2016 Recruit Watch

[Joneslab]

The whole Wynyard situation is so weird. I kind of wonder if he'll ever play at all.

I'm as leery of "He's a bust" comments as I am "He's awesome!" sort of posts, but I've always thought Cal may have felt like the roster was going to be so depleted he knew he'd need a big body, so he went after Wynyard. When it was apparent that Wynyard wouldn't get here until December and that Humphries would be available, he brought in Humphries.

If he had to do it again he'd probably not bring them both on, but I genuinely think he was concerned about size--especially girth--for practice purposes. I don't think Cal wants to get stuck in a situation like 2011 again, where we basically didn't have enough to run a practice.

[justford]

What would be his mom's reasoning for him to attend Duke? She likes K over Cal? Look at Cal's track record with big men going to the NBA. Just hard to understand why she prefers Duke.

[George]

MJ says that Wynyard is way below Humphries and that the issue with Bolden has mostly to do with (1) his mom wants Duke, and (2) nobody they've spoken to in Lexington thinks they're going to get him.

Says that almost every time people in Lexington know beforehand that they're going to get a player. Can only think of one instance--Wiltjer--where it kind of came out of the blue.

Finishes by saying that he has no concrete information either way and that nobody he's spoken to has explicitly said Bolden to Duke.

The whole Wynyard situation is so weird. I kind of wonder if he'll ever play at all.

[GOCAT15]

MJ says that Wynyard is way below Humphries and that the issue with Bolden has mostly to do with (1) his mom wants Duke, and (2) nobody they've spoken to in Lexington thinks they're going to get him.

Says that almost every time people in Lexington know beforehand that they're going to get a player. Can only think of one instance--Wiltjer--where it kind of came out of the blue.

Finishes by saying that he has no concrete information either way and that nobody he's spoken to has explicitly said Bolden to Duke.

Let's just hope the kid makes the decision on his own and not because what a family member wants. Everybody said how much Stephen Zimmermans mom loved Cal, but he still picked UNLV, so who knows. I'm sure this is a stressful week for him though with the Kentucky and Duke boys in his ear all week.

[Joneslab]

MJ says that Wynyard is way below Humphries and that the issue with Bolden has mostly to do with (1) his mom wants Duke, and (2) nobody they've spoken to in Lexington thinks they're going to get him.

Says that almost every time people in Lexington know beforehand that they're going to get a player. Can only think of one instance--Wiltjer--where it kind of came out of the blue.

Finishes by saying that he has no concrete information either way and that nobody he's spoken to has explicitly said Bolden to Duke.

[GOCAT15]

Is the Turk still a possibility?

Haven't heard much on the UK front about him recently, I have heard a few other coaches have flew across the pond to meet with him.

So not sure if that means UK has became leery of his eligibility or if he just hasn't shown much interest lately in UK....i'm sure after the Bolden announcement if it goes the way people are thinking now he may come back into the conversation again.

[UKtimefor9]

I think the biggest issue with Bolden isn't him not going to UK. It's him not going to UK AND going to Duke. If he were going to Virginia or NC St or wherever it wouldn't be that big a deal.

But, since UK could use him and he may end up at the #1 team it's kind of a double blow.

[George]

Is the Turk still a possibility?

[Joneslab]

Per Rivals, Matt Jones has said he believes Bolden ends up at Duke because the parents are pushing pretty hard for Duke.

Really you can't go wrong if you're a player with either of the two schools. Tough choice, great track records for both, there's need for him at both places. If you feel like you might be a long-term college player you might choose Duke; if you definitely want the NBA quickly Cal may have a slight advantage, but only slight.

I don't envy players their decisions when it comes down to situations like this.

Still think Kentucky will be fine regardless. Assuming we don't get Jarrett Allen--who is from some accounts not quite as polished as Bolden--we're going to have to mix and match in the post, and we're going to have to pray guys like Lee and Humphries can make STEEP improvements over the next seven months. But most were fired up about UK's team even when Bolden seemed like a pipe dream. Nothing's changed as far as that goes.

The only problem is that it gives a big body to the team that's likely going to be the preseason #1. It's never good to give your biggest competitor more ammunition.

[GOCAT15]

Duke has now overtaken the crystal ball for Bolden....Meyer is still hanging on with his UK pick.

Hopefully the Kentucky boys have success doing some recruiting this week at the Mcdonalds game.

[Joneslab]

If you follow the right people, on Twitter, you can find out stuff before it becomes too widespread.

You can find out stuff, but it's not always the right stuff.

"Sources" in basketball, since Calipari has been here, have been almost nonexistent. Some stuff went around before Tubby; I knew of a handful of people that were pretty solid.

Now? You might as well flip a coin with these kinds of players. There are people in these kids' inner circles who don't know what they're going to do. It has become so much about the announcement. There's a lot at stake to keep things secret.

You can definitely get a feel with certain players, but a lot of times even the feel is wrong. Jamal Murray is proof positive of that.

[Matt Dillon]

Very occasionally--VERY occasionally--on the boards you'll see somebody who has a legitimate in with the program. You know this because the person keeps coming back with good info.

JFCats22 was one of those.

[Matt Dillon]

If you follow the right people, on Twitter, you can find out stuff before it becomes too widespread.

[Joneslab]

One thing I have never understood is how people get info about a players college choice. Are they in tight with a family member or are they just saying things to get attention?

Most of the time it's about attention. There's a lot of message board clout when a guy says he has a "source." Usually the source is either nonexistent or it's just a random guy.

Very occasionally--VERY occasionally--on the boards you'll see somebody who has a legitimate in with the program. You know this because the person keeps coming back with good info. But most of the time these guys are lying. In the Cal era almost nobody has a source because the players we've gone after are so close-mouthed, and because we've entered an era now of supreme secrecy. None of these players want their decisions leaked because the ultimate reveal has become a media showcase for their "brand."

Now the writers who follow the teams are different. These guys definitely have sources because, like any journalist, they've sort of worked them over the years and built those relationships. But what will usually happen is a rumor will get out, it'll enter the echo chamber, and in five or six hours everybody is parroting it like it's the truth. It's part of what makes following recruiting so unpredictable.

[justford]

Poy= Body like Tarzan played like Jane so looks can be deceiving.
One thing I have never understood is how people get info about a players college choice. Are they in tight with a family member or are they just saying things to get attention?