Ultimately, if you are a top HS prospect (outside the Top 20) you have to pick a program that has minutes available for you (15 to 20) OR you have to be realistic about your playing career.
What I find somewhat interesting is how the schools like Purdue navigate this process because they appear to have a roster of tighter knit players and roster, where adding 1 grad transfer or portal kid, looks like their pattern of development. Most of what Matt Painter has been able to build, is still based on the HS level, with kids who are willing to redshirt or wait their turn.
I know Zach Edey gets a lot of the headlines, but they have a solid roster beyond Edey of B+ players.
For RU, it is the new normal and finally arriving to big time basketball and sports....RU has never had enough talent to "recruit over " kids....instead we hoped and prayed those kids developed. Now, you have no choice but to recruit over younger players who aren't contributing early in their careers OR kids who don't progress as frosh or sophomores.
I have said since last year that a best case scenario was to play as many underclassmen this year and see who would be good enough to contribute in 2024-25. Like it or not, we truly found out in 2023-24, what work has to be done to upgrade the holes on the roster. And I'd rather find out now about what that depth looks like today after watching a JMike Davis and JWill perform.....the ones that didn't improve or work hard enough to develop, are gone.
If that means some RU fans are somehow upset that we are trying to improve and win (not sure why) I think standing pat and hoping, has serious risk.
In football, if you are a 19 year old offensive lineman, you'll likely struggle to block a 21 or 22 year old defensive lineman. It's essentially the same concept in basketball being adopted by programs. Find experience and talent that's really ready and plug holes.