Back in 2009, the T'Wovles needed a point guard. They had picks at five and six in the draft and took Ricky Rubio from Spain and Jonny Flynn from Syracuse. So they missed a guy who was taken seventh, Steph Curry. Did I say they needed a point guard? They also missed out on another guy who fell to #17 that year, Jrue Holiday. Didn't he just win a championship with the Bucks?
So it is with recruiting in college. You just never know how things are going to work out--except to say, it's as crucially as important to your program as the draft is for an NBA franchise.
When we got Mack Anderson out of Bozeman, one Montana high school coach said he was the best talent he'd seen coming out of Montana, and that included Josh Huestis who went to Stanford and then played in the NBA. (I cannot remember that coach's name.) Mack has been a solid player for us but not at the Josh Huestis level, for sure.
I loved the Vazquez-DCH-Owens class when it was announced, even more than the next Bannan-Beasley-Whitney class. And yet Bannan and Beasley are becoming stars, and Whitney has been productive since his first game at USC. Meanwhile the Vazquez--DCH-Owens class has all but disappeared. (And by the way, what's up with Owens? Is he hurt?)
We all had high hopes for the three recent transfers, Martin, Blakney and Parker. Okay, Parker has lived up to his hype; Martin has been solid but not all Big Sky potential; Blakney has been a washout so far.
And way too early to tell what's in the pipeline: Wetzel, Soloman and Braggs, or the incoming recruits, Isaiah Kerr, Jaxon Nap and Rhett Reynolds. If we've got some stars among that group, this program will be in good shape thanks to the Bannan-Beasley-Whitney group.
But more than fair to say at this point that four of our upperclassmen--Owens, Vazquez, DCH and Blakey--have been disappointing this season. They're the reason we're not in our customary position at the top of the BIg Sky.
So it is with recruiting in college. You just never know how things are going to work out--except to say, it's as crucially as important to your program as the draft is for an NBA franchise.
When we got Mack Anderson out of Bozeman, one Montana high school coach said he was the best talent he'd seen coming out of Montana, and that included Josh Huestis who went to Stanford and then played in the NBA. (I cannot remember that coach's name.) Mack has been a solid player for us but not at the Josh Huestis level, for sure.
I loved the Vazquez-DCH-Owens class when it was announced, even more than the next Bannan-Beasley-Whitney class. And yet Bannan and Beasley are becoming stars, and Whitney has been productive since his first game at USC. Meanwhile the Vazquez--DCH-Owens class has all but disappeared. (And by the way, what's up with Owens? Is he hurt?)
We all had high hopes for the three recent transfers, Martin, Blakney and Parker. Okay, Parker has lived up to his hype; Martin has been solid but not all Big Sky potential; Blakney has been a washout so far.
And way too early to tell what's in the pipeline: Wetzel, Soloman and Braggs, or the incoming recruits, Isaiah Kerr, Jaxon Nap and Rhett Reynolds. If we've got some stars among that group, this program will be in good shape thanks to the Bannan-Beasley-Whitney group.
But more than fair to say at this point that four of our upperclassmen--Owens, Vazquez, DCH and Blakey--have been disappointing this season. They're the reason we're not in our customary position at the top of the BIg Sky.