2025 Target List

#1,576
#1,576
Chaz-Vol said:
Based on the war room today at volquest they don't seem too enthused at vols landing any of the top 3 prospects. Say Mallory would be a great fit but rumblings are that another school may value Mallory way more than vols.
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So like SF said, “we will probably fill our spots with portal guys.”

Load up the team with portal guys for one last Rick Barnes season with an ultimate team ;)
 
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#1,577
#1,577
I wonder if high school recruits think Barnes may be on the final stretch of his time here, whether that means he retires this off-season or after one more season, and that’s why we aren’t getting a ton of traction there the last few cycles. Probably overthinking it, but just feels weird with all the success we are having we haven’t been a more attractive landing spot for top end high school talent.
 
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#1,578
#1,578
TheMookieMonster said:
I wonder if high school recruits think Barnes may be on the final stretch of his time here, whether that means he retires this off-season or after one more season, and that’s why we aren’t getting a ton of traction there the last few cycles. Probably overthinking it, but just feels weird with all the success we are having we haven’t been a more attractive landing spot for top end high school talent.
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I think it's also going after elite high school guys are generally lottery draft prospects so come with highest possible price tags. Mallory is kind of a strange situation all the way around just how much he wants Virginia even though they don't have a coach and he's not going to be a lottery prospect and there's no true PG here so could come in a potentially start.
 
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#1,579
#1,579
Chaz-Vol said:
I think it's also going after elite high school guys are generally lottery draft prospects so come with highest possible price tags. Mallory is kind of a strange situation all the way around just how much he wants Virginia even though they don't have a coach and he's not going to be a lottery prospect and there's no true PG here so could come in a potentially start.
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I'd say there is little chance of Mallory coming in and starting as I'd bank heavily that we are targeting a portal guy for that role, but I think he could come in and get 10-12 minutes a game, perhaps as the main backup as he learns the role for his sophomore year. And who knows, he could come in and surprise and we see a dual PG system similar to what we saw with Kennedy Chandler and Zakai Zeigler. I just highly doubt Barnes plans to roll with an undersized freshman PG as the primary option.
 
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#1,580
#1,580
TheMookieMonster said:
I wonder if high school recruits think Barnes may be on the final stretch of his time here, whether that means he retires this off-season or after one more season, and that’s why we aren’t getting a ton of traction there the last few cycles. Probably overthinking it, but just feels weird with all the success we are having we haven’t been a more attractive landing spot for top end high school talent.
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There's probably something to that, especially with guys like Mallory who are 4-year guys. I'm sure that's the negative recruiting angle that other schools are promoting. No fault on them, either, because it isn't untrue. It's hard to picture Barnes being here in 2029, so I get it.

For Mallory, I think it's clear his heart is with UVA, but there is coaching uncertainty on the front end. Meanwhile, he has a great (better, really) second option in Tennessee who has coaching uncertainty on the back end, so he's in a tough spot.
 
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#1,581
#1,581
Chaz-Vol said:
Based on the war room today at volquest they don't seem too enthused at vols landing any of the top 3 prospects. Say Mallory would be a great fit but rumblings are that another school may value Mallory way more than vols.
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Geez… Our basketball high school recruiting has gone full Pedro Cerrano… every time a curve ball is thrown at us with any of our top targets, we whiff. At least we’ve got the portal, but I grew to enjoy landing an elite recruit here and there.
 
#1,584
#1,584
Chaz-Vol said:
Based on the war room today at volquest they don't seem too enthused at vols landing any of the top 3 prospects. Say Mallory would be a great fit but rumblings are that another school may value Mallory way more than vols.
Click to expand...
Not a good look for Rick to strike out with all of this year's HS prospects. I REALLY don't want to have to totally rely on the transfer portal, but it looks like that's where we are. Barnes' inability to attract a top-tier PG is still a head-scratcher to me.

I don't understand the comment that another school values Mallory more than us--from what I can tell, we've been all-in on him this entire time.
 
#1,587
#1,587
Shaka Smart would be a great get.

Kentucky - Mark Pope
North Carolina - Hubert Davis
Indiana - Mike Woodson

Landing a proven coach is hard, even for the best programs. Hitting on an up-and-comer is no sure thing. If you're turning your nose up at Shaka Smart, I'd lay money you probably hated the idea of hiring Rick Barnes, too.
 
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#1,589
#1,589
Vawlz said:
This^^^ I hope DW is aiming higher than Smart.
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I mean, it’s really hard to see us getting anybody “higher” than Smart. If he’s not up to your standard, then I must say you’ll probably be very disappointed with whoever succeeds Barnes.

I’d take Smart in a heartbeat. He seems to have learned a lot from his mediocre tenure at Texas.
 
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#1,590
#1,590
cncchris33 said:
Shaka Smart would be a great get.

Kentucky - Mark Pope
North Carolina - Hubert Davis
Indiana - Mike Woodson

Landing a proven coach is hard, even for the best programs. Hitting on an up-and-comer is no sure thing. If you're turning your nose up at Shaka Smart, I'd lay money you probably hated the idea of hiring Rick Barnes, too.
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I’m just not sure he’s a good fit for Tennessee. He didn’t handle the pressure at Texas very well, and maybe he would take some of those lessons learned and it wouldn’t be the same here, but I would just be concerned it would be Texas 2.0 here, especially with how difficult this league has become.

Besides, I think it’s a moot point, because I doubt he’s leaving Marquette.
 
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#1,591
#1,591
TheMookieMonster said:
I’m just not sure he’s a good fit for Tennessee. He didn’t handle the pressure at Texas very well, and maybe he would take some of those lessons learned and it wouldn’t be the same here, but I would just be concerned it would be Texas 2.0 here, especially with how difficult this league has become.

Besides, I think it’s a moot point, because I doubt he’s leaving Marquette.
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VCU to Texas was a massive leap for a young coach. Following an underappreciated legend was a tough task, as well. Texas wanted a miracle worker when they fired a coach as successful as Rick Barnes and most anyone wasn't going to succeed. I think he's learned a lot from his time at Texas and is doing a great job at Marquette. He's 3 for 3 making the NCAAT and has improved by one round each year. Tough to think we can/will do much better without taking a risk on an unknown commodity. Maybe we get the next Bruce Pearl or Nate Oats, but just as likely we get the next Buzz Peterson or Tony Barbee.
 
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#1,592
#1,592
cncchris33 said:
VCU to Texas was a massive leap for a young coach. Following an underappreciated legend was a tough task, as well. Texas wanted a miracle worker when they fired a coach as successful as Rick Barnes and most anyone wasn't going to succeed. I think he's learned a lot from his time at Texas and is doing a great job at Marquette. He's 3 for 3 making the NCAAT and has improved by one round each year. Tough to think we can/will do much better without taking a risk on an unknown commodity. Maybe we get the next Bruce Pearl or Nate Oats, but just as likely we get the next Buzz Peterson or Tony Barbee.
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That said, how eager would he be to follow Barnes again?? It’s a tough act to follow.
 
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#1,597
#1,597
TheMookieMonster said:
I’m just not sure he’s a good fit for Tennessee. He didn’t handle the pressure at Texas very well, and maybe he would take some of those lessons learned and it wouldn’t be the same here, but I would just be concerned it would be Texas 2.0 here, especially with how difficult this league has become.

Besides, I think it’s a moot point, because I doubt he’s leaving Marquette.
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It's not like he's answered the tournament questions despite having insane teams at Marquette either
 
#1,598
#1,598
allvolrecruiting said:
It's not like he's answered the tournament questions despite having insane teams at Marquette either
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3 for 3 making the NCAAT and has improved 1 round each season.

What were the tournament questions? He never won an NCAAT game at Texas, so I'd call 3 wins in 3 years vast improvement.
 
#1,600
#1,600
cncchris33 said:
3 for 3 making the NCAAT and has improved 1 round each season.

What were the tournament questions? He never won an NCAAT game at Texas, so I'd call 3 wins in 3 years vast improvement.
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He's a known seller in the postseason. Those teams at Marquette were far too talented to exit when they did each year.

First round exit (2021-22) - Justin Lewis (17ppg/8rpg), Darryl Morsey (13 ppg), Kam Jones, Tyler Kolek, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Oso Ighodaro
Second round exit (2022-23) - Jones, Kolek, OMP, Oso
Sweet 16 exit (2023-24) - same team but no OMP. However Kam Jones and Tyler Kolek continued their quick development and turned into two of the best guards in the country

Those last two years were arguably a top 5 team and played one second weekend game. Let's add some context to those numbers. I get Kolek was dealing with injuries but still. Then like you said he already followed Barnes once in a major job and failed to even win a tournament game. He's better as the underdog in a job with less pressure it seems like
 
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