Didn't we change a significant concept with our switching on defense after the Missouri game at Reed where they abused it over and over to get the offensive mismatch they wanted?

Yet he's recruited Marfo, Aku, Brown, and Henderson. None of which are any good at guarding guards at all. And they all also have the bonus of being absolute non-factors on offense.

I don't think being able to guard on the perimeter is a prerequisite for playing the five for Buzz. It would be nice, but like Marc keeps saying, he would probably be our best player.

Are you actually saying you don't think this guy is a take (if we could even get him)?

I think Henderson does alright on the perimeter. I'm not breaking down the film and I could be proven wrong by s film study but on surface level I think he does pretty good on switching off. And I'm not a Henderson fan.

He's okay, certainly compared to the others, but I wouldn't say he's good at it like Coleman.

Hop said:

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I'm not saying it's a prerequisite, but it's certainly a preference and Buzz has said it many times "positionless basketball.

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The Jay Wright mantra. I like it if we can get the right talent for it

Buzz can't choose systems that are impossible to implement in a timely fashion and then blame recruiting. The buck stops with him.

Complete Idiot said:

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Pretty much the right response to any Greg post

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Im an incomplete idiot…but I'm trying harder like Avis!!!

I think he's our best big at defending bigs for sure. He's also decent on wings, but I think Coleman is better at defending guards.

You're right in that odds are we aren't going to be able to get this guy anyway, so it doesn't matter.

But, what we're really talking here is recruiting philosophy. In my opinion we aren't so locked into a system that we pass on better players just to get the right "fit."

I think we take the best players we can and then figure out the right system.

Our biggest offensive issue over the last three years is that when our shots aren't falling, we haven't reliably had someone we could run a set play for and go get a decent look. Q got better at that and Radford started to give us that, but Lofton would give you that. He's got elite skills on the block and did well even against good competition.

I am taking Buzz at his word on his own comment about recruiting. He said it hasn't been good enough and it's his responsibility to fix it. Most here said it was a throwaway comment. I don't think he does that:

I think his recruiting philosophy is more about the mental aspect, the approach to the game and to life or whatever, than it is physical.

If it's what you're saying, then what is that physical thing he's looking for?

Pure athleticism? He's failed on that several times. Coming into last season he thought the key to the future was building the team around Marcus Williams, a player who, for all his skill, is very obviously not a high level athlete.

Size? We've been undersized since he's been here.

Polished skill? Clearly not, Manny O can barely shoot the ball.

So if he's so specific on physical attributes, what are they?

I think the recruits personalities, for sure. He wants guys that he thinks are going to play with a chip on their shoulder. But since he's been here we've completely overhauled our offense several times and we've played a few different defenses. It's not like he's been a hell-or-high-water x's and o's guy.

All Buzzes teams are undersized. The guy played Jimmy Butler at the 5. I don't think we need big lumbering centers. But I'd like to get more 6/8 long athletic types.

we're not taking guys with physical limitations and lack skill bc that is our choice or "philosophy". We're doing it because we're missing on the guys who are more talented, more athletic, bigger. That isn't a philosophy. It isn't like there are no good quality human beings who are highly ranked basketball players. That's the kind of stuff people talk about when you've done a poor job recruiting.

We've signed 6 consensus 3 stars since Buzz got here. Not a single quality starter in the group.
We've signed 9 guys who were 4 stars by at least 1 service and ranked in the composite National top 150. 5 of those guys are very solid and/or appear to have a bright future(Q, Manny, Taylor, Diarra, Miller). Interestingly, the 4 guys on that list who appear to be misses are Cash, Robinson, Aku and Brown. All 4 guys reclassified and enrolled a year early. Not sure what that has to do with anything but thought it was kind of odd.

We don't have to go out there and land a bunch of 5 stars or top 50 recruits. but the data going back about 8 classes for Buzz that I've looked at says that the hit rate on guys ranked somewhere around the top 150 is far far higher than it is for recruits outside of that. 7 of his 8 rotation guys on his Sweet 16 team at VT were 4 stars.

he does do a better job finding hidden juco guys than most and obviously he's hit on several studs from juco over the past 15 years.

This is also a good point. In a hypothetical world where Buzz could get every recruit he wanted, what would that class even look like?

https://www.si.com/college/tamu/basketball/aggies-kenneth-lofton-louisiana-tech-transfer-portal-commitment-buzz-williams-sec

Quote:

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3. Kenneth Lofton Jr. | 6-7 center | junior | Louisiana Tech

This is a big one. Lofton is one of the most productive players in college basketball, a big-bodied double-double machine that dominates the glass on both ends of the floor and finishes on the interior with smart touch. One of those guys that have seemingly been questioned at every single level going back to high school due to his unusually hefty frame, the results are undeniable. He was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2021 before going to play with the gold medal-winning FIBA U19 team last summer, where he was basically the team's third-most productive player behind future top-five picks Chet Holmgren and Jaden Ivey. He returned to Louisiana Tech this year and continued to carve out his position on the court against basically anyone he wanted, averaging 16 points and 10 rebounds, showcasing dramatic improvement as an offensive hub by passing at a high level and creating opportunities for his teammates. He's an unconventional player as a 6-foot-7, 275-pound center, and with that comes downsides. He's a mess in defensive coverages out in space, and he needs to keep working on his conditioning in order to stay on the court. But Lofton should be expected to be one of the most productive players in the country for each of the next three years he has eligibility. I'd expect most schools to reach out. Originally from Port Arthur, Texas, the best stylistic fit within that area would be Houston - about a two-hour drive from Port Arthur - given its emphasis on crashing the offensive glass and playing with physicality.

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https://theathletic.com/3211734/2022/04/12/ranking-the-best-available-mens-college-basketball-transfers-and-high-school-recruits-for-2022-23/

The last recruiting class - all the new guys that he brought in - was by far the best since Buzz has been here. So that was a positive change in direction. It looks like he 'hit' on Coleman, Wade Taylor, Radford, & Obaseki. He 'missed' on Williams and missed on the guard who tore his ACL (no fault of anybody just bad luck). I'd give an incomplete with that red-shirted big and Brown. Cash and Henderson I wouldn't call really 'hits' or 'misses'. They were okay filler bench players for limited minutes roles.

Does this kid even have any interest in us?

Yeah. Non-story story

I don't think he can defend laterally on the perimeter like Coleman can without dropping 40
+ lbs. just one guys opinion .

Oh i'm pretty sure Buzz would tell him exactly what he'll need to do in order to be a part of this team.

It will be up to Lofton to see if he wants to commit to the style that we play.

Lyle Wolf "liked" this tweet, FWIW.

🤔

— kenneth lofton jr. (@itzjunior34) April 24, 2022

I would guess that's nothing more than a; "Hey buddy, don't forget about us over here" like.

halfastros81 said:

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I don't think he can defend laterally on the perimeter like Coleman can without dropping 40
+ lbs. just one guys opinion .

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He's surprisingly athletic for his size. I have watched him several times the last two seasons.

Mikesyracuse1

I give us a .01% chance of signing him

skaggsjw said:

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Buzz has clearly shown a willingness to change what he is doing to fit the scheme. He'll even do it mid-year if he needs to. I'm done worrying about scheme. Yes, he prefers guys that can switch 1 through 5 but I bet he'll take really good players that don't necessarily fit that scheme, if they are the right kind of guy.

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Loften looks like he needs an inhaler if he switched on ball screens too often.

Louisiana Tech transfer Kenneth Lofton Jr. has been invited to the G League Combine, per his father. Lofton won't make a decision on his plans for next season until after the combine.

Averaged 16.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG last season.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 1, 2022