Recruiting - 2021

[Coach314]

3 hours ago, SLURadioBoy said:

Thanks, @Coach314. I wasn’t sure if the interest was still there or not. 

I know you’ve said you don’t see Kern committing anytime soon. Have you heard anything about Nesbitt? I didn’t know if you had any connections to him or not.

I didn't really know of Nesbitt till the summer after his Freshman year at Lutheran North.  I thought he had potential but he was really raw skill wise imo.  Reclassifying and going to SLCA was the best move for him.  Like a few others have posted...it would appear he has his sights set on a high major but perhaps the staff can sell him on being a star on a tournament team.  As for Kern...in the past, Vashon would have open gyms during football season in which college coaches come thru.  Gives coaches an opportunity to see the upperclassmen as well as the new additions.  I haven't heard this from anyone but I think Kern will wait at least till the early part of the schedule has been completed till he makes a decision.  A lot of schools want to see what he can do as a top option.

[SLURadioBoy]

Thanks for the insight, @Coach314. I’m amazed on how little there is out there on Nesbitt’s recruitment. He really keeps his cards close to his vest when it comes to what schools he’s most interested in.

I’m glad the staff has been on Kern since the beginning. Coach Irons has said Kern is a big fan of the program, and I’ve heard Frank say his mom really likes Ford. That should help their chances even if he blows up later this year.

[Coach314]

Just now, SLURadioBoy said:

Thanks for the insight, @Coach314. I’m amazed on how little there is out there on Nesbitt’s recruitment. He really keeps his cards close to his vest when it comes to what schools he’s most interested in.

I’m glad the staff has been on Kern since the beginning. Coach Irons has said Kern is a big fan of the program, and I’ve heard Frank day his mom really likes Ford. That should help their chances even if he blows up later this year.

I know Nesbitt and Kern are high on everyone's list but what about Strickland?  What role do you see him playing?

[SLURadioBoy]

Here’s an update on Nesbitt from an Illini message board (IlliniPulse.com). Not sure how legit it is, but thought I’d share it...

I spoke with 2021 Wing target Jordan Nesbitt’s father Chris about his recruitment. He told me Jordan is staying in the 2021 class and will at least take a couple official visits in person when they are allowed too before deciding on a school. Illinois is in a good spot here as well, at this point, what wing wants to jump on board next will be key. Brandon Weston is another target who the staff really likes. IMO opinion it is - Jones, Weston, Nesbitt in 1)A 1)B and 1)C situation. 

[Reinert310]

Looks like he previously committed to Arkansas.

[Slu let the dogs out?]

10 minutes ago, Reinert310 said:

Looks like he previously committed to Arkansas.

Tommy likey. Tommy want Powelly.  He looks considerably smaller than 6'8 220 on his Rivials video but I like what I see. Appears to be able to play outside of 7 feet from the basket. Plus he spelled our school correctly. 

[3star_recruit]

24 minutes ago, Reinert310 said:

Looks like he previously committed to Arkansas.

Smart kid.  Arkansas got a commit from a 4 star PF in the fall who delayed his signing until the spring.  Once it became apparent Williams was going to sign, Powell re-opened his recruitment.

[Pistol]

He had an offer from SLU previously. Committed to Arkansas very early. 3star's reasoning for his decommitment is spot-on. I'll dig up his old profile and make some edits and updates.

[Pistol]

Duncan Powell - SF, 6-7, 220 - DeSoto, TX (DeSoto) - AAU: Drive Nation (Nike EYBL) - Twitter: @DuncPowell_ - Committed: Arkansas (9/26/19) - Decommitted: Arkansas (4/8/20)
Offers: Saint Louis, TCU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tulsa, SMU, Murray State, Tennessee Tech, Old Dominion, Texas Southern, North Carolina A&T.

Interest: Dayton, VCU, Richmond, Marquette, Creighton, DePaul, Virginia Tech, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Baylor, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, Connecticut, Temple, UNLV, New Mexico, Utah State, Boise State, St. Mary's, SIU-Carbondale, Buffalo, Louisiana Tech, Texas-San Antonio, UNC-Greensboro, Stephen F. Austin, Texas-Arlington, Lamar, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Coastal Carolina, Iona, Towson, Morgan State, Grambling State.

Latest News: Powell received a refreshed offer from SLU in the wake of his decommitment from Arkansas. He originally received a SLU offer in June 2019. (5/26/20)

Scouting Report: Powell is a big, athletic, versatile wing-forward who impacts both sides of the ball. He's physical and makes tough plays, takes charges, grabs boards at both ends, and blocks shots. He's an elite ball handler for his size and uses that skill to create space for his jumper, which he can hit from anywhere. He has the size and frame to be a dominant player on the block but has work to do there. Rankings: Rivals - 82, Prep Hoops - 116, Future150 - 139.

-We originally offered in June of last year. He didn't have many offers before committing to Arkansas. He's gotten several since reopening his recruitment in early April, in additions to a couple dozen schools calling. He's a really solid, versatile player. Could easily line up as a 3 or 4 in the A10 and create problems at both.

[SLURadioBoy]

I love seeing former and current players advocating for the program.

 

[Reinert310]

Just putting this out there. I’m interested to see how you guys think this will, or won’t, effect our recruiting for 2021. 

[Aquinas]

On 5/26/2020 at 4:59 PM, Pistol said:

Duncan Powell - SF, 6-7, 220 - DeSoto, TX (DeSoto) - AAU: Drive Nation (Nike EYBL) - Twitter: @DuncPowell_ - Committed: Arkansas (9/26/19) - Decommitted: Arkansas (4/8/20)
Offers: Saint Louis, TCU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, Tulsa, SMU, Murray State, Tennessee Tech, Old Dominion, Texas Southern, North Carolina A&T.

Interest: Dayton, VCU, Richmond, Marquette, Creighton, DePaul, Virginia Tech, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Baylor, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Georgia, Connecticut, Temple, UNLV, New Mexico, Utah State, Boise State, St. Mary's, SIU-Carbondale, Buffalo, Louisiana Tech, Texas-San Antonio, UNC-Greensboro, Stephen F. Austin, Texas-Arlington, Lamar, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, Coastal Carolina, Iona, Towson, Morgan State, Grambling State.

Latest News: Powell received a refreshed offer from SLU in the wake of his decommitment from Arkansas. He originally received a SLU offer in June 2019. (5/26/20)

Scouting Report: Powell is a big, athletic, versatile wing-forward who impacts both sides of the ball. He's physical and makes tough plays, takes charges, grabs boards at both ends, and blocks shots. He's an elite ball handler for his size and uses that skill to create space for his jumper, which he can hit from anywhere. He has the size and frame to be a dominant player on the block but has work to do there. Rankings: Rivals - 82, Prep Hoops - 116, Future150 - 139.

-We originally offered in June of last year. He didn't have many offers before committing to Arkansas. He's gotten several since reopening his recruitment in early April, in additions to a couple dozen schools calling. He's a really solid, versatile player. Could easily line up as a 3 or 4 in the A10 and create problems at both.

Duncan sounds like the opportunistic, physical kind of player who excels in Team Blue. Coach Ford likes these kinds of players and the physical brand of basketball we play, lets them shine. 

[Pistol]

2 minutes ago, Aquinas said:

Duncan sounds like the opportunistic, physical kind of player who excels in Team Blue. Coach Ford likes these kinds of players and the physical brand of basketball we play, lets them shine. 

There's a reason he got a refreshed offer from us a year after the initial one.

[Pistol]

30 minutes ago, Reinert310 said:

Just putting this out there. I’m interested to see how you guys think this will, or won’t, effect our recruiting for 2021.

Bottom line is that it's still too early to tell.

Players are itching to play the AAU season and take campus visits. At this point, it seems like there won't be any AAU season at all (it normally wraps up with the Peach Jam and other events in July). Campus visits will likely be allowed once campuses are reopened. The NCAA will definitely change the calendar to be more accommodating. They'll just all be happening later and/or within a compressed timeline. A few things to look for in general:

-Reclassifications and transfers of 2021 players to 2022. More than usual, to give them more time to be game ready and to evaluate college options.

-More spring/late signings than ever. And we still need to see what the NCAA is going to do with timelines. There might not be as clear a delineation between fall and spring as we're used to.

-A lot of transfers from the COVID classes (2020-2022) once they're in college. A lot of these guys are making decisions based on Zoom/Skype/FaceTime calls, getting to know coaches and campuses that way. A lot changes when you actually get to a place and get a feel for it. Then again, this is a generation that has grown up on screens; maybe it won't be the long-term factor we might think it is. The transfers, if indeed higher, might be caused by a combination of relaxed NCAA rules and coaches not having had a chance to get as good a feel for the players as they'd like.

-I go back and forth on the "closer to home" thing. On one hand, coaches don't have the ability to get out and see more players at AAU and other summer events so they're going to push harder for guys they know better and have seen more. On the other hand, if you're a teenager who's been cooped up at home for a prolonged period of time, are you really looking to go to the school closest to home? (I don't know about you guys, but I could use at least a year away from my kids right about now. I would love nothing more than to get in a car and drive as far away as possible.) So this is the main point that I think is too early to call.

-With AAU seasons happening late or not at all, I wouldn't be surprised to see some impromptu camps or showcase events pop up leading into the HS season. I just can't imagine this recruiting year only being about HS basketball. Everyone - players, college coaches, AAU personnel - are going to want more ways to get players seen.

[Reinert310]

3 minutes ago, Pistol said:

Bottom line is that it's still too early to tell.

Players are itching to play the AAU season and take campus visits. At this point, it seems like there won't be any AAU season at all (it normally wraps up with the Peach Jam and other events in July). Campus visits will likely be allowed once campuses are reopened. The NCAA will definitely change the calendar to be more accommodating. They'll just all be happening later and/or within a compressed timeline. A few things to look for in general:

-Reclassifications and transfers of 2021 players to 2022. More than usual, to give them more time to be game ready and to evaluate college options.

-More spring/late signings than ever. And we still need to see what the NCAA is going to do with timelines. There might not be as clear a delineation between fall and spring as we're used to.

-A lot of transfers from the COVID classes (2020-2022) once they're in college. A lot of these guys are making decisions based on Zoom/Skype/FaceTime calls, getting to know coaches and campuses that way. A lot changes when you actually get to a place and get a feel for it. Then again, this is a generation that has grown up on screens; maybe it won't be the long-term factor we might think it is. The transfers, if indeed higher, might be caused by a combination of relaxed NCAA rules and coaches not having had a chance to get as good a feel for the players as they'd like.

-I go back and forth on the "closer to home" thing. On one hand, coaches don't have the ability to get out and see more players at AAU and other summer events so they're going to push harder for guys they know better and have seen more. On the other hand, if you're a teenager who's been cooped up at home for a prolonged period of time, are you really looking to go to the school closest to home? (I don't know about you guys, but I could use at least a year away from my kids right about now. I would love nothing more than to get in a car and drive as far away as possible.) So this is the main point that I think is too early to call.

-With AAU seasons happening late or not at all, I wouldn't be surprised to see some impromptu camps or showcase events pop up leading into the HS season. I just can't imagine this recruiting year only being about HS basketball. Everyone - players, college coaches, AAU personnel - are going to want more ways to get players seen.

Awesome stuff Pistol. Thanks!

[bauman]

23 minutes ago, Pistol said:

There's a reason he got a refreshed offer from us a year after the initial one.

 

23 minutes ago, Pistol said:

There's a reason he got a refreshed offer from us a year after the initial one.

In the 2021 recruiting class as of now we have 3 spots to fill.  One (the HF role) looks like it has already been taken care of with the Okoro addition.  That leaves replacing JG with a 2/3 (can you say Nesbitt?) and filling in behind JP as a 3 primarily, but able to fill the 4 against certain teams.  This seems like the slot we would plug Kern into.  Does the Powell offer put a little pressure on Kern to make a decision about coming to SLU?  It seems like they would both fill the same need, although Powell might be a better 4 than Kern.  Can either of them score anywhere close to JP's ability? 

[Coach314]

5 minutes ago, bauman said:

 

In the 2021 recruiting class as of now we have 3 spots to fill.  One (the HF role) looks like it has already been taken care of with the Okoro addition.  That leaves replacing JG with a 2/3 (can you say Nesbitt?) and filling in behind JP as a 3 primarily, but able to fill the 4 against certain teams.  This seems like the slot we would plug Kern into.  Does the Powell offer put a little pressure on Kern to make a decision about coming to SLU?  It seems like they would both fill the same need, although Powell might be a better 4 than Kern.  Can either of them score anywhere close to JP's ability? 

What position does Strickland play

[Reinert310]

4 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

What position does Strickland play

I gotta say, I really enjoyed watching Markhi do ball handling drills on his Instagram this week. We already know he’s a high flyer and Ford has said (coach speak?) that he’s a great shooter. He’s gonna be fun to watch. His birthday was this week.

[Pistol]

53 minutes ago, Reinert310 said:

Just putting this out there. I’m interested to see how you guys think this will, or won’t, effect our recruiting for 2021. 

Whenever there is a major rule change or other change in college basketball, most around here tend to think it's going to be bad news for SLU. I get it. We've had our share of bad luck and close calls. We're right outside the sandbox where the big-time, moneyed programs operate. We're stuck in one of the best non-power conferences, but it's not a super comfortable fit. We have every reason to keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

I tend to believe that every one of these changes more or less leave the competitive landscape the same. The rich will stay rich, the poor will stay poor, and the rest of us will bubble up from time to time but constantly struggle to sustain success. I believe that because it's how it's always played out.

How this all impacts us specifically with recruiting, it's just too early to say. Which I know is a cop out answer, so here's my best crack:

-We have some big local targets in 2021. Nesbitt has already reclassified from 2020 so he's not a candidate for a prep year. He's a guy who could step in and replace Goodwin - not exactly the same kind of player, but he has a combination of size, skill, versatility, and scoring that means we wouldn't be down much when JG graduates (and Okoro stepping in for French). Nesbitt does have a lot of suitors already, but the loss of the AAU season might keep him from having made that next leap; a lot of his offers right now are from lower-half power conference teams. Kern is a guy who really could've blown up this summer. He doesn't have a ton of offers but has some from power conference teams, and he's certainly on the radar of many more. Vashon already gets more exposure than a typical HS team because they travel and play some national games. The DeSmet bigs are in the same camp; not a ton of offers at this point but a few Big Ten and other big conference schools are on them.

-So Nesbitt is the only one who definitely couldn't reclassify to 2022. I've seen no indication the others will - and again, staying in 2021 if other guys take an extra year could increase the value of guys at that level - but it's something to keep in mind with all 2021 targets. I think it's in SLU's best interest for them all to stay 2021.

-SLU is in great shape with all four. The staff has done a great job with each of them, and if we miss out on any or all of them it won't be SLU's fault. It just isn't what the recruits wanted.

-As for 2022 and beyond, I think we just have to stay the course for now. We have Hughes, Martin, and Reed in market. Like with the 2021 group, I like where we stand with all of them. There are some other local kids like Mayo and some other BBE kids to keep an eye on. Out of market for 2022-2023, we seem to be working Virginia and Georgia in particular, with a few other recruits scattered in the south and east.

Circling back to where we stand competitively, I love our roster right now. We're in better shape overall with the 2021 and 2022 STL classes than any other program. If we're going out of market, I like that we're being more geographically targeted than usual in this class, with heavy concentrations in the Southeast, NJ/Philly, Virginia, and Chicago. Every subsequent year, I think the staff is doing a better job of zeroing in on players who fit well on this roster in terms of size, skill set, and demeanor.

We'd normally see a summer swell in the rising junior offer list (2022 this year) but it remains to be seen whether that will happen. We'd see 2021 kids starting to come into clearer focus, which will certainly be delayed. We'd see more 2023 offers starting to trickle in.

Personally, I see the staff doing the best job it can given the constraints of the moment. I see no reason at all for panic as it relates to recruiting or our place in the game. The only thing I'm worried about is the upcoming season itself; I really don't want delays or shortening or anything. But in terms of recruiting, I was always dreading 2021 because we lose French and Goodwin (and now Perkins), but I feel great about where we stand.

[bauman]

4 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

What position does Strickland play

At this point I don't think we can make a valid assumption about either Strickland or Lorentsson.  I guess I would project Strickland as a 2/3 and AL as a 3/4, BUT I don't know if either will be a factor on Team Blue.  I am not assuming that either or both can be major contributors nor am I assuming the opposite.  At this point we just don't know-we haven't seen either in action as we did with Jordan and Javonte.

[Pistol]

16 minutes ago, bauman said:

 

In the 2021 recruiting class as of now we have 3 spots to fill.  One (the HF role) looks like it has already been taken care of with the Okoro addition.  That leaves replacing JG with a 2/3 (can you say Nesbitt?) and filling in behind JP as a 3 primarily, but able to fill the 4 against certain teams.  This seems like the slot we would plug Kern into.  Does the Powell offer put a little pressure on Kern to make a decision about coming to SLU?  It seems like they would both fill the same need, although Powell might be a better 4 than Kern.  Can either of them score anywhere close to JP's ability? 

 

10 minutes ago, Coach314 said:

What position does Strickland play

 

3 minutes ago, Reinert310 said:

I gotta say, I really enjoyed watching Markhi do ball handling drills on his Instagram this week. We already know he’s a high flyer and Ford has said (coach speak?) that he’s a great shooter. He’s gonna be fun to watch. His birthday was this week.

@bauman - @Coach314 beat me to it. If Strickland is as good as the staff has suggested (and as good as he looks in highlights), we have a wing with all-conference ability in the long term. @Reinert310, his shooting is something I'm not as certain about but hopefully it has developed on schedule. He's certainly in the gym a lot; I just don't know because stats from his last season were hard to come by.

Okoro is the plug for French. We couldn't have done much better there.

Nesbitt would be the plug for Goodwin. I'm not sure what plan B is there but we have some good offers out. This period is a mess in terms of figuring out which new 2021 guys we might be prioritizing. It's just all delayed.

Strickland could be the plug for Perkins. We've also discussed that Jimerson might already eat into his production this upcoming season. And we've got Jacobs, Thatch, Hargrove, and Lorentsson - question marks with each but certainly each brings something unique.

[3star_recruit]

2 hours ago, Coach314 said:

What position does Strickland play

He's a great athlete with some guard skills. Minutes will open up for him once Goodwin and Perkins graduate.

A big guard of this caliber having to fight to get on the floor is a luxury we haven't had.

[billiken_roy]

45 minutes ago, 3star_recruit said:

He's a great athlete with some guard skills. Minutes will open up for him once Goodwin and Perkins graduate.

A big guard of this caliber having to fight to get on the floor is a luxury we haven't had.

same thing i thought last season with hargrove.   

[slu72]

4 hours ago, bauman said:

 

 Can either of them score anywhere close to JP's ability? 

As FR, highly unlikely. To replace JP’s pts Jimerson, Hargrove, and Jacobs will have to step up. Also, there’s Fred, if he’s cleared to play. 

[Reinert310]

14 minutes ago, slu72 said:

As FR, highly unlikely. To replace JP’s pts Jimerson, Hargrove, and Jacobs will have to step up. Also, there’s Fred, if he’s cleared to play. 

Also keep in mind Lorentsson and Strickland will also be a year older and more experienced. Maybe we don’t replace Perkins’ scoring with just 1 player, but in the aggregate of all those players scoring a little bit more.