The worst kept athletic secret in the State of Minnesota this spring has been the sudden emergence of Will Tschetter. From being basically unknown nationally, Tschetter now is in Rivals Top 150, and is the focus of multiple college coaching staffs, including several from the Big Ten.
The 6-foot-8 forward really caught fire on June 2 when he picked up offers from Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska on the same day. In the last month he also has new invites from Arkansas, Virginia Tech, and Richmond. They join Colorado State, Northern Iowa, Loyola-Chicago, Appy State, William & Mary, Wyoming, Toledo, South Dakota, Augustana, James Madison, and North Dakota State.
Tschetter plays with the Minnesota Heat AAU organization. His Head Coach and Program Director, Willie Vang, sat down with us Wednesday night to tell us more about the rising senior and how he exploded on the scene.
Q: Will has really been a hot name here in just the last few months.
Vang: "It's been incredible, especially when you consider that he's not gotten to play at all. We started realizing back in March that we weren't going to get to play, and we really got concerned that these kids are going to be in trouble with their recruiting. His has really been the complete opposite of that. I'd like to think that is the product of a couple factors. Number one, he obviously is a really good player. As a program, I think we have worked pretty hard to try to get his stuff out there. I think he did have a decent number of offers at that mid-major level even in February and March, and I do think that helped him to have some really quality schools that offered him early, and a combo of those thing helped things really grow despite not playing. To make that kind of jump without playing or any schools getting to see him live is really pretty impressive."
Q: Since coaches can't go see players is there anything out of the normal that you guys or the college coaches are doing in this recruiting cycle?
Vang: "That is a good question. I asked every school we talked to virtually that exact question, and I don't get a lot of definitive, great answers. It does seem to vary on the school. I know that were were super aggressive with sending out film, and reaching out to anyone who had a direct contact. A lot of it was just emailing people's websites. But it really varies on the school. A lot of schools were just waiting I think because they were hoping we could get out in July. Generally, what we found out with Will is there is nothing like old-fashioned hard work. There were a ton of emails. We have a very organized Google sheet that tells who we talk to and when we talk to them, who we emailed and who responded. We just tried to stay on that as best we could. But I think to combo with that is he just a good player is the biggest benefit."
Q: Is it getting back to the way it used to be when the coach gets the old projector out and watches a ton of tape?
Vang: "I'm intrigued to see where recruiting goes after the pandemic, but it will be cool to see if coaches do emphasize film a little bit more. College coaches have told me this, but in the past two months they have watched more film that ever, because there is nothing to do. They can't go to the office. They can't go on campus. I do think there is a chance of that. I do think it is good to see coaches kind of trust in their gut as opposed to having to see somebody live. I think a lot of the coaches that have offered him have done that, which I respect."
Q: What do coaches see in Will when they are watching the film?
Vang: "They see a kid that really shoots it; over forty percent from three. He really stretches the floor which a lot of coaches are trying to find at the next level, and still have someone who can put it on the deck and get to the rim as well. That kind of versatility and still playing SO incredibly hard I think is really what got coaches ready. But I really do think when you watch where basketball is going, and his ability to shoot the ball at a really, really high level, almost fifty percent from three on the high school season. We don't have stats as detailed as that on the AAU season, but it was definitely up in the same range. With where basketball is going that's what coaches want, and he can really, really shoot it.'"
Q: We tend to pigeonhole shooters as catch and shoot guys, but he has some athleticism to go along with his skill.
Vang: "Yeah, for sure. I think some people would say that''s one of his weaknesses. He's not necessarily a high flyer per se, but it you watch the film he can throw it down in traffic. He had a number of pretty big time dunks. I definitely think he can fit into both molds just great. Like I said, he just competes his tail off. When you put a of those things into the pot and mix it together, and throw it on some film you can see where he kid of came out of nowhere and started having things jump."
Q: How does his game fit into the Big Ten style of play?
Vang: "I think it does depend on the school. He does fit into some systems probably better than others. But in general you can always look at different teams. Player comparisons are always scary, but if you look across the Big Ten there are a lot of versatile big guys who can shoot it and put it on the deck. When you look at the league and what some of the big guys are required to do at the four spot, I think he can fit in really nicely in terms of what he brings to the table. I do think it depends on the system. He's probably not the type of player that's going to fit into every school in the country, but for the schools that can utilize a player like that he's definitely a high priority."
Q: Is he the type of player who will have to work on his body and may not peak until on down the road or will he be ready to go when he steps on campus?
Vang: "I do think he'll be ready. I think any kid can work on their body, but he does play quarterback for football. Any school that he goes to is going to put some weight on him and do a ton of stuff nutrition wise and strength wise. I do think he can go right in and play right away if needed. I do think he has the chance to play right away in the right spot."
Q: How much weight do you think he will need to put on?
Vang: "Probably ten or fifteen pounds would be great. I do think he's got a really good frame right now in general. I think he can probably do it before he starts campus if he goes in early."
Q: Where was Minnesota with Will at the end of the high school season just before the COVID shutdown began?
Vang: "I know he was invited to a really big game against Nebraska in terms of the number of players that had. So I know he was invited to that. He had some communication with their assistant coaches. I would say he was on the radar, and I'm guessing there were going to come and watch him play live in the spring. So I would say he was on the radar. But in-season stuff with recruiting is always tough, so I wouldn't say he was up there a ton, but I would say after the season he was going to become a pretty big priority I assume, and they would come to some of our games."
Q: How did his recruitment pick up from there where some interest turned into an offer?
Vang: "Coach (Ed) Conroy was assigned with Will, and he had been in touch with him a decent amount, just on the phone. He was the third offer on that day. I think it went Nebraska, Michigan, and then The U. I know that Coach (Richard) Pitino had called that day and offered him."
Q: Who are some of the other school that have recruited him, and how have they stood out?
Vang: "Colorado State, Northern Iowa, Richmond, and Michigan have been really detailed. They're just organized, detailed, and have good communication with me, with Will, and with his family. It's just been positive to see the level or organization and detail with some of those programs. I think they've all don't a really good job."
Q: How is everything looking with the AAU schedule? Will you get to play this summer or fall?
Vang: "In Minnesota the past two weeks it has progressed really well. I think if we would have spoken two to three weeks ago I would have told you the chances of a season are closer to zero than anything else. But lately things have picked up a little bit. We are able to work with our kids: no contact, nine kids in a gym with one coach, so we're limited to ten people. But it's going pretty quickly,, and I do think we will be able to have a season which for a long time I didn't think we would be able to have. So I'm encouraged by that. There's no tournaments here locally. There are tournament in Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. So at the moment you'd have to go out of state to play. But I think chances of tournaments in Minnesota are probably a coin flip, which is way better odds than I would have thought any time in May. So I am encouraged about out potential to have a season."
Q: Do you think he will hope to get visits in the fall and sign early or wait and see if he gets offers in the winter and wait until the spring to sign?
Vang: "I think he will be on the earlier side than the later side in terms of a decision. He would prefer to be sooner. That is what my vibe is on that."
The 6-foot-8 forward really caught fire on June 2 when he picked up offers from Minnesota, Michigan, and Nebraska on the same day. In the last month he also has new invites from Arkansas, Virginia Tech, and Richmond. They join Colorado State, Northern Iowa, Loyola-Chicago, Appy State, William & Mary, Wyoming, Toledo, South Dakota, Augustana, James Madison, and North Dakota State.
Tschetter plays with the Minnesota Heat AAU organization. His Head Coach and Program Director, Willie Vang, sat down with us Wednesday night to tell us more about the rising senior and how he exploded on the scene.
Q: Will has really been a hot name here in just the last few months.
Vang: "It's been incredible, especially when you consider that he's not gotten to play at all. We started realizing back in March that we weren't going to get to play, and we really got concerned that these kids are going to be in trouble with their recruiting. His has really been the complete opposite of that. I'd like to think that is the product of a couple factors. Number one, he obviously is a really good player. As a program, I think we have worked pretty hard to try to get his stuff out there. I think he did have a decent number of offers at that mid-major level even in February and March, and I do think that helped him to have some really quality schools that offered him early, and a combo of those thing helped things really grow despite not playing. To make that kind of jump without playing or any schools getting to see him live is really pretty impressive."
Q: Since coaches can't go see players is there anything out of the normal that you guys or the college coaches are doing in this recruiting cycle?
Vang: "That is a good question. I asked every school we talked to virtually that exact question, and I don't get a lot of definitive, great answers. It does seem to vary on the school. I know that were were super aggressive with sending out film, and reaching out to anyone who had a direct contact. A lot of it was just emailing people's websites. But it really varies on the school. A lot of schools were just waiting I think because they were hoping we could get out in July. Generally, what we found out with Will is there is nothing like old-fashioned hard work. There were a ton of emails. We have a very organized Google sheet that tells who we talk to and when we talk to them, who we emailed and who responded. We just tried to stay on that as best we could. But I think to combo with that is he just a good player is the biggest benefit."
Q: Is it getting back to the way it used to be when the coach gets the old projector out and watches a ton of tape?
Vang: "I'm intrigued to see where recruiting goes after the pandemic, but it will be cool to see if coaches do emphasize film a little bit more. College coaches have told me this, but in the past two months they have watched more film that ever, because there is nothing to do. They can't go to the office. They can't go on campus. I do think there is a chance of that. I do think it is good to see coaches kind of trust in their gut as opposed to having to see somebody live. I think a lot of the coaches that have offered him have done that, which I respect."
Q: What do coaches see in Will when they are watching the film?
Vang: "They see a kid that really shoots it; over forty percent from three. He really stretches the floor which a lot of coaches are trying to find at the next level, and still have someone who can put it on the deck and get to the rim as well. That kind of versatility and still playing SO incredibly hard I think is really what got coaches ready. But I really do think when you watch where basketball is going, and his ability to shoot the ball at a really, really high level, almost fifty percent from three on the high school season. We don't have stats as detailed as that on the AAU season, but it was definitely up in the same range. With where basketball is going that's what coaches want, and he can really, really shoot it.'"
Q: We tend to pigeonhole shooters as catch and shoot guys, but he has some athleticism to go along with his skill.
Vang: "Yeah, for sure. I think some people would say that''s one of his weaknesses. He's not necessarily a high flyer per se, but it you watch the film he can throw it down in traffic. He had a number of pretty big time dunks. I definitely think he can fit into both molds just great. Like I said, he just competes his tail off. When you put a of those things into the pot and mix it together, and throw it on some film you can see where he kid of came out of nowhere and started having things jump."
Q: How does his game fit into the Big Ten style of play?
Vang: "I think it does depend on the school. He does fit into some systems probably better than others. But in general you can always look at different teams. Player comparisons are always scary, but if you look across the Big Ten there are a lot of versatile big guys who can shoot it and put it on the deck. When you look at the league and what some of the big guys are required to do at the four spot, I think he can fit in really nicely in terms of what he brings to the table. I do think it depends on the system. He's probably not the type of player that's going to fit into every school in the country, but for the schools that can utilize a player like that he's definitely a high priority."
Q: Is he the type of player who will have to work on his body and may not peak until on down the road or will he be ready to go when he steps on campus?
Vang: "I do think he'll be ready. I think any kid can work on their body, but he does play quarterback for football. Any school that he goes to is going to put some weight on him and do a ton of stuff nutrition wise and strength wise. I do think he can go right in and play right away if needed. I do think he has the chance to play right away in the right spot."
Q: How much weight do you think he will need to put on?
Vang: "Probably ten or fifteen pounds would be great. I do think he's got a really good frame right now in general. I think he can probably do it before he starts campus if he goes in early."
Q: Where was Minnesota with Will at the end of the high school season just before the COVID shutdown began?
Vang: "I know he was invited to a really big game against Nebraska in terms of the number of players that had. So I know he was invited to that. He had some communication with their assistant coaches. I would say he was on the radar, and I'm guessing there were going to come and watch him play live in the spring. So I would say he was on the radar. But in-season stuff with recruiting is always tough, so I wouldn't say he was up there a ton, but I would say after the season he was going to become a pretty big priority I assume, and they would come to some of our games."
Q: How did his recruitment pick up from there where some interest turned into an offer?
Vang: "Coach (Ed) Conroy was assigned with Will, and he had been in touch with him a decent amount, just on the phone. He was the third offer on that day. I think it went Nebraska, Michigan, and then The U. I know that Coach (Richard) Pitino had called that day and offered him."
Q: Who are some of the other school that have recruited him, and how have they stood out?
Vang: "Colorado State, Northern Iowa, Richmond, and Michigan have been really detailed. They're just organized, detailed, and have good communication with me, with Will, and with his family. It's just been positive to see the level or organization and detail with some of those programs. I think they've all don't a really good job."
Q: How is everything looking with the AAU schedule? Will you get to play this summer or fall?
Vang: "In Minnesota the past two weeks it has progressed really well. I think if we would have spoken two to three weeks ago I would have told you the chances of a season are closer to zero than anything else. But lately things have picked up a little bit. We are able to work with our kids: no contact, nine kids in a gym with one coach, so we're limited to ten people. But it's going pretty quickly,, and I do think we will be able to have a season which for a long time I didn't think we would be able to have. So I'm encouraged by that. There's no tournaments here locally. There are tournament in Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. So at the moment you'd have to go out of state to play. But I think chances of tournaments in Minnesota are probably a coin flip, which is way better odds than I would have thought any time in May. So I am encouraged about out potential to have a season."
Q: Do you think he will hope to get visits in the fall and sign early or wait and see if he gets offers in the winter and wait until the spring to sign?
Vang: "I think he will be on the earlier side than the later side in terms of a decision. He would prefer to be sooner. That is what my vibe is on that."
