Any chance at Ament?
- Thread starter JonathanW_rivals
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Very unlikely. Some think he’s a Duke lean. He has 11 schools in on him and many have been on him for awhile. In NIL world anything is possible but Ament won’t come cheap.
it’s a bidding war with ament, whoever drops the highest bag gets him
Yeah… sorry, I’m out on that. I think if you are getting into bidding wars for high schoolers in this era, you’re grasping at straws.
Hubert and Scheyer are under a lot of pressure to win, just like Pope is. But I think Pope has looked at the landscape and decided to take a more Hurley-esque approach to recruiting, which I’m grateful for after suffering through the previous regime. I mean that approach didn’t even work for K toward the end. I’m kind of shocked so many coaches are still pinning their hopes on freshmen, tbh. It’s a losing proposition.
I agree, there gets a certain price these players are asking where it’s makes more sense to look elsewhere. I want top players here but if they all want 2-3 million dollars you can’t build a roster that way.
We need to get out of the “have to have he shiny high school kid” mindset.
Sure, you go after any highschool kids that are projected lotto coming out of HS. And then you get 1-2 of the 30-50range that show the right mindset of wanting to be here for 2-4 years…..
But the majority of your key pieces should come from the portal. You’ll find an immediate contributor that is equal to, or better than, the not lotto highschool kid. Go get that highly productive soph/Jr from a bubble team….Oweh/Garrison types. Especially with your front court, I’d prefer the 20-22 year old that has developed in the weight room vs the 18 year old stick figure unless they are Davis/Noel aka guaranteed lotto. It’s easier to find highschool guards that are ready for college physicality but the learning curve is steeper w PF/C
Sure, you go after any highschool kids that are projected lotto coming out of HS. And then you get 1-2 of the 30-50range that show the right mindset of wanting to be here for 2-4 years…..
But the majority of your key pieces should come from the portal. You’ll find an immediate contributor that is equal to, or better than, the not lotto highschool kid. Go get that highly productive soph/Jr from a bubble team….Oweh/Garrison types. Especially with your front court, I’d prefer the 20-22 year old that has developed in the weight room vs the 18 year old stick figure unless they are Davis/Noel aka guaranteed lotto. It’s easier to find highschool guards that are ready for college physicality but the learning curve is steeper w PF/C
If you had to pick between Ament, and a top portal forward, which one would you want? I highly doubt that Ament or Wilson would be interested in sharing minutes with a top portal PF! They are looking to play 30-32 MPG. IMO the SEC will really give both of these serious trouble!
Agreed.
I would just add that SKINNY PF's do NOT thrive in the ultra physical and athletic SEC. These kids know that and will be more likely to want to go to the ACC or the Big 12. Pope knows this also, which is why if the price is too high OR the kid is bent on getting a certain amount of minutes AND touches, he will look to the portal.
Honestly, with NIL now, a lot of these guys should be thinking 2-3 years in college b/c unless they are can't miss lotto guys with big guaranteed contracts, and they produce pretty well as a freshman, they will almost certainly have a chance to make more money in college than be a fringe NBA prospect.
Expect for Moreno, we may need to use portal to fill in all of our frontcourt spots as 26 class does not have many intriguing frontcourt recruits
regardless of what has been said, I think that was the same case with Wilson
His dad made mention about Wilson and guaranteed playing time as a frosh. Wouldn't doubt that's in there with Ament.
Kinda a deal breaker if I'm coach.
Kinda a deal breaker if I'm coach.
While I would prefer a top portal guy, I can make a case for Ament. The sooner Pope can sign a talent like Ament and make him a lotto pick the better for future recruiting. Once Pope does that, he checks the box of having developed a lotto pick. When that happens, the sky is the limit for Pope. Unlike Cal, Pope will know how to integrate players like Ament into a cohesive unit with veterans and chase banners.
Duke has 2 SF's already signed for next season plus Evans if he returns and Boozer getting 30-35 minutes at PF. If Ament goes there and his family wants a ton of pt I just can't see all of them staying committed.
Me either because Scheyer is just like K in that he only plays 6-7 guys significant minutes.
We are likely going to need a PF for next year. And after missing on Wilson, the portal is probably going to be the best option to fill that need.
Moreno and Ament would be two good young bigs that could have time to grow. We need two portal bigs at a minimun if we are serious of winning the championship. Garrison and at least two other bigs from the portal that can shoot, defend and rebound. Really those two need to be natural fours with great size so they can both play the four and five. Will need a portal three and a portal guard that is a combo guard so there is plenty of older and stronger players on the roster. Luckily Oweh is planning to come back.
My model says it looks like about a 11.7% chance he comes here, mostly due to the fact Pope isn’t willing to offer big money to some kid who isn’t as good as MANY portal players. Same with the Wilson thing. Not really into eliminating generational poverty and stuff at this point. That will take care of itself if the kids are good enough and work hard.
Im fine with that. Pope could probably get two more experienced, mature bodies for the price of a skinny "me first" freshman and his entitled dad.
Those 2 signed forwards aren’t going to be playing ahead to Ament . Evans, Boozer, and Ament split the 80 minutes at the 3&4 spot. That’s plenty of playing time.
Yep . I’ll say it again. There has been only ONE top 10 freshman on a national championship team since 2015 . Coming into this year Dan Hurley had signed exactly ONE top 30 guy since he’s been at UCONN .
If you want to recruit him or anyone in that ranking area-you better understand they will want a lot of $$$. If you want to invest that time, then be prepared to close. Otherwise, don't waste your time and focus on guys who are happy with financial discussions and willing to come to Lexington. Who is the UK GM on Pope's Staff? The amount of $/resources are available to get these type of players too. It's not a lack of funding.
So what about Brown, Knueppel, Proctor and Evans who all play either the 3 or 4 spot? Will they transfer or play ahead of Ament?
Except for the 9 that are getting a minimum of 13' per game this year.
You say it is not a lack of funding, but where is this $ coming from. Is there a money tree planted on the UK campus? If so, cut me off a sprig to plant.
Also, how are you going to have a "team" if you give someone twice as much $ as the other guys. That has to create jealousy.
Honestly I don’t know anything about Brown . I have seen Knueppel projected as a first round pick . I don’t believe we will be a player in this recruitment. I also think that Ament will have major problems defending the 3 or the 4 positions .
Ament being seen as a Duke lean is funny, for years we had recruits saying if so and so is going to Kentucky, then I’m going somewhere else. I never hear anybody that’s going to Duke worry about who’s there or who’s going there, seems odd to me. Can’t but 5 people play at once yet they all line up like they are following the pied piper. Splinter is gone now, but I have a hunch he’s still heavily involved.
Agreed. Unless you’re talking an AD/MKG type combo I just think any coach should be very hesitant rolling out starting lineups with multiple freshman. Even our outstanding Fox/Monk backcourt combined for just 25 pts and 3 assists when they got bounced by UNC in 2017. Bam wasnt any better.
I continue to believe the key to the portal is getting guys who have proved they can play in college, and still have multiple years of eligibility. Examples of multi-year transfers this season include Broome, Sears, and Dickinson. Otherwise it’s just a different version of the one and done model we all got tired of.
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It's just the wild wild west recruiting these high profile 5* players. Basically hiring a mercenary. Just the thought of these young men making more money playing a year in college basketball than many will make in their entire life is just nuts.
In your opinion is Ament good enough for that investment? I know we offered Wilson but he seems more physically ready for the SEC. I’m curious what you think because I believe we could snag 2 high ranked portal options for what Ament will want.
The 'lean' thing is on my opinion a way handlers go for more perks and more NIL dollars. Maybe the guys deserve it....but I really think they need to prove that at the next (college) level BEFORE they ask for the moon.
Excellent point on going after older bigs.
I would rather have 6'9 240 lbs with 1-3 years of college weight training over 6'9, 195 lbs who just went to prom any day. That was one of my biggest complaints with Cal at the end. Some of our freshman bigs were not physically ready to play 30 mpg in the SEC. We often were bullied and manhandled inside.
I agree that I would like for Pope to check that box. But I'm not sure that one comes if the other does! These freshman want immediate playing time regardless if they are ready or not.
If I have to pick one of the 2, I'm probably picking the portal player, unless it's a Davis, wall, cousins ect!