Nebrasketballer

Summary of Robin's article:
 
- Family is determined to get him to Lincoln by July 1 and believe they'll get these qualification hurdles taken care of.
- Tai has had multiple pro offers, one of which was for a very large figure. Tai's dad said he would have signed it, but that Tai turned it down and is determined to play at Nebraska.
- If Tai can't enroll at Nebraska by the start of this semester, they will not pursue other options, but will instead figure out how to get him qualified to attend Nebraska.
 
Overall it was a very positive update.

"A native of Jacksonville, Fla., Fleming also trains in both Nashville and Houston, Texas, during the offseason. Through his training in Houston with former NBA player and coach John Lucas and Nebraska native Adam Barnes, Fleming has played with other Husker recruits such as JoJo Anderson, Khadeem Lattin and others."
 
http://nebraska.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1517117

Well, my tweet was the beginning of that conversation which was precipitated by Jason King casually dropping that juicy tidbit into the conversation between games during the CWS on 1620.
 
https://twitter.com/dpm917/status/347121757221703680
 
Glad Robin tweeted that to hopefully calm the waters a bit.  The thing that caught my attention during the interview was King mentioning something more a long the lines of a big time contract that they were hoping he doesn't sign.  We'll see what comes of it, if anything. Hopefully nothing.
 
Also, Sean Callahan said on the radio that Washut isn't concerned about whatever hurdles remain for Tai. Again, we'll see...

This is a game from just this past season when Andrew was a sophomore.  It's a full game tape and it didn't take long to see the kid do something.  I scrolled past the warmups and only watched the first 20 seconds of the game.
 
Andrew jumped center (lost the tip -- PERFECT for Nebraska) and on his team's first offensive possession, they reversed the ball, he caught the pass about 24 feet out, measured, no defender right out on him challenging him, launched the shot and drilled it.  NBA range.
 
A little unorthodox on his technique.  But he's just a soph going into his junior year of HS.  Good sized kid for that age.  Probably not done growing and he's listed as 6'5" and 200#?  That's Nick Fuller two years older.
 
Does this kid have a lot of hair on his legs?  (By the way, he's #22 in the dark uni)
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riFE-ZU6300

Sounds like NU is very interested in this kid and he is interested in NU.  Alot can happen between now and 2015 but gotta love Miles and staff for their efforts in getting in on kids early and battling other big name schools to land one of these players.  I think it's just a matter of time. 
 
http://nebraska.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1508366

The article speaks highly of Nebraska considering they havent offered and he already holds them from Florida, Vandy, and Auburn.  Also with a lot of other big schools on the verge with NU about to offer he will be a highly rated player for the 2015 class.  My guess would be a 70-90 Rivals 4 star type player.  Im sure Norm will rag on his shooting though because I know he hates the outward elbow motion.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4MEil5ZlGk

https://twitter.com/RobinWashut/status/347167186562994176

Okie State and KSWho ain't got nothin' we ain't got.  And, in some ways, they have less.
 
Some people like the appeal of being pioneers in their area.  Of doing something no one ever did before at a particular place.  Roburt Sallie had that kind of attitude when he said, "Let's turn this shxx around."  Maybe there's a combination of loyalty to one of the early programs that called his name and desire to be a trailblazer -- and I don't mean Portland Trailblazer -- that appeals to this kid.
 
Until he takes us off his list, we have a shot.  He's gotta go somewhere.  Might as well be here.

no one wants to be a Portland Trailblazer either.  They cant get free agents here for the life of em.

I sense a breakthrough class in 2015.  There's just getting to be too much buzz.  More, a year-and-a-half out than I have ever seen before.  EVER.  So long as we can show some progress in year 2, I think that 2015 class might end up shocking some people.  We're building a list of quality recruits who are actually talking to us. 
 
Buckle up.  This could be an interesting ride.

https://twitter.com/RobinWashut/status/347058682875486208

https://twitter.com/3__LeeLee/status/344646755931009025

https://twitter.com/RobinWashut/status/344632848755601409

https://twitter.com/NextUpRecruits/status/347026976684531712
 
Also, Jojo Anderson retweeted this tweet.  Doesn't necessarily mean anything, just thought it was worth noting...

Now 292.

125 followers in the first half hour.  Not bad.

Aren't we still in the quiet period?  The next big evaluation period starts in July and our new assistant will be all over it for us.
 
I'm not expecting a basketball commit at this point.  I'm thinking July-August timeframe when the next evaluation time is wrapping up.
 
It'll happen.

A few years ago, it would have been unthinkable for someone to spend over $30,000 on a brand new Kia.
 
Now, there are plenty of people who could by a $30,000 Buick Lacrosse who choose a $30,000 Kia Optima instead.
 
Nebraska isn't a turd.  Nebraska is working on its branding.  Part of that will have to involve success on the court.  Part of that is opening a new arena.  Part of that is building relationships and getting positive national press coverage in the off-season.
 
We have a good conference affiliation.  We have the best facilities, bar none.  We have a coach who has his own personal magnetism that will rival virtually anyone outside of the Pitinos and Caliparis of the basketball world.
 
At some point, a decent number of discerning buyers will choose Husker Kia over Purdue Honda.  Nick Fuller already did.
 
Guys, this isn't just wild-assed, pie-in-the-sky hoping.  This is optimism supported by REAL THINGS.  Tangible benefits of a Husker program.  Advantages we have over the competition.  Give it time.  We're getting our foot in the door with a higher caliber of player than in the past.  We're not going to score with every one of them.  Some of them can afford Mercedes U and we're not there yet.  But we're closing in on Volvo U and Saab U.  And I daresay we passed Suzuki U and Ford Fiesta U a while ago.

Schools without a commit for the 2014 class: Kansas, Marquette, Gonzaga, UCLA, Memphis, Villanova (just a start)
 
The 2013 recruiting cycle just ended. Official Visits will happen throughout the season.....it'll probably be months before we see a commit. Miles is still building relationships with these kids, in no way should you EXPECT to see commits this early in the year.

I'd love to catch a practice and see how guys are looking.  Wish Sergej would have redshirted.  But, if he had, people would be tabbing him as a probable starter and future first-round draft pick, placing too much expectations on him.  The flip side of that, of course, is what actually happened, and so a lot of people probably expect too little out of him.  The reality of what he can do is probably somewhere in between.

This entire article was awesome to read, but these three parts stood out most to me as particularly interesting:
_______________
 
"Fuller finished his senior season weighing 200 pounds, has since put on 7 or 8 pounds, and wants to be at 215 by the time his freshman season begins.
What’s more, Fuller has proven durable. He finished his high school career having played in 99 consecutive games, and hasn’t missed a game -- varsity, youth or AAU -- since sixth grade. He played in more than 200 AAU games over four years."
_______________
 
"Last week, Fuller was named the Madison Sports Hall of Fame all-area sportsperson of the year. In March, he was selected as the top senior wing player by the Wisconsin Sports Network, an award won the previous season by Sam Dekker.
Dekker made the All-Big Ten Freshman team last season at Wisconsin, and some recruiting analysts think Fuller has a chance to make a similar impact at Nebraska."
_______________
 
"Fuller, who was recruited by former NU assistant Ben Johnson, chose Nebraska over Minnesota, which is where Johnson is now coaching."

I agree with this post 100%.  And I think it is easy to take the bolded part for granted.
 
These visits are a big deal for Nebraska basketball.  Not as big as getting commits, but it's still progress...
 
I'm just as impatient as anyone (and probably even more than most), but you have to walk before you can run.  With all of the positive news that has been surrounding Nebraska basketball for the last couple of months, I think it's safe to say that Nebraska is consistently taking steps in the right direction. 
 
I think that Nebraska will put a competitive and exciting product on the floor this next season and along with the new facilities, that should help Nebraska sign 2-3 solid players in the 2014 class...and if that happens, along with all of the excitement surrounding Nebrasketball right now, I think Miles will have this program off to the races.

Getting them here is half the battle.  Even if they leave home thinking they just want to take a tour of those famous Nebraska facilities, it at least gets them here and gets them looking and gets our foot in their door.
 
And I'd say it's all kinds of different when a player pays his/her own way to come her on an unofficial visit.  That suggests a more than casual level of interest if they're willing to come on their own dime.  That means they have skin in the game.  They have purchased a stake and wouldn't do so for mere casual interest.
 
Getting our foot in the door is a fantastic thing.  It puts us Miles ahead of where we've been in the past. 
 
Getting a visit might seem trivial but it's really a fantastic thing getting visits from the caliber of player we're seeing.  Oh man, am I excited.  And these kids can't sign until November 2014!

I love the visits...But I want so much more.  We keep hearing that these young men loved the visit, loved the facilities, loved this, loved that... GREAT.  But I want them signed, sealed and delivered to our fine University...please!
 
That said, it is amazing that we are getting this level of recruit to visit.  We are on the cusp.  We just need the right jimmy's and joe's.

OK, I think we've ID'd 3 2015 PGs who have apparently ALL been here for unofficial visits (or coming soon).
 
JoJo Anderson
Austin Grandstaff
Nick Rogers.
 
Wow.
 
Pinch yourselves, fellas. 
 
Austin Grandstaff carries a Rivals top 50 ranking.  No, I didn't forget the 1 on 150.  He's not just top 150; he's top 50.  At least as of right now.  And he has either already visited or, according to Robin Washut, will be visiting soon.
 
Neither JoJo Anderson nor Nick Rogers has been ranked yet per Rivals, but emphasize the "yet."  They both seem to be getting some attention and there's a loooooong time left before any of these kids can sign national letters of intent. 
 
If I had to rank what I see in the videos and only the videos, I'd say it's a coinflip between Austin and Nick and then JoJo would be third place.
 
But the notion that we've gotten (or will get) at least UNofficial visits with players of this caliber THIS EARLY IN THE RECRUITING PROCESS speaks volumes.
 
Nice thing is we have plenty of room in the '15 class.  We could take two of the three.  Austin is a different player from the other two.  Can play point but has the size at 6'4" and shooting ability to play the off-guard spot.
 
JoJo and Nick are both 6'0" and about 160#.  Both are true points.  Probably wouldn't take both of them.  And based on videos only, right now I'd have to say I'd go with Nick.
 
But just to know they've been to Lincoln to check us out blows me away.  We haven't seen visitors like this since Danny Nee.