Recruiting Strategy

[TheSpecialSauce]

Pitt has to get back to their roots of the Howland/Dixon era.

1) Identify good players that might be viewed as a tweener or don’t quite fit what the elite schools are looking for.

2) Team player who is focused more on winning than personal stats.

3) A player with a good basketball IQ. Someone who makes the right play.

4) A player who hustles and gives max effort at all times.

5) A player who prefers a city campus and feels comfortable at Pitt.

 

[pittchagg]

Pitt has to get back to their roots of the Howland/Dixon era.

1) Identify good players that might be viewed as a tweener or don’t quite fit what the elite schools are looking for.

2) Team player who is focused more on winning than personal stats.

3) A player with a good basketball IQ. Someone who makes the right play.

4) A player who hustles and gives max effort at all times.

5) A player who prefers a city campus and feels comfortable at Pitt.

I think they’ve largely done this in terms of finding undervalued guys. Whether it’s because they were reclassifications or tweeners (think Femi, Hugley, Coulibaly, even Champagnie and Collier to an extent), we’ve been on a whole lot of guys who we’ve landed because they didn’t check all of the boxes for better programs. We thought we had done the same with RJ Davis, but UNC caught onto it and decided to take him late in the process. Same can be said for the kids comfortable in the city - Femi and Champagnie both pointed to that, and we have Jeffress because of Pitt’s location, albeit for a different reason.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

I think they’ve largely done this in terms of finding undervalued guys. Whether it’s because they were reclassifications or tweeners (think Femi, Hugley, Coulibaly, even Champagnie and Collier to an extent), we’ve been on a whole lot of guys who we’ve landed because they didn’t check all of the boxes for better programs. We thought we had done the same with RJ Davis, but UNC caught onto it and decided to take him late in the process. Same can be said for the kids comfortable in the city - Femi and Champagnie both pointed to that, and we have Jeffress because of Pitt’s location, albeit for a different reason.

You cannot win with only 3 guys on your roster that meet the criteria. Hugley doesn’t factor into this because he is more likely to be in jail than on our roster. Collier and Jeffress are non-factors this year. They might help in he future, but not this year. We are nowhere close to where we need to be.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I think there is alot to this. It is great to get a Carmelo to take you over the top, but I think Pitt's sweet spot is players willing to put in the time, the effort, accept their roles and be patient and not be filled with NBA influences.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Pitt has to get back to their roots of the Howland/Dixon era.

1) Identify good players that might be viewed as a tweener or don’t quite fit what the elite schools are looking for.

2) Team player who is focused more on winning than personal stats.

3) A player with a good basketball IQ. Someone who makes the right play.

4) A player who hustles and gives max effort at all times.

5) A player who prefers a city campus and feels comfortable at Pitt.

Here's the problem with this:

- Capel is not known to be good at coaching and developing

- He also doesn't have a style or system

You are asking Mark Gottfried/Kevin Keatts to be Jamie Dixon. That would be an epic failure. Capel has to recruit like NC State and hope to coach a little better than Gottfried and Keatts.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Here's the problem with this:

- Capel is not known to be good at coaching and developing

- He also doesn't have a style or system

You are asking Mark Gottfried/Kevin Keatts to be Jamie Dixon. That would be an epic failure. Capel has to recruit like NC State and hope to coach a little better than Gottfried and Keatts.

Capel needs to surround himself with good assistants.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Here's the problem with this:

- Capel is not known to be good at coaching and developing

- He also doesn't have a style or system

You are asking Mark Gottfried/Kevin Keatts to be Jamie Dixon. That would be an epic failure. Capel has to recruit like NC State and hope to coach a little better than Gottfried and Keatts.

Watch the Gertz breakdowns of Capel’s offense and system on the site. It is really good stuff and might blow your mind. There’s a lot going on that you’re simply not seeing. Perhaps it’s because of X’s helter skelter style...or maybe it’s you.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

This strategy works in any era, but you wouldn’t know what a basketball was if it hit you in head.

His post was good, other than his last disrespectful comment made toward you. But players are different than they were 5 years ago, let alone 15 years ago. I’m not sure the Dixon way could work today...especially given the transfer rules. Kids would be working too hard and grow too impatient and transfer before they and the program reap their rewards.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Watch the Gertz breakdowns of Capel’s offense and system on the site. It is really good stuff and might blow your mind. There’s a lot going on that you’re simply not seeing. Perhaps it’s because of X’s helter skelter style...or maybe it’s you.

I know he runs an offense. I mean of course he's really just not rolling the balls out as we say but he has never known to be a good "X and O" coach. He is Gottfried/Keatts. Just needs to recruit like them

 

[Vader_Storm]

Pitt has to get back to their roots of the Howland/Dixon era.

1) Identify good players that might be viewed as a tweener or don’t quite fit what the elite schools are looking for.

2) Team player who is focused more on winning than personal stats.

3) A player with a good basketball IQ. Someone who makes the right play.

4) A player who hustles and gives max effort at all times.

5) A player who prefers a city campus and feels comfortable at Pitt.

6) A player that is actually coachable and does not show "personal red flags" during AAU / high school games. IE Crying, Fighting, Temperament, ejections, waving hands constantly celebrating, bitching at the refs screaming and 1 every single time they score, picking fights with people, bragging how great they are at doing xyz on the court, me first attitude

7) Players that come from winning programs at the high school level and are producing on a high level team with high level statistics. These guys generally succeed at the next level minus Drumgoole and that La Lumiere team.

8) Players from New York, especially New York City

9) Players that play with a certain edge and fire on the court. Players that buy into the concept of hard nosed defense to get the transition offense going and players that love the challenge of trying to shut down the other team on defense. Players that are hungry to get better, and body language gives this one away.

10) Players that have an "earn what you get mentality" instead of a "take what I can get" mentality. And that 100% means players that "want" competition on the roster instead of wanting to be handed a starting role with zero competition.

11) Refer to point 8, New York players

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

6) A player that is actually coachable and does not show "personal red flags" during AAU / high school games. IE Crying, Fighting, Temperament, ejections, waving hands constantly celebrating, bitching at the refs screaming and 1 every single time they score, picking fights with people, bragging how great they are at doing xyz on the court, me first attitude

7) Players that come from winning programs at the high school level and are producing on a high level team with high level statistics. These guys generally succeed at the next level minus Drumgoole and that La Lumiere team.

8) Players from New York, especially New York City

9) Players that play with a certain edge and fire on the court. Players that buy into the concept of hard nosed defense to get the transition offense going and players that love the challenge of trying to shut down the other team on defense. Players that are hungry to get better, and body language gives this one away.

10) Players that have an "earn what you get mentality" instead of a "take what I can get" mentality. And that 100% means players that "want" competition on the roster instead of wanting to be handed a starting role with zero competition.

11) Refer to point 8, New York players

Not trying to be argumentative about point 6, and can’t remember who specifically, but I pointed out Hugley had all those red flags you’re talking about prior to him committing and was crucified on this site.

 

[PittAU]

Some TALL guys would be good.

 

[Vader_Storm]

Not trying to be argumentative about point 6, and can’t remember who specifically, but I pointed out Hugley had all those red flags you’re talking about prior to him committing and was crucified on this site.

Im not aware of John Hugley's past meaning criminal history and trouble one way or the other. I am aware of some of his family's past history. The one thing I will speak for Big John, he had a high school game where he had 15 assists and didnt even attempt to take a single shot just to get his teammates involved and show his passing ability.


He bought into the team concept and showed the ability to be coachable. Stuff outside the court and personal red flags, you would know more than me. That stuff would be best not to post here anyway.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

Im not aware of John Hugley's past meaning criminal history and trouble one way or the other. I am aware of some of his family's past history. The one thing I will speak for Big John, he had a high school game where he had 15 assists and didnt even attempt to take a single shot just to get his teammates involved and show his passing ability.


He bought into the team concept and showed the ability to be coachable. Stuff outside the court and personal red flags, you would know more than me. That stuff would be best not to post here anyway.

It’s not personal stuff. It was literally what you were describing. I’m not denying he was a great teammate at Brush. In AAU, he often pouted, lost his temper and got technicals. Red flags specifically what you’re speaking of. And it prevented the big ten schools from wanting to be involved. When I mentioned both of those things I was crucified.

 

[PittMan2003]

I wonder if the big three’s problems and transfers would have happened if they had to sit or wait for playing time freshmen year. It’s obviously not this simple. But they got to be “the man” right away while in reality they were the best players on an awful team for a program that was at rock bottom.

 

[HailToPitt725]

Pitt has to get back to their roots of the Howland/Dixon era.

1) Identify good players that might be viewed as a tweener or don’t quite fit what the elite schools are looking for.

2) Team player who is focused more on winning than personal stats.

3) A player with a good basketball IQ. Someone who makes the right play.

4) A player who hustles and gives max effort at all times.

5) A player who prefers a city campus and feels comfortable at Pitt.

#5 is more important than you may think. Pitt has many of the same unique circumstances when recruiting in basketball as it does football. We’re a northeast school in a predominately-southern conference and an urban campus in a conference populated by college-town campuses.

We definitely stick out like a sore thumb, but they need to use those as strengths. When they recruit kids in Florida, Georgia, the Carolina, etc. you have to angle it as getting away for college and playing in a big city while still being able to play in front of your family with conference road games.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Im not aware of John Hugley's past meaning criminal history and trouble one way or the other. I am aware of some of his family's past history. The one thing I will speak for Big John, he had a high school game where he had 15 assists and didnt even attempt to take a single shot just to get his teammates involved and show his passing ability.


He bought into the team concept and showed the ability to be coachable. Stuff outside the court and personal red flags, you would know more than me. That stuff would be best not to post here anyway.

NYC bball is terrible anymore. The good ones leave the city when they're 15

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

NYC bball is terrible anymore. The good ones leave the city when they're 15

Nah, plenty of talented players staying now. Also, they all go back to play for NY based AAU teams. And those are the ppl that have the juice. Not some coach at OakHill or Montverde.

If you think Terrence “Munch” Williams isn’t one of the biggest players in the recruiting game not sure what to tell you.

 

[FireballZ]

His post was good, other than his last disrespectful comment made toward you. But players are different than they were 5 years ago, let alone 15 years ago. I’m not sure the Dixon way could work today...especially given the transfer rules. Kids would be working too hard and grow too impatient and transfer before they and the program reap their rewards.

Yeah, I don't think #2 really exists anymore when these kids are on Youtube, Instagram and all these other video sharing sites getting publicized as 14 year-olds. It's hard to blame them all for thinking they too will be the next Lebron.

 

[TheSpecialSauce]

Yeah, I don't think #2 really exists anymore when these kids are on Youtube, Instagram and all these other video sharing sites getting publicized as 14 year-olds. It's hard to blame them all for thinking they too will be the next Lebron.

It absolutely still exists. Just watch the good teams playing. Michigan has guys coming off the bench who could be starting for other teams, but sacrifice their personal stats for the good of the team. Their team shares the ball. There are a lot of other examples as well - Villanova, Gonzaga, Baylor, UVA, etc. It is a culture that exists. We used to have it.

 

[PittMan2003]

It absolutely still exists. Just watch the good teams playing. Michigan has guys coming off the bench who could be starting for other teams, but sacrifice their personal stats for the good of the team. Their team shares the ball. There are a lot of other examples as well - Villanova, Gonzaga, Baylor, UVA, etc. It is a culture that exists. We used to have it.

Capel seems to know about how important this type of culture is. He harps on it seemingly at every press conference. But He has shown that he is not even close to building it at Pitt.

 

[PittMan2003]

Capel seems to know about how important this type of culture is. He harps on it seemingly at every press conference. But He has shown that he is not even close to building it at Pitt.

And I think there would have been a better chance of building this culture with the big three transfers were they in a situation where they rode the bench freshmen year. They became entitled.

 

[Vader_Storm]

Nah, plenty of talented players staying now. Also, they all go back to play for NY based AAU teams. And those are the ppl that have the juice. Not some coach at OakHill or Montverde.

If you think Terrence “Munch” Williams isn’t one of the biggest players in the recruiting game not sure what to tell you.

I mean, seriously.


Andre Curbelo- Illinois
RJ Davis- North Carolina
Posh Alexander- St Johns
Andre Jackson- Uconn
Zed Key-Ohio State


And for the depth

Dylan Wusu- St Johns
Ryan Myers- Iona, Rick Pitino


That's 7 NY players off the top of my head already contributing at a high level, multiple are on Final 4 caliber teams.


This happens every year. The year before you have the Champagnie twins, Joe Girard, Joe Toussaint at Iowa, Chris Ledlum, etc..


2018, Moses Brown from Queens, already in the NBA. Bryce Willis Stanford, Alan Griffin Syracuse, Jared Rhoden Seton Hall, etc.. We aren't to the point of passing up on 15 points per game scorers as juniors.


As I said in the other thread, better start getting into that OSL pipeline because it isn't slowing down.

 

[FireballZ]

It absolutely still exists. Just watch the good teams playing. Michigan has guys coming off the bench who could be starting for other teams, but sacrifice their personal stats for the good of the team. Their team shares the ball. There are a lot of other examples as well - Villanova, Gonzaga, Baylor, UVA, etc. It is a culture that exists. We used to have it.

Yeah, but you're talking about kids playing for top 10 programs. I don't know that there are many kids willing to stick for 3, 4 or 5 years at Pitt while they try to ascend from the ashes. Maybe you get one or two, but you damn well better have a good bit of talent to surround them with. It's a lot easier to sit and wait when you're apart of a perennial contender.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

Yeah, but you're talking about kids playing for top 10 programs. I don't know that there are many kids willing to stick for 3, 4 or 5 years at Pitt while they try to ascend from the ashes. Maybe you get one or two, but you damn well better have a good bit of talent to surround them with. It's a lot easier to sit and wait when you're apart of a perennial contender.

I think you’re not understanding what he’s saying though. Howland established that culture and identity from day 1. Dixon continued it. Can argue all day about the end of Dixon’s tenure, but the day he left we haven’t had culture or identity since. Capel had the chance to establish his own and has yet to do so. Hopefully he will now.

 

[CougarClaws]

6) A player that is actually coachable and does not show "personal red flags" during AAU / high school games. IE Crying, Fighting, Temperament, ejections, waving hands constantly celebrating, bitching at the refs screaming and 1 every single time they score, picking fights with people, bragging how great they are at doing xyz on the court, me first attitude

7) Players that come from winning programs at the high school level and are producing on a high level team with high level statistics. These guys generally succeed at the next level minus Drumgoole and that La Lumiere team.

8) Players from New York, especially New York City

9) Players that play with a certain edge and fire on the court. Players that buy into the concept of hard nosed defense to get the transition offense going and players that love the challenge of trying to shut down the other team on defense. Players that are hungry to get better, and body language gives this one away.

10) Players that have an "earn what you get mentality" instead of a "take what I can get" mentality. And that 100% means players that "want" competition on the roster instead of wanting to be handed a starting role with zero competition.

11) Refer to point 8, New York players

Which New York players are we in on for 21 & 22?

 

[joeydavid]

Watch the Gertz breakdowns of Capel’s offense and system on the site. It is really good stuff and might blow your mind. There’s a lot going on that you’re simply not seeing. Perhaps it’s because of X’s helter skelter style...or maybe it’s you.

He is simply regurgitating nonsense since he doesn't actually follow Pitt basketball.

 

[Parkview57]

10) Players that have an "earn what you get mentality" instead of a "take what I can get" mentality. And that 100% means players that "want" competition on the roster instead of wanting to be handed a starting role with zero competition.

Hard to instill such a concept if one's personal, real life philosophy is vastly different than this.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

6) A player that is actually coachable and does not show "personal red flags" during AAU / high school games. IE Crying, Fighting, Temperament, ejections, waving hands constantly celebrating, bitching at the refs screaming and 1 every single time they score, picking fights with people, bragging how great they are at doing xyz on the court, me first attitude

7) Players that come from winning programs at the high school level and are producing on a high level team with high level statistics. These guys generally succeed at the next level minus Drumgoole and that La Lumiere team.

8) Players from New York, especially New York City

9) Players that play with a certain edge and fire on the court. Players that buy into the concept of hard nosed defense to get the transition offense going and players that love the challenge of trying to shut down the other team on defense. Players that are hungry to get better, and body language gives this one away.

10) Players that have an "earn what you get mentality" instead of a "take what I can get" mentality. And that 100% means players that "want" competition on the roster instead of wanting to be handed a starting role with zero competition.

11) Refer to point 8, New York players

I'll double down. These kids who go to these basketball factories, it is not just them, but they have parents or entourages telling them they are going to be NBA stars. These guys seem to transfer in HS therefore now college at the drop of any issue. That seems to be kids to stay away from.

 

[BballinsiderfromPitt]

I'll double down. These kids who go to these basketball factories, it is not just them, but they have parents or entourages telling them they are going to be NBA stars. These guys seem to transfer in HS therefore now college at the drop of any issue. That seems to be kids to stay away from.

We haven’t had any kids from the “basketball factories” other than Trey who was forced out. I don’t have numbers but I almost guarantee the transfer rate from the so called basketball factories is any different than a normal HS student

 

[Cap pitt]

Pitt has to get back to their roots of the Howland/Dixon era.

1) Identify good players that might be viewed as a tweener or don’t quite fit what the elite schools are looking for.

2) Team player who is focused more on winning than personal stats.

3) A player with a good basketball IQ. Someone who makes the right play.

4) A player who hustles and gives max effort at all times.

5) A player who prefers a city campus and feels comfortable at Pitt.

You must have been drinking some special sauce