Christian Polk

[devilfan02]

I heard some rumblings that Christian Polk is transfering. With Glasser/McMillan established, Shipp/Abott/Richards/Harden established, and Kraidon Woods adding size in the weight room, it looks like there isn't room for him.

We are also supposedly after 2 european bigs to bring in as well. We'll see

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

There usually isn't room for bad basketball players. Why can't Arizona's scrubs transfer (cough Alex Jacobsen, Fendi Onobun cough) and open up scholarships?

But honestly, at one point somehow Christian Polk was a top 20 recruit nationally and the next big recruit in AZ. Then he decided not to change the horrific release on his jumpshot, stopped growing, never bothered to learn to play PG, and kept his status quo as a black hole on offense. CP is terrible, I doubt any decent program gives him a sniff.

 

[HooverDam]

Sounds like its official.

I disagree w/ Mao, he's not an NBA player obviously, but he's far from terrible. I thank him for the great effort he gave ASU last year and he single handily kept them in a lot of games and hit some game winners for them. He's definitely got ice water in his veins, and thats always a good thing. He'd probably be a great fit at a mid major somewhere.

Devilfan02, were those Euro bigs you heard about supposed to come in this upcoming year or the year after? I suppose I'm happy we have Rohde (always nice to get local guys) and Coy, but thats certainly not a daunting class and ASU will still be quite thin up front.

EDIT: http://arizonastate.scout.com/2/741480.html Sounds like perhaps he'll transfer to Fresno St to play w/ Selvester Seay.

 

[Gaddabout]

Christian wanted to transfer at the end of last year but was talked out of it. Now they'd probably give him bus fair wherever he wanted to go. The program has moved on without him.

Don't know about the European bigs but I'm betting they're high-post types who can pass.

 

[TheKid_1]

Thought I'd add this while we were talking about potential help for next season. Tinsley has just narrowed his list down to 7 (one of which is UNC who has not offered him a scholarship yet) and ASU is one of them. He is a four star according to scout and is the #19 SG of the '08 class.

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=1888638

 

[PoolBoy]

thekid, for all we know that kid could have already decided yes or no on ASU for that site, they still have Pryor as undecided.

 

[HooverDam]

Thought I'd add this while we were talking about potential help for next season. Tinsley has just narrowed his list down to 7 (one of which is UNC who has not offered him a scholarship yet) and ASU is one of them. He is a four star according to scout and is the #19 SG of the '08 class.

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=1888638

ASU doesn't really need another SG/SF though. Capable of playing the 2 or 3 next year they have:

James Harden
Ty Abbott
Jerrenn Shipp
Rihards Kuksiks
Johnny Coy
Taylor Rohde (MIGHT play some 3, but probably will be at the 4/5)
Steve Jones (who never plays)

Plus the year after we have 6-5'' SG Trent Lockett coming in and another backcourt player in PG Jared Cunningham (to add to the PG depth chart behind Glasser and McMillan).

Up front ASU really only has Pendergraph, Boateng (who's improving but still a project) and Kraidon Woods who hasn't really played yet, and Rohde next year and who knows what we'll get out of him as a Freshman.

As much as Im always for a 4 star recruit coming in, I'd hope ASU doesn't fill the spot of a SG who left because of over crowding with another SG. A big seems the way to go.

 

[Gaddabout]

Up front ASU really only has Pendergraph, Boateng (who's improving but still a project) and Kraidon Woods who hasn't really played yet, and Rohde next year and who knows what we'll get out of him as a Freshman.

As much as Im always for a 4 star recruit coming in, I'd hope ASU doesn't fill the spot of a SG who left because of over crowding with another SG. A big seems the way to go.

I agree with you, but I think we need to get used to recruiting 2s and 3s, particularly versatile ones with thicker bodies. Sendek's offense demands ball and off-ball skills. Unless he finds a power forward who can move up and down the post like Pendergraph, he's more likely to offer that scholarship to someone who might actually play. Would not be surprised if our frontlines start shrinking until he can recruit for the more skilled 4s and 5s.

 

[Russ Smith]

ASU is one of about 6 Pac 10 teams recruiting a British C. I forget the name but UCLA is recruiting him and it's been on UCLA boards that just over half the Pac 10 including ASU is after him. Nobody thinks he's a great player mind you but he's about 6'11" and apparently has enough talent that people are interested.

 

[overseascardfan]

What about Renardo Sidney?

 

[HooverDam]

What about Renardo Sidney?

He's a JR in HS right now, so he'd be coming into college the year after this upcoming one (09-10). Who knows if he's as much of a headcase as folks say, or if its just his apparently nutty father. Its good to know ASU is at least in the mix for players of that talent level, I'd assume if James Harden stays for his Junior year or not will have a huge effect on where Sidney goes.

 

[Gaddabout]

I can only assume ASU is a backup plan for Sidney. More likely a backup to a backup. If he does something stupid, not out of the realm of possibility, ASU will pull the scholie.

 

[Russ Smith]

I can only assume ASU is a backup plan for Sidney. More likely a backup to a backup. If he does something stupid, not out of the realm of possibility, ASU will pull the scholie.

It's pretty widely assumed Sidney is going to USC. He has even apparently told people he's already verballed there it just hasn't been made public.

I think several Pac 10 schools are watching Sidney but to date nobody has officially offered him.

Great talent but an extremely frustrating kid, just doesn't consistently play hard.
I think he'd drive Sendek bananas.

 

[Russ Smith]

There's another 08 center that several Pac 10 teams are watching Krys Faber of Ribet Academy(Yes their mascot is a frog). He's 6'10" or so and he looks pretty mechanical but UCLA has been scouting him for awhile and USC just offered him yesterday. His dad says UK has looked, Tubby Smith has offered at Minnesota and a few other Pac 10 schools are involved so ASU could be one of those.

I've seen some video on Faber he looked really mechanical to me I wasn't that impressed but the UCLA scout guys seem to think UCLA should offer the kid they like his upside. He's athletic enough he might pan out.

 

[Gaddabout]

UCLA is the kind of team that can take a mechanical big and make him productive. They'll give him little responsibilities and ask him to focus only on the things that will produce for the team. Smart, too. I think too many times coaches throw too many things at young bigs, many of whom have yet to grow into their bodies.

 

[ianzym]

I have heard that Polk may go to Saint Mary's or San Diego, a couple mid majors that could use more talent, it never hurts to have too much talent I don't think. As far as Rohde goes, I don't think he is quick enough to play the 3 he will be better off at the 4. I don't see him getting more then 10 min a game next year though.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

St. Mary's gets a lot of local kids, Gaels coach Randy Bennett grew up in the Valley and has many local connections.

 

[Skkorpion]

Mid major? What is that? Seriously.

To me, "mid major" is just a derogatory belittling term, used by the representatives of the traditional big power conferences, to keep more than just a very few schools from "lesser" conferences from the big dance and sharing the money.

It's all about the money and making sure not too many get to share it.

 

[ianzym]

mid majors are teams that play in conferences with other teams that nobody even knows of, before Davidson made this run could anybody name every other program in their conference? I doubt it

 

[hafey]

Hell, the WCC had three teams in the tournament. Mid-major that.

 

[ianzym]

they only had 3 teams because San Diego ran the table and won the conference tournament. Otherwise they would've only gotten 2

 

[hafey]

Yet San Diego beat major conference power and 4 seed, UCONN.

 

[Gaddabout]

The WCC is strong because they have two strong and one moderately strong program centered around three very good coaches. Eventually all three will be enticed away by the money from the big conferences and the power in the WCC will shift. In the meantime, none of them are recruiting with the big boys, they're just doing an amazing job recruiting left-over talent and making them work well in a system.

That's mid-major.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I would say Gonzaga recruits with the big boys, they have put together some pretty good classes over the last few years with players hailing from all over the country. St. Mary's roster though is basically Arizona kids that ASU and UA don't want and Austrailians. I have no clue where San Diego gets their players from but their coach has done a terrific job there.

 

[Gaddabout]

I would say Gonzaga recruits with the big boys, they have put together some pretty good classes over the last few years with players hailing from all over the country.

I still don't think they can recruit the athletes to win a championship. It's not the most difficult school to get into, but they don't accept mediocre students. It's still easier for UCLA to get an exception for an OK student -- two schools with somewhat comparable entrance requirements. Gonzaga doesn't have an "ability to benefit" exemption.