Hey Guys,
Hope everyone is doing well here at Four Corners! I know it's been a while since I've posted, but rest assured I'm a regular lurker, and I've stayed in contact in recent weeks/months with both Andrew and Clint. I felt very strongly that it was important the first few months of Andrew's tenure that I stay out of his way and not attempt to make his life difficult by obstructing his mission with my own thoughts of how THI should be run. This is his show, run his way, and I for one like the direction he's taken.
I also don't want to use this forum as a place to advertise and broadcast my current endeavors, but today I did write a pretty lengthy article about Jaylen Brown and UNC's basketball recruiting that I thought might be of interest to some of the folks on this board. Instead of throwing up a paywall link, I just dropped the story into this post. My boss (hopefully!) won't have a problem with this one-time thing. And I hope Andrew doesn't either. I'll be glad to delete this and not do this again if it becomes a problem. Like I say, I thought some people on this forum might be interested in an article on this specific subject. I welcome your feedback!
Williams Jet Sets for Brown
UNC's Roy Williams is legendary throughout the country for his tireless recruiting prowess, spending countless hours on planes and in small gyms around the country in pursuit of talent.
Williams demonstrated that dedication again in late February, in the midst of what has been a challenging few months for the Hall of Fame head coach.
Since early December, Williams has lost two of his closest friends - longtime Chapel Hill insurance agency owner and UNC alumnus Ted Seagroves, as well as former Tar Heel head basketball coach Dean Smith. Through sorrow, Williams has attempted to lead the Tar Heels to another solid season on the hardwood this winter, while also logging heavy miles in the air and on the road in recruiting.
Williams' dedication took him to Marietta, Georgia the evening of Feb. 21, as he left Chapel Hill immediately after UNC's victory over Georgia Tech in the Smith Center.
Williams made it to Wheeler High School that evening in time to watch Jaylen Brown score 32 points with 17 rebounds in a 87-68 triumph over Douglas County High School in a Georgia state playoff contest.
Williams subsequently got back on a plane and headed back to Chapel Hill, so he could be in attendance at the public ceremony for his mentor and longtime employer in the Smith Center the afternoon of Feb. 22.
If Williams doesn't get Brown or his other top uncommitted 2015 target - wing Brandon Ingram of Kinston, North Carolina - it certainly won't be for a lack of trying. Over the past several months Williams has made a significant priority out of Brown, a 6-7, 215-pound forward. Scout lists Brown as the nation's top high school senior, while Rivals ranks Brown second, behind only LSU signee Ben Simmons.
UNC didn't even appear in the picture for Brown during the fall, as he took three official visits in October to Kansas, Kentucky, and UCLA. But by the time basketball season rolled around, Williams was reaching out to Brown, and attending some of his games.
Williams made his first postgame trek to see Brown in December, hopping on a plane in Chicago following UNC's triumph over Ohio State Dec. 20 to Fort Myers, Florida. Williams got to Southwest Florida to see Brown in action at the City of Palms Classic, one of the nation's premier holiday tournaments. Brown took his official visit to Chapel Hill in January.
"Roy is great - a humble guy," said Brown of the UNC coach to ACCSports.com when we spoke with him at the City of Palms Classic. "The coolest, chillest guy."
Brown is a highly-intelligent, articulate young man and an excellent student, both on and off the court. He's got a reputation for having old-school basketball savvy, as he watches film of old greats like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pete Maravich, and others.
The Tar Heels were late to the table in offering and observing Brown, and now the only question is whether or not the late push by UNC will be enough.
If not, it will add to the growing concern on the part of some North Carolina fans that Williams waits too long in targeting certain players, and that he should start going after favored targets earlier in their prep careers, like many of UNC's rival schools.
"We started a relationship late. That (UNC) was my dream school, but things change," Brown said. "It's more about seeing a bigger picture. It's not about who recruits you hardest, or how long. It's where you feel most comfortable. You'll hit a wall going to college, whether it be academics or not playing well. Why not be somewhere where you feel comfortable? You have to take criticism, and you'll get pushed."
Rumor has it that Williams and UNC have made an excellent impression on Brown and his family, but clearly the Tar Heels are facing very stiff competition with Kansas and Kentucky still in the mix, along with others such as hometown Georgia Tech, which is desperate for a spark in its basketball program.
The Tar Heels are graduating out seniors Desmond Hubert and Jackson Simmons, opening up two scholarships for the 2015-2016 season.
UNC has a commitment from Luke Maye, a rangy forward with solid outside shooting skills for his size. But he was not projected to be on scholarship until the 2016-2017 season, after the Tar Heels lose four or more current scholarship players in addition to Hubert and Simmons.
UNC has room for both Brown and Ingram. But if they only get one or neither of them, Maye will likely go on scholarship for 2015-2016.
Williams is a proud man who is defensive about his program at North Carolina, as well as his recruiting efforts. But if he were being honest, even Williams would have to admit that things haven't gone exactly according to plan on the recruiting trail the past few years.
The Tar Heels haven't signed a top ten prospect in the Rivals 150 since 2011 (James Michael McAdoo, No. 8 Rivals), and haven't gotten a top five prospect since 2010 (Harrison Barnes, No. 2).
2010 was also the last recruiting class that Williams got more than one top ten prospect in the Rivals 150, as Carolina signed Barnes and Reggie Bullock (No. 10), along with Kendall Marshall. Coincidence or not, it was the core of Barnes, Bullock, Marshall, and McAdoo, along with Tyler Zeller and John Henson, who last had UNC in position to win a national championship back in 2012.
In the Scout.com national rankings, UNC has gotten just one top ten prospect since McAdoo, who came in fifth in that network's 2011 rankings. That was Justin Jackson, who came in No. 10 in the Scout 2014 rankings. Rivals had Jackson ranked eleventh.
The last time UNC snagged two or more top ten prospects in the Scout national rankings was back in 2006, when Williams put together the star-studded trio of Brandan Wright (No. 3), Ty Lawson (No. 5) and Wayne Ellington (No. 7). Lawson and Ellington would help lead the Tar Heels to a pair of Final Fours and the 2009 NCAA title, while Wright helped lead UNC to a 30-win season and an Elite Eight berth in his lone collegiate season of 2006-2007.
But now that the talent has tapered off a little bit the past three seasons, UNC has gone from a consistent frontrunner in the ACC standings to one of the teams in the hunt. Near the top of the standings, but not at the very top.
That mantle has been taken for the moment by Virginia - a program without a single McDonald's All-American on its current roster.
What Williams and his UNC staff have done in recruiting the last five years is still pretty darn good for many, but not good enough for a certain sect of the Tar Heel fan base.
That particular sect of UNC fans has developed, over a long period of sustained tremendous national success, the general feeling that it's not a great season unless the Tar Heels are No. 1 in the polls, and cutting down the nights on the first Monday in April.
It's a sect of the UNC fan base that Williams isn't especially crazy about. But those types of Tar Heel fans are out there in droves.
And the only way Williams will satisfy them is to make it happen and land some of these elite targets, and then parlay it into victories on the court.
If Williams can find a way to beat out the competition for Brown and/or Ingram, while getting back the core of this year's squad, UNC could head into the 2015-2016 season as an early Final Four favorite. But if he swings and misses with Brown and Ingram - especially the in-state Ingram - the rumblings will grow louder around Williams.
The rumblings could include suggestions that he can't recruit at a high level anymore. That he's out of touch with modern-day teenagers. That he's not developing players the way he once was. Some of those rumblings, fair or unfair, are already out there.
But rest assured, they will grow in loudness and frequency if the Tar Heels don't sign anyone else aside of Maye for next season.
It's a high-risk, high-reward proposition for Williams and the Tar Heels.
The upside of a solid recruiting haul this spring, as well as a large returning veteran nucleus, is the opportunity to potentially bring Williams' third national championship to Chapel Hill in the near future. The downside is more slippage on the conference and national stage, and more criticism that Roy Williams just isn't the Roy Williams of old.
This post was edited on 2/24 5:18 PM by adampowell
This post was edited on 2/24 5:20 PM by adampowell
Hope everyone is doing well here at Four Corners! I know it's been a while since I've posted, but rest assured I'm a regular lurker, and I've stayed in contact in recent weeks/months with both Andrew and Clint. I felt very strongly that it was important the first few months of Andrew's tenure that I stay out of his way and not attempt to make his life difficult by obstructing his mission with my own thoughts of how THI should be run. This is his show, run his way, and I for one like the direction he's taken.
I also don't want to use this forum as a place to advertise and broadcast my current endeavors, but today I did write a pretty lengthy article about Jaylen Brown and UNC's basketball recruiting that I thought might be of interest to some of the folks on this board. Instead of throwing up a paywall link, I just dropped the story into this post. My boss (hopefully!) won't have a problem with this one-time thing. And I hope Andrew doesn't either. I'll be glad to delete this and not do this again if it becomes a problem. Like I say, I thought some people on this forum might be interested in an article on this specific subject. I welcome your feedback!
Williams Jet Sets for Brown
UNC's Roy Williams is legendary throughout the country for his tireless recruiting prowess, spending countless hours on planes and in small gyms around the country in pursuit of talent.
Williams demonstrated that dedication again in late February, in the midst of what has been a challenging few months for the Hall of Fame head coach.
Since early December, Williams has lost two of his closest friends - longtime Chapel Hill insurance agency owner and UNC alumnus Ted Seagroves, as well as former Tar Heel head basketball coach Dean Smith. Through sorrow, Williams has attempted to lead the Tar Heels to another solid season on the hardwood this winter, while also logging heavy miles in the air and on the road in recruiting.
Williams' dedication took him to Marietta, Georgia the evening of Feb. 21, as he left Chapel Hill immediately after UNC's victory over Georgia Tech in the Smith Center.
Williams made it to Wheeler High School that evening in time to watch Jaylen Brown score 32 points with 17 rebounds in a 87-68 triumph over Douglas County High School in a Georgia state playoff contest.
Williams subsequently got back on a plane and headed back to Chapel Hill, so he could be in attendance at the public ceremony for his mentor and longtime employer in the Smith Center the afternoon of Feb. 22.
If Williams doesn't get Brown or his other top uncommitted 2015 target - wing Brandon Ingram of Kinston, North Carolina - it certainly won't be for a lack of trying. Over the past several months Williams has made a significant priority out of Brown, a 6-7, 215-pound forward. Scout lists Brown as the nation's top high school senior, while Rivals ranks Brown second, behind only LSU signee Ben Simmons.
UNC didn't even appear in the picture for Brown during the fall, as he took three official visits in October to Kansas, Kentucky, and UCLA. But by the time basketball season rolled around, Williams was reaching out to Brown, and attending some of his games.
Williams made his first postgame trek to see Brown in December, hopping on a plane in Chicago following UNC's triumph over Ohio State Dec. 20 to Fort Myers, Florida. Williams got to Southwest Florida to see Brown in action at the City of Palms Classic, one of the nation's premier holiday tournaments. Brown took his official visit to Chapel Hill in January.
"Roy is great - a humble guy," said Brown of the UNC coach to ACCSports.com when we spoke with him at the City of Palms Classic. "The coolest, chillest guy."
Brown is a highly-intelligent, articulate young man and an excellent student, both on and off the court. He's got a reputation for having old-school basketball savvy, as he watches film of old greats like Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pete Maravich, and others.
The Tar Heels were late to the table in offering and observing Brown, and now the only question is whether or not the late push by UNC will be enough.
If not, it will add to the growing concern on the part of some North Carolina fans that Williams waits too long in targeting certain players, and that he should start going after favored targets earlier in their prep careers, like many of UNC's rival schools.
"We started a relationship late. That (UNC) was my dream school, but things change," Brown said. "It's more about seeing a bigger picture. It's not about who recruits you hardest, or how long. It's where you feel most comfortable. You'll hit a wall going to college, whether it be academics or not playing well. Why not be somewhere where you feel comfortable? You have to take criticism, and you'll get pushed."
Rumor has it that Williams and UNC have made an excellent impression on Brown and his family, but clearly the Tar Heels are facing very stiff competition with Kansas and Kentucky still in the mix, along with others such as hometown Georgia Tech, which is desperate for a spark in its basketball program.
The Tar Heels are graduating out seniors Desmond Hubert and Jackson Simmons, opening up two scholarships for the 2015-2016 season.
UNC has a commitment from Luke Maye, a rangy forward with solid outside shooting skills for his size. But he was not projected to be on scholarship until the 2016-2017 season, after the Tar Heels lose four or more current scholarship players in addition to Hubert and Simmons.
UNC has room for both Brown and Ingram. But if they only get one or neither of them, Maye will likely go on scholarship for 2015-2016.
Williams is a proud man who is defensive about his program at North Carolina, as well as his recruiting efforts. But if he were being honest, even Williams would have to admit that things haven't gone exactly according to plan on the recruiting trail the past few years.
The Tar Heels haven't signed a top ten prospect in the Rivals 150 since 2011 (James Michael McAdoo, No. 8 Rivals), and haven't gotten a top five prospect since 2010 (Harrison Barnes, No. 2).
2010 was also the last recruiting class that Williams got more than one top ten prospect in the Rivals 150, as Carolina signed Barnes and Reggie Bullock (No. 10), along with Kendall Marshall. Coincidence or not, it was the core of Barnes, Bullock, Marshall, and McAdoo, along with Tyler Zeller and John Henson, who last had UNC in position to win a national championship back in 2012.
In the Scout.com national rankings, UNC has gotten just one top ten prospect since McAdoo, who came in fifth in that network's 2011 rankings. That was Justin Jackson, who came in No. 10 in the Scout 2014 rankings. Rivals had Jackson ranked eleventh.
The last time UNC snagged two or more top ten prospects in the Scout national rankings was back in 2006, when Williams put together the star-studded trio of Brandan Wright (No. 3), Ty Lawson (No. 5) and Wayne Ellington (No. 7). Lawson and Ellington would help lead the Tar Heels to a pair of Final Fours and the 2009 NCAA title, while Wright helped lead UNC to a 30-win season and an Elite Eight berth in his lone collegiate season of 2006-2007.
But now that the talent has tapered off a little bit the past three seasons, UNC has gone from a consistent frontrunner in the ACC standings to one of the teams in the hunt. Near the top of the standings, but not at the very top.
That mantle has been taken for the moment by Virginia - a program without a single McDonald's All-American on its current roster.
What Williams and his UNC staff have done in recruiting the last five years is still pretty darn good for many, but not good enough for a certain sect of the Tar Heel fan base.
That particular sect of UNC fans has developed, over a long period of sustained tremendous national success, the general feeling that it's not a great season unless the Tar Heels are No. 1 in the polls, and cutting down the nights on the first Monday in April.
It's a sect of the UNC fan base that Williams isn't especially crazy about. But those types of Tar Heel fans are out there in droves.
And the only way Williams will satisfy them is to make it happen and land some of these elite targets, and then parlay it into victories on the court.
If Williams can find a way to beat out the competition for Brown and/or Ingram, while getting back the core of this year's squad, UNC could head into the 2015-2016 season as an early Final Four favorite. But if he swings and misses with Brown and Ingram - especially the in-state Ingram - the rumblings will grow louder around Williams.
The rumblings could include suggestions that he can't recruit at a high level anymore. That he's out of touch with modern-day teenagers. That he's not developing players the way he once was. Some of those rumblings, fair or unfair, are already out there.
But rest assured, they will grow in loudness and frequency if the Tar Heels don't sign anyone else aside of Maye for next season.
It's a high-risk, high-reward proposition for Williams and the Tar Heels.
The upside of a solid recruiting haul this spring, as well as a large returning veteran nucleus, is the opportunity to potentially bring Williams' third national championship to Chapel Hill in the near future. The downside is more slippage on the conference and national stage, and more criticism that Roy Williams just isn't the Roy Williams of old.
This post was edited on 2/24 5:18 PM by adampowell
This post was edited on 2/24 5:20 PM by adampowell
