Class of 2025 SF Aaron Womack (WI) COMMITTED TO SYRACUSE (9/30/24)

[cuseallday]

I trust Red and staff here. Every single kid they go after blows up and it backfires. I want a kid who wants to be at cuse and this kid seems thrilled to be a part of the program. And he has a quick trigger and can shoot it. If he grows 2 more inches too even bigger bonus bc of his ability to put the ball on the floor

Great points. I talked to two analysts/scouts last night about Aaron, and they had positive things to say about this young man. I'll have a story out soon!

 

[bnoro]

I’d feel better if this had been someone we’d been recruiting all along. But we weren’t. It has the feel of almost a panic offer, like we aren’t going to get anyone good, so someone is better than no one. I hope I’m wrong, but looking at the list of low major schools that were recruiting him doesn’t generate confidence.

No one on this board knows every single player that is being recruited, and to what level they are being recruited. We have no idea if this was a kid the staff had been working on, and was keeping a bit under the radar.

How do you know we haven't been in contact with this kid for months? You never see a kid immediately commit somewhere that offers him with zero relationship with the coaching staff.

 

[GoCuse14]

No one on this board knows every single player that is being recruited, and to what level they are being recruited. We have no idea if this was a kid the staff had been working on, and was keeping a bit under the radar.

How do you know we haven't been in contact with this kid for months? You never see a kid immediately commit somewhere that offers him with zero relationship with the coaching staff.

Exactly... Sometimes people post just to be contradictory.

 

[Cappy3]

No one on this board knows every single player that is being recruited, and to what level they are being recruited. We have no idea if this was a kid the staff had been working on, and was keeping a bit under the radar.

How do you know we haven't been in contact with this kid for months? You never see a kid immediately commit somewhere that offers him with zero relationship with the coaching staff.

At best, we know he wasn’t a high priority considering he wasn’t brought in until this late. And seriously, looking at his other offers, you’re surprised he jumped at SU?

 

[General20]

No one on this board knows every single player that is being recruited, and to what level they are being recruited. We have no idea if this was a kid the staff had been working on, and was keeping a bit under the radar.

How do you know we haven't been in contact with this kid for months? You never see a kid immediately commit somewhere that offers him with zero relationship with the coaching staff.

If anyone here knows it's Dasher and he said exactly that the staff was trying to keep this kid under the radar.

I'll be honest, I don't get all the negativity. If we were only recruiting under the radar types that would be a problem but we got a top 10 kid last year and already have a top 15 kid this year. The complainers seem to be upset we aren't recruiting a full class of all 5 star recruits, but Syracuse has never done that. I'm not sure where that expectation came from.

 

[RF2044]

At best, we know he wasn’t a high priority considering he wasn’t brought in until this late. And seriously, looking at his other offers, you’re surprised he jumped at SU?

I don't think that's accurate, as Dasher has indicated.

To me, this will be an early "test" of our new program GM, Alex Kline, and his use of advanced analytics to evaluate prospects. If Womack ends up panning out, I'll feel a lot more confident going forward about how the coaches / Kline are using data-driven analytics to identify portal transfers from smaller programs.

 

[bnoro]

At best, we know he wasn’t a high priority considering he wasn’t brought in until this late. And seriously, looking at his other offers, you’re surprised he jumped at SU?

Take a step back for a second.

Let's go back to a time where the internet and internet forums didn't exist. Players used to just show up on campus for a new year. You'd maybe see some ratings in a magazine.

Everything is just so over-dissected now and it doesn't have to be this way. Let the kid get to campus, let's see how he fits and let's see how he plays.

There's only one ball, every player can't be a star. Red seems to realize that and how to fit the puzzle pieces together.

 

[Orangezoo]

Take a step back for a second.

Let's go back to a time where the internet and internet forums didn't exist. Players used to just show up on campus for a new year. You'd maybe see some ratings in a magazine.

Everything is just so over-dissected now and it doesn't have to be this way. Let the kid get to campus, let's see how he fits and let's see how he plays.

There's only one ball, every player can't be a star. Red seems to realize that and how to fit the puzzle pieces together.

He’s not worth it - one day he is the campaign manager for the staff’s involvement with Tyler Jackson the next he’s saying he’s concerned about a lesser known recruit. All over the place

 

[007]

If anyone here knows it's Dasher and he said exactly that the staff was trying to keep this kid under the radar.

I'll be honest, I don't get all the negativity. If we were only recruiting under the radar types that would be a problem but we got a top 10 kid last year and already have a top 15 kid this year. The complainers seem to be upset we aren't recruiting a full class of all 5 star recruits, but Syracuse has never done that. I'm not sure where that expectation came from.

Yup. It's as if some posters think recruiting is like going into the HS/Portal Piggly Wiggly grocery store with an unlimited budget and and the staff's choice of any player from the top shelf. Why would they ever put a 3 star in the cart when there are so many 5 stars to pick from? And, why do they let Duke or Kentucky or Alabama budge in front and get the good stuff first? Don't they realize that Bob from Baldwinsville has much higher expectations for the program?

 

[Sherman20]

If anyone here knows it's Dasher and he said exactly that the staff was trying to keep this kid under the radar.

I'll be honest, I don't get all the negativity. If we were only recruiting under the radar types that would be a problem but we got a top 10 kid last year and already have a top 15 kid this year. The complainers seem to be upset we aren't recruiting a full class of all 5 star recruits, but Syracuse has never done that. I'm not sure where that expectation came from.

Exactly. You want to land some kids with big upside before they blow up. Players like James Southerland, Rautins, Arinze and Triche were 3 star recruits. (Triche largely due to his injury.) Buddy Boeheim too. Kadary was a back end top 100 recruit and we only pursued him after we lost out on Andre Jackson, and he’s turned out to be one of the best PGs in college basketball.

 

[Cappy3]

He’s not worth it - one day he is the campaign manager for the staff’s involvement with Tyler Jackson the next he’s saying he’s concerned about a lesser known recruit. All over the place

Sorry, is Tyler Jackson an unranked recruit? Maybe you think so, but the services disagree. It’s different going after a to 60 or so that you happen not to like and an unranked guy that until a few days ago no one here had ever heard of. You do grasp that, right?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Yup. It's as if some posters think recruiting is like going into the HS/Portal Piggly Wiggly grocery store with an unlimited budget and and the staff's choice of any player from the top shelf. Why would they ever put a 3 star in the cart when there are so many 5 stars to pick from? And, why do they let Duke or Kentucky or Alabama budge in front and get the good stuff first? Don't they realize that Bob from Baldwinsville has much higher expectations for the program?

This is so good. So accurate.

 

[orangefog]

Exactly... Sometimes people post just to be contradictory.

No they don’t.

 

[RF2044]

Sorry, is Tyler Jackson an unranked recruit? Maybe you think so, but the services disagree. It’s different going after a to 60 or so that you happen not to like and an unranked guy that until a few days ago no one here had ever heard of. You do grasp that, right?

Whether "no one here had ever heard of" is irrelevant. The staff identified him, brought him on campus for an official visit, extended a committable offer, and accepted his commitment.

Our staff, like most others, don't publicize everything that they do on the recruiting trail.

Some information, people are aware of [i.e., Kiyan].

Others, virtually no information is made public, because the staff doesn't want to tip off other programs about prospects that they are pursuing [like the Serbian pick up, who people were in the dark about right up until he got cleared].

Playing their cards close to the vest is smart -- especially when they don't want programs like semi-local Marquette or other P5s showing that were showing interest in Womack escalating their active pursuit.

 

[DilemaCuse]

This is a good back and forth, and I understand both sides/points of view on this.

Has anybody gone and checked the Marquette board and questioned why they didnt offer? That could be telling...

 

[bnoro]

Sorry, is Tyler Jackson an unranked recruit? Maybe you think so, but the services disagree. It’s different going after a to 60 or so that you happen not to like and an unranked guy that until a few days ago no one here had ever heard of. You do grasp that, right?

No one here had ever heard of him because we weren't publicly linked.

Just like no one here had heard of Riley Frost before we were publicly linked.

We had a backup plan, we clearly pivoted quickly, and by all accounts the kid can play. I couldn't care less what some analyst ranks these kids at.

 

[Cappy3]

No one here had ever heard of him because we weren't publicly linked.

Just like no one here had heard of Riley Frost before we were publicly linked.

We had a backup plan, we clearly pivoted quickly, and by all accounts the kid can play. I couldn't care less what some analyst ranks these kids at.

Actually, no one here had ever heard of him because he wasn’t ranked by any scouting service. Some (probably many) posters here look at Rivals, ESPN, etc and not just for SU recruits.

 

[Orangezoo]

Sorry, is Tyler Jackson an unranked recruit? Maybe you think so, but the services disagree. It’s different going after a to 60 or so that you happen not to like and an unranked guy that until a few days ago no one here had ever heard of. You do grasp that, right?

There are a ton of kids every year that are top 100 per all these experts you kneel before that don’t pan out and end up on the bench or transferring to lower schools.

 

[Cappy3]

There are a ton of kids every year that are top 100 per all these experts you kneel before that don’t pan out and end up on the bench or transferring to lower schools.

Sure, but a higher % of the top 100 wind up successful than do unranked guys. That’s why the top ranked guys have dozens of P5 offers, and unranked guys not so much.

 

[GoCuse14]

No they don’t.

This response took waaay longer than I had expected. Well done.

 

[two3zone]

Less athletic better shooting Wes Johnson.

 

[Orangezoo]

Sure, but a higher % of the top 100 wind up successful than do unranked guys. That’s why the top ranked guys have dozens of P5 offers, and unranked guys not so much.

Here are the 23-24 AA teams with their HS recruit rating. Anything below a 4 star is outside the top 100 ( some waaay outside) and 2 of the 4 stars here are outside the top 100. If you know what you are doing finding talent the rating is meaningless. Below is a perfect example of why.

2023-24 all Americans 1st team - HS rating
Zach Edey - 3 star
Tristan Newton- 0 star
Jamal Shead 3 star
RJ Davis 4 star
Dalton Knecht - juco 0 star

2nd team
Tyler Kolek- 0 star
Daron Holmes 4 star
Mark sears - 3 star
Kyle Filipowski- 5 star
Hunter Dickinson - 4 star

Third team

Jaedon ledee borderline 4 star
Johni Broome 3 star
Terrence Shannon - 4 star
Caleb love- 5 star
Baylor Schieierman -0 star

 

[two3zone]

Need to trust the staff liked what they saw and hopefully like the attitude and commitment. Some kids need to wait a couple of years and he may be one of them. If we do not trust in our coaches what the heck are we as a fan base even doing.

Was told this when the Buss Pattersons and Frank Howard's were starting for us.

 

[Orangezoo]

Was told this when the Buss Pattersons and Frank Howard's were starting for us.

Both of those guys you could watch their tape and be quite underwhelmed too. Seeing a kid like this and then seeing the tape showing things we want to see vs more question marks is what we should see when an under the radar kid pops up. When a project looks like a major project on tape to us then that’s a concern. Give me kids that don’t look their ranking all day long. Nothing is a guarantee but it’s refreshing to see a kid like this vs some of the others.

 

[mark79]

Take a step back for a second.

Let's go back to a time where the internet and internet forums didn't exist. Players used to just show up on campus for a new year. You'd maybe see some ratings in a magazine.

Everything is just so over-dissected now and it doesn't have to be this way. Let the kid get to campus, let's see how he fits and let's see how he plays.

There's only one ball, every player can't be a star. Red seems to realize that and how to fit the puzzle pieces together.

Good post