Jason Crowe Jr Commitment

[Catsrock]

I’d still like to get some of the real elite talent at the top of the high school class. But don’t want to be like Duke last year. Best college prospect in years plus 2 other lottery picks and still with them being the focus of the team they fell short. Get a top guy or 2 if you can but they need to know and accept they’re just part of the team along with the 23 year old strong guys. Let talent shine but if you expect the 18 year old to make the shot to get you to the title game then you’ll likely be disappointed.

Duke was just leaning too heavily on 3 freshman. Thank heavens.

[bucsrule8872]

I’d still like to get some of the real elite talent at the top of the high school class. But don’t want to be like Duke last year. Best college prospect in years plus 2 other lottery picks and still with them being the focus of the team they fell short. Get a top guy or 2 if you can but they need to know and accept they’re just part of the team along with the 23 year old strong guys. Let talent shine but if you expect the 18 year old to make the shot to get you to the title game then you’ll likely be disappointed.

Duke was just leaning too heavily on 3 freshman. Thank heavens.

If elite players out of HS are willing to do just that, I am all for it.

Problem is, most of those guys want to be the star because they have always been the star. They won’t come here.

Pope’s system just doesn’t lend itself to those types of players. That’s why Crowe is probably going to Mizzou, and Kinney is likely going to UofL, with promises of being Mikel Brown Jr. 2.0. It’s why Stokes probably goes to UofL instead of coming to UK. It’s why Holt is likely a pipe dream and Rippey is probably going to his “dream school” UNC or somewhere else.

But it’s not the end of the world. We will still occasionally get an elite recruit willing to come in and fight for a spot. But I think they will be few and far between.

[Crxohio]

I could not care any less about HS recruiting now. It is pretty much irrelevant thanks to the portal, at least when it comes to the high profile guys.

I’d rather get a Braydon Hawthorne type out of HS than a guy like Crowe. Get some developmental pieces every year. I would be fine if we don’t have any Freshmen in the 10 man rotation.

I want our top 10 guys to be retention guys and portal guys.

The key to winning in this era is retention, IMHO. Freshmen phenoms will only get you so far. You need veterans to win big games.

Yep zion and flagg, many others. Zero titles! Retention is upmost importance

[George]

If elite players out of HS are willing to do just that, I am all for it.

Problem is, most of those guys want to be the star because they have always been the star. They won’t come here.

Pope’s system just doesn’t lend itself to those types of players. That’s why Crowe is probably going to Mizzou, and Kinney is likely going to UofL, with promises of being Mikel Brown Jr. 2.0. It’s why Stokes probably goes to UofL instead of coming to UK. It’s why Holt is likely a pipe dream and Rippey is probably going to his “dream school” UNC or somewhere else.

But it’s not the end of the world. We will still occasionally get an elite recruit willing to come in and fight for a spot. But I think they will be few and far between.

I don’t think we’ve seen enough of his system to know that for sure. He wouldn’t put the time, energy, and resources into recruiting top HS players if he didn’t think they’d work for what he’s trying to do.

[bucsrule8872]

I don’t think we’ve seen enough of his system to know that for sure. He wouldn’t put the time, energy, and resources into recruiting top HS players if he didn’t think they’d work for what he’s trying to do.

I think it’s more about the recruits than it is about Pope.

Pope definitely wants elite talent, but do the elite players want to come here and fight for minutes or go to a lesser program, make more money, and get a starting spot guaranteed to them?

Crowe obviously wants to be “the guy” and it looks like Mizzou is willing to pay him, play him all the minutes he wants, and even give his dad a job.

[George]

I think it’s more about the recruits than it is about Pope.

Pope definitely wants elite talent, but do the elite players want to come here and fight for minutes or go to a lesser program, make more money, and get a starting spot guaranteed to them?

Crowe obviously wants to be “the guy” and it looks like Mizzou is willing to pay him, play him all the minutes he wants, and even give his dad a job.

I'm sure that's all true, but there's a growing narrative that Pope isn't very interested in recruiting top-shelf HS recruits because of "his system," and I don't buy that. I think it's some kind of prophylactic against criticism of his recruiting - a way of feeling okay about things if/when he loses a top-five or top-ten recruit. Doesn't sting as badly if we tell ourselves he isn't really interested due to "system fit," right?

I think he's just as invested in HS recruiting as any other blueblood coach. If he weren't, why work the circuits? Why expend the energy? Why waste the resources? Instead, just save it all for the portal.

Is he going to build four- or five-man freshman classes? No. But does he want elite freshmen? Absolutely.

[Electricat2]

Oh I think pope would LOVE LOVE LOVE to get a top ranked class or even a couple top hs players.
thankfully I think he is more prepared to succeed without them than alot of coaches.
Which is a good thing

[bucsrule8872]

I'm sure that's all true, but there's a growing narrative that Pope isn't very interested in recruiting top-shelf HS recruits because of "his system," and I don't buy that. I think it's some kind of prophylactic against criticism of his recruiting - a way of feeling okay about things if/when he loses a top-five or top-ten recruit. Doesn't sting as badly if we tell ourselves he isn't really interested due to "system fit," right?

I think he's just as invested in HS recruiting as any other blueblood coach. If he weren't, why work the circuits? Why expend the energy? Why waste the resources? Instead, just save it all for the portal.

Is he going to build four- or five-man freshman classes? No. But does he want elite freshmen? Absolutely.

Yup. Like I said, Pope wants the elite HS guys, just not sure he can land them with the way he has constructed his team.

At least for the 25 class, it’s going to be difficult to lure an elite recruit to Lexington, when they look at the roster and see that 12 of the 14 players on scholarship could come back next season.

The 26 class may be a different story, depending on how things shake out.

If we want to criticize Pope’s HS recruiting, I think he should be criticized for missing on Ament and Wilson and some others in the 25 class. He had tons of minutes to offer those guys with seven Seniors on the squad. There was ample playing time to be had.

But personally, I am fine with it. Give me a Dioubate over Wilson. Give me Aberdeen over Ament. The Freshmen may turn out to be better, but I’ll take two proven SEC guys over them

It kind of worked out for us, IMHO.

[DA#23]

But personally, I am fine with it. Give me a Dioubate over Wilson. Give me Aberdeen over Ament. The Freshmen may turn out to be better, but I’ll take two proven SEC guys over them

It kind of worked out for us, IMHO.

I just think that we're going to be in situations where the money will be spent more safely on some of these players from the portal rather than HS seniors.

These are probably going to be two good examples.

[DA#23]

Crowe has committed to Missouri

[Catsrock]

May prove to be like Tre Johnson last year at Texas…too much of the budget spent on a freshman. His numbers may get him the draft position he’s after but the team may not be so successful. Just maybe.

[KCKUKFan]

Crowe has committed to Missouri

Boo.

Hart, you're fired.

[bucsrule8872]

It’s a good gamble for Mizzou.

They should be pretty good this season, but probably drop off when they lose Robinson and Mitchell after this season.

Plenty of shots and plenty of money to offer Crowe, with those guys gone.

And a spot for his dad on the bench, if the rumors are true.