Recruiting 2021

[VULB#62]

Love the size!  What AAU team does he play for?

Indy Heat - He's currently got offers from Purdue, Butler, IU, Iowa, Northwestern and Ohio State and he's currently the 31st ranked player nationally in his class.  The likelihood that he winds up at Valpo (or Butler for that matter) is so small that I don't blame the coaches for not spending a ton of time recruiting him.  That's not to say that they never have, but when they reached out, if they didn't get a sense that there was mutual interest, then they are doing the right thing.

I have not asked his coach whether Valpo has ever contacted him or his parents, I can try to find that out.  All I was getting at is that he and his parents have made some interesting decisions concerning his education and basketball competition.  He was "invited" to attend school with his good friends and D1 prospects Luke Goode at Homestead High School and also his teammate Jalen Blackmon at Marion and decided to remain in the Blackhawk Christian schools.

Lowery certainly looked very chummy and actually somewhat intimate with his parents (hugs all around after the game) so I don't know that Butler is out of the running.  This kid and family strikes me, and I could be completely wrong, as someone who could look to go to a school where he would be a game changer at a school that fits his and his family's values rather than just another high level recruit, other people who know the situation better than I have told me the same thing.

FW, have you shared this with the BB program?  I see a parallel with Derrik's recruitment. We got a seven footer because he and his family saw the advantage to Derrik of a place like Valpo. That could work here. He might  not play in front of 10,000 every night, but he might enjoy 1) being a big fish in a smaller but prestigious pond rather than a support player in a big pond, and 2) he knows that Valpo stars go on to  play pro ball because their resumes contain great stats. Those stats might not be the same at Gigantic University because of being in more of a support role and fewer minutes. And then there is 3) the Valpo faith-based environment. Ya dont get that at Gigantic University.

[FieldGoodie05]

Love the size!  What AAU team does he play for?

Indy Heat - He's currently got offers from Purdue, Butler, IU, Iowa, Northwestern and Ohio State and he's currently the 31st ranked player nationally in his class.  The likelihood that he winds up at Valpo (or Butler for that matter) is so small that I don't blame the coaches for not spending a ton of time recruiting him.  That's not to say that they never have, but when they reached out, if they didn't get a sense that there was mutual interest, then they are doing the right thing.

I have not asked his coach whether Valpo has ever contacted him or his parents, I can try to find that out.  All I was getting at is that he and his parents have made some interesting decisions concerning his education and basketball competition.  He was "invited" to attend school with his good friends and D1 prospects Luke Goode at Homestead High School and also his teammate Jalen Blackmon at Marion and decided to remain in the Blackhawk Christian schools.

Lowery certainly looked very chummy and actually somewhat intimate with his parents (hugs all around after the game) so I don't know that Butler is out of the running.  This kid and family strikes me, and I could be completely wrong, as someone who could look to go to a school where he would be a game changer at a school that fits his and his family's values rather than just another high level recruit, other people who know the situation better than I have told me the same thing.

FW, have you shared this with the BB program?  I see a parallel with Derrik's recruitment. We got a seven footer because he and his family saw the advantage to Derrik of a place like Valpo. That could work here. He might  not play in front of 10,000 every night, but he might enjoy 1) being a big fish in a smaller but prestigious pond rather than a support player in a big pond, and 2) he knows that Valpo stars go on to  play pro ball because their resumes contain great stats. Those stats might not be the same at Gigantic University vecajse of being in a support role. And then there is 3) the Valpo faith-based environment. Ya dont get that at Gigantic University.

Great point about family values, that's certainly a huge benefit to a small program with national games like we get (MVC and neutral site tournaments).

But to Irish's point....this kid appears Top 50 recruit in his class.  Until recently Smits only flashed Top 500 abilities.

[IrishDawg]

Great point about family values, that's certainly a huge benefit to a small program with national games like we get (MVC and neutral site tournaments).

But to Irish's point....this kid appears Top 50 recruit in his class.  Until recently Smits only flashed Top 500 abilities.

FWAlum and others will certainly know the family dynamic much better than I ever will, so he might like the atmosphere of a smaller school with great academics, but Furst is about 150 spots ahead of where Derrik was at any point in his high school career (his highest ranking was somewhere in the 170's the summer before his junior year).  Being the son of Rik Smits and playing for Indiana Elite, it's not like he would be hidden away from scouts either. 

Furst is the type of kid who's going to play right away at basically whatever program he winds up going to.  There might be some growing pains, but it's very unlikely (IMO) that he'd be in a supporting role past his freshman season, which he'd have no matter in some shape or form pretty much no matter where he went to.  If Sorolla hadn't been hurt, then Derrik might still be splitting time with him and not had as much of an opportunity to play as much as he has early on in the season, so other than perhaps their personalities off the court, on the court, I don't see much of a comparison.

Maybe this is one of those rare cases, but my opinion on where he winds up (or doesn't wind up) is based on that Butler has never gotten a top 50 kid out of high school, and even if everything that's being said about him is true (and I have no reason to doubt what's been said), with his talent (which is basically a 5 star player based on where he's currently ranked), he can be a big fish in a bigger pond than even Butler in the Big East with a coach who wears his Christian values on his sleeve can offer.

I would be interested to hear if Valpo is or has been involved with him. 

[VULB#62]

Maybe this is one of those rare cases, but my opinion on where he winds up (or doesn't wind up) is based on that Butler has never gotten a top 50 kid out of high school, and even if everything that's being said about him is true (and I have no reason to doubt what's been said), with his talent (which is basically a 5 star player based on where he's currently ranked), he can be a big fish in a bigger pond than even Butler in the Big East with a coach who wears his Christian values on his sleeve can offer.

Um.... Bryce?  Scott?

[vu72]

Maybe this is one of those rare cases, but my opinion on where he winds up (or doesn't wind up) is based on that Butler has never gotten a top 50 kid out of high school, and even if everything that's being said about him is true (and I have no reason to doubt what's been said), with his talent (which is basically a 5 star player based on where he's currently ranked), he can be a big fish in a bigger pond than even Butler in the Big East with a coach who wears his Christian values on his sleeve can offer.

Um.... Bryce?  Scott?

Both coach in bigger ponds than Butler.  As for Valpo never getting a top 50 player, think back to this kid:

Prep: A four-year letterwinner, played one year at Griffith after spending three years at Bishop Noll ... an Indiana All-Star ... rated as the top player in his class in Indiana by College Basketball News ... ranked as the 34th best player in the nation by Hoop Scoop ... a three-time First Team All-Conference and All-Area honoree ... a First Team All-State performer as a senior.

[FieldGoodie05]

Maybe this is one of those rare cases, but my opinion on where he winds up (or doesn't wind up) is based on that Butler has never gotten a top 50 kid out of high school, and even if everything that's being said about him is true (and I have no reason to doubt what's been said), with his talent (which is basically a 5 star player based on where he's currently ranked), he can be a big fish in a bigger pond than even Butler in the Big East with a coach who wears his Christian values on his sleeve can offer.

Um.... Bryce?  Scott?

Both coach in bigger ponds than Butler.  As for Valpo never getting a top 50 player, think back to this kid:

Prep: A four-year letterwinner, played one year at Griffith after spending three years at Bishop Noll ... an Indiana All-Star ... rated as the top player in his class in Indiana by College Basketball News ... ranked as the 34th best player in the nation by Hoop Scoop ... a three-time First Team All-Conference and All-Area honoree ... a First Team All-State performer as a senior.

You mean baby Shaq!! Kenny Harris haha

[valpotx]

Awesome guy, and yes, he was going to be a stud by his JR and SR years.  Loved it when he ran with us in very early morning workouts with Bob Brooks.

[FieldGoodie05]

Awesome guy, and yes, he was going to be a stud by his JR and SR years.  Loved it when he ran with us in very early morning workouts with Bob Brooks.

If memory serves he had a heart condition that ended his college career after 2-years?  My memory could be off but someone here knows.

[humbleopinion]

After one year., as I recall.

[crusader05]

Yes, I believe he suffered some sort of episode that incapacitated him and then the discovery of an underlying condition, I thought it was a mini-stroke but could be remembering wrong.

[tiny707]

ESPN needs to d a 30 by 30 story on Baby Shaq.

[wh]

AL HAMNIK: There's no quit in hard-luck Kenny Harris
By Al Hamnik - Times Columnist
May 30, 2010

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nwitimes.com/sports/columnists/al-hamnik/al-hamnik-there-s-no-quit-in-hard-luck-kenny/article_d747bf02-73e5-5465-9bba-68a0a0055b4b.amp.html

[valpotx]

I believe that it was during a weightlifting session, as well.  During one of the TV games that year, Brad Daugherty was in love with Kenny and his soft left-handed touch.

[VU2014]

I never saw him play in a Crusader uniform but reading that article makes think "what could have been?". Hope he's doing well these days.

Also a 420 pound basketball player??? Wow.

[valpotx]

He didn't look like what you would expect of a 420 lb. guy, since he was 6'10".  He got pretty streamlined by his SO year.

[humbleopinion]

I watched Kenny play in high school, and his size allowed him to dominate. I remember a year later when Huggins brought his Cincinnati Bearcats to the arc. Kenny just couldn't compete with their quickness, and I was sorely disappointed.  I wonder how he would have developed if he had four years.

[M]

JRK put up 29 last night in a loss vs Marquette. For Marquette, Collin Kenney (Furman recruit) went for 42.

[FWalum]

JRK put up 29 last night in a loss vs Marquette. For Marquette, Collin Kenney (Furman recruit) went for 42.

I assume you are talking about JR Konieczny? I had to look up Marquette's schedule to see who they played before I could decipher your post.

[VU2014]

JRK put up 29 last night in a loss vs Marquette. For Marquette, Collin Kenney (Furman recruit) went for 42.

I assume you are talking about JR Konieczny? I had to look up Marquette's schedule to see who they played before I could decipher your post.

JR is going to be special. I'm glad our Coaches identified him early and have built a relationship with the young man.

[M]

That's quite the detective work. Well done.

[VU2014]

https://twitter.com/WisconsinSwing/status/1078853002176487434

[VU2014]

Christopher Mantis is going to be special. He's only a sophomore and he's leading that Lowell team with his play.

https://twitter.com/PostTribSports/status/1088816260610166790
https://twitter.com/TheRSN/status/1071232518484099072
https://twitter.com/TheRSN/status/1071233764452376581

[VU2014]

Big time local recruit in the building tonight! I've heard he has Top 100 potential. He may not come here but it's at least nice to get a visit and have him in for a packed game.

https://twitter.com/kylerossdoe/status/1094756760957734913
https://twitter.com/MichaelOsipoff/status/1094759672949760000

[VU2014]

He's only a sophomore but he's a big time recruit and has a really high ceiling.

https://twitter.com/IndianaElite/status/1094798221187137536
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvSfEXqxLoM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeR5V_Ew44k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jj9DMMPIBbM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlVG7nmoObU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkYx_SFbdAs&t=0s

[NativeCheesehead]

Another high level Region kid who will stop taking our texts when the Big 10 comes calling.