Class of 2018 SF Cole Swider (RI) Transferring from Villanova to Syracuse

[cuseguy]

We should offer Noah Locke or try and get Jalen Lecque to reclassify. I hope we get someone who's skilled and not just an athlete on the wing, but I'll believe it when I see it. For whatever reason we are struggling to sign elite guys right now.

There's several reasons, but a head coach near retirement just can't be ignored. It's just unavoidable at this stage.

 

[JeremyCuse]

When you look back over the last several years, we haven't won many major recruiting battles. Only one that comes to mind is Battle. The ability to be able to land a blue chip PG for 2018 will be telling.

Seems we have a lot of offers out there so at least were casting a wide net. Really need to land a PG and a SF who can shoot in this class.

 

[wallacecuse]

Feels like we used win this type of recruiting battle all the time but Quade, Tucker, and now this recruitment has zapped a lot of that confidence. Not going to panic but it would be nice to win one of these big recruiting battles again. Starting to feel like the fball recruiting when it comes to 5 stars.

This one bothers me a lot less than those two you mentioned. Mostly because it is so early in the year, he doesn't play PG, and he wouldn't play in the upcoming season anyway. The kid would have been a nice haul, but i'm not crushed. Plenty of time to recover. I like the way he handled his business.

 

[Cusefan0307]

There's several reasons, but a head coach near retirement just can't be ignored. It's just unavoidable at this stage.

Agreed. The worst part is I don't think we are a leader for any top kid right now. Could be another down cycle.

 

[iommi]

This one bothers me a lot less than those two you mentioned. Mostly because it is so early in the year, he doesn't play PG, and he wouldn't play in the upcoming season anyway. The kid would have been a nice haul, but i'm not crushed. Plenty of time to recover. I like the way he handled his business.

I'm more concerned with our offers list. i like the guys we are offering but we need more options, especially at point guard. It's painfully obvious we are not getting are top targets so we need to keep our options open.

 

[Cusefan0307]

This one bothers me a lot less than those two you mentioned. Mostly because it is so early in the year, he doesn't play PG, and he wouldn't play in the upcoming season anyway. The kid would have been a nice haul, but i'm not crushed. Plenty of time to recover. I like the way he handled his business.

I get your point, but this was the kid that we were most likely to sign out of all our targets. That doesn't say much for our chances with the rest of our top targets.

 

[JLine]

Not directing this at you specifically because this belief is widely held, but IMO the notion that going to Nova (or school X) diminishes your NBA exposure is overblown at best.

HS talents like Swider are already on the NBA radar; he is playing in the NBA Top 100 camp and is already considered one of the best shooting 4s in the class. Swider, and players like him, are already being scouted and profiled by the NBA.

At the end of the day, it's talent and potential that matters.

I know that any school can potentially put a kid in the NBA if they are good enough. Some schools just showcase that potential better, and get them there quicker.

 

[Cuse House]

We need to cast a wider net and see what we catch. Feel like lately we've been fishing with a bow, and when you miss that way, the fish scatter.

 

[JeremyCuse]

This one bothers me a lot less than those two you mentioned. Mostly because it is so early in the year, he doesn't play PG, and he wouldn't play in the upcoming season anyway. The kid would have been a nice haul, but i'm not crushed. Plenty of time to recover. I like the way he handled his business.

Oh I agree certainly not going to panic about it but would have been nice to have locked down a player of this caliber this early to get some momentum. Sometimes commits breed other commits and you get some positive momentum going. With the Hop situation and the questions about JB having a strong 18 class will along way to quiet some of the critics. I guess I really just want to avoid last year where it seemed we were the runner up about a half dozen times.

 

[iommi]

Agreed. The worst part is I don't think we are a leader for any top kid right now. Could be another down cycle.

And this cycle simply can't be a down one. We just lost Hop, JB announced he's coming back...we have to send a message that the program is not in decline. That's another reason why Swider would've been a great get. The timing would've been perfect. Instead we are left at the altar again. I'm sick of getting a participation ribbon.

 

[Alsacs]

Agreed. The worst part is I don't think we are a leader for any top kid right now. Could be another down cycle.

Oh great but all is well.

 

[wallacecuse]

I get your point, but this was the kid that we were most likely to sign out of all our targets. That doesn't say much for our chances with the rest of our top targets.

I'd be far more panicked if this were one of the PG options.

 

[cuseguy]

Seems we have a lot of offers out there so at least were casting a wide net. Really need to land a PG and a SF who can shoot in this class.

Actually, it seems like we're pretty much going all in on Carey, much like we did with Quade. Duke, it appears, may be headed to Providence. At SF, Swider is out. If Bazley waivers, it's pretty much down to King and some lesser recruits. If not much materializes with our SF prospects, the 18 class could be a PG, Buddy and a sleeper SF. Just trying to keep it real.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Actually, it seems like we're pretty much going all in on Carey, much like we did with Quade. Duke, it appears, may be headed to Providence. At SF, Swider is out. If Bazley waivers, it's pretty much down to King and some lesser recruits. If not much materializes with our SF prospects, the 18 class could be a PG, Buddy and a sleeper SF. Just trying to keep it real.

Wouldn't be surprised if we went the grad transfer route again if we miss on our top guys.

 

[Cuse House]

Actually, it seems like we're pretty much going all in on Carey, much like we did with Quade. Duke, it appears, may be headed to Providence. At SF, Swider is out. If Bazley waivers, it's pretty much down to King and some lesser recruits. If not much materializes with our SF prospects, the 18 class could be a PG, Buddy and a sleeper SF. Just trying to keep it real.

Very realistic take imo and that's scary. If we don't get Carey, it is an absolute nightmare scenario for us moving forward.

 

[Alsacs]

Wouldn't be surprised if we went the grad transfer route again if we miss on our top guys.

This crap is on Jim Boeheim.

If we don't get Carey we will have another subpar recruiting season.

 

[Cuse House]

Wouldn't be surprised if we went the grad transfer route again if we miss on our top guys.

If that trend continues, we will be taking 5-6 transfers per year. We need to get recruits who can play meaningful minutes ASAP.

 

[wallacecuse]

Oh I agree certainly not going to panic about it but would have been nice to have locked down a player of this caliber this early to get some momentum. Sometimes commits breed other commits and you get some positive momentum going. With the Hop situation and the questions about JB having a strong 18 class will along way to quiet some of the critics. I guess I really just want to avoid last year where it seemed we were the runner up about a half dozen times.

I agree with the concept you are suggesting, but it seems like at the spots we are in a real mutually exclusive scenario - we are only going to get one of these guys. We just have a gluttony at that spot.

 

[jordville]

Unfortunately, the tea leaves were out there from the start when Swider announced his official visit list. Villanova = TBD. Why include them on your final four official visit list without a date? You know where you are going, so take your 3 other OV and save one for when you are officially committed. Smart kid. He would have been a very nice get, but lets get our 2018 point guard. That is a must!

 

[cuseguy]

Very realistic take imo and that's scary. If we don't get Carey, it is an absolute nightmare scenario for us moving forward.

What's scary is that it's uncertain whether Thompson and Marek will be at SU more than one more year. So there could be 5-6 spots to fill in the 18 class. That's where grad transfers could come into play again.

 

[007]

I know that any school can potentially put a kid in the NBA if they are good enough. Some schools just showcase that potential better, and get them there quicker.

You posted previously: "not sure why Swider would go there (Nova) if his goal is the NBA" and "going to Nova doesn't make sense to me." I took this to mean that you think picking Nova will limit is NBA chances.

Swider might get to the NBA faster by going to SU and playing 35+ minutes. But going to Nova is not going to take that goal away IF Swider is good enough to make the NBA.

 

[iommi]

I agree with the concept you are suggesting, but it seems like at the spots we are in a real mutually exclusive scenario - we are only going to get one of these guys. We just have a gluttony at that spot.

...and the gluttony was created by whom we target: long, athletic guys to play the zone. It's the way we do things, I get it. But now we have a lot of guys with very similar skill sets. Hopefully, Marek will bring something different (since he looks like a 3) but we have a ton of guys whose best position appears to be the 4 offensively.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Nova already signed Brandon Slater as well. They are crushing us on the trail.

 

[Orangefizz]

Feels like we used win this type of recruiting battle all the time but Quade, Tucker, and now this recruitment has zapped a lot of that confidence. Not going to panic but it would be nice to win one of these big recruiting battles again. Starting to feel like the fball recruiting when it comes to 5 stars.

Correction - You mean football recruiting when it comes to 4 stars

 

[Alsacs]

When we don't go after the top 10 kids losing top 50 priority recruits sucks.

This isn't meltdown worthy but damn what a freaking killer for us.

Are casting wider nets beyond Bazley or King?