Matt Jones on Patterson and Hickson

[Will Lavender]

Not much newsworthy here, but still a pretty interesting read. I haven't read many of Patterson's mother's comments, but if she is skeptical of Duke and UNC, that's good. Very good.

I think the "rumor" that Jones reports -- the one suggesting that as soon as one of these kids commits to Florida, the other will commit to UK -- is too tidy. I don't buy that. I'd like to think it's going to be that easy, but I feel like both these kids are going to come down to the wire and are going to make press conference decisions. Hope not, though.

Also, it looks like UK has offered Darius Miller, which is good.

Link. (http://blog.kentuckysportsradio.com/?p=791)

[Chunks06]

I think people are putting too much stock in UNC and Duke. Florida is the biggest player for both of these guys it seems and is the leader for both it seems. Billy getting both of them is not out of the picture at this point.

[Will Lavender]

Chunks06 wrote: I think people are putting too much stock in UNC and Duke. Florida is the biggest player for both of these guys it seems and is the leader for both it seems. Billy getting both of them is not out of the picture at this point.
I don't buy the notion that Duke and UNC swoop in and get anybody they want. That is simply a myth.

However, the media spotlight has been heavily on the ACC since Roy Williams came to Chapel Hill. And it's been heavily on Coach K for twenty years, and now he's on ESPN talking about his Olympic team.

It's hard to recruit against Williams, K and the natonal sports media.

So I'm always worried about them when they come into the picture.

I doubt Donovan gets both these kids. There's very little precedent for something like that.

Strange things happen in recruiting, though.

[audacious1]

Our recruiters need to point out that instead of hitting the recruiting trail hard for Duke, Coach K chose to go off and play with the big boys. At least, that's what many said of Tubby a few years back. 8^)

[abroo588]

You're right. Billy D getting both is not likely. But Roy got 3 major big men in two years at UNC, with Tyler Hansborough, Brandon Wright and Deon Thompson. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) So, Tubby really needs to pull all the stops and work getting these guys. It just seems ("seems" being the operative word) thatKY is a recruiting black holefor power forwards.

BTW: I'm not counting out PerryStevenson yet, because he's not played a single game for us, but one isn't going to fix everything. We need Patterson.

[Will Lavender]

abroo588 wrote: You're right. Billy D getting both is not likely. But Roy got 3 major big men in two years at UNC, with Tyler Hansborough, Brandon Wright and Deon Thompson. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) So, Tubby really needs to pull all the stops and work getting these guys. It just seems ("seems" being the operative word) thatKY is a recruiting black holefor power forwards.

BTW: I'm not counting out PerryStevenson yet, because he's not played a single game for us, but one isn't going to fix everything. We need Patterson.

There's a key difference in those two situations, I think: the UNC players can move around a bit more than Hickson and Patterson.

Hansborough can play center. As can Thompson. Wright is a power forward who might even be able to play a wing. And also, people expect Hansbrough to go pro after this season, so the pivot at that point should be Deon Thompson's.

Even though Hickson and Patterson have different skill sets (or so I've heard -- I've never seen them play), they play the exact same position. Two versatile high profile guys signing on at a school? That's common. Two high profile guys who are going to play the same exact spot in college? Very uncommon.

[abroo588]

Will Lavender wrote: abroo588 wrote: You're right. Billy D getting both is not likely. But Roy got 3 major big men in two years at UNC, with Tyler Hansborough, Brandon Wright and Deon Thompson. (Correct me if I'm wrong.) So, Tubby really needs to pull all the stops and work getting these guys. It just seems ("seems" being the operative word) thatKY is a recruiting black holefor power forwards.

BTW: I'm not counting out PerryStevenson yet, because he's not played a single game for us, but one isn't going to fix everything. We need Patterson.

There's a key difference in those two situations, I think: the UNC players can move around a bit more than Hickson and Patterson.

Hansborough can play center. As can Thompson. Wright is a power forward who might even be able to play a wing. And also, people expect Hansbrough to go pro after this season, so the pivot at that point should be Deon Thompson's.

Even though Hickson and Patterson have different skill sets (or so I've heard -- I've never seen them play), they play the exact same position. Two versatile high profile guys signing on at a school? That's common. Two high profile guys who are going to play the same exact spot in college? Very uncommon.

Good answer. Thank you for the clarification.

[wildcatcrazy]

Will,

Thanks for the news on Darius.

If true, I must admit I am very surprised. Not much goes on here in Maysville about UK basketball without the rumor mill kicking up pretty good and I've heard nothing about Darius even being recruited by UK--much less offered.

Truth is, I see both sides of the situation. On the one hand, Darius isa terrific young player (emphasis on young) and his "upside" is scarry. He can handle it, shoot it, run the floor, jump, rebound--he can do it all. He is not great at anything IMO but he is very good at everything.

The concern would be that we are offering him before he starts his Junior year in high school. Even as someone that would love watching Darius go to UK (and restore some of the Big Blue magic to Maysville after Lofton's situatioin), I am not sure how "healthy" it is to offer kids this young.

All that said, I truly appreciate the information and will pass along anything of interest from this end. As with Lofton, Darius is a better kid than he is a player--and he is a teriffic player!

[Art Vandelay]

If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.

[Spanish Moss]

Buck Naked wrote: If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.

Gone with the wind. This ain't your grandpa's Kentucky basketball team.

[Coldstream]

Buck Naked wrote: If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.
Who are the two players that favor Florida? Hickson and ??????

[Will Lavender]

Coldstream wrote: Buck Naked wrote: If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.
Who are the two players that favor Florida? Hickson and ??????

Jones says that there was a rumor that both Hickson and Patterson favor Florida.

I don't believe that.

According to a few posters over at TCP, the rumors were generated by the Florida press and by Greg Hoover.

[Coldstream]

Will Lavender wrote: Coldstream wrote: Buck Naked wrote: If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.
Who are the two players that favor Florida? Hickson and ??????

Jones says that there was a rumor that both Hickson and Patterson favor Florida.

I don't believe that.

According to a few posters over at TCP, the rumors were generated by the Florida press and by Greg Hoover.

I don't believe that either.. and Greg Hoover is full of himself lately.

[DCWildcat]

For what it's worth, I think Wake has a much bigger stock in Patterson right now than people realize. I made a post the other day about what concerns me and what makes me happy about his situation, and the biggest concern I had was that his two biggest priorities were

1) Academics. Second best school to Dook in that regard.
2) Style of play. Wake runs an offense that seems to match what Patterson likes

He doesn't seem that enamored in prestige, so I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up there

[DCWildcat]

By the way, generally ignoring everything Hoover says is usually a good policy

[blueheretic]

Buck Naked wrote: If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.
A few more years and he will retire.

[VIIBanners]

Coldstream wrote: Will Lavender wrote: Coldstream wrote: Buck Naked wrote: If the Jones rumor is true, it's depressing that both players favor Florida and who we get depends on which one ends up at Florida. Of course, that's still better than getting shut out again and seeing both recruits end up at Florida. Still, I long for the good old days when kids were excited about wearing a Kentucky uniform.
Who are the two players that favor Florida? Hickson and ??????

Jones says that there was a rumor that both Hickson and Patterson favor Florida.

I don't believe that.

According to a few posters over at TCP, the rumors were generated by the Florida press and by Greg Hoover.

I don't believe that either.. and Greg Hoover is full of himself lately.
:lol:

[Grub]

[Coldstream]

^ LOL :D I am giving the guy the benefit of doubt. I didn't know him before he started posting on the boards so maybe he wasn't so full of himself then.

[RCS]

Everytime Greg gets something wrong he goes on a war path against UK about how they can't recruit and states that every recruit they are after is going somewhere else. He is nuts in addition to being completely full of himself.

[DowningCats]

Darius won't end up at UK.

[poodoo]

Is it just my imagination, or are there some personal attacks on this thread? :(Perhaps we coulddiscuss Patterson and Hickson and our chances of getting them, rather than personally attacking folks. Just a suggestion for all of us to consider.

[Grub]

[Aike]

:)

[bleedbluelady]

DowningCats wrote: Darius won't end up at UK.
Why not?

[wildcatcrazy]

Darius is a 16 years old juniorand more worried about football and girls at this point. He is a long way from making any decision. It is just a good thing--if true--that UK is involved with hiim.

I have no interest in re-hashiing the Lofton recruitment but for those of us that followed it and cared--it wasn't so much that UK didn't offer Lofton (they had other options that they thought were better)--it was the way UK handled it.

Maysville is 60 miles from Lexington. Darius could be a GREAT player. Asking the UK staff to keep in touch regularly with him and attend several games in Maysville (and on the road in Lexington) each of the next few years is not asking much---in fact it is just asking them to do their job in my opinion.

[wildcatcrazy]

I hate to post over my own post but see the article by Larry Vaught confirming that UK has offered Darius Miller.

Also, note that he was on TWO AAU National Championship teams-one headlined by Walker and Mayo--so he was in good company.

[audacious1]

Today Jones is saying that Patterson might have Duke at the top of his list with UK 2nd. How's that for a crap sandwich?

[blueheretic]

I begin to expect news like that when it's Tubby and company doing the recruiting.

[Ky Man]

poodoo wrote: Is it just my imagination, or are there some personal attacks on this thread? :(Perhaps we coulddiscuss Patterson and Hickson and our chances of getting them, rather than personally attacking folks. Just a suggestion for all of us to consider.

There you go...making sense...

[poodoo]

Ky Man wrote: poodoo wrote: Is it just my imagination, or are there some personal attacks on this thread? :(Perhaps we coulddiscuss Patterson and Hickson and our chances of getting them, rather than personally attacking folks. Just a suggestion for all of us to consider.

There you go...making sense...





Thanks, Ky Man. I appreciate that. Too, it was only a "gentle" suggestion. :)