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All I'm really trying to say I'd prefer to not see guards for the sake of guards in the 2010 class. If they aren't blue chip recruits, or if Crean isn't convinced he's found the next Dwayne Wade (who was on no one's recruiting lists), I'd prefer him to take a pass rather than filling a spot. Of course, I don't just want the tallest guy available either. Others have posted that they'd prefer to pass 2010 in order to land more top recruits in 2011. I think I might be in that camp as well.
I understand your point about Pritchard, Elston, Capo, Watford and Muniru, all seem like good gets for the interior game, but I think a lot of people's frustration is, other than DJ, when was the last time a big man was the headliner of a recruiting class for IU?
When was the last time we had a stud big recruit?
I think the last team to win a title without a true legit big was maybe Michigan State?
Also, there are several teams that have won recently without a big man that I would consider a stud. Syracuse, Maryland, the aformentioned MSU, UCONN in '99, Arizona in '97. Those are just some I can think of quickly. I think the common factor is that you have to have STUD players in general and probably multiple studs. We are getting there and may already have two in the fold (Watford and Creek)....we shall see. If we could add a stud scorer and ball handler like Irving that would only help our team. At least in my eyes. Of course I also see Pritchard as a potential All-Big Ten performer. One of those 15 and 8 guys on a good team.
The last 10 years - teams with elite big men that won titles.
2004 - UConn - Emeka Okafor
2005 - North Carolina - Sean May
2006, 2007 - Florida - Noah, Horford
No singular stud big man, but plenty of frontcourt firepower
1998 - Kentucky - no stud big, but the front court had longtime NBA players Jamal Magloire and Scott Padgett, and had two other 6'10'' players.
1999 - UConn - Jake Voskhul, plus 3 more frontcourt players taller than 6'11''
2001- Duke - Carlos Boozer, Shane Battier are 6'9'', and the team had 3 additional players at 6'10'' or taller.
2002 - Maryland (ugh) - no "stud", but Chris Wilcox has a pro career, and their frontline was 6'10'', 6'10'', 6'9''
The others
2000 - Michigan State - no one of note, and no one taller than 6'9''.
2003 - Syracuse - not as tall, but Hakim Warrick (6'9'') had the wingspan of a condor, and a solid NBA career.
So, of the last 10:
- 4 had premier (at least at the college level) big men.
- 4 others had frontcourts with multiple players about 6'10'', with at least one NBA level talent among them.
- Syracuse had a unique big in Warrick, and I can't really explain Michigan State.
In 8 of 10 circumstances, the winning team had imposing size in their frontcourt, or a game changing C/PF. Seems like a pretty good track record, especially now that premier high school players can't go directly to the NBA anymore.
I donot know COusins but he does not sound like either one .
Our offense starts most of the time out of a 1-4 High set ( vs a stack down low etc ) and every one in the scheme must be able to cut, pass, dribble and set picks. (Which is why Moore is setting picks half the time). It assumes that all 5 players have a way to score vs last year's 2 person team ie dumping down to DJ and sets for EJ .
I admit it looks like it is "guard" oriented but it mostly "guard skills" oriented. If 6'6"+ guys were able enough to do all the things required ( ie Watford, maybe Elston ) then it will not look so much like all guards.
in the past, Crean hasn't had teams that trotted out all players 6'4 and under. but, all of his bigs (the best example probably being Steve Novak) could step out and stretch the defense ala Kirk Haston.
that got me thinking, what's the over/under on the amount of points Haston would average per game under Crean? 64 1/2?
I think as perhaps you do that it would be better to defer recruitng "projects" or relatively unattractive talent to land quality later. I also think it would actually help smooth the flow of recruits and better target and balance them to the positions we need as we have time to see how our guys are working out.( ie development, injuries, transfers ).
So I agree with Tberry, Hoostheman as well.
Lets face it.
I agree with that, the 2011 class is a class that is strong all the way around and we are starting out on a level playing field with other coaches.......I say screw 2010 if no one major comes in and focus on the next year.
In other news, Rick Greenspan opened the door for me today at Chipotle.
Syracuse had Warrick, Maryland had Baxter (All-American) and Wilcox (lottery pick). MSU is the last team to not have that. You're also right about Arizona, but that's twice in the last 11 years. Even most of the runner's up had NBA quality bigs. The myth that college basketball is a guards game is exactly that, a myth.
If we want to return to the prestige that IU basketball has had in the past, including Big Ten titles and National Championships then you need NBA quality players consistently coming into your program, especially big men.
I don't know why there is this misconception that winning in college basketball today and recruiting top high school players means selling youself to the devil and recruiting drug adicts that can read. Look at UNC, Duke, UCLA and Kansas. All very successful program over the last decade and longer and for the most part all those program are clean and have recruited respected citizens and students.
Why wouldn't you want winning players like Hansbrough, Russell Westbrook, Brandon Rush and Kyle Singler? All were top recruits that will play or are playing in the NBA, and all were model citizens and winners in college. What is so bad about that dude?