Recruiting - 2016

[willie]

All I know is that at this point I am excited by where we are at with Tatum (based merely on reports). From quotes, it is clear that we are high on his list, that he understands the reasons for staying home at SLU, and that he is apparently receiving pressure from those close to him to stay in town. That is all you can ask at this point.

But man is it going to be a difficult task to actually close the deal. He is going to have weekends of being wined and dined by the most elite programs in the country and hear sales pitches from the top coaches in country. An elite recruit turning that down for the hometown mid major does not happen often. Lets hope Jayson is one that does and becomes a Billiken legend.

I agree with your post. That's why I think our best chance is an early commitment. Pray for an early commitment and keep him out of Lexington,Lawrence and the state of North Carolina.

[sludevil]

All I know is that at this point I am excited by where we are at with Tatum (based merely on reports). From quotes, it is clear that we are high on his list, that he understands the reasons for staying home at SLU, and that he is apparently receiving pressure from those close to him to stay in town. That is all you can ask at this point.

But man is it going to be a difficult task to actually close the deal. He is going to have weekends of being wined and dined by the most elite programs in the country and hear sales pitches from the top coaches in country. An elite recruit turning that down for the hometown mid major does not happen often. Lets hope Jayson is one that does and becomes a Billiken legend.

Agreed on both points. And, in fairness, it's pretty common for an elite recruit to keep a solid hometown program on his short list (at least, publicly), simply as a nod to his hometown community. But two things:

1) In the past, we typically weren't even on that short list. So I think just being in the mix with Jayson is both a show of SLU's increased emphasis on recruiting and of our growing legitimacy with top recruits.

2) With that said, though, we are definitely a real contender for Tatum. None of the national recruiting guys seem to give us much love (that a SLU could win out over a Kentucky is just unthinkable! also, what's a Billiken??), but the guys who are actually recruiting Jayson know we're here.

I agree that the smart money is still definitely against us when the field has names like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC, and every other program that's won a championship in the last 20 years. But we seem to be in a pretty good spot nonetheless, and, if nothing else, it'll be a lot of fun watching this develop.

[For-DaLove]

Agreed on both points. And, in fairness, it's pretty common for an elite recruit to keep a solid hometown program on his short list (at least, publicly), simply as a nod to his hometown community. But two things:

1) In the past, we typically weren't even on that short list. So I think just being in the mix with Jayson is both a show of SLU's increased emphasis on recruiting and of our growing legitimacy with top recruits.

2) With that said, though, we are definitely a real contender for Tatum. None of the national recruiting guys seem to give us much love (that a SLU could win out over a Kentucky is just unthinkable! also, what's a Billiken??), but the guys who are actually recruiting Jayson know we're here.

I agree that the smart money is still definitely against us when the field has names like Kentucky, Kansas, Duke, UNC, and every other program that's won a championship in the last 20 years. But we seem to be in a pretty good spot nonetheless, and, if nothing else, it'll be a lot of fun watching this develop.

Who is in charge of the smart money?

This isn't a normal situation. Open your eyes and you'll see we're the favorite, not a long shot

[bauman]

Here's all we need to do to assure our place as a CBB powerhouse: Next year, sign the W boys (Welmer and Whitt) following that up the next year with the 2016 version (CCP's Tatum and Cook) of McKinley's MD & RG.

Can you just dream about these 4, filling our 2015 and 2016 scholarships? We would truly be on the level of many of the national powerhouses, like Memphis, Gonzaga, and possibly Louisville. Xavier, Georgetown, Marquette and Cincy could eat our dust.

[RiseAndGrind]

I think it's going to come down to staying home or forming a "super team" with Giles, Woods, etc.

Can't seem him going off to UNC or the like without it being a package deal.

[sludevil]

Relevant: http://zagsblog.com/articles/jayson-tatum-will-talk-package-deal-with-woods-smith-jr-and-giles-next-week/

I just don't see a package deal happening with Tatum. Duke and UNC certainly hope it'll happen, but the way these kids talk about it - very noncommittal, as though it's mostly just a fun scenario to consider - makes me think teaming up with Giles et al. won't be a major consideration when push comes to shove.

[dabills]

Don't know if this has been mentioned, but apparently Tyler Cook (Chaminade Prep) received an offer from SLU.

[wgstl]

Tyler Cook picks up an offer from Florida, this one could make the biggest impact.

Also for fun.

Davell Roby ‏@D_Roby5 11m

pick up today @Im_that_dude22

[Dwayne's_World]

Tyler Cook picks up an offer from Florida, this one could make the biggest impact.

Also for fun.

Davell Roby ‏@D_Roby5 11m

pick up today @Im_that_dude22

That Florida offer is huge. I don't know what our chances with Cook are since the staff did not pursue him early on... does anyone have any insight on this?

[For-DaLove]

That Florida offer is huge. I don't know what our chances with Cook are since the staff did not pursue him early on... does anyone have any insight on this?

The idea that the staff didn't pursue him early on is flat wrong. We have been recruiting him for a while now, we just didn't offer as early as some teams

[NH]

That Florida offer is huge. I don't know what our chances with Cook are since the staff did not pursue him early on... does anyone have any insight on this?

The staff has pursued him for a while now.

[SLURadioBoy]

I don't have any inside knowledge, but Ben W. told me on Twitter that the coaching staff showed plenty of interest in Cook early on. They just hadn't offered yet. I also remember hearing that Cook attended a ton of SLU games last year.

[kshoe]

The idea that the staff didn't pursue him early on is flat wrong. We have been recruiting him for a while now, we just didn't offer as early as some teams

Agreed. I was going to post on this but got sidetracked with work. He came to a ton of home games last year and both sides have shown a lot of interest.

I think some believe that its critical you always be the first to offer but sometimes its better to wait and make it seem like your offer is a really big deal. Each situation is different.

[TheChosenOne]

Agreed. I was going to post on this but got sidetracked with work. He came to a ton of home games last year and both sides have shown a lot of interest.

I think some believe that its critical you always be the first to offer but sometimes its better to wait and make it seem like your offer is a really big deal. Each situation is different.

Yeah, I would have to imagine getting in on him early and building a relationship will matter more than when we offered when he starts making his decision. I don't think being the first to offer really matters much.

[thetorch]

The national media types have begun pushing that Tatum will choose among Duke, UNC, and UK. All 3 of their head coaches have been attending nearly all of his games the past few weeks. Still SLU has quietly been in the background right next to them.

Justin Tatum made some interesting comments and once again singled out SLU's deficiencies in recruiting his son. The article is from a North Carolina site behind a paywall.

[RUBillsFan]

The national media types have begun pushing that Tatum will choose among Duke, UNC, and UK. All 3 of their head coaches have been attending nearly all of his games the past few weeks. Still SLU has quietly been in the background right next to them.

Justin Tatum made some interesting comments and once again singled out SLU's deficiencies in recruiting his son. The article is from a North Carolina site behind a paywall.

torch,

Were these comments from Justin Tatum new or was it the reporter just regurgitating the radio interview comments that Strauss had previously regurgitated in the StL PD?

[thetorch]

torch,

Were these comments from Justin Tatum new or was it the reporter just regurgitating the radio interview comments that Strauss had previously regurgitated in the StL PD?

No brand new. The North Carolina scout reporter had an in depth interview with Justin. Its mainly about North Carolina's prospects with Jayson but SLU and the local angle are mentioned by Justin in a somewhat unfavorable light.

[sludevil]

For what it's worth, my take on dad is that he's really gung-ho on SLU and wants us to just be crushing his son's recruitment. (I think there's a tendency to be a little more critical of the school you love when the stakes are high and the competition is intense.) And for one reason or another, we're not clearly ahead in Jayson's recruitment. So I think that - mixed with our recent history of backing off on top local recruits - is the impetus for dad's comments.

To that point, though, I don't think mom is quite as gung-ho on SLU as some on this board seem to believe.

[NH]

For what it's worth, my take on dad is that he's really gung-ho on SLU and wants us to just be crushing his son's recruitment. (I think there's a tendency to be a little more critical of the school you love when the stakes are high and the competition is intense.) And for one reason or another, we're not clearly ahead in Jayson's recruitment. So I think that - mixed with our recent history of backing off on top local recruits - is the impetus for dad's comments.

To that point, though, I don't think mom is quite as gung-ho on SLU as some on this board seem to believe.

Do you have any reasoning for this last point?

The mom is very much interested in Jayson's education. So I could see her liking a school like Duke or UNC, but that said there are plenty of reasons to believe she likes SLU and is a fan of the idea of jayson staying home.

[sludevil]

Do you have any reasoning for this last point?

The mom is very much interested in Jayson's education. So I could see her liking a school like Duke or UNC, but that said there are plenty of reasons to believe she likes SLU and is a fan of the idea of jayson staying home.

Re: mom: info comes from sources close to recruitment. She's certainly not opposed to him going to SLU - she's not "blue blood" or bust, as some parents are, and I think she'd be thrilled if he stayed close to home. But I think she'd be thrilled if he ended up at a Duke or UNC, too.

[jimbofive]

Do you have any reasoning for this last point?

The mom is very much interested in Jayson's education. So I could see her liking a school like Duke or UNC, but that said there are plenty of reasons to believe she likes SLU and is a fan of the idea of jayson staying home.

who gives a rat's ass about his education? he's a one-and-doner and he'd be a fuoking dumbass to stay anywhere more than a year. that's real talk. when you're that good at something, you don't go by the normal channels and play the normal games. you get PAID. that being said, i'd still love for him to stay home at SLU.

at that point, who do you disappoint? UNC, UK and KU fans who will immediately forget about you and focus on the next diaper dandy.

who will you make happy? your mom, dad and the entire community in which you were born and raised. you'll be a god in STL for life.

but let's not kid ourselves that education should play any factor in this. not for lottery pick kids.

[dabills]

I really do think that Tatum coming to SLU will ride 90% on how the team performs this season. He is a near lock (I say "near" to leave room for injury or any outside circumstance) for the NBA, and it is because of this that he has to watch his draft stock. If SLU proves that it is a program on the rise, with solid and competitive D1 players that can hold their own and not make him look bad, I really think that he will be a Billiken. I know its a rebuilding season, but if SLU tanks, he will not want to his stock to go down along with the programs.

As a program that has had only little and recent success (compared to the nation's elite), the programs stock is volatile, and recruits know that. If SLU can have a winning season, remain a top 4 contender in the A-10, and be at least on the bubble for the NCAA tournament (even if they don't make it in, they have to be in the conversation) in the 2014-15 season, then I really think Tatum will be at SLU.

[JMM28]

Tatum could go anywhere and be a top 10 pick if he stays on his current trajectory. He could go to UMSL and accomplish that.

[sludevil]

Tatum could go anywhere and be a top 10 pick if he stays on his current trajectory. He could go to UMSL and accomplish that.

Or head over to China for a cool $1.2M. Mudiay has the right idea, even if it's for the wrong reasons.

[Dwayne's_World]

Tatum could go anywhere and be a top 10 pick if he stays on his current trajectory. He could go to UMSL and accomplish that.

+1

I have a hard time believing SLU's overall performance next season will deter or encourage him coming here. He will make it to the NBA no matter where he goes, that's all that matters for him in the long run. If he wants a legacy in STL, he will come to SLU. If that doesn't really matter to him, then fine. He'll just go to Kentucky or UNC and be quickly forgotten.