Basketball Recruiting Projections/General Discussions

[stxbuck]

Sanders is really the only verbal who showed strong interest in OSU. I always got the impression that Wright was waiting on a UK offer, and when it didn't materialize, chose the hometown Flyers. I really doubt a Dayton kid would renege on a verbal to the Flyers, although stranger things have happened.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

Could possibly be a name off the radar, but if it was someone who showed strong interest in OSU before verbaling to another program, my gut tells me it could be Chris Wright. Rakim Sanders could be a possiblity but distance played a real role in his verbal. Wright recently exploded at a major AAU event, he could be having second thoughts, OSU never recruited him very hard the first time around...FWIW.

Wright is not going to happen. Don't even get your hopes up.

My guess is Rakim Sanders.

[calibuck]

With the incoming Oden, and now Koufos, Lauderdale, and then BJ Mullen, the Buckeyes have become 'Center U'. This is quite a turn around from when we couldn't get a big man to even look around. We've had maybe one board crasher, and then added an undersized forward to help clean the glass.

I hope this becomes a trend, because the smaller guys (you know, the point scorers and point guards), like to have the big guys to feed, and follow up the misses. And with Cook, Lighty, Offut (assuming knee is 100%), Diebler, May0 (?) and hopefully Yates, there's going to be enough scorers and inside presence to have some balanced scoring for a change. (Three guards and a prayer is not my kind of basketball - FWIW).

The new direction of OSU basketball is incredible. Just keeping the Ohio talent at home will keep us up in the rarified atmosphere as a Duke, Arizona, etc. in terms of talent. I'm hoping that Matta has the coaching talent to 'coach up' these big guys (like he did with Dials) to become NBA forces. I know this is not a 'praise Matta' thread, but has anyone ever seen such a quick turn-around in any sport?

Having been a veteran of the Lucas-Havlicek-Siegfried-Joe Roberts-Gary Gearhart-(yes, Bobby Knight) era (I was 12), I am very happy to see this balanced attack come back. I do worry there's enough basketballs on the court to satisfy everyone's need for points however......but winning does seem to quench that need.

Let's enjoy this era folks! It's gonna be a 'barn burner'

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Wright is not going to happen. Don't even get your hopes up.

My guess is Rakim Sanders.

Its possible it could be someone off the radar....

[LitlBuck]

Is Evan Turner "off the radar"?

[BGriffBuckeye]

I would say Turner is somebody very much on the radar.

A guy like Derrick Rose, who is a very good player and in Matta's "territory" is definitely one who is off the radar though... would be nice, but just throwing names out there. I don't really expect him to come here, but using Rose as an example.

[jwinslow]

Obviously it's unbased conjecture, but landing Rose would be sick

[BGriffBuckeye]

I remember hearing, maybe a few weeks/months back, that for some reason Illinois is not going to be his destination as many would have thought since he is from Illinois. Matta would defintely live up to the high praise that he got from that CBS Sportsline article about being the best recruiter ever if he could reel in Rose. Longshot, I know, but one can dream .

After getting Robert ROSE (the best DE in the country) last year for the football team, getting Derrick ROSE (the best swingman in the country) Ohio State would be... insert cliche pun here.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by BGriffBuckeye

I remember hearing, maybe a few weeks/months back, that for some reason Illinois is not going to be his destination as many would have thought since he is from Illinois. Matta would defintely live up to the high praise that he got from that CBS Sportsline article about being the best recruiter ever if he could reel in Rose. Longshot, I know, but one can dream .

After getting Robert ROSE (the best DE in the country) last year for the football team, getting Derrick ROSE (the best swingman in the country) Ohio State would be... insert cliche pun here.

I am still thinking Rose and Turner to the Illini. I think they are going to bring in a top 5 class in 07.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com (free)

6/19/06

tOSU team camp photo gallery featuring, Kosta Koufos, Jon Diebler, Walter Offutt, B.J. Mullens.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

scout.com (free)

6/19/06

tOSU team camp photo gallery featuring, Kosta Koufos, Jon Diebler, Walter Offutt, B.J. Mullens.

Man Offutt's upper body already looks huge. I still think Diebler needs to add more weight and Kosta and Mullens look to coming right along.

[wadc45]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

Man Offutt's upper body already looks huge. I still think Diebler needs to add more weight and Kosta and Mullens look to coming right along.

I thought the same thing when I saw that first picture of Walter...

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by wadc45

I thought the same thing when I saw that first picture of Walter...

Compared to this picture, even though he has a long sleeved shirt on it is nite and day. I would say he was hitting the bench press hard while he was rehabbing his knee.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Man Offutt's upper body already looks huge. I still think Diebler needs to add more weight and Kosta and Mullens look to coming right along.

Offutt has put on some size and Mullens looks to be on the right track.....Diebler does need some bulk, but that will come in time. The future of tOSU basketball looks pretty good, doesn't it?

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Rivals.com$

6/20/06

The NBPA camp (invite only) begins today at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va and brings together some great talent in the 2007 and a few propsects in the 2008 classes, including future Buckeyes Kosta Koufos, Dallas Lauderdale and Jon Diebler.

A notable Buckeye target is also at the camp, Evan Turner.


My take: It will be very interesting to see how our future Buckeyes perform at this camp, the games are very controlled and are not like regular AAU events. Team ball is emphasized. Personally, I would love to see Lauderdale make an impression.