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Why doesn't this kid have a Rivals profile?

Norm Peterson

By Norm Peterson
in Husker Hoops Recruiting

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Silverbacked1
Silverbacked1

Maybe he wants to be called Jacob?

49r
49r

Creighton has been in on Sombig Dude for months now.  We would definitely be coming late to the party on that one.  Besides, he's a perfect fit for the system they run.

Swan88
Swan88

The basketball world is full of four- and five-star flops and of low-star wonders. In recruiting, fighting for the best players and finding the rough diamonds are tricks and risks of the trade. What

Norm Peterson

Norm Peterson

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Norm, good question.  In all honesty, I usually look at what schools are going after them.  I trust coaches much more than I would ever trust an "evaluator" of talent from say a Rivals or Scout service.  I don't put a ton of stock into highlight videos because that's what it is, a highlight video.  MOST players can make a decent highlight video of the top 15-20 plays they have during a season.  I understand you can get a good look at a kids form, leaping ability, etc...But so many kids now a days are fairly athletic looking in these videos.  A kid may have one big dunk or that one "sweet" play during a year.  What these videos don't show is the intangibles a kid has.  How do they fight through ball screens, how do they defend a pick and roll, how do they handle pressure? 

 

In this guys write up for example, it says he has to learn to cut back on "stupid" turnovers.  Naturally they don't show turnovers or stupid plays on a highlight film. 

 

Again, this kid could turn out to be a good player.  My thoughts though are that he had a bunch of mid-major offers.  And when an evaluator says "bigger schools were starting to LOOK at him" doesn't mean much to me.  It could be plan C, D or E for a bigger school if other pieces fall through.  I had an athletic director once tell me "Coaches will find good players."  Especially with the social media the way it is, AAU ball, etc....People talk, coaches talk, media talks.  If a kid is a player, the kids a player and coaches would have been in on them.  Doesn't mean they can't develop into a nice player, but when the list shows a bunch of mid-major type programs after him, well, it tells me his evaluation by coaches must not be "great". 

Alright, well, fair enough.

 

I put more stock in what I can see for myself.  Sometimes a highlight video is significant for what it doesn't show.  If it's a highlight vid and they can't come up with much in the way of real highlights, then that's telling you something. 

 

I don't know when I started really focusing on videos.  I mean I consider other things too, like offers for instance.  But I want to see what the kid looks like.  I remember digging for video of Brandon Ubel when many on here were doubting his worthiness as a prospective recruit because of his mid-major offers.  And I thought I saw plenty of good things from him, except he didn't seem to dunk much, which worried me.

 

For sure a couple of years ago, when we were said to be recruiting Leon Gilmore, I panned him.  I didn't think he was that good.  I looked at his highlight vid and I didn't see a player that had high major skills.  A quick for instance:  One clip, he puts his head down to drive to the basket.  Now, he could get there against smaller, slower, high school players.  But the kid has to look at the ball in order to dribble?  That's like 5th grade stuff.  Nah, I'll pass.  And I maintained that stance even when he vaulted into the Rivals 150 (cresting out in the top 90 IIRC).  So, color me unsurprised when he washes out at Creighton.

 

I don't think you have to see a lot of a kid to be able to separate those who maybe have the skills to play at this level from those who don't.  Matt Atewe was another one I devoutly said no to based on his film, and my arguments with Swan over Atewe were epic.

 

I'm sure I'm not always right.  But, heck, even with far greater opportunity to see far more of a kid, even coaches don't always get it right.  But I'm not going to just take Rivals' word for it.  I want to see a player in action.  I really do believe you can see a lot by watching some video, even highlight film.  So long as the clips are more than a second or two long.  I want to be able to watch long enough to see how a particular play unfolded, so don't just show the dunk.  Show what lead up to the dunk.

 

Anyway, we don't have coaches here to tell us what they think of a particular recruit.  So, I'm going to go by what I can see.  And I'm willing to share my opinion, which is what message boards are for.  And my opinion of this particular kid is that he appears to be pretty good.

bleujay

bleujay

Posted
Posted

 

Corey Evans (east coast recruiting guru) had some high praise for Mintz and was suggestive of the idea that he was going to continue to rise on programs' radars. They didn't mention his athletic ability (which, in agreement with Norm, I think is better than a player we've signed in a long time) but rather his all around skill set and feel for the game. He's seen him play so his opinion is likely the most valuable one out there right now considering the lack of info on Davion

 

If you want to take a listen, start around the 20:00 mark. Segment lasts for about 3-4 minutes

 

http://hoopseen.com/index.php/news/headlines/item/3658-the-podcast-scandal-in-college-hoops-transferring-and-michigan-state?utm_content=buffer0a203&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I'm not saying this to be a jerk.  But most write ups on players from evaluators are fairly positive as are the guru's on the radio.  They have a job and they deal with a LOT of coaches/parents, etc. They don't want to rip many players and burn bridges.

 

 

Yeah, but you could also look at it from the perspective that what he is saying about Davion has at least a shred of authenticity or genuineness. I'm not trying to be a jerk as well. :)

bball23

bball23

Posted
Posted

 

 

Corey Evans (east coast recruiting guru) had some high praise for Mintz and was suggestive of the idea that he was going to continue to rise on programs' radars. They didn't mention his athletic ability (which, in agreement with Norm, I think is better than a player we've signed in a long time) but rather his all around skill set and feel for the game. He's seen him play so his opinion is likely the most valuable one out there right now considering the lack of info on Davion

 

If you want to take a listen, start around the 20:00 mark. Segment lasts for about 3-4 minutes

 

http://hoopseen.com/index.php/news/headlines/item/3658-the-podcast-scandal-in-college-hoops-transferring-and-michigan-state?utm_content=buffer0a203&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I'm not saying this to be a jerk.  But most write ups on players from evaluators are fairly positive as are the guru's on the radio.  They have a job and they deal with a LOT of coaches/parents, etc. They don't want to rip many players and burn bridges.

 

 

Yeah, but you could also look at it from the perspective that what he is saying about Davion has at least a shred of authenticity or genuineness. I'm not trying to be a jerk as well. :)

 

Fair point.  I don't know enough about Mintz to judge him as much as maybe I am.  I just know from the years of Doc Sadler that so many on this board (myself included) would try to almost sell ourselves on recruits due to maybe what a few people said, a highlight film, etc...We would tell ourselves that we found that "diamond in the rough" player that nobody else had seen and we got in on him early.  We all know the results of those years.  Similiar to CU finishing last in the Big East last year post Dougie. 

 

In this day in age with social media and the AAU basketball, it is nearly impossible to really go under the radar.  Now, this doesn't mean a player can't turn out to be great when other big time programs weren't after him.  The same can be said for kids that you assume will be great and turn out duds.

 

My whole point on all of this was simply that when you look at the guys offers, it just isn't anything to get all that excited about.  If the big time programs in his own area weren't even sniffing at him, I just have a hard time thinking this kid is an "under the radar" type kid. 

 

I put a lot of stock into the schools that are after these kids.  I trust the eye of the coaches MUCH more than I ever would a recruiting website.  A good example of this as well is if you watch a kids ratings.  Say no "blue chip" school is going after a kid.  He isn't even rated near the top 150.  All of a sudden, say a Duke or UNC or KU starts to "watch" this player.  All of a sudden the recruiting websites rank him in the top 150 and say he has "blown up over the summer."  Did they do their homework?  Did they see him play?  Or did they simply say "Hmm...this is interesting, KU is now looking at this kid, he must be good."

Chuck Taylor

Chuck Taylor

Posted
Posted

Also not trying to be a jerk, but the online analysts get paid for clicks. So if they say this guy's good, then people on the board put up links and other fans go read the story. Plus they cultivate a good relationship with the coaches and players involved and improve their access. So maybe this guy's good and maybe not. I will say that he shoots with a high percentage in his video.  :)

bball23

bball23

Posted
Posted

Here's my last comment on Mintz: you can't teach a kid to explode off one foot like that. And I don't think anyone on CU's current roster has hops like that

P-Allen could explode too.  As could Gilmore.  

Norm Peterson

Norm Peterson

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Posted

 

Here's my last comment on Mintz: you can't teach a kid to explode off one foot like that. And I don't think anyone on CU's current roster has hops like that

P-Allen could explode too.  As could Gilmore.  

 

I wouldn't go that far.

49r

49r

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Posted

 

You're not trying to be a jerk here, are you Norm???

 

#NoJerksOnHHC

 

Does that mean I'm banned and can't post anymore?!!!

 

 

Okay, ONE Jerk allowed on HHC

 

We'll call it the Navin R Johnson exception.

Norm Peterson

Norm Peterson

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You're not trying to be a jerk here, are you Norm???

 

#NoJerksOnHHC

No.  Just saying I'm not sure I'd classify Gilmore as "explosive."  I also disagree that you can't teach a guy to explode off of one foot.  Although I would say it's fairly innate.

colhusker

colhusker

Posted
Posted

Also not trying to be a jerk, but the online analysts get paid for clicks. So if they say this guy's good, then people on the board put up links and other fans go read the story. Plus they cultivate a good relationship with the coaches and players involved and improve their access. So maybe this guy's good and maybe not. I will say that he shoots with a high percentage in his video.  :)

I could send you a video of me shooting a high percentage, it might take 4 months to get enough makes to make it and another 4 to edit it, but I could do it by golly.

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