Will Gopher 2019 class be ranked in top 20?

Otis

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Tray Jackson is a good start. Who else will we sign to help push our team up in the recruiting ranks?


Hurt
Nnaji
Roddy

I'm not sure who else we are in on with our massive 2019 recruiting thread. Suffice to say if he landed Hurt and one of these other two we would be a lock in the top 20. Please add any other possible targets.
 

Jared Jones and Yavuz Gultekin have visits scheduled so I'd include them on the list of targets.

We will end up with a top 40 class for sure. Most of the ranking systems are at least partially based on the number of recruits you sign, so if we fill all 4 scholarship spots I'm certain we will end up top 40 or maybe top 30 even if we don't sign any recruits ranked better than Jackson.
 

Hurt makes it a top 8 class. Nnaji makes it top 20. Strange as it may be i think the Gophers have a better shot at Hurt. Even better is that Zeke would be here 3-4 years.
 

Hurt makes it a top 8 class. Nnaji makes it top 20. Strange as it may be i think the Gophers have a better shot at Hurt. Even better is that Zeke would be here 3-4 years.

Question: Do you think one big year with Hurt would help the program more or three-four years with Zeke? I'd take my chances on the Hurt scenario myself. Players like him don't come along often and send a one and done to the NBA would help a lot with future locals....like perhaps Suggs.
 

Question: Do you think one big year with Hurt would help the program more or three-four years with Zeke? I'd take my chances on the Hurt scenario myself. Players like him don't come along often and send a one and done to the NBA would help a lot with future locals....like perhaps Suggs.

Yeah having at least some Gopher representation in the NBA would be nice. With Suggs and Garcia in 2020 and Holmgren and Brown in 2021, it would be good to have some concrete evidence that going to Minnesota is a viable path to the NBA.
 


At this stage it doesn't really matter. Sign one of them and go from there.
 

Question: Do you think one big year with Hurt would help the program more or three-four years with Zeke? I'd take my chances on the Hurt scenario myself. Players like him don't come along often and send a one and done to the NBA would help a lot with future locals....like perhaps Suggs.

For me it is not even close. A 3-4 year impact player brings far more stability to a program. I have analyzed for over 30 years how non blue blood programs become winners. Non blue bloods that grab a single one and done rarely if ever succeed long term. Getting that type of player is not repeatable and it has to be. Plus as a fan i prefer watching kids stay and develop.
 

For me it is not even close. A 3-4 year impact player brings far more stability to a program. I have analyzed for over 30 years how non blue blood programs become winners. Non blue bloods that grab a single one and done rarely if ever succeed long term. Getting that type of player is not repeatable and it has to be. Plus as a fan i prefer watching kids stay and develop.

I agree 100% with this. Washington sucks without Fultz (sucked with him too), Anthony Bennett & Rashad Vaughn (UNLV hasn't been that great), and these are just a few that come to mind but I'm sure there are more.
 

I agree 100% with this. Washington sucks without Fultz (sucked with him too), Anthony Bennett & Rashad Vaughn (UNLV hasn't been that great), and these are just a few that come to mind but I'm sure there are more.

I think one of the big ones is Ben Simmons at LSU, at least in recent memory. Those programs haven't got long-term better really.
 



For me it is not even close. A 3-4 year impact player brings far more stability to a program. I have analyzed for over 30 years how non blue blood programs become winners. Non blue bloods that grab a single one and done rarely if ever succeed long term. Getting that type of player is not repeatable and it has to be. Plus as a fan i prefer watching kids stay and develop.

The long term impact of getting a player like Hurt depends on the makeup of the team and whether or not he makes them a contender. Elite players in and of themselves may not lead to long term success, but Final Fours and championships will absolutely help recruiting and can lead to long term success. The Gophers roster is already good, and IMO Hurt would make us a Final Four contender (or at least, would improve our chances of being one more than Nnaji would), so I would take 1 year of Hurt over 3-4 years of Nnaji.
 
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I think one of the big ones is Ben Simmons at LSU, at least in recent memory. Those programs haven't got long-term better really.

That's because LSU still sucked. If he put them over the edge and got them a championship, LSU's recruiting would have likely improved.
 


That's because LSU still sucked. If he put them over the edge and got them a championship, LSU's recruiting would have likely improved.

The Goohers with Hurt aren’t going to win an NCAA title, not if he only plays one year. But I’m sure you’ll disagree.
 



The Goohers with Hurt aren’t going to win an NCAA title, not if he only plays one year. But I’m sure you’ll disagree.

If we signed Hurt this fall, and have a strong season as I think we will, I’d bet we could add another elite recruit or transfer in the spring.

As for top 20, that won’t be determined until spring recruiting. With all the transfers nowadays, and them not counting in the class rank, I’m not so concerned about it.
 

Here is my "many ifs" theory:

1. Coffey heals and thinks about entering draft but does not after getting a taste of the NCAA tourney.
2. Washington improves markedly as a distributer and shooter and has a positive assist to turnover ratio.
3. Oturu is the real deal and leads our defensive effort along with effective offensive play.
4. Curry fully heals and forgets about his knee. Plays near Murphy level.
5. Hurt becomes consistent from the outside and provides 3 pt threat.
6. Carr pushes Washington for starting job.
7. Kalesheur proves his play.

So that gives you,
PG: Washington, Carr
SG: Coffey, Kalesheur, Vandy Transfer
SF: Jackson/hurt2?, Coffey, Hurt
PF: Hurt2/Jackson?, Curry, Omersa
C: Oturu, Curry, Grad Transfer

That line-up could make a serious run for the B1G championship and a 3 or higher seed in the tourney. So why couldn't Hurt help us catch fire and win it all?
 

The Goohers with Hurt aren’t going to win an NCAA title, not if he only plays one year. But I’m sure you’ll disagree.

I wouldn't predict them to, no. They'd definitely have the potential for a big run though, unlike LSU who didn't even make the tournament. A big run would help with recruiting.
 


No but another solid class
 

The Goohers with Hurt aren’t going to win an NCAA title, not if he only plays one year. But I’m sure you’ll disagree.

Why do you have such a negative take? Do you say that about every team that you follow? The Vikes are never going to win the SB or the Wild will never win the cup..... of course, the odds are against any one team winning a championship, even if they are the best team in the country. With Hurt, and more good recruits, the Gophers will have a very good team and the ability to go very deep into the tourney and possibly win a championship. I prefer to be hopeful about my teams instead of expecting them to fail.


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Why do you have such a negative take? Do you say that about every team that you follow? The Vikes are never going to win the SB or the Wild will never win the cup..... of course, the odds are against any one team winning a championship, even if they are the best team in the country. With Hurt, and more good recruits, the Gophers will have a very good team and the ability to go very deep into the tourney and possibly win a championship. I prefer to be hopeful about my teams instead of expecting them to fail.


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Some people prefer to be miserable.
 

Get Hurt and I would say yes, without him lots of work that needs to be done.
 

For me it is not even close. A 3-4 year impact player brings far more stability to a program. I have analyzed for over 30 years how non blue blood programs become winners. Non blue bloods that grab a single one and done rarely if ever succeed long term. Getting that type of player is not repeatable and it has to be. Plus as a fan i prefer watching kids stay and develop.

Well, having Humphries for one year certainly didn't do much for the Gophers' success.

Two recent #1 draft picks are even better examples: Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. Simmons had one of the best rookie years in memory but his presence didn't do much to elevate LSU.
 

Washington was vastly better without Fultz last season.

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Well, having Humphries for one year certainly didn't do much for the Gophers' success.

Two recent #1 draft picks are even better examples: Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. Simmons had one of the best rookie years in memory but his presence didn't do much to elevate LSU.

so you are in the opinion of getting Hurt will not help the program short term or long term?
 

Well, having Humphries for one year certainly didn't do much for the Gophers' success.

Two recent #1 draft picks are even better examples: Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz. Simmons had one of the best rookie years in memory but his presence didn't do much to elevate LSU.

Players can improve programs long term when they lead that team to a deep tourney run. If your current roster isn't set up to succeed even with the addition of an elite player, then it's probably better to get a good 3-4 year player. If your current roster is one elite player away from a potential deep run in the tournament, then it's probably better to get an elite one and done player.

As far as that applies to the Gophers, I think we have enough talent to make one year of Matt Hurt more valuable than 3-4 years of Nnaji.
 

Why do you have such a negative take? Do you say that about every team that you follow? The Vikes are never going to win the SB or the Wild will never win the cup..... of course, the odds are against any one team winning a championship, even if they are the best team in the country. With Hurt, and more good recruits, the Gophers will have a very good team and the ability to go very deep into the tourney and possibly win a championship. I prefer to be hopeful about my teams instead of expecting them to fail.


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Its my opinion. I look at our roster next year, without Dupree and Murphy, possibly without others (transfers, injuries, NBA draft) and even with Hurt and other recruits, I think they'd be a long shot to win it all. I suppose anything can happen, but for this reason I'd rather have a steady, really good player for 4 years, because sustained success is better for recruiting. If Hurt commits I'll be super happy because getting the best player in the state is important and he'd be really helpful in terms of wins.
 

Its my opinion. I look at our roster next year, without Dupree and Murphy, possibly without others (transfers, injuries, NBA draft) and even with Hurt and other recruits, I think they'd be a long shot to win it all. I suppose anything can happen, but for this reason I'd rather have a steady, really good player for 4 years, because sustained success is better for recruiting. If Hurt commits I'll be super happy because getting the best player in the state is important and he'd be really helpful in terms of wins.
What would you rather have sign Zeke, who could low key a 1-2 year player if coach Cal is looking at him, or sign Hurt this year and replace him with Dawson Garcia next year.

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What would you rather have sign Zeke, who could low key a 1-2 year player if coach Cal is looking at him, or sign Hurt this year and replace him with Dawson Garcia next year.

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If I'm only getting Zeke for 1-2 years, Hurt than Garcia because I think Hurt is better than Zeke. I'd rather have Zeke for 3-4 years than Hurt for 1, which is what I think my original thought was.
 




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