Basketball Recruiting Projections/General Discussions

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

Not for next year. At least nothing that I have heard about. I would like for Thad to give Walker from Middletown a look for next year. I think the other guys from out-of-state next year might be reaches for us. Both BJ and KK are projected to go in the NBA draft in 09 so we will need a PF bad.

No reason to just pull a guy for the fact of pulling a guy...

Right now Walker isn't big enough to really be effective and would put us at a disadvantage...Would be better off going with a 4 guard type lineup...He is only 6'6'' max and to be a PF in the big ten you about need to be a solid 6'8'' or bigger...


As for guys that are out there...

Jamil Wilson (long shot at best)
Daniel Orton (looking more and more like he is going to stay in state)
Renardo Sidney (Same here, looks to be going to stay out West)
Stephen Van Treese (Maybe best shot here, but has not impressed me with numbers, I see a project for a year, not someone filling a gap quick)
Dashonte Riley (Think we are still in the game here, and he has an offer)
Deshawn Painter (another long shot it seems...Was high on us early, but his last update we weren't mentioned)

that is 6 guys and we have a decent shot at Van Treese and Riley...

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

No reason to just pull a guy for the fact of pulling a guy...

Right now Walker isn't big enough to really be effective and would put us at a disadvantage...Would be better off going with a 4 guard type lineup...He is only 6'6'' max and to be a PF in the big ten you about need to be a solid 6'8'' or bigger...

I wouldn't do that. I was unsure of Walker's actual height. Maybe you will grow 1 1/2" in the next year. I certainly realize that you have to be 6'8" to be a good PF in the Big 10. Maybe you four smalls might be the way to go but I think if Thad is recruiting might be going in a different direction.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I wouldn't do that. I was unsure of Walker's actual height. Maybe you will grow 1 1/2" in the next year. I certainly realize that you have to be 6'8" to be a good PF in the Big 10. Maybe you four smalls might be the way to go but I think if Thad is recruiting might be going in a different direction.

I know I was just pointing out why there isn't much interest in him...

Yeah I agree that he wants a PF and so do I...I like to have the versatility to go with 4 guards if need be, but not the ideal situation...

[BrutusBobcat]

Here's a quick chart I made up from scanning thread titles that should reflect all of the current outstanding offers to uncommitted players out there. Please feel free to offer any corrections. I've also updated their current Rivals rank. Many players have moved up a bit since their threads were started:

2008
----------
none


2009 (12 offers)
----------
GA SF Ari Stewart -- Rivals #15 overall, #3 SF
NJ SG Dominic Cheek -- Rivals #12 overall, #4 SG
VA PF Deshawn Painter -- Rivals #22 overall, #3 C
NC PG John Wall -- Rivals #9 overall, #1 PG
MI C Dashonte Riley -- Rivals #13 overall, #2 C
OK SG Xavier Henry -- Rivals #2 overall, #1 SG
FL SG Kenny Boynton -- Rivals #7 overall, #3 SG
IN PF Stephen Van Treese -- Rivals #52 overall, #20 PF
CA PF Renardo Sidney -- Rivals #1 overall, #1 PF
OK PF/C Daniel Orton -- Rivals #11 overall, #1 C
WI SF Jamil Wilson -- Rivals #33 overall, #10 SF
TN SG Leslie McDonald -- Rivals #17 overall, #5 SG

2010 (3 offers)
----------
OH PG Pe'Shon Howard
VA PF Joshua Hairston
IN SF DeShaun Thomas Rivals #3 overall

2011 (1 offer)
----------
OH PF Chane Behanan

[BrutusBobcat]

Seeing the number of offers Matta has out for 2009, and seeing that there's a few of those prospects who don't seem to be listing OSU in their top group, I thought I'd take a look back at recruiting since TM arrived and see where he's pulled guys from.

Starting with the Oden-Conley class (2005):

Indiana -- Greg Oden, Mike Conley
Ohio -- Daequan Cook, David Lighty
North Carolina/Florida (juco) -- Othello Hunter

Then our current class (2006):

Ohio -- Kosta Koufos, Jon Diebler, Dallas Lauderdale
Illinois -- Evan Turner
North Carolina/Virginia (prep) -- Eric Wallace
Minnesota/Texas (juco) -- P.J. Hill

For 2008:

Ohio -- B.J. Mullins, William Buford
Michigan -- Anthony Crater
Indiana -- Walter Offutt

For 2010:

Ohio -- Jared Sullinger, Cameron Wright
Georgia -- Trae Golden


The conclusion is -- each of Matta's classes has been built around a core of players from Ohio, plus a player or two from IN, MI or IL. The only reaches distance-wise have been the Juco guys, plus Wallace and Golden.

A significant part of that is not needing to travel. Ohio and Indiana have been stocked with serious talent the past two years, and when you throw in some reach to the Detroit and Chicago metro areas, there's a lot of guys you can go after.

For 2009, Matta is extending his range. There are NO offers to players from Ohio, which is probably why that class is a little slower to form than what we've seen so far in other years. The IN-MI-IL tristate only has two: Riley and Van Treese. The rest of it looks like: Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, California, New Jersey, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and Wisconsin. Truly national recruiting indeed.

Looking at the '10 offers, Matta is back to the OH-IN formula, with offers to Howard and Thomas, in addition to Hairston from VA.

[stxbuck]

We have been fortunate to see a major uptick in the quality of Ohio talent, starting w/ the current sophmore class-Lighty, and basically continuing through to the class of 11', w/ a detour in the class of 09', unfortunately.
Bobby Knight once said he could get all the talent he needed to win NCs from Ohio,Indiana, and Illinois, and it appears Matta agrees w/ that assesment.
Aside from the Atlanta area, I don't think you will see Matta hitting the South especially hard-the aforementioned Big 10 states plus Michigan pretty much supply enough talent for tOSU to be consistently loaded w/ talent.

[osubuckeyes2731]

I really hope we can bring in Riley, because, honestly, I am not very excited about what Van Treese has to offer.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Riley is a project in my opinion.....he has some work to do also.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Anyone else scratching their heads on the PF spot next year? Matta could elect to go with four guards......if he doesn't.....then we really do not have a true PF for next year.....I am assuming KK is gone.

[LitlBuck]

If we don't have a true PF for next year that means we're going to have to rely on a freshman in 2009. It seems like we have a lot of wing players but no "power" players. I am also concerned about relying on a freshman PG but at least we have one of those.

[crazybuckfan40]

Just some suggestions...

Combo of Mullens, and Lauderdale on the court...

Madsen...

Play Wallace/Lighty at the 4...

Juco?

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by crazybuckfan40

Just some suggestions...

Combo of Mullens, and Lauderdale on the court...

Madsen...

Play Wallace/Lighty at the 4...

Juco?

That's a thought for next year having both the bigs on the floor at the same time would give was rebounding on both ends of the floor.

I have mentioned the possibility of a Junior College player before but OBJ does not think that is on the horizon.

I wish Thad would have given Wallace a little more playing time this year but he sees him in practice so I guess he would know what he would get in a game situation.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

That's a thought for next year having both the bigs on the floor at the same time would give was rebounding on both ends of the floor.

I have mentioned the possibility of a Junior College player before but OBJ does not think that is on the horizon.

I wish Thad would have given Wallace a little more playing time this year but he sees him in practice so I guess he would know what he would get in a game situation.

If we stay in the zone next year...Lauderdale and Mullens gives you great rebounding inside...Offensively it would be a challenge as guys wouldn't need to guard either outside of 12 feet...Could also clog the lane as well...

Only mentioned juco now as there are more rumblings about KK...

Agreed on Wallace...I will never understand that one, about the same as I never understood Mike Brown not playing Shannon Brown...

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Combo of Mullens, and Lauderdale on the court...

I like Dallas as a defensive player and his potential for getting boards......I am hoping he makes improvements to his offensive game over the summer.

[crazybuckfan40]

Originally Posted by OSUBasketballJunkie

I like Dallas as a defensive player and his potential for getting boards......I am hoping he makes improvements to his offensive game over the summer.

I agree, but neither of he nor Mullens is going to be able to play outside of 12 ft...But if KK leaves I think that Matta is going to have to go with these two on the court at the same time...