kid's father posting.

 

[boksooner]

OUCH. :ez-laugh:

Why single me out? At least I was complaining about TMG before he bolted. Most didn't start complaining about him until after he left.

He has a point. We all know that NickZepp drives away most recruits, so that he can claim that Capel can't recruit.

 

[Big Old Booger]

I'm just kidding around. You were the first person that came to mind. That obviously was not this kid's father posting.

I knew you were.

Tony -- I've been following your posts for almost 15 years now, dating back to the ouhomer board. You couldn't make me mad...well, maybe you could. :ez-roll:

 

[Tony]

Tony -- I've been following your posts for almost 15 years now, dating back to the ouhomer board. You couldn't make me mad...well, maybe you could. :ez-roll:

Memories... of the way we were

(It hasn't been quite 15 years for me, but thanks anyway)

 

[Big Old Booger]

Memories... of the way we were

(It hasn't been quite 15 years for me, but thanks anyway)

aren't you the same Tony that posted on the ouhomer basketball board?

 

[ben]

I liked this post:

Does anyone know if the OU/Neb game will be on TV??? - Terri Clark 11:19:24 8/21/00 (from 209.218.160.226) (2)

 

[Tony]

aren't you the same Tony that posted on the ouhomer basketball board?

Yes, but the earliest I can think that I would have posted on there was an obnoxious high school twerp in the late 90s. I'm picking nits here, but when it comes to the amount of time I've spent on message boards, I'd rather not face the truth head on.

I liked this post:

Does anyone know if the OU/Neb game will be on TV??? - Terri Clark 11:19:24 8/21/00 (from 209.218.160.226) (2)

What kills me is that if you scroll down far enough there is a post decrying the "hypocrocy of Jim and Al." The more things change, the more they stay the same... including the spelling errors.


edit: sorry for the threadjack. back on topic

 

[Cheno]

I STRONGLY disagree. These schools were/are NOT recruiting him to get to Julius. The two are not that close. Zach was/is being recruited on his own merit. In addition, he is ANYTHING but limited athletically. The only thing that limits him is an intermittent lack of motivation and a motor that is not always in high gear. He is incredibly explosive when he is inspired. Personality is too laid back at this age.

Will be a forward in the Taylor Griffin ilk. Has a better body and more complete game than he did at the same point. We'll see if he becomes more driven as he matures. OU would have been a great destination for him; but he will be a big contributor to any program he chooses, if he gets a fire lit in the next couple of years.

This. Peters is legit in his own right. He's got high skill level and can be a star. He's a legit player. He was #1 in the class as an 8th grader. Only reason he's slipped some is he didn't play a whole lot of AAU last year I believe. He's a big-time player and is a smart kid from a great family. Every school in the country would take him and Julius Randle has nothing to do with that. Jeff Webster has worked with him a long time and the kid has skills.

 

[stanley11]

This. Peters is legit in his own right. He's got high skill level and can be a star. He's a legit player. He was #1 in the class as an 8th grader. Only reason he's slipped some is he didn't play a whole lot of AAU last year I believe. He's a big-time player and is a smart kid from a great family. Every school in the country would take him and Julius Randle has nothing to do with that. Jeff Webster has worked with him a long time and the kid has skills.

This is 100% accurate. Peters is a huge get for any school in the country, thus the final schools he is choosing from. He is far from maxed out as a player or an athlete. He may have matured earlier than most kids, but is far from a finished product. He is 10x the prospect TG was coming to OU. He is a better ballhandler and passer than TG is, now. While he will never be the athlete that Blake or Taylor are, he is not a substandard athlete either. As a player he is a already better perimeter shooter than either of the G's. He will be a skilled power forward who can shoot the 3 but is also strong and aggressive enough to bang the boards with anyone.

The sad note to this whole saga is that in AAU ball Peters is coached by former Sooner great Jeff Webster, and even that could not keep us on his final list. Even more than Ellis (who I agree we will have a hard time getting to leave Kan) I thought Peters was the kind of recruit that we would have a chance to get and build around after the success of BG.

 

[BigTime]

I STRONGLY disagree. These schools were/are NOT recruiting him to get to Julius. The two are not that close. Zach was/is being recruited on his own merit. In addition, he is ANYTHING but limited athletically. The only thing that limits him is an intermittent lack of motivation and a motor that is not always in high gear. He is incredibly explosive when he is inspired. Personality is too laid back at this age.

Will be a forward in the Taylor Griffin ilk. Has a better body and more complete game than he did at the same point. We'll see if he becomes more driven as he matures. OU would have been a great destination for him; but he will be a big contributor to any program he chooses, if he gets a fire lit in the next couple of years.

Agree to disagree I guess. I have seen him play in several tournaments and he is limited athletically imo. He got away with a lot when he was stronger and taller than everyone else in 8th and 9th grade but now recruits of his caliber have caught him while he has peaked. I agree that his motor limits him.

Of course anyone close to the Peters camp or those at schools that are recruiting him are going to claim that they are focused solely on him. But if you take a step back you would see that Randle and Peters are really close. Both are coached up by Webster and the same AAU coaches. They have been going on recruiting trips together. Randle will be a top 5 national player imo. If Zach thinks he can shine at Kansas then more power to him. He would be able to make a lot bigger impact at OU imo.

 

[SoonerDAZE]

I can say this without question: on the totem pole of influence in Julius' life, Zach is nearer to the bottom than the top. The two didn't even cross paths on the basketball court, on a consistent basis, until this past season at Prestonwood. True Jeff Webster has coached both on the summer circuit; but under two totally isolated sets of circumstances, whose only connection happens to be Jeff, and whose circumstances were mutually exclusive for the most part.

Zach has played with ProSkills for many years and has had individual training with Jeff going back many years as well, coming from a background that had him in private schools and private lessons from the beginning. Julius, on the other hand, has been in hard core AAU ball from the start. Beginning with the TA Pistons playing up with kids one and two years older, eventually ending up with the Texas Titans organization and their "best of everything" coaching, training, and mentoring.

Jeff owns and operates ProSkills. Jeff is a paid coach for the Titans. Zach was never a part of the Titans, and Julius was never a part of ProSkills. Simple as that. Both have national-level talent. Both have names in grass roots basketball and recruiting circles that stand on their own.

Lastly, people are seriously misguided if they think Zach isn't a top-tier athlete. He's fully 6'7" and 220 lbs. He's extremely explosive with offensive moves in his comfort zone, and is a good defender in space when he's plugged in. His game will not be that of a power forward in two years when he reports to college. He showed definite flashes of all of this, this past weekend in Little Rock.

 

[Cheno]

Daze bringing the heat straight from Dallas.
What have you heard on Randle's recruitment?
I hear the PG Botley is legit prospect as well. What do you hear on him.
Please give insight to Randle and Botley's game as you are obviously close to the situation.

 

[SoonerDAZE]

Daze bringing the heat straight from Dallas.
What have you heard on Randle's recruitment?
I hear the PG Botley is legit prospect as well. What do you hear on him.
Please give insight to Randle and Botley's game as you are obviously close to the situation.

Julius' recruitment seems open to all comers at this point. He has a very good head on his shoulders and is being provided a good support buffer system, keeping him decently shielded from unsavory influences. As it stands today, he's a clear-cut top 5 player nationally, with a HUGE ceiling. He works hard and is driven. Has to continue to work on back to the basket efficiency on the offensive end, and on consistent defensive intensity.

Marquan is a unique combination of talent/athleticism and discipline. At this age, that's a very unusual package. When he first came to the Titans, he was as exciting a guard as there was in the country. He was a natural slasher and scorer.

Once he was brought into the Titans fold, he has taken high-level instruction on how to properly play the PG position, and embraced it. As a byproduct, I liken him to an attack dog. As long as Scott (Titans coach) keeps him on a leash, running the offense and controlling tempo, he's a great facilitator. Then, in times where he's let loose, he turns into a nightmare for opposing teams to keep out of the paint, where he can finish at the rim, get to the free throw line, or pull up with a mid-range jumper or floater. Opponents can sense that attack dog is always just boiling beneath the surface. Has to continue to get better shooting the deep ball and asserting himself when he knows he has to, even if the coach doesn't take the proverbial leash off.

Ultimately, both will be high-major recruits if they stay hungry and keep improving on the trajectory they're currently on. OU should continue to build relationships with both.

 

[SoonerNorm]

Julius' recruitment seems open to all comers at this point. He has a very good head on his shoulders and is being provided a good support buffer system, keeping him decently shielded from unsavory influences. As it stands today, he's a clear-cut top 5 player nationally, with a HUGE ceiling. He works hard and is driven. Has to continue to work on back to the basket efficiency on the offensive end, and on consistent defensive intensity.

Marquan is a unique combination of talent/athleticism and discipline. At this age, that's a very unusual package. When he first came to the Titans, he was as exciting a guard as there was in the country. He was a natural slasher and scorer.

Once he was brought into the Titans fold, he has taken high-level instruction on how to properly play the PG position, and embraced it. As a byproduct, I liken him to an attack dog. As long as Scott (Titans coach) keeps him on a leash, running the offense and controlling tempo, he's a great facilitator. Then, in times where he's let loose, he turns into a nightmare for opposing teams to keep out of the paint, where he can finish at the rim, get to the free throw line, or pull up with a mid-range jumper or floater. Opponents can sense that attack dog is always just boiling beneath the surface. Has to continue to get better shooting the deep ball and asserting himself when he knows he has to, even if the coach doesn't take the proverbial leash off.

Ultimately, both will be high-major recruits if they stay hungry and keep improving on the trajectory they're currently on. OU should continue to build relationships with both.

Daze, I just want to say that I really appreciate the information you bring to this board. You do a great job, thanks!

 

[Cheno]

Thanks for the info Daze!
I've heard similar things on Botley and that he really can control a team and that he's a really good kid.

 

[SoonerDAZE]

My pleasure. DFW is full of talent in the 2012, 13, and 14 classes. A program could fill their basket for a national title run and literally never leave the metroplex. Hopefully, the two and a half hour drive down here becomes rutted with OU tire tracks over the next few years! We already have two of the North Texas Area's best as proof of that point, signed on the dotted line and excited about getting to Norman.

 

[5hrenergy]

As expected Zach Peters has committed to Kansas. FWIW Evan Daniels has supposedly said that he is indeed good friends with Julian Randle. We'll see.