Incoming Recruits

[Blue42]

Re: Incoming Recruits

3 sport athlete , all-state in hoops, #1 in his class and grew up wanting to wear the purple.

I'll take that all day.

[claw]

Re: Incoming Recruits

I completely agree, but it is the off-season. Time to overanalyze and dissect to the nth degree every single roster addition for hours on end.

Not on this one. There is nothing to analyze here.

Lincoln has wanted to be a Panther his entire life. He's grown up wearing purple, going to UNI event after UNI event after UNI event. He is the epitome of the type of kid that UNI wants. We all hate the "everyone wanted to be a Hawkeye" bull**** and this kid is the absolute living proof that isn't true. He is an amazing kid, from an amazing family.

From the roster side of it - he's not taking a scholarship right now. He is likely going to be one of the top 2 or 3 hardest workers on the roster on the court and in the weight room from the second he steps into the facility this fall. He knows the program so he knows exactly what's expected of its players on and off the court so there is about a 0% chance that there is issues with him and just "needing to adjust".

If in 2 or 3 years Lincoln has developed (and there's every reason to believe he can be a solid piece of this roster down the road) and earns a scholarship and playing time that's great. If he is on the roster for 5 years and is never anything more than a walk on that busts his ass in practice to make everyone else better then that's still a great thing. Every program needs that.


There is literally zero reason anyone should have anything even remotely close to being negative said about this in any way, shape and/or form.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Incoming Recruits

3 sport athlete , all-state in hoops, #1 in his class and grew up wanting to wear the purple.

I'll take that all day.

At the expense of more talented players? I hope not. I realize this Cedar Valley guy is not taking a scholarship spot, so no harm done. Also, guys like this, and Martino, can be valuable leaders later in their careers, even if they don't play much. I get that.

All that said, talent wins, period. Field a team full of walk on caliber players, and you'll get your a$$ kicked all season. People are also trying to equate this with football, which is wrong. The two sports are pretty different in terms of development, etc. Football recruiting is as much art as it is science. Basketball is light years more a science, meaning black and white, cut and dried. You either have the talent/size to play at X level of competition, or you don't. True "come out of nowhere" late bloomers are rare in basketball. If you have a team with a bunch of walk ons playing significant time, it most likely means you suck.

[claw]

Re: Incoming Recruits

At the expense of more talented players? I hope not. I realize this Cedar Valley guy is not taking a scholarship spot, so no harm done. Also, guys like this, and Martino, can be valuable leaders later in their careers, even if they don't play much. I get that.

All that said, talent wins, period. Field a team full of walk on caliber players, and you'll get your a$$ kicked all season. People are also trying to equate this with football, which is wrong. The two sports are pretty different in terms of development, etc. Football recruiting is as much art as it is science. Basketball is light years more a science, meaning black and white, cut and dried. You either have the talent/size to play at X level of competition, or you don't. True "come out of nowhere" late bloomers are rare in basketball. If you have a team with a bunch of walk ons playing significant time, it most likely means you suck.

We get it...you only want black kids from big cities (not Iowa cities though) that run really fast and jump really high.

There is ZERO negative here. Why are you so hell bent on finding one?

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Incoming Recruits

Ron Baker was a walk-on at Wichita State. Only had D-1 offers from South Dakota St, Eastern Illinois, and Arkansas-Little Rock.

Walk-ons never turn out good.

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Incoming Recruits

Not on this one. There is nothing to analyze here.

Lincoln has wanted to be a Panther his entire life. He's grown up wearing purple, going to UNI event after UNI event after UNI event. He is the epitome of the type of kid that UNI wants. We all hate the "everyone wanted to be a Hawkeye" bull**** and this kid is the absolute living proof that isn't true. He is an amazing kid, from an amazing family.

From the roster side of it - he's not taking a scholarship right now. He is likely going to be one of the top 2 or 3 hardest workers on the roster on the court and in the weight room from the second he steps into the facility this fall. He knows the program so he knows exactly what's expected of its players on and off the court so there is about a 0% chance that there is issues with him and just "needing to adjust".

If in 2 or 3 years Lincoln has developed (and there's every reason to believe he can be a solid piece of this roster down the road) and earns a scholarship and playing time that's great. If he is on the roster for 5 years and is never anything more than a walk on that busts his ass in practice to make everyone else better then that's still a great thing. Every program needs that.


There is literally zero reason anyone should have anything even remotely close to being negative said about this in any way, shape and/or form.

This. If all he ever is, is a practice player that works his butt off and fans call for at the end of blow-outs, so be it. He's a good kid who has always wanted to be a Panther.

But if Jake feels comfortable enough to send him a Letter of Intent to sign, then I'll trust Jake's judgement.

[GonzoCat]

Re: Incoming Recruits

I don't know how many years Doug McDermott was a walk on, but he turned out pretty good.

Seriously though this is what is called an all good situtation. I don't know much about Lincoln other than I've watched him grow up from six rows above and across the aisle at football games for the last 5 or 6 years. Based on what I've seen in this thread there is absolutely no down side to letting him walk on at UNI and a lot of up side.

Congrats to the whole jcpanthers family.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Incoming Recruits

We get it...you only want black kids from big cities (not Iowa cities though) that run really fast and jump really high.

There is ZERO negative here. Why are you so hell bent on finding one?

Why bring race into this? I can give a crap about race or hometown as long as they can play at a high level. Ultimately, the great teams have one or two standout playmakers, with a bunch of role players around them. Simple math dictates the playmakers are more likely to come from higher populated areas. Ultimately, you grab playmakers from anywhere you can get them, especially a UNI type program.

Read my post. I didn't bring a negative at all. Someone mentioned they'd take guys like Lincoln "any day of the week". I basically said that while high character walk ons have value, you can't win with a bunch of them seeing actual playing time.

[panther-state]

Re: Incoming Recruits

Simple math dictates the playmakers are more likely to come from higher populated areas.

Perfect, he's from Iowa's 4th largest statistical area!

[Khan4Cats]

Re: Incoming Recruits

Simple math dictates the playmakers are more likely to come from higher populated areas.

Great! I always knew Robbie Knar would be the difference maker for this team, seeing as by simple math he comes from the highest populated area on the team.

Who needs these kids from towns of 1000 population?

[SteinPizza]

Re: Incoming Recruits

Great! I always knew Robbie Knar would be the difference maker for this team, seeing as by simple math he comes from the highest populated area on the team.

Who needs these kids from towns of 1000 population?

He still could be a contributor. Neither of us know, do we? Oh, and since he's not from Iowa, that somehow diminishes his value or worth? You didn't directly say that, but that seems to be an implied, long running theme from some here. Some here also seem to root harder for the small town Iowa kids. That's fine, whatever "floats your boat". It doesn't float mine. I want guys who can play, regardless of where they're from.

[06panther10]

The only "theme" running here is coming from you, posting the same "talent" thesis in every single thread. Its very tired.

You clearly dislike the idea of recruiting rural kids, especially from Iowa. Thats fine. But don't be surprised when you are rightfully called out given the fact that a very high percentage of our all time greats in both bball and football have come from those areas.

[Panther789]

Re: Incoming Recruits

He still could be a contributor. Neither of us know, do we? Oh, and since he's not from Iowa, that somehow diminishes his value or worth? You didn't directly say that, but that seems to be an implied, long running theme from some here. Some here also seem to root harder for the small town Iowa kids. That's fine, whatever "floats your boat". It doesn't float mine. I want guys who can play, regardless of where they're from.

06Panther is right.............75% of your posts say the exact same thing.

Could you please explain again that its difficult to make the NBA, or that its best to have the best recruits in the country come to your school?

[SteinPizza]

Re: Incoming Recruits

The only "theme" running here is coming from you, posting the same "talent" thesis in every single thread. Its very tired.

You clearly dislike the idea of recruiting rural kids, especially from Iowa. Thats fine. But don't be surprised when you are rightfully called out given the fact that a very high percentage of our all time greats in both bball and football have come from those areas.

Called out? Jeez, I feel so chastised.

You are correct, a lot of great players at UNI are small town Iowa guys. Nothing wrong with that. I'm just taking a view contrary to some here, in a couple of areas:

1. For the basketball program to continue an upward trajectory, the overall level of recruit needs to continue upward. That probably means more out of state players. The state of Iowa will have up and down years for producing talent, but the overall level of player will likely remain static (unless you're talking about the DSM metro area, which is in growth mode, and many of the schools have cash to put into coaches and facilities).

2. Football and basketball are different. You're less likely to find an under the radar recruit (due to being rural) in basketball. Far less likely. Football, you can find them, and various UNI staff members have done a good job of doing so over the years. In football, that will continue.

Refute away if you want. I enjoy lively debate.

[Dexter58]

Re: Incoming Recruits

If a young man has a dream to play at UNI, let him live it. Who are we to judge. No one here has a crystal ball. Nate had a dream of being a Panther since he went to his first UNI camp in 2nd grade. He turned out pretty good. Another thing. After listening to Coach Jake at the banquet about the MVC tournament and him being sick. He said he spent all of 5 minutes watching game film. We have some damn good coaches and they are going to get the most out of whoever comes to UNI.

Both Seth and Nate gave big kudos to KG for the time he put in to make them both better. Coach Jake even said in the UNI All-Access that Max could be in the rotation as well as anyone.

If Lincoln doesn't play a lot, then he doesn't play a lot. At least he is going to try. Some of you are rippin on him before he even gets to campus. Hell, he may be the 6th man of the year or a Scholar Athlete or a Larry Bird nominee.

It amazes me that an argument can start over any subject on this board.