Recruiting: 2024

[wh]

https://twitter.com/scottybscout/status/1722443370398617991

Great news to nail down this signing!

VU's ability to sign, develop, and retain players like McNair is all on Coach Powell. I'm surmising that he's telling these young men something along the lines of...Don't worry about VU's recent record or the comparatively so-so facilities. If you want a chance to start and perhaps even star on an NCAA tournament-caliber team, and get a good college education while you're at it, then join us.

To your point, I agree that Roger's message transcends the glitz and glitter factor related to facilities. How many young highly athletic players wouldn't trade facilities for an opportunity to be part of Valpo's new racehorse style of basketball and learn from someone who helped Gonzaga knock on the door of a national championship using the same system.

[historyman]

If he moves over to Brown Street in his later years instead of Beacon Hall do you think he will stay at Valpo?

You all know if Cooper moves to Brown Street he would be Brown Schwieger!   

[NativeCheesehead]

Time will tell on Rev's program building ability, but he absolutely nails the little things. Valpo has always had the fun little graphics for signees, but this video is really cool. Whole thing probably took 10-15 min to film, polish and post and this young man will remember it forever. More importantly, every recruit who follows him or Valpo Basketball on twitter will see it as well.

[David81]

The enthusiastic, can-do confidence that radiates from Coach Powell is so darn palpable. I just feel like the guy is in his element, knowing that he can help to rebuild this program and that some really exciting, downright fun days are ahead.

[VU2014]

Valpo just landed a commitment from a SG from Chicagoland. I want to emphasize how little info is out there about him for this modern era of High school basketball in Illinois. Could only find a few tweets and one video. Seems to be a lefty sharp shooter type. A Conor Barrett type with a little less height. 6'0" from what I saw online.

Really smooth and quick shoot stroke. Hopefully he's an undiscovered gem. Have to trust the coaches.

Looking forward to Paul's reporting. Hopefully he can shed some light and give some insight.

https://x.com/itsnicklombardi/status/1731822363279229265?s=46&t=cNk7taMAYtxNl1Q0_O79Gw

https://x.com/scottybscout/status/1525850375542145024?s=46&t=cNk7taMAYtxNl1Q0_O79Gw

[VULB#62]

Announcement says  -> preferred WO.

[historyman]

Announcement says  -> preferred WO.

Well, could always be a type walk on.






Trying to think

[valpotx]

Interesting how low he keeps his hands when shooting, but he has a quick release. 

[VU2014]

Interesting how low he keeps his hands when shooting, but he has a quick release. 

Yeah, I noticed the same thing. Wondering if that would cause any issues shots getting blocked against longer and more athletic defenders.

[valpopal]

Interesting how low he keeps his hands when shooting, but he has a quick release. 

Yeah, I noticed the same thing. Wondering if that would cause any issues shots getting blocked against longer and more athletic defenders.

I thought the same when viewing the video, and I immediately remembered forum discussion questioning Rowdy's release point when we first saw a clip of him.

[JD24]

He'll never get that shot off with any regularity in the college game without a significant change to his release. Between the windup to release and the low release he's got no chance.

He's a 6 foot - all players 5-10 and above are "6'0'" - with a shot that needs to be corrected who plays on a bad team and doesn't seem to have a recruiting profile. I don't know if I've heard of a PWO in basketball before. Prior to this season Valpo brought in a football player as a walk on. So it seems it is a pretty open spot for anyone willing to put the time in.

[humbleopinion]

Do we have any scholarships to offer?  If we don't, could we offer anything more than  PWO status to a recruit?

[valpo64]

Preferred Walk-ons are common.. Caleb Furst, Purdue big man has a younger brother who is a preferred walk-on at Purdue.  Why the younger brother accepted the offer of PWO I don't know.  He has good size and I would think he would have had ample opportunities for  scholarships, if not P-5 at least a mid-major ,NAIA, etc.

[vok22]

Do we have any scholarships to offer?  If we don't, could we offer anything more than  PWO status to a recruit?

I don't even think we technically have a spot for McNair, who already signed his NLI for us. Spots will open. Powell will sit down with some and have an honest conversation about their future on the team and people will transfer. Assuming Powell is able to keep the key guys together, I still think 3+ people transfer. I'd assume that with Manyang coming back he'll tell Palm he's better off transferring. Same with Connor since he can't stay healthy. Sepp might also be a candidate given that he hasn't really done anything and doesn't seem to be cracking the rotation. When he has, I haven't been impressed. I also think Weatherspoon might decide to with Stafford playing well and a "highly touted" pg/sg prospect in McNair coming in. I hope he doesn't, but it's certainly possibly.

We'll have scholarships to give out next year, and we'll likely lose at least one "key" piece. Nothing we can do about it, it's just the state of college basketball. I just hope it's not Schwieger or Edwards. It also opens the opportunity to plug in a good transfer if Powell thinks we are close to competing.

[vu72]

I don't even think we technically have a spot for McNair

We currently have 12 scholarship players and three walk-ons. Teams are allowed 13 full scholarships.

[VU2014]

Both John Kiser and Preston R were preferred walk ons at Valpo. It means that there is a wink and a nod that if the kid proves he play at this level and contribute and there is an open scholarship, they will earn a scholarship.

I honestly can't tell his skill level from one YouTube clip, but reading the tea leaves, it seems John and Preston had a higher ceiling.

Taking nothing away from the kid. He could be a good glue guy who could  help the Team. They is no downside and only upside. He can push his teammates in practice. It's well known that preferred walk ons really get after it in practice. There are some great stories of Kiser really getting after it battling a senior Alec Peters in practice. Obviously he was out match defending AP but you can't teach effort & hustle from a kid who has a chip on his shoulder.

[VU2014]

I don't even think we technically have a spot for McNair

We currently have 12 scholarship players and three walk-ons. Teams are allowed 13 full scholarships.

He's 2024 recruit. We don't technically have any available 2024 scholarships.

I do wonder if this will be Conor Barrett's last season. He technically has additional year of eligibility, but he's going to graduate and the injuries have been significant.

The Lottich regime took a big risk with recruiting Conor because he had a well documented injury history in high school

[justducky]

If the right transfer fell our way for second semester it looks like it could still be done. Obviously for 24-25, McNair would then remain in and someone would need to go. We will likely lose one or more voluntarily but if not they are not renewed automatically from one season to the next. Roger had to throw this team together very quickly and in the process several Lottich players just stepped to the sidelines. I doubt that the same implied moral obligation that pressured Bryce not to bump still applies in the reshuffled world of every man for himself impulse transfers.

[crusader05]

Right now we had one 2024 scholarship to give which McNair has as we have only 12 scholarship members currently with one left that was never filled(this is what I'm assuming is McNairs spot as I doubt we get a midseason transfer). Any further scholarships will be open due to transfers/not taking the extra year. I highly doubt Connor returns for a fifth year. I also doubt Edwards leaves because I believe he would have to sit a year(right?). Biggest transfer risks will be end of the bench(most likely Sepp) and if Cooper continues to grow and gets the big offers.

[VU2014]

I feel bad saying this but I wouldn't mind if some of the Juniors (palm & conor) didn't take their final year of eligibility. We could really use those scholarships.

It's kind of morally questionable but coaches can revoke scholarships or highly encourage guys to transfer. There was a story about Bryce and Powell pushing to have Nick Davidson transfer back in the day. AP caught wind and was really pissed because Nick is one of his best friends.

Makes me wonder...

[justducky]

There was a story about Bryce and Powell pushing to have Nick Davidson transfer back in the day.

Different era but if Roger had Nick on the bench tonight he might have played 25+ minutes. We were really, really bad for that first 25 minutes and Davidson would have been an improvement.

[tiny707]

Technically Palm and Barrett are Seniors. I think you are hoping they don't use their Covid year. Lual injury hurting us. Big men killing us. Older players are bulked up and physical.