Miller once again does it again!

[GatorAZ]

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[Chaplin]

Arizona it is.

 

[Russ Smith]

And 24/7 in meltdown they were over 80% Kansas the rest UK.

Now we find out if he's serious about going to college but if he is, obviously a great get for UA.

 

[GatorAZ]

And 24/7 in meltdown they were over 80% Kansas the rest UK.

Now we find out if he's serious about going to college but if he is, obviously a great get for UA.

Can you handicap it for us? 50/50 he plays?

 

[Russ Smith]

Can you handicap it for us? 50/50 he plays?

I have no idea. Gershon 6 months ago wrote a story that said Ayton's top 3 were Kansas, UK and Duke and he readily admitted only Kansas was really recruiting him, UK and Duke never called him. Then 3 months later he announced his mom insisted he go for 1 year of college and that was the plan and he had no idea why Kansas was still the only school recruiting him.

UA boards are now reporting that he did summer school in order to make up some academic ground and after seeing his transcripts UA decided to jump in. Kansas must be crushed, he said 2 months ago that Kurtis Townsend had attended every game of his since he started 9th grade and he really appreciated the loyalty, and then he picks UA literally days before he was scheduled to visit Kansas. But he is playing at Hillcrest in Arizona so his comment that he wanted to play in front of his family makes sense. And he was directly asked after verballing if he was still considering going pro and he said no.

Recent comments seemed to suggest he was more likely to play in college than Bagley because he actually promised he would where Bagley won't say one way or the other.

AS someone on BRO said if you're UA you have to really hope this doesn't wind up where Brandon McCoy picks someone else to avoid competing with Ayton and then Ayton turns pro or doesn't qualify and UA doesn't get either. But I assume Miller is aware of such things and decided it's worth the risk

 

[GatorAZ]

I have no idea. Gershon 6 months ago wrote a story that said Ayton's top 3 were Kansas, UK and Duke and he readily admitted only Kansas was really recruiting him, UK and Duke never called him. Then 3 months later he announced his mom insisted he go for 1 year of college and that was the plan and he had no idea why Kansas was still the only school recruiting him.

UA boards are now reporting that he did summer school in order to make up some academic ground and after seeing his transcripts UA decided to jump in. Kansas must be crushed, he said 2 months ago that Kurtis Townsend had attended every game of his since he started 9th grade and he really appreciated the loyalty, and then he picks UA literally days before he was scheduled to visit Kansas. But he is playing at Hillcrest in Arizona so his comment that he wanted to play in front of his family makes sense. And he was directly asked after verballing if he was still considering going pro and he said no.

Recent comments seemed to suggest he was more likely to play in college than Bagley because he actually promised he would where Bagley won't say one way or the other.

AS someone on BRO said if you're UA you have to really hope this doesn't wind up where Brandon McCoy picks someone else to avoid competing with Ayton and then Ayton turns pro or doesn't qualify and UA doesn't get either. But I assume Miller is aware of such things and decided it's worth the risk

It sounds like the eligibility issue is in his control if he's willing to commit to his studies.

The academic issue at Hillcrest centered around the academic program provided by StarShine Academy, which was not certified by the NCAA. Hillcrest switched to a program (Arizona Connections) certified by the NCAA, which should help Ayton’s case should there be any questions with the NCAA Clearinghouse.

http://heavy.com/sports/2016/09/dea...as-kentucky-deandre-ayton-college-basketball/

 

[overseascardfan]

AS someone on BRO said if you're UA you have to really hope this doesn't wind up where Brandon McCoy picks someone else to avoid competing with Ayton and then Ayton turns pro or doesn't qualify and UA doesn't get either. But I assume Miller is aware of such things and decided it's worth the risk

I thought McCoy was a CAL lean. I mean Miller is taking what he can get, there was no assurance McCoy was going to pick UA even if Ayton didn't commit. If the #1 overall recruit is in play, you don't turn him down because there is a possibility another player at the same position may commit down the line. It's like the old Lute recruiting method, you put a certain amount of offers out, first come first serve.

 

[TJ]

First off, huge surprise. I would've bet money on Kansas.

Second, McCoy and Ayton can co-exist. Ayton played PF and McCoy C At Cal Supreme over the summer. They are good friends. One commitment doesn't impact the other. Whether that means we get both is a different story.

 

[Russ Smith]

I thought McCoy was a CAL lean. I mean Miller is taking what he can get, there was no assurance McCoy was going to pick UA even if Ayton didn't commit. If the #1 overall recruit is in play, you don't turn him down because there is a possibility another player at the same position may commit down the line. It's like the old Lute recruiting method, you put a certain amount of offers out, first come first serve.

Nobody knows for sure. I agree btw I'm not saying Ayton will scare off McCoy, as TJ said they played AAU ball together this past summer.

The point is sometimes bigtime recruits are pied pipers and bring others in, sometimes it can scare other guys off, I assume Miller knows enough about both kids to have decided it wouldn't scare off McCoy, and thinks he knows enough about Ayton to believe he'll actually play in college.

It is interesting, I think UA is going to have a very big class both in numbers and talent, will Ayton actually make it campus is anybodys guess. he says he will, maybe he's Josh Jackson and telling the truth, maybe he's Ferguson or Mudiay and not, only time will tell.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Ayton allegedly want to play with McCoy, because that would move him to PF.

 

[Russ Smith]

Ayton allegedly want to play with McCoy, because that would move him to PF.

FWIW Ayton says he will play the 3 in the NBA, and McCoy considers himself a 4 not a 5. My guess is McCoy plays the 5 in college and yes Ayton can play the 4, he's a good shooter.

One year in college won't make a whole lot of difference to Ayton at his size and athleticism even if he has a Skal type of year he's going to be drafted very high. So he might as well play with someone he knows and play on a team that has a chance to contend.

I do wonder if the recent situations with Oubre, Alexander and Diallo at Kansas don't play into this? All really highly rated kids and of the 3 only Oubre played much and he only played 21MPG. Note, I'm not faulting Self, you play the guys who give you the best chance of winning not the guys with the most hype. But I do wonder if that didn't maybe hurt Kansas with Ayton the notion that he might have to wait out getting cleared by the NCAA and wanted to make sure he was on a team that would play him?

 

[GatorAZ]

Ayton allegedly want to play with McCoy, because that would move him to PF.

That 3-man class alone would be savage. Ayton-McCoy-Barcello... Lee is probably more likely as others have pointed out.

Just looking at Ayton's highlighted he looks like a stronger version of Embiid.

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[Russ Smith]

That 3-man class alone would be savage. Ayton-McCoy-Barcello... Lee is probably more likely as others have pointed out.

Just looking at Ayton's highlighted he looks like a stronger version of Embiid.

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he's a much better offensive player than Embiid at the same age. Again at 15 he put up 17 and 18 in an exhibition against UNC's frontline that last year went to the finals. has a nice touch on his shot, great athlete. Typical stuff doesn't play consistently hard, used to be a black hole reports are he has improved his passing quite a bit in the last year. He's VERY skilled, people have had him rated the top kid in any class since he entered HS although there are some now that thing Bagley is better.

Hearing UA is now all in on Duval too they are going after him full bore.

 

[GatorAZ]

he's a much better offensive player than Embiid at the same age. Again at 15 he put up 17 and 18 in an exhibition against UNC's frontline that last year went to the finals. has a nice touch on his shot, great athlete. Typical stuff doesn't play consistently hard, used to be a black hole reports are he has improved his passing quite a bit in the last year. He's VERY skilled, people have had him rated the top kid in any class since he entered HS although there are some now that thing Bagley is better.

Hearing UA is now all in on Duval too they are going after him full bore.

Damn. Miller is trying one up the Cousins/Wall/Orton/Bledsoe class.

Regarding Ayton he doesn't look as smooth like Embiid but he's definitely not a stiff. For a guy that size he's pretty damn coordinated. We have to remember that he really should be in college this year given his age right?

 

[Russ Smith]

Damn. Miller is trying one up the Cousins/Wall/Orton/Bledsoe class.

Regarding Ayton he doesn't look as smooth like Embiid but he's definitely not a stiff. For a guy that size he's pretty damn coordinated. We have to remember that he really should be in college this year given his age right?

Google says he turned 18 in July so he'll be 19 as a freshman.

I guess what I mean is Embiid couldn't score outside of 5 feet at this age, Ayton can knock down shots. Both great talents.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Landing Duval would be more shocking than the combination of Kobi and Rawle picking Arizona.

PJ Washington is friends with Ayton though...

 

[GatorAZ]

https://www.google.com/amp/tucson.c...5d2e-ba4f-9ce0d4404833.amp.html?client=safari

Weaver said Ayton was so sure about playing for Arizona that he purposely scheduled his announcement for last Tuesday, three days before the opening of the fall recruiting period that allows coaches to make in-home visits with players.

In other words, just before Kansas’ Bill Self and Kentucky’s John Calipari were scheduled to visit Ayton .

“I knew already,” Ayton said. “To be honest, I didn’t feel like that at Kentucky. Just couldn’t see myself playing there.”

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I love hearing hearing that. Kid is either playing for Arizona or he's a great salesman. Miller also leaving rent free on Kansas boards.

 

[Russ Smith]

https://www.google.com/amp/tucson.c...5d2e-ba4f-9ce0d4404833.amp.html?client=safari

Weaver said Ayton was so sure about playing for Arizona that he purposely scheduled his announcement for last Tuesday, three days before the opening of the fall recruiting period that allows coaches to make in-home visits with players.

In other words, just before Kansas’ Bill Self and Kentucky’s John Calipari were scheduled to visit Ayton .

“I knew already,” Ayton said. “To be honest, I didn’t feel like that at Kentucky. Just couldn’t see myself playing there.”

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I love hearing hearing that. Kid is either playing for Arizona or he's a great salesman. Miller also leaving rent free on Kansas boards.

I don't know if Pascoe's aware of it or not but the Ollie Goulston in that story that coached Ayton his first 2 years at Balboa Prep is the same guy who coached Angelo Chol in HS. That's why early on lots of Arizona sites were openly saying he's never playing for ARizona, he's connected to the same people Chol was in HS but Chol's circle is mad at Miller. Of course his time at SDSU proved Miller was correct in not playing Chol more, but at the time it was pretty widely assumed he'd never consider UA.

UA got really fortunate in that just about the time rumors hit he had left Chols' people and was now connected to the same people that steered Jeremy Tyler to leave school early and turn pro, he disappeared for a couple of weeks and when he came back he'd left Balboa Prep for Hillcrest. The stuff he talks about in that article is no doubt related to that, I think Goulston left Balboa, there was a ton of talk their academics were going to be an issue for kids playing there they had a new coach who said he had no idea why Ayton left, they had Jaylen Hands coming in and thought they were going to be loaded but Ayton wound up at Hillcrest.

Sounds like that was the right move for him and for UA in the long term. Hands left there over concerns about academics and from that article it sounds like it's his time at balboa, not Hillcrest that is the biggest question mark.

 

[GatorAZ]

Interesting info there. It's ridiculous that a player's "camp" would steer them away from a program because it didn't work out for someone else. But it's not surprising I suppose. Gotta be frustrating for any coach. Hopefully there's not a kid Miller wants in TJ Leaf's camp.

Also damn I know they won't play together but if they did = unfair frontcourt.

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[Russ Smith]

Interesting info there. It's ridiculous that a player's "camp" would steer them away from a program because it didn't work out for someone else. But it's not surprising I suppose. Gotta be frustrating for any coach. Hopefully there's not a kid Miller wants in TJ Leaf's camp.

Also damn I know they won't play together but if they did = unfair frontcourt.

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UCLA fans are all familiar with Goulston from the Chol recruitment. If you read Pascoes article he talks about a philanthropist being involved in Ayton coming to San Diego, that's esssentially what happened to Chol too he was living in San Diego his family had no money and they were being "taken care of" by a local family almost like the Blind Side and Michael oher. UCLA decided to back off his recruitment because they didn't think the NCAA would rule him eligible. In the end the NCAA decided the money was due to him being from Sudan and being helped by a family that had helped other Sudanese people, not necessarily due to him playing hoops. So he cleared Goulston was the guy many people felt pushed him to leave UA because he felt he was being misused there.

Was that true who knows but that was the rumor. UA wasn't really involved with Ayton until he left San Diego and went to Hillcrest, away from Goulston. I'm not sure what happened he played 2 years for Goulston, teh coach his junior year was a different guy, I don't know if he left because Goulston left, or if Goulston left because they lost Ayton, never really knew the answer.

Ayton has been through "the mill", he played for the Compton Magic he played for Cal Supreme he's played at multiple schools etc. That article makes it sound like the mom eventually figured out I need to take control of this and did, so that's good. he could have wound up like Tyler or Renardo Sidney did because the parents saw them as a meal ticket, sounds like Ayton's mom is smarter than that.

 

[GatorAZ]

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Should we feel pretty good? Like 90% good?

 

[Mr. Boldin]

I think the question should be how much do we want him and is he willing to ride the bench for a few years?

 

[overseascardfan]

I think the question should be how much do we want him and is he willing to ride the bench for a few years?

I say take who you can get, some of the big names UA are associated with may not end up at UA. Preston looks like USC, Washington looks like UNLV, ORE or UNC, McCoy looks like either CAL or MSU. Hell, Ayton isn't a lock to make it on campus. Even if Lee has regressed, maybe he ends up a 3 or 4 year guy whom by the time his JR or SR year rolls around he becomes a hell of a player. Ask UK how loading up on 5-star one and dones has helped make them into a dynasty

 

[Russ Smith]

I say take who you can get, some of the big names UA are associated with may not end up at UA. Preston looks like USC, Washington looks like UNLV, ORE or UNC, McCoy looks like either CAL or MSU. Hell, Ayton isn't a lock to make it on campus. Even if Lee has regressed, maybe he ends up a 3 or 4 year guy whom by the time his JR or SR year rolls around he becomes a hell of a player. Ask UK how loading up on 5-star one and dones has helped make them into a dynasty

The thing that scares me with Lee is that much of his lack of progress is injury related. he hurt his shoulder lifting weights with his dad(ex USC RB Zeph Lee) and then hurt it again. If he's one of those guys where the shoulder keeps popping out(UCLA's James Keefe comes to mind) he may never get healthy.

Good kid and he plays hard he's not going to wind up someone who you regret taking on that regard, but the considerable upside people saw a year or two ago has not really come to pass, it's surprising but older and physically maxed out Cody Riley has progressed more than Lee has because Riley has stayed healthy.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

I say take who you can get, some of the big names UA are associated with may not end up at UA. Preston looks like USC, Washington looks like UNLV, ORE or UNC, McCoy looks like either CAL or MSU. Hell, Ayton isn't a lock to make it on campus. Even if Lee has regressed, maybe he ends up a 3 or 4 year guy whom by the time his JR or SR year rolls around he becomes a hell of a player. Ask UK how loading up on 5-star one and dones has helped make them into a dynasty

Preston isnt coming, Washington is a possibility, McCoy I think we are still firmly near the top, albeit not the "leader" anymore.

Lee is the exact kind of player who doesnt play early and transfers out of Arizona. Not to mention he's been plummeting down the rankings the last year. If he's willing to ride the bench for a few years, sure. I can just see him committing and then transferring not too far down the road.