UW Playing Baylor

[cuseincincy]

Possibly. Not sure why a couple players went with Hop out west then though instead of to SU.

He was shiny and new and had a beautiful campus, location and opportunity to sell. He's no longer new and not quite as shiny. His recruiting influence back East decreases every day he is away from there.

 

[cuseattle]

Why is Hop having a hard time landing the recruits now? Curious what the Seattle crew is hearing out there. Are there rumors/whispers that Hop will eventually be heading back to Syracuse and that's giving recruits some pause? Just seems odd that such a great recruiter would be having this much difficulty landing decent players this year. Even with the change of coasts.

There is very little in depth UW basketball coverage here. Seahawks and Husky football get all the media attention. This is the last good recruiting news I saw.

UW men’s basketball lands Olympia big man Jackson Grant to salvage 2021 recruiting class

The Washington men’s basketball team whiffed on several of the state’s top 2021 recruiting targets, but was able to secure prized big man Jackson Grant to avoid what would have been a recruiting disaster.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[Jake]

Why is Hop having a hard time landing the recruits now? Curious what the Seattle crew is hearing out there. Are there rumors/whispers that Hop will eventually be heading back to Syracuse and that's giving recruits some pause? Just seems odd that such a great recruiter would be having this much difficulty landing decent players this year. Even with the change of coasts.

From what I understand...recruiting out west is much more difficult than in the east. Fewer players to choose from and MUCH shadier - which completely shocked me.

 

[nyucuse]

I still think Hop gets first shot. No matter what happens in Washington, its hard to erase what he accomplished here in our setting on the east coast. He's proven he can recruit here and his coaching seemed to be fine while at UW. Alumni love him and he will certainly be able to glad hand and fund raise while here. Which is a forgotten part of the job by many. Still if he gets here and doesn't get it done, I don't think the leash will be very long.

He's got to figure out how to be a good "players coach". He's never going to be the big bad intimidating figure - he's more Dabo than Saban. I think the transition to HC here straight from assistant would have been harder than most think.

I know he bleeds orange and is by all accounts a great guy. Just hope SU makes the right long term choice and doesn't think small based on loyalty and assistant coaching history. Again, this is a bad outcome for him where he flames out the next couple years... I would think and expect some very accomplished coaches would love a step up the big seat.. This is a top 10 (at worst top 15) job, nationally, let's not forget. And oof, my previous post spelling... damn voice typing!

 

[capeorange]

Possibly. Not sure why a couple players went with Hop out west then though instead of to SU.

I was thinking that he had built the relationship over years and the kids were familiar with Hop so they trusted him. I was never comfortable with Hop doing that but I understand why he did.

Edit I don't think he would have built a relationship with those recruits if he wasn't working for JAB.

 

[moqui]

He was shiny and new and had a beautiful campus, location and opportunity to sell. He's no longer new and not quite as shiny. His recruiting influence back East decreases every day he is away from there.

with the exception of local kid mcdaniel, just about every quality recruit he landed his first couple of cycles was a kid he started recruiting for syracuse. that well has run dry. you have to get in the door before you can close, and being a representative of name brands jim boeheim & syracuse will open a lot of doors. he's finding it a lot harder repping himself & uw

 

[orangefog]

From what I understand...recruiting out west is much more difficult than in the east. Fewer players to choose from and MUCH shadier - which completely shocked me.

I believe it. Remember Terrance Jones picking UW and then he gets a call from Calipari AT HIS COMMITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT, and he is like “uh, I meant to say Kentucky”. Dirty.

 

[tipphill]

If we want Hop to me the next HC when JB does step aside we need Washington program to keep struggling.

i think there will be better candidates

 

[CuseRunner]

i think there will be better candidates

Idc If Hop flames out the next couple seasons at UW. He will get the Call and be the next HC. JB will make the call himself.

 

[HuskyHooper]

Why is Hop having a hard time landing the recruits now? Curious what the Seattle crew is hearing out there. Are there rumors/whispers that Hop will eventually be heading back to Syracuse and that's giving recruits some pause? Just seems odd that such a great recruiter would be having this much difficulty landing decent players this year. Even with the change of coasts.

For one, he is an eastcoast guy who had little to no ties out West. Hop has much more credibility back east than he does out west. I think he is relying a lot on Will Conroy to recruit the local kids.

His first couple classes were great. The fact he was able to bring Naz and Wright all the way out to Seattle on short notice, was amazing. Then was able to get McDaniels and Stewart. FWIW, I think McDaniels was going to UW regardless who the coach was, and Stewart was going wherever Hop was going. Quade clearly followed Hop to UW.

But since then, it's been a rough go for Hop. Hop and the staff didn't put much effort into the 2020 class as it was considered a down year locally. 2021 was considered one of the best group of kids coming out of the state. Hop was only able to bring in Jackson Grant, who is considered a top 50 recruit. However he missed on Banchero (future lottery pick), Hickman and others.

Romar was a terrible coach but he was highly respected around Seattle, probably similar to Hop back east. I just don't know if Hop has the pull locally to put a fence around the state. Seattle produces a ton of NBA talent, but if you can't get the local kids, UW stands no chance in basketball.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

For one, he is an eastcoast guy who had little to no ties out West. Hop has much more credibility back east than he does out west. I think he is relying a lot on Will Conroy to recruit the local kids.

His first couple classes were great. The fact he was able to bring Naz and Wright all the way out to Seattle on short notice, was amazing. Then was able to get McDaniels and Stewart. FWIW, I think McDaniels was going to UW regardless who the coach was, and Stewart was going wherever Hop was going. Quade clearly followed Hop to UW.

But since then, it's been a rough go for Hop. Hop and the staff didn't put much effort into the 2020 class as it was considered a down year locally. 2021 was considered one of the best group of kids coming out of the state. Hop was only able to bring in Jackson Grant, who is considered a top 50 recruit. However he missed on Banchero (future lottery pick), Hickman and others.

Romar was a terrible coach but he was highly respected around Seattle, probably similar to Hop back east. I just don't know if Hop has the pull locally to put a fence around the state. Seattle produces a ton of NBA talent, but if you can't get the local kids, UW stands no chance in basketball.

Sounds like you don't believe he will be able to build that respect. Let's not forget he built his rep at SU over a slightly longer period of time. But yeah, if the school doesn't give him that time to build that, there's little he can do to save his job. Which sucks, because I think he would do great things there.

 

[jdubs30]

Perhaps a HOF coach and the dome opened more doors than was given credit.

Hop specifically said on Devos podcast that to most kids, Syracuse sold itself. Clearly that’s underselling himself and what he did - but when all your connections are 3000 miles away, I gotta imagine it’s tough. It’s a different attitude and culture completely. And sure maybe you can get a kid every once in a while to go Washington from the East Coast, but you can’t depend on it consistently

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Hop specifically said on Devos podcast that to most kids, Syracuse sold itself. Clearly that’s underselling himself and what he did - but when all your connections are 3000 miles away, I gotta imagine it’s tough. It’s a different attitude and culture completely. And sure maybe you can get a kid every once in a while to go Washington from the East Coast, but you can’t depend on it consistently

Just thought about the effect Covid had on Hop this summer as well - couldn't be at all the AAU tourneys meeting families and kids and doing his magic. That sucks.

 

[Briancuse]

Hop specifically said on Devos podcast that to most kids, Syracuse sold itself. Clearly that’s underselling himself and what he did - but when all your connections are 3000 miles away, I gotta imagine it’s tough. It’s a different attitude and culture completely. And sure maybe you can get a kid every once in a while to go Washington from the East Coast, but you can’t depend on it consistently

How come its not selling itself right now?

 

[Cusefan0307]

How come its not selling itself right now?

I could give you reasons why we will struggle to sign guys in 2022, but you refuse to listen so there’s no point.

 

[Briancuse]

I could give you reasons why we will struggle to sign guys in 2022, but you refuse to listen so there’s no point.

What the heck are you taking about?

 

[Cusefan0307]

What the heck are you taking about?

There you go asking questions again.

 

[UpstateSM]

Washington’s getting handled by UC-Riverside right now

 

[Briancuse]

There you go asking questions again.

I asked a simple question. You attack me.

 

[HuskyHooper]

Sounds like you don't believe he will be able to build that respect. Let's not forget he built his rep at SU over a slightly longer period of time. But yeah, if the school doesn't give him that time to build that, there's little he can do to save his job. Which sucks, because I think he would do great things there.

He had 20+ years to build his ties out East as an assistant coach. Obviously you don’t have the same pressure as an assistant as you would a head coach. UW will give him time, but like any head coaching job, you need to show results.

Its been a weird ride with Hop. He succeeded early on when everyone thought we would be a minimum for 2-3 years from competing. Everyone assumed since he took our team to the dance in his second year, that it would only get better. Instead it has gotten worst. The biggest knock on Hop is that he won with Romar’s guys which was a senior heavy team.

Hop needs to show he can build a program. So far he hasn’t shown that.

Right now UW is losing to UC Riverside. Would be a bad loss and a terrible start for UW this season.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I asked a simple question. You attack me.

I am not attacking. Just making an observation that you ignore answers that are NUANCED.

I happen to think our most recent guys(Griffin/Richmond/Benny) are all elite pickups. It’s a clear uptick than what we had seen recently.

People keep complaining about 2022, but fail to see that we have a full roster(Buddy will still be here) and guys will go places where they can play immediately.

It’s not hard to have a nuanced view about this.

 

[Briancuse]

I am not attacking. Just making an observation that you ignore answers that are NUANCED.

I happen to think our most recent guys(Griffin/Richmond/Benny) are all elite pickups. It’s a clear uptick than what we had seen recently.

People keep complaining about 2022, but fail to see that we have a full roster(Buddy will still be here) and guys will go places where they can play immediately.

It’s not hard to have a nuanced view about this.

I have just made the point that recruiting isn't what it used to be. Griff is a transfer I am in agreement about Richmond and Benny. Right now we have a full roster but a lot can change in two years.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I have just made the point that recruiting isn't what it used to be. Griff is a transfer I am in agreement about Richmond and Benny. Right now we have a full roster but a lot can change in two years.

This past offseason is a clear tick up from the past 5 years and you won’t admit that. When you sign a transfer it’s still recruiting.

 

[Briancuse]

This past offseason is a clear tick up from the past 5 years and you won’t admit that. When you sign a transfer it’s still recruiting.

I like to separate transfers and recruits but we can combine them if you wish. Griff was a huge get. You claim we are on the tick up. We have one recruit for the 21 and 22 classes right now.

 

[HuskyHooper]

UW about to lose to UC Riverside. UW about to start the season 0-2. This is coming off a last place finish in a pretty bad conference.

It’s easier to stay calm from afar, but if Cuse finished last in the conference with two first round picks and then started the following season 0-2, you guys wouldn’t be calm.

If this year goes like it did last year, which looks likely, could get ugly for Hop.