Seantrel Henderson, UNC Basketball, Mbakwe and White

[eker0016]

From the accounts I have heard over the past couple of years, basketball is Seantrel's first love. Understandably, it is a factor in his decision making. I think this is the one edge we have over other programs he is considering. I've put together a list of points I think are very pertinent to the entire situation.

1. Tubby Smith is a class act coach and mentor and I wouldn't want any coach over him if I were a player. He is a highly respected and successful coach, and I think 3 seasons under his tutelage would be invaluable to success in the rest of his life.

2. Tim Brewster successfully recruited Julius Peppers to his home state college UNC. Peppers was a top flight recruit in football and ended up being the second overall pick in the draft. He also played two seasons of basketball for UNC, averaging 7 ppg and 4 rpg in his second season. He got to go on a Final Four run which isn't too shabby. The Gophers basketball team is improving and could be poised to make a deep postseason run in the next few years. There are quite a few parallels you can draw between Peppers and Henderson. I'm sure Brewster has been in his ear about this.

3. The careers of Royce White and Trevor Mbakwe are very much in the balance. We graduate Damian Johnson after this year. If either or both of these guys don't make it next year (which I think is entirely likely), there will be a lot of playing time to be had at the 4/5 positions. Seantrel would likely see a decent number of minutes as a big body to throw around down low. He is ready for a Big Ten pounding right now.

Arguably, we have a comparable or better program than any of the other teams Seantrel is considering at this time. I hope this angle is enough to sway him!

 

[hyaluronic]

My message to Seantrel: I love you, man!

 

[howeda7]

From the accounts I have heard over the past couple of years, basketball is Seantrel's first love. Understandably, it is a factor in his decision making. I think this is the one edge we have over other programs he is considering. I've put together a list of points I think are very pertinent to the entire situation.

1. Tubby Smith is a class act coach and mentor and I wouldn't want any coach over him if I were a player. He is a highly respected and successful coach, and I think 3 seasons under his tutelage would be invaluable to success in the rest of his life.

2. Tim Brewster successfully recruited Julius Peppers to his home state college UNC. Peppers was a top flight recruit in football and ended up being the second overall pick in the draft. He also played two seasons of basketball for UNC, averaging 7 ppg and 4 rpg in his second season. He got to go on a Final Four run which isn't too shabby. The Gophers basketball team is improving and could be poised to make a deep postseason run in the next few years. There are quite a few parallels you can draw between Peppers and Henderson. I'm sure Brewster has been in his ear about this.

3. The careers of Royce White and Trevor Mbakwe are very much in the balance. We graduate Damian Johnson after this year. If either or both of these guys don't make it next year (which I think is entirely likely), there will be a lot of playing time to be had at the 4/5 positions. Seantrel would likely see a decent number of minutes as a big body to throw around down low. He is ready for a Big Ten pounding right now.

Arguably, we have a comparable or better program than any of the other teams Seantrel is considering at this time. I hope this angle is enough to sway him!

All valid points. USC basketball is definately a rebuilding job right now. But we are comparable at best with Florida and OSU basketball at the moment. You certainly can't say that we are better. Personally, I think Thad Matta is a huge prick and would never play for him, but he does have the #1 recruiting class coming in. Billy Donovan's a pretty class act though, and has twice as many rings as Tubby. Tubby helps no doubt. But it still 90% comes down to whether he wants to play at home or not.

 

[DiehardGopher]

Yeah Billy "im going to the NBA to coach, wait no im not" Donovan is truly a class act.

Also, in the op he said it is "entirely likely" that Mbakwe and White will never play for the gophers. I don't think that is true. It is POSSIBLE that they will never play due to their current criminal investigation/accusations, but if you pay attention to the facts to say that it is likely is just wrong.

 

[eker0016]

Also, in the op he said it is "entirely likely" that Mbakwe and White will never play for the gophers. I don't think that is true. It is POSSIBLE that they will never play due to their current criminal investigation/accusations, but if you pay attention to the facts to say that it is likely is just wrong.

I meant I think it is entirely likely that at least one of them never ends up playing for the U of M. Mbakwe is facing some serious charges down in Miami and Royce has not wasted any time getting in trouble. I would absolutely love to see both of them suit up for the Gophers but it is hardly a lock they both play here.

To respond to the other poster, I think we have comparable programs to Florida and OSU, at least I think our program is in an upwards trajectory and theirs in somewhat of a downwards trajectory. OSU is 8-4 and getting killed by Wisconsin as we speak. Florida is 10-3 by beating up on the likes of Presbyterian (and MSU, to give them credit). They have had a lot more recent success and are probably better programs, but not out of our league.

 

[VanDEUSEN]

Is Henderson done growing or could he grow 4 more inches. Nice to have a 7 footer like him in the middle.

 

[DiehardGopher]

Unless something else has come to light, the only thing linking White to the laptop theft was the fact that he was in the dorm at the time of the theft. Imagine that. A college student in a college dorm at night, but people tend to remember a 6'8" kid walkin around. As for Mbakwe, while his actions after the alleged assault seem a bit strange, he has at least 3 witnesses that will say he wasn't where the assault occurred that night. In neither of these situations is it "likely" that they will not return. It is possible (anything is possible) but not likely.

Edit - OSU lost a potential All-American in Evan Turner for a good part of the season. That, along with the recruiting class they have coming in, to say that they are going downward is just wrong as well.

 

[howeda7]

Yeah Billy "im going to the NBA to coach, wait no im not" Donovan is truly a class act.

Also, in the op he said it is "entirely likely" that Mbakwe and White will never play for the gophers. I don't think that is true. It is POSSIBLE that they will never play due to their current criminal investigation/accusations, but if you pay attention to the facts to say that it is likely is just wrong.

Whatever. I don't exactly love Billy Donovan myself, but if the worst you can throw at him is that he once almost took another job, he's ahead of most college coaches. It hardly indicates a lack of class.

I'd say at the moment we're basically even with OSU and Florida in basketball. But you can't deny that there are only two coaches who have won multiple national titles in this decade and Florida has one of them. And Thad Motta has the #1 recruiting class coming in. Tubby's great, but at best he puts us on an even pace. Brewster unfortunately does not compare to The Vest or Urban Meyer. If SH wants to play for the hometown team, he'll be here. If he's going to whichever school provides the best chance to win in both sports and play for the best set of choaches, he's probably going somewhere else.

 

[GoAUpher]

The issue with talking about Matta or Donovan is that (please correct me if I'm wrong here) neither OSU or Florida have offered him the chance to play both sports. So where Tubby ranks against these other coaches is pointless as there is no competition. We, USC and maybe ?Iowa? are the only schools offer him the chance to play both. And if USC wins, it won't be because of basketball with the sanctions/problems that team is facing.