PG Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)

[gsnuts]

Great, lead article on the front page sports section of the Indianapolis Star :

RECRUITING COUP? Nation's best have Ohio State, Matta on their "fab" list of colleges

I'm loving it. Was on my way home from work and listening to sports talk radio. I had previously (some weeks ago) called in about another subject (Pacers) but left w/ a parting shot to all IU & Purdue fans. Told them how excited I was about the tOSU hoops program & Matta & it didn't have anything to do w/ beating Illinois etc... the host goes are we talking about the LN duo? I was like yes we are. He said he had heard the "buzz" from the tournament but wasn't putting to much stock in it because o'den was just on cold pizza yada, yada. The other day I'm driving back from the airport & a Buck's fan calls in (just after the tourney in Ft. Wayne) and says he is hearing that it looks very good for tOSU w/ the LN duo. A writer from the star calls in & was at the tourney in Ft. Wayne. He said there was an incredible "buzz" re: tOSU & Matta w/ most of the top talent in attendance & that Matta is setting up tOSU to be the power in the big ten. Talked about not only the kid's he is in on in 06 but also 07 & 08. Host asked him if there was any buzz re: IU or Purdue / ND. Writer said NONE! All the buzz was re: tOSU & Matta. Host said that if O'den plays college & it isn't @ IU that Davis will be in trouble!

Living in Indy, moved from Ral. NC I can't tell you how much I'm LOVING IT! Thad close the DEAL w/ the LN kid's & this program is a National power for years to come, the giant will not only be awake but be wired!!!

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LINK

5/5/05

May 5, 2005


Recruiting coup?
Nation's best have Ohio State, Matta on their 'fab' list of colleges

<!-- SIDEBAR --><!-- ARTICLE SIDEBAR --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=210 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD><!--MAIN PHOTO--><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD></TD></TR><TR><TD>Hot on their trail: Greg Oden (from left), Mike Conley and Daequan Cook, teammates for the Spiece Indy Heat during the AAU season, all are considering attending Ohio State. Buckeyes coach Thad Matta, who played and coached at Butler, is trying to convince them. -- David Dixon / For The Star
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By Jeff Rabjohns
<SCRIPT ********************><!--document.write(''+'jeff.rabjohns'+'@'+'indystar.com'+'');//--></SCRIPT>jeff.rabjohns@indystar.com


Since leaving Butler University in 2001 after his first season as a head coach, Thad Matta has ascended quickly in the college basketball coaching ranks.

He led Xavier to three NCAA Tournaments, then jumped to Ohio State before the 2004-05 season.

Now, after his first year with the Buckeyes, he's quietly on the verge of landing what analysts are calling the best recruiting class since Michigan's heralded Fab Five -- and it might include Greg Oden, the top-ranked player in the country.

This weekend, Oden and Mike Conley are making their official visits to Ohio State. If the Lawrence North duo end up committing to play for the Buckeyes, it would give Matta four players ranked in the top 20 in the 2006 class.

The first piece of the puzzle came in March when Matta received an oral commitment from Dayton (Ohio) Dunbar's Daequan Cook, an AAU teammate and close friend of Oden and Conley. Then came a commitment from David Lighty, another nationally ranked player from Cleveland. Another top-10 player, 6-8 Thaddeus Young of Memphis, Tenn., also is considering Ohio State.

College coaches are prohibited by NCAA rules from commenting on recruits, and Oden hasn't announced any decisions since naming his final four college choices: Ohio State, Wake Forest, Indiana and Michigan State.

But Conley's father said the close friendship among Cook, Oden and his son could play a role in where the latter two attend school. He also said his son and Oden are impressed with Matta, who was a regular at Lawrence North games this past season, even attending one the night before Ohio State upset top-ranked Illinois.

"They can relate to him, and they see him as a good coach," said Mike Conley Sr., who coaches the powerhouse AAU team that includes his son, Oden, Cook and North Central's Eric Gordon.

"Thad, from day one, has talked to the kids about a vision he has, where this class and this team can go. Some of the kids see that vision also."

Oden, a 7-foot center, and Conley, a 6-1 point guard, made an official visit to Wake Forest two weekends ago. Conley has said Ohio State and Wake Forest are his leaders.

The two have said they're not necessarily a package deal, but also that they'd like to play together in college.

"Behind the scenes, it certainly looks like Ohio State has a lot of momentum with Conley, and I've always thought that Mike Conley is the greatest predictor of what happens with Oden," said Dave Telep, a national talent scout.

Nothing is certain in the world of basketball recruiting, but the signs of Ohio State's potential windfall are impossible to miss.

Gordon, a top-10 player in the 2007 class, said in a recent question-and-answer with an Ohio State fan Web site that the Buckeyes were one of his three favorites, along with Indiana and Illinois.

Oden and Conley have played on the same summer team with Cook since the three were in eighth grade.

"With that kind of history among them, it's more than just kids who knew each other in the summertime and said, 'Hey, let's go to the same school.' It's more of a relationship," Conley Sr. said.

"When they first all met, I may have called them a Fab Five, but the world wasn't screaming for Greg Oden and Mike Conley and Daequan Cook in eighth grade. Greg wasn't even discovered then, and no one had any idea who Cook was. But the kids were bonding."

Another factor is whether Oden, widely projected to be the top pick in the 2006 NBA draft if he declares, decides to play in college. That decision could be taken out of his hands if the NBA institutes an age minimum of 20, which it is considering.

Ohio State is also high on the list of two other top-10 players in the Class of 2007: shooting guard O.J. Mayo, the No. 1 player in the class, and small forward Bill Walker, teammates at Cincinnati's North College Hill.

At the Spiece Run 'N Slam in Fort Wayne, Ind., last weekend, Mayo was asked if he'd like to see a game between Lawrence North and North College Hill during the high school season.

"Most definitely," Mayo said. "Greg is a great player. I'd love to play against him and I'd love to play with him."

The 37-year-old Matta, who was born in Hoopeston, Ill., and played basketball at Butler before graduating in 1990, has deep ties to Midwest talent pools, which are as strong as ever.

"I'm excited about the direction of the program," Ohio State associate athletic director Miechelle Willis said. "Thad and staff are tireless. They are so positive and upbeat. . . . I think that same energy has had a tremendous impact and carryover in recruiting."

Conley Sr. said he doesn't expect his son or Oden to make a commitment this weekend. He pointed to the week in April when the two were visited at school by many big-name college coaches: Matta, Skip Prosser (Wake Forest), Roy Williams (North Carolina), Bruce Weber (Illinois), Tom Izzo (Michigan State) and Mike Davis (Indiana).

"When the coaches came in, after each one (left) they were like, 'We're going there.' Then it was, 'We're going there.' And, 'We're going there.'

"They're committed to go through this whole process."

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com$

5/5/05
Quote:
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Daequan Cook

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top> Final Spiece Run N’ Slam Evals & Notes
By Kyle Lamb
Date: May 5, 2005

This past weekend's Spiece Run N' Slam tournament in Ft. Wayne, Indiana saw some of the best basketball talent in the country show their stuff. Top players from Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin all came to Ft. Wayne, and several players stood out as future stars. Kyle Lamb was in attendance and now checks in with a detailed scouting report on who stood out at the tournament, along with some recruiting tidbits as well
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An overview of how some of the top prospects played in the tourney....

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com$

5/6/05

Conley and Oden will be on an official visit to Ohio State this weekend.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

scout.com$

5/8/05

<CENTER><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top bgColor=#ffffff>
Mike Conley Jr.

</TD><TD noWrap width=3></TD><TD vAlign=top> Conley Reflects On Visit; Oden Featured On ESPN
By Kyle Lamb
Date: May 8, 2005

Indianapolis Lawrence North junior basketball standouts Mike Conley Jr. (pictured) and Greg Oden made their long-awaited official visit to Ohio State this weekend. We had a chance to speak with Conley about the visit. Plus, we have excerpts from ESPN's "Outside The Lines" segment from Sunday on Oden. Click here for the latest.
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Conley said his visit to OSU was very nice and he got some of his questions answered. Its still down to OSU and Wake. He did say that he may wait to see what happens with the NBA age issue before he makes a decision and if that drags on he will make a decision at the end of the summer at this point.

He said his family felt more comfortable with OSU after the visit and they spent a lot of time on academics and just spent time with the team. His mother was very impressed with the academics which bodes well for OSU.

Conley did say that he had a feeling for the team and could see himself playing with them. They did not get a chance to play with the team though.

Oden, once again said he will be going to college on ESPN. I don't know how much clearer he can make it for everyone in my opinion.

(I will be very suprised if Conley waits that long to verbal, Kyle Lamb also has that opinion, everything points to a month at the most right now)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

rivals.com$

5/9/05



Quote:
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top>Indianapolis Lawrence North teammates Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. are back after an official visit to Ohio State with commitments Dave Lighty and Daequan Cook. [more]</TD><TD width=6></TD><TD vAlign=top></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Coach Matta picked up Oden and Conley in Indianapolis due to a flight problem. Cook stated that both of them really seemed to enjoy themselves. According to Cook's high school coach, the parents raved about the visit. The article says its possible that they could hold a press conference as early as this week.

(As they say, no news is good news in my opinion. I think we gained an advantage with this visit over Wake and I expect an announcement within the next month.)<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

This morning on 610 am WTVN radio, they had a brief interview with Conley and Oden's high school coach and he basically said the fact that Cook signed with OSU really helps Matta and that both of the kids are very comfortable with Matta because of the way he has approached them during their recruiting and how energetic and passionate he is about OSU.

They also mentioned that according to their coach, he expects a decision sometime in June.

(I have been saying that we would have a decision within the next month after the visit, its always been the time frame and I think OSU is sitting in great position at this point)

Conley and Oden will be playing in the Adidas May Classic this coming weekend in Bloomington, Indiana. There has been speculation that they will not make their decision known this week due to being blasted by the media in Indiana for not selecting IU.

Spiece Indy Heat will play against Thaddeus Young and his team Memphis Pump and Run on Saturday.

[HabaneroBuck]

Interesting read with interesting quotes from Mike Conley, Sr. Sounds like he is a Wake fan. Interesting quotes from Daequan, as well. Isn't it all so interesting?

OSU recruits like Wake Forest, too

Oden, Conley Jr., probably won't decide until June

By Doug Harris

Dayton Daily News

<!-- inset --> COLUMBUS | With a pair of top-20 prospects already in the fold, Ohio State had hoped to land two more coveted junior basketball players during an official visit last weekend.

But 7-footer Greg Oden, the top-rated prospect in the class of 2006, and Mike Conley Jr., who is ranked by Scout.com as the nation's No. 2 point guard, are still shopping. And their AAU coach doesn't expect a decision from the duo before June.

Mike Conley Sr., a former Olympic triple-jump champion, joined his stars on their tour of OSU. And while the players came away impressed, Conley Sr. urged them to keep their options open.

"My role in this thing — which has been my role from the beginning — is to make sure they go through the process. ... Don't cut short the process just because you're tired of listening to coaches talk, which happens sometimes," he said.

"The good thing is they're all dealing with quality coaches and quality schools, so they can't go wrong."

Conley Sr. said his son and Oden— who are high school teammates in Indianapolis — listed Wake Forest as their co-leader even after OSU fawned over them. And they're weighing other offers.

Oden is considering an unofficial visit to Indiana when their AAU team, Speice Indy Heat, plays in Bloomington this weekend. And both may check out North Carolina during a Memorial Day weekend tourney in that state.

The NBA also is a possibility if commissioner David Stern doesn't follow through with his proposal to raise the minimum age of draftees to 20.

"They like Wake Forest a lot," Conley Sr. said. "Obviously, the bad thing about it is the (distant) location. But they like the coaching staff there just the same. They like the university there just the same. Wake Forest has a lot of things working in its favor. It's still going to be a tough decision."

AAU teammate and close friend Daequan Cook of Dunbar has already given the Buckeyes a verbal commitment, which would seem to raise the probability of Conley and Oden ending up in Columbus and forming perhaps the best recruiting class ever.

Cook spent the weekend with his buddies and is convinced they'll ultimately pick OSU.

"They way they were talking, it seemed like they wanted to make a decision right then and there," Cook said. "They still wanted to talk about it more. But I feel strong, very strong, about them coming over."

Cook said the trio renewed a pledge they made years ago to play together in college.

"None of us wants to be by ourselves," Cook said. "That's one of the things they said. We all want to be at the same school so we can look out for each other."

But Conley Sr. doesn't put much credence in that vow.

"None of them will go to a situation that's not conducive for them just because the other one is there," he said. "That's definitely an ideal scenario ... but ideal doesn't happen very often in life."

[LightningRod]

I don't think Conley Sr is a Wake fan. I see him stepping in and taking some heat off of these guys. Whatever their decision, let them have their day in the sun.

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

rivals.com$

5/12/05

The article discusses the timetable for their decision.....their high school coach feels it will be in June or later at this point. Conley and Oden have not said much since their visit to OSU but from all sources, it seems like OSU has an advantage right now. Conley and Oden will play in the adidas May Classic in Bloomington May 13-15. It appears at this time that Oden and possibly Conley will take an unofficial visit to Indiana (the tourney is on campus). Their is also a chance that Conley and Oden will take a visit to North Carolina.

(I believe that OSU is the leader at this point and I think they are going to announce in June at the latest. I do not see them taking a visit to North Carolina and I believe that Oden is only taking a visit to Indiana because they are on campus and to appease some of the people putting pressure on his camp to at least look at Indiana. I feel confident we are sitting in a good position to land these two top players.)

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

5/13/05


Conley has been chosen nationally by USA Basketball to participate in the Men's Youth Development Festival, to be held June 7-11 in San Diego as part of the International Sports Invitational.

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[OSUBasketballJunkie]

At the Adidas May Classic in Bloomington Friday....Conley scored 22 points, hitting four from behind the arc in an opening win over Blessed IJN Elite 78-65.

[jwinslow]

Scout $

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1" width="98%"> <tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top">
Mike Conley

</td> <td nowrap="nowrap" width="3">
</td> <td valign="top"> adidas May Classic: Day 2
By Evan Daniels Basketball Recruiting Editor
Date: May 15, 2005

The second day of the adidas May Classic featured some top players, but not many stellar teams. Curtis Kelly made an appearance for a different New York AAU team and Daequan Cook made a statement without the likes of Greg Oden and Aaron Pogue. Overall it was a solid day of basketball at day 2 of the adidas May Classic.
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Conley controlled the floor like a true PG, doing his damage without many points. He definitely has not chosen a college and still has a bunch of thinking to do according to this author.

[schwab]

Conley 'Confused' About Recruitment....Saw this headline on Bucknuts, but I don't subscribe and just wondered if anyone here did that might know more about this article. All aboard, Mike! Go Bucks

[jwinslow]

They didn't offer much insight into it... my guess is he's being fed "the ncaa penalties are still looming" by one of the other schools, if not most.

Kyle Lamb and others expect very little to still happen, and at worst the consensus is that we would lose stuff from the past (take down banners) and/or maybe one or two schollies. He really doesn't think its possible, especially considering the self-imposed ban and cooperation, that we would be banned from any additional postseasons, and definitely not in 2006.