RU's path to improving is tied to finding complete basketball players first. There's not enough complete players on the roster at all 3 levels to label any one class as important.
I am of the belief that the 2018 class provides players that can rebound defend, score, dribble and become coachable.
I am 1000% certain that those characteristics are in place with Young and Mulcahy.
To be fair and objective, Eugene has been a coachable revelation that nobody could have seen evolving into a complete player. But his 1st 2 seasons, his impact was infectious in taking charges, rebounding and defending at a higher than expected level. His offense was limited to slashes and offensive rebounding.
Thiam is a stationary player that is not yet a complete basketball player at this level of competition. If we are fair, he and Eugene are the building blocks, but it's taken this long for both players halfway through their junior season, when a redshirt season would probably have made sense in a normal situation.
The 2020 kids just need to be a typical level recruit that we have landed in the majority of the recruits targeted and/or signed at RU. The point is we need complete basketball players in 3 or 4 classes in a row before worrying how highly skilled or ranked they are. That could be grad transfer, JUCO, overseas or normal HS 2020 recruit. Not how highly ranked some wildly inaccurate HS rating system is or isn't.
The other key beyond rankings is culture fit and coachability. Most programs improve the roster by being coachable vs relying on talent and flashy plays. I can go up and down some B1G and other Power 5 rosters of highly regarded players in the last 2 or 3 recruiting cycles, who have not bought into to coaching or team concept.
There's a difference between a talented roster and a program being built the right way. Programs built properly can develop and then sustain a level of play, once it's in place....and can absorb a hit or two if a recruit doesn't develop or is a "miss"....
Talented rosters individual players with skill levels that are "me- 1st, team 2nd"....you can have 1 or 2 of those on your rosters but once you get beyond that, you usually underachieve.
The staff has an excellent eye for talent....not only what we have but what targets were on our lists for visits and have started their careers elsewhere. Most have been playing well within their team's concepts. I am pretty confident RU will land enough players to get things done for the short and long term. There's no cutting corners unfortunately, if you want a real program....if you want a one time roster assembled that lucks into an NCAA bid if the stars align and is never to be heard from again, that's an option too....
Stay the course and develop and maintain the same mindset....
