GYERO

[wcc31]

My point was to his coaching, Besides maybe Mashburn(I don’t remember him as a top tier recruit) who did Pitino have that was top level recruits or transfer?

I’m not putting us down as much as I am trying to make the point of the kind of coach he was.

Edit:

Mashburn wasn’t a high ranked recruit from what I read. Basically known locally in NY due to his efforts at Rucker Park.

Ford seemed to be a solid transfer but wasn’t highly thought of out of high school.

McCarty made Indiana all star team but also was not highly thought of.

Dent I can’t find much in out of High School.

Rhodes was the most highly ranked recruit we had in the early years and then Tony Delk.

After that the flood gates opened with Walker, Mercer, DA, Turner.

To add to the mystique of Pitino I’ll submit Nazr Mohammed. A complete project turned 18 year pro! He came to UK looking like out of shape Oliver Miller and became one of the center pieces of that 1998 run.

1991 class- Mash was Top 10ish, Martinez Top 30, Brown Top 5 juco, Ford a bigtime transfer
1992- Best class in the country- Rhodes Top 3, McCarty Top 20, Delk Top 15, Dent the best JUCO big
1993- Walker Top 5
etc etc

No one sans Dean Smith, Wooden or K had Cal level talent but Pitino got amazing talent. Also developed well. Hoping Pope does the same- think that’s his blueprint.

 

[Century Cat]

On the subject of "what if":

I've seen 4 UK titles in my lifetime (all in person - ##blessed), and 3 of those were basically a coronation. All of those were must-have, and critical to maintain our program's legitimacy at the top.

Still, three of the most joyous nights of my life, but also coupled with huge relief.

98, unexpected as it was, and only 2 years after #6, was pure crack. Made even sweeter with the prohibitive favorite UNC losing in the semis, after we had already taken care of business. (The Quiz was born).

So far in all my years, THAT was the mountaintop. And since then I've always felt better about 97, because if we had won that year, we don't win in 98. (Ask Shep, Edwards, Padgett or Mills).

 

[VernHatton52]

Mash was definitely a high recruit.

 

[thabigbluenation]

1991 class- Mash was Top 10ish, Martinez Top 30, Brown Top 5 juco, Ford a bigtime transfer
1992- Best class in the country- Rhodes Top 3, McCarty Top 20, Delk Top 15, Dent the best JUCO big
1993- Walker Top 5
etc etc

No one sans Dean Smith, Wooden or K had Cal level talent but Pitino got amazing talent. Also developed well. Hoping Pope does the same- think that’s his blueprint.

Pitino managed to get guys to redshirt that would have never seen yr 2 at Cal's UK.

 

[PTI (pti)]

#defiantLs