🏀 KuBuckets Archive

This will be a fun little exercise for all the pundits out there that believe they have ALL the answers for Kansas basketball.

Please recruit me, what's your sales pitch?

Lets say for the sake of this lilt game, that I'm a 6'7" 230lb shooting guard. Ranked #12 over all and the #2 at my position. I was the gatorade player of the year in my state as a junior and likely will repeat that as my senior year I am avg. 22.7pts a game with 8 rebs, and 3.4 ast. There are rumors I will be on the McDonalds all American team this summer as well.

I have offers from Duke, UNC, Texas with Kentucky and Arizona still calling me as my stock still seems to be rising.

What offense do you run? Defense? What will my playing time be like? Do I get to start as a freshman right away? I mean I want to play and play a lot as I will probably be there one year, possibly 2 if I don't think I will be a lottery pick after one year.

Feel free to ask me any questions and tell me how your coaching style will sway me to your school.

@JRyman

Is your goal to just be in college basketball for one year?

How important is playing time and starting as a freshman?

What are the strong areas of your game, and what areas would you like to improve most in?

What NBA player has the game you would most like to mimic?

What offenses have you played? What defenses have you played?

The best first step is to ask lots of questions. Know more about the player before barking out a sales pitch.

Maintain the perspective of first evaluating if the player is a good fit with the program and current team. Have the attitude that you most want to help the player instead of being self-centered and just looking at what the player can do for you. Remember one thing... these kids have already dealt with hundreds of people wanting a piece of their action. So don't assume you know what is best for the player. See if you can get him to open up and talk honestly about how he sees the game and his game.

We all watched after the game, when Buddy and Bill showed plenty of man love and respect to each other. That is a respected friendship. That doesn't mean you can recruit and win any player you want.

This is Kansas, not Kentucky..... we won't use rappers and old dried-up actresses to recruit for us. We will do it our way and it will be respectful, not only to the player and to the university, but to the game itself.

@drgnslayr

I have magazines writing that I could be in the NBA within a year. Not sure that's me. I've stayed at the same Highschool my whole career, because I like my teammates and coaches.

I want to be able to play as a freshman, I feel that my upside is huge, so playing right away is something that interest me.

I usually draw the opponents best player on D and I love the challenge of guarding him. I want that challenge. On offense I can stroke away from the arc, but yet finish strong off the drive as well. I'd like to be able to post my man up on the block better.

Current NBA player would be Dwayne Wade, a guy who will do what it takes for his team to win. If it's score 40 or jump into the fans to save the ball. Of players of all time, I'd Say Charles Barkley, I like to go after the big guys and out rebound them.

We play man to man and press a lot. Have played some 1-3-1 and I usually play the baseline being able to close out and cover lots of ground.

Offense is usually a motion or flex. We do run some set plays on out of bounds, either back door cuts or screen for a three. We have also ran the Princeton offense to really throw D's for a loop.

@JRyman Fun exercise!

Do you read kubuckets.com?

Have you watched the 30 for 30 There's No Place Like Home?

Do you prefer three stripes or a swoosh?

@VailHawk No I have never heard of it. I will have to check it out. Blog? Fan site? I have looked at Jayhawk slant, and follow players on Twitter from all schools.

Can't believe what some of these games say to guys on Twitter. Might get rid of mine when I go to college. Distractions.

My dad and I have the box set of all the 30 for 30s on DVD. That's a good one. The Bo Jackson one is my dads favorite one.

Speaking of Bo Hackson I played WR for two years in HS before our coach left and I didn't like the new guy.

@JRyman

I like your answer about Twitter.

Your dad is a wise man. Bo Jackson may be one of the greatest athletes of the 20th Century.

What didn't you like about the new football coach?

@VailHawk First Thank you for your comment.

Secondly my dad also met Bo years ago after he (my dad) was doing playing hoops in Europe.

He wanted to go from our balanced offense and make it more of a defensive game. We had a lot of returning starters going into my Junior year and he decided he was going to put his system into place no matter what it did to the team that made the semi finals of state the year before. He had no history with any of our players, didn't talk to any of us abut the changes he was making, either about the playbook or personnel. I decided I would just concentrate on basketball at that point.

@JRyman

We are in the same boat. We are all focused on winning basketball and finding team and individual success. I definitely am feeling your focus on success. That is a great thing. So I want to approach our relationship from the perspective of placing all our goals at the top. Why I said we are in the same boat; because the biggest part of our potential for success relates to connecting with the best matches in order to find success. You may be in college for just a short time, but it still is an important part of your life. Your college experience will impact your future basketball career. And your college experience is more than just playing basketball. This is an important time in your life that you will never be able to experience later on. A big part of coming to Kansas is the campus life that has so much to offer all students here.

I know you have met one of our assistant coaches, Norm Roberts, when he came to watch one of your games during the recruiting period. We have been watching your progress for several years now. The reason why we have focused our energy on you is that we believe that you may be a successful match for our program.

I would like to take the next step with you and show you more about what we can offer you. We are not going to hard sell you or make you feel uncomfortable in any way. We want open communication with you so our connection will only offer progress, whether you decide to come to Kansas or go elsewhere. Like I said above, we are in the same boat because we want the same success.

Can we connect a bit closer so we can show you what Kansas has to offer? If so, please feel comfortable to express your thoughts and feelings along the way so we can address your concerns. Our top priority isn't just to recruit you to come to Kansas. Our top priority is to be helpful to you in finding a successful match in college basketball. We are in the same boat. We are on your side just as we are on our own side supporting what we do.

I hope you will agree to take the next step with us. We are very excited at the potential connection we think is possible!

Thank you for considering us.

@drgnslayr Thanks coach for your honesty.

Yes coach Roberts sat down with me and my family and answered a lot of questions at the time and showed us some things about Kansas that were very insightful. Love the new dorms, but I want more than an in house basketball court.

My dad knows through channels #10's old national team coach. As a young kid they even thought he would be at Kansas one year. If he is still there next fall along with #14 that really puts me behind the 8 ball on the depth chart. I am not trying to sound overly confident, I know there is awakes someone better, but I think my defense and strength of being able to get to the rim might or should put me ahead of them for playing time. I am hopeful that I can get into summer workouts right away and compete with them and well yes take their spots.

Is this even a possibility?

I want to win. I want to win every game I play in. Be it an all-star game or a title game. I was crushed last year when we got be in the state semi's by a team that we should have beaten by 10 or more. Buzzer beaters are hard to live with, because you can always second guess every play you made or shot you missed.

After sitting in Allen Field House at the age of 13 during Midnight Madness and seeing the fans just go crazy over basically an open practice I can see how much they enjoy winning too, and would really like to contribute not only to your current streak of conference titles, but to bring you another National title.

@drgnslayr and @VailHawk

Coach, I have to ask you how you pick your starting 5 or who comes of the bench and playing time.

Do you go with what guys have done for you in the past? What ones potential will be? From what happens at practice? If I miss a contested three early in the game am I on the bench? What is it going to take for me to get back out on the floor? Or do I get enough rope to see what I do the next 5 times up and down the floor? Do you use stats to pick your starting 5? I have read some teams use advanced analytical stats, do you? My dad says the Coach Wooden would have laughed them out of the gym and that Coach Popovich is doing that now. Why are they making such huge waves in basketball right now and what are your thoughts on them?

What in your opinion is the best thing and worst thing about the one and done rule? No I'm not a Lebron or Garnett guy who could make the leap right away, not saying that, just wondering about your thoughts on it.

What past players that you have coached would you say that would give me the best insight to your coaching?

@JRyman

Do you want to play in the NCAA tournament? We have the longest active streak.

Do you want to be apart of something so legendary, that when it happens, will go down as the most dominating stretch of basketball ever played in a major conference? Because the year you will be here, we will pass the legendary UCLA teams of old by winning our 14th consecutive conference title.

Do you want to be on a team that will make a deep tournament run? We have been to the final 4 once every 4 years since I have been here.

Do you want to actually be developed? Or do you just want to play for 30 minutes a game and not truly be pushed by your coach? Because, we put you in positions to succeed and help you transition you to the college game. Other programs just put you on the floor and hope you work out.

Do you want to actually have a long career in basketball? I have put 33 players in the NBA and even more that have had successful careers abroad. Of those 33, 17 of them are either current pros or had a career of longer than 5 seasons in the NBA. Nearly all of the other players that have been in the league are still playing basketball somewhere overseas. I set you up to succeed for years after college, not just for the one or two you will be here.

Most importantly, KU basketball is a family. It would be hard to find teams closer to each other than the ones that we build here. If you want to be apart of all of that, come here. If you don't, good luck.

@JRyman Past players at your position have developed well here. Do the names Selden, Oubre, Wiggins, Mclemore, Henry or Rush sound familiar? Some of those guys were ready for the NBA after one year. Some took two or three.

My personal coaching philosophy is to put winning as my most important goal. That means putting the players on the floor that give us the best chance to win. We intentionally recruit players that put winning for the team first on their lists, too. This is a very important personal trait for leading a successful life, whether it be as a basketball player or a fry cook in a restaurant. And NBA management evaluates a lot more than highlight tape. From what you have already conveyed to me, you know the value of team work and team cohesion.

If you approve, we would love to get you on campus to connect you with our players, many of whom will still be in uniform when you are. Let's see how you guys hit it off. That really isn't something that can be forced, and we don't coach up our players to put on some kind of false front with recruits. I think you will be amazed at what you experience. Our current group of players is the best bonded team I have ever coached in my 31 (?) years of coaching.

Have you made any decisions concerning your official visits?

Back to discussing playing time... we want to win. Sometimes that means playing more-experienced players over younger players with higher upside because at that very moment, the more-experienced player gives us a better chance for victory. Sometimes we go to our younger players because we feel they will give us a better chance of winning at the moment. You can view through our recent years and see consistency in this statement. Ultimately, the players decide who plays. You will have plenty of incentive to improve your game while at Kansas because you will want to be on the court as much as possible.

I allow players to play through some mistakes because that is part of the developmental process. And it is important that you know you have my full support while on the court, even if you make a mistake here and there. That doesn't mean I won't remove you from a game when your game is off. In those situations, it doesn't help your stock to expose to all the scouts out there that your game has plenty of holes in it. Really, all freshmen have to adjust to the level of play and the speed of the game in D1 versus high school. We will do everything we can to showcase your talent and potential while limiting showing your weaknesses, especially to scouts.

Check out our record. We have helped many players, especially around your size, get to the next level. Some were projected to be NBA talent while in high school, some weren't. The best way for us to help you develop and make the leap into college ball and continue to develop to prepare you for the next level, is for us to push you to improve. We have to be on a very high level of communication, and that can only happen if we have mutual trust and respect. I think from the limited time we have been in contact now, you already are developing your perception of trust and communication with me.

I can not promise to give you minutes on the court. You will have to earn those minutes, like all our players earn their minutes. This is not only good for you and your development, it should help your relationships with your teammates. We compete very hard in practice. Everyone on our team wants playing time. Everyone is hungry. You are hungry. This is the best situation for developing you to your highest level while in college. And if you don't feel like you are being given a fair chance for playing time, please come to me and we will discuss it openly and in an adult fashion. I am on your side. And I want you to become the best player you can become, both on the court and off the court. Our relationship will go beyond your days in Lawrence. I still communicate often with so many of our past players, whether if they are playing in the league, playing abroad, or retired from playing. Many of our past players end up sitting in my chair, helping coach other players. I will always be in your corner to help you as much as possible. This goes beyond basketball and is about my broadest goals in life, to help others.

@Kcmatt7 Cmon coach are you serious about the NC2 A's? Of course I want to get there. What kid doesn't? It's where stars are born and legends are made.

I've spoke to Ben Simmons down at LSU and even after their win against Kentucky, if they don't start winning more games he may not be able to showcase his skills in the tournament. Heck if he gets there he could go on a Kimba Walker run.

@DanR I watched Wiggins play at WV a few years back and remember him just taking over the KU offense, why didn't he do that more that season? Do you think Kelly Ombre would have been better suited had he stayed one more your or was he ready for the league?

@drgnslayr I'd really like to get down there for my visit for one of your home games, hopefully a Saturday so dad doesn't have to miss work and we can really spend the day there. Would like to get to know the guys, it is important to me that I get along with them on the court but more so off the court. My teammates now are my closest friends and we do everything together, movies, dinners, just hang out and talk as well. Be it life or basketball.

I want to to win, be a part of a winner. My goal is to win our State championship this year, but to do that we need to concentrate as a team at the game on hand and knowing our opponents for districts to make state automatically and not on some wildcard shot.

As for my personal goals after high school, I want to play on a winning team and program. I want to play, coach, I want to be that freshman of the year at what ever conference I go and play in. I want to have my teammates be able to see they can trust me and let me help them get to the promised land. I want to cut down the nets in every tournament we play in. I want to walk off the court a winner coach, and not just a foot note in the history of the team.

I want to play in the NBA, I want to have a career that when I'm done playing I won't need to work for someone else like my dad does now. I'm a fighter coach. I will fight for everything that I want just to succeed. I play with passion, I play with my emotions on my sleeve. I want people to know when I'm mad, and when I'm having a good time. I have to do my late mom proud and let my dad retire. I don't have siblings, I have teammates, and when these guys are no longer close to me I need a family atmosphere to be around.

I see that at KU, I also see it at other schools too.

You have a rabid fan base, I think that's great with the students camping out and all. Not sure how I feel about some of the things I read and hear on the radio from the fans though. The internet is a very easy way of finding information about schools, fans and coaches.

Speaking of coaches, any rumors that in a year or two you could take over at the Spurs for Pops?

I mean I don't want to sign up to play for you and Kansas and then find out you are headed to the NBA yourself.

@JRyman

I really should have mentioned this already, our player support network is really unique and amazing here at Kansas. We have a very family-oriented approach to basketball, education and life in general. I have to admit that in my coaching experiences from several universities, I have never experienced anything close to the support given players at Kansas. We are one big family.

Our family approach starts with the players and their real families. Since our players come from all across the world, we openly invite actual family members to come to Lawrence for a visit and also to move to Lawrence during their players' playing years. We are often taken up on that offer, and all our players' parents that come end up embracing all our players. That is where our family approach starts. But it runs much deeper than that. Our assistant coaches and I often have players visit us at home. We need to relate to you off the court as much as on the court.

It sounds like you are close with your dad. Please extend this invitation to your dad to come with you on your visit. We would like both of you to enjoy the "Kansas experience" and feel sure on your decision concerning us. I'm positive we can provide the right environment for your mother to watch over you and be proud of your college experience.

I'm sure you already know this. But Kansas is a basketball school and basketball is above all other sports here at Kansas. All our players are very well accepted on campus. Yes, many of our fans may be called "rabid" though the overall character of our fan base is very positive, supportive and respective when it comes to players and basketball-related situations. You won't see our fans storming courts and potentially hurting players and adding risk into our program. Winning is a tradition at KU, not an unexpected consequence creating an atmosphere where fans participate in harmful activities.

The internet is an outside source that we have no control over. I rarely have time to focus on anything written online, but I have seen a few things and heard about other things. I don't think Kansas is really different from about any other school where basketball is elevated to such a level. Everything is expressed online, good and bad. I will say that I think the added layer of fan participation is a good thing and even the bad comments help young NBA hopefuls start to adjust to public life before making it on a NBA roster.

I am very happy at Kansas and not planning to leave. There just aren't many jobs out there in the world related to basketball that can compete with the job I have now at Kansas. I can't think of a realistic situation that could convince me to uproot and gamble on the change because the situation has the potential to be better than where I am now. Coach Pop is a good friend of mine as well as the front office of the Spurs. But we have never taken the step of discussing any situation like the one you mentioned.

Coach cal 💰💰💰😉🌟😇🙀💨💨💨💎⭐️🎶drake🎤🎁🎉💵💳💸📦🃏🏆nit

Coach pitino💃💃💃👭💏👍💨💨🙈👀👀

Coach Roy 🙈🙉🙊 no 📚👀👀😳

@drgnslayr Coach, when's the next signing period?

Magnificent!

@JRyman I'll give it a shot. I dont think I know the game well enough yet but here it goes anyways.

Kids got size thats for sure. NBA size. Stats are looking pretty good too but how are the shooting percentages? Assist to TO rates?

Hard to quantify Basketball IQ but knowledge of the game is important to me as a recruiter. Id also want to know if I could trust this kid to work hard and earn playing time. Nothing is free in life. No easy rides. If the kid wants to be even better than his stats, he's gotta put the work in.

Offensive schemes for this kid depend on how his ball handling is. If he can play some point guard in certain situations...Can he create his own shot and or create for others? If so then we could run screen offenses to get him open for good looks and or passes into the paint for his team mates. Can he be selfish when needed and unselfish when needed?

Defense is a major priority. You dont play defense, you better learn cuz thats how you get more minutes. No possessions off. Mostly man to man defense with the occasional press and trap schemes and various zone looks. Kids got the height to be a great help defender. Better have the chops for it.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk