BBall Recruiting Update w/ Updated Rankings

[RazorAg]

Sorry that I haven't been as active as in the past.  Life has been in the way...

That said, as some have posted in several places, Malik Monk had a great NBPA Top 100 camp.  I've also seen positive reports from the Nike Point Guard Skill Academy, taking instruction from Kyrie Irving, Michael Carter-Williams and Trey Burke.  He's proven that he's not a gunner.  He's a confident yet thoughtful guard that can score it or pass it, whichever is the best option.  He's proven that he's a Top 5 prospect in his class, and one of the best guards in high school.  After the Nike Skill Academy, he mentioned that us, Florida, Kentucky, Indiana and Louisville are recruiting him the hardest.  Of course, that's all from Marcus, who handles all of his recruitment.  Malik doesn't even give out his phone number.  We're in a fine position with a long way to go.  If Pel stays at Florida, I think them and Kentucky will be our stiffest competition.

Jimmy Whitt hinted this week that us and SMU are the frontrunners, as we are two that he says will no doubt get official visits. As you'll see below, Whitt has shot up the rankings, and the offers have followed......as those of us that follow recruiting closely expected.

Some of you saw my thoughts on the offer to Juwan Morgan last week.  I was afraid that we would be a little behind other schools due to waiting to offer him, while others jumped on board.  However, he says that we'll get an official visit along with Indiana and Washington.  I have a feeling that at this time, Indiana is the main competition.  We should turn up the heat this month when the coaches can get back out on the road.

Who knows if the ship has sailed with KeVaughn Allen, but he's impressed lately at the NBPA Top 100 and Nike Point Guard Skill Academy.

Not a lot lately from Admon Gilder, but I continue to think SMU is main comp.  That said, SMU is after a lot of guard talent, so he could be down the pecking order a little (maybe behind Whitt).  Will be interesting to follow.

Melvin Frazier's recruitment is also super quiet.  Actually, it always has been.  When that's the case, grades could be a question, although I have no good info on that.  Also, as I predicted earlier in the spring, he's fallen in the rankings.  Still, a very productive player, and I'd be happy to land him.

Speaking of productive, Ed Morrow continues to be that.  Love this kid.  Fits us like a glove.  He's a more aggressive Frazier.  Similar size.  Similar athleticism.  We offered in May, and his recruitment is still a little immature, but I don't get the impression we're front of mind with him.  Would need to make a push in July.

So, there are some notes.  The main four services have updated their 2015 rankings, so I've listed our main prospects and their updated rankings below.  I also showed the last list I published so that you can see how things changed.  Whitt and Morgan were the big movers.

Updated Prospect List w/ Rankings:



Prior List:

[Razorod]

Great, great stuff!

[HawgAdvocate]

I see where former Wings scout Don Williams was 'fired,' and is now with Team Texas. Williams is the guy who brought Melvin Frazier to the Wings.

[HawgAdvocate]

Malik Dime is an intriguing JUCO big, though he's also a Iowa St. visitor today.

[SemperFi]

RazorAG, excellent information! +1 for your efforts.

I'm interested in who do we have a legitimate shot at signing. It appears that we've lost King McClure, was never in the running for homegrown talent in Kevaughn Allen and are battling SMU for Whitt. SMU, which has zero tradition to speak of and although Larry Brown is a legend, it's still SMU. The Hogs should have beaten UF last season and took two from UK and was deserving of an NCAA bid last season. We're much closer to where we all want to be today and just need a couple Players, not projects, to put us in position to compete on the elite level once again. Is Coach Anderson and his staff that bad at closing? There has got to be something preventing the Hogs from consistingly landing the top 10-15 classes every year. Facilities surely cannot be a hurdle. Bud Walton is an amazing arena and we have the tradition in place to not be in battles with schools like SMU. Somebody, please help me understand what is really going on here.

[HawgAdvocate]

Somebody, please help me understand what is really going on here.

SMU is a rich school, on a great campus, in Dallas. Larry Brown knows how to prepare a PG for the NBA. They have landed 5* recruits in back to back years now, including the top freshman PG (Muiday) for this coming season. They have had their own practice facility since 2008. They made the NIT finals last season and should start this coming season in/near the top 25. This ain't the SMU of old.

[forrest city joe]

RazorAG, excellent information! +1 for your efforts.

I'm interested in who do we have a legitimate shot at signing. It appears that we've lost King McClure, was never in the running for homegrown talent in Kevaughn Allen and are battling SMU for Whitt. SMU, which has zero tradition to speak of and although Larry Brown is a legend, it's still SMU. The Hogs should have beaten UF last season and took two from UK and was deserving of an NCAA bid last season. We're much closer to where we all want to be today and just need a couple Players, not projects, to put us in position to compete on the elite level once again. Is Coach Anderson and his staff that bad at closing? There has got to be something preventing the Hogs from consistingly landing the top 10-15 classes every year. Facilities surely cannot be a hurdle. Bud Walton is an amazing arena and we have the tradition in place to not be in battles with schools like SMU. Somebody, please help me understand what is really going on here.

Nothing is going on. Arkansas basketball recruiting is doing just fine. Mike Anderson and staff will get us some good players. it's all good.

[yraciv]

SMU is a rich school, on a great campus, in Dallas. Larry Brown knows how to prepare a PG for the NBA. They have landed 5* recruits in back to back years now, including the top freshman PG (Muiday) for this coming season. They have had their own practice facility since 2008. They made the NIT finals last season and should start this coming season in/near the top 25. This ain't the SMU of old.

And they just had a huge renovation completed on their arena.  It may not be Bud Walton, but their games are packed and facilities are sparkling new.  Combo that with all of HA's other points and there is a lot of momentum at SMU.  Which we all should have expected when they hired a coaching legend.

[RazorAg]

RazorAG, excellent information! +1 for your efforts.

I'm interested in who do we have a legitimate shot at signing. It appears that we've lost King McClure, was never in the running for homegrown talent in Kevaughn Allen and are battling SMU for Whitt. SMU, which has zero tradition to speak of and although Larry Brown is a legend, it's still SMU. The Hogs should have beaten UF last season and took two from UK and was deserving of an NCAA bid last season. We're much closer to where we all want to be today and just need a couple Players, not projects, to put us in position to compete on the elite level once again. Is Coach Anderson and his staff that bad at closing? There has got to be something preventing the Hogs from consistingly landing the top 10-15 classes every year. Facilities surely cannot be a hurdle. Bud Walton is an amazing arena and we have the tradition in place to not be in battles with schools like SMU. Somebody, please help me understand what is really going on here.

Well, first, we were in indeed in the running for Allen.  It's not that simple with Whitt, and our results against Florida and Kentucky aren't that relevant.

Very simply, recruits don't think like a lot of fans do.  Things that a lot of them think are important, especially small picture items like how close we came to beating Florida and our beating UK twice in one season, aren't important to recruits.

This staff hasn't ever consistently produced Top 25 recruiting classes.  They recruit differently (recruit to system, which doesn't always yield top rated players) and not as well as other top 25 programs.  So, I think the wins will have to come before we start producing top 10-15 classes consistently.

Lastly, yes, Bud Walton is a top 20 arena.  You can argue that it's closer to top 10 than 20.  However, overall, our facilities are not in the top 25 due to the lacking amenities, aging and no practice facility.  Again, you may not think that should matter, but it does to recruits.

[forrest city joe]

Well, first, we were in indeed in the running for Allen.  It's not that simple with Whitt, and our results against Florida and Kentucky aren't that relevant.

Very simply, recruits don't think like a lot of fans do.  Things that a lot of them think are important, especially small picture items like how close we came to beating Florida and our beating UK twice in one season, aren't important to recruits.

This staff hasn't ever consistently produced Top 25 recruiting classes.  They recruit differently (recruit to system, which doesn't always yield top rated players) and not as well as other top 25 programs.  So, I think the wins will have to come before we start producing top 10-15 classes consistently.

Lastly, yes, Bud Walton is a top 20 arena.  You can argue that it's closer to top 10 than 20.  However, overall, our facilities are not in the top 25 due to the lacking amenities, aging and no practice facility.  Again, you may not think that should matter, but it does to recruits.

+1000. right on the money. you get it.

[rzrbackramsfan]

Thanks for the info as always razorag.

[HawgAdvocate]

At last weekend's NBAPA Top 100 camp, Gilder told Scout's Brian Snow that the schools he was hearing the most from we're Oklahoma St, SMU, Texas, and UNLV.

[HogBreath]

Nothing is going on. Arkansas basketball recruiting is doing just fine. Mike Anderson and staff will get us some good players. it's all good.

https://sp1.yimg.com/ib/th?id=HN.608051203334016501&pid=15.1&w=192&h=126&p=0

[SemperFi]

Well, first, we were in indeed in the running for Allen.  It's not that simple with Whitt, and our results against Florida and Kentucky aren't that relevant.

Very simply, recruits don't think like a lot of fans do.  Things that a lot of them think are important, especially small picture items like how close we came to beating Florida and our beating UK twice in one season, aren't important to recruits.

This staff hasn't ever consistently produced Top 25 recruiting classes.  They recruit differently (recruit to system, which doesn't always yield top rated players) and not as well as other top 25 programs.  So, I think the wins will have to come before we start producing top 10-15 classes consistently.

Lastly, yes, Bud Walton is a top 20 arena.  You can argue that it's closer to top 10 than 20.  However, overall, our facilities are not in the top 25 due to the lacking amenities, aging and no practice facility.  Again, you may not think that should matter, but it does to recruits.

Agree and somewhat disagree. The wins against UK in a year that they actually played for the National Championship surely has an impact. If we had lost then it would most definitely be used against us. The Hogs also beat SMU last season despite their legendary coach, facilities or momentum. Arkansas is also building our own practice facility, which is being used as a recruiting tool.

I'll buy the fact that the types of players that CMA recruits are not typically the highly rated 5 and 4 star players that end up at UK, KU, UNC and the likes, but I assume that if an offer is extended then he is our type of player. We're missing on far more of these players that fit the system that would be impact types and it appears that we're settling on the project types.

Just seems to me that with everything that's in place or in process at the UA that it would dictate far better results than what we've seen. I'm hoping that CMA can get the job done and that it's at a level that is consistent year in and year out. Thanks for all the input.

[RazorAg]

Agree and somewhat disagree. The wins against UK in a year that they actually played for the National Championship surely has an impact. If we had lost then it would most definitely be used against us. The Hogs also beat SMU last season despite their legendary coach, facilities or momentum. Arkansas is also building our own practice facility, which is being used as a recruiting tool.

I'll buy the fact that the types of players that CMA recruits are not typically the highly rated 5 and 4 star players that end up at UK, KU, UNC and the likes, but I assume that if an offer is extended then he is our type of player. We're missing on far more of these players that fit the system that would be impact types and it appears that we're settling on the project types.

Just seems to me that with everything that's in place or in process at the UA that it would dictate far better results than what we've seen. I'm hoping that CMA can get the job done and that it's at a level that is consistent year in and year out. Thanks for all the input.

I'm not sure how closely you follow bball recruiting and if you're ever around these kids.  I follow very closely, and am around recruited kids quite a bit, relative to the normal fan.

These kids have already forgotten what happened in the regular season.  Last year's tournament is relevant.  The last 4-5 years of overall success is relevant.

Certainly, our staff will remind kids of how we competed, but ultimately, until we start making noise in the tourney, considering that our staff isn't an elite recruiting group, we're still working uphill.

[hawgsmellgud]

Would be big time.


Woo pig.