I'm Back: Insight and Background on Quickley Visit and other notes...

[CoachX11]

Hey BBN,

I haven't posted much lately due to my current position and the fact I'm not as connected to this class of UK prospects as last year's. However, I've had to put in a lot more work to know a lot less, but stay tuned to the end of the post for some minor updates on prospects other than IQ.

I was able to tip you all off on Quickley this spring and want to share with you all something. I am in the know with him as much as I was with Quade, which was pretty good I think.

Let me share with you some background into things.

First off, this visit needed to happen as soon as possible for Quickley, and it came at a perfect time.

I was contacted by the same person that originally told me about Quickley and UK in the spring a few weeks back, and was told he's could no longer to promise that it's 100% UK.

I don't believe UK was every anywhere but #1 on the list, but I personally think the UK Staff made a few bad plays with them. Within his camp, there is one major player that is anti-UK (non-family FYI). Mom and Dad are sold on Cal.

The visit solidified things, but it's not how Coach Cal was envisioning it.

Here was the plan in the spring:

1. Quickley would be PG for the USA team and develop relationships with some of the top players and recruit them to UK.

2. Quickley would work on Zion to get him to visit AT THE SAME TIME. This was happening at one point. Obviously, that didn't happen.

3. Quickley would remain uncommitted, then try and form a giant day of UK commitments on ESPN and all that jazz. This would be a total F-you to all those hating programs (DUKE mainly).

People have asked, why hasn't he committed already, first off you have to do your homework and there was no need to rush. Secondly, Quickley pitch to his classmates would have been way more effective if he was seen as uncommitted.

Makes sense?

Now, here is what I've heard on the trail.

1. First off, Coach Cal is going to have to change his waiting strategy, coaches are targeting kids earlier in hopes to build relationships before Coach Cal can come in with swagger and steals them. It's been effective, it's also why kids are committing earlier "generally".

2. Barrett- I have yet to hear anyone telling me that UK is going to end up being the pick. I know the visit was successful, but I think it would be much better for UK if he waits till the spring to decide. I very much doubt he will be at UK if deciding soon.

3. UK wants the first of K. Johnson/Grimes to commit. I'd take Grimes if I was UK. Don't sleep on Grimes folks, he's big time potential.

4. As far as bigs... I'm not sure who they'll take but I think it'll be in the spring. Bol and Shittu are both UK type players. I think Shittu would be better fit. I think every wants to see how much playing time is going to be around.

5. The recruiting pitch is that they think that 6-7 are going to declare for the draft. Knox, Diallo, Vanderbilt are pretty surefire. You guys can figure out the next few better than me. Probably Richards too, he's older.

Anyways, like always I love discussing things with you all when I can, and I'll look to find out anything for you guys the best I can. If I don't know something, I'll tell you all...

Just @ me so I get the notification.

-Coach

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Good information. Said yesterday it seems Cal has been doing more work on the 2019 class, almost as if he's had to make some of his own modifications. Guys like K are starting on classes a bit earlier. Historically, many recruits would wait until later to see where Kentucky's lineup was. Cal looks like he's adjusting his approach a little bit.

 

[ORCAT]

Thanks. That wasn't filled with a great deal of optimism but I appreciate your thoughts, as usual.

 

[Canned Heat]

With 16 of Rivals top 25 uncommitted at this point, I still feel okay about this class, but it would nice to get one or two early in the recruiting process. Selling these kids on how much PT will be available depending on how many of our guys goes to the pros is going to be difficult this year. But if Cal can get Quickley sooner rather than later, I will feel better overall for the class. If we have to wait to Spring for all recruits, then we may miss on a couple of more.

 

[stoneycat_20]

I think Quickley needs to commit now. then work on RJ,Zion.. I too would take Grimes if had to pick for a couple reasons..As for the guys leaving.I think Knox,JV,and Hami are 100% gone.. Richards, WG 75%. PJ,QG i think will be back..PJ is undersized and i just don't see NBA when I watch Green.. I think of Frank Mason and that's not bad.

 

[ukfan2410]

@CoachX11 who are you thinking is the leader for RJ, Oregon?

 

[z71sab]

thanks for the info coach. I disagree on the barrett info. the sooner the better . and that's why I think he will be a wildcat in the early signing period

 

[track42]

It kind of feels like we won't have the monster class some were hoping for but still a solid group.

 

[ukfan2410]

thanks for the info coach. I disagree on the barrett info. the sooner the better . and that's why I think he will be a wildcat in the early signing period

I agree

 

[Col. Angus]

Explains why Cal has already started slinging offers to 2019 guys he knows he was gonna end up offering anyway.

 

[Newcattitudes]

Coaches are adjusting to Cal. He has been the most proactive standard setter there has been in recruiting in years. He creates the mold and others try to copy it. He has always been a step ahead of K and Self. K adopted and adapted Cal's recruiting methods and it has paid off big time.
Looks like Cal is now making his counter moves which will likely allow him to pull in more top 5 top players in 2019-20. cal wanted to see how players developed during the school year but now it appears that option is for the most part being taken away. I'm loving the early offers. The guys he's offered are can't miss players. Go get em Cal!

 

[Mike-D]

Why is UK so confident with Barrett? Hoping his is another Knox situation. Everyone outside of UK says Barrett doesn't look good to UK. Matt Jones continues to say we lead.

 

[Newcattitudes]

It kind of feels like we won't have the monster class some were hoping for but still a solid group.

I get this feeling as well. I'm still hoping for Barrett and Zion together. Cal has too much fight in him to lose too many of these to K. I'm not worried about Transfer U getting Zion either. I just like being greedy when it comes to recruiting. While we are at it, just throw in Bol Bol and Shittu with the rest. Wink wink

 

[Cardsstink]

No offense, but what was posted doesn't really have any "meat" to it and it's things someone could easily assume/guess.

 

[JFCats22]

This class is staring to feel an awful lot like the Newman/Brown/Zimmerman/Diallo/Blakeney, etc...class. Everyone thought it was a monster class full of "guaranteed UK" guys that just never developed. Thankfully Murray came along late.

 

[Mr_GG]

This class is staring to feel an awful lot like the Newman/Brown/Zimmerman/Diallo/Blakeney, etc...class. Everyone thought it was a monster class full of "guaranteed UK" guys that just never developed. Thankfully Murray came along late.

 

[Mr_GG]

Hey BBN,

I haven't posted much lately due to my current position and the fact I'm not as connected to this class of UK prospects as last year's. However, I've had to put in a lot more work to know a lot less, but stay tuned to the end of the post for some minor updates on prospects other than IQ.

I was able to tip you all off on Quickley this spring and want to share with you all something. I am in the know with him as much as I was with Quade, which was pretty good I think.

Let me share with you some background into things.

First off, this visit needed to happen as soon as possible for Quickley, and it came at a perfect time.

I was contacted by the same person that originally told me about Quickley and UK in the spring a few weeks back, and was told he's could no longer to promise that it's 100% UK.

I don't believe UK was every anywhere but #1 on the list, but I personally think the UK Staff made a few bad plays with them. Within his camp, there is one major player that is anti-UK (non-family FYI). Mom and Dad are sold on Cal.

The visit solidified things, but it's not how Coach Cal was envisioning it.

Here was the plan in the spring:

1. Quickley would be PG for the USA team and develop relationships with some of the top players and recruit them to UK.

2. Quickley would work on Zion to get him to visit AT THE SAME TIME. This was happening at one point. Obviously, that didn't happen.

3. Quickley would remain uncommitted, then try and form a giant day of UK commitments on ESPN and all that jazz. This would be a total F-you to all those hating programs (DUKE mainly).

People have asked, why hasn't he committed already, first off you have to do your homework and there was no need to rush. Secondly, Quickley pitch to his classmates would have been way more effective if he was seen as uncommitted.

Makes sense?

Now, here is what I've heard on the trail.

1. First off, Coach Cal is going to have to change his waiting strategy, coaches are targeting kids earlier in hopes to build relationships before Coach Cal can come in with swagger and steals them. It's been effective, it's also why kids are committing earlier "generally".

2. Barrett- I have yet to hear anyone telling me that UK is going to end up being the pick. I know the visit was successful, but I think it would be much better for UK if he waits till the spring to decide. I very much doubt he will be at UK if deciding soon.

3. UK wants the first of K. Johnson/Grimes to commit. I'd take Grimes if I was UK. Don't sleep on Grimes folks, he's big time potential.

4. As far as bigs... I'm not sure who they'll take but I think it'll be in the spring. Bol and Shittu are both UK type players. I think Shittu would be better fit. I think every wants to see how much playing time is going to be around.

5. The recruiting pitch is that they think that 6-7 are going to declare for the draft. Knox, Diallo, Vanderbilt are pretty surefire. You guys can figure out the next few better than me. Probably Richards too, he's older.

Anyways, like always I love discussing things with you all when I can, and I'll look to find out anything for you guys the best I can. If I don't know something, I'll tell you all...

Just @ me so I get the notification.

-Coach

Thanks for the update! I really like Grimes in this class and actually prefer him to Quickley just as a talent (Ik they're not the same position really and my opinion is mainly based off highlights lol) so I hope you're right about him.

 

[ukfan2410]

Arizona is visiting with RJ today at Montverde, he visits Zona this weekend.

 

[MdWIldcat55]

This class is staring to feel an awful lot like the Newman/Brown/Zimmerman/Diallo/Blakeney, etc...class. Everyone thought it was a monster class full of "guaranteed UK" guys that just never developed. Thankfully Murray came along late.

You'd think for people who see the sky as falling every single day, eventually they'd recognize that it is just their own black cloud trailing over their grim, anxiety-filled lives. But they never do.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Explains why Cal has already started slinging offers to 2019 guys he knows he was gonna end up offering anyway.

Yeah, honestly, eff it at this point. Just start blanketing offers.

I don't get how recruits could be worried about playing time at Kentucky but NOT Duke. They already have their top PG and SF for next year, plus whoever may come back (Remember, K isn't as keen on letting kids find their dreams after a single season).

"They aren't" is my guess. K is telling them what they want to hear which is why disputes with guys like Sulaimon and Jackson came about.

K has quite literally become the "used car salesman".. how ironic is that?

 

[RiverboatJoe]

Yeah, honestly, eff it at this point. Just start blanketing offers.

I don't get how recruits could be worried about playing time at Kentucky but NOT Duke. They already have their top PG and SF for next year, plus whoever may come back (Remember, K isn't as keen on letting kids find their dreams after a single season).

"They aren't" is my guess. K is telling them what they want to hear which is why disputes with guys like Sulaimon and Jackson came about.

K has quite literally become the "used car salesman".. how ironic is that?

The "dispute" with Sulaimon was over team rules and attitude, not playing time. He got kicked off the team. He started as a freshman but arrived on campus extremely out of shape as a sophomore.

There was no "dispute" with Jackson.

The "dispute" with Thornton was due to his dad being an overbearing megalomaniac. Derryck played 26 minutes a game as a freshman. If you're not satisfied playing 26 minutes a game as a freshman at Duke that's not on anyone but you.

 

[mdlUK.1]

Why is UK so confident with Barrett? Hoping his is another Knox situation. Everyone outside of UK says Barrett doesn't look good to UK. Matt Jones continues to say we lead.

Yeah, I know some people don't like MJ but he does talk with our coaches. So, I trust what he says more than some random coach(?) on a message board.

 

[z71sab]

This class is staring to feel an awful lot like the Newman/Brown/Zimmerman/Diallo/Blakeney, etc...class. Everyone thought it was a monster class full of "guaranteed UK" guys that just never developed. Thankfully Murray came along late.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

The "dispute" with Sulaimon was over team rules and attitude, not playing time. He got kicked off the team. He started as a freshman but arrived on campus extremely out of shape as a sophomore.

There was no "dispute" with Jackson.

The "dispute" with Thornton was due to his dad being an overbearing megalomaniac. Derryck played 26 minutes a game as a freshman. If you're not satisfied playing 26 minutes a game as a freshman at Duke that's not on anyone but you.

Got it, it's just bad families. Coach K must have had back issues for those in-house visits, and was therefore never able to see the glaring character/family issues that would have been present.

Just further proves how amazing John Calipari is to 1. not bail on his job duties and 2. never have a single character issue that would necessitate a player having to transfer.

For the way the media portrays K, Calipari should have his own holiday.

 

[RiverboatJoe]

Got it, it's just bad families. Coach K must have had back issues for those in-house visits, and was therefore never able to see the glaring character/family issues that would have been present.

Just further proves how amazing John Calipari is to 1. not bail on his job duties and 2. never have a single character issue that would necessitate a player having to transfer.

For the way the media portrays K, Calipari should have his own holiday.

lollll

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Three different recruits all couldn't get out of dodge fast enough. Jackson knew he was a 2nd rounder. You can spin it anyway you want, but it's clear K isn't being 100% honest with his recruits.

Which, why does this surprise you? As I've said before, it's an academic school that most basketball players (ie, ones not named Greg and Mason) never wanted to play for in the past.There has to be something that totally changed their recruiting philosophy, almost a 100% turn-around.

He's selling a bad bill of goods, at least to some of the lesser recruits.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

https://www.si.com/college-basketba...ryland-transfer-duke-mother-coach-k-dismissal

I'm sure there are two sides to every story. Moms will protect their kids, sometimes while staring right at the evidence..

But if anything she says in the above article is true, dear lord. You're talking about Coach K operating on some Eye's Wide Shut Secret Society type level.

[Krzyzewski] didn’t want to deal with it. He wanted to go on with the season,” Angela Sulaimon, his mother, told The Baltimore Sun this week. “But there was no record, there were no formal charges. Nobody said, ‘Yes, he did it.’ The Duke newspaper tried to call me and one of them said, ‘Why can’t we talk to you and get your side of the story? Maybe we made a mistake with Rasheed.’ But I never answered.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sulaimon told the Sun that the Duke coach’s wide-ranging influence in the basketball world intimidated her son

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Rasheed just won’t break the code,” she said. “Certain things he won’t say because he’s afraid of what might happen.


“He’s not the kind of kid who backed down and that was a problem with Coach K,” she later added.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

No news is good news

 

[youknowit1]

If Barrett decides in the fall it's duke.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Oh

If Barrett decides in the fall it's duke.

Maybe

 

[caneintally]

It kind of feels like we won't have the monster class some were hoping for but still a solid group.

LOL at worst we have #2 class and land 3 top 15 players . not sure how that isn't amazing. Literally worst case is we add Quickley , one of Grimes or Johnson , Shittu or Bol , and one of Zion or Barrett . That is an insane class.

 

[caneintally]

If Barrett decides in the fall it's duke.

LOL Or UK or Oregon ect.

 

[youknowit1]

Who's on oregon besides payton and troy brown who might be 1 and done. He's not going there. His buddy just plays there.

 

[cawoodsct]

Is it ok to say I don't believe one word of this?

 

[YaySports]

The "dispute" with Sulaimon was over team rules and attitude, not playing time. He got kicked off the team. He started as a freshman but arrived on campus extremely out of shape as a sophomore.

There was no "dispute" with Jackson.

The "dispute" with Thornton was due to his dad being an overbearing megalomaniac. Derryck played 26 minutes a game as a freshman. If you're not satisfied playing 26 minutes a game as a freshman at Duke that's not on anyone but you.

The problem w Thornton was that Coach K straight up lied to him and his family about playing style. It had nothing to do with time on the court.

 

[Kubballfan]

Outsider perspective.

I understand that UK hasn't signed many, if any top guys in this class yet (not a shot at U.K., just don't know who they have signed).

But why all the concern? Is John Calipari still the coach?

He will get high level recruits. Always has. Probably always will.

As a Kansas fan, sometimes it is maddening. But I always like who we get, and we have gotten some big ones (Wiggins, Jackson, and some who didn't pan out so well)

I hope HCBS goes back to recruiting a couple of one and dones and then make hay in the 10-25 rank range.

I like to get to know the kids on the court and Watch them progress. I wouldn't trade four years of Frank Mason or Devonte Graham for whoever would have filled their shoes for one year and then left, never allowing those "less talented" players get their minutes.

But BBN, don't worry about this class. Coach Calipari will get his. He is a masterful recruiter. He is not a used car salesman as some suggest.

He is honest about what he offers: a great college basketball experience at a true blue blood and every chance to go to the next level as soon as possible.

 

[smooth as butter]

Barrett is going to Duke. And don't be surprised if Quickley goes to Kansas with Zion. Remember a lot folks thought Andrew Wiggins was going to Kentucky.He went to the adidas school.Quickley AAU team is adidas.

 

[ukfan2410]

Barrett is going to Duke. And don't be surprised if Quickley goes to Kansas with Zion. Remember a lot folks thought Andrew Wiggins was going to Kentucky.He went to the adidas school.Quickley AAU team is adidas.

Omg..we aren't gonna get anyone. Cal has lost it

 

[Bluesnky]

Say hello to Mantei Teo's girlfriend for us.

 

[Kubballfan]

There hasn't been a peep about Quicky or Zion on the Kansas boards lately, so if that happens it will be shocking to me.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love it. But haven't heard anything at all.

What I know about Zion is his highlight reels, and they don't show me a complete player at all.

I would love for him to get some Bill Self tutelage to achieve his potential. (Not that he wouldn't get this at U.K. just hoping he chooses Kansas).