College Basketball "off-season" Thread (players leaving/coaching changes/recruiting)

What school does he go to????

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Arkansas, ran with the loaded Southeast Elite AAU team a few years back . He's nice as hell.
 
On September 9th, a contact period begins, which allows college coaches to go out to high schools to watch practices, and to also havein-home visits with recruits.
Once a recruit is enrolled in his senior year in high school, which happens in September generally throughout the country, it'sthen permissable for him to take official visits.

So, it's a busy time for recruiting in college basketball, and UCLA, with three more spots to fill in the 2009 recruiting class,will have a busy agenda.

We're hearing that Abdul Gaddy, the 6-3 point guardfrom Tacoma (Wash.) Bellarmine Prep, the #2-ranked point guard in the country, will more than likely visit UCLA officially on September 5th and 6th (arecruit's official visit generally starts sometime on a Friday and ends 48 hours later). We've also heard that he will visit Arizona sometime inSeptember, also.

If you remember, Gaddy verbally committed to Arizona early, with the Wildcats being his childhood favorite. He then, in spring,recanted his verbal commitment and opened up his recruitment. UCLA got involved at that point, and the word is that they steadily have been improving theirstock with Gaddy. The new coaching staff at Arizona under Lute Olson has done a good job of re-recruiting Gaddy, and the feeling in recruiting circles is thathe's still leaning toward Arizona. But recently there has been some buzz that UCLA is starting to make up some ground with Gaddy, and that it's atwo-horse race between Arizona and UCLA.

UCLA coaches are scheduled to have an in-home visit with Gaddy on the first day it's possible - September 9th, a few days afterGaddy's official visit. It's thought that with such exposure, if UCLA is going to overtake Arizona, those few days at the beginning of September aregoing to be key. The theory is that it's UCLA or Arizona, and this is UCLA's chance.

There has been some speculation about whether Gaddy would want to come to UCLA right after the Bruins loaded up on guards in the2008 recruiting class. But it's been learned that Gaddy is comfortable with it. The thought is that Jrue Holiday is more than likely a one-and-done player, and that Gaddy would step in toplay alongside Jerime Anderson in the 2009-2010 season, with Malcolm Lee sliding to the small forward spot.

The other big target for UCLA at guard is MichaelSnaer, the 6-4 prospect from Moreno Valley (Calif.) Rancho Verde, who is ranked the #22 player in the nation. Snaer has been rumored to be leaning towardMissouri, and that very well might be the case. Snaer, though, had previously said he would announce his decision by the end of August, but recently postponedthat announcement. UCLA, from what we've learned, has been doing increasingly well with Snaer in recent weeks. In fact, it's believed now that it'sbetween Missouri and UCLA for Snaer.

It's planned that he'll attend the UCLA-Tennessee game this weekend. It's believed he'll officially visit Missouriin either of the first two weekends of September, and then take his official visit to UCLA September 19th. UCLA will also be in Snaer's house in the weekpreceding his UCLA official visit.

Snaer, sources say, will then decide between UCLA and Missouri shortly after that.

Rounding out the Big Three in terms of UCLA's targets for the 2009 class is Tyler Honeycutt, the wing from Sylmar (Calif.) High, the #21-ranked player in the nationalclass. UCLA is thought be doing very well with Honeycutt, competing with USC, Memphis and Texas for him. Honeycutt will have in-home visits with those fourschools in September, with UCLA going into his home the second week of September. Honeycutt will take an official visit to USC a few days later, on September12th, and is trying to arrange a visit to Memphis on either the first weekend or third weekend in September. It's believed he'll visit UCLA onSeptember 26th, and it's thought that could be his last official visit and he could be ready to make a decision at that time (despite the fact that he toldus recently that he could wait into the basketball season).

UCLA has had some hang-ups in recruiting Avery Bradley,the 6-2 guard from Tacoma (Wash.) Bellarmine Prep, and the #10-ranked player in the nation. Bradley will struggle to qualify academically, and it will morethan likely preclude UCLA from recruiting him seriously. For UCLA to be able to offer Bradley, he'd have to make some giant leaps academically in his firstsemester as a senior, and it could be too late by that time, since the early signing period is in November. Bradley has continued to maintain that his twofavorite schools are UCLA and Texas. The Bruin coaches will conduct an in-home visit with Bradley the second week in September, while on the same trip to visitGaddy.

Durand Scott, the 6-5 shooting guard from New York (NewYork) Rice, who is the #27-ranked player for 2009, will officially visit UCLA on September 19th, while the UCLA coaches will conduct an in-home visit with himthe week before the visit, according to sources close to Scott. It's thought that Scott will be narrowing his list soon, and the schools that are prettywell accepted to be on the list are UCLA, Louisville and Miami, with the Hurricanes having been on Scott for a long time. It's believed UCLA will offerScott a scholarship on his official visit.

Noel Johnson, the 6-5 wing from Fayetteville (Georgia)Fayette County, the #58-ranked player in the nation, recently said he intends to visit UCLA officially on September 19th, a week after he visits USC. It'sunsure if that UCLA visit is definite.

Matt Vogrich, the 6-3 shooting guard prospect from LakeForest (Ill.) High, will visit UCLA September 26th. UCLA coaches should be in for an in-home visit earlier in the month. Vogrich is currently on an officialvisit to Stanford, and he'll also visit Notre Dame (9/12) and Wake Forest (9/19) before he makes his UCLA visit.

Roger Franklin, the 6-5 wing from Duncanville (Tex.)High, the #43-ranked player for 2009 nationally, has yet to arrange an official visit with UCLA, though there definitely could be one in the works.

Anthony Stover, the 6-9 center from La Canada (Calif.)Renaissance, recently said he's down to four schools - UCLA, Arizona, Arizona State and Washington. He's set up an official visit to Arizona State onSeptember 6th. UCLA should be in his home the next week of September. He has yet to arrange an official visit to UCLA, but it's believed it could also beone of either the 19th or the 26th.

UCLA is still looking into the other, foreign post prospects: 6-11 Bawa Manuri, Goldsboro (North Carolina) Charis Prep, originally from Guinea; Kyryl Natyazhko, the 6-10 Ukranian prospect who plays at Brandenton (Fla.) IMG Academy;and the 6-10 Australian, Angus Brandt, from Lake Forest (Ill.) Lake ForestAcademy.

A source close to Brandt indicated that UCLA will be at his high school the first week of the Contact Period to watch him play andcould conduct an in-home visit with him at the time, which will probably be on the same swing when they have their in-home with Vogrich.

Natyazhko has been in his native Ukraine for a few weeks, and is due to return soon. Most programs recruiting him are waiting to seeif there is documentation regarding whether he ever played for a professional club in his homeland
 
Roger Franklin, the 6-5 wing from Duncanville (Tex.) High, the #43-ranked player for 2009 nationally, has yet to arrange an official visit with UCLA, though there definitely could be one in the works.
Kid can ball... Good head on his shoulders, too.
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Roscoe Smith visited G-Town this weekend if that hasn't already been reported.
 
Originally Posted by lnMyMind

Why is UCLA recruiting so many guards?
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shipp and DC are gone next year cause they are SR. Holiday is proably 1 and done. Lee is growing into a SF. so there is postions open
 
How tall is Lee now?

Also...

Don't be surprised if Memphis lands both Wall and Henry. That would easily give them the #1 class in the country.
 
The summer is when most college basketball players make their biggest improvements in their game.
We've been piecing together how the Bruins have been doing during the off-season, and this is what we'vegathered.

Darren Collison - Apparently he's gotten a bigbigger, even though it's not very noticeable, and stronger. He's been putting in serious work toward improving his overall point guard skills andobservers say he's better at anticipating where his scorers are on the court.

Josh Shipp - It's really Shipp's firstoff-season in three years that he didn't have to spend it recovering from an injury. It's paid off, since Shipp is easily in the best shape we'veseen him in a couple of years, far more lean and playing more athletically. He's had some minor issues with his hip, but nothing serious.

Mike Roll - Roll spent last season redshirting,recovering from a plantar fascia he ruptured in his left foot twice last season. He has worked out all season and, on medical advice, has rested it if it feltsore at all, and that has proved to be a good approach to managing it. He's physically in good shape, looking a bit leaner than in past years.

Alfred Aboya - Aboya hasn't changed physicallymuch, and his game is about the same. He's been working more on a back-to-the-basket game, and he looks a bit more comfortable turning and scoring in theblock, but not drastically different. The big news for Aboya was deciding to return to UCLA, and attending UCLA grad school.

James Keefe - Keefe came out of what was intended to bea redshirt year due to a shoulder injury last season. So, this off-season Keefe had the chance to really prepare for the upcoming season, and it's paidoff. He's sporting a bushy beard, because he had a bet with the strength and conditioning staff that, until he makes his intended weight of 240 pounds, hehad to keep the beard. As of last week Keefe was at 238 and ready to take a razor to that scratchy thing. Last season, he played at probably about 228 or so.He looks big and more physical, and is playing with a lot more confidence.

Nikola Dragovic - He's been in his native Serbiafor most of August, and the reports are that he's been working out extensively and has gotten in considerably better shape. It will be interesting to seeif the reports are true and how much it impacts his game.

Jrue Holiday -- The star incoming freshman guard onlyplayed sparingly this summer due to some mild tendonitis in his knee. The approach with him is that the UCLA staff would rather have him resting and allowingthe tendonitis to subside with treatment rather than have him play in the Men's Gym in pick-up games. Holiday chose his high school jersey number -- #21.

Jerime Anderson - The freshman point guard, likeHoliday, didn't play much pick-up in the Men's Gym, with the staff trying to ensure that a mild groin injury is fully healed in time for the start ofthe season. He also chose his high school jersey number -- #5.

Malcolm Lee -- Lee looks a bit bigger than he did inhigh school, with slightly thicker arms and shoulders. On the court, he continues to look like he's getting quicker, which is eye-opening since he wasalready pretty quick on his first step to begin with. He can play out of control at times, and it's going to one of the most interesting aspects of thewinter how Lee improves once he gets coached by Howland.

J'mison Morgan - He's probably been the mostscrutinized of the incoming freshmen this summer, since his late signing did fulfill a very distinct need at the post position for next season. He hascontinued to lean down, looking better physically than he did a year ago during the summer. He's probably 6-10, maybe a hair under it, but he's a big,long athlete. Watching him in the pick-up games in the Men's Gym is, of course, not a good indicator of the player he'll be this season. It has made itclear, though, that Morgan needs to improve his stamina, getting winded fairly easily. It will also be interesting to watch as Morgan begins to understand thelevel of effort that Ben Howland demands. We've been told by some knowledgeable onlookers that he's closer in skill development to Lorenzo Mata than heis to Kevin Love. But any Love comparisons are completely inappropriate since Lovewas a once-in-a-generation type of post in the college game, and there haven't been almost any other high school post players that came into the collegegame with such advanced skills in many years before Love - and probably many years after. Morgan has shown flashes of skills and playing physically, and itwill be very interesting to see how good he is once he achieves better stamina and understands the level of effort that is going to be demanded. By allaccount, he's been getting glowing reviews from the athletic department as being a great kid. He's also gotten close to the other freshmen prettyquickly, and even Holiday's younger sister and brother. Morgan has had some minor issues with his knee, which has limited his conditioning this summer. Hechose jersey #22.

Drew Gordon - Having watched Gordon play a number oftimes this off-season, it reinforces exactly what we thought of him before. He's a very good athlete, who likes to run up and down and block shots. And heplays very hard, giving all-out effort just about all the time. He, though, has a long ways to go in learning fundamentals and how to play. It will beinteresting to see, though, because of his effort level, if he ends up above Morgan in the hierarchy in terms of playing time at the post. Gordon chose 0 ashis jersey number.

As of right now, we'd have to think that the starters in the frontcourt going into practice are Keefe and Aboya
 
Thanks InMyMind. Even getting a top 10 sophomore is huge for this program. I'm pretty excited that we can now pull in recruits of that caliber. Hell, just3 or 4 years ago we were in the basement of the Big Xii and one of the worst teams in a major conference. Thanks Billy G.

And this is also the first commitment Turgeon has gotten from Texas since he's been here. That's pretty exciting as well.

I was hoping deep down in my heart that it was Renardo Sidney, though
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Hopefully this kid sticks around and doesn't jump ship though...
 
Herb Pope is leaving New Mexico State to head back east and go to Seton Hall because of a "family matter". Don't know whether he'll get aclearance to play this year or not.

Also...Yarou is transferring to Montrose Christian here in the DC area. Same school that graduated Kevin Durant, Beavis Vasquez, and many other D1 guys.
 
Originally Posted by DaComeUP

Roscoe Smith visited G-Town this weekend if that hasn't already been reported.
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yeah, along with Nate Lubick.

Herb Pope is leaving New Mexico State to head back east and go to Seton Hall
as if things couldn't get tougher
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Reports came out this week again that Hairston (and Thornton) was ready to commit to Duke..

and whatdayaknow..

He now has set up a visit to UVA and also will visit OSU this fall for a fball game.
 
More of Vitale's list..

DICKIE V's PRESEASON TOP 40​
11. Purdue. Matt Painter's team snuck up on a lot of people last season. With Robbie Hummel leading the way, the Boilermakers have highhopes.

12. Marquette. Tom Crean is gone but Buzz Williams has the top-flight trio of Dominic James, Jerel McNeal and Wesley Matthews back.

13. Memphis. No Derrick Rose, no Chris Douglas-Roberts, no problem. John Calipari has a lot of talent returning plus several standoutrecruits.

14. Tennessee. Bruce Pearl will rely on Tyler Smith inside to key his SEC challenger.

15. Georgetown. Adding Greg Monroe up front will make this a team to keep an eye on in the rugged Big East.

16. Villanova. Jay Wright has his key players returning, led by Scottie Reynolds.

17. Florida. Billy Donovan's Gators will return to the big dance, keyed by Nick Calathes.

18. Arizona State. James Harden will be one of the premier players in the Pac-10. The Sun Devils will go from surprise team to conferencechallenger.

19. Davidson. Stephen Curry will carry this team to another big season. Forget about the Cinderella tag this season.

20. Virginia Tech. Seth Greenberg's team fell short of the big dance last season. That won't be an issue this time around.

21. Miami-Florida. Jack McClinton is one of the best players that America has not heard enough about. Frank Haith does a fine job with theHurricanes.

22. Wisconsin. Bo Ryan will always have the Badgers in the hunt in the Big Ten.

23. Arizona. The return of Chase Budinger makes Lute Olson very happy. If Brandon Jennings didn't go to Europe, this would be a top 10team.

24. Kentucky. When Patrick Patterson is healthy, watch out. Billy Gillispie's club will be returning to prominence.

25. Kansas. Bill Self lost five players to the NBA draft. He has a young but talented team that should still make noise.

26. Syracuse. In a different league, the Orange would be a contender. In the Big East, it is so, so tough …

27. Oklahoma. I know people are talking about football down in Norman. Jeff Capel's club, led by Blake Griffin, will give fanssomething else to cheer about.

28. West Virginia. Bob Huggins will have his team battling, scrapping and clawing again.

29. Wake Forest. This young team is talented. You will hear a lot from super sophs Jeff Teague and James Johnson.

30. Baylor. Scott Drew has rebuilt this program in a short time. Remember the name LaceDarius Dunn!

31. USC. Even without O.J. Mayo, the Trojans will be a tough team. Taj Gibson and company will not be an easy touch.

32. Clemson. Oliver Purnell lost a lot of senior talent, but K.C. Rivers is back.

33. St. Mary's. As long as Mr. Mills comes back to school, this team will make noise in the WCC.

34. Alabama. If Mark Gottfried gets back a healthy Ronald Steele, the Tide can reverse last season's misfortune.

35. UNLV. Lon Kruger has won 91 games in his four seasons with the Runnin' Rebels.

36. Mississippi State. If Jamont Gordon had stayed in school, this team would be in the top 20.

37. UAB. Robert Vaden is back. He flirted with the NBA draft but withdrew before the deadline.

38. Ohio State. A lot will depend on the big diaper dandy, B.J. Mullens. Thad Matta is a flat-out winner, my friends.

39. San Diego. Last season was not a fluke … just ask Connecticut.

40. Xavier. Sean Miller's team lost a lot of talent, but the newcomers will make a difference.
 
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