The staff can't recruit

[1Tripoda]

How important is the 3 points shooting in today's basketball. If you look at the NBA, the best team with the best record that have home advantage throughout the playoff is the Boston Celtics. All 5 players in their starting line up can shoot the 3's. Plus guys like Horford, Hauser, Pritchard off the bench that are nearly automatic from the 3's. It is critical and UNLV does not have it.

Edit: At least the proven commodity as far as Whiting goes, Tim. I have not seen how Barnabie plays, so I reserved my judgement. If he solid, he is just adding more strengths to the forward positions. UNLV need that alpha scorer in the backcourt. DJ can score with the best of them but we need him as the general.

 

[RebelScrub]

How important is the 3 points shooting in today's basketball. If you look at the NBA, the best team with the best record that have home advantage throughout the playoff is the Boston Celtics. All 5 players in their starting line up can shoot the 3's. Plus guys like Horford, Hauser, Pritchard off the bench that are nearly automatic from the 3's. It is critical and UNLV does not have it.

Edit: At least the proven commodity as far as Whiting goes, Tim. I have not seen how Barnabie plays, so I reserved my judgement. If he solid, he is just adding more strengths to the forward positions. UNLV need that alpha scorer in the backcourt. DJ can score with the best of them but we need him as the general.

Makes Kruger ball exciting.

 

[1Tripoda]

If DJ can improves his abilities to distribute and scoring together next year, similar to what Minnesota's Anthony Edwards is doing then UNLV will be tourney bound. That is a big ask for a 18/19 years old Sophomore. A very young Sophomore.

 

[Masked_rebel]

Actually, when you look at the the final two open scholarships 2024/2025 I get the concern.

But how deficient is recruiting when both Evans and Pape are consensus top 150 recruits in the country out of high school? In fact, based on performance at Pangos Top 100 where he made the top 30 game Pape might be undervalued. Bear is a top 15 juco. So was Whaley. Hick's was another Top 150 player and Mr. Basketball coming out of Washington. DJ was 5 star and one of the top freshmen pg's in the country. I am really surprised that he wasn't poached with all the Big Time NIL $$$$ floating around! Next, you have P5 transfers in Hill and Cottrell coming back and a athletic 4 in Barnabie. In the Portal UNLV adds Henley and Whiting. Henley is a 6'7" slasher and Whiting averaged approximately 13 mpg at Bosie but shot 50% from 3 and 81% from the line. Both are juniors and have their best basketball ahead of them.

I see the final two spots going to a veteran 2 and a freshmen pg to back up DJ. I feel there will be enough talent and a good mix of veteran and new players to make the ncaa's. If UNLV doesn't, it won't come down to lack of talent, but coaching. There will be no excuses. Just my opinion.

Depending on incoming freshman in a make or break season is fools gold... Hill is coming off a serious knee injury, another fools gold to say he's going to be back to level of play he had at Oklahoma... Hicks needing to step up as the 2 or 3 without really showing he was capable last year is concerning... not recruiting your biggest need as a bonefide go to shooter or scorer is a huge red flag. Should've been #1 priority after locking DTJ back in.

 

[1Tripoda]

I just refuse to believe that CKK is this laidaisical with recruiting if he feel that there is a void he have not address. His seat is flaming hot this year. No, I think he knew something that we fans do not

 

[Masked_rebel]

I just refuse to believe that CKK is this laidaisical with recruiting if he feel that there is a void he have not address. His seat is flaming hot this year. No, I think he knew something that we fans do not

Or, he's having a hard time selling transfers that he's going to be around more than 1 year and or that they can also feature on a team that features DTJ...
I'm all for hoping that he is trying to play the "build a team with solid players, not individuals"... but I'm also incredibly skeptical that "he" can do it and we won't feature games where we're scoring in the mid-40s while finishing 6th or 7th again

 

[unlove]

Lots of speculation as to what’s driving CKK’s recruiting but in the end it doesn’t matter the reason, he needs to finish top 3 in MWC and get to the Dance. If he thinks that’s with a stable base of returning players or a bunch of portal transfers I guess I don’t much care. His job his choice and he’ll have to coach them up well enough to earn a bid as well as my continued $$ for season tix and for the program.

 

[TimothyC3]

Depending on incoming freshman in a make or break season is fools gold... Hill is coming off a serious knee injury, another fools gold to say he's going to be back to level of play he had at Oklahoma... Hicks needing to step up as the 2 or 3 without really showing he was capable last year is concerning... not recruiting your biggest need as a bonefide go to shooter or scorer is a huge red flag. Should've been #1 priority after locking DTJ back in.

No one said there will be a significant reliance on freshmen. More importantly, there is no more recruiting in the traditional sense. The issue is whether UNLV has the NIL $$$$ to pay a top rated 2 in the transfer portal. I don’t think they do.

 

[Masked_rebel]

No one said there will be a significant reliance on freshmen. More importantly, there is no more recruiting in the traditional sense. The issue is whether UNLV has the NIL $$$$ to pay a top rated 2 in the transfer portal. I don’t think they do.

Except that's the problem. We don't need to recruit the "top rated 2" in the portal... we should be recruiting down that list a bit more to get best bang for our NIL $. That could've been the kid from Fordham or the kid from Georgia State, but before they really got the interest they received. Instead we just reached out to every name in the portal and based on what @lobbybuu seems to say here, it wasn't effective or even really more than casual. It doesn't sound like we're getting visits to campus that we're hearing about and we blew Bizjack by not getting him pressed to commit before the Butler spot reopened

 

[TimothyC3]

Except that's the problem. We don't need to recruit the "top rated 2" in the portal... we should be recruiting down that list a bit more to get best bang for our NIL $. That could've been the kid from Fordham or the kid from Georgia State, but before they really got the interest they received. Instead we just reached out to every name in the portal and based on what @lobbybuu seems to say here, it wasn't effective or even really more than casual. It doesn't sound like we're getting visits to campus that we're hearing about and we blew Bizjack by not getting him pressed to commit before the Butler spot reopened

Lobby said pressure. That can mean many things. But in this era pressure can be applied in many ways and the no. 1 pressure is $$$$. Also, is Biznack better than Hicks? Not as quick or fast. Also, not as skilled IMO. Just as important, his stat line shooting .270 from 3 doesn’t give me confidence that he is the threat from 3 that is needed. I realize he was a freshmen. But so was Hicks who shot 40% from 3.

 

[rebelzzz]

Maybe Kevin thinks he already has the peices for next year's team and doesn't need to bring in highly rated expensive players.
Whatever it is its his team and his year to either get an extension or be looking for a new job.
Hoping he gets UNLV to the dance but guessing it will be his last

 

[LVREBEL17]

The play for the 2 spot should’ve been Perry the whole time. Played with both Evans and DJ in AAU. West coast kid that will hit 40+% from 3 as a freshman. Sounds like a no brainer, but what do I know. Sounds like he’s going to UCLA?

 

[WarthogRebel]

Lobby said pressure. That can mean many things. But in this era pressure can be applied in many ways and the no. 1 pressure is $$$$. Also, is Biznack better than Hicks? Not as quick or fast. Also, not as skilled IMO. Just as important, his stat line shooting .270 from 3 doesn’t give me confidence that he is the threat from 3 that is needed. I realize he was a freshmen. But so was Hicks who shot 40% from 3.

"Also, is Biznack better than Hicks? Not as quick or fast. Also, not as skilled IMO. "

If he is counting on Hicks as a core starter Hicks needs to step up in a similar manner to Bryce Hamilton. Hamilton added 10 PPG from Freshman to So. I don't think Hicks is capable of jumping to 12 points a game but if he could get to 8-10 he could be good enough - especially since his defense is better than Hamilton.

Hill and Evans/Bannerbie then need to combine for @ 20 a game in the SF position. ( Boone and L. Rod combined for 25) This should be doable since Hill ( if he can recover) was averaging 11 a game when he went down. IMO, Bannerbie can play the small forward and he with Evans should be able to get @ 10 points combined in @ 10 minutes play.

We really need someone who can replace Webster/ JJ ( or replace what they needed to be). Whiting? New addition?

And our centers/PF averaged 25 pts. Hopefully Cherry and get @ 8 pts and Cottrell/ N'daye can combine for another 8 Pts. That leaves Whaley needing @ 10. All doable.

If all this happens we have a team similar to last years. What gives me some hope is DTJ averaged nearly 20 Pts a game in the last 10 conference games. If can improve that just a little that will put a huge amount of pressure on defenses and it should open up the rest of the team. Add one nice backcourt player and we should be better. I haven't given up hope as players will start to show some desperation as they get replaced in their previous schools and they will need a place to land.

 

[Masked_rebel]

Not sure I want DTJ to have to average 15-20ppg at the Point Guard position. I'd prefer he go 12/8 and we're dishing to bigs that finish 65% or better... I'm not counting on Cottrell to provide anything other than fouls and handshakes. He showed nothing last year off the bench that tells me I can pencil him in for any points.
There are alot of pieces that could potentially get together quicker and produce points at the same or better than last year.. or outside DTJ, there's no go to player and the team struggles to find offense for long stretches of games, eliminating us from truly contending

 

[cducker68]

I talked to two transfers who we recruited. They both said that the staff didn't apply enough pressure. These are not scrubs either, it's 2 guys who had interest in coming to Vegas and are better than the folks we got.

Glad to see the staff trying their best and going after guys like they really want them!

Well I don't blame him a bit. Can kind of layout the groundwork..the facilities. The benefits of becoming a rebel and what little bit of nil maybe left. and that's about it. I think kevin has more come to a realization that he's not begging a player to come here and play. You wanna come under the current situation great.. Get on hands and knees and beg to come play Hero ball no.

 

[Boston Rebel 2]

"Also, is Biznack better than Hicks? Not as quick or fast. Also, not as skilled IMO. "

If he is counting on Hicks as a core starter Hicks needs to step up in a similar manner to Bryce Hamilton. Hamilton added 10 PPG from Freshman to So. I don't think Hicks is capable of jumping to 12 points a game but if he could get to 8-10 he could be good enough - especially since his defense is better than Hamilton.

Hill and Evans/Bannerbie then need to combine for @ 20 a game in the SF position. ( Boone and L. Rod combined for 25) This should be doable since Hill ( if he can recover) was averaging 11 a game when he went down. IMO, Bannerbie can play the small forward and he with Evans should be able to get @ 10 points combined in @ 10 minutes play.

We really need someone who can replace Webster/ JJ ( or replace what they needed to be). Whiting? New addition?

And our centers/PF averaged 25 pts. Hopefully Cherry and get @ 8 pts and Cottrell/ N'daye can combine for another 8 Pts. That leaves Whaley needing @ 10. All doable.

If all this happens we have a team similar to last years. What gives me some hope is DTJ averaged nearly 20 Pts a game in the last 10 conference games. If can improve that just a little that will put a huge amount of pressure on defenses and it should open up the rest of the team. Add one nice backcourt player and we should be better. I haven't given up hope as players will start to show some desperation as they get replaced in their previous schools and they will need a place to land.

Agreed, Hicks is a year away if KK is crossing his fingers that Hicks takes an absolutely stratospheric leap (which is what he needs to be a starter) then good luck relying on that to keep your job.

 

[WarthogRebel]

Not sure I want DTJ to have to average 15-20ppg at the Point Guard position. I'd prefer he go 12/8 and we're dishing to bigs that finish 65% or better... I'm not counting on Cottrell to provide anything other than fouls and handshakes. He showed nothing last year off the bench that tells me I can pencil him in for any points.
There are alot of pieces that could potentially get together quicker and produce points at the same or better than last year.. or outside DTJ, there's no go to player and the team struggles to find offense for long stretches of games, eliminating us from truly contending

"I'm not counting on Cottrell to provide anything other than fouls and handshakes. He showed nothing last year off the bench that tells me I can pencil him in for any points."

Hicks - 11.5 min a game - 2.6 points.
Cottrell - 12.5 min a game - 3.6 points.

If either of these players are going to be the contributors the team needs then there needs to be a leap in play.

 

[Masked_rebel]

"I'm not counting on Cottrell to provide anything other than fouls and handshakes. He showed nothing last year off the bench that tells me I can pencil him in for any points."

Hicks - 11.5 min a game - 2.6 points.
Cottrell - 12.5 min a game - 3.6 points.

If either of these players are going to be the contributors the team needs then there needs to be a leap in play.

I agree, although Hicks play + flow of game improved throughout the season and hes still young enough that the leap could be expected to happen although not 10-12ppg better..

Cottrell on the other hand while he "averaged" more ppg basis, that average is actually alot worse when you look at the entire season game by game.. he had 18 in the opener, then disappeared till LMU, then got another big game vs Bethesda... but then basically nothing during conference season or in between and every time he came in, our +/- was awful...

 

[dcut03]

There are no excuses for poor performance or with recruiting.
The results on the floor are what they are.
The truth is that recruiting is a much different animal now. We only have so much money to go around. Don't like it, then donate to the NIL fund.
I think it is a bit of a blessing in disguise because rental players weren't cutting it. Like Tim pointed out there is some good talent on this roster, really good for the MW which is where we should be starting to compare.
It is up to this staff to put a better product on the floor, I think building around an existing foundation is a better approach then trying to over recruit our roster.

 

[jmcnamaraiii]

So lobby Lou on his twitter rebel way posted a we got him gif.

Anybody have idea who he may be talking about?

 

[Masked_rebel]

So lobby Lou on his twitter rebel way posted a we got him gif.

Anybody have idea who he may be talking about?

Hoping he's referring to Lucas Taylor... we've been targeting him...

 

[LVREBEL17]

Kaden Cooper from Oklahoma?

 

[Rebel_Luv]

Kaden Cooper from Oklahoma?

im sure kids that think they can get more minutes and develop with that will start going to schools where they can. That should be our philosophy. Sure they will transfer out as soon as they get their time to shine (if they ever do) ,but atleast we will have more talented teams and no it does not always mean better. This is what was alluded much earlier. WE will just be a minor league team for the bigger schools. Might as well as embrace it. Until the higher ups commit to winning this will be the way.

 

[vegas50]

Hoping he's referring to Lucas Taylor... we've been targeting him...

Taylor has some nice stats,23-24 stats

 

[PeccoleRanchRunner]

Sorry to knock a kid before he's even stepped on the floor but I really hope he's not referring to Taylor, below average shooter and poor defender. Statistically negative OBPR and DBPR, a very bad combination. Look at his game log shooting percentages alot of 5/19, 6/20, 5/15. These are versus weaker conference opponents wont get better in the MWC. If we're pilfering Georgia State much rather grab another kid from the portal, Dwon Odom, also a PG but would fit nicely along side DTJ. Shoots 52%fg and 42% 3pt, those numbers are impressive for a guard.

 

[JamesConnolly]

Sorry to knock a kid before he's even stepped on the floor but I really hope he's not referring to Taylor, below average shooter and poor defender. Statistically negative OBPR and DBPR, a very bad combination. Look at his game log shooting percentages alot of 5/19, 6/20, 5/15. These are versus weaker conference opponents wont get better in the MWC. If we're pilfering Georgia State much rather grab another kid from the portal, Dwon Odom, also a PG but would fit nicely along side DTJ. Shoots 52%fg and 42% 3pt, those numbers are impressive for a guard.

In 4 years of playing substantial minutes in college basketball, Odom is 16-66 behind the arc. That’s 24%.

 

[PeccoleRanchRunner]

In 4 years of playing substantial minutes in college basketball, Odom is 16-66 behind the arc. That’s 24%.

Last season at Georgia State, Odom shot 42% 3pt, the guy improved that's what you should be looking for in a player. He also improved his scoring shooting over 52%FG inside the arc and its obvious he became a more selective shooter give me that all day. He is head and shoulders a better player than Taylor on any court. If your point was to emphasize Odoms poor 3pt shooting in previous years you should also look at how well his FG% improved {over 54%} in the Big East when he played 20mins a game for Xavier. I heard thats a decent Conference.

Regardless my intention was not to knock anyone specifically but to point out there are some solid players still in the portal who can help this team.

 

[jmcnamaraiii]

Think the “we got him” GIF was for the corner from UCF that committed in football. Got me all excited :/ Good get for the football team. Great offseason for them

 

[JamesConnolly]

In 4 years of playing substantial minutes in college basketball, Odom is 16-66 behind the arc. That’s 24%.

Last season at Georgia State, Odom shot 42% 3pt, the guy improved that's what you should be looking for in a player. He also improved his scoring shooting over 52%FG inside the arc and its obvious he became a more selective shooter give me that all day. He is head and shoulders a better player than Taylor on any court. If your point was to emphasize Odoms poor 3pt shooting in previous years you should also look at how well his FG% improved {over 54%} in the Big East when he played 20mins a game for Xavier. I heard thats a decent Conference.

Regardless my intention was not to knock anyone specifically but to point out there are some solid players still in the portal who can help this team.

In 4 years he has made 16 three pointers. Six threes (out of 14 attempts) last year for 42%. He made 6 more threes than I did last season.

 

[TimothyC3]

I see it this way. Right now UNLV is going have recruit for one of the final roster spots at the 2 based on talent and potential. I am fine with that just based on history with top 150 3-4 star freshman transfers from P5 schools. Also, I will add Bryce Hamilton to the discussion along with Tre’Von Willis, Chase Stanbeck and Mike Moser. For example Moser jumped from .06 ppg as a freshman at UCLA to 14 ppg as a UNLV sophomore. Bring in Cooper from Oklahoma and let him battle it out with Hick’s. If they both step it up UNLV will have a dynamic back court along with DJ. I would rather take that shot than bringing in another David Jenkins.

 

[rebel5280]

So did Taylor sign or not?

 

[jmcnamaraiii]

There was a hint on twitter the transfer is from oral Roberts. There’s 2 good gets in the portal from there right now. Isaac McBride and Jailen Bedford. The suspense is killing me lol

 

[JTthe2nd]

I see it this way. Right now UNLV is going have recruit for one of the final roster spots at the 2 based on talent and potential. I am fine with that just based on history with top 150 3-4 star freshman transfers from P5 schools. Also, I will add Bryce Hamilton to the discussion along with Tre’Von Willis, Chase Stanbeck and Mike Moser. For example Moser jumped from .06 ppg as a freshman at UCLA to 14 ppg as a UNLV sophomore. Bring in Cooper from Oklahoma and let him battle it out with Hick’s. If they both step it up UNLV will have a dynamic back court along with DJ. I would rather take that shot than bringing in another David Jenkins.

View embedded media

He could be a terror on defense with that wingspan!

 

[Rebel_Luv]

What are we down to our 20th choice??

 

[rebelzzz]

What are we down to our 20th choice??

Come on now it isn't that bad yet. It is only the 19th option not the 20th.

 

[Rebel_Luv]

 

[jdlr33]

The bad recruiting is a recent development then? Because the last few years it seems like they bring in pretty good talent but underachieve as a team.

 

[j. spilotro]

The bad recruiting is a recent development then? Because the last few years it seems like they bring in pretty good talent but underachieve as a team.

Good recruiting, everyone takes it to mean talent; number of stars. And yeah, I like high level talent, I don’t think you can really win, I mean REALLY win, without it.

But there is effective recruiting that can mean good recruiting.

And you can have good recruiting (talent) that isn’t effective.

For instance, even though USU has had some good players, on paper, we wouldn’t call it good recruiting. But it was effective. They were largely complete and coachable and there was (assumed) by in. None of their classes would make us jump for joy, but their results would have been palatable.

Rice’s classes were really good, had everyone excited, but the results weren’t where they needed to be.

 

[Rosegreen1]

Part of recruiting is understanding the players and where they fit on your roster. That means understanding their work ethic, basketball iq, personality. It’s not always about the stat sheet or stars, that only tells part of the story.

I remember during one of Menzies recruiting classes he was touting a big 6’7 guy that on paper and on the stat sheet was blowing away his opponents. Then you go on YouTube and he’s playing a bunch of slow 5’8 shrimpy white dudes. Then you go oh ok, just another development project.


Not to beat a dead horse but the Boone twins were we’re all hype and posed a lot of problems for this team in the early goings. I’m partially surprised Junior didn’t give them both the boot given that they were disruptive on and off the court.

Again, Junior is looking for someone that fits with the group already in place. Feels like he’s content to rely on DJ, Whaley, and possibly Hicks.

 

[rebel5280]

Part of recruiting is understanding the players and where they fit on your roster. That means understanding their work ethic, basketball iq, personality. It’s not always about the stat sheet or stars, that only tells part of the story.

I remember during one of Menzies recruiting classes he was touting a big 6’7 guy that on paper and on the stat sheet was blowing away his opponents. Then you go on YouTube and he’s playing a bunch of slow 5’8 shrimpy white dudes. Then you go oh ok, just another development project.


Not to beat a dead horse but the Boone twins were we’re all hype and posed a lot of problems for this team in the early goings. I’m partially surprised Junior didn’t give them both the boot given that they were disruptive on and off the court.

Again, Junior is looking for someone that fits with the group already in place. Feels like he’s content to rely on DJ, Whaley, and possibly Hicks.

Then he should be content with that pink slip coming his way next March!