Class of 2017 PG Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to Kentucky

[Todoubled23]

Just saw this figured I'd throw it up here...committed to Florida(SEC) but has reopened his recruitment, and is down to 8 schools again. Syracuse, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, UNLV, NC State, and Florida.

Edit: I believe he is out of Tennessee, #46 overall and #12 PG in '17.

 

[jdubs30]

If we go hard after him that means things aren't going well with Quade - it's good to have options but hopefully we don't need this kid. Quade and Frank is more than enough talent at the PG spot next year

 

[Cusefan0307]

If we go hard after him that means things aren't going well with Quade - it's good to have options but hopefully we don't need this kid. Quade and Frank is more than enough talent at the PG spot next year

Funny you should bring that up. UK is going after him.


Shai Alexander emerging as UK target

 

[Ward]

I think I saw that he played for Team Canada or is affiliated with the Canadian grassroots scene. If so, would be great to try and tap into our Canadian connects and ask Ennis's dad to inject us into the thought process.

I've never seen him play but reading a few things it sounds like he might be one of those long combo guards that can do a little bit of everything. If that's the case that could complement Quade pretty well and with our other back court target pool shrinking this seems like a great option to start getting involved with.

 

[bornagainOrange]

I dont believe this is a, "pickup to compliment Quade" this seems more like a "lets go man, or were going to get someone else" type of thing. Could be wrong...might be wrong. Just doesnt make a ton of sense considering we just told Matt Coleman that were good and concentrating on Quade. While I do believe Cuseman4 and Orangeman13 that Quade will be Orange...his recruitement is starting to feel a little uneasy.

 

[cusetown1]

I dont believe this is a, "pickup to compliment Quade" this seems more like a "lets go man, or were going to get someone else" type of thing. Could be wrong...might be wrong. Just doesnt make a ton of sense considering we just told Matt Coleman that were good and concentrating on Quade. While I do believe Cuseman4 and Orangeman13 that Quade will be Orange...his recruitement is starting to feel a little uneasy.

Onto the next, that's the way I see it.

 

[bornagainOrange]

Onto the next, that's the way I see it.

Honestly, if we lose out on Quade...we probably would be ok as we are starting to make our name as "grad transfer U" but I think I would rather have Quade no matter what. Kind of annoyed at this point

 

[Ward]

I dont believe this is a, "pickup to compliment Quade" this seems more like a "lets go man, or were going to get someone else" type of thing. Could be wrong...might be wrong. Just doesnt make a ton of sense considering we just told Matt Coleman that were good and concentrating on Quade. While I do believe Cuseman4 and Orangeman13 that Quade will be Orange...his recruitement is starting to feel a little uneasy.

I'm not saying he would be recruited strictly because he may complement Quade well. I'm saying he would be a good guy to get whether Quade comes or not - which is how we should be approaching this entire class until Quade makes it official.

Reality is we need more than one guard in the class and with Randolph and O'Connell no longer options, Walker and Diallo far from sure things to be in Orange and other kids to start targeting coming off the board you need to get involved with anyone who may be a good fit.

Personally, I think the staff's approach to just not recruit other pg's because we want Quade and feel good about him coming here is dangerous. You shouldn't stop recruiting guys like Coleman or other pg's until Quade makes it official and shuts down his recruitment. I think we are positioned well with him but I don't 100% trust Quade will be orange as long as UK is involved and he's doing things like attending Big Blue madness. It's just standard and common risk aversion practice.

My thought to rationalize it is that the staff is pretty high on Howard's ability to run the offense in 2017-18 regardless of if Quade is here or not and then they'll go hard after an '18 pg stud instead of bringing in a kid they don't love. Not sure this can be the case for Coleman but maybe the Alvarez and Washington's of the world.

We did this with Battle and almost got burned pretty bad if he stuck with his Michigan commitment.

 

[RF2044]

I dont believe this is a, "pickup to compliment Quade" this seems more like a "lets go man, or were going to get someone else" type of thing. Could be wrong...might be wrong. Just doesnt make a ton of sense considering we just told Matt Coleman that were good and concentrating on Quade. While I do believe Cuseman4 and Orangeman13 that Quade will be Orange...his recruitement is starting to feel a little uneasy.

Onto the next, that's the way I see it.

Nah.

You guys worry too much.

 

[Janner]

We were recruiting Randolph and the kid who committed to Duke (cant remember the name right now) as SG so why not look at Alexander? We still would like to pick up another guard in this class, the fact that he is a combo guard is just a built in positive as far as I am concerned. I don't think this effects the Quade recruitment one bit unless Alexander wants to play strictly the PG in college. At 6'5, athletic, with a 6'10 wingspan he is a VERY nice fit in the zone. I'd have no problem if we are lucky enough to pick up this kid for 2017.

 

[RF2044]

We were recruiting Randolph and the kid who committed to Duke (cant remember the name right now) as SG so why not look at Alexander? We still would like to pick up another guard in this class, the fact that he is a combo guard is just a built in positive as far as I am concerned. I don't think this effects the Quade recruitment one bit unless Alexander wants to play strictly the PG in college. At 6'5, athletic, with a 6'10 wingspan he is a VERY nice fit in the zone. I'd have no problem if we are lucky enough to pick up this kid for 2017.

Not to mention, we could be looking at as large as a 7 player class.

We need four year guys in addition to the blue chippers we are recruiting.

 

[bornagainOrange]

Nah.

You guys worry too much.

Not worried...just annoyed that this is the new way of recruiting wars. I said in another post, Im not worried because even if we infact miss on Quade or anyone else for that matter, we are making a name as " transfer U" right wrong or indifferent...its becoming a way to stay elite.

 

[SYR2RDU]

A lot of people are also missing that these recruits we are in on are all top tier. I keep seeing names like Moyer pop up when talking about recruiting but the guys we are in on right now are not even close to the same tier player..

When SU isn't offering top guys the board complains that we are fighting with the big boys and now that we are the board is complaining it's taking too long.

If you want to run with the big dogs you have to learn to pi** on big trees

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I'm not saying he would be recruited strictly because he may complement Quade well. I'm saying he would be a good guy to get whether Quade comes or not - which is how we should be approaching this entire class until Quade makes it official.

Reality is we need more than one guard in the class and with Randolph and O'Connell no longer options, Walker and Diallo far from sure things to be in Orange and other kids to start targeting coming off the board you need to get involved with anyone who may be a good fit.

Personally, I think the staff's approach to just not recruit other pg's because we want Quade and feel good about him coming here is dangerous. You shouldn't stop recruiting guys like Coleman or other pg's until Quade makes it official and shuts down his recruitment. I think we are positioned well with him but I don't 100% trust Quade will be orange as long as UK is involved and he's doing things like attending Big Blue madness. It's just standard and common risk aversion practice.

My thought to rationalize it is that the staff is pretty high on Howard's ability to run the offense in 2017-18 regardless of if Quade is here or not and then they'll go hard after an '18 pg stud instead of bringing in a kid they don't love. Not sure this can be the case for Coleman but maybe the Alvarez and Washington's of the world.

We did this with Battle and almost got burned pretty bad if he stuck with his Michigan commitment.

IMO, you don't tell Coleman "no thanks" unless Quade told you he is coming.

 

[RF2044]

IMO, you don't tell Coleman "no thanks" unless Quade told you he is coming.

Agree 100%. Coleman is a stud--future NBA player.

 

[Ward]

IMO, you don't tell Coleman "no thanks" unless Quade told you he is coming.

I think that is very likely the case, however, until Quade tells Calipari and Coach K "no thanks" and he's coming to Syracuse then you keep options open. There have been plenty of silent commitments in recruiting that never ended up seeing the light of day.

 

[nyucuse]

Agree 100%. Coleman is a stud--future NBA player.

Devil's advocate - JB and co. felt we were at best #3 with Coleman behind Duke and Texas, and had little chance of landing him, and as such, the staff uses the thanks but no thanks approach to play up the 'QG, you are our guy' angle.

Not sure which of the two it is. Hope you guys are right, but I can't see QG being done for us yet. He may very well be leaning our way, but I don't buy the silent verbal stuff.

 

[Francis03]

Just saw this figured I'd throw it up here...committed to Florida(SEC) but has reopened his recruitment, and is down to 8 schools again. Syracuse, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, UNLV, NC State, and Florida.

Edit: I believe he is out of Tennessee, #46 overall and #12 PG in '17.

He's from Canada and started prepping in Tennessee last year. Played with Oshae Brissett on Team Canada U18 team this past summer. Hopefully we can land a visit and become legit players in this one. If the opportunity is there to land a top 50 guard that has mutual interest, then you must go out and try to get him whether Q commits to us or not.

 

[OburgCuse]

He's from Canada and started prepping in Tennessee last year. Played with Oshae Brissett on Team Canada U18 team this past summer. Hopefully we can land a visit and become legit players in this one. If the opportunity is there to land a top 50 guard that has mutual interest, then you must go out and try to get him whether Q commits to us or not.

I agree...Scoop and Jonny Flynn worked out pretty well for us coming in together

 

[chugg21]

Honestly, if we lose out on Quade...we probably would be ok as we are starting to make our name as "grad transfer U" but I think I would rather have Quade no matter what. Kind of annoyed at this point

How does that make any sense? Let me know how we are now Grad Transfer U after never dipping into that well prior to this year.

 

[bornagainOrange]

How does that make any sense? Let me know how we are now Grad Transfer U after never dipping into that well prior to this year.

I said, "starting to become grad transfer U" and that is a good thing with today's rules and landscape, in order to stay elite. That ok with you...hombre?

 

[chugg21]

I said, "starting to become grad transfer U" and that is a good thing with today's rules and landscape, in order to stay elite. That ok with you...hombre?

Just thought it was bizarre and ridiculous to think that we are becoming anything in that market considering that we've ventured into it once ever. There's a lot of other teams that have been doing this with far greater volume for a long time.

 

[bornagainOrange]

Just thought it was bizarre and ridiculous to think that we are becoming anything in that market considering that we've ventured into it once ever. There's a lot of other teams that have been doing this with far greater volume for a long time.

Maybe, but do you not agree that if we have continued success with our grad transfers, more and more elite grad transfers will look and/or commit to us? I do, we arguably got the best grad transfers on the market in White and have added Gillon and Chukwu as well. We're filling voids and making recruiting misses or early departures not as bad. Just sayn , we are making a name as a destination for these guys

 

[Todoubled23]

Man how many of you guys peeped this kids wingspan? 6'10 1/2 niceeeeeee

 

[chugg21]

Maybe, but do you not agree that if we have continued success with our grad transfers, more and more elite grad transfers will look and/or commit to us? I do, we arguably got the best grad transfers on the market in White and have added Gillon and Chukwu as well. We're filling voids and making recruiting misses or early departures not as bad. Just sayn , we are making a name as a destination for these guys

Chukwu is a normal transfer. The grad transfer market isn't really somewhere to have continued success, it is for filling holes where a guy can come get immediate playing time. Its something that we should hope not to have to do very frequently especially past this next class. If Battle leaves then a grad transfer on the wing becomes a necessity since there won't be a natural 2 or 3 on the roster. Can't imagine any grad would possibly be interested at the 1/4/5 as those minutes are going to be filled regardless of who comes/goes.