2023 Recruiting

[Dak1219]

Before, it was that the assistants needed time to build relationships and that our year was 2023. Now, it’s Kellie is being careful who joins the team? I’m pretty sure everyone on our list was offered a scholarship and we would have taken their commitment if they wanted to come here. If there is a hidden reason why Kellie is pushing away potential recruits it sure would be nice to know what that is. Perception is reality and it looks really bad that she can hardly get any high school recruits. Building the team thru the portal is risky and the foundation should be players you have an established relationship with and who want to be here….then sprinkle in a few additions who fit the culture. But the idea that we are turning away great players because of some hidden reason is laughable…the reason…we are not getting it done. The coaches are not selling the program well enough. Dispute all you want but where are the commitments? At this point, where is the commitment? There are plenty of coaches who have done very little at their school and are still getting commitments. If someone has the goods on why we are scaring away the great talent, feel free to share. It’s sad. We are a great program in the history of WBB and it shouldn’t be this hard to get players. Something needs to change. I will ask one more time, at what point do people start questioning the recruiting???

What if Kellie already has the commitment of maybe a Jordan Horston, Tamari Key, or Rickea Jackson playing their 5th season? There could be a ton of reasons. Even if we graduate 6 seniors we are still a team of ten with 2 all Americans still on the team. Who knows what a recruit's motivations are? Maybe they want to play right away or know they are going to get those extended minutes as a freshman. That is going to be tough to do on this team for the next 2 years unless they come in physically and mentally able to compete with a team full of top 40 players with 2+ years of college experience under their belt. Granted, Kellie plays her bench deep, but the rotations are going to be limited unless you are in that top 8-9 players.

 

[LadyOrange]

What I want to know is where all of the recruits are at that many of you were saying we would have in the 2023 class??? Not happy about this at all, but I’m not seeing the results. All I hear mostly is a bunch of excuses. There’s too much NIL…you all really think that Virginia and Alabama are throwing around NIL money to high school WBB recruits? We lost Cody to Bama and McGhee and Johnson to UVA. When does it start to be a problem? When will it be okay to admit that recruiting is a problem? The strategy they are using is not working. It’s not! Sorry if saying this makes me a negavol or troll, but I call it like I see it.

Posted this earlier. You do know that AAU coaches are basically paid to send players to schools, right?

 

[LadyOrange]

Before, it was that the assistants needed time to build relationships and that our year was 2023. Now, it’s Kellie is being careful who joins the team? I’m pretty sure everyone on our list was offered a scholarship and we would have taken their commitment if they wanted to come here. If there is a hidden reason why Kellie is pushing away potential recruits it sure would be nice to know what that is. Perception is reality and it looks really bad that she can hardly get any high school recruits. Building the team thru the portal is risky and the foundation should be players you have an established relationship with and who want to be here….then sprinkle in a few additions who fit the culture. But the idea that we are turning away great players because of some hidden reason is laughable…the reason…we are not getting it done. The coaches are not selling the program well enough. Dispute all you want but where are the commitments? At this point, where is the commitment? There are plenty of coaches who have done very little at their school and are still getting commitments. If someone has the goods on why we are scaring away the great talent, feel free to share. It’s sad. We are a great program in the history of WBB and it shouldn’t be this hard to get players. Something needs to change. I will ask one more time, at what point do people start questioning the recruiting???

And I will say one more time. AAU coaches. Follow the money.

 

[Volfan2012]

Evidently you have the set up the NIL deals as part of the recruiting of players. I heard that all three Barnes recruits already have 60 thousand dollar NIL deals. I think some of the womens coaches are setting up NIL deals. I know one school Texas Tech has 25 thousand for every player on their roster. TTU women's hoops players land $25K NIL deals That is a smaller type school so you can see the power five getting that money on up there probably challenging the WNBA starting salary or more. I can really see a way that Key. Jackson, and Horston might stay for their covid year they might could make more in college.

 

[River67]

Kellie is rebuilding a brand and has the current talent to do it. I believe she has to be very careful with who joins this new union. So, if that means we clean house in the portal, so be it. There’s a reason why things are going they way they are going and NONE OF YOU KNOW THE REASON! A lot of you need to calm the heck down!

Kids waiting so long to commit is one of the problems. We had a 2023 commit, but waited until after we picked up the 4 transfers and one of those essentially took that spot. The 2023 class has been strange to say the least. Jordan and Rickea both said they’re not opposed to taking the Covid year too

 

[leeeda97]

Posted this earlier. You do know that AAU coaches are basically paid to send players to schools, right?

This! It makes having strong NIL deal even more important. Schools that dont pay COACHES/HANDLERS have to work 3x as hard to get a recruit.

 

[PAPI]

I guess we will never get over the hump because of AAU coaches and NIL deals…no reason to worry at all. Thanks for the insight. I will say it again, when is anyone prepared to say the lack of recruiting is troubling? I guess no one wants to admit what is plain as day.

 

[VolBall09]

Kellie isn’t willing to cheat or pay to play. If that means we miss on some kids out of high school, so be it.

Let it be known I think AAU coaches (there are exceptions) are one of the lowest life forms in sports. Mostly washed up wannabes who are looking for a ride off of others. Any coach who is taking money for delivering a kid to any particular school should be banned from coaching.

 

[mudcat1973]

If vols football are giving NIL deals for signing commits to be a vols.. Other schools have money waiting for players to sign their name. Not kept up with who paying what money in football vols or others schools. But if its allowed in football & womens basketball then Then lady vols need start playing NIL deal game or get real good at transfer portal. And hope for few girls not seeing $ dollar signs. but love of game!

 

[37620VOL]

Kellie isn’t willing to cheat or pay to play. If that means we miss on some kids out of high school, so be it.

Let it be known I think AAU coaches (there are exceptions) are one of the lowest life forms in sports. Mostly washed up wannabes who are looking for a ride off of others. Any coach who is taking money for delivering a kid to any particular school should be banned from coaching.

We need an NIL game stronger than any other. We should never lose a recruit we want because they got a better NIL deal elsewhere. If we fall behind the times on NIL, we will be in big trouble 3 years from now.
Now... I want to emphatically state that I do not think AD White and CKH will let this happen.

 

[VolBall09]

We need an NIL game stronger than any other. We should never lose a recruit we want because they got a better NIL deal elsewhere. If we fall behind the times on NIL, we will be in big trouble 3 years from now.
Now... I want to emphatically state that I do not think AD White and CKH will let this happen.

NIL is one thing and I think we are plenty competitive on that front.

My issues is with under the table cash to these kids handlers. As soon as an adult is getting paid to direct a student athlete to a school they are no longer acting in the interest of the kid, they are acting in their own best interest.

Kellie isn’t going to pay some slimy AAU Coach to convince a kid to come to UT. If they want it, they will choose it. Whether it’s out of HS or in a year or two from the portal.

 

[turbovol]

NIL is one thing and I think we are plenty competitive on that front.

My issues is with under the table cash to these kids handlers. As soon as an adult is getting paid to direct a student athlete to a school they are no longer acting in the interest of the kid, they are acting in their own best interest.

Kellie isn’t going to pay some slimy AAU Coach to convince a kid to come to UT. If they want it, they will choose it. Whether it’s out of HS or in a year or two from the portal.

You don't know that kids or their families are getting paid--you're guessing. About 95 of the top 100 have committed elsewhere. I'm quite sure that the vast majority of them have not received illegal benefits.

 

[turbovol]

We need an NIL game stronger than any other. We should never lose a recruit we want because they got a better NIL deal elsewhere. If we fall behind the times on NIL, we will be in big trouble 3 years from now.
Now... I want to emphatically state that I do not think AD White and CKH will let this happen.

NIL is a joke. People who put up money to offer some sort of financial deal to a kid before s/he has even chosen a college, or played, is absurd. I'd suggest that not more than 10 maybe 15 of the players in the top 100 will be good enough in college to even merit a modest NIL deal. When you say we need a "stronger" NIL program, you seem to be suggesting that we should be offering even better deals to unproven players than other colleges. In other words, let's waste more money on players than other schools. The whole NIL thing is nonsense.

If someone comes to Tennessee and becomes a star basketball player, and a company thinks it can leverage that player's status to sell some product, then, yea, then offer the player some sort of deal involving product endorsement or T-shirts or somesuch. That makes sense. Effectively paying players to sign with your school--which you and others seem to be suggesting--is nothing but bribery and should be outlawed by the NCAA and conferences. That was never the purpose of NIL, which has just opened a big can of worms because activists think players getting full college scholarships are somehow exploited. It's total nonsense.

 

[turbovol]

Evidently you have the set up the NIL deals as part of the recruiting of players. I heard that all three Barnes recruits already have 60 thousand dollar NIL deals. I think some of the womens coaches are setting up NIL deals. I know one school Texas Tech has 25 thousand for every player on their roster. TTU women's hoops players land $25K NIL deals That is a smaller type school so you can see the power five getting that money on up there probably challenging the WNBA starting salary or more. I can really see a way that Key. Jackson, and Horston might stay for their covid year they might could make more in college.

The NCAA and conferences should outlaw NIL deals until after a player has enrolled at a school and is playing. Offering kids money to sign is just bribery and cheating...total BS.

 

[Volfan2012]

The NCAA and conferences should outlaw NIL deals until after a player has enrolled at a school and is playing. Offering kids money to sign is just bribery and cheating...total BS.

The court took the power away from the NCAA and conferences to do this. The player no matter where they are or what grade they are in even an eighth grader is the owner of their name and likeness to make deals. Yes there is now a lot of cheating going on because anyone that owns a business can take any player and give them a deal anytime they want. So any coach can tell a player that this business wants to make you an offer to represent their products so if you come to our school the deal is yours. How many boosters who are owners of businesses have money to burn to get players they want to their school. Barnes and Heupel already understand this and they are in the game. Have no idea if Kellie is seems doubtful. I did see where she hired a person to take care of NIL deals for players and offer them help. The best college athletes are becoming millionaires before they ever step on campus and almost every athlete in a major sport will be getting close to 50 grand soon if they are not already.

 

[LadyVol1908]

The NCAA and conferences should outlaw NIL deals until after a player has enrolled at a school and is playing. Offering kids money to sign is just bribery and cheating...total BS.

THIS, because you can essentially buy a player, which is INSANE!

 

[37620VOL]

NIL is a joke. People who put up money to offer some sort of financial deal to a kid before s/he has even chosen a college, or played, is absurd. I'd suggest that not more than 10 maybe 15 of the players in the top 100 will be good enough in college to even merit a modest NIL deal. When you say we need a "stronger" NIL program, you seem to be suggesting that we should be offering even better deals to unproven players than other colleges. In other words, let's waste more money on players than other schools. The whole NIL thing is nonsense.

If someone comes to Tennessee and becomes a star basketball player, and a company thinks it can leverage that player's status to sell some product, then, yea, then offer the player some sort of deal involving product endorsement or T-shirts or somesuch. That makes sense. Effectively paying players to sign with your school--which you and others seem to be suggesting--is nothing but bribery and should be outlawed by the NCAA and conferences. That was never the purpose of NIL, which has just opened a big can of worms because activists think players getting full college scholarships are somehow exploited. It's total nonsense.

Naive, very naive. NIL is here to stay and almost all of the top 100 recruits are going to demand it. You may have one-offs that are legacies, super fans, or wanting a prestigious degree that don't, but most of them are chasing the highest offer. These late commits are coming down to the highest bidder. It's legal, we're doing it like crazy on the men's side, and we better be doing it on the women's side. If I had a child athlete at that level, I would tell them to find 5 coaches and schools that they love and go with the best NIL deal.

 

[LadyOrange]

Well, I take solace in the fact that some players are not for sale. And this is directly from these recruits.

 

[CP3_LVFL]

Maybe it's the fact that kellie isn't a top tier coach. Now before anyone comes at me with all the Kellie is this and that crap just listen.
I am by NO means saying she isn't a good coach, or a coach that doesn't love her players or a coach that doesn't respect her players, I think she is all of those things. What she is NOT is a TOP LEVEL or any level winning coach (i think she did take 1 team to a sweeet 16 in her career). Now compare her resume to the likes of GENO, KIM, VIC, DAWN ect and so on and you will see! When TOP elite recruits think about college and playing they
1. Want to play under a Coach that knows what they are doing on the court
2. One who can develop them into someone who can play pro
3. One who can win championships (BIG one here)

If you were a recruit and had the choice to play for Kellie or Dawn Geno Vic Tara, Kim who would you choose.? Obviously there is some reason recruits are cutting TN off and moving on.

TN use to be the #1 place to play women's basketball but it wasn't bc knoxville is such an awesome place to live and there is so much to offer. Yes we have the BEST and I mean BEST facilities but kids wanted to come here bc of one reason and one reason only PAT SUMMIT (the coach) kids knew what she was about, they knew what she produced and they knew one BIG thing THEY WOULD WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS
they do not know that or believe that anymore

This is not bashing Kellie, I personally like her and think she is a good person. As far as recruiting goes the staff is definitely lacking something and I think it starts with a coach who has proven they can get it done.

JMO no negativity towards TN or lady vols just opinion on why recruits are going else where

 

[37620VOL]

THIS, because you can essentially buy a player, which is INSANE!

Unfortunately what you are saying violates the constitution of the country that we live in. The NCAA nor any of the conferences have any right to violate individuals' rights to earn money. Thus say the Courts.
At most, they can provide some guardrails.

 

[GameTime]

NIL deals are legal....It's not cheating anymore...The student can get as much money as they can haggle for.

The college cannot be directly involved with the money process, but no one knows what goes on behind closed doors....

As pointed out, Coach Kellie has already hired a woman to help her athletes with their NIL deals...

It's a brave new world guys...

 

[37620VOL]

If you were a recruit and had the choice to play for Kellie or Dawn Geno Vic Tara, Kim who would you choose.? Obviously there is some reason recruits are cutting TN off and moving on.

Putting aside that I have been a LV fan since I was in diapers, those are ALL excellent coaches. I would cross off Kim because I like to shoot 3s. So my final 5 would be CKH, Dawn, Geno, Vic, and Tara. Given that these are all excellent universities and coaches, I'm going with the best 4-yr NIL deal.

 

[lvocd]

Maybe it's the fact that kellie isn't a top tier coach. Now before anyone comes at me with all the Kellie is this and that crap just listen.
I am by NO means saying she isn't a good coach, or a coach that doesn't love her players or a coach that doesn't respect her players, I think she is all of those things. What she is NOT is a TOP LEVEL or any level winning coach (i think she did take 1 team to a sweeet 16 in her career). Now compare her resume to the likes of GENO, KIM, VIC, DAWN ect and so on and you will see! When TOP elite recruits think about college and playing they
1. Want to play under a Coach that knows what they are doing on the court
2. One who can develop them into someone who can play pro
3. One who can win championships (BIG one here)

If you were a recruit and had the choice to play for Kellie or Dawn Geno Vic Tara, Kim who would you choose.? Obviously there is some reason recruits are cutting TN off and moving on.

TN use to be the #1 place to play women's basketball but it wasn't bc knoxville is such an awesome place to live and there is so much to offer. Yes we have the BEST and I mean BEST facilities but kids wanted to come here bc of one reason and one reason only PAT SUMMIT (the coach) kids knew what she was about, they knew what she produced and they knew one BIG thing THEY WOULD WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS
they do not know that or believe that anymore

This is not bashing Kellie, I personally like her and think she is a good person. As far as recruiting goes the staff is definitely lacking something and I think it starts with a coach who has proven they can get it done.

JMO no negativity towards TN or lady vols just opinion on why recruits are going else where

That was an outstanding recruiting post, CP3_LVFL -- FOR OTHER PROGRAMS BESIDES TENNESSEE.

Goodness gracious.

 

[turbovol]

Naive, very naive. NIL is here to stay and almost all of the top 100 recruits are going to demand it. You may have one-offs that are legacies, super fans, or wanting a prestigious degree that don't, but most of them are chasing the highest offer. These late commits are coming down to the highest bidder. It's legal, we're doing it like crazy on the men's side, and we better be doing it on the women's side. If I had a child athlete at that level, I would tell them to find 5 coaches and schools that they love and go with the best NIL deal.

It shouldn't be "here to stay." It's nonsense. It's legalized cheating--bribery---and everyone in the sport has pointed out that doing NIL deals with prospect was not the original intention. And it shouldn't be. That is why conference should ban members schools from offering NIL deals to prospects. NIL was meant to be offered to certain high-profile players //already in school and playing//. That makes sense. Offering deals to everybody, or certain players, just to get them to sign with your school is nothing but corruption--bribery--and should never be allowed. It will ruin the sport. You'll just have prospects signing with the highest bidder. That's corruption. I don't know how much of it is going on now--but it shouldn't be going on at all.

 

[volnationnj]

That was an outstanding recruiting post, CP3_LVFL -- FOR OTHER PROGRAMS BESIDES TENNESSEE.

Goodness gracious.

It's been 14 years since we were in the final four. That means that the girls we're recruiting today have never watched Tennessee play, live, in the final four. It's all history to them. And that does make a difference, even for Tennessee.
That's also why it's so important for the LV's to do well this year.