Time to Restructure Recruiting Strategy - Less Emphasis on One and Dones
- Great coaches make style adjustments as the sport evolves.
- One and dones have become a bigger part of college basketball at the elite levels. Self has evolved to accept this by successfully recruiting such players. The results have been solid relative to the conference, and absolutely uninspiring in the tournament.
- Kentucky will fully own the 1 and done market after winning the title in 2012, making the title game in 2014 and likely making the final four this year. We will not win head to head recruiting v Kentucky. This is just going to be the reality in 90% plus of the scenarios.
- Self has been at his best developing players over the season and over 3-4 year careers. These teams improve start to finish during the season, something that has not regularly happened with one and done led teams at KU. Remember when KU use to enjoy huge strides during the winter break?
- I don't even want to evaluate why Self does not get the best teams with one and dones. It works for Calipari; it does not get the best from Self led teams. I don't even care why this is; just accept that he is better with program guys.
- Need to build out a set of program guys and stop trying to land every 1 and done. Once we establish ourselves with program players, then, and only then, we can try to fit in an annual 1 and done that fills a need.
Conclusion: This is not anti Self, this is not doom and gloom, this is just recognizing that sometimes the strategy needs adjusting. Self was embarassed on national TV today against a team that he refuses to schedule. That is a painful sentence to type, but it is also the reality. Refusing to play WSU might be for very good reasons, yet Marshall just poured in the salt by saying he hopes to play KU every year in the tournament. Self is certanily one competitive guy and hopefully this trainwreck of a game will inspire him to self reflect. I hope his first inspiration is to reevaluate the way he approaches one and dones. The best coaches go through setbacks. The legends make adjustments.
This post was edited on 3/22 8:24 PM by dtrain2
- Great coaches make style adjustments as the sport evolves.
- One and dones have become a bigger part of college basketball at the elite levels. Self has evolved to accept this by successfully recruiting such players. The results have been solid relative to the conference, and absolutely uninspiring in the tournament.
- Kentucky will fully own the 1 and done market after winning the title in 2012, making the title game in 2014 and likely making the final four this year. We will not win head to head recruiting v Kentucky. This is just going to be the reality in 90% plus of the scenarios.
- Self has been at his best developing players over the season and over 3-4 year careers. These teams improve start to finish during the season, something that has not regularly happened with one and done led teams at KU. Remember when KU use to enjoy huge strides during the winter break?
- I don't even want to evaluate why Self does not get the best teams with one and dones. It works for Calipari; it does not get the best from Self led teams. I don't even care why this is; just accept that he is better with program guys.
- Need to build out a set of program guys and stop trying to land every 1 and done. Once we establish ourselves with program players, then, and only then, we can try to fit in an annual 1 and done that fills a need.
Conclusion: This is not anti Self, this is not doom and gloom, this is just recognizing that sometimes the strategy needs adjusting. Self was embarassed on national TV today against a team that he refuses to schedule. That is a painful sentence to type, but it is also the reality. Refusing to play WSU might be for very good reasons, yet Marshall just poured in the salt by saying he hopes to play KU every year in the tournament. Self is certanily one competitive guy and hopefully this trainwreck of a game will inspire him to self reflect. I hope his first inspiration is to reevaluate the way he approaches one and dones. The best coaches go through setbacks. The legends make adjustments.
This post was edited on 3/22 8:24 PM by dtrain2
