Recruiting Minnesota kids should be viewed in two different tiers. The first tier of players (ranked in the top 40 or so nationally) are no more likely to commit here than a blue blood. It doesn't matter who the coach is. I'm talking about the Tyus/Tre/Hurt/Suggs level recruit. We fixate on those kids because of their talent but how much evidence do we need to see that those kids don't stay and play for their home school? We have had one kid sign here in the last twenty five years at that level (Humphries) and it was a complete disaster. Pitino has done a good job recruiting the next tier of Minnesota players in the 50-200 range (Oturu/Coffey/Jarvis/Omersa/Kalscheur/Hurt). We have also seen a number of those kids leave the State and not exactly look like program changing players. The goal should be to find players like Tre Williams in the top 50-200ish (Murphy/Mason) level. We just need more of them to fill out a roster.
Smart post! I would argue that the state of the program, long term will make those top 40 guys go one way or another. We have had this recent surge of guys but there have not been that many over the years. Off the top of my head I would list:
90's El Amin, Jacobson, Pryz (if Pryz was top 40?) 2/3
2000-2009 Boone, Rickert, Hump, Royce 2/4
2010 - Tyus, Tre, Trent, Hurt 0-4
Now look at that history- Boone, Jacobson and El Amin were four year players. The rest left college as fast as they came. Not really a way to build a program.