Recruiting Thread

[Rex Hudler]

I have mixed reactions about IU being on his list.

[Heads22]

ANy of you know anything about Diante Garrett?

 

Also Jon Leuer, a guy looking at IU, seems to have renewed interest in Iowa State and plans to visit next week.

[greasywheels121]

I have mixed reactions about IU being on his list.

 

That's exactly what I thought when I saw we were in the mix now.

[whitesoxfan101]

That's exactly what I thought when I saw we were in the mix now.

 

I would be SHOCKED if he goes to Indiana, it's all about the $$$ and Indiana isn't going to be cheating. Memphis though, it's about their level to pay a guy to go there, so I hope he enjoys it. He's a 1 and done guy anyways, so unless he goes Carmelo in March of 2008 I doubt it's a huge deal where he goes anyway since he's not a giant like Oden.

 

ANy of you know anything about Diante Garrett?

 

Also Jon Leuer, a guy looking at IU, seems to have renewed interest in Iowa State and plans to visit next week.

 

Garrett is pretty tall for a point guard (6'4 or 6'5) and his dad played with Walt Frazier at SIU and then with the Lakers in the NBA. And....yeah that's all I got.

 

Leuer is very highly regarded as a solid 4 star prospect on both major sites. He's visiting ISU on Thursday, but is making several other visits coming up too (West Virginia, Indiana, Louisville, and Iowa) so who knows. He's 6'10 and 200 pounds, and here's what scout.com has on him:

 

STRENGTHS

Perimeter Shot

Plays Facing Basket

Upside/Potential

 

AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

Low Block Scorer

Mid-Range Game

Strength

 

Flew under the radar prior to the spring of 2006. Excellent player from behind the stripe, especially when you consider that he pushes 6-10. Face up four man will need to add strength to reach his potential. Could be an Andrew Brackman type of forward.

 

Biography:

Averaged 20 points per game as a junior, leading Orono to a 14-12 mark. Plays for Minnesota Magic Elite AAU team. Has grown three inches in the past year. Shined at the University of Minnesota team camp last summer.

[Heads22]

Well, if we don't get Leuer, we aren't screwed cause we still have 5* Brackins coming in. If we do get Leuer, I can only hope he ain't a Hubalek clone.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Derek Rose has a top 5 and Illinois is not in it. Kansas, IU, Memphis, Kansas and UCLA.

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/campus/cst-spt-rose26.html

 

You forgot the home team: DEPAUL

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Preps

Rose's college picks spark a shoe debate

 

August 29, 2006

 

BY MICHAEL O'BRIEN Staff Reporter

 

 

 

 

 

Simeon guard Derrick Rose's final list of five schools, reported Saturday by the Sun-Times, elicited a response from Illinois fans impressive in both quantity and consistency.

 

The Illini faithful are screaming conspiracy. Numerous e-mails sent to the Sun-Times highlighted that all five of Rose's final choices -- DePaul, Indiana, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA -- are ''Adidas schools,'' meaning the coaches have contracts with Adidas. Illinois coach Bruce Weber's contract is with Nike.

 

For the first two summers of his high school career, Rose was viewed as a Nike player because his club teams, Ferrari and Meanstreets Express, were sponsored by Nike.

 

This summer, however, Rose played in some Reebok events and went to the ABCD camp, sponsored by Reebok and run by Sonny Vaccaro. Adidas owns Reebok.

 

''There is no connection or obligation from anyone that Derrick is close with to anyone at Adidas,'' Vaccaro said. ''I'm a consultant. My contract and my events are under the Reebok banner, and Reebok doesn't have any contracts with any colleges. I have not talked to nor seen anyone from Adidas.''

 

Memphis, DePaul and Kansas have been in the mix for Rose for more than a year. The two surprises on the list were Indiana and UCLA.

 

''UCLA was all Derrick's thing,'' Vaccaro said. ''[uCLA recruit] Kevin Love spurred that recruiting thing on. Derrick wants to play with the best center, and Kevin wants to play with the best point guard. It's a very logical thing.''

 

Vaccaro isn't sure how Indiana became involved. Hoosiers coach Kelvin Sampson is unable to make recruiting visits.

 

There is, however, an Indiana connection close to Rose. Eric Gordon of Indianapolis North Central played with Rose on Meansteets Express this summer. Gordon has orally committed to Illinois, but Indiana has not stopped recruiting him. Gordon was on campus in Bloomington earlier this month.

 

''The only logical conclusion is that [Gordon] has something to do with Derrick's interest in Indiana,'' Vaccaro said.

 

Weber's Nike connection hasn't hurt him with other recruits. Gordon has played with Adidas or Reebok teams, and St. Joseph guard Demetri McCamey, who recently committed to Illinois, always has played for Reebok teams.

 

''I don't want to be identified with what shoe we wear,'' DePaul coach Jerry Wainwright said. ''I want us to be identified by what our institutional values are. You don't want to compromise those.''

 

NCAA rules prohibit Wainwright from discussing possible recruits, but not the relationship between shoe companies and colleges.

 

''I like to ask the kids when they get here, do a little poll on why they chose DePaul,'' Wainwright said. ''They'd always say the players and the coaches; it never was any of the other stuff. There is always potential for abuses, but I don't really worry about those things. You just can't get an edge because of what shoe you wear.''

 

[email protected]

 

That's nice of illini fans to cry and complain now that they have no chance with him.

 

Solid response, Coach Wainwright.

[fathom]

I don't think Illinois has lost a recruit in the last 4 years where they haven't cried "foul". The meltdown on the Illiniboard regarding Rose is ridiculous. He's not the first person to pick a team due to its shoe sponsor, and he definitely won't be the last.

[Soxbadger]

There is something amiss though.

 

If you read the article, there is somewhat of a problem with their logic. They say the reason Indiana is on the list is because Eric Gordon.

 

But isnt Eric Gordon going to Illinois, so wouldnt Illinois atleast be on the list?

 

Basically the guy is lieing in my opinion.

 

And Im not an Illinois, IU, or any of those other teams fan.

[fathom]

There is something amiss though.

 

If you read the article, there is somewhat of a problem with their logic. They say the reason Indiana is on the list is because Eric Gordon.

 

But isnt Eric Gordon going to Illinois, so wouldnt Illinois atleast be on the list?

 

Basically the guy is lieing in my opinion.

 

And Im not an Illinois, IU, or any of those other teams fan.

 

He was trying to imply that Gordon might go to Indiana instead.

[Soxbadger]

Right.

 

But the logic fails because:

 

Why would Rose not be interested in Illinois?

 

Lets give IU the benefit of the doubt and say right now its 50/50 Gordon goes to IU or Illinois. There would have to be some reason why Illinois is not on the list, while IU is.

 

When you start comparing the programs etc, the thing that ties everyone of those programs on his list just happens to be the same parent company.

 

It just seems very strange that if a playing with another player is part of his decision, why he would not atleast list the school where the player currently is verballed. It hurts no one to list it.

 

I just cant trust a guy who tries to pretend like Reebok and Adidas are seperate entites, and that "hes never seen an Adidas person". Well I hate to say it but every Reebok person has been technically an "Adidas person".

 

Its like going to a Lexus dealership and saying "I dont see any Toyata's here".

 

{Edit}

 

And as for Gordon leaving, I have no idea. But if it is true, Illinois better start working hard to figure out what the hell is happening.

Edited August 29, 2006 by Soxbadger

[SnB]

I caught Carmen and Silvy for 10 min last night, and Carmen said he had some "Inside Scoop" that Gordon was as good as gone from Illinois...

that rumor just keeps getting louder and louder as time goes by.

[fathom]

Right.

 

But the logic fails because:

 

Why would Rose not be interested in Illinois?

 

Lets give IU the benefit of the doubt and say right now its 50/50 Gordon goes to IU or Illinois. There would have to be some reason why Illinois is not on the list, while IU is.

 

When you start comparing the programs etc, the thing that ties everyone of those programs on his list just happens to be the same parent company.

 

It just seems very strange that if a playing with another player is part of his decision, why he would not atleast list the school where the player currently is verballed. It hurts no one to list it.

 

I just cant trust a guy who tries to pretend like Reebok and Adidas are seperate entites, and that "hes never seen an Adidas person". Well I hate to say it but every Reebok person has been technically an "Adidas person".

 

Its like going to a Lexus dealership and saying "I dont see any Toyata's here".

 

{Edit}

 

And as for Gordon leaving, I have no idea. But if it is true, Illinois better start working hard to figure out what the hell is happening.

 

Weber's biggest shortcoming as a recruiter is how he handles big-time players with big-time egos. So far, Gordon has been the exception. However, Weber doesn't kiss up to the superstar recruits, and this turns them off. A marquee player that turned down Weber couldn't believe how mediocre his sales pitch was, according to an impeccable source.

[Soxbadger]

Than that says a lot about the player.

 

Id rather have a general on the floor than a salesmen in the living room.

 

And I think Webers biggest flaw as a recruiter is that he does not have a "destination school."

[Rowand44]

Looks like Jeff Teague is going to chose IU over several colleges including SIU. Oh well, his loss. When he comes here next year, he'll find out that he made the wrong choice.

[greasywheels121]

Looks like Jeff Teague is going to chose IU over several colleges including SIU. Oh well, his loss. When he comes here next year, he'll find out that he made the wrong choice.

 

Where'd you hear this?

 

And for the Gordon information, I'm ignoring that. I have no reason to believe he's not going to Illinois, until I get official news otherwise. Everything is basically hearsay.

[maggsmaggs]

Where'd you hear this?

 

And for the Gordon information, I'm ignoring that. I have no reason to believe he's not going to Illinois, until I get official news otherwise. Everything is basically hearsay.

everyone is looking at this like its the end of the world. Rose is one and done and Illinois was not going to win the NCAA championship with Rose and Gordon as freshman. Its almost a blessing in disguise as now ILL will get a player who will stay at least three years. McCamey, Gordon, Tisdale, Cole and Dar Tucker/Koshwal/Stewart (i believe we get one of them) is still a hell of a recruiting class.

Edited August 29, 2006 by maggsmaggs

[WHarris1]

"I'm still solid with Illinois,'' Gordon said Monday evening.

 

It will never end until signing day.

 

Also, not sure how can you say nothing shady is going on with Rose. Hell even Bob Sako said something and I'm pretty sure he has an idea of what's going on.

Edited August 29, 2006 by WHarris1

[Buehrle>Wood]

So Gordon has now reaffirmed his commitment near 100 times now. But somehow, he's a lock for Indiana.

 

 

Me thinks the journalistic branch of college basketball needs a make-over.

[Rex Hudler]

Where'd you hear this?

 

And for the Gordon information, I'm ignoring that. I have no reason to believe he's not going to Illinois, until I get official news otherwise. Everything is basically hearsay.

 

I agree. I am over Gordon. The whole thing is stupid. All his family has to do is step up to the mike and say the door to IU is closed. He is going to UI. He took a look at IU and while they are grateful for IU and Coach Sampson's interest, Illinois is the where Eric feels is best for him. All they have to do, is have dad stand up and say "It's over! Thanks but no thanks!"

 

Until that happens, rumors will continue to swirl and I will continue to ignore all of it.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

Chicago Sun-Times

Preps

 

Don't blame shoe wars for Rose's snub of Illini

 

August 30, 2006

 

BY MICHAEL O'BRIEN

 

 

College basketball recruiting is a lot like real life. More often than not, getting what you want depends on whom you know. Success is about relationships.

 

The soap-opera recruitment of Simeon star Derrick Rose is a perfect example.

 

Rose trimmed his list of schools to five Friday: DePaul, Indiana, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA.

 

Illinois fans immediately lit up message boards, outraged that all five schools were ''Adidas schools,'' meaning the schools' coaches have contracts with Adidas. Illinois' relationship is with Nike, leading Illini fans to believe it was a shoe-company conspiracy that kept their team from landing on Rose's list.

 

This might come as a surprise to Illini fans, but shoe companies don't mean anything. It's much more significant that all five coaches -- Jerry Wainwright, Kelvin Sampson, Bill Self, John Calipari and Ben Howland -- have close relationships with Reebok's Sonny Vaccaro.

 

''That's no secret,'' Vaccaro said. ''Those are all quality coaches at quality programs that I've known for many years.''

 

In the last year, Derrick's brother Reggie, who is handling his brother's recruitment, has developed a relationship with Vaccaro. It led to Derrick attending Vaccaro's ABCD Camp, sponsored by Reebok, instead of Nike's camp, where he was expected to play because his club basketball team is sponsored by Nike.

 

Rose has been startlingly independent when it comes to shoe companies. Simeon, his high school team, is sponsored by Nike. Meanstreets Express, his club team, is sponsored by Nike. The majority of club tournaments the team played in were Nike-sponsored. Rose attended the Reebok shoe camp and the Reebok Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. All five of his final schools are Adidas schools. Adidas owns Reebok.

 

That illustrates how Rose plays where and when he wants; he doesn't bow to shoe-company pressure.

 

He's good enough to get away with it.

 

Rose a true independent

 

 

 

''Rose has been more independent than any superstar player I've known,'' Vaccaro said. ''There is no AAU guy involved with his recruitment. That should be praised. I admire the Rose family as much as I've ever admired anyone.''

 

In the recent past, high-level Public League recruitments generally have been run by the high school coach or the club-team coach. Rose's is being run by his family, and the family doesn't have any shoe-company ties, which has led to that show of independence.

 

Rose didn't join up with an established club team; he started his own. Rose didn't go to the shoe-company camp he was expected to go to; he went to the one his friends were invited to attend.

 

It's obvious Vaccaro has become a significant influence on Rose's recruitment, which is only natural. No one in the Rose family has been through a game with stakes this high before.

 

''Illinois did not lose Derrick Rose because of any shoe-company politics or direct shoe-company war,'' said recruiting analyst Roy Schmidt, who runs Illinois Prep Bulls-Eye Report, a scouting service. ''The key is who is running the show and who is in charge of the recruiting process.''

 

Most local players with Division I hopes rely on a club coach with experience in recruiting. Larry Butler, Mac Irvin, Mike Weinstein, Mike Mullins, Tai Streets and Troy Johnson are the most prominent. All those men have shoe-company ties. A number of them have flipped around among shoe companies.

 

''What you try to do for the families is be more of a listening board for them,'' Butler said. ''I try to explain to them what the real deal is and what's not real, the things to expect in certain situations.''

 

Butler is a club basketball coach sponsored by Nike, but he has relationships with plenty of non-Nike coaches, including Wainwright, Self and Sampson. Butler's marquee player with the Illinois Warriors this summer, Crane forward Brandon McGee, committed to Sampson and Indiana, an Adidas school. Stories like that are the norm, not the exception.

 

''Antoine Walker grew up with Mac [irvin] and Adidas,'' Butler said. ''But he ended up going to Kentucky, a Nike school. When kids from my program start looking at schools, they don't say, 'Man, I'm going to a Nike school.'''

 

Illini not playing 'the game'

 

 

 

Rose, already with an eye on the NBA, immediately has jumped to the big time and is getting advice from Vaccaro.

 

But it's not the shoe company the mentor works for; it's the relationships he has made through the years.

 

''The bottom line is, it is all about people and the relationships,'' Wainwright said. ''There's a trust factor, and people get to know you. Everything that is responsible about recruiting is because of the people involved.''

 

Just making Rose's list is a major victory for DePaul.

 

''DePaul should be commended for the fact that they have utilized the relationships that they have with the key players involved,'' Schmidt said. ''Even if they don't get Rose, it is going to help them down the road.''

 

The list of five-star in-state recruits Illinois has missed out on is growing: Shaun Livingston (2004, Duke); Julian Wright (2005, Kansas); Jon Scheyer (2006, Duke); Sherron Collins (2006, Kansas); and now Rose.

 

Weber and Illinois simply aren't playing ''the game'' the way their rivals are. They aren't building relationships with the club coaches the way Calipari and Self have. That's why Illinois isn't on Rose's list. It has nothing to do with shoe companies.

[Palehosefan]

I feel like taking a shower after reading anything about Sonny Vacaro. What a piece of crap that man is.

[whitesox61382]

Looks like Jeff Teague is going to chose IU over several colleges including SIU. Oh well, his loss. When he comes here next year, he'll find out that he made the wrong choice.

 

Where did you hear this? I know that he wasn't "blown away" by his east coast visits to Wake Forest or BC, but I don't think that makes him an IU lock. In fact, I would say that Wake is probably the favorite at this point. Besides, SIU isn't even among his favorites. As an IU fan, I think Teague is a must get. IU will be very thin at PG next year with Calloway graduating, so getting a blue chip PG in this class is important and outside of Teague IU is not looking good with any other top PG.

 

Rose - It was a big surprise to me that IU made his top 5 list. Although, I would say that their chances of landing Rose are less than ten percent. Personally, I would probably rather have Teague anyways. Teague isn't that far off talent wise(his stock has been soaring after an impressive summer) and is likely a four year player. Plus it is always good to keep top instate players.

 

Gordon - This will never die. Poor kid. He will be at UI next year barring a huge change.

[Rowand44]

Where did you hear this? I know that he wasn't "blown away" by his east coast visits to Wake Forest or BC, but I don't think that makes him an IU lock. In fact, I would say that Wake is probably the favorite at this point. Besides, SIU isn't even among his favorites. As an IU fan, I think Teague is a must get. IU will be very thin at PG next year with Calloway graduating, so getting a blue chip PG in this class is important and outside of Teague IU is not looking good with any other top PG.

SIU was one of his final teams for a while but yes we got dropped but I followed his progress a while because of that. I did hear IU at first but now I'm hearing IU or Wake are the two finalists. So sorry for jumping the gun a bit.

[SleepyWhiteSox]

everyone is looking at this like its the end of the world. Rose is one and done and Illinois was not going to win the NCAA championship with Rose and Gordon as freshman. Its almost a blessing in disguise as now ILL will get a player who will stay at least three years. McCamey, Gordon, Tisdale, Cole and Dar Tucker/Koshwal/Stewart (i believe we get one of them) is still a hell of a recruiting class.

 

Not Mac.

 

Bob Sakamoto. Tribune news services

Published August 31, 2006

 

Illinois has apparently lost out on another top hoops recruit when 6-9 Nyal "Mac" Koshwal of Boys To Men Academy dropped the Illini from consideration after Simeon's Derrick Rose did the same. DePaul is Koshwal's No. 1 choice.

 

 

And supposedly tucker will also visit Depaul and miami with illinois and indiana being his top 2.

 

And by the way, I find the not wanting Rose because he's a one-and-done excuse kinda funny, but I'll be using it if/when he doesn't choose DePaul...