Another pivotal year for recruiting in this class... Richard Pitino probably needs a little bit of everything from this group..... The numbers will be based on assumptions and not concrete fact as transfers can always happen.
MOST REALISTIC ASSUMPTION is Minnesota will take a graduate-eligible PG at the end of the season for next year. If that is true, that will open up a scholarship in 2019, as well, when the graduate-eligible exhausts his entire eligibility. I will assume, for the sake of this discussion, that Devonte Fitzgerald comes back for his senior year, though according to some on this board, that may not happen. If Devonte comes back as well as Jordan Murphy and Dupree McBrayer, along with the Louisville transfer and grad-eligible PG, that LEAVES 5 OPENINGS!! A BIG CHANCE to impact the team.
As I have mentioned in the past, you have to define what you already have and where you want to be, in terms of scholarships DEDICATED TO EACH POSITION... Takes a lot more strategy than just saying "sign 'em up" if they are good. We have to plan ahead a little bit based on what we have and what class they are in. The 2019 recruits will start their careers in 2019-2020 at Minnesota. So when they are freshmen, ASSUMING THERE ARE NO OTHER ROSTER CHANGES or injuries/redshirts, here is what we will have.
BIGS 4s and 5s - Curry(junior), Oturu(sophomore); and Omersa(sophomore)
Wing forward- 3's - Coffey(senior); Michael Hurt(senior)
Shooting guards - 2's - Harris(junior); Kalscheur(sophomore)
Point Guard - 1's - Washington(junior)
That means 8 SCHOLARSHIPS TAKEN and 5 SCHOLARSHIPS TO GIVE. We will lose Jordan Murphy, Dupree McBrayer, Devonte Fitzgerald, the Louisville transfer, and the grad eligible PG.
How I would fill them
1. Getting a PG is ESSENTIAL... Not just important but ESSENTIAL.. Has to happen.. DJ Carton, Tyrell Terry, Al Amir Dawes, Jalen Gaffney, and a couple of others would be in the mix to get the PG scholarship.. I mentioned the Jalen Lecque kid before who would be the jewel but I think he will head elsewhere.
2. Getting a CENTER type may be the least important but getting a POWER FORWARD to take some of Jordan Murphy's minutes will be important..... A HEALTHY Curry helps out a ton because he can flip between center and PF. If Curry cant make it back from injury, the Gophers have to get a center AND a PF in this class, IMO. ... Oturu is a center and Omersa is a PF... Need a 4th strong body that is a difference maker.. Even with Oturu and Omersa in the fold, I expect the staff to really go after some GOOD big bodies in this class... At least 1 and maybe 2 of them. Players like Tre Mitchell and Zeke Nnaji from Minnesota could fit but I expect the staff to expand this list BIG TIME, as they need at least 1 in this class and 2 for sure if Curry cant get back to form.
3. A shooting guard to replace McBrayer... McBrayer WILL NOT be easily replaced... The McCullar kid who was mentioned probably comes in for McBrayer in this class, if McCullar chooses Minnesota.. I like length and I feel that McCullar or that type of player is sorely needed.. One that can handle the ball, shoot decent, and has definite length and athleticism to handle the bigger guards in the conference.. Kalscheur may fit the role but we need MULTIPLE LONG WINGS at guard or small forward. Cant compromise on size with this recruit as it has to be a player that is long, athletic, and can shoot as well as "D up". I watched some tape on a PG that is from South Carolina named Josiah James, who is 6-6.. Yes more a PG but if the Gophers got him, he would be a great fit as an off guard as well. Very long and athletic.. Don't know if that will happen as he is going to get some big time offers.. Lester Quinones is another tall lengthy guard from the NYC metro that is an interesting name the Gophers offered. James Bouknight is another NYC prospect at this position that the Gophers showed interest.
4. Get a wing forward..... I did not know where to stick Matthew Hurt so I put him here as a person that could fill the void... This position will be manned by 2 seniors in 2019-2020 in Amir Coffey and Michael Hurt so it would be nice to have someone aboard coming back, the next season.... Matthew Hurt is good but I would be as excited for that kid from Alabama, Kobe Brown.. That kid looks strong and athletic from what little tape I have seen on the Brown kid. If the Gophers got Brown, that could be the biggest steal of them all... The little I have found on the kid, I like him a lot.. Minnesota could make Matthew Hurt a stretch 4 so they could recruit and sign both Matthew Hurt and Kobe Brown... Minnesota has looked at another shooter, Massoud, who is rail thin from the northeast but I guess he can really fill it up. Precious Achiuwa was listed as a Gopher offer but again, he may be a 'pie-in-the-sky' thought as he is a 5 star player as a 6-8, 6-9 small forward.
Recruiting in 2019 is so critical as it could shape the future of Gopher basketball success for years to come.
MOST REALISTIC ASSUMPTION is Minnesota will take a graduate-eligible PG at the end of the season for next year. If that is true, that will open up a scholarship in 2019, as well, when the graduate-eligible exhausts his entire eligibility. I will assume, for the sake of this discussion, that Devonte Fitzgerald comes back for his senior year, though according to some on this board, that may not happen. If Devonte comes back as well as Jordan Murphy and Dupree McBrayer, along with the Louisville transfer and grad-eligible PG, that LEAVES 5 OPENINGS!! A BIG CHANCE to impact the team.
As I have mentioned in the past, you have to define what you already have and where you want to be, in terms of scholarships DEDICATED TO EACH POSITION... Takes a lot more strategy than just saying "sign 'em up" if they are good. We have to plan ahead a little bit based on what we have and what class they are in. The 2019 recruits will start their careers in 2019-2020 at Minnesota. So when they are freshmen, ASSUMING THERE ARE NO OTHER ROSTER CHANGES or injuries/redshirts, here is what we will have.
BIGS 4s and 5s - Curry(junior), Oturu(sophomore); and Omersa(sophomore)
Wing forward- 3's - Coffey(senior); Michael Hurt(senior)
Shooting guards - 2's - Harris(junior); Kalscheur(sophomore)
Point Guard - 1's - Washington(junior)
That means 8 SCHOLARSHIPS TAKEN and 5 SCHOLARSHIPS TO GIVE. We will lose Jordan Murphy, Dupree McBrayer, Devonte Fitzgerald, the Louisville transfer, and the grad eligible PG.
How I would fill them
1. Getting a PG is ESSENTIAL... Not just important but ESSENTIAL.. Has to happen.. DJ Carton, Tyrell Terry, Al Amir Dawes, Jalen Gaffney, and a couple of others would be in the mix to get the PG scholarship.. I mentioned the Jalen Lecque kid before who would be the jewel but I think he will head elsewhere.
2. Getting a CENTER type may be the least important but getting a POWER FORWARD to take some of Jordan Murphy's minutes will be important..... A HEALTHY Curry helps out a ton because he can flip between center and PF. If Curry cant make it back from injury, the Gophers have to get a center AND a PF in this class, IMO. ... Oturu is a center and Omersa is a PF... Need a 4th strong body that is a difference maker.. Even with Oturu and Omersa in the fold, I expect the staff to really go after some GOOD big bodies in this class... At least 1 and maybe 2 of them. Players like Tre Mitchell and Zeke Nnaji from Minnesota could fit but I expect the staff to expand this list BIG TIME, as they need at least 1 in this class and 2 for sure if Curry cant get back to form.
3. A shooting guard to replace McBrayer... McBrayer WILL NOT be easily replaced... The McCullar kid who was mentioned probably comes in for McBrayer in this class, if McCullar chooses Minnesota.. I like length and I feel that McCullar or that type of player is sorely needed.. One that can handle the ball, shoot decent, and has definite length and athleticism to handle the bigger guards in the conference.. Kalscheur may fit the role but we need MULTIPLE LONG WINGS at guard or small forward. Cant compromise on size with this recruit as it has to be a player that is long, athletic, and can shoot as well as "D up". I watched some tape on a PG that is from South Carolina named Josiah James, who is 6-6.. Yes more a PG but if the Gophers got him, he would be a great fit as an off guard as well. Very long and athletic.. Don't know if that will happen as he is going to get some big time offers.. Lester Quinones is another tall lengthy guard from the NYC metro that is an interesting name the Gophers offered. James Bouknight is another NYC prospect at this position that the Gophers showed interest.
4. Get a wing forward..... I did not know where to stick Matthew Hurt so I put him here as a person that could fill the void... This position will be manned by 2 seniors in 2019-2020 in Amir Coffey and Michael Hurt so it would be nice to have someone aboard coming back, the next season.... Matthew Hurt is good but I would be as excited for that kid from Alabama, Kobe Brown.. That kid looks strong and athletic from what little tape I have seen on the Brown kid. If the Gophers got Brown, that could be the biggest steal of them all... The little I have found on the kid, I like him a lot.. Minnesota could make Matthew Hurt a stretch 4 so they could recruit and sign both Matthew Hurt and Kobe Brown... Minnesota has looked at another shooter, Massoud, who is rail thin from the northeast but I guess he can really fill it up. Precious Achiuwa was listed as a Gopher offer but again, he may be a 'pie-in-the-sky' thought as he is a 5 star player as a 6-8, 6-9 small forward.
Recruiting in 2019 is so critical as it could shape the future of Gopher basketball success for years to come.
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