A first look: 2010 recruiting class

by Alex Bozich in Recruiting | December 16th, 2008

In case you haven’t noticed in the sidebar on the right side of this very page, Indiana has yet to secure a verbal commitment for its 2010 recruiting class. There are two factors playing into this:

1. Tom Crean admitted that the coaching staff has ground to make up in 2010. By the time Crean arrived in Bloomington, many of the top prospects for 2010 were already starting to build solid relationships with other coaching staffs. And the recruiting sanctions placed on Crean over the summer only hampered his ability to get out and build his own relationships.

2. The availability of scholarships for 2010 (or lack thereof) has forced Crean to be more selective on who to target for this class. It’s a good bet that only two scholarships (or possibly only one) will be there for the taking.

So who is IU looking at in this class?

Kyrie Irving, a 6-2 guard from St. Patrick’s High School in New Jersey, sits atop of the wish list. Irving visited Bloomington in November for the season opener against Northwestern State and is among the top 30 players nationally in 2010. He’s an explosive scorer who can play both guard positions. Due to transfer rules, Irving won’t be eligible to play his first game for St. Patrick’s until January, but he’s lining up a long list of schools that also includes Memphis, Rutgers, Villanova, Florida, Kansas, Kansas State and Texas A & M.

Behind Irving, the two names most frequently mentioned are 6-9 Savannah (GA) forward Brandon Mobley and 6-3 Louisville (KY) guard Aaron Cosby.

Mobley has not yet visited Bloomington, but told Justin Young, formerly of Rivals.com, that the Hoosiers have offered a scholarship. I’m not convinced that Indiana is hard after Mobley, but he seems like an intriguing guy due to his size and length.

Cosby made a couple of visits to IU earlier in the fall and speculation was rampant that a commitment could be on the horizon. It now appears that Cosby is prepared to let his recruitment play out and visited Minnesota in early November. Due to his transfer from Manual to Jeffersontown, Cosby won’t be eligible to play until this Friday. He has an offer from Indiana and I would expect the staff to watch his progress closely.

Beyond these three players, Indiana is keeping an eye on guys like forward Alex Gauna from Eaton Rapids (MI) and forward Donnie Hale from New Albany (IN), but I wouldn’t expect either guy to end up a Hoosier. In the end, expect IU to be very conservative in dishing out offers for this class. With the scholarship situation limited, Crean can ill-afford to take any chances.

Tags: Aaron Cosby, Brandon Mobley, Kyrie Irving, Tom Crean

BGleas

I wasn't speaking specifically about 2010. Just in general that you almost always need at least one NBA caliber big man, a few other solid ones, to win the title. Other than DJ White Indiana hasn't had a big man headline a recruiting class in a long time.

Syracuse had Warrick, Maryland had Baxter (All-American) and Wilcox (lottery pick). MSU is the last team to not have that. You're also right about Arizona, but that's twice in the last 11 years. Even most of the runner's up had NBA quality bigs. The myth that college basketball is a guards game is exactly that, a myth.

Pat

We are not looking for NBA players dude...we are looking for guys that will graduate and are team players so i dont know what you are talking about

BGleas

Ok, dude...I guess winning is of no importance to you. Hey, i have an idea dude, how about we just make the basketball team a club sport instead of varsity?

If we want to return to the prestige that IU basketball has had in the past, including Big Ten titles and National Championships then you need NBA quality players consistently coming into your program, especially big men.

I don't know why there is this misconception that winning in college basketball today and recruiting top high school players means selling youself to the devil and recruiting drug adicts that can read. Look at UNC, Duke, UCLA and Kansas. All very successful program over the last decade and longer and for the most part all those program are clean and have recruited respected citizens and students.

Why wouldn't you want winning players like Hansbrough, Russell Westbrook, Brandon Rush and Kyle Singler? All were top recruits that will play or are playing in the NBA, and all were model citizens and winners in college. What is so bad about that dude?

Pat

i would like to say that Crean could go after a JUCO player in the 10 class because the team needs leadership and would give us scholarships in 2 years, but i love the class of 2011

Kelin Blab

I read on another blog on the side there......mike davis is about to lose a bunch of players to academic issues....not to mention MD jr. is academically ineligible. Not good for Mike D.

Sallad

The jump on the sidebar from 2009 Commits to 2011 Commit(s) is always a little jarring to me. I mean, I know that we don't have anyone, but sometimes it does prompt a mental "Really?"

In other news, Rick Greenspan opened the door for me today at Chipotle.

Pat

I think that Coach Crean should get one recruit in the '10 class, because Crosby will likely be a bust, and what i have heard about Mobley is that he can provide 12 and 7 for his highschool team, "really that dosent seem productive at all to me". So go after someone big or dont offer any scholarships at all, cause that 2011 class is loaded with kids from Indiana and Illinois, such as Teague (pg) Davis (pg) Chandler(c) Zeller (pf) Plumlee (pf) Thompson (sf) and Randle (sg)....any other comments on that class or 11'

jgongora86

I have a stupid idea. How about not using any scholarships on the 2010 class. We all agree that he is way behind in recruiting this class, and I don't want to recruit another big man who is an experiment or not highly recruited. Yet he is way ahead and we can cash in big time for the 2011 and 2012 classes. Furthermore, we would only have to worry about having a limited amount of scholarships once every four years. Hu?

Kelin Blab

J-
I agree with that, the 2011 class is a class that is strong all the way around and we are starting out on a level playing field with other coaches.......I say screw 2010 if no one major comes in and focus on the next year.

IndianaJoe

I don't think that's stupid at all, but I think Crean should throw a few lines in the water and see if a big fish bites. If he can't get a big time recruit, there's no need to worry because the 2011 class is loaded with talent. Crean needs to start establishing relationships with these kids now instead of going after mediocre talent in 2010.

JerryCT

Do I have to be stupid to agree with you ? Just wondering.

I think as perhaps you do that it would be better to defer recruitng "projects" or relatively unattractive talent to land quality later. I also think it would actually help smooth the flow of recruits and better target and balance them to the positions we need as we have time to see how our guys are working out.( ie development, injuries, transfers ).

So I agree with Tberry, Hoostheman as well.

Lets face it.

Taskmaster75

Well, the problem is, Crean's offense is based all around guards, so an excess of guards should usually be expected. We have yet to see what this offense will look like. Im pretty sure we will see it every game next year.

JerryCT

IMO I donot see Crean's offense as a "guard" based offense as much as an offense that rewards and requires all around skills at every position. He really only needs 1 PG for example the rest donot have to be guards at all.

Our offense starts most of the time out of a 1-4 High set ( vs a stack down low etc ) and every one in the scheme must be able to cut, pass, dribble and set picks. (Which is why Moore is setting picks half the time). It assumes that all 5 players have a way to score vs last year's 2 person team ie dumping down to DJ and sets for EJ .

I admit it looks like it is "guard" oriented but it mostly "guard skills" oriented. If 6'6"+ guys were able enough to do all the things required ( ie Watford, maybe Elston ) then it will not look so much like all guards.

CoveyDale

"mostly guard skills oriented" - you're right on the money with that, Jerry.

in the past, Crean hasn't had teams that trotted out all players 6'4 and under. but, all of his bigs (the best example probably being Steve Novak) could step out and stretch the defense ala Kirk Haston.

that got me thinking, what's the over/under on the amount of points Haston would average per game under Crean? 64 1/2?

hoostheman

I think we're getting into a forest/tree situation here. With the 2009 class on board IU will have a fairly balanced team between the front and back courts. In 2010 we should be going after the most talented players available irrespective of position.

tberry

Not if they are all guards or small forwards!!!

JerryCT

If we have 2 schollies I would go for 1 of each but have higher requirements for each. One big who is a dynamite defender and one guard who is a scoring PG and can defend the point of attack against speed.

I donot know COusins but he does not sound like either one .

JerryCT

Sorry , I meant Mobley

Disco_Briscoe

Thanks Alex

Fife Dog

Name the last tema to win it all with a "big" man. I hardly consider Jokim Noah a big man. Pritchard will do

BGleas

Name the last team to win it all without a big man? How is Noah not a big man? Those Florida teams had two bigs drafted in the NBA lottery, and many believe Horford should have been rookie of the year last year.

I think the last team to win a title without a true legit big was maybe Michigan State?

Brad

Sure I would love a stud big man, but who is that going to be in the 2010 class? The only one with a remote interest is Josh Smith and that isn't going to happen.

Also, there are several teams that have won recently without a big man that I would consider a stud. Syracuse, Maryland, the aformentioned MSU, UCONN in '99, Arizona in '97. Those are just some I can think of quickly. I think the common factor is that you have to have STUD players in general and probably multiple studs. We are getting there and may already have two in the fold (Watford and Creek)....we shall see. If we could add a stud scorer and ball handler like Irving that would only help our team. At least in my eyes. Of course I also see Pritchard as a potential All-Big Ten performer. One of those 15 and 8 guys on a good team.

Bryan

Here's what I came up with:

The last 10 years - teams with elite big men that won titles.
2004 - UConn - Emeka Okafor
2005 - North Carolina - Sean May
2006, 2007 - Florida - Noah, Horford

No singular stud big man, but plenty of frontcourt firepower
1998 - Kentucky - no stud big, but the front court had longtime NBA players Jamal Magloire and Scott Padgett, and had two other 6'10'' players.
1999 - UConn - Jake Voskhul, plus 3 more frontcourt players taller than 6'11''
2001- Duke - Carlos Boozer, Shane Battier are 6'9'', and the team had 3 additional players at 6'10'' or taller.
2002 - Maryland (ugh) - no "stud", but Chris Wilcox has a pro career, and their frontline was 6'10'', 6'10'', 6'9''

The others
2000 - Michigan State - no one of note, and no one taller than 6'9''.
2003 - Syracuse - not as tall, but Hakim Warrick (6'9'') had the wingspan of a condor, and a solid NBA career.

So, of the last 10:
- 4 had premier (at least at the college level) big men.
- 4 others had frontcourts with multiple players about 6'10'', with at least one NBA level talent among them.
- Syracuse had a unique big in Warrick, and I can't really explain Michigan State.

In 8 of 10 circumstances, the winning team had imposing size in their frontcourt, or a game changing C/PF. Seems like a pretty good track record, especially now that premier high school players can't go directly to the NBA anymore.

Brad

Worried about big guys? What about Pritchard, Elston, Capo, Muniru, Watford and Jobe? That's 6 guys 6'8" or taller. 5 of which are freshmen or sophomores. Maybe you could add one more big guy, but its not a necessity, imo. At this point I think you only take a guy if he is a big time talent. No need to add an unknown that won't get off the pine. Irving would add some definite scoring punch to the lineup.

BGleas

Brad -

I understand your point about Pritchard, Elston, Capo, Watford and Muniru, all seem like good gets for the interior game, but I think a lot of people's frustration is, other than DJ, when was the last time a big man was the headliner of a recruiting class for IU?

When was the last time we had a stud big recruit?

pacino

Agree! I dont want to sound impatient, but it seems like all the other programs don't have a hard time finding a stud big to commit. Look wat Bruce Pearl has done, Tubby Smith, Thad Matta, Gillespie, Gaudio. It just seems like I have been waiting my whole life for IU to sign another DJ White type of guy. I know our circumstances have been tough, so please don't get mad at me. Does anyone else feel the same way?

joejoe

You have been "waiting your whole life?" DJ just graduated. I could understand if you said I have been waiting my whole life for IU to sign another Isaiah Thomas or Quinn Buckner those guys have been gone awhile. Give it some time.

Bryan

Anybody else worried that the targets for 2010 don't include tall people? I know we've can't just put all our eggs in one basket for a big man (the classic Mike Davis mistake), but even with the 2009 class on campus, we're still going to be rather guard-heavy in the 2009-2010 season. Is the IU staff making inroads with any big men (i.e. 6'10'' or taller) that aren't complete projects?

hoosierfan27

We'll gain a lot of size with the freshman class

Bryan

The team will be taller next year, and certainly much improved. I just remember how last year's team struggled against taller teams. Granted, UConn is a bit of a freak show as far as height is concerned, but we lost handily to Arkansas. Even if you excuse that loss to the Kelvin Sampson fiasco, we also couldn't close the deal against Wisconsin, and struggled more than we probably should have against Illinois and Ohio State, who were among the top 20 teams in effective height (for those of you that read Ken Pomeroy's site) last year.

All I'm really trying to say I'd prefer to not see guards for the sake of guards in the 2010 class. If they aren't blue chip recruits, or if Crean isn't convinced he's found the next Dwayne Wade (who was on no one's recruiting lists), I'd prefer him to take a pass rather than filling a spot. Of course, I don't just want the tallest guy available either. Others have posted that they'd prefer to pass 2010 in order to land more top recruits in 2011. I think I might be in that camp as well.

dale11

i think we should be alright with pritchard, elston, capobianco, and bawa...and im sure watford will be able to defend a bigger guy. i would think 4 guys rotating between 1 or 2 positions on the floor at the same time should work out.

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