Answers, Part IV
This is the fourth set of answers:
because they don't want a bunch of folks showing up every time they are going to work out. I will honor that request. Part of it is they do not want plays they are working on to wind up on a message board.
I would also like to know when and where the Summer B-Ball Games are usually held?Same, basically, for the summer games on campus.
Did UCLA have a chance with Armond Armstead? If so, why didn't UCLA offer? I never thought there was a chance.
Why did Chase Stanback transfer? Playing time? The system? His mom told me it had nothing to do with playing time or the system. I don't think he enjoyed his time on the practice court.
I would like to know your impression of both Stover and Honeycutt? Do you think that both or either will commit soon to UCLA?I think Honeycutt has a better chance to commit than Stover, although I'm not saying both or neither could wind up at UCLA. Right now, though, I think the chances with Honeycutt are better.
With Morgan on board and Josh Smith leaning to UCLA that Mr. Stover could have a difficult time finding PT??Not really. These kids don't think that way. They are being recruited by one of the elite programs in the nation, and each kid thinks they will be a star and go onto the NBA. For the kids, it's about fit.
I read that Luc Richard Mbah a Moute signed with the Bucks. What does a 2nd rounder "signing" entail? Does it guarantee anything for the player? I do not know what the money was, but it was a two-year deal and Mbah a Moute's camp told me it was guaranteed. Still, looking at the salary structure, I would peg it at guaranteeing him less than $1.5 million.
Do you think that the opportunity for immediate playing time will be a major factor in Stover's selection of a college? If so, is UCLA likely to be significantly disadvantaged because Morgan and Gordon were signed in the prior class?First, I don't think immediate playing time is going to be an issue with Stover. Second, the only way it would be a disadvantage is if Morgan or Gordon were not as good as Stover, and I don't know that to be the case.
Has Ben Olson participated in any 7 on 7s yet? Has he participated in anything remotely strenuous? How's he performing in your and/or the coaches' opinion? Or would you/they say he is being outperformed?Olson compete in 7-on-7s Monday and Tuesday, and has done strenuous workouts. In fact, I am working on a story after having followed him around all day Tuesday (14 hours worth). I do not have a day for when it will run, but it was being talked about for Sunday's paper.
He looked ok Tuesday, especially for a guy who hasn't done much throwing the last two months.
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About Inside UCLA
This is Brian Dohn's sixth season covering UCLA after spending 4 1/2 years covering the Dodgers for the Daily News and other Los Angeles Newspaper Group papers. He graduated from Rutgers, where the first college football game was played in 1869. Sure, the Scarlet Knights suffered for a long time, but now RU is doing what Jerseyans always thought was possible. Winning at Rutgers also proves winning is possible everywhere else in the nation, so underachieving coaches better be careful. Now, if only men's hoops can turn it around.
Dohn:
Jeff Eisenberg from the Press Enterprise wrote a story, which quoted Stover's AAU coach as the source, that directly contradicts your contention that Stover and these kids aren't looking for immediate playing time. I would highly disagree with your contention in whole anyway. I think that most of these kids, especially the "Elite" players, are looking immediate playing time. They want to have a chance to showcase their talents to the NBA scouts. You don't do this by sitting on the bench.
Here is what Stover's AAU coach Robert Icart said:
"Anthony has expressed to me that he wants to go somewhere to play immediately, but when you look at those kids who could be coming in, it's going to be tough." Whoops. He goes on to say, "You have to look at it and evaluate whether there are minutes at (center)." Hmmmmmm. He also said that Stover feels slighted that UCLA took so long to offer him, while offering the Wear twins and Nelson for over a year now. Based on that information, it looks like we have a lot of catching up and courting to do. It doesn't look good. The whole story can be found in the Press Enterprise under the UCLA BB Blog.
I don't get it BruinFaithful. Why would we want to "court" a brat? If he truly is discounting the major all time basketball powerhouse and one of the foremost universities in the nation because his poor little feelings were hurt, then that is not the type of player that will fit into a BH system. Can we get over this idea that we should wine and dine and court the little babies that need their arns twisted to come here? BH has done great thus far taking kids who WANT to be here - even perhaps with a little less talent sometimes than the Rose's and Beasley's of the world - and molding them into a cohesive winning unit. That to me is more exciting than watching some whiny spoiled prima donna try to maximize his NBA prospects by playing selfish ball.
though i can't be sure i don't think Dohn was saying that Stover didn't care if he came in and had to sit on the bench. again, not positive but my first interpretation of his answers was that players of Stover's caliber (aka good to elite players) generally think that they have the skills and ability to come in and challenge for immediate playing time. because they think they are good enough to break the lineup at almost any school, they don't really care who is already there because they assume they can beat them out for PT. in that sense, they don't take the possibility of PT into consideration.
george:
I never said we should court him. I just said, that based on this information, if we are to get him it's probably going to take a lot, since we are behind. It's funny because I usually use the brat line here often and get chastized, so I guess I just can't win. Bottom line is, we do court these kids and so do other schools, whether I like it or not. We started courting Kevin Love in the eighth grade. Many schools including UCLA kiss these kids asses and tell them how great they are and how great they are going to play in our system and yada yada yada. It's the unfortunate nature of the beast. It's a part of recruiting. What do you think Ben Howland tells the guys he really wants?
StillHatesMichaelFey:
Bro, you are merely reiterating what Dohn said. I'm not disputing the content of what he said, rather the validity. Read the Press Enterprise article and compare it to what you reiterated and what Dohn said. It's a direct contradiction.
Stover's AAU coach is directly saying that he is looking for immediate playing time and that in order to asses his potential playing time at UCLA they are assessing both current and future potential Bruin lineups.
Meaning:
With J'mison Morgan (who is expected to be at UCLA for at least 2 years), Drew Gordon (Ditto), James Keefe (probably 2 more years), Brendane Lane (probably at least 2 years), Reeves Nelson (probably at least 2 years), plus at least one more Big we will bring in this year, along with possibly Josh Smith next year, and even Alex Stephenson possibly coming in and being eligible to play next year, Where are the minutes going to come from? Fortunately, unlike previous years BH is loading up our roster and our Front Court players expecially. This means less potential playing time. Stover is looking at this as a big deciding factor. Just like the coaching staff and we as fans and analysts look at Potential Future lineups and available Scholies and positions of need, so do recruits, Big Time. They want to come in, get immediate playig time, showcase their skills, and be one and done, like K Love. I always hear recruits talk about immediate playing time as a deciding factor. They want to make sure that when they get to school, there will be enough minutes. You can't do that with the type of loaded roster we are going to have. Which thank God, is a good problem to have. BH is going to grind these guys in practice and let them claw it out, literally. We are finally going to have bodies for days. We will no longer be as affected by early year injuries as we were in the past. We are going to be DEEP. Remember, the last few years, we only had 10 players on scholarship out of an available 13. If you look at what happened to us in the last 3 Final Fours, we just weren't as deep, or atheletic, or big as the teams we lost to. They killed us in the front court. This will no longer be true. We are also going to have a good mix of 3-4 year players and 1 and done players.
BruinFaithful -
I must respectfully disagree. I have never heard nor seen anything to suggest that BH kisses anyone's arse. In fact, I have to suspect just the opposite. I suspect that he is fairly blunt in his discussions with these prima donnas which is why he may not attract the Brandon Jennings' or OJ Mayo's or Derozan's of the world. (Plus the fact that he may not even want them plus they would have to academically qualify which would be a HUGE hurdle for any of the three I mentioned.) In any case, I suspect that BH tells it to them like it is - which is likely refreshing to those kids mature enough to handle it. I suspect Love was one mature enough to handle it. Certainly, BH did not kiss Love's arse during the year telling him that he was fat and needed to get in shape. And, obviously, at least Love's dad was not entirely happy with the way BH played him. Certainly, in retrospect, BH's assessment of Love being too fat was an understatement - look at the way the pro-trainers worked him to get ready for the draft. Bottom line - I don't agree that BH kisses these brats' behinds like other coaches might. Nor does he need to.
George-
I never said he kissed anybody's arse and he shouldn't. However, I do believe that he recruits the guys he wants with vigor and clearly let's them know how much he wants them and why. He does court them, but I don't believe it's to the same extent other coaches do. I agree that he needs to keep recruting his type of guys. Guys that can sustain the rigors in the classroom as well as on the court. Guys with backbone.
Actually Jennings had UCLA high on his list all year last year, we just never offered. I kept hearing he was a selfish player and wasn't getting it done in the classroom. Obviously, since he couldn't even get into Arizona. I heard Chace didn't want to play defense and hated BH's defensive practices and drills.
I'm just worried about rounding out this years' class. We really need to close out with some marquee names. BH usually does get commitments from guys before they blow up. I'm hoping the same happens with Lane and Nelson. However, even if they do blow up, we still need some athletic guys. I will be ecstatic if we can round out this class with either Henry, Snaer, or Bradley at SG, then either Gaddy or Johnson at PG, and hopefully Sidney gets it together, if not Orton at C. I think this would give us the goods to compete with North Carolina's monster class. It sure looks like BH made the right choice by pulling the Wear brothers' scholies. We'll see what happens. I will be eagerly anticipating. I can't wait for Summer/Fall at the Rose Bowl. Arroyo Seco just seems so beautiful that time of year.