<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Greg Oden, considered by many as America's top high school basketball player, has narrowed his choices to Indiana, Ohio State, Michigan State and Wake Forest. Oden led Lawrence North to its second straight Indiana Class 4A championship last month and was chosen national player of the year by USA Today, Gatorade and Parade magazine. Projected as a top NBA draft pick next year, he has said repeatedly he wants to play college ball. Oden, called the "Next LeBron James" by some analysts, joined James as the only two players to be named the USA Today player of the year as underclassmen. Oden and teammate Mike Conley, a point guard also considered one of the top players in the class of 2006, visited Wake Forest last weekend.</div> Source If he goes to Wake Forest, it will be a shame not being able to see him and Paul get a chance to play together. If he goes to Michigan State, they are going to be in the running right there with Duke and UConn.
Well Paul is a sophmore, so if Paul did decide to go the full four years, you would only see them play together for a year. Also, Paul is more of a fastbreak, penetrating guy, where as Oden is more of a half court guy. I hope he goes to MSU ... I want him to go there for over 2+ years, but I'm so anxious to see him in the NBA.
I think seeing Greg Oden in college will be very interesting. Once he refines his game and becomes more NBA ready, I'm eager to see how he'll fair. It's a shame he isn't playing for the Red Storm though...
Who called this one before the story broke? (Hint: me) I don't mean to brag, but - <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Anyway, 2006 will be Michigan State's big recruiting year. The #1 recruit in all of High School basketball in the next five years looks like it will be Greg Oden, and the word is that he has his list down to four schools: Michigan State, Indiana, Ohio State, and Wake </div> Link <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">However, the last I heard, Ohio State was his third or fourth choice right now. I don't have the link to the site that I read it on, so I know I lack credibility right now, but I'll be looking for that. Supposidely his strongest choices right now are Michigan State and Indiana, but he's still high on Wake and Ohio State, just not as much.</div> Link Anyway, like I said in those other two threads, Michigan State becomes an instant title-favorite with Oden. If Shannon Brown is still in school at that time, he could be a preseason favorite for player of the year. Drew Nietzel (our starting point guard) will still be in school, Marquise Gray (our starting small forward) will still be in school, and Greg Oden would just be the icing on the cake. Also, I highly doubt he goes to Wake Forest. You have to consider it; how could you not? It's a great academic school, and they've had some elite years over the last decade. However, he's a kid from Big 10 country (finally) and will choose a Big 10 school. When you compare the three Big 10 schools, Michigan State has the most to offer as far as winning basketball games goes and playing for a great coach. I know the weather and lack of media exposure compared to ACC/Big East schools is a big turn-off for some kids, but those other Big 10 schools in the running don't really have much to offer in that regard either. I basically see this as a two-horse race between Michigan State and Indiana. Hopefully in the end he'll pick MSU, but I won't be too dissapointed if he goes to Indiana. Michigan State will be good that year and the next either way because of the young talent they have right now. Indiana, on the other hand, could use a little help, moreso in the backcourt, but beggers can't be choosers.
I actually want to see MSU get him. A duo of Brown and Oden would be money. Plus I really don't want to see Oden in a Wake uniform even if UNC isn't going to be that good this year. Indiana and Ohio State have a big chance to start rebuilding what was top schools years ago. Go to MSU for two years, win a title, come to the league, make millions, retire, sounds like a great life...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtKing:</div><div class="quote_post">I actually want to see MSU get him. A duo of Brown and Oden would be money. Plus I really don't want to see Oden in a Wake uniform even if UNC isn't going to be that good this year. Indiana and Ohio State have a big chance to start rebuilding what was top schools years ago.</div> Brown would be gone by then, right?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting JWohl:</div><div class="quote_post">Brown would be gone by then, right?</div> Brown would be a senior when Oden comes in as a freshman. That is if Brown stays all four years. But as I remember correctly Voodoo told me that his father was a doctor and wants to see him get a good education. Still a good duo, even if one is a freshman.
i just don't understand why he'd narrow to 3 big 10 schools and wisconsin wasn't one of them... j/k i think that michigan st. would be a great fit for him. izzo's proven time and time again that if you give him a big man who can play, he can mold the rest of the team around him. he loves to have versitaile players on the wings and stuff, and if you plop a guy like oden in the middle of that, jeez. look out!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting CourtKing:</div><div class="quote_post">Brown would be a senior when Oden comes in as a freshman. That is if Brown stays all four years. But as I remember correctly Voodoo told me that his father was a doctor and wants to see him get a good education. Still a good duo, even if one is a freshman.</div> I got it mixed up. His dad is a police sergeant and his mother is a teacher. I can't remember which player's father is a doctor. Either way, Brown's father did say that he <u>thinks</u> Brown will be a four-year starter at Michigan State. As for Oden just being a Freshman when Brown is a Senior, don't worry about it. Oden is in that special LeBron-Carmelo-Amare class of players who are NBA ready by their sophomore years in High School. He'll definitely be an impact player at Michigan State, and I'd be predicting that he'd be an All-American, especially considering how rare a good big man is in the NCAA these days.
Voodoo, you better just hope that the 20 and over rule is passed because this kid is definitely NBA ready. But I'd love to see him do the right thing and go to college. So is Davis going to be a senior next season?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting UKOwnstheSEC:</div><div class="quote_post">Voodoo, you better just hope that the 20 and over rule is passed because this kid is definitely NBA ready. But I'd love to see him do the right thing and go to college. So is Davis going to be a senior next season?</div> Believe me, I know this kid's mind is probably on the NBA. If no age limit is passed, the only one I see challenging him for the #1 pick is Rudy Gay, and I'm not even sure about that. Yes, Davis a Senior next season. This is our lineup - PG - Drew Nietzel (Sophomore) SG - Shannon Brown (Junior) SG - Maurice Ager (Senior) <font color="Blue">SF - Gray (R.Frosh)</font> C - Davis (Senior) <font color="Blue">* = only player who wasn't in our starting lineup last season</font>
I personally think he'll go to Ohio State. It could just be my OSU bias but the dominos are starting to fall in place over there for a 5-man recruiting class that some experts are terming the "Thad Five." They've already landed his AAU teammate Daequan Cook, a stellar recruit, and now they've got Dave Lighty. These guys are going to be all selling the school to Oden and they're all visiting next weekend. From the Columbus Dispatch: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Lighty, a 6-foot-4 guard from Cleveland Villa Angela-St. Joseph, is the second Ohio high-school junior in five weeks to commit to the Buckeyes. Daequan Cook of Dayton Dunbar, also a 6-4 guard, committed March 23. Cook and Lighty are rated the top two prospects in the Ohio class of 2006. They could be the first two dominoes to fall in a monster recruiting class that coach Thad Matta and his staff are trying to assemble in their first year at Ohio State. Two other elite prospects, 7-foot center Greg Oden and 6-1 point guard Mike Conley, high school teammates from Indianapolis, are scheduled to visit campus next weekend. Cook, their AAU teammate, is expected to join them. Lighty said he is considering visiting the same weekend, as is 6-8 forward Thaddeus Young of Memphis, Tenn. All five are rated among the top 20 nationally in their class by scout.com, a recruiting Web site. Oden is the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2006 NBA draft unless he decides to attend college or the NBA changes its early-entry rule. "Give Daequan Cook a lot of credit. He?s a star player who?s embracing other players to come to Ohio State to join him. This guy is like having another assistant on the road right now," said Dave Telep, national director of basketball recruiting for scout.com. Lighty said the prospect of being part of such a recruiting class did not influence his choice of schools. "But it would be great if it came true," he said. Lighty said he chose Ohio State over not only Syracuse but Michigan and Arizona. He averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, five assists and four steals last season.</div>
I hate to be a pessimist, but I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Cook and Lighty were their only big name recruits in '06. First of all, why would Mike Conley choose Ohio State over Wake Forest? At Ohio State, he'd be a backup for Cook for as long as Cook stayed there, but at Wake Forest he'd be coming in as the replacement to Chris Paul and Justin Gray. All reports indicate that he's high on Wake Forest, so I can't see him going to Ohio State. Second of all, I've seen Thaddeus Young play many times, and the kid is a beast. I liked him even better than Brandan Wright. However, I doubt he goes to Ohio State either. While I'll be rooting that he goes to OSU (or any other Big Ten school), have you seen the guy's list of schools he's considering? Let's put it this way, Ohio State has to compete with Duke, North Carolina, Connecticut, Illinois, Memphis (his hometown), Kansas, Kentucky, Alabama, Syracuse, Oklahoma State, and Texas to just name a few. Third of all, Greg Oden still seems like he's going to Michigan State or Indiana to me. Of course the Columbus Dispatch is going to write about how he's leaning towards Ohio State, but I'm sure that news services for Indiana, Michigan State, and Wake Forest write the same kind of articles. If being at a school with an AAU teammate meant so much to Oden, then wouldn't he be just as likely to go to Wake Forest with Mike Conley also?
MSU will be a top team with him. He is a very big player, not just tall like most players at his age, but he's well built. Is he still growing? I can't remember, but if he gets to 7'3 or 7'4 when he reaches a senior there is no way he will go to college. If he's smaller I can see him playing for MSU. The Big Ten will get a big boost with him on one of their lineups. He will be a good pro, because he is down to earth, and doesn't think overly high of himself. He will be an immediate 14, 10 player without a doubt.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MSU will be a top team with him. He is a very big player, not just tall like most players at his age, but he's well built. Is he still growing? I can't remember, but if he gets to 7'3 or 7'4 when he reaches a senior there is no way he will go to college. If he's smaller I can see him playing for MSU. The Big Ten will get a big boost with him on one of their lineups. He will be a good pro, because he is down to earth, and doesn't think overly high of himself. He will be an immediate 14, 10 player without a doubt.</div> First of all, what makes you think a player will grow three inches in one year, especially this late in his development? Second of all, what makes you think that being three inches taller would effect his decision to play in the NBA in any way? He'll likely go pro and be the #1 pick no matter what, unless the age limit is passed. We're discussing the possibilities in this thread of the age limit being passed and him going to a Big Ten school. No one honestly thinks he'll attend college if there isn't one. Lastly, how do you know he's down to earth? Have you ever met the guy?
A few things are going to keep making Ohio State attractive to young guys. 1) Thad Matta, a young guy himself with a ton of energy. Everyone wants to play for this guy, no other school has a coach quite the same (not saying I wouldn't rather have Coach Izzo or Coach K, I just don't think they can get kids as excited). 2) A solid 2006 base of recruits already, and one of these guys is actively pushing his peers to join him. Here's another article showing what an asset Cook is: Dec 28, 2004 Beach Ball Feature: Daequan Cook - Says he wants to play with Conley He's recruiting Conley for us! He's visiting campus at the same time as Conley, and Lighty, also committed, is coming too, as are Oden and Young. Conley would not be backing up Cook, by the way. Here's the positions as listed on scout.com: PG: Mike Conley SG: Daequan Cook (committed) SF: David Lighty (committed) SF: Thaddeus Young (but he can play PF) C: Greg Oden Talk about a fab five! All visiting the same weekend! With two already committed, pushing the others to join them! Conley and Oden are high school teammates, and could both come together to Ohio State, along with AAU teammate Cook. So when you say, "If Oden wants to play with his teammate, why not go to WF with Conley?" Conley might not go to Wake, he might come to OSU. In fact, I think all these guys will except Thaddeus, but even he is visiting at the same time as the others. Now, what are the chances of this happening? I'm realistic, I know it's around 10-20%, but I still think OSU has the inside track and the best chance to get these guys.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Now, what are the chances of this happening? I'm realistic, I know it's around 10-20%, but I still think OSU has the inside track and the best chance to get these guys.</div> Thanks, I was beginning to worry about you. No offense, but that whole post just seemed like one big fantasy. Every year there are a lot of teams who have 5-10 great players considering them, but then they only get one or two of those guys. This reminds me of an argument I got into with Louisville fans in 2003 who said they had a "fab five" coming in. All of the following players had their options limited down to 2-6 schools and had Louisville as one of those final schools - LeBron James (#1), Shannon Brown (#3), James Lang (#8), Leon Powe (#10), Travis Outlaw (#13), Olu Famutimi (#18), Von Wafer (#21), Martin Iti, Chris Taft, Marcus Slaughter, and Curtis Stintson. Louisville fans assured me that the worst case scenario would be only getting three High School All-Americans instead of six. In the end, we all know how it turned out though. Not one of those players went to Louisville.
Actually, now that I think about it, 10-20% is even a little high. The chance is more likely as small as 5% to get more than one of them. But I can dream, can't I? Just the two guys who have already committed make for one of the best recruiting classes Ohio State has had in a long time. And to finish my sinking back into wishful thinking, I do think Ohio State is most likely to land Oden, since they already have a few guys committed and since Matta is so appealing to recruits. How did he get those two guys? They really are leaps and bounds above anyone else Ohio State has recruited in years, so he has to be a really good recruiter. And the idea of Oden, Conley, Cook, Lighty and Young - two of whom have already committed - all visiting together this weekend is obviously exciting.
I don't understand what makes you think that Thad Matta is more appealing than a coach (Izzo) who has put every single player that he has ever recruited into the Final Four. If kids want to play for a young coach because they want an identifyable figure, then why not go to Indiana where they could play for a coach who is young and black as well, with Mike Davis. Izzo has gotten it done in the past recruiting wise. Shannon Brown was a the #3 recruit in the nation, Paul Davis was a top 5 recruit the year before that, and Kelvin Torbert was the #1 recruit the year before that. The fact of the matter is that wins, Big 10 titles, and Final Fours have more weight on recruiting than a good co-recruiting class.
