BB: 2027 Recruiting
- Thread starter TheResistance
- Start date
Interesting that Hampton is a small forward. That was Cal's only recruiting deficiency, for whatever reason.
And Milan is too, well that's the position I want him to play mostly.
I’m guessing it’s going to be hard to get spears away from Texas, his sister played volleyball there and I’m sure they’re going to pay top $$$ for him as well.
If Pope can land Spears and Rosser to go along with Hampton in the ‘27 class, I might just go get a tattoo of me with the backend of a Crow sticking out of my mouth!
Talk about a complete 180* turnaround in recruiting… That would be some vintage K/ Calipari type stuff right there!
Get it done Coach
Talk about a complete 180* turnaround in recruiting… That would be some vintage K/ Calipari type stuff right there!
Get it done Coach
Huge fan of Pope locking up a guy this early in the recruiting cycle. Last year it seemed like (Stokes) was the shiny object Pope (and those around him) wanted most at the expense of other people we could have gotten. The staff seemed reluctant to pull the trigger on other top talent, some of whom were rumored to not want to play with Stokes, because they felt like Stokes was their golden goose.
This get signals that UK is willing take a solid player who wants to be here. That Pope made a great hire in bringing in Mo Williams to help get recruiting guards across the finish line. And that the staff are targeting good fits (with connections). Spears will be extremely hard to pull away from LSU/Texas given the family connection, so I wouldn't get super excited about it. But with Hampton and Spears being cousins, very close, and having such a good relationship, UK has a puncher's chance in that fight now. I think we were sitting fairly good with Rosser before this signing, but him and Hampton having a solid relationship as well improves stock in that as well. I believe those 3 are going to be this staff's main targets. Expect to see Pope also pushing hard for a Center to replace Moreno just in case Moreno makes a huge leap this season, and Kepnang who will be out of eligibility. Maybe not a 5 star Center, but more than a depth piece with potential. Then recruit the guys on this roster like wild to return (those who aren't going pro/graduating). He'd be halfway to ensuring his tenure here. The other half is winning on the court. He doesn't need to win the national title this year, but he does need to win enough to make people fear us again.
This get signals that UK is willing take a solid player who wants to be here. That Pope made a great hire in bringing in Mo Williams to help get recruiting guards across the finish line. And that the staff are targeting good fits (with connections). Spears will be extremely hard to pull away from LSU/Texas given the family connection, so I wouldn't get super excited about it. But with Hampton and Spears being cousins, very close, and having such a good relationship, UK has a puncher's chance in that fight now. I think we were sitting fairly good with Rosser before this signing, but him and Hampton having a solid relationship as well improves stock in that as well. I believe those 3 are going to be this staff's main targets. Expect to see Pope also pushing hard for a Center to replace Moreno just in case Moreno makes a huge leap this season, and Kepnang who will be out of eligibility. Maybe not a 5 star Center, but more than a depth piece with potential. Then recruit the guys on this roster like wild to return (those who aren't going pro/graduating). He'd be halfway to ensuring his tenure here. The other half is winning on the court. He doesn't need to win the national title this year, but he does need to win enough to make people fear us again.
That's a good point. For some reason, I thought he was more of a stretch 4. Not sure he can guard a three. But I don't know.
ALL OF THE HATERS, can rejoin the orbit around DEEZ NUTZ!!!! Pope is CRUSHING it! Good for him, now he just gets us back on the year in and year out path to hanging the next banner...
More to do with his Rebounding or Lack thereof that I don't want to see him at the 4.
Riiiiiiight. Pope gonna go from not being able to recruit a HS kid for his life to locking up the top 3. This place.
Could you imagine getting no one and then all of a sudden #1 , #2 , and , #6 like HOLY ****.... Talking about totally flipping the script!If Pope can land Spears and Rosser to go along with Hampton in the ‘27 class, I might just go get a tattoo of me with the backend of a Crow sticking out of my mouth!
Talk about a complete 180* turnaround in recruiting… That would be some vintage K/ Calipari type stuff right there!
Get it done Coach
There's actually a very good chance it happens. I'm not saying it will but we're in a great spot with each of those kids. Getting Hampton early was a big piece to that. I'm amazed at the turnaround Pope is seemingly having in recruiting. He's learning and getting better guys as assistants has helped.
Surprised several of the guys are in Florida. I'm more used to football ruling the day down here. Might have to check out a few of these guys since they aren't that far away.
It would be unprecedented (for Pope) if he somehow recruits the #1, #2, & #6 freshman recruits - and then goes out to kill it in the portal ? Would be FAR beyond what I thought we could see from him by year 4. That's solid, top notch recruiting.
Add in Crawford to "The Closer" and we're cooking....
Add in Crawford to "The Closer" and we're cooking....
This is the issue with BBN, it's delusional in both directions on the most extreme level. Yes, Mark Pope has suddenly figured it out by backing into Milan and grabbing this 7th rated HS kid. Yes, after not netting one player in the incoming class, not one, he's going to grab the 1, 2, 3 and 7th rated HS prospects in the following clas. That of which schools like Duke are involved. It's gonna happen. SHM.
No.
Anyway, yeah I'd normally agree with you. But this particular group of kids are a different story. Like I said, getting Mo Williams as assistant let us get Hampton. Hampton said so himself. And Hampton is the key to pulling all these kids. And that's from national guys not local ones. We may not get anyone other than Hampton but there's a good chance we do. Just let it play out before you act like an ***.
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You're all over the place.
Why is this group different? 2027 is pretty similar a caliber to 2026, lower end.
You think landing Mo got us Hampton? Why would landing a one year portal kid last minute land a HS recruit? There is zero correlation. You said there is a very good chance we land the top 3 kids, because the 7th rank kid is going to pull them in.
It's amazing the storylines BBN spins - and then everyone chases. The reality is that all 3 of those kids likely go through the process, and don't sign until the fall after multiple suitors had a chance to woo them. It's like reality TV.
I'm not sure how Pope landed this one kid, and it's great he did, but I'm guessing it's an outlier.
When he said "Mo", he meant Mo Williams, The ex-NBA professional guard hired as an assistant coach. He helped close the deal on Hampton.....
You are either thinking of his son, MASON Williams... Or thinking he meant Momcilovic when he said "Mo"...
The #1 kid (Spears Jr) is Hampton's cousin and they are very close and have discussed playing in college together. (though I doubt we beat out LSU or Texas for his services. We already have a great relationship with #3 (Rosser) and Hampton and Rosser are friends and have a good relationship. It'll be a battle for him but Hampton can assist some.
That helps, and makes way more sense. I did assume it was Milan. Sorry for the confusion and apologies.
The reality will be that kids in the top 10 will want to start and there is only so many freshmen you can start and compete, until you become Calipari (who ideally want to start 5 McD AA's annually to send to the NBA).
I think 3 is the limit, 2 starters and a 6th man, if you are going for top 10 guys. You probably aren't getting more than 3 top 10 guys these days anyways, and even getting 3 will make guys on the roster currently hit the portal seeing what is coming in. I do think you can promise 2 guys starter roles/minutes, but it gets hairy when you promise the third one. Not a lot of guys willing to wait their turn when every school has money and starting spots open. Somehow Duke gets 5 stars who will sit though... ($$$). I'd love us to get 2-3 HS recruits a cycle, get 4-5 guys to stay and contribute and lead, and 2-3 portal guys a cycle to plug the needed holes, and fill out the back end with solid role guys who want to be here but don't expect to play much (Potter, Noah, Z. Hawthorne types).
I think it's 2 five stars and then a 4 star off the bench max.
Watched Bruce Branch in the U18, who is apparently a top 5 kid and draft pick - I wouldn't want him starting. He's thin - will get mauled. BYU is planning on starting him, he is a severe drop from AJD.
I don't know what BYU is rolling out there this year after feeling like a heavy NIL commit. They don't even feel top 25.
BYU probably rolls out:
Rob Wright
Collin Chandler (Great Value Brand - Richie Saunders)
Bruce Branch (4 star HS recruit Rueckert off the bench maybe)
They picked up two 3 star PF's Wahlin (Clemson) and Betsy (Syracuse) in the portal and an unranked HS recruit Openshaw (no clue who gets the starting spot and one of them will probably have to play the 5 as they didn't sign a true center and Boskovic and Kieta were SR's, unless one or both gets another year of eligibility)
Staton - A 6'11" freshmen that didn't play last year is currently the tallest player on the remaining roster I believe, so possibly their starting Center???
Not really sure how you can have a roster that incomplete with all the "money" BYU has and the "better recruiter and coach than Mark Pope" coach they have... They do seem like a mess with a couple solid guards/wings.
Mo Williams. Our latest assistant. Hampton credits Williams for wanting to pick Kentucky. Hampton is cousins with Spears Jr. And we are perceived as an early favorite for CJ Rosser. Who knows how it plays out. We'll see.
My concept is to not lock in at all.
Some 3's he can guard some 4's will be a disaster and vice versa.
He just draws whatever is the best matchup on the game of the day.
I'd guess mostly between the 3 and 4 but sometimes the 2 may be his guy when it essentially the shooting guard version of him and he can mostly slide by on knowing where he is supposed to be.
The offensive number tracks, you essentially need him in poor position but he can dig in more on the defensive side for sure. Dude has the size to fumble and bumble to at into at least 4 or 5 boards for us.
I don't really care where he plays because it doesn't matter, he is going to do what he is out there to do. The issue is just finding the least disadvantageous guy for him to check and how the pieces fit and rotate around him
I think we have to play around Momcilovic even if we aren't really playing through him so it will be a little different than a traditional line up format but I also think if him as the 3.
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Branch is solid. Likely top 5-10 recruit in the class when the dust settles. He'll be productuve and good for BYU.