2023 Recruiting

[Upstate10]

I read that you have 30 days to enter the portal without sitting if your coach leaves

[DoctorJ]

I didn't know that. Hmm. Interesting...

[vanmeter]

Krissa came back to West Virginia

[minutefanjsf]

I read that you have 30 days to enter the portal without sitting if your coach leaves

I think that is only if it is during the season. Not sure if it applies during the off-season.

[NilesGold]

^ I believe the 30 day thing when your coach leaves is indeed the rule as it relates to entering the portal, but I'm not sure about the without sitting part of it.

[natwam2547]

I read that you have 30 days to enter the portal without sitting if your coach leaves

I think that is only if it is during the season. Not sure if it applies during the off-season.

There's so much that's hard to keep track of as it relates to the portal, but the articles I've read was that you have 30 days in order to avoid sitting out for a year after a coaching change.

WVU promoted their assistant to interim. Probably best for continuity sake since Kriisa came back to WVU so quickly. Maybe Tre decides to stay too. Kriisa was also looking at Memphis, Nebraska, Cincinnati, Illinois and Washington so the chances he came to Umass was 0.01% anyway. We get transfers like Woodley, Wildens and Hankins-Sanford. Which is fine, they are good players for our level and make the most sense in a "step-down league". Not Kriisa who just 2 years ago analysts were saying was the missing link for Arizona's championship hopes when he got hurt.

[fenway617]

Tarique Foster commits to UMass. He had previously committed to VCU.
https://umassathletics.com/news/2023/6/ ... -24-season

[Upstate10]

Any kid that VCU wanted is a good get, to me.

[GOODY]

I’m no scout , but everything I read is very positive !

[DoctorJ]

Fingers crossed.

Was hoping for experience but I'll take it.

At least we fill out the roster with a well-regarded kid.

Some of these Freshmen and Sophomores are going to have to really kick it up. Diggs and G, too.

Let's see if Frank can develop and retain some of these guys, hopefully fast.

[Jackson96]

I say most recruits are intriguing or I don’t say much of anything at all if I don’t have high hopes. Foster is intriguing. Adding some shooting with length is never a bad thing.

Having seven freshmen in the era of the transfer portal is also intriguing. Seems like Martin is betting on himself and his approach to developing kids that has worked for him throughout his career. I don’t know how many of the 7 will finish their career in Amherst, but it’s an interesting approach.

Not sure how much star power there is but if I had to bet on who will have the best college careers I would probably go:

1) Worthy
2) Curry
3) Davis Jr
4) Mayhugh
5) Foster
6) Ndjiguye
7) Mathok

I think the Top 3 have fringe all conference potential. The next 3 have solid contributor potential and Mathok is a project who if develops could be the best of the bunch. Curry probably has the highest ceiling but a lot hinges on getting stronger and developing that jump shot. I just think Worthy is going to be really good and will be able to play a bunch from the jump given his frame.

[DoctorJ]

Wikid Awesome, bro. Thanks for chiming in.

See, I haven't looked at Worthy as much and I was not well informed on him.

Here was my non-coach but 4-decade fan take on each in your rank...

1) Worthy - Seems well built and a good ball handler that could eventually defend either guard position and likely the 3 in A10. I had no sense of his ceiling but like the evidence of his grit. I don't depend on highlight film for shooting, so not much of an idea.

2) Curry - Lot of hype here and NIL deal. Video looks exceptional and reputation precedes him. I think he will be at least as ready to play as J Garcia was and hope he can be reliable. Eventual All-Conf potential. Possible starting point guard next year. High risk to transfer out.

3) Davis Jr - Much like Curry, I think his reputation and video look spectacular. Hoping neither has a critical weakeness as I hope to see in the starting lineup. Eventual All-Conf potential. Possible starting shooting guard next year. High risk to transfer out.

4) Mayhugh- Good reports lately. Has shown shooting improvement since coming, according to Frank. Wish he went to a different Prep school, so I'd have seen film against higher opposition, but it may pay off in long run. Hey, Andrew McCarthy got D League drafted and I think played some level of pro. Kid could get a job doing this for money but no clue where he is at.

5) Foster- No friggin' clue yet. Glad it is a big. Film looks ok. Three stars on Rivals and former VCU recruit, but my guess is that is usually the profile of a transfer out of VCU. I expect him to be a project.

6) Ndjiguye- Guard depth with a reputation for on ball defense, so I think he is a good add. No idea on readiness or how he compares to Worthy other that in terms of highlight films, that are notoriously deceiving.

7) Mathok- Word is his footwork is amazing for a guy that tall. Ok, but why is a guy that big still available if he can shoot and defend a little?

So it appears Frank is ALL IN on Frosh. Perhaps it is via necessity. He knows what he recruited better than I. He knows the likelihood of his staff developing them better than I, as well.

Wish those Spain games were going to be streamed.

Hopefully we schedule the rest of OOC against teams that these guys can build off ahead of Hawaii.

Years like this make me wish we would declare a JV team and give them some prep schools to get minutes against. Guess that hasn't really been around for many teams in a long time but wouldn't a guy like Gianni last year have benefitted from on court time against different competition?

[bobolink]

Foster fits as SF, perhaps as no other on the roster. Expected Matt Cross to get big minutes at that spot, which makes sense, but who would be next up at SF?

Very glad to have him on board, hopefully in time to get a full summer with the team.

[thecaptain]

Any kid that VCU wanted is a good get, to me.

i see it this way too

[DoctorJ]

Yes, hoping he is ready.

There is a chance we switch to a 3 guard lineup, but I expect Frank to want MC at the 3.

We would be deeper with Wildens, imho.

This is a better long term choice, potentially.

However, it has me thinking that Frank is more worried about backing Cross and DHS up and less concerned about having an experienced option to back up and or share with Cohen at the 5.

Going to be interesting...