Vanderbilt & PJ's Decision?

[Butterbutt44]

I mean I have no clue if his parents are or arent pushing for Harvard but lets be real.. do you guys REALLY think hes going to Harvard to play basketball? I mean really. He can go to Duke which isnt exactly chopped liver academically either, and more than likely at either place hes gone after a year. although, those plans are much easier sidetracked at a program like Harvard for reasons I hope I dont need to explain. Im gonna go out on a limb and say theres about a 1 percent chance he goes to Harvard, and thats only if Duke closes their doors in the next 9 months.

 

[Coach325]

And it also sounds like one of the resident Radar dookies is getting a little nervous...

Me? I'm not nervous at all. His mom said Harvard would be her choice. First, that's different than the parents "pushing" Harvard on him. Second, this recruitment had been over for so long they have to try and build some suspense.

 

[Sk1310]

You have no clue if his parents are pushing for Harvard, but were provided direct quotes from his mother saying they want him to go to Harvard and thats their preference. Interesting. Who said he is going there? it was said it probably wont happen, but his parents are pushing for it. Why are you making into something its not? Stop jumping off the ledge in every discussion, its getting old.

 

[Sk1310]

Me? I'm not nervous at all. His mom said Harvard would be her choice. First, that's different than the parents "pushing" Harvard on him. Second, this recruitment had been over for so long they have to try and build some suspense.

How is it different? if they prefer him to go to Harvard, and want him there, are they pushing Duke? does that make sense?

 

[Coach325]

How is it different? if they prefer him to go to Harvard, and want him there, are they pushing Duke? does that make sense?

As a parent myself, I sometimes want certain things for my kids but still allow them to make their own decisions and don't "push" what I want on. Preference and pushing are very much 2 different things. Also, I know that they aren't "pushing" him to Harvard because the decision has been made for a while now.

 

[Butterbutt44]

@Coach325 I agree, the recruitment is over. I get it, theres those in our fanbase who would like to believe hes going to harvard. But if they stepped out of their fandom for one minute and looked at it objectively theres no chance in hell he is going there.

 

[carolinablue34]

Yeah this kid's going to duke. Hell will freeze over before he chooses Harvard.

 

[gary-7]

@Coach325 I agree, the recruitment is over. I get it, theres those in our fanbase who would like to believe hes going to harvard. But if they stepped out of their fandom for one minute and looked at it objectively theres no chance in hell he is going there.

Lighten up, Francis.

 

[Archer2]

Saying Carter will matriculated to drunk on our koolaid is certainly not going out on a limb. Most expect that he will. But it certainly does sound like his mother prefers Hahvard, her quotes make that very clear. Carter could be a big fish in a smaller pond and very easily be a OAD at Hahvard. He wouldn't have a legitimate chance at a NCAA title there But that's the only negative. He'd have to study harder at Hahvard as well but perhaps he'd like that.

 

[gauchoheel]

Not much studying to be done no matter the school if you only need to be eligible for one semester. The upside to Harvard would be if he's welcome to take classes there any time even after he's in the NBA. Whether that's worth adding any risk to his chances at a huge NBA paycheck after one year.... most likely not.

 

[gary-7]

Not much studying to be done no matter the school if you only need to be eligible for one semester. The upside to Harvard would be if he's welcome to take classes there any time even after he's in the NBA. Whether that's worth adding any risk to his chances at a huge NBA paycheck after one year.... most likely not.

Risk? Hell, he could play at Gardner-Webb and get his NBA paycheck.

 

[carolinablue34]

Risk? Hell, he could play at Gardner-Webb and get his NBA paycheck.

No argument there. Carter will be a lotto regardless where he goes.

 

[HeelFan58]

Duke closes their doors in the next 9 months.

we can only hope.

 

[gary-7]

we can only hope.

public health service... fumigation for rats.

 

[gauchoheel]

Risk? Hell, he could play at Gardner-Webb and get his NBA paycheck.

Get an NBA paycheck? Sure. But is he optimizing his odds of getting the largest NBA paycheck he can? That is the question here.

We just saw Skal Labissiere go from #2 overall recruit to #29 overall in the draft. So the error bars on draft status are still awful wide. The #2 overall pick gets $20 million over his first four years in the league, while the #29 pick only gets $4 million.

Disappoint at a blue-blood, you're probably still a first round pick. Often even in the lottery. Disappoint at a mid-major, you're not getting drafted. So to the degree that going to a lower ranked school adds any risk, it will probably make sense to go with the safer option. We're talking about making more your first year in the NBA than the average US college graduate makes in a lifetime, so prioritizing NBA draft status is the only sensible option.

 

[gunslingerdick]

Man, we will argue about pretty much anything around here. Let me see if I got this...we have poasters arguing over what the mom of a recruit that no longer is interested in us said about a school he probably won't attend. Gotcha.

 

[Bur-Heel]

How do we talk about UNC targets or something in that nature...and then the thread gets turned into a dookie discussion everytime ??

 

[jah420]

Ya Momma!

 

[Archer2]

Get an NBA paycheck? Sure. But is he optimizing his odds of getting the largest NBA paycheck he can? That is the question here.

We just saw Skal Labissiere go from #2 overall recruit to #29 overall in the draft. So the error bars on draft status are still awful wide. The #2 overall pick gets $20 million over his first four years in the league, while the #29 pick only gets $4 million.

Disappoint at a blue-blood, you're probably still a first round pick. Often even in the lottery. Disappoint at a mid-major, you're not getting drafted. So to the degree that going to a lower ranked school adds any risk, it will probably make sense to go with the safer option. We're talking about making more your first year in the NBA than the average US college graduate makes in a lifetime, so prioritizing NBA draft status is the only sensible option.

Think you could have picked a worse example? Skal played his obligatory year at UK, not some "mid-major". So if Skal had gone to a mid-major and averaged 20 and 10, don't you think his draft status would have been improved? I certainly do. Attending a mediocre basketball school(LSU) didn't seem to hurt Ben Simmons' draft stock any.

Bottom line is that sometimes maximizing immediate PT is often more beneficial to OAD's than sharing minutes with loaded rosters like those at UK or dook. Example: Chase Jeter was the 11th ranked recruit of '15 according to ESPN. He average 1.9 PPG/1.9RPG in 7.9 MPG last year. And as Knight Lite kept telling us, dook only had five players. At Harvard, he would have started and played 25-30 MPG. And I'm betting he would have been one of the top scorers and rebounders on the team. And he would be the star on the team this year, whereas at dook, he will once again be relegated to sparse backup minutes behind Jefferson, Giles, Bolden, Tatum, et al. IMO, he would have been much better served by going elsewhere.

 

[DSouthr]

I think we all know duke is going to have a solid class and Carter & Trent will be part of it, very likely to add Knox. Not like we expected them to struggle recruiting and I think we all realize our recruiting ranking from this class will not be nearly what duke's will be, ranking wise.

Now we can woe is me but I chose not to because titles are not won in oct, they are won the first week of April in a game that only 2 programs can participate in, a game that we were one of the only 2 to participate in this past season, even thou our recruiting class was so far behind the one & done factories, we still got there and they didn't. Roy is going to do what Roy does, he is going to bring in solid players, guys he can work with and develop, guys that will be in the program long enough that we get to know them and cheer for their development.

The dukes and the Kys can bring in their hired guns for 2 semesters and if you want to bet your program's success on the prayer that the one & done process will continue on forever fine. But I love the way Roy approaches things, one & done can stay or go, it will not effect what Roy does, Roy will just keep on bringing in players and developing them. But if the other programs see the one & done deal disappear, frankly, they are screwed. Because the the pendulum swings back to developing players as opposed to being able to out talent other teams with raw talent. The one & done going away is a matter of when not if and I don't think the when it to far in the future, many suggest with the next NBA CBA.

 

[DSouthr]

Get an NBA paycheck? Sure. But is he optimizing his odds of getting the largest NBA paycheck he can? That is the question here.

We just saw Skal Labissiere go from #2 overall recruit to #29 overall in the draft. So the error bars on draft status are still awful wide. The #2 overall pick gets $20 million over his first four years in the league, while the #29 pick only gets $4 million.

Disappoint at a blue-blood, you're probably still a first round pick. Often even in the lottery. Disappoint at a mid-major, you're not getting drafted. So to the degree that going to a lower ranked school adds any risk, it will probably make sense to go with the safer option. We're talking about making more your first year in the NBA than the average US college graduate makes in a lifetime, so prioritizing NBA draft status is the only sensible option.

Skal is IMO a great example, just maybe not of what you suggest. Skal was not Anthony Davis, Ochafor, Parker, Randle, Ben Simmons. Meaning he really needed strong coaching to develop the crazy talent he has. Those one & done factories, those programs that are killing it in recruiting rankings right now, those program depend IMO on you already having ready to produce game day 1. They are IMO really not about player development and frankly the poster child for the one & done movement Kalipari is IMO a very poor skill development coach, he doesn't have to develop skill that is already there. Skal needed more because that game ready skill was not there day 1.

I do believe there are lower ranked programs with great coaches that have no choice but to develop players because they are rarely if ever going to get that ready made super star. And of course playing against lower competition would very likely have allowed skal to show out much better than he was ready to day 1 at ky. I do think his draft position would have been better served to be THE big fish in a smaller pond than trying to be the biggest fish in the ocean and simply not being ready to be that day 1. I do think skal is a extremel talented kid but I as well believe he needed a really solid coach to bring that out and I do not feel as if he got that at Ky.

 

[gary-7]

Get an NBA paycheck? Sure. But is he optimizing his odds of getting the largest NBA paycheck he can? That is the question here.

We just saw Skal Labissiere go from #2 overall recruit to #29 overall in the draft. So the error bars on draft status are still awful wide. The #2 overall pick gets $20 million over his first four years in the league, while the #29 pick only gets $4 million.

Disappoint at a blue-blood, you're probably still a first round pick. Often even in the lottery. Disappoint at a mid-major, you're not getting drafted. So to the degree that going to a lower ranked school adds any risk, it will probably make sense to go with the safer option. We're talking about making more your first year in the NBA than the average US college graduate makes in a lifetime, so prioritizing NBA draft status is the only sensible option.

Not a question whatsoever. And Skal is a very poor comparison, BTW.
Carter would be 2nd overall behind Ayton if there were no OAD rule. There were major questions about Skal coming out and ironically HE would have been better off playing lower competition because playing with the big boys exposed his weaknesses.

And Harvard has been signing top-100 players recently. Carter or Bamba, et al going there would have ZERO effect on their draft status.

 

[RobJones__]

I strongly disagree that Wendell Carter would be the 2nd overall pick at this point in time.

IMO, at sub 6-9, he has a lot of polishing to do to his skill set to be drafted that high.

 

[gary-7]

I strongly disagree that Wendell Carter would be the 2nd overall pick at this point in time.

IMO, at sub 6-9, he has a lot of polishing to do to his skill set to be drafted that high.

Well, second overall is a guess obviously --- so fair enough, let's say top 5 --- but I absolutely stand by my assessment of his abilities. With all due respect I've seen guys go very high lotto with more work to do than he has. And granted he has some hair up there, but I'm not so sure he's sub-6'9 anymore.

 

[RobJones__]

Well, second overall is a guess obviously --- so fair enough, let's say top 5 --- but I absolutely stand by my assessment of his abilities. With all due respect I've seen guys go very high lotto with more work to do than he has. And granted he has some hair up there, but I'm not so sure he's sub-6'9 anymore.

I'm not sure how they account for hair, but he was recently measured at the USA Olympic training facility just earlier this month at 6-8 and change.

EDIT: Also, to be clear I think Carter will be very effective in college. I'm just not as big on him as a pro prospect at this time. I don't know much about the international crop, but just in his high school class there are 5 other players I'd take before him. That doesn't include other current college players that would knock him farther down my list. But I understand I may be in the minority with that one.

 

[BillyL]

Saying Carter will matriculated to drunk on our koolaid is certainly not going out on a limb. Most expect that he will. But it certainly does sound like his mother prefers Hahvard, her quotes make that very clear. Carter could be a big fish in a smaller pond and very easily be a OAD at Hahvard. He wouldn't have a legitimate chance at a NCAA title there But that's the only negative. He'd have to study harder at Hahvard as well but perhaps he'd like that.

I see what you did there . . . and I must say that I approve.

Lemme know when I can buy you a drink, Scott.

 

[carolinablue34]

We do have to keep in mind what his parents want may not be what he wants.

Besides, these little stories come out all the time, Carter has been a lock for dook for some time.

 

[gary-7]

I'm not sure how they account for hair, but he was recently measured at the USA Olympic training facility just earlier this month at 6-8 and change.

EDIT: Also, to be clear I think Carter will be very effective in college. I'm just not as big on him as a pro prospect at this time. I don't know much about the international crop, but just in his high school class there are 5 other players I'd take before him. That doesn't include other current college players that would knock him farther down my list. But I understand I may be in the minority with that one.

No worries... when I've seen him heads up against guys like Ayton he was the most effective player on the floor without trying to dominate. That always catches this ol coach's eye

 

[RobJones__]

No worries... when I've seen him heads up against guys like Ayton he was the most effective player on the floor without trying to dominate. That always catches this ol coach's eye

For full disclosure, Ayton wouldn't be my top pick either. I'm not surprised he hear Carter bully him, that's the exact type of player that bothers Ayton because he has a habit of playing soft. One thing Carter is not is soft.

 

[Ozheelfan]

Nice thread, totally not about anything to do with UNC recruits/targets..... any input on that front?

 

[carolinablue34]

Seems to be a quiet front lately in terms of recruiting. Nothing to do really except wait for PJ to make his decision.

 

[Archer2]

^^^

Yep, I believe he's the next domino to fall. Que sera, sera.

 

[Calabrias Inferno]

Michael Porter will be the top pick in 2018. Just a hunch.

 

[venom660turbo]

Michael Porter will be the top pick in 2018. Just a hunch.

He better be. He has the most skill and polish of any player over the last 3 years or so! Bonafide All Star in the making!

 

[gary-7]

For full disclosure, Ayton wouldn't be my top pick either. I'm not surprised he hear Carter bully him, that's the exact type of player that bothers Ayton because he has a habit of playing soft. One thing Carter is not is soft.

True dat. And Carter is also a very good passer from the high post.

Still, Ayton is just such a freak to have that sort of ability at his size... way more effective, IMO than say Thon Maker. He will need to toughen up though.

 

[RobJones__]

True dat. And Carter is also a very good passer from the high post.

Still, Ayton is just such a freak to have that sort of ability at his size... way more effective, IMO than say Thon Maker. He will need to toughen up though.

I may also be in the minority on that one. Maybe I just had good luck when I watched Maker but I at least felt like the consistent effort was there with him. For me, that's what Ayton lacks.

I watched them play a high school game heads up last season where they both put up impressive numbers but if I didn't know any better I would have guessed Maker to have gotten the better of the match up.

 

[gary-7]

I may also be in the minority on that one. Maybe I just had good luck when I watched Maker but I at least felt like the consistent effort was there with him. For me, that's what Ayton lacks.

I watched them play a high school game heads up last season where they both put up impressive numbers but if I didn't know any better I would have guessed Maker to have gotten the better of the match up.

Yeah, I hafta say Maker gave effort, even when his AAU teammates weren't good at getting him the ball.

 

[DSouthr]

For full disclosure, Ayton wouldn't be my top pick either. I'm not surprised he hear Carter bully him, that's the exact type of player that bothers Ayton because he has a habit of playing soft. One thing Carter is not is soft.

Not saying ya wrong Rob but ya just eliminated 2 of the top 3 players ranked in this class? You kinda have it down to Porter or Bamba unless you have a dark horse. Bamba is really talented, really long, but he is from what I see really raw as well. Think I would have to go with the potential of Ayton and work on him to be more physical.

 

[RobJones__]

Not saying ya wrong Rob but ya just eliminated 2 of the top 3 players ranked in this class? You kinda have it down to Porter or Bamba unless you have a dark horse. Bamba is really talented, really long, but he is from what I see really raw as well. Think I would have to go with the potential of Ayton and work on him to be more physical.

Or you can take Michael Porter Jr and have a kid that's ready from day one. Just measured at 6-9 without shoes at the USA camp but the level of refined skill between he, Carter or Ayton isn't even close.

With Ayton you have to try and teach him to have that "alpha" mentality for an entire game and that may or may not be the easiest thing to do. Carter has the mental side but is limited in his offensive skill right now. He's purely an inside or mid-range only player on that side of the ball. I'm not comfortable with his range beyond 12-15 feet.

Or you can take Porter who can do it all.

Again, I like Ayton and Carter. But if we're talking about the #1 overall pick I have to go with the guy that I KNOW what I have, not what I'd have to work to POSSIBLY get him to.

 

[DSouthr]

Or you can take Michael Porter Jr and have a kid that's ready from day one. Just measured at 6-9 without shoes at the USA camp but the level of refined skill between he, Carter or Ayton isn't even close.

With Ayton you have to try and teach him to have that "alpha" mentality for an entire game and that may or may not be the easiest thing to do. Carter has the mental side but is limited in his offensive skill right now. He's purely an inside or mid-range only player on that side of the ball. I'm not comfortable with his range beyond 12-15 feet.

Or you can take Porter who can do it all.

Again, I like Ayton and Carter. But if we're talking about the #1 overall pick I have to go with the guy that I KNOW what I have, not what I'd have to work to POSSIBLY get him to.

Realizing how much stock the NBA puts in potential, I agree that Porter is very skilled but I wonder if he is closer to his ceiling or floor? If Porter is closer to his ceiling then potential seems to be less than a Ayton or a Bamba? Granted that potential is not always realized but the NBA does not always seem to realize that IMO.