From: jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Jazzy J )
Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college
Subject: Re: Recruiting News Here and There
Date: 2 Oct 92 19:35:10 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvIEEn.3xq
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

suffridge@ncrcol.ColumbiaSC.NCR.COM (Rick Suffridge) writes:

>    Of the players you mention, none of them were rated in the top 50
> prospects and I believe only Stewart was among the top 100. 

	I don't think it really matters that much.  I don't believe any of
	Pelphrey, Farmer, or Feldhaus were Top 50 players either (albeit
	Pel & Richie were Mr.Basketballs) -- but yet they developed into
	good players.  

	Even then, though, for Lexington players -- it's a dream to play
	for UK.  Players like Horn, Kornet, and Allen could have contributed
	just as much as those other guys did.  They just were never given
	the chance (come to think of it, Pelphrey and Farmer almost didn't
	get the chance either -- only getting signed because of in-state
	pressure on the UK coaching staffs -- who shall remain nameless).
 
> Miller, though a Mr. Basketball, was a bust at Western.  IMHO Horn is not a

	Miller's struggles at Western really had more to do with the fact
	that he was beset by injuries his entire career there -- and coming
	into school w/ fellow instater Fred Tisdale & playing behind Tellis
	Frank & Kennard Johnson couldn't have helped.  Just too many players
	for the playing time allotted.

> UK-caliber talent, Kornet developed into a far better player by his
> senior year at Vandy than most people expected (he was even drafted 
> by and played for the Milwaukee Bucks), and Allen came out in a year
> when UK was loaded with guards and was an academic question mark. 

	Kornet, I believe, would have been a solid player at UK.  Heck, he
	could have even some sort of faculty family member scholarship instead
	of the regular basketball scholarship -- his dad works at the
	university!  (In the Pharmacy department -- strangely enough, Kornet's
	father is a colleague of MY father in the department!)

> I don't really fault UK for not recruiting these players.  Burton,
> however, is a top 30 player and, as you say, "a bona-fide star". 
> I have heard a rumor from some people in Lexington that it is 
> questionable whether he will meet prop 48 eligibility requirements
> and that caused UK to back off him in favor of Shepard.  In

	Burton is rumored not to meet Prop 48 requirements?  That's funny --
	because Dunbar HS (the new high school in town) is Lexington's
	Math & Science magnet school...  But in accordance w/ state rules,
	Dunbar does feed in "regular" students as well -- so U may be right.
	(Interesting note -- my house is located right by Dunbar! :)  )
 
> general I think that UK should offer a scholarship to any in-state
> player rated in the top 50 (maybe even top 100) unless there are
> known personal problems (Carlos Turner) or a questionable attitude
> (Andy Penick).  The problem with Burton, though, is that UK really
> does not have any scholarships to offer.  They have 13 players on
> scholarship this year, with only Brown and Braddy graduating and
> McCarty and Shepard slated to join the team next year.  Thus unless
> Mashburn goes pro or someone transfers there are no more scholarships
> to give!  If a scholarship does open up, UK needs frontcourt players
> more than guards.

	I think UK is solid at the PF-C positions.  After next season, they'll
	still have Mashburn (delaying the pros), Riddick, Timberlake, 
	Prichett, Martinez, and Dent.  That's a whole lot!!!  After Braddy
	and Brown leave, UK is left w/ Shepard, Ford, Brassow... U'd think
	they'd need some guard help.  Plus, Burton can play some small
	forward, and along w/ Rhodes, they'd make quite a combination.

>   Don't forget Mike Scott :-).  LeRon Ellis was supposed to be a "world-
> class" center when he was recruited, but then came probation and he went
> to Syracuse and never really lived up to his potential.  Shawn Kemp was
> also "world-class" but he was more a power forward than a center.  

	I always wondered what the hell was wrong w/ Mike Scott.  If U
	look at his numbers at Wake Forest -- he averaged in double figures!
	In the ACC nonetheless.  I think the 2 years off (his sophomore year
	really was a year off) really hurt his play & confidence, and he
	never really got it back.  As well as Ellis, I remember UK also
	recruited Johnny Pittman, who failed to qualify academically...

	Jazzy J
-- 
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|  "I am human and I need to be loved,            | Jazzy J                   |
|   just like everybody else does..." - The Smiths| jdt29225@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu | 
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Newsgroups: rec.sport.basketball.college