Class of 2017 SG/SF Jordan Tucker (NY / GA) Leaving Duke to Butler

[CuseAJM]

Just curious, but how are Gonzaga's classes rated the last few years? Wisconsin's? Oregon's?, Villanova's? Butler's? My point is that it doesn't take the highest rated players to play in the final four. It's chemistry, fit, coaching, and experience. Maybe the recruiting perspective is like that saying: "The older I get, the better I was." The past couple of years were disappointing but we never recruited consistently the way a lot of you think we did. We had some great classes once in a while, though...

Gonzaga has made it their mission to hit the transfer market, so you can't make that comparison

 

[StCuse315]

Here's my take. First off, I never thought I would see the day the football side was way more optimistic than the basketball side. Second off, if Tucker picks us, all the better. We ignored him for how long and we are still in his final 2 (sorry GT/Yukon troll...already forgot his name). And if not...

WE WILL BE FINE!

We have the pieces, we just need to find the parts. If Battle, Brisset, Moyer or TBD end up playing the 3, then we just need to trust the process. It just frees up another spot for 2018.

Lets go Orange!
A simultaneous final 4 is coming for our squads in the next 10 years

 

[OngenNOT]

The Brissett highlight film that I saw is very unimpressive. I hope that he has better highlights than what i saw, which was mostly a bunch of putbacks of his own missed shots with no ability to create his own shot. Maybe someone can set me straight by posting a better highlight film.

Yeah Brissett... he only was voted "Canadian Player of The Year" he must be unimpressive...

 

[jordoo]

Yeah Brissett... he only was voted "Canadian Player of The Year" he must be unimpressive...

He blows . . . . . every one else in Canada away!

I have been considering a team with no Tucker but a better than expected Brissett, Moyer who after a redshirt is better than a vast majority of freshman forwards and TT manning the middle and demanding defensive attention out to the three line. Battle as the dynamic two guard and a present from heaven PG who's good. You have Sidibe and Chukwu to back up the front line and Washington to play 10 minutes a game 5 at each guard spot. Howard can sit on the bench making his bad attitude face.

Hey I'm optimistic but it's possible I guess.

Moral of the story is PG is still our biggest issue IMO

Popcorn

 

[kjb120]

Other than Melo, we haven't had a really top tier recruit since Owens.

So, basically 4 elite guys in 40+ years -
But you somehow are expecting more?

I mean we obviously don't recruit like Kentucky but since 2006 it seemed like we were getting at least one five star player per class. We got Paul Harris, Johnny Flynn, Donte Greene who was a top 10 rated player, Fab Melo and Dion were both 5 stars, as was Ennis and Carter Williams. We also beat out Kentucky for Coleman and I believe Christmas and McCullough were 5 star recruits as well. So I would say we have been pretty successful recruiting in the past 10 years and have gotten a lot of guys ranked well above 40th.

 

[HoustonCuse]

You'll all have to just pick yourselves up and soldier on somehow.

 

[alphaorange]

Gonzaga has made it their mission to hit the transfer market, so you can't make that comparison

So what? What is the ranking of the transfers? I'm guessing not many Mickey Ds....

 

[NineOneSeven]

He blows . . . . . every one else in Canada away!

I have been considering a team with no Tucker but a better than expected Brissett, Moyer who after a redshirt is better than a vast majority of freshman forwards and TT manning the middle and demanding defensive attention out to the three line. Battle as the dynamic two guard and a present from heaven PG who's good. You have Sidibe and Chukwu to back up the front line and Washington to play 10 minutes a game 5 at each guard spot. Howard can sit on the bench making his bad attitude face.

Hey I'm optimistic but it's possible I guess.

Moral of the story is PG is still out biggest issue IMO

Popcorn

Shooting. It's a big part of the game we are missing right now. We might go from having our best shooting team ever to one of the worst, as it stands.

 

[orangefog]

So what? What is the ranking of the transfers? I'm guessing not many Mickey Ds...

Actually a few. Wiltjer and Williams-Goss come to mind.

 

[jordoo]

Shooting. It's a big part of the game we are missing right now. We might go from having our best shooting team ever to one of the worst, as it stands.

Oh I get it. That said Brissett and Moyer could easily be good enough to make open threes. Battle is a good shooter, shooting is Washington's strength. TT can shoot. Bring in a magic PG who can also shoot and suddenly even without a super dangerous shooter we could be good at it. Lot of ifs ands and buts though. Lol.

I'd love to land Tucker because he would make everyone else get easier open looks.

 

[JLine]

He blows . . . . . every one else in Canada away!

I have been considering a team with no Tucker but a better than expected Brissett, Moyer who after a redshirt is better than a vast majority of freshman forwards and TT manning the middle and demanding defensive attention out to the three line. Battle as the dynamic two guard and a present from heaven PG who's good. You have Sidibe and Chukwu to back up the front line and Washington to play 10 minutes a game 5 at each guard spot. Howard can sit on the bench making his bad attitude face.

Hey I'm optimistic but it's possible I guess.

Moral of the story is PG is still out biggest issue IMO

Popcorn

The staff needs to lock up Thorpe. We are good to go with 9 with him. Throw in Marek for depth, and I think we have a damn good team.

 

[jordoo]

The staff needs to lock up Thorpe. We are good to go with 9 with him. Throw in Marek for depth, and I think we have a damn good team.

I feel like Thorpe, who is really a combo with a great handle, is a great fit with Battle. Battle should have the ball a lot in half court sets, Thorpe would bring it up and initiate often enough but as soon as Battle gets the ball Thorpe plays off ball which he is also good at.

 

[JLine]

I feel like Thorpe, who is really a combo with a great handle, is a great fit with Battle. Battle should have the ball a lot in half court sets, Thorpe would bring it up and initiate often enough but as soon as Battle gets the ball Thorpe plays off ball which he is also good at.

Completely agree. Both can bring it up, and play off the ball. It would be a lethal back court. Thorpe seems like a great passer as well. It would be nice to have a shooter at the 3, but looking at Matt, I think we might. OB as well. Marek for depth, and in college he should hit at least 30%. Not a deadly shooter, but good enough. Really hope we get Thorpe over anyone, then Euro me up, and my expectations are no more bubble.

Also, TT has the ability to become a stretch 4. If we can find a 5 to play D.

 

[EastCoast2]

I feel like Thorpe, who is really a combo with a great handle, is a great fit with Battle. Battle should have the ball a lot in half court sets, Thorpe would bring it up and initiate often enough but as soon as Battle gets the ball Thorpe plays off ball which he is also good at.

Thorpe and Battle individually can do a lot of things, I wouldn't mind seeing those 2 get the lion's share of minutes at the 1/2 this year, if we strikeout on Tucker.

 

[EastCoast2]

Also, TT has the ability to become a stretch 4. If we can find a 5 to play D.

Really, really hope Chukwu is:

1) Okay in terms of his long-term health
2) Given #1, is taken care of, healthy enough to play the remainder of his career at SU
3) Given #1 and #2, is developed enough to contribute next season and provide quality enough minutes at the 5 to defend, rebound, and catch alley-oops.

 

[OrangeDW]

Wasn't Donte 5th or something?

I feel like Paul Harris and Fab Melo were top 10 or very close, at least when they committed. Final rankings may have changed a bit?

 

[Cuse'91]

A backcourt of Thorpe and Battle would flat out make us bullies on the court... Might not necessarily be the prettiest basketball, but we could Pitt people...

 

[JLine]

Really, really hope Chukwu is:

1) Okay in terms of his long-term health
2) Given #1, is taken care of, healthy enough to play the remainder of his career at SU
3) Given #1 and #2, is developed enough to contribute next season and provide quality enough minutes at the 5 to defend, rebound, and catch alley-oops.

Absolutely. His health is number one. Basketball wise, I think he really can play 20-25 minutes a game. Defending the rim, rebounding, and a couple dunks here and there. Would be huge to allow TT to play more minutes at the 4. I think we will see a lot of improvements from PC, and TT. Also Frank, but still need a combo like Thorpe. Can't have Tyus playing 40 a game. Gonna need to tinker with the lineups, but we have one in there somewhere that will do well.

 

[jordoo]

Really, really hope Chukwu is:

1) Okay in terms of his long-term health
2) Given #1, is taken care of, healthy enough to play the remainder of his career at SU
3) Given #1 and #2, is developed enough to contribute next season and provide quality enough minutes at the 5 to defend, rebound, and catch alley-oops.

I'm not counting on anything but at the same time you have to discard last year when the dude has a detached retina and no depth perception.

 

[orangefog]

I feel like Paul Harris and Fab Melo were top 10 or very close, at least when they committed. Final rankings may have changed a bit?

On RSCI Paul Harris was 23 and Fab Melo was 14.

 

[OrangeDW]

I feel like this is the equivalent of me getting an SU offer. I wouldn't have cared if it was the worst decision of my life I'd have been going to SU even if I had to ditch my parents and live in the woods till I could hit campus.

All the common sense in the world points to more opertunity at SU but I'm not sure it means anything in the end.

I guess I don't see what's so special about Duke where you just HAVE to commit there if you get the offer. Great program, no question. One of the best. But is that all you look at? Don't things like playing time, opportunity, how you'll fit in culturally, etc. matter anymore? Lots of great bball schools out there. I don't understand the recent rush for every to go to Duke and Kentucky. Obviously those schools have always recruited at a high level, but it's been extra lopsided lately. I don't get it.

 

[OrangeDW]

I'm not counting on anything but at the same time you have to discard last year when the dude has a detached retina and no depth perception.

Yeah, I really have little read on the guy.

Main thing that worried me was just how out of position he would be on the press. Like...I've never really seen anybody be that out of position consistently. It was odd.

 

[RF2044]

I feel like Paul Harris and Fab Melo were top 10 or very close, at least when they committed. Final rankings may have changed a bit?

Harris wasn't ranked quite that high. I think JB might have said something like [paraphrasing] that we've recruited the #1 player 2 out of 5 years [referring to Melo and Harris], but I don't think that Harris was rated in the top 20 by the end of that year.

 

[Day2]

Brissett is nice and a great underrated prospect, but finding underrated guys like him isn't going to happen every year.
As good as he is we can't rely on situations like that each year. Frankly we are lucky he was stuck in Canada.

I've stuck up for the staff and coach Boeheim in most instances, but I think it's fair to criticize our recruiting this year.

I'm not going to be happy if we sign 2 grad students and Win 8-10 conference games next year(another mediocre season).If you want to wager me money on how many wins we have next year once the roster is set I will gladly take you up on that.

We need to start signing guys like Jordan Tucker or recruits are eventually going to stop looking at us as an elite school.

He's a Top 100 player. That is all.

 

[dasher]

Harris wasn't ranked quite that high. I think JB might have said something like [paraphrasing] that we've recruited the #1 player 2 out of 5 years [referring to Melo and Harris], but I don't think that Harris was rated in the top 20 by the end of that year.

He was 5 stars