'10 OH PG Aaron Craft has signed his LOI!!!

[BB73]

BN's Lee Caryer is high on Craft.

Bucknuts.free

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by BB73

BN's Lee Caryer is high on Craft.

Bucknuts.free

For those of you who don't know Lee Caryer, he has been in the business for a very long time and does no talent when he sees it. He used to have his own magazine back in the late 70s/early 80s that focused mainly on Ohio.

[UnderTheRadar]

So everyone agrees that this is the last scholarship available for the 2010 class, right? So if Craft gets an offer and accepts, then that means Payne and Witherspoon is left out, right?

I've very confused by the scholarship situation because there are people on this board who seem to think OSU will ge tall three. By my math, there is only one more spt available.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by UnderTheRadar

So everyone agrees that this is the last scholarship available for the 2010 class, right? So if Craft gets an offer and accepts, then that means Payne and Witherspoon is left out, right?

I've very confused by the scholarship situation because there are people on this board who seem to think OSU will ge tall three. By my math, there is only one more spt available.

see here

Projected Scholarship Breakdown

We currently have one available. Turner will probably go early after next season and I would not be surprised if Lighty did not return for his senior season since he probably would have already graduated. That would make three and I am not sure about Buford.

[Mothra]

He can run, distribute the ball, defend, no doubt, but his jump shoot needs some work to be a scoring threat at this level...

[senorbuckeye]

For those who have seen him, how does a Chris Kramer comparison fit?

[Bulls-Eye]

Originally Posted by senorbuckeye

For those who have seen him, how does a Chris Kramer comparison fit?

Kramer really isn?t a bad comparison at all. I?ve only seen Craft a few times (in high school only, not on the AAU circuit), but from what I've witnessed he?s a great on-the-ball defender and really gets after it on that side of the court. He?s just an all-around solid player, doing everything really well, but maybe not anything great on the offensive side of the court.

He?s actually extremely quick and has a pretty quick/explosive bounce that you wouldn?t expect from someone his size and by just looking at him. From the games I saw his mid-range game is extremely good right now and he finishes well at the basket. He really elevates well on his shot too, giving him more space to get it off over his defender.

I would have to say it would be a great get for OSU if they could nab him. Sure, they could go after higher rated guys, but I don?t think you are going to find a harder worker than Craft, and someone with all the intangibles he brings. Plus, he?s already familiar with Sullinger, Siebert, Weatherspoon, and Payne, so there is a chemistry there that you can build on.

[LitlBuck]

Originally Posted by Bulls-Eye

Kramer really isn?t a bad comparison at all. I?ve only seen Craft a few times (in high school only, not on the AAU circuit), but from what I've witnessed he?s a great on-the-ball defender and really gets after it on that side of the court. He?s just an all-around solid player, doing everything really well, but maybe not anything great on the offensive side of the court.
.

I have not seen Craft play but from reading what Lee Caryer writes about him in the article linked above on BN your decryption of him is pretty much on target.

[UnderTheRadar]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

see here

Projected Scholarship Breakdown

We currently have one available. Turner will probably go early after next season and I would not be surprised if Lighty did not return for his senior season since he probably would have already graduated. That would make three and I am not sure about Buford.

I previously read the link you provided, and I understand that Lighty and Turner may not be back in 2010/2011 season (freshman year for Craft, 'Spoon, and Payne). However, all of this discussion is omitting a very key point: The early signing period is in November, which is when the vast majority of good players sign. This coming November, no one will know if Lighty and Turner will be back, as their season would not have even started yet. It's possible that the subject players would wait until after the season to decide on a college, but that is a major risk for them, and I doubt that happens. Their other options may have moved on by them and filled up their classes.

I say again that there is one spot open and several people have been offered scholarships. I see this as a first come, first serve issue. I am baffled by the discussion of getting mutliple additional players in this class.

[Bulls-Eye]

Originally Posted by LitlBuck

I have not seen Craft play but from reading what Lee Caryer writes about him in the article linked above on BN your decryption of him is pretty much on target.

I hadn't read that article until now, but yeah, that is pretty spot on with what I have seen. I especially liked the comment that Craft will do something to win the game in the 1st minute and the last minute. He does not seem to take a single play off on either side of the court. He's a competitor, plain and simple.

I remember watching the D5 Football State Championship game against Ursaline, and I remember him running the ball almost every play, getting smacked, and then getting up and doing it again. Craft seems like a kid that will scratch and claw his way to victory if he has to. I think in high school his team's have lost just 4 games in basketball and 4 games in football in the last 3 years, with Craft serving as the QB and PG for every one of their games. That is incredible...

[Bulls-Eye]

Originally Posted by UnderTheRadar

I previously read the link you provided, and I understand that Lighty and Turner may not be back in 2010/2011 season (freshman year for Craft, 'Spoon, and Payne). However, all of this discussion is omitting a very key point: The early signing period is in November, which is when the vast majority of good players sign. This coming November, no one will know if Lighty and Turner will be back, as their season would not have even started yet. It's possible that the subject players would wait until after the season to decide on a college, but that is a major risk for them, and I doubt that happens. Their other options may have moved on by them and filled up their classes.

I say again that there is one spot open and several people have been offered scholarships. I see this as a first come, first serve issue. I am baffled by the discussion of getting mutliple additional players in this class.

Obviously I have no knowledge of this whatsoever, but maybe Matta already knows from his discussions with Turner/Buford/Lighty that they may be looking at this as their last season regardless. Maybe they say, hey, unless I have an absolutely terrible year, I feel like I've put in the time to take my game to the next level. Maybe in Lighty's case, he will have graduated and also is ready to move on, a la Brian Hartline in football this year.

I'm not saying this has happened, but you would think Matta has at least thought of these things before putting a bunch of offers on the table with only one scholarship available.

You also have to look at the fact that a guy like Kecman or Offutt may see the writing on the wall and have already informed Matta they are looking at the possibility of going elsewhere. These scholarship things tend to work themselves out over time.

[LitlBuck]

Guys, I am not a moderator but this type of discussion regarding the number of recruits really belongs in this thread so as not to get away from the topic of this thread which is Aaron Craft. That is where I will put my response

.Basketball Recruiting Projections/General Discussions

[mercer_buckeye]

Originally Posted by Mothra

He can run, distribute the ball, defend, no doubt, but his jump shoot needs some work to be a scoring threat at this level...

Wrong Thread. PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies) This is what you want.

[MaxBuck]

Originally Posted by mercer_buckeye

Wrong Thread. PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies) This is what you want.

Yeah. Mike Conley is what you want at the 1-guard position. Kind of like Angelina Jolie is what I want at the f**k-buddy position.



Your chances of seeing Mike Conley again at the Buckeye point is a little better than mine, but not that much.

[BGriffBuckeye]

For those claiming we have 1 left, let's break down the limit:

First, how many years do we have a scholarship penalty, 1 year? So we'll have the 13 max for 2010.
Second, can David Lighty receive a medical RS for 2010 to be a 5th year Senior? Will he even want it?

Those are 2 questions needing to be answered.

Let's assume nobody leaves early now (Turner, Buford) and Lighty comes back.

Max scholarships available in any given year: 13

Roster:

1 PG: Walter Offutt
5 W: Evan Turner, William Buford, Jon Diebler, Jordan Sibert, Lenny Smith
4 F: David Lighty, DeShaun Thomas, Jared Sullinger, Nikola Kecman
2 C: Dallas Lauderdale, Zisis Sarikopolous

Ok, so that's 12 total, now assume we get Craft and that's your 13 max. However, I don't think Lighty comes back for 2010. I think Turner goes pro after next year. I think Buford has a fairly OK shot at staying.

So, those 12 up top, plus Craft = 13... minus Lighty, Buford = 11. This leaves space for both Weatherspoon and Payne, does it not?