Is Gtown Recruiting Extra Confusing Now or Is It Just Me?

[SFHoya99]

Whether it was Esherick or JTIII (I didn't follow recruiting at all under Big John), or even the first real class of Ewing, it seems like there's always been a formula to Georgetown recruiting. The GU pitch has always been a bit differentiated -- more on academics, less ass-kissing, etc. and so it seems like recruiting usually either resonates with the player or not.

Which has led to a lot of suddenly quick commitments, or players where we are clear favorites, but few of them. We usually lost the really big battles as I feel like players' parents often kept us in it but eventually they relent and let the kid pick big name X.

But now, it seems like Ewing has offered basically every player ever and yet it doesn't feel like there's any consensus around being the favorite for anyone. Too early in the season? Just a different way?

Do people have a feel for what our class might look like? This isn't a sky is falling post; more like a "I have not idea what is going on -- tell me if you know" post.

[IDenj]

There’s a trickle down effect. Big boys declare for the big schools early and the rest get spread out amongst the other schools. Haven’t seen that so far in this class. Haven’t really seen too many kids as a lock for certain schools. Glad to see the staff on as many kids as they can get to. And to see the kids saying they are considering the program. But they need one player, a leader type, to verbal soon. Open the floodgates.

[HoyaChris]

I am completely confused as well.

But that is not necessarily a bad thing.

[Deleted]

Yes, it is confusing, but the approach of offering a bunch of kids is more of a modern style of recruiting than we had in the past. It gives you a better chance to land quality kids if you miss on your top targets.

You have to develop the talent you recruit so identify a recruiting type and pursue any kid that fits into that mold. For Pat it seems like he looks for aggressive, multi-skilled kids, that have that dog in them.

Not sure who we lead for, but as always sometimes kids Plan A and B both say, no thanks. After the summer sessions are over, kids will make their lists, and we'll start to get a clearer picture.

[Hoyas4Ever]

To add to what YaBoy stated above, I also think Coach Ewing plays more of a style of play that is easier to recruit to as well as he has strong confidence in his and the staff's ability in player development to excel in his system/style of play.

I do believe that Coach Ewing has targeted what he's looking for in this class. Based on recruits offered so far, he has focused heavily on a ball handling playmaking wing, a shooter from the wing, a Combo Forward, and a PF/Small Ball 5 or a true center. Not really looking for a true PG unless you include Cole Anthony in that definition. I see him more as a scoring PG. Jalen Leque and Jalen Gaffney is a combo guard. Outside of those 3 recruits, the staff isn't really involved with other guards.

[jwp91]

Jul 16, 2018 8:54:39 GMT -5 @yaboynyp said:

Yes, it is confusing, but the approach of offering a bunch of kids is more of a modern style of recruiting than we had in the past. It gives you a better chance to land quality kids if you miss on your top targets.

You have to develop the talent you recruit so identify a recruiting type and pursue any kid that fits into that mold. For Pat it seems like he looks for aggressive, multi-skilled kids, that have that dog in them.

Not sure who we lead for, but as always sometimes kids Plan A and B both say, no thanks. After the summer sessions are over, kids will make their lists, and we'll start to get a clearer picture.

I would be curious to hear Coach PE talk about how they manage the funnel with so many offers outstanding. Do they get explicit signals to maintain them as a viable option? What do they use to cull the funnel?

[MCIGuy]

This may explain at least his ultimate strategy.


www.news-gazette.com/sports/illini-sports/2018-07-15/conversation-with-the-washington-posts-ava-wallace.html



Here's the key portion:


Ewing has already made an impact at Georgetown simply by refreshing a tired and frustrated fan base. He did away with the old Princeton offense, made his team plays as close to an NBA pace as possible and implemented a more contemporary playing style that, in addition to modernizing the team, is designed to help prepare players for the pros. That’s what Ewing wants to be his bread and butter. Beyond bringing a Big East and national title back to the Hoyas, getting players into the NBA is the biggest thing he can do to both build his legacy as a coach and make Georgetown once again respected on the national landscape.


I can imagine this annoying DFW to no end. Still I wonder how much of this is legit. How much has Ewing shared with her regarding his overall approach and goals?

[Bigs"R"Us]

Top players have pro aspirations. Top programs send players to the NBA. I like Pat’s modern pitch.

[95hoya]

Every time we offer a kid or there's the slightest bit of a connection, many assume we lead for the kid when we aren't in the picture. Keldon was one example, Stewart another. Haven't been thrilled with the results so far, but he hit a homerun when he needed to by landing Akinjo. Things were off to a really rough start before that. Now let's hope Akinjo and others create enough buzz that makes us an easier sell.

Would love to bring in Kenny Johnson if he's cleared...

[dense]

Jul 16, 2018 18:11:14 GMT -5 95hoya said:

Every time we offer a kid or there's the slightest bit of a connection, many assume we lead for the kid when we aren't in the picture. Keldon was one example, Stewart another. Haven't been thrilled with the results so far, but he hit a homerun when he needed to by landing Akinjo. Things were off to a really rough start before that. Now let's hope Akinjo and others create enough buzz that makes us an easier sell.

Would love to bring in Kenny Johnson if he's cleared...

Really? this incoming class i think is pretty good for a 9th place team.. Only player I think would have probably been a target of the old staff is Grayson Carter

[MCIGuy]

Jul 16, 2018 18:11:14 GMT -5 95hoya said:

Every time we offer a kid or there's the slightest bit of a connection, many assume we lead for the kid when we aren't in the picture. Keldon was one example, Stewart another. Haven't been thrilled with the results so far, but he hit a homerun when he needed to by landing Akinjo. Things were off to a really rough start before that.

Rough start? Really? He brought in Pickett a couple of months into the job. He went deep into the south and beat favorites for LeBlanc before ever coaching a single game. His first year (period) of recruiting was better than the first year of any current Big East coach and that's including Wright.

[95hoya]

I said rough start prior to Akinjo. The only guys I were confident in being better than average CBB players were Pickett and LeBlanc.

Obviously there's the caveat that Ewing was new to the game and unlikely to land elite talent from the jump. It wasn't a criticism, just a concern.

In the end we want the same thing, to win games. We just see things through a different prism.

[Bigs"R"Us]

Recruiting has radically changed. You can land stud de-commits or transfers last minute.

[SFHoya99]

Thanks for the responses. It kind of went all over the place, but I think what I was trying to say is that with this staff: I have no idea who we are going after hard; I have no idea who is seriously considering us.

That's different than before.

[mfk24]

Jul 17, 2018 8:17:03 GMT -5 SFHoya99 said:

Thanks for the responses. It kind of went all over the place, but I think what I was trying to say is that with this staff: I have no idea who we are going after hard; I have no idea who is seriously considering us.

That's different than before.

I think the answer is two-fold. We are casting a significantly wider net than before, and because we aren't limited by style of play and "fit" within that style, there is more talent that we can offer. I'm sure there's an option A,B, and C at a given position, but they've all got offers and the staff seems to be continuing to develop those relationships so that if one guy falls off the board, you're not starting from square one with the next guy, he's felt like a priority all along. This works in our favor IMO because of the way the recruiting landscape has shifted. A verbal means next to nothing and guys are finding ways out of LOIs left and right so getting an early commit, unless its a guy that has Georgetown as his dream school, isn't all that necessary.

[hoyaboya]

It's pretty confusing that we have a local team, sponsored by Nike, that is this good with the Hoyas seemingly not very involved with many of its players:

"During the months of April and May, I felt that Team Takeover from Washington D.C. was the best grassroots team that I saw, regardless of circuit. In order to prove that, though, they had to walk away from Nike's Peach Jam with a championship and that's exactly what they did.

What I love most about TTO is that they are truly a team. I sat down to try and highlight one player that was the key to winning, and as awesome as Armando Bacot was patrolling the lane and averaging a double-double, I have no doubts that if he wouldn't have performed, somebody else would have stepped up to fill the void. But that's the thing, nobody pulled a no-show for these guys. It wasn't just Bacot down low, it was 2020 bruiser Hunter Dickinson doing his thing too.

In an era of star players who want to put up their numbers and it's cool if they win a title too, the egos get set aside whenever this group takes the floor. Nobody needed to score 20 a game, they just needed to win and with a loaded perimeter group consisting of five-star point guard Jeremy Roach and four-stars Casey Morsell, Justin Moore, Anthony Harris and Terrance Williams to go along with their interior studs, Takeover just proved to be too much and finished their overall run through the EYBL with a 23-1 record."

basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/the-bossi-awards-first-live-period

[lucky]

Perhaps we are being iced by the TTO program?

[95hoya]

It's a difficult program to recruit. Maryland isn't having luck either. They are a basketball factory, so they are going to love the blue bloods.

[harwoodhoya]

If we can stop alienating the best AAU team in the country we will be fine. Too much talent in that org not to have any on our roster. We have talent in the program though. Can’t wait until Pat gets his guys in there. I thinks he’s has 2 solid classes. And Maryland has recruited way better we have. They’ve had Burger boys recently . Melo. Diamond, Twins, they just haven’t won.

[EtomicB]

Jul 17, 2018 15:08:45 GMT -5 95hoya said:

It's a difficult program to recruit. Maryland isn't having luck either. They are a basketball factory, so they are going to love the blue bloods.

Doesn't seem to me that their kids end up at blue bloods though, unless you're counting Nova now...

Who was the last TTO kid to play for UK or KU or Duke etc?