Zo to Zona

[campbest]

Think of it this way. If you are hiring someone for a job, and the person applying has had 4 different jobs in 5 years. That would be a concern. It does not mean you do not hire that person, you just have to ask the right questions in an interview and get the right answer.

The new age thinking (and reality) is without a defined pension in most corporations, workers who stay in their jobs 10, 20, 30 years are at a significant disadvantage to accumulating wealth. In order to maximize your take-home, changing jobs every couple years for a higher paying position is actually a wise move.

Doesn't mean you don't ask the question, but if I did and that was the response I got, shows the applicant is forward thinking. Might force me to pay more for an employee, but the cost to let them go isn't worth it sometimes.

 

[campbest]

I have never understood why people like to judge and presume things about a kid. I happen to know for a fact that many on here have Trier's story grossly misunderstood. Allonzo was homeschooled from the 8th - 10th grade. That's the bottom line. When you are homeschooled you can play sports and chose when and where you want to play. An advantage homeschool has. Zo took it upon himself to transfer to Montrose Christian to ensure that he would academically qualify which was a very smart move on his part with good intentions. He wanted to also prove he could play a national schedule at a powerhouse like Montrose. What most of you don't know which may shock you is that Zo had intended on staying his final year at MC but MC messed up and put him in the wrong class which he could file for academic negligence on their part. With Stu Vetter gone MC's new staff failed Zo academically and since then he has made up for the wrong class taken thru summer school. Would you want your kid to stay? I'm told Zo was recruited to Findlay Prep, Montverde and Huntington Prep but his mother chose Findlay because of the academics and the college setting environment. Ask any coach from Seattle where he is from to Dallas to OKC to the east coast and EVERY coach will tell you nothing but great things about Zo's character. Would Sean Miller PAC 12 coach of the year and potential #1 team recruit Zo if he wasn't? Zo is a Mcdonalds All American and started for Team USA which is the highest high school honor and here we are questioning this kids character and bringing up red flags. The kid is one of the most focused kids I have ever met and will be one of the best to ever come out of Oklahoma. His story will be told for a very long time and it will be a great story in time..

I have zero problem with the above, Zo should go after the best basketball opportunities possible...and I am sure there are some circumstances at previous schools (Montverde for example) the general public doesn't know about.

Only issue is please don't act like Findaly is some college prep academy, maybe in the sense for a high major D-I player (limited class time emphasis on basketball). It is a basketball factory which uses the Henderson School (K-8) for their facilities and is barely accredited. The Henderson School's 9-12 went belly up a couple years ago due to financial problems.

Once again, no issue with the route because it fits Zo's plan...but lets not mislead people about Findlay's academic credentials.

 

[CoachTalk]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...a43478-1bd0-11e4-ab7b-696c295ddfd1_story.html

Good read. Explains a lot. Boys hoops in HS is taking a new shape. Like it or not

 

[NCCoach30]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...a43478-1bd0-11e4-ab7b-696c295ddfd1_story.html

Good read. Explains a lot. Boys hoops in HS is taking a new shape. Like it or not

That explains a lot....but Zo is an atypical situation. They make it sound like that is the norm for HS kids and it really isnt. You see a lot of movement in certain areas of the country but it isn't the norm for the majority of kids.

The key to that whole article is the AAU part.....the elite guys treat HS like it is AAU unfortunately......and you can get exposure from AAU but you have WAY too many crooks and shady characters involved in AAU. There ARE some good ones but there are a LOT of hacks that call themselves "coaches"......just unprofessional wannabees.

Sad part is parents trust their kids with some of these guys, who make promises they cant deliver and often the kid is the one hurt in the long run.

Im glad Zo got a scholarship at a place he wants to play and hope he has a chance to play pro ball down the road.

 

[WTSooner]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...a43478-1bd0-11e4-ab7b-696c295ddfd1_story.html

Good read. Explains a lot. Boys hoops in HS is taking a new shape. Like it or not

Two things I don't like, or disagree with, in that article.

1. It seems to imply that the only way to make it in big time HS basketball, or college, or whatever, is to move around, and pimp yourself out. I don't agree with that. A lot of kids do move around for basketball, but for every kid that is doing what Trier or Stevie Clark did, there are several that will make it just as far in the world of basketball, that simply stayed in one place and let their kid be a kid, somewhat. I'm not a big fan of kids missing out on typical HS life. And I don't mean the drugs, partying, and girls. I mean the rest of the experience.

2. I didn't read the entire article, but there was very little to no mention of academics. There was a comment about grooming Trier since he was very young for a life in basketball. Personally, I think that is a societal problem. As a single mother, I would have expected his mother to understand the value of an education, with or without a future in basketball.

 

[AdaSooner]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...a43478-1bd0-11e4-ab7b-696c295ddfd1_story.html

Good read. Explains a lot. Boys hoops in HS is taking a new shape. Like it or not

Yes, it does.

Is this new "culture" kids like Trier are being exposed to a good thing? Not in my opinion. My skin crawls just thinking about a teenager who is still in high school being treated like a "free agent."

Oh, well. Best of luck to this young man! I'll stop referring to him as a "kid," because it's clear he is not getting a legitimate chance to be one.