Josiah James: My Decision

#2
#2
“Loyalty is something that goes deep with me. Relationships are everything. When we got to Tennessee for my official visit, the whole coaching staff and all the players were waiting to meet me and my family. We played pickup with some of the team one morning while the coaches were still at breakfast. Lamonte Turner was guarding me and I remember I got by him one time but I got fouled on the layup. He pulled me aside and showed me a little trick to get more space at the rim. He didn’t have to do that.

Little things like that matter to me, man.
Coach Barnes sat in the gym with me for about an hour after. When I get tired, I start to sling the ball instead of having it in the high pocket. He noticed that right away and tried to help me fix it. I swear Tennessee has the best player development in the country. What other coach will sit in the gym with me for an hour and point out my weaknesses instead of just talking me up? That really stuck out to me on my visit. It wasn’t just a show.”
 
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#6
#6
bleedingTNorange said:
“Loyalty is something that goes deep with me. Relationships are everything. When we got to Tennessee for my official visit, the whole coaching staff and all the players were waiting to meet me and my family. We played pickup with some of the team one morning while the coaches were still at breakfast. Lamonte Turner was guarding me and I remember I got by him one time but I got fouled on the layup. He pulled me aside and showed me a little trick to get more space at the rim. He didn’t have to do that.

Little things like that matter to me, man.
Coach Barnes sat in the gym with me for about an hour after. When I get tired, I start to sling the ball instead of having it in the high pocket. He noticed that right away and tried to help me fix it. I swear Tennessee has the best player development in the country. What other coach will sit in the gym with me for an hour and point out my weaknesses instead of just talking me up? That really stuck out to me on my visit. It wasn’t just a show.”
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I truly believe that this is why CRB will "miss" on a few top players and I'm perfectly ok with that if it's the case. He's not going to baby sit these players and promise them anything. What he will do though is develop them into a hell of a player. It's clear that he's only going after high character players that are coachable.
 
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#9
#9
Stoked said:
I truly believe that this is why CRB will "miss" on a few top players and I'm perfectly ok with that if it's the case. He's not going to baby sit these players and promise them anything. What he will do though is develop them into a hell of a player. It's clear that he's only going after high character players that are coachable.
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Here’s another quote...

“Josiah James kept reiterating how Rick Barnes always told him the truth, didn’t try to stoke his ego. #Vols recruited him early and were genuine.”

People didn’t want to hear it but this staff isn’t going to lie or “stroke their ego”, but they are going to land high character kids willing to work.
 
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#10
#10
bleedingTNorange said:
Josiah James: My decision
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When Barnes was hired, I thought that he was past his prime and was coming to U.T. to draw a big check and then retire. I thought that our program would be respectable and we would win some games but I didn't see our accomplishments from last years team and I didn't see this type of recruiting success.
 
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#11
#11
Stoked said:
I truly believe that this is why CRB will "miss" on a few top players and I'm perfectly ok with that if it's the case. He's not going to baby sit these players and promise them anything. What he will do though is develop them into a hell of a player. It's clear that he's only going after high character players that are coachable.
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Reminiscent of Jay Wright’s Villanova teams...not a bad model.
 
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#15
#15
bleedingTNorange said:
Here’s another quote...

“Josiah James kept reiterating how Rick Barnes always told him the truth, didn’t try to stoke his ego. #Vols recruited him early and were genuine.”

People didn’t want to hear it but this staff isn’t going to lie or “stroke their ego”, but they are going to land high character kids willing to work.
Click to expand...
Hoping he's in for more than one year. This is just the beginning of some good to come, especially if we tear it up this season.
 
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#16
#16
butchna said:
Reminiscent of Jay Wright’s Villanova teams...not a bad model.
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I've thought this for past year since my son enrolled at VU and have seen Villanova up close as my adopted #2 team. I can tell you that there's a ton of similarities between Jay Wright and Barnes. Seeing Wright speak to students and local articles about him are very similar to the methods and personality of Barnes. Bring in solid and coachable kids who will buy into the system and grow with the program. I think we've turned the corner on sustaining basketball success, which it's great to have at least one major sport to be optimistic about!
 
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#19
#19
calban said:
Hoping he's in for more than one year. This is just the beginning of some good to come, especially if we tear it up this season.
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Just going by his announcement, JJ seems like the kind of kid that will stay in school more than one year unless some how he becomes a lottery pick. Right now, I don't see that happening and UT may get 3 years of JJ, but I can't almost guarantee 2
 
#21
#21
My wife was the Dean of Students at Porter Gaud (left last year), she was hoping he would choose UT (but never talked recruiting with him). He was one of her favorite students, and is fine young man in addition to an excellent basketball player! He will be a great addition to the team!
 
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#23
#23
Loving this. And, yes, very well-spoken young man that sounds like he has his head screwed on right. GBO!
 
#25
#25
geechevol said:
Well I will be going to some PG basketball games this year to see our newest recruit. Super pumped about his great rationale for choosing UT - Player Development, and that we'll see him in the right shade of Orange next year!
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His letter should be sent out to all recruits as a testimonial
 
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