Class of 2022 PG JJ Starling (Baldwinsville / La Lumiere) Offered

[UpstateSM]

How local are we going? I'd say Andre Jackson, Isaiah Stewart, and Thomas Bryant are all relatively local to SU. (1.5 hr or less drive straight down I-95; City Rocks; neighboring Sections, etc.)

Section 3 local

 

[Sherman20]

Syracuse is recruitment is kind of like the kid that didn’t ask one of the prettiest girl in the school to go to the prom because he was hoping the prettiest girl would go with him even though she’s engaged to be married.

We blew it, pushing all of our chips in on Dior.

And now that he's at La Lumiere, sayonara.

Dior committed to Syracuse early and was a top 5 player. Let’s stop with this false narrative. Plus Syracuse still continued to recruit Starling even after the Dior commitment.

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

We should be 100% trying to make it up to JJ. Kids a stud

 

[Cusesky8214]

 

[Cusesky8214]

JJ and Chandler going at it. JJ had 26 i think in this one

 

[RF2044]

Dior committed to Syracuse early and was a top 5 player. Let’s stop with this false narrative. Plus Syracuse still continued to recruit Starling even after the Dior commitment.

It isn't a "narrative" -- we went all in with Dior, for the reasons you state. But ultimately, it didn't work out and Starling elected to go to prep school in Indiana instead of somewhere closer / more "friendly" to our program like Brewster.

Rarely is not prioritizing top talent literally in your own back yard a good move.

 

[Alsacs]

Dior committed to Syracuse early and was a top 5 player. Let’s stop with this false narrative. Plus Syracuse still continued to recruit Starling even after the Dior commitment.

Respect your takes Sher but there are posters who when they say something it’s a factual and not opinion. Like Dasher and RF if they say it then it’s money to the bank.

While I understand the idea of this staff on this it appears to have been a misfire.

 

[hoopsupstate]

He’s got more offensive game than any guard we have on the team. I always liked the way he played. I hope we’re still in it for him. He just lacks a little strength.

 

[kcsu]

He’s got more offensive game than any guard we have on the team. I always liked the way he played. I hope we’re still in it for him. He just lacks a little strength.

Long shot at best.

 

[money3189]

Im not connected in hoops but Im good friends with a guy that is connected to the hoops scene in NYS. His son played in some events with JJ. My buddy told me flat out that JJ will not attend SU and this was 2 years ago. Sometimes it has nothing to do with going all out on a kid. I know its hard for some people to understand that.

 

[orange79]

Im not connected in hoops but Im good friends with a guy that is connected to the hoops scene in NYS. His son played in some events with JJ. My buddy told me flat out that JJ will not attend SU and this was 2 years ago. Sometimes it has nothing to do with going all out on a kid. I know its hard for some people to understand that.

Hmmm. I wonder who's been saying that same thing about Jai Smith.

Sometimes a kid just doesn't want to go to a certain school(s). It happens.

But a lot of posters here legit think this is an impossibility.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Hmmm. I wonder who's been saying that same thing about Jai Smith.

Sometimes a kid just doesn't want to go to a certain school(s). It happens.

But a lot of posters here legit think this is an impossibility.

I respect you and your opinion but this was not the case regarding Jai...at least not early on. Things change and that might be the case now...after we didn't show much interest and others did. Just going to leave it at that. But people are absolutely right that sometimes kids just don't want to go to certain schools and its as simple as that.

 

[Funk Doc]

Imagine the outcry if we went after JJ and then later on heard from Dior that he was all about coming, but we seemed more interested in JJ. We can’t have it both ways.

 

[Alsacs]

Imagine the outcry if we went after JJ and then later on heard from Dior that he was all about coming, but we seemed more interested in JJ. We can’t have it both ways.

Imagine the outcry if we end up with neither of them and the strategy invoked didn’t get either of them to play for SU.

When we got Brandon Triche I am sure their were other targets but Triche turned out great.

 

[Shrmdougluvr]

Imagine the outcry if we went after JJ and then later on heard from Dior that he was all about coming, but we seemed more interested in JJ. We can’t have it both ways.

I would be more concerned that our staff thinks there is a scintilla of a chance that Dior will play college ball.

 

[Funk Doc]

I would be more concerned that our staff thinks there is a scintilla of a chance that Dior will play college ball.

Totally agree...I’m in the camp that they should have put time into both, but who knows what any of these kids really are looking for.

 

[chugg21]

I'm not sure which is my favorite board word/phrase that is often used to prove a point but doesn't. "Narrative" or So and So "Says Hi".

 

[dasher]

We blew it, pushing all of our chips in on Dior.

And now that he's at La Lumiere, sayonara.

JJ has always had UNC has his #1 school. I don't think we blew anything here. Plus, we did get a commit from Dior who rightly or wrongly, didn't think was going straight to pro ball. No one here was complaining when Dior committed. There are numerous problems with our recruiting. I really don't think this is one of them. Plus, we haven't lost him yet,. Although, it doesn't look great at this point.

 

[RF2044]

JJ has always had UNC has his #1 school. I don't think we blew anything here. Plus, we did get a commit from Dior who rightly or wrongly, didn't think was going straight to pro ball. No one here was complaining when Dior committed. There are numerous problems with our recruiting. I really don't think this is one of them. Plus, we haven't lost him yet,. Although, it doesn't look great at this point.

UNC is undoubtedly the dream school for JJ. However, as of this summer UNC had not actively pursued him in any way.

Look, I understand that Dior was rated higher. But I do think that the coaches needed to be aware that [1] the kid was a high risk to not qualify, based upon all of the HS absurdity with changing schools every year, and [2] that bringing him in carried the massive risk that he wouldn't end up here, opt to go the professional route, etc. Let's not pretend that there weren't warning signs even from the beginning.

And ultimately, it comes down to whether one year of Dior was worth losing out on JJ or others. Think back to when we brought in that outstanding class of 2007 -- Flynn, Greene, Scoop and Jackson. The former two were McD's all americans. But who had a bigger impact on our program -- Greene or Jackson? Greene gave us the dynast sign; Jackson was a key member of one of our best teams ever [2010]. Flynn was terrific, very happy we had him for the two years we did, but Scoop was a focal contributor on TWO of our best teams ever [2010 and 2012]. So I think you can certainly make the argument that he had as much if not a bigger program-level impact at SU than Flynn, despite Jonny's very fun two years.

JJ is a terrific player. Sucks that may have shot ourselves in the foot instead of continuing to recruit him, and getting sucked into the package deal pipe dream that came along with Dior, but never materialized.

And I also recognize that the good thing here is that we're still out in front of the class of 2022 -- this isn't like the Quade Green situation, where we're left holding the bag at the end with no options. Copeland / Lindsay would be nice "fall back" options at the 1, even if we miss on JJ.

But through the lens of hindsight, I don't think it was the best idea to turn our noses up at an outstanding local product, because we were locked into a flashier alternative. If we'd recruited JJ steadily all along, maybe we'd be in a better position today, after the inevitable occurred with Dior.

 

[Cuse1055]

As others have mentioned, from everything I’ve ever heard, JJ has never been interested in coming here. I’m more than happy with Quadir Copeland though hopefully.

 

[721Comstock]

As others have mentioned, from everything I’ve ever heard, JJ has never been interested in coming here. I’m more than happy with Quadir Copeland though hopefully.

Yeah, you can't "miss" on a shot you never actually had.

Because if you could - MAN, did I just miss out on Kate Upton.