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2018 class rankings updated

Russ Wood

All American
Gold Member
Oct 12, 2011
8,710
8,610
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Tomorrow it's the 2019 class and Thursday we expand the 2020 class from Top 50 to Top 75.
 
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It's good to be king... I mean Duke. The top two players in the country are headed to Durham. No. 8, too.

Mathis is No. 92 for RU. :sunglasses:

Six players are from NJ.
 
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Russ - understanding these are the rivals consensus rankings... where would you personally have Mathis?
 
Oregon "bagged" four of the top 60 players - when did they become a basketball power?
 
It's good to be king... I mean Duke. The top two players in the country are headed to Durham. No. 8, too.

Mathis is No. 92 for RU. :sunglasses:

Six players are from NJ.
Duke is following Kentucky mantra of recycling one and done players .I guess experience doesn't matter at the elite schools.
 


Tomorrow it's the 2019 class and Thursday we expand the 2020 class from Top 50 to Top 75.
Russ,what would you do for next year with Rutgers? You have some talent coming in but we are unsure about Corey's return and there are some questions about certain players returning.

1. First, do you see Corey coming back
2. If he does return and 2 more spots open up; who would you like to see fill them?
3. If Corey doesn't return, then what? There could as many as 3 spots open with a big void without Corey.
4. Do you think Johnson's redshirt is really because the coaches think he needs to build his body this year or do you not see him as part of the program?
 
That is where I have him on my worksheet. I sent my rankings input to Eric Bossi early last Friday morning.
Yeah, just little different than what we normally get. Like "this guy is a solid player that can really contribute" or "this guy could be a good complement to our current players." Things like that, lol.
 
Russ,what would you do for next year with Rutgers? You have some talent coming in but we are unsure about Corey's return and there are some questions about certain players returning.

1. First, do you see Corey coming back
2. If he does return and 2 more spots open up; who would you like to see fill them?
3. If Corey doesn't return, then what? There could as many as 3 spots open with a big void without Corey.
4. Do you think Johnson's redshirt is really because the coaches think he needs to build his body this year or do you not see him as part of the program?
I am not sure on 1-3, that will require a lot of thought on my part.

As for Johnson I think the coaches like him but didn't think he'd play much this season. Instead of burning a year of eligibility on little playing time the redshirted him.

He can spend the season learning the offense, the defense, providing size on the scout team and improve his body.

Obviously the kid has to buy into that. Since he didn't transfer at the end of the fall semester, my guess is that he did.
 
Russ,what would you do for next year with Rutgers? You have some talent coming in but we are unsure about Corey's return and there are some questions about certain players returning.

1. First, do you see Corey coming back
2. If he does return and 2 more spots open up; who would you like to see fill them?
3. If Corey doesn't return, then what? There could as many as 3 spots open with a big void without Corey.
4. Do you think Johnson's redshirt is really because the coaches think he needs to build his body this year or do you not see him as part of the program?
I am not sure on 1-3, that will require a lot of thought on my part.

As for Johnson I think the coaches like him but didn't think he'd play much this season. Instead of burning a year of eligibility on little playing time the redshirted him.

He can spend the season learning the offense, the defense, providing size on the scout team and improve his body.

Obviously the kid has to buy into that. Since he didn't transfer at the end of the fall semester, my guess is that he did.
Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.
 
Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.

Sanders plays to the competition. Who knows what comes of him in this conference play? If he was to try to get to where he wanted, and stayed a year, he would really have to trust the staff for them to get him there. What has he done in the past?Left Rutgers in the summer.

Starting to think for the first time this will be his last year. And it would be the smart thing. His physical abilities only last so long. Go make some money.
 
Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.

Sanders plays to the competition. Who knows what comes of him in this conference play? If he was to try to get to where he wanted, and stayed a year, he would really have to trust the staff for them to get him there. What has he done in the past?Left Rutgers in the summer.

Starting to think for the first time this will be his last year. And it would be the smart thing. His physical abilities only last so long. Go make some money.
I would agree but without sanders, we don’t best Wisky and it’s not even close. We still need his scoring. Not time to lose him yet imo if we don’t have to lose him
 
Sanders plays to the competition. Who knows what comes of him in this conference play? If he was to try to get to where he wanted, and stayed a year, he would really have to trust the staff for them to get him there. What has he done in the past?Left Rutgers in the summer.

Starting to think for the first time this will be his last year. And it would be the smart thing. His physical abilities only last so long. Go make some money.

You say "trust the staff" and mention that in the past he has left, but I see this year being much different.

Coming out of highschool Corey had a documentary about his Senior year and transition into college made about him by HomeTeamHoops. Everyone around him, friends, family, and I am sure Coach Jordan was saying that he was a one and done player and would be in the league after one year at RU. Hell, Jordans prior coaching experience in the NBA and him promising Corey he can play in the league was probably the only reason he came here. We all know how his freshman campaign went, scored a ton, but we were never close in any games for the most part. When all you are told is NBA NBA, him testing the waters was expected.

Sophomore year, new coach coming in, I am shocked he stuck around and didn't transfer. Was glad to have him back and he bought in to pikiells system. Overall his game improved even though his scoring numbers weren't what we saw from his freshman year. Once again summer rolled around and he had the chance to test the waters and still come back if things didn't work out. Could you blame him for leaving a coaching staff that didn't recruit him and whom he only played one year under?

Now for this year. I think Corey has matured hundredfold from the past 2 years. He seems to have accepted that he isn't the player he was hyped up to be coming out of high school and realized what he needs to work on to become an elite player. Obviously this year has been up and down so far, but his poise down the stretch against the hall and Wisconsin are examples of this maturity. We lose these two close ones last year.

Come spring time he will have 2 years under this staff and be looking at a good recruiting class coming in to reload for next year. If he chooses to pursue a professional career after this season I only wish him the best, but I see him returning for his senior year.

/endrant
 
Duke is following Kentucky mantra of recycling one and done players .I guess experience doesn't matter at the elite schools.

Disgusting. The fact that Duke - DUKE - a university that prides itself as a pillar of academia, allows this, is stunning. The NCAA needs to adjust the regulations and make it the same as football IMHO.
 
92-95 sounds great to me..rivals probably had Eugene rated somewhere around 700-1000..will be interested to see what this staff can bring out in some guys with a ton of offers
 
Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.

Sanders plays to the competition. Who knows what comes of him in this conference play? If he was to try to get to where he wanted, and stayed a year, he would really have to trust the staff for them to get him there. What has he done in the past?Left Rutgers in the summer.

Starting to think for the first time this will be his last year. And it would be the smart thing. His physical abilities only last so long. Go make some money.
I would agree but without sanders, we don’t best Wisky and it’s not even close. We still need his scoring. Not time to lose him yet imo if we don’t have to lose him

He can't make any money (in the League) if he's not drafted. He's got a ways to go before that happens. Rob Hodgsen was a far superior player to Sanders at this point in time. Heck Ricky Shields was more consistent. If Sanders plays the rest of the year like he did against Wisconsin then he has a shot to get drafted. But he's not a 1 and he doesn't shoot we'll enough nor is he really tall enough to be a 2 in the NBA.
I mean if Quincy D can't make it in the NBA how is Sanders? Now if he doesn't care about sticking and he just wants to sign a contract and then get cut in a year or two then get a real job or go overseas, then maybe its worth it.
 
If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.
Why in the world are folks so quick to usher out our 6’11” junior center off a team that lacks frontcourt depth and is losing Freeman and Sa?
 
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You say "trust the staff" and mention that in the past he has left, but I see this year being much different.

Coming out of highschool Corey had a documentary about his Senior year and transition into college made about him by HomeTeamHoops. Everyone around him, friends, family, and I am sure Coach Jordan was saying that he was a one and done player and would be in the league after one year at RU. Hell, Jordans prior coaching experience in the NBA and him promising Corey he can play in the league was probably the only reason he came here. We all know how his freshman campaign went, scored a ton, but we were never close in any games for the most part. When all you are told is NBA NBA, him testing the waters was expected.

Sophomore year, new coach coming in, I am shocked he stuck around and didn't transfer. Was glad to have him back and he bought in to pikiells system. Overall his game improved even though his scoring numbers weren't what we saw from his freshman year. Once again summer rolled around and he had the chance to test the waters and still come back if things didn't work out. Could you blame him for leaving a coaching staff that didn't recruit him and whom he only played one year under?

Now for this year. I think Corey has matured hundredfold from the past 2 years. He seems to have accepted that he isn't the player he was hyped up to be coming out of high school and realized what he needs to work on to become an elite player. Obviously this year has been up and down so far, but his poise down the stretch against the hall and Wisconsin are examples of this maturity. We lose these two close ones last year.

Come spring time he will have 2 years under this staff and be looking at a good recruiting class coming in to reload for next year. If he chooses to pursue a professional career after this season I only wish him the best, but I see him returning for his senior year.

/endrant
And earning a degree.
 
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Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.

One day you are going to spell Shaq Doorson's name correctly on this board.

D - o - o - r - s - o - n.
 
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As for Johnson I think the coaches like him but didn't think he'd play much this season. Instead of burning a year of eligibility on little playing time the redshirted him.

He can spend the season learning the offense, the defense, providing size on the scout team and improve his body.

Obviously the kid has to buy into that. Since he didn't transfer at the end of the fall semester, my guess is that he did.
Myles is all in. He's a first-year engineering student. He's easing his way into a solid career on the court and in the classroom on the banks.
 
Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.

Do we know Mathis can shoot? I have never watched any tape of him, or seen him in person, but from what I read here and elsewhere, his long-range shooting is a work in progress, and that he is more of a taller Mike Williams in the sense that he has a strong all around game, has a good mid-range game and can attack the basket, and plays strong defense and rebounds, but isn't as much as a guy who can score points in bunches from long range. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd be interested in Russ Wood's take on Mathis' game.
 
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Thanks. I guess it’s just tricky to predict what Corey will do? How is Montez as a ball handler? I know he can shoot but if you have a backcourt of Geo and Montez, do we have enough with all of the other guards or would we need another point guard and where do you find a good one that late in the process for 2018?

My hope is that pike convinces Hyatt to come because we need a shooter and he could be great but I still think we need a point guard. Not sure if Diego Willis is still interested and/or good enough but he could be a possibility. And then there’s Souf? I just don’t what to think about him or why Pikiell liked him so much. Just seems like a big liability on offense and he doesn’t do enough of anything else to make me believe he should be on the court.

If we were a team with all options on the table which unfortunately I don’t think is the case, I would replace Souf, Bullock and Doorsan with three guys who can contribute. I know it sounds harsh and I’m not expecting it but now that we are in the Big 10 and have a real coach, we can finally see just how important All 13 scholarships are and you just can’t waste any spots. Bullock and Souf are not Big 10 players and Doorsan does have his moments but it’s inconsistent and he can’t knock down free throws. I think I’d love to see a shooter like Hyatt, another point guard and a Big post up player; maybe even another Juco to hit the boards with Carter and Doucoure.

I don't think there is a single recruit that you don't "want". You say that about literally every kid that is mentioned as a potential RU commit.
 
Do we know Mathis can shoot? I have never watched any tape of him, or seen him in person, but from what I read here and elsewhere, his long-range shooting is a work in progress, and that he is more of a taller Mike Williams in the sense that he has a strong all around game, has a good mid-range game and can attack the basket, and plays strong defense and rebounds, but isn't as much as a guy who can score points in bunches from long range. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd be interested in Russ Wood's take on Mathis' game.

I am not a scout but just in the video and the box scores I've seen from both Mathis and Harper, neither guy is a big 3-point guy. We need to really hope Peter Kiss can hit them at least 35%.
 
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You say "trust the staff" and mention that in the past he has left, but I see this year being much different.

Coming out of highschool Corey had a documentary about his Senior year and transition into college made about him by HomeTeamHoops. Everyone around him, friends, family, and I am sure Coach Jordan was saying that he was a one and done player and would be in the league after one year at RU. Hell, Jordans prior coaching experience in the NBA and him promising Corey he can play in the league was probably the only reason he came here. We all know how his freshman campaign went, scored a ton, but we were never close in any games for the most part. When all you are told is NBA NBA, him testing the waters was expected.

Sophomore year, new coach coming in, I am shocked he stuck around and didn't transfer. Was glad to have him back and he bought in to pikiells system. Overall his game improved even though his scoring numbers weren't what we saw from his freshman year. Once again summer rolled around and he had the chance to test the waters and still come back if things didn't work out. Could you blame him for leaving a coaching staff that didn't recruit him and whom he only played one year under?

Now for this year. I think Corey has matured hundredfold from the past 2 years. He seems to have accepted that he isn't the player he was hyped up to be coming out of high school and realized what he needs to work on to become an elite player. Obviously this year has been up and down so far, but his poise down the stretch against the hall and Wisconsin are examples of this maturity. We lose these two close ones last year.

Come spring time he will have 2 years under this staff and be looking at a good recruiting class coming in to reload for next year. If he chooses to pursue a professional career after this season I only wish him the best, but I see him returning for his senior year.

/endrant

If his goal is still NBA, he might stay. If his goal is to make money, and help support a family, he will probably leave.

I don't think the degree matters as much to these players as it does to people on this board. They are D1 athletes. They want to continue playing basketball.
 
I am not a scout but just in the video and the box scores I've seen from both Mathis and Harper, neither guy is a big 3-point guy. We need to really hope Peter Kiss can hit them at least 35%.

Harper can shoot the 3
 
I would agree but without sanders, we don’t best Wisky and it’s not even close. We still need his scoring. Not time to lose him yet imo if we don’t have to lose him

No one is going to push Sanders anywhere. He is a talent that if developed, he can be a decent player. He only has conference, and one more year to prove it,though. Pikiell has done a lot to keep Sanders on the banks. He knows the type of player he is. But he doesn't have four years with him. This is it.
 
Disgusting. The fact that Duke - DUKE - a university that prides itself as a pillar of academia, allows this, is stunning. The NCAA needs to adjust the regulations and make it the same as football IMHO.

Yeah, duke used to not play this game. They changed. Surprised high and mighty coach K has gone this route
 
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