Kobi Simmons' Dad Talks Following Son's Final Visit

[Smashcat]

http://ohiostate.247sports.com/Article/Simmons-father-impressed-with-Mattas-OSU-program-39427069


Q. Will this be it for the visits or is he considering visiting somewhere else?

Stephens: “No. This is it.”

Q. Does he have a timeline for making a decision?

Stephens: “Like I tell him, setting a date isn’t important. If you wake up tomorrow or wake up Oct. 10 … I don’t even ask about it. I want him to feel natural about it. He’ll know when it’s right.”

 

[smooth as butter]

Wouldn't be surpised if he picks Ohio St.

 

[mj2k10]

Wouldn't be surpised if he picks Ohio St.

I honestly think he does, though that's just me reading tea leaves. OSU can sell him with De'Angelo Russell (and Evan Turner), tell him he'll be the same type of big lead guard. And that there will be close to 0 competition.

Just too much potential competition at UK, and Simmons simply isn't good enough to take over the other guys UK is recruiting. He's good, but not "take him ASAP, consequences be damned" good, so if he wants to commit really early, OSU makes more sense.

 

[Bluemoon725]

I honestly think he does, though that's just me reading tea leaves. OSU can sell him with De'Angelo Russell (and Evan Turner), tell him he'll be the same type of big lead guard. And that there will be close to 0 competition.

Just too much potential competition at UK, and Simmons simply isn't good enough to take over the other guys UK is recruiting. He's good, but not "take him ASAP, consequences be damned" good, so if he wants to commit really early, OSU makes more sense.

Agree with this take, Simmons isn't on the level (to me) of Monk, Fox, and Alkins. Whenever those guys are ready to commit, you take it.

Simmons going elsewhere would truthfully make it easier on Cal to prioritize the remaining guards.

 

[caneintally]

Kid is going to be a Cat IMO . Kid bleeds blue and even pushed his announcement back to help UK get another guard . He will be at UK come hell or high water ....unless Cal doesn't want him , which ain't happening .

 

[Smashcat]

Kid is going to be a Cat IMO . Kid bleeds blue and even pushed his announcement back to help UK get another guard . He will be at UK come hell or high water ....unless Cal doesn't want him , which ain't happening .

With Cal pushing Ulis to the NBA it makes sense for UK to bring him in with two other guards.

 

[CarolinaCat11]

Kid is going to be a Cat IMO . Kid bleeds blue and even pushed his announcement back to help UK get another guard . He will be at UK come hell or high water ....unless Cal doesn't want him , which ain't happening .

Jerry Meyer (for what it's worth) just changed his pick from OSU - to UNLV for Simmons this morning. That being said -- if it is UNLV you'd think he'd just announce. To me -- the more Simmons waits -- the more likely he ends up at UK. But -- BBM is still a month away -- so who knows when Fox and Monk may decide..

 

[SosaUK]

Kid is going to be a Cat IMO . Kid bleeds blue and even pushed his announcement back to help UK get another guard . He will be at UK come hell or high water ....unless Cal doesn't want him , which ain't happening .

Who have you "predicted" that we don't land? Like ever? We would have 100 players on our roster if you're "gut" or wherever the hell you get you're "info" from was correct.

 

[Willy4UK]

Who have you "predicted" that we don't land? Like ever? We would have 100 players on our roster if you're "gut" or wherever the hell you get you're "info" from was correct.

Poor Cane... Love his optimism.

 

[SosaUK]

Poor Cane... Love his optimism.

He sure is full of it isn't he? Optimism that is. Or BS. You choose.

 

[CarolinaCat11]

Who have you "predicted" that we don't land? Like ever? We would have 100 players on our roster if you're "gut" or wherever the hell you get you're "info" from was correct.

Meyer says he has "new Intel" that Simmons is a UNLV lean. Take that for what it's worth.

 

[ralphdaltonfan]

Simmons dad is the one who wants UK--the kid has an ego (what teenager doesn't) and is upset UK slow playing him (as UK should--he had his opportunity to avoid this scenario and sucked this Summer) but if you're UK-and can land Fox and Monk-do you care?

 

[CarolinaCat11]

Simmons dad is the one who wants UK--the kid has an ego (what teenager doesn't) and is upset UK slow playing him (as UK should--he had his opportunity to avoid this scenario and sucked this Summer) but if you're UK-and can land Fox and Monk-do you care?

No. But if Cal is right (and he usually is) we could/would lose Ulis, Briscoe and Murray to the draft -- we'd need 3 guards. You'd take Fox and Monk in a heartbeat -- but then if possible between Alkins and Simmons -- who do you push for?

 

[SosaUK]

Meyer says he has "new Intel" that Simmons is a UNLV lean. Take that for what it's worth.

Good for UNLV. I want Fox way more and it looks like Cal agrees.

 

[jrpross]

No. But if Cal is right (and he usually is) we could/would lose Ulis, Briscoe and Murray to the draft -- we'd need 3 guards. You'd take Fox and Monk in a heartbeat -- but then if possible between Alkins and Simmons -- who do you push for?

Not really. If we get Fox, Monk, and Bridges, they'll get the majority of the minutes at the 1-3. Monk is a combo so he can spell Fox. And Mulder/Matthews will be more than adequate to fill in for the 2/3 spots.

 

[Bigblueforever]

If Kentucky gets commitment from Fox, Monk, Bridges & another Big everything will be fine.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

If we get Fox, Monk and Bridges, i won't be too upset over losing this kid. Bridges can and wants to play some 3. I know we all want him to play at pf some too. Bridges at the 4 is a mismatch waiting to happen. Add these 3 guards/forwards to what we already have on the roster expected to come back and i think we will be set. The only risk for Cal is, if Fox decides to go elsewhere and we miss on Simmons, a lot of fans are going to be frustrated. With that thought in mind, you have to think Cal has a pretty good idea where these kids are going to go or wouldn't risk losing a talent like Simmons to unlv or ohio state. If Simmons decides to join in with these guys, i'm sure we can find a place and minutes for him.

 

[Blue Decade]

With Cal pushing Ulis to the NBA it makes sense for UK to bring him in with two other guards.

Calipari is not pushing Ulis to the NBA. Calipari is trying to sell Fox and Monk on taking scholarship offers. This is really pretty simple. If Ulis can get drafted, he will go. If he can't get drafted, he won't go. If he isn't sure he can get drafted, he probably stays. Why would Ulis want to leave Kentucky early unless he knows he can get drafted? Calipari can't force an NBA GM to draft him.

 

[rabidcatfan]

We will probably end up with Fox so I don't think it will matter much what Simmons does to be honest. My guess is that we add Fox, Alkins or Monk, and Bridges and hopefully Giles, but I know that's gonna be tough.

 

[mj2k10]

No. But if Cal is right (and he usually is) we could/would lose Ulis, Briscoe and Murray to the draft -- we'd need 3 guards. You'd take Fox and Monk in a heartbeat -- but then if possible between Alkins and Simmons -- who do you push for?

UK could fit 3 guards, but UK wouldn't "need" 3 at all. Mulder, Matthews, and Hawkins will still be on the roster. If UK adds Fox and Monk (which is what most people are hoping for), that's more than enough.

And the problem right now is that the only one of Ulis, Briscoe, and Murray that we can be 99.9% sure will be gone next year is Murray. Take Simmons now, and you may find yourself in March expecting Ulis, Briscoe, Mulder, Matthews, and Hawkins, to be back, making for a very, very crowded backcourt (even if you project Matthews and Mulder seeing time at the 3).

The class that Cal seems to want is SKJ, Giles, Bridges, Monk, and Fox, with the expectation that Skal, Poy, Murray, Ulis, and Briscoe are gone (or at least 4 of them). The last 2 rosters were unbalanced because of the lack of a real 3 (unbalanced with bigs in 14-15, unbalanced with PG's this year), but the roster UK would have with that class (though I know Giles is a longshot) would be perfectly balanced.