Could Naas Cunningham…be swayed?
- Thread starter SBP
- Start date
If any recruit isnt a good teammate AND won't fight hard thru screens I don't want him even if he is 6 stars.
Pike has demonstrated what he can do with under the radar talent. A roster of 5 star guys is totally different. Plenty of very successful coaches who failed making the job.
Pike has demonstrated what he can do with under the radar talent. A roster of 5 star guys is totally different. Plenty of very successful coaches who failed making the job.
I've seen him play a few times while watching Papa Kante. Unless there are extenuating circumstances I don't know about, I think Pike would pass on him. He's not Pike's kind of guy.
He's playing in OTE but was able to maintain his eligiblity for college. Texas, Duke, Arkansas, and Kansas are the current favorites
I don’t think a roster of 5 stars is what Pike wants or what would fit into his system. I think getting 1 5 star and 4 stars after that is the way to go for long term and yearly success. I think that’s what Pike wants too. Getting two 5 stars this year is more than ok.
So? they can go for it. Don’t think Pike would want that nor would I. Given me hard working 3/4 stars that will be here for 4 years and a couple 5s.
Guys who are skeptical
Pike and staff is NOT gojng to destroy the culture and program on recruits who do not fit in
Please go look at the recruits list for 2022, 2023 and 2024 and see who we tried to get, who we did get , who we may get, and who we just simply didn’t waste our time trying to recruit
New Jersey may have its best two year run of high level basketball recruits in a generation …
There is a reason why we got Gavin Griftths and tried reallly hard to get eijiah Gertrude and mark Armstrong , and making a huge pitch to get Dylan Harper
And why there are several 5 star kids in the class of 2023 and 2024 that we essentially didn’t chase
Pike isn’t recruiting kids that will not work and do not fit the program culture .pwriod
Regardless if they are 1 star or 5 star
Pike and staff is NOT gojng to destroy the culture and program on recruits who do not fit in
Please go look at the recruits list for 2022, 2023 and 2024 and see who we tried to get, who we did get , who we may get, and who we just simply didn’t waste our time trying to recruit
New Jersey may have its best two year run of high level basketball recruits in a generation …
There is a reason why we got Gavin Griftths and tried reallly hard to get eijiah Gertrude and mark Armstrong , and making a huge pitch to get Dylan Harper
And why there are several 5 star kids in the class of 2023 and 2024 that we essentially didn’t chase
Pike isn’t recruiting kids that will not work and do not fit the program culture .pwriod
Regardless if they are 1 star or 5 star
Frankly I think if you’re a 5 star it would be appealing to insert into a cohesive environment where your role is more likely defined and players have experience at this level. Instead of building a new team every year.
Go watch a few EYBL games, try to get a chance to chat with some of the players and parents and let me know if you still think that.
I'm just saying it's not the way these kids or the people around them think.
I agree with you, if it were me. It's not.
They don't think like you or I do.
They're kids with entirely different perspectives on life with people around them with entirely different perspectives.
Program culture is very important .At the same time elite talent is needed to win national championships which is a goal of Pikiell.Uconn under Calhoun became a national power when elite guards like Ray Allen enrolled.Griffiths and Bailey have the potential to be program difference makers for Rutgers.
Calhoun had fewer top 20 players than you'd think and some of them were not top players for him (Alex Oriakhi, Stanley Robinson, Villanueva).
This doesn't answer your question, but in the recruiting class of 2021, there were 27 USA Today 5 star players. Nine of those players are currently playing their second year of college ball..
The other 18 are currently playing in the NBA or G-League. 16 of them were one and done, and 2 went straight to G-League from high school. Of the 9 players who remained in college, USA Today had them ranked #7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 23, 24, 25, and 27 in their class of 2021 player rankings.
Asked a UConn buddie about Calhoun recruiting 5 stars. Here’s his text
not really
10-12 over his career but have to check
Drummond stayed 1 yr pro
Kemba i think (3 yrs) pro
Rashad Anderson - role player
ChRlie villanueva - pro
Rudy Gay - pro
Stanley Robinson - good role player
Curtis Kelly - bust
After Majok - bust
Alex Oriakhi - good college player
DeAndre Daniel’s - good college
think Donyell Marshall also - pro
Not going to go in depth about 5 stars but elite freshman? Average time in college is probably 7-8 months. Depends if you want to count April or not.
Here is an updated 2023 NBA mock Draft.
17 Freshman in the 1st round alone.
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/mock-draft/
Why would they be concerned with building a new team every year?
Elite recruits aren't in school for more than a year typically. 2 at most usually.
They are just biding time in college.
Lets just in this example Nass isn't really a Pike type.. If Dylan wanted his good friend Naas at RU with him, would Pike really say no lol?
But if Naas is in the mix now and visiting doesn't that mean Pike does want him?
Unless you think it's just for show for publicity?
Kinda proved my point - 6 of the 11 you listed were bust/role player to good and Drummond was 10 points/game for one year. So there are 4 others - Kemba, Gay, Villanueva and Donyell that lived up to 5 stars
Calhoun won almost 900 games at Uconn, made 4 final fours, won 3 championships and dominated the Big East.
Here is to hoping Pike can emulate that success at RU
First it was "HC Pike doesn't recruit one and done players. That isn't the program we're building or our culture."
Then it was "Well we don't just recruit any elite recruit only specific ones."
What's the excuse now?
HC Pike is just like every other coach in the county. They recruit and attempt to stockpile as much talent as possible.