Crucial Few Days For UT.

If Duke can't swing Nichols on his official visit, it should be all but a done deal.

 

Memphis poster seem to think he stays home, but it appears more like wishful thinking on their part. Of course, I would love nothing more than to dash the hopes of that crew, the biggest pieces of shit around.

Anyway, if Martin can sway to kids away from Duke and K in a period of two months, all criticism of his recruiting should be dead and buried.

 

Hat,

What's the immediate and long-term impact if Cuonzo completes this class with Nichols?

I know that these are "good / great" players, but for the casual fan like myself, I have no ability to quantify what that means, really.

So, what does this mean, both on the court and off, for us, in your opinion?

Some specific questions:
1. Would this class put us in the range of regularly challenging Kentucky for the conference?

2. Does it mean that Cuonzo is going to be able to routinely attract this sort of talent here, or is this such a good class as to be an unfair expectation, going forward?

3. If these players are as good as advertised and develop as they should, what's the ceiling you'd place them at, insofar as being an "X" win per season team / ranked / tourney seeded....immediate (freshman) and further (year 2, 3, etc.)?

I'll hang up and listen.

 

He's not going to Memphis. That would be stupid. He is not stupid. Unfortunately, he is smart and that's why the Duke visit has me concerned.

 

Unless Tennessee, Duke, Vanderbilt, Virginia, and Auburn drop basketball, he's not going to Memphis.

 

1. Hubbs and Nichols are the kind of players you have to recruit to win big. The problem with competing with Kentucky for a regular season SEC title is that they are on a recruiting run that is unprecedented in the modern era.

2. There are never any guarantees in recruiting, but great players draw other great players. Getting Hubbs and Nichols makes it more likely than not he can keep adding elite talent.

3. If Stokes returns for his junior season Tennessee would almost certainly be a preseason Top 5-10 team. Elite talent should get you in the
25 win, top 16 seed level most every year.

 

Do you think Stokes actually stays for his JR season?

 

That will be wholly dependent on what kind of season he has.

 

So it is a double edge sword kind of situation, have a great season and leave or stay if it is mediocre.

 

If he has a great season and goes to the NBA, that becomes just one more card Cuonzo can play in recruiting.

 

I think it would take a truly exceptional season for him to enter the draft. He could be very productive and still return.

 

It never hurts to put guys in the NBA.

 

Hat,

Heard any early reports on Nichols coming out of this trip?

 

And if that happens, I have faith counzo can recruit an able bodied replacement

 

Nothing to this point, which I will consider good news.

 

Looks like the sister is putting in work

 

If I'd known where he'd be and when, I'd have been pretty tempted to swing by Duke decked out in orange and offer him a "Go Vols"

 

Whoa there, Sab.

 

That what the kids are calling it these days?

 

walked right into that one.