Lamb Chat: April 13 Archive

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4/14/05

Lamb Chat: April 13 Archive
By Bucknuts.com Staff
Date: Apr 14, 2005

Here are excerpts from Kyle Lamb's basketball themed Chat session from Wednesday. Click here for more.

ToMac (Apr 13, 2005 2:10:42 PM)
is 2005 recruiting done or are we still trying to find a late bloomer?

Shannon Stoned (Apr 13, 2005 2:10:44 PM)
Is there any help at all out there for big men- JuCo or otherwise- for this year's graduating class? I hate to think what happens to the team if Dials is unavailable.

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:11:33 PM)
The 2005 class is probably finished. There does not sseem to be any viable options at this point. The staff seemingly went out and looked high and low, and the only players they found that were good enough, had either grade, injury, or character concerns

Shannon Stoned (Apr 13, 2005 2:11:55 PM)
Who is recruiting Huelsman- a big man from St. Henry? What do you know about his game?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:12:38 PM)
Huelsman is about 6-9 and still somewhat raw. I know Michigan likes him a lot. He runs the floor pretty well, but I think he needs to get stronger and improve his jumper and consistency. Ohio State doesn't appear to have much interest as of now

bw1954 (Apr 13, 2005 2:12:45 PM)
I believe we must get a post and a point for 2006 ! Who are the plan B guys if we dont get the dynamic duo ?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:14:18 PM)
right now the backup to Conley appears to be Armon Basset. They like him an awful lot, and would have actually considered taking him in the 2005 class if he weren't dead set on attending prep school. He seems to be capable of being a combo, which is something they would love to have-- versatility. As for post, I don't see many true post players as a backup option to Oden right now, but they probably think with Terwilliger, Bell, and maybe Harangody in the future, they will have plenty of guys who can play that position

Shannon Stoned (Apr 13, 2005 2:14:31 PM)
Overall, how do you feel about the existence of the AAU? Some say it has not been a good thing for the college game- in terms of fundamentals development, recruiting, and other issues.

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:15:49 PM)
I love AAU basketball, and I think it's good for the game. It gives players more time to develop individually, and it gives coaches more time to scout players since they can't do much during the season. What I don't like about it, is that it's become too big of importance with recruiting, and certain coaches on the circuit have too much power. I also don't care for the fact many AAU coaches put too high a cost on winning, and not enough on developing

Shannon Stoned (Apr 13, 2005 2:16:09 PM)
How long will Mike Davis be at IU?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:16:46 PM)
My personal opinion is that next year will be his last if he underacheives. I believe Indiana will make the tournament, but i'm not sure they will do much more than that. If that's the case, he could be in trouble

Shannon Stoned (Apr 13, 2005 2:17:02 PM)
If the NBA had the 20 year rule a couple years ago, does LeBron come to Ohio State, and, if so, how far would last year's team, plus Lebron, have gone in the NCAA's (assuming they went)?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:18:02 PM)
I guess that all depends on O'Brien. If the 20-year old rule were in place, I would have to think even O'Brien recruits LeBron James aggressively, in which case, yes, I think he goes to Ohio State. With LeBron James, Jim O'Brien is still the coach even now, and the last couple of years would have been NCAA caliber teams

Guest (Apr 13, 2005 2:18:35 PM)
I noticed in the Schott in the arm article awhile back it was mentioned that Gene Smith should/might look into the arena environment (or lack thereof). Could there be any changes by next season?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:19:30 PM)
I'm not sure about the practicality of making changes this late in the game for next year, but it sure seems like making changes in general is something Smith is open to. They will probably sit down and talk it over first and see what ideas people have. As you know, there's a lot of red tape to cross before something is changed

bw1954 (Apr 13, 2005 2:19:42 PM)
Are we going to make a big effort on Mayo and Walker ? Based on different posts it appears Lauderdale is our top prospect for 2007 !

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:20:53 PM)
I sense that the staff would love to land O.J. Mayo, and if the NBA passes this rule, they will be in a group of teams that have a shot-- along with Cincinnati, Louisville, Kentucky, West Virginia, and probably Michigan State. I'm not sure they are quite as interested in Walker, although I don't think they would mind having him either. Lauderdale is someone they are very high on though

owubuck (Apr 13, 2005 2:20:59 PM)
kyle do you see lightly as the next to commit?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:22:16 PM)
I definitely think Lighty could end up being the next one to decide. Right now, I think Ohio State is the odds-on favorite to get that commitment. The only hold up is playing 2-guard, and I think Matta has explained to him that in his system... the two and the three are more or less interchangeable and he would the development he needs for the next level

Shannon Stoned (Apr 13, 2005 2:22:21 PM)
What do you think about Sylvester Mayes' game? How will he fit in next year? Is his team mate Okate (:? sic) still available?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:23:28 PM)
I love everything i've heard about Mayes. He will play a lot and very likely will start. He's a great shooter with good passing, plays tough defense, and has a great basketball IQ. As far as his teammate Ousmane Konate, Konate had a lot of injuries this year, and it looks like he won't be an option. Konate will probably stay at Redlands one more year

Buckdub (Apr 13, 2005 2:23:34 PM)
Is there any merit to the fear that T Matta might be interested in the IU job when Davis gets fired? Being from Indiana and all...

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:24:47 PM)
With what Matta has the chance to build here, given the fact they are in the process of trying to bring in a "Fab 5" type class for 2006, I don't think there's really any fear of him leaving. Indiana was probably his dream job growing up, and if there's any place he would go, my guess is it would be there. But that being said... he's happy where he's at, and with what he has the chance to build right now, he realizes the things he can accomplish in Columbus

ToMac (Apr 13, 2005 2:24:58 PM)
is your optimism concerning conley and oden based on more facts or emotion?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:25:56 PM)
It's based on information I have coming from all directions that Thad Matta has knocked their socks off recently, and made quite a presentation in Lawrence North High School last week. Given that, and Conley's newfound desire to stay close to his family, as well as Daequan giving his best recruiting efforts... and suddenly Ohio State has a serious chance to land them both

bw1954 (Apr 13, 2005 2:26:11 PM)
Give me your percentages on landing the top prospects for 2006 !

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:26:57 PM)
I hate doing this, but I feel a little adventurous this afternoon...

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:28:36 PM)
I will conservatively put Ohio State's chances at Lighty at or around 70 percent. With Conley I will give it 55/45 to OSU... and with Greg I will say about 45/65 against the field (Wake and Indiana). Harangody maybe about 45 percent. Now if Ohio State gets a verbal from Conley next month... the odds for Oden go significantly higher

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:29:35 PM)
I do want to add... that recruiting is a momentum game. Ohio State has it with Conley and Oden right now, but there's still at least a few weeks left, including a visit to Wake... and they could just as easily start leaning the other way again. Right now though, Matta has the momentum

Guest (Apr 13, 2005 2:29:40 PM)
Sorry if this has been asked, but do you see M. Terwilliger having the ability to be our starting 5 in two years or are we in trouble on that front?(assuming we don't get Oden)

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:30:22 PM)
Absolutely I do. I think the staff has been very happy with the progress Terwilliger showed over the course of the season, and I very much think he can still be a very good starter at Ohio State. If he continues getting stronger and being aggressive, the sky is the limit for Matt

Buckdub (Apr 13, 2005 2:30:38 PM)
I've heard a viewpoint on the NBA age min. that the players can still skip college but would be put into the NBDL until they are 20. What is your opinion on the chances a high school star would pass up the exposure of a college basketball season to play in the NBDL?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:32:12 PM)
There's too many unknown factors left with this to say for sure. I've heard several variations of this. I've heard that indeed they would let the rookies go straight to the NBDL but it could be under NBA contracts or it could be under "minor league" contracts. That would play a part. I've also heard that since the CBA would say no one can enter the draft until they are 20 (or 2-years removed) that they will adhere that to the NBDL as well, meaning everyone has to go to college (or Europe).

owubuck (Apr 13, 2005 2:32:18 PM)
what is the current lavender situation? i thought by this week he was going to decide if he was staying at OU. has he done this yet?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:32:53 PM)
No one in the Oklahoma camp is talking, and sources on the Ohio State side are saying there still has been no contact. I'm going to assume that Lavender is staying until I hear something otherwise

ToMac (Apr 13, 2005 2:33:22 PM)
What's the holdup in offering Lauderdale, talent or grades?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:34:03 PM)
My understanding is that they have already offered Lauderdale. I will double-check this to make sure. If they have not, it could be as simple as wanting to see what happens in the classes above them. Right now their main focus is what's going on with this 2006 class

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:35:28 PM)
We're all caught up on questions, so if you have other questions, get them in!

BuckeyeSal1 (Apr 13, 2005 2:35:46 PM)
Do you see it as a positive for all parites involved if Jackson-Wilson does indeed transfer?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:36:49 PM)
I wouldn't say it's a positive, but it might make the most sense right now. I think Jackson-Wilson has a lot of potential because of his work ethic, his athleticism, and his energy... but right now he doesn't fit into the criteria of what the staff wants out of a power forward IMHO

bw1954 (Apr 13, 2005 2:37:01 PM)
Compare the strengths of Cook versus Lighty . What players are their games similar to ?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:38:22 PM)
The common comparison for Cook is Ray Allen. He's really smooth, he does most everything well, and it looks effortless for him. Lighty is probably equally, if not more, athletic, but he's more of a shooter and passer. Lighty probably is a better defender at this point in time. I don't really have a good comparison for Lighty that I can think of

Buckdub (Apr 13, 2005 2:38:24 PM)
How good of an NBA player do you see Dials being?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:39:30 PM)
I honestly don't see Dials being a guy that sticks in the NBA. You have to understand Dials is more truly a PF than a center. He doesn't have the ball skills or shot outside of 12 feet even for the college game... so given a 6-9 center won't cut it in the NBA, he would have to be at best a PF, and that's just not going to happen at the next level

owubuck (Apr 13, 2005 2:39:55 PM)
what do u see as our starting line-up tomorrow?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:40:31 PM)
I'm guessing you mean for the 2005-2006 season? Assuming that's what you mean... I see it as Butler at PG, Mayes at SG, Sullinger or Lewis at WF, Sylvester at PF, and Dials

bw1954 (Apr 13, 2005 2:40:46 PM)
Kyle , I subscribe to Bucknuts because of the super job you do ! How long have you been an OSU BB junkie ?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:42:09 PM)
Well I just recently turned 25 last week, and i've been following basketball since I was 10. The first game I remember is the first round game against Providence in the 1990 tournament. Ever since then i've followed hoops just as closely as football. When Steve arrived here at Bucknuts, I basically told him that if he needed any help, I felt Bucknuts should start paying more attention to basketball as well. He agreed obviously, and brought me on board, and the rest is history

Buckdub (Apr 13, 2005 2:42:37 PM)
Have you heard anything about Michael Redd's future? (cavs vs. bucks) or if Scoonie Penn is playing anywhere? All this talk about conley/oden is bringing me back to the last final four team we had

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:43:52 PM)
I hear that Redd is leaning towards staying with the Bucks next season, although the Cavs will certainly have a shot at him if he decides to leave. Scoonie Penn is in Europe, Italy to be exact. I think Penn is hoping to get one more serious look in the NBA. If not , he will play basketball for a couple of more years then try his luck getting into the coaching ranks

owubuck (Apr 13, 2005 2:43:59 PM)
what have you heard as regards to the development of the current players? is harris working hard? i hear tewilliger is doing well, this true?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:45:01 PM)
Terwilliger has been doing very well. Harris has been working hard, but he worked hard last year... it's a matter of improving in those certain areas. I am going to try to find more out about the progress in the next week or so regarding workouts. I did see Dials last week and he seemed to be in terrific shape

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:46:01 PM)
We have about 10 or 15 more minutes to get the rest of your questions in...

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:46:55 PM)
While i'm thinking about it, Steve is going to have a chat on Thursday, I believe at 3 PM. You guys might want to mark that on your calendars

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:47:09 PM)
That's tomorrow, for those of you who get your days mixed up (like me)

BuckeyeSal1 (Apr 13, 2005 2:48:07 PM)
Have you heard through the grapevine anymore on how Bell looked/progressed this year in Utah? (if you can't tell, I'm concerned about our big men)

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:49:28 PM)
Well, Bell certainly showed the ability to put points up. He did it largely from the perimeter, but I was told he showed a "clever" assortment of shots both inside and outside during the year. I think the jury is still out on how he will do on the Big Ten level as a possible post player. In reality, I see Bell playing a lot more at PF early on

owubuck (Apr 13, 2005 2:49:31 PM)
i havent seen the younger deibler play but i hear he's the real deal, with him "listening" to other schools is there any chance OSU will get in the mix?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:50:34 PM)
Ohio State is already getting in the mix. They are hot on his tail. Whether or not he will listen closely is another story. I think in the long run, it will be hard for him to not consider some of these other schools despite his admirable devotion to his verbal commitment. Either way, I think the kid has enormous talent and he's a perfect fit for Thad Matta's offense

raven19 (Apr 13, 2005 2:50:51 PM)
I would like see more informaiton on women's basketball. It should consist of the same coverage as the men's. Is this possible?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:51:54 PM)
I think ideally this is something we all want. Right now it's a matter of demand, and I think people are showing they want more of it. As Bucknuts continues to grow, coverage with something that's becoming popular like women's hoops will get its fair devotion of coverage. I think towards the end of the year we did a much better job covering it, although certainly there's always room for improvements

bw1954 (Apr 13, 2005 2:52:16 PM)
Is Matta the key recruiter or are the assistants coaches each handling a particular recruit ? What is the different philosophy wiith this staff on recruiting versus OB ?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:53:35 PM)
There are certain recruits that have obvious assignments from assistants. However, Matta has his hand on all of the recruiting, as he's much more active than most head coaches. That has really helped, because he has been very influential with a number of recruits. I'll tell you this... if Ohio State lands Conley and Oden, the overwhelming factor will be because of how much they really buy into Matta, what he preaches, and the new levels they feel he can take the Ohio State program

Buckdub (Apr 13, 2005 2:53:45 PM)
Do you think it will be a few years still before the national pundits (Dukey Vitale and others) will start giving the Big Ten more respect? I noticed in the McDonald's all-american game there were no big 10 players (i don't think)

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:54:59 PM)
Certainly it's alarming that the Big Ten had no McDonald's All-Americans, but at the same time, there really aren't any big time players coming this year. I think the Big Ten got a lot more respect putting two teams in the final four again. As for the McD's game, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Matta and some of these other teams are working hard to make that a different story next season!

raven19 (Apr 13, 2005 2:55:03 PM)
I am looking forward to a great season for the lady bucks!

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:56:45 PM)
I think everyone believes next year can be really special if someone can replace (or at least ease the loss of) Caity Matter. The UC transfer Debbie Merrill will make quite an unbelieveable frontcourt duo with Jessica Davenport next season

BDB (Apr 13, 2005 2:56:54 PM)
Any word on Chris Crockett out of Columbus Academy?

BDB (Apr 13, 2005 2:56:55 PM)
Chris Crockett was a freshman this past year at Columbus Academy, and is currently running track. I'm not certain as to what AAU team he participates for.

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:57:09 PM)
I'm aware of who he is, but I do not know for sure where he's playing. I will have to look into it

BDB (Apr 13, 2005 2:57:13 PM)
Will Ohio State be changing its uniforms anytime soon?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:57:32 PM)
I don't know of any current plans to do that, but I am guessing it's around the corner since they just changed their warmups last season

owubuck (Apr 13, 2005 2:57:37 PM)
what is the holdup with morgan and chicster getting offered?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:58:39 PM)
With Morgan it may be as simple as grades. With Chichester it could be a matter of waiting to see what sport he's going to play in, and that sort of thing. It also could be a matter of preference. I just don't know for sure. I know they are high on Luke Harangody, and I sense he's their first choice, but only they know whether that's the case

BDB (Apr 13, 2005 2:58:49 PM)
Will the Schott ever re-adjust its seating so the students can be on top of the floor?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 2:59:25 PM)
We talked about this briefly earlier, and I guess that's a wait-and-see. I do know Gene Smith wants to look at that aspect, or the seating arrangements in general. Hopefully after he's had some time on the job we can see where he goes with that.

BDB (Apr 13, 2005 2:59:27 PM)
Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com, in his extremely early NCAA bracket projections, had the Buckeyes with a No. 4 seed for next season. Is that realistic?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 3:00:39 PM)
I think it is. It will depend on rebounding and the development of Butler. If those two things improve, I see the chance for the Buckeyes to be at least a contender for the Big Ten title next year. In that case... a 4-seed is not at all out of the question. More realistically, i'm expecting about a 6 or 7 seed

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 3:01:02 PM)
Okay folks. I have time for about 2 more questions before I wrap up

ToMac (Apr 13, 2005 3:01:38 PM)
What is the academic status of the Cook, Lighty, Conley, Oden & Harangody?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 3:02:18 PM)
This is probably the biggest music to everyone's ears... none of those five have any academic concerns. They all are solid students, and will be no threat to being ineligible

BDB (Apr 13, 2005 3:03:01 PM)
If you could pick one team that is a sleeping giant, would OSU be that team?

Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 3:03:52 PM)
I guess that depends. Certainly landing Conley, Oden, Lighty, and Cook would have to categorize Ohio State as wakening a giant... but on the other hand, people seem to be already taking notice, so I don't think Matta is catching anyone off guard. Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 3:04:38 PM)
Alright folks. That's all the time I have for today. I appreciate everyone's time and questions, and we will do it again next week for sure! Kyle S. Lamb (Apr 13, 2005 3:05:30 PM)
Thank you everyone! have a great day

I am feeling great about how Thad Matta recruits, to go over to Indiana and "knock the socks off" of Conley and Oden. Matta is making a huge impact on the national recruiting scene.

I will conservatively put Ohio State's chances at Lighty at or around 70 percent. With Conley I will give it 55/45 to OSU...

I have felt the same way about Conley also...55% for OSU. I believe Lighty will be the next verbal.