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OT: Fonseca: Lathan Somerville has strong initial list

PSAL_Hoops said:
The point is - division is just being a negative jerk. There is zero reason to assume that the 6 teams most actively pursuing the 41st rate recruit in the 2025 class were all doing so with a plan of him being a perennial back up. Zero basis for that assumption. Frosh don’t command that much NIL period unless they are top 10 national recruits. The fact that we wanted this kid enough to offer more money than we or others typically would does not automatically mean the other 6 teams see his ceiling as utility player.
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Not a jerk just like being factual and accurate not just “Hopeful”. Ruvals had him as the 117 th ranked player facts! The power 4 teams on his list are bringing him in to be a bench role player, that can turn into a major contributor. The lower mid major schools are hoping he is a starter year one by mid season.

You Hope he’s Caleb day 1. I just don’t think paying up for freshman is going to help next year and if I am right then Pike is writing his own career obituary.
 
RUChow said:
I don't think the JMike Ace thing is true although many like to believe it. On a recruiting trip to see Ace Pikiel fell in love with JMike - happens all the time.
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It better be true because JMike is a D2 6 th man at best. If your right then Pike is just worse at talent evaluation then we know.
 
RUDivision said:
Not a jerk just like being factual and accurate not just “Hopeful”. Ruvals had him as the 117 th ranked player facts! The power 4 teams on his list are bringing him in to be a bench role player, that can turn into a major contributor. The lower mid major schools are hoping he is a starter year one by mid season.

You Hope he’s Caleb day 1. I just don’t think paying up for freshman is going to help next year and if I am right then Pike is writing his own career obituary.
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Everybody brings in freahman to be bench role players outside the top 20 kids. After that it's all about performance. Freshman Caleb wasn't senior Caleb.
 
RUDivision said:
Not a jerk just like being factual and accurate not just “Hopeful”. Ruvals had him as the 117 th ranked player facts! The power 4 teams on his list are bringing him in to be a bench role player, that can turn into a major contributor. The lower mid major schools are hoping he is a starter year one by mid season.

You Hope he’s Caleb day 1. I just don’t think paying up for freshman is going to help next year and if I am right then Pike is writing his own career obituary.
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Are you calling me a liar? He was the 41st ranked recruit per ESPN at the point in time when Rutgers outbid those other 6 teams who you are stating it is “fact” that they only offered him in the hope of him becoming a utility piece. Article below shows I stated the fact - not you:

Top-50 F Nwuli announces Rutgers commitment

Chris Nwuli committed to Rutgers on Sunday, giving the Scarlet Knights their first ESPN 100 prospect of the 2025 class.
www.espn.com
 
RUDivision said:
It better be true because JMike is a D2 6 th man at best. If your right then Pike is just worse at talent evaluation then we know.
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C’mon now. Shelby thinks he’s unplayable against power conference opponents and the player he most wanted to leave but he’d be a legit low major player and definitely a D2 starter.
 
IMARUFAN said:
I have to assume most schools are looking at Lathan as a power forward. At 6'9", he's too small to play center.

Plus, he's clearly disinclined to exert himself when it comes to defense or rebounding. That shortcoming might be less of an issue if he were playing with a legit rim protector.

Funny, however, that very few posters here have praised his playing ability but now are freaking out that "we're a feeder school" and are losing a key player.

Given his lack of effort on defense, I'm pretty sure Pike is just fine with Lathan
PSAL_Hoops said:
“Overpaying” for a frosh likely means giving them 25k more than the next guy. It’s a gamble Pike was willing to take probably because he spotted a kid playing tenacious D in an AAU setting where D is rarely played.

Overpaying for Lathan means hundreds of thousands more than bringing in a mid-major center who definitely won’t be a drop off on D because that would be impossible. Do you not see the difference?
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Heard he wanted 1.7 million 😂😂😂
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Jmikes jr year coming up ..will be interesting to see the board sentiment change and the ways posters like Shelby try to walk back their posts..
 
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PSAL_Hoops said:
Are you calling me a liar? He was the 41st ranked recruit per ESPN at the point in time when Rutgers outbid those other 6 teams who you are stating it is “fact” that they only offered him in the hope of him becoming a utility piece. Article below shows I stated the fact - not you:

Top-50 F Nwuli announces Rutgers commitment

Chris Nwuli committed to Rutgers on Sunday, giving the Scarlet Knights their first ESPN 100 prospect of the 2025 class.
www.espn.com
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Not calling you a liar at all! You are giving his rank at his POSITION which can be misleading compared to his OVERALL rank. He is ranked somewhere between 117-150. The facts are teams bring in top talent all the time in bench roles or to fill needs as role players.

I hope he is Caleb day 1 like you hope. The facts are it will probably take 2-3 years before he is anything close.
 
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Jerseylegends said:
Jmikes jr year coming up ..will be interesting to see the board sentiment change and the ways posters like Shelby try to walk back their posts..
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Ha ha ha. He’s been here two years. Still can’t shoot, make layups or defend the Gatorade cooler. Can’t create good looks for teammates. But yeah, all that’s going to suddenly change and he’s going to be good next year. Got it. Thanks for the insight.

Same thing was said about him before each of the last 2 years. Sad thing that the fanbase can’t distinguish good from bad, bust from potential. Davis has no potential as a Big10 player. He just doesn’t.
 
Who said Pike can't evaluate talent. Seems like a bunch of his players have or will be sort after.
 
ru66 said:
Who said Pike can't evaluate talent. Seems like a bunch of his players have or will be sort after.
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"Sought after". Agree that Lathan, at least, is a big loss. Makes you wonder at the BB knowledge of some on here. He was our third best offensive option (could argue for Acuff) and worked hard. He was only a freshman and to be thrown in to B10 play and handle it the way he did deserves praise, not derision.
 
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RUDivision said:
Not calling you a liar at all! You are giving his rank at his POSITION which can be misleading compared to his OVERALL rank. He is ranked somewhere between 117-150. The facts are teams bring in top talent all the time in bench roles or to fill needs as role players.

I hope he is Caleb day 1 like you hope. The facts are it will probably take 2-3 years before he is anything close.
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I’m pretty sure the ESPN ranking of Nwuli was 41st in the nation (not 41st best forward). Unless this is a misprint:

Men's Basketball Welcomes Chris Nwuli to 2025-26 Class - Rutgers University Athletics

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers men's basketball program is thrilled to welcome a versatile forward from Chatsworth, California to The Knighthood in Chris Nwuli.
scarletknights.com

Can someone confirm that? I feel like this kid should be getting more attention as a guy who can come in and have an impact early.
 
PSAL_Hoops said:
I’m pretty sure the ESPN ranking of Nwuli was 41st in the nation (not 41st best forward). Unless this is a misprint:

Men's Basketball Welcomes Chris Nwuli to 2025-26 Class - Rutgers University Athletics

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers men's basketball program is thrilled to welcome a versatile forward from Chatsworth, California to The Knighthood in Chris Nwuli.
scarletknights.com

Can someone confirm that? I feel like this kid should be getting more attention as a guy who can come in and have an impact early.
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From what I recall he was higher ranked early on and then dropped a bit afterwards?
 
seansherm said:
From what I recall he was higher ranked early on and then dropped a bit afterwards?
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The context of pointing out that ranking was in response to Division saying the 6 teams who we came in late to outbid only wanted him as a bench reserve. I took an interest in this kid based on the way Pike jumped in to make sure we were the highest offer after seeing the kid play D on the AAU circuit. It was the ranking at that time I was after.
 
Article says "coming off the bench" HA! :) Hes not gonna be happy with that...
 
RUChow said:
I don't think the JMike Ace thing is true although many like to believe it. On a recruiting trip to see Ace Pikiel fell in love with JMike - happens all the time. And if once we already got Ace and knew we only had him for only one year, then JWill would have hardly played by your reasoning.
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Doubtful. Pike went to a high end bakery to buy a fancy dessert and also got a free lollipop at the register on the way out. The dessert was consumed quickly but he’s still got the nasty lollipop no one’s interested in.
 
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bac2therac said:
he will be happy because he is getting a huge undeserved bag...thats all the kids who are not nba prospects want at this point
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This

Playing time, development are all secondary. These kids have 4 seasons to maximize earnings. After that it’s back to scrapping for $40-50k to play in some random country. The name on the front of the jersey and the emotional ties to that name creates this bizarre scenario where these kids are worth more as amateurs than professionals. Aside from the legit nba players, of course, which are few and far between.
 
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