Jahlil Okafor's in-home visits

Donate To GopherHole

I'm not busy today. I say let's load up the family truckster and go visit Jahil right now. Gopher Nation will come to you, Jahil!! (Does in-home visit mean we can stay the night?)
 

dtrain19 said:
I'm not busy today. I say let's load up the family truckster and go visit Jahil right now. Gopher Nation will come to you, Jahil!! (Does in-home visit mean we can stay the night?)
Click to expand...

If everyone limits themselves to one overnight bag, I can load 4 more of us into my Jeep to join the caravan.
 


Anybody know how or why Jones and Okafor have known each other since they were 8?
 


I think the writing is on the wall as far as not getting Tyus Jones. I know he has said he might delay his announcement because of the coaching change, but he also still says he's pairing up with Okafor and Okafor is not considering us at all as of now.
 

jaymil said:
I think the writing is on the wall as far as not getting Tyus Jones. I know he has said he might delay his announcement because of the coaching change, but he also still says he's pairing up with Okafor and Okafor is not considering us at all as of now.
Click to expand...

I wish someone would ask Tyus a clear and direct question about this. His response would be interesting, even if it was mostly spin.
 

MadtownGopher said:
I wish someone would ask Tyus a clear and direct question about this. His response would be interesting, even if it was mostly spin.
Click to expand...

I think he spoke about it briefly in a recent interview. He said him and Okafor are still a package deal and that Minnesota is talking to Okafor "a little". My guess is that Tyus is just stringing us along to not let down the fanbase and make it seem like we had a chance. I could be wrong, but the facts seem to point towards that conclusion.
 

jaymil said:
I think he spoke about it briefly in a recent interview. He said him and Okafor are still a package deal and that Minnesota is talking to Okafor "a little". My guess is that Tyus is just stringing us along to not let down the fanbase and make it seem like we had a chance. I could be wrong, but the facts seem to point towards that conclusion.
Click to expand...

After re-thinking this, I'd ask these questions...

1. What is the likelihood you play with Okafor? 50%? 75%? 100%?

2. Do you think Okafor will take either an unofficial or official visit to the U?

(presuming the answer to the previous question was "no" or "not sure" I'd follow with...)

3. Do you think Okafor would sign with a school he isn't going to visit/doesn't know at this point in the process if he'll visit?

4. Doesn't that rule out Minnesota for you then?

Maybe that's too much like questioning a witness Haha but I think it would be interesting to hear his responses.
 



jaymil said:
I think he spoke about it briefly in a recent interview. He said him and Okafor are still a package deal and that Minnesota is talking to Okafor "a little". My guess is that Tyus is just stringing us along to not let down the fanbase and make it seem like we had a chance. I could be wrong, but the facts seem to point towards that conclusion.
Click to expand...

I agree that if they do in fact stick together as a pcakage deal then yeah that would eliminate us from the picture because we don't seem to be on Okafor's radar. That being said I don't think Jones would just string the U along if he had zero interest in coming here so until he crosses our name off the list we can hold out some hope that he ends up here even if it is probably an extreme longshot at this point.
 

Okay, I'm going to my Sid mode, but I think they would have the chance of a lifetime and the time of their lives if Okafor, Tyus, Reid, and Rashad all played here. There is nothing better than being part of a big upswing and knowing you played a big role in it's success. Plus they would be playing in a fun and fast system with a young and dynamic coach, and they would have a metro area of ~2.5 million totally engaged.
 

Plus if it did not work out it would not hurt their stock in the NBA as much because they would blame it not working on an inexperienced coach. You go to Duke, Michigan State, etc. and you don't perform well and your NBA stock plummits. You go to Minnesota and things don't go so hot, but you have moments where you shine NBA scouts may give you little more wiggle room. While I think the system and coach would highlight their talents, going into an unknown system may have its advantages if one was looking at the next level.
 

nokomismod said:
Okay, I'm going to my Sid mode, but I think they would have the chance of a lifetime and the time of their lives if Okafor, Tyus, Reid, and Rashad all played here. There is nothing better than being part of a big upswing and knowing you played a big role in it's success. Plus they would be playing in a fun and fast system with a young and dynamic coach, and they would have a metro area of ~2.5 million totally engaged.
Click to expand...
There's always opportunity here to be a hero. I like to use Hrbek as an example. Kent Hrbek was a pretty good baseball player, but look how much he elevated his stock by staying at home. If he bolted for Detroit or Seattle when he had the chance, I don't think he's viewed the same way in the community. He stayed home and he's got a gate at a ballpark, a statue, a restaurant with his name on it and he's drawing paychecks pitching tacos and air conditioners. Not a bad gig.
 



Tyus Jones = Tayler Hill

Maybe he's stringing along his parents. Maybe he just doesn't want to go out his senior year and play in front of hostiles. Whatever it is, he ain't comin' to the U, he just doesn't need to say so out loud at this point in time. Can't say I blame him.
 

That's what she said (about the hero part)! Wait, that's what I think. Even if the big 3's pro careers don't pan out, if they came to the U and turned around the program by having some success while here, they would be legends in the Twin Cities for years to come.
 

However, I don't think we get Tyus at all. He is just keeping the U in it so it doesn't hurt his image.
 

sunnyday2 said:
Tyus Jones = Tayler Hill

Maybe he's stringing along his parents. Maybe he just doesn't want to go out his senior year and play in front of hostiles. Whatever it is, he ain't comin' to the U, he just doesn't need to say so out loud at this point in time. Can't say I blame him.
Click to expand...

Agree. Never really thought he was coming here regardless. I would be more than happy to be wrong, but I'll be shocked if he comes here.
 

Okafor has Illinois on his list while Tyus does not. Tyus has Minnesota on his list while Okafor does not. It is pretty apparent that if they plan on playing together then they are not going to go to their home state schools. I do believe that if Okafor goes to Ill then we will see Tyus at MN and vice versa. However the most likely situation from everything I have read is that they plan on playing together not at their hometown schools.
 

Not saying this is the case, but Tyus and Jahlil have been saying they're a package deal for so long that if Tyus suddenly said, "Well, we might not be after all," it would really raise some eyebrows and might offend Jahlil. He might as well continue saying that until he knows for sure where he's going. Why potentially upset your friend if you don't know for sure that you won't be a package deal? Doesn't stand to benefit anything from that.
 

I don't doubt they'd like to play with each other in college, but ultimately you want to make the best choice for you. These kids aren't dummies.

Life isn't some little checklist and things are constantly in flux.

We know they have a strong interest in playing with each other. That isn't unusual for high school kids.

"Package deal" talk doesn't come up a ton, but when it does people overplay it to a ridiculous degree.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
I don't doubt they'd like to play with each other in college, but ultimately you want to make the best choice for you. These kids aren't dummies.

Life isn't some little checklist and things are constantly in flux.

We know they have a strong interest in playing with each other. That isn't unusual for high school kids.

"Package deal" talk doesn't come up a ton, but when it does people overplay it to a ridiculous degree.
Click to expand...

+1

It could very well happen, but it isn't a guarantee. We'll just have to wait and see.
 

Okafor might be leaning Duke, but I don't think Tyus would be too excited about playing behind Quinn Cook.
 

Gopher Warrior said:
I don't doubt they'd like to play with each other in college, but ultimately you want to make the best choice for you. These kids aren't dummies.

Life isn't some little checklist and things are constantly in flux.

We know they have a strong interest in playing with each other. That isn't unusual for high school kids.

"Package deal" talk doesn't come up a ton, but when it does people overplay it to a ridiculous degree.
Click to expand...

GW, all "talk" gets overplayed by a ridiculous degree, and you know it. :)
 

sunnyday2 said:
Tyus Jones = Tayler Hill

Maybe he's stringing along his parents. Maybe he just doesn't want to go out his senior year and play in front of hostiles. Whatever it is, he ain't comin' to the U, he just doesn't need to say so out loud at this point in time. Can't say I blame him.
Click to expand...

Why are you so sure he's not coming? Inside scoop? I think we still have a shot and I would say a much better chance than we did 2 months ago. Can't say I would blame him for wanting to be a hero in his home state.
 

GopherCountry said:
However, I don't think we get Tyus at all. He is just keeping the U in it so it doesn't hurt his image.
Click to expand...

I don't know what he will do. I don't know what he is thinking nor why he says what he says. How could ? I've never met him
 

PhillyGopher said:
I don't know what he will do. I don't know what he is thinking nor why he says what he says. How could ? I've never met him
Click to expand...

Same here, Philly. It's back to the same old, same old. A conversation on a message board ends up with more and more people over analyzing things that they nothing about. Too much thinking with too little information. Happens a lot.
 

I agree with most people that we probably don't have a real shot at Tyus. Maybe he's just giving us the benefit of the doubt and doesn't want to shut the door on home until he is 100% sure. However, if it's just keeping us around for a PR deal, that doesn't make sense to me. If Tyus chose Duke early in the process, there wouldn't be built up anticipation about the possibility of him playing. That dream would end and we would all move, the sooner that bubble is burst the less it would hurt.

For instance, James Onwualu chose Notre Dame early in the recruiting process and people don't even really talk about him much when it comes out to losing an instate recruit. However, the guys who waited till the last minute to choose another school, people are constantly "what ifing" with them.

If it's purely for PR, I would hope Tyus would just choose Duke or wherever he's going to go. I don't think it makes it look better to wait.
 

Have we had a National recruit in basketball that has stayed home ? Not left and then come back.
 


forestlaker said:
Have we had a National recruit in basketball that has stayed home ? Not left and then come back.
Click to expand...

Pryzbilla was #3 in the country. Rodney was not chopped liver. And of course there was McHale.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom