Recruiting Discussion

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@jeffborzello: Terrance Ferguson's mother confirms to ESPN that her son has decommitted from Alabama. No. 13 prospect in the 2016 class.
That's kind of weird if you look at it from the perspective that Alabama is actually having a pretty solid rebuilding year under Avery Johnson.
 
Bone, Turner, and Phillips would be a very small lineup with whatever we scrounge up to play at PF and C, but it may be what we have to go with. We are going to be so small. Jalen Johnson is maybe the least ready to contribute, but the most needed because we need his size on the wing.

Phillips did handle Murray the best, but Murray is only 6-4, and UK only plays him at SF when Briscoe is playing with him as well. Murray is a SG otherwise. He isn't your typical SF.

I guess I just didn't see phillips or really any of our perimeter guys consistently get backed down our out toughed, the bigger deficiency seemed to be lateral quickness and getting beat off the dribble. So that's why I have that stance, I don't see much size difference between Punter/Mostella/Baulkman from this year and Turner/Mostella/Phillips next year...IMO that second group would be much quicker and likely a better ball handling group, equipped to stop dribble penetration, obviously the negative is size. Again though, the smallest team in the conference ranks 6th in RPG, Barnes is going to always have a team who rebounds at least decently, so I guess I don't see it hurting us as bad as you may.

Again, ideally we can add some size to the post and then you've got Schofield who can play the 3 some, it gives you a lot of versatility if we can add some post guys who are ready to play.
 
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Bone, Turner, and Phillips would be a very small lineup with whatever we scrounge up to play at PF and C, but it may be what we have to go with. We are going to be so small. Jalen Johnson is maybe the least ready to contribute, but the most needed because we need his size on the wing.

Phillips did handle Murray the best, but Murray is only 6-4, and UK only plays him at SF when Briscoe is playing with him as well. Murray is a SG otherwise. He isn't your typical SF.

Schofield and Alexander have been scrounged up.
 
Not meaning to discount them, but Alexander needs about 25 lbs this offseason and Schofield is hardly an ideal PF, especially in a lineup where your SF is 6-2.

Charles Barkley was a pretty decent post player for somebody about Schofield's height. I like those two paired up, even if Alexander only adds a few pounds. Schofield adds muscle in the paint and Alexander can swat away garbage attempts near the rim. Kareem and Akeem were fairly skinny guys.
 
I don't understand how so many teams in the SEC can get quality big men. Sometimes 2 or 3. And UT can't keep 1 in a 4 year span. Seems we have always had a few big men that just take up space. I want once to see a low post scoring threat with his back to the basket.
 
Charles Barkley was a pretty decent post player for somebody about Schofield's height. I like those two paired up, even if Alexander only adds a few pounds. Schofield adds muscle in the paint and Alexander can swat away garbage attempts near the rim. Kareem and Akeem were fairly skinny guys.

Sure they were, but that was a different era of basketball, and they weren't playing against the same sized athletes of today. LeBron is 265 lbs and moves like a PG from Kareem's day.

When I said "scrounge up", I meant whatever we can find on the open market in the spring period that Barnes can convince to come play for him. Yurtseven would be a great start, but a longshot.
 
Charles Barkley was a pretty decent post player for somebody about Schofield's height. I like those two paired up, even if Alexander only adds a few pounds. Schofield adds muscle in the paint and Alexander can swat away garbage attempts near the rim. Kareem and Akeem were fairly skinny guys.

Let's not bring the Barkley talk into this. Sir Charles was a once in a generation athletic freak who by his own admission measured 6'3 3/4 at the NBA camp.
 
Sure they were, but that was a different era of basketball, and they weren't playing against the same sized athletes of today. LeBron is 265 lbs and moves like a PG from Kareem's day.

When I said "scrounge up", I meant whatever we can find on the open market in the spring period that Barnes can convince to come play for him. Yurtseven would be a great start, but a longshot.

I'm all for scrounging up Yurtseven.
 
Let's not bring the Barkley talk into this. Sir Charles was a once in a generation athletic freak who by his own admission measured 6'3 3/4 at the NBA camp.

And Admiral is what, 6'5"? My point is that with Schoefield and Alexander in the paint, TN's post play will be pretty good. Was it Dale Ellis or Howard Wood, both around 6'7", that neutralized Ralph Sampson?
 
And Admiral is what, 6'5"? My point is that with Schoefield and Alexander in the paint, TN's post play will be pretty good. Was it Dale Ellis or Howard Wood, both around 6'7", that neutralized Ralph Sampson?

It can POTENTIALLY be a pretty good frontcourt. We haven't seen enough from those two consistently to definitively say the post play will be good. They have both shown glimpses, Schofield more than Alexander, but both have shown promise. This offseason in the weight room and in offensive skills development will be key for them.

The whole point though, was that a starting lineup of Turner (6-1), Mostella (6-1), Phillips (6-2), Schofield (6-5), and Alexander (6-9) is very small overall. Adding someone who could immediately contribute in the 6-7 to 7-0 range in the spring would be ideal. That would allow a little more freedom with how we use Admiral instead of automatically relegating him to the PF spot simply because he's the 2nd tallest player on the floor.
 
On the radio Rob Lewis mentioned a couple of possible unofficial visitors this weekend. Anyone know who? SIAP.
 
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Does anyone remember this player ? I think Tyndall made an offer to him before he was fired - just commited to Illinois but I think Groce is on the hot seat after another poor season so maybe UT can re look at him --- His dad played in the NBA Bulls and Knicks (Frank Williams) also went to Illinois but in the better days DaMonte Williams - Basketball Recruiting - Player Profiles - ESPN
I'm not sure that we will need another wing (especially after offering Jordan Bowden). We are loaded at the wing. Hopefully we target some big men or forwards for the 2017 class.
 
Lance Thomas is a possible UOV this weekend, 2017 prospect ranked #179 composite and #134 by rivals, 6'8" 210lbs PF out of Norcrosa HS in GA.
 
Updated list, Thomas is a possible UOV this weekend, I would think the staff looks to add 2, at most 3 in the early signing period for 2017. Bolded are the guys I think they are either 1. Pursuing the hardest AND/OR 2. The guys they are in a good spot with early...



2017 Offer List:

#9 Ikechukwu Obiagu
#10 Hamidou Diallo
#15 Nick Richards
#22 MJ Walker
#56 Lindell Wigginton
#61 Rayshaun Hammonds

#69 Alex Reese
#70 Andre Rafus
#82 Victor Uyaelumno
#92 Tyler Polley

#128 Lavar Batts
#140 Ibrahim Doumbia
#141 Nicholas Claxton
#142 Zach Kent
#147 David Sloan
#179 Lance Thomas
#161 Wyatt Wilkes
#187 Isaiah Stokes
NR Victor Enoh



I don't know that the staff would take a commitment from either Thomas or Stokes at this point, I expect Stokes do be a guy watched this summer and will have a decision to make. His junior season didn't go great and many feel he's a top football prospect, he very well could switch back to football full time if the offers don't start coming. What could be interesting though is if he does that, and the Vols can re-land Higgins, you've got 2 guys that are D1 basketball players on the football team, who probably would like to go both ways. Even if they can't give Barnes 100% of their time, having those 2 guys on the bench to use come conference play would be a major weapon. I am aware both guys doing that is unlikely, even 1 may be, but was just something I thought about in thinking about Stokes.
 
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Updated list, Thomas is a possible UOV this weekend, I would think the staff looks to add 2, at most 3 in the early signing period for 2017. Bolded are the guys I think they are either 1. Pursuing the hardest AND/OR 2. The guys they are in a good spot with early...



2017 Offer List:

#9 Ikechukwu Obiagu
#10 Hamidou Diallo
#15 Nick Richards
#22 MJ Walker
#56 Lindell Wigginton
#61 Rayshaun Hammonds

#69 Alex Reese
#70 Andre Rafus
#82 Victor Uyaelumno
#92 Tyler Polley

#128 Lavar Batts
#140 Ibrahim Doumbia
#141 Nicholas Claxton
#142 Zach Kent
#147 David Sloan
#179 Lance Thomas
#161 Wyatt Wilkes
#187 Isaiah Stokes
NR Victor Enoh



I don't know that the staff would take a commitment from either Thomas or Stokes at this point, I expect Stokes do be a guy watched this summer and will have a decision to make. His junior season didn't go great and many feel he's a top football prospect, he very well could switch back to football full time if the offers don't start coming. What could be interesting though is if he does that, and the Vols can re-land Higgins, you've got 2 guys that are D1 basketball players on the football team, who probably would like to go both ways. Even if they can't give Barnes 100% of their time, having those 2 guys on the bench to use come conference play would be a major weapon. I am aware both guys doing that is unlikely, even 1 may be, but was just something I thought about in thinking about Stokes.
Lol, I'm sorry but I cracked up. "Who probabaly would like to go both ways"
 
247 recalibrated their rankings "to give more credit to the entirety of the recruiting class and not just the top 2 or 3 recruits."

With the change Tennessee's class now ranks #44 nationally and 6th in the SEC fwiw.
 
247 recalibrated their rankings "to give more credit to the entirety of the recruiting class and not just the top 2 or 3 recruits."

With the change Tennessee's class now ranks #44 nationally and 6th in the SEC fwiw.

Wonder where we'd be if we landed Omer.?
 

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