2024 Recruiting Thread

[Majors]

Also playing with better players makes a difference...

Absolutely it does. Playing with better players gives more opportunities to score because attention is on them.

 

[FormerLadyVolFan]

High School recruiting is hit or miss... It's why most top ranked teams are emphasizing the transfer portal to recruit proven players.

It’s somewhat a reflection on CKH and high school recruiting, as JP was her first prize recruit in 20 years. She does what you want her to do, we have bigger issues in recruiting.

 

[Majors]

High School recruiting is hit or miss... It's why most top ranked teams are emphasizing the transfer portal to recruit proven players.

The stance was being her highest rated recruit ever. She needed her to be successful to parlay that to others seeing JP success under CKH. The teams we are chasing are still nailing HS recruiting while dipping into the portal.

 

[WinnerCircle]

Says who? Talaysia Cooper transferred to Tennessee right after this player left.
T.Coop was a 5-star McD All-American.
Finley Chastain, Nyla Brooks, and Kaniya Boyd all are highly rated prospects still in HS.

Highest rated player that has officially signed out of HS doesn’t mean nothing, the rankings aren’t even accurate and don’t tell the entire story.

And had Talaysia Cooper signed with Tennessee or any other school outside of South Carolina who had 6 WNBA draft picks last season she would’ve played a lot of minutes as a freshman.
If it had been TN which was her next choice, we would’ve been having a completely different conversation because GAME COMMENTATORS have spoken highly of T.Coop ability just from watching her pre-game and practice scout reps.
Stop blaming the coach for this player’s decision(s).

 

[Voltopia]

Also playing with better players makes a difference...

Okay, sure, but if we're going to dig for reasons to explain stat lines - Vanderbilt has played Kennesaw State, WKU, UT-Martin, and Fairfield. If a player needs need to have better players around them to meet or exceed Darby's stats against those teams, then I don't know ... uh ... I don't know how that math checks out.

Regardless, the assertion was that Pissott was on par or exceeding Darby's stats as a sophomore or junior (or whatever), and that the "numbers do not lie." Except the numbers don't say that at all. They say Darby was a better shooter as a sophomore, and a much better shooter as a junior. Maybe that'll change later, or maybe someone can wander into the weeds and try to count offensive rebounds or adjusted efficiency or whatever, but to claim Pissott is on par or exceeding her is clearly not true.

 

[Majors]

Says who? Talaysia Cooper transferred to Tennessee right after this player left.
T.Coop was a 5-star McD All-American.
Finley Chastain, Nyla Brooks, and Kaniya Boyd all are highly rated prospects still in HS.

Highest rated player that has officially signed out of HS doesn’t mean nothing, the rankings aren’t even accurate and don’t tell the entire story.

And had Talaysia Cooper signed with Tennessee or any other school outside of South Carolina who had 6 WNBA draft picks last season she would’ve played a lot of minutes as a freshman.
If it had been TN which was her next choice, we would’ve been having a completely different conversation because GAME COMMENTATORS have spoken highly of T.Coop ability just from watching her pre-game and practice scout reps.
Stop blaming the coach for this player’s decision(s).

Those young ones you mentioned have yet to arrive on campus. We seem to celebrate players who couldn’t make it at other programs for what ever reason. I’m all for second chances and glad they are here. Rickea has allowed us to not fall further behind in the SEC. Cooper isn’t playing for us right now so we don’t know what she brings to this team.

Are we picking and choosing player rankings now or only when it benefits us? Can’t have it both ways.

Where did I say blame the coaches for a kids decision? I’ve stated this staff isn’t very good at evaluating and recruiting. Fall back recruiting, isn’t being nice and hoping the player somehow doesn’t make it because they were recruited over, lack of playing time or needs a bigger brand to get to the WNBA.

 

[WinnerCircle]

If you think that’s the case and you are in the majority when applying this kind of logic (they couldn’t or didn’t make it) to the signings of Rickea Jackson, Jasmine Powell, Jewel Spear, Jillian Hollingshead, Destinee Well, and Talaysia Cooper then so be it. That’s your opinion.

All were Top 100 recruits out of HS. Wells, Spear, Powell, and Rickea all came to TN having earned multiple collegiate accolades.
Neither had to leave their previous school it was their decision to enter the portal.

 

[Majors]

If you think that’s the case and you are in the majority when applying this kind of logic (they couldn’t or didn’t make it) to the signings of Rickea Jackson, Jasmine Powell, Jewel Spear, Jillian Hollingshead, Destinee Well, and Talaysia Cooper then so be it. That’s your opinion.

All were Top 100 recruits out of HS. Wells, Spear, Powell, and Rickea all came to TN having earned multiple collegiate accolades.
Neither had to leave their previous school it was their decision to enter the portal.

Per your previous post HS rankings don’t matter. So which is? You stated they aren’t accurate.

 

[madtownvol]

Those young ones you mentioned have yet to arrive on campus. We seem to celebrate players who couldn’t make it at other programs for what ever reason. I’m all for second chances and glad they are here. Rickea has allowed us to not fall further behind in the SEC. Cooper isn’t playing for us right now so we don’t know what she brings to this team.

Are we picking and choosing player rankings now or only when it benefits us? Can’t have it both ways.

Where did I say blame the coaches for a kids decision? I’ve stated this staff isn’t very good at evaluating and recruiting. Fall back recruiting, isn’t being nice and hoping the player somehow doesn’t make it because they were recruited over, lack of playing time or needs a bigger brand to get to the WNBA.

That is kind of how HS recruiting works. They don';t immediately start playing but teams have to wait for them to graduate from HS. You will say anything to diminish anything Kellie accomplishes won't you?

And which players could not make it at other programs-- Rickea? Destiny Wells? Powell?- all were doing just fine before they transferred. Hollingshead was injured much of her freshman year, which is not exactly not making it (see Candace Parker's freshman season as a LV).

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Those young ones you mentioned have yet to arrive on campus. We seem to celebrate players who couldn’t make it at other programs for what ever reason. I’m all for second chances and glad they are here. Rickea has allowed us to not fall further behind in the SEC. Cooper isn’t playing for us right now so we don’t know what she brings to this team.

Are we picking and choosing player rankings now or only when it benefits us? Can’t have it both ways.

Where did I say blame the coaches for a kids decision? I’ve stated this staff isn’t very good at evaluating and recruiting. Fall back recruiting, isn’t being nice and hoping the player somehow doesn’t make it because they were recruited over, lack of playing time or needs a bigger brand to get to the WNBA.

As for me I don’t look at the rankings, I look at the film and judge for myself, I look for certain things when I watch. That’s why when we got Pissott I didn’t say anything since everyone was excited, but I knew she wasn’t worth the hype from what I watched on film. At this point we don’t have any elite recruits coming in yet.

 

[Memvol44]

Okay, sure, but if we're going to dig for reasons to explain stat lines - Vanderbilt has played Kennesaw State, WKU, UT-Martin, and Fairfield. If a player needs need to have better players around them to meet or exceed Darby's stats against those teams, then I don't know ... uh ... I don't know how that math checks out.

Regardless, the assertion was that Pissott was on par or exceeding Darby's stats as a sophomore or junior (or whatever), and that the "numbers do not lie." Except the numbers don't say that at all. They say Darby was a better shooter as a sophomore, and a much better shooter as a junior. Maybe that'll change later, or maybe someone can wander into the weeds and try to count offensive rebounds or adjusted efficiency or whatever, but to claim Pissott is on par or exceeding her is clearly not true.

Didn't have to dig.Just a simple observation and certainly didn't require a 6 paragraph reply...

 

[Lucy]

As for me I don’t look at the rankings, I look at the film and judge for myself, I look for certain things when I watch. That’s why when we got Pissott I didn’t say anything since everyone was excited, but I knew she wasn’t worth the hype from what I watched on film. At this point we don’t have any elite recruits coming in yet.

No! Are you not counting Jackson, Cooper, Brooks and Boyd as elite recruits? They didn’t just wander in the door and say “Hi coach Kelli I was in the neighborhood and was wondering if you’d take my commitment to play for the LVs.
If you are not giving the staff and Kellie big kudos for those recruits you must have some other motive driving your posts.

 

[Voltopia]

Didn't have to dig.Just a simple observation and certainly didn't require a 6 paragraph reply...

It wasn't a six paragraph reply, and if someone's going to bring up numbers, taking a look at the numbers is warranted in the response. My only contention was with the previous claim that Pissott has equaled or exceeded Darby's stats. Someone said Pissott was shooting 30% - and I knew Darby wasn't a 30% shooter - so I pulled the numbers and compared them to see if the claim held water. I don't see the problem with that.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

No! Are you not counting Jackson, Cooper, Brooks and Boyd as elite recruits? They didn’t just wander in the door and say “Hi coach Kelli I was in the neighborhood and was wondering if you’d take my commitment to play for the LVs.
If you are not giving the staff and Kellie big kudos for those recruits you must have some other motive driving your posts.

Jackson and Cooper are transfers, I’m talking about high school recruits.I haven’t seen much tape on Brooks yet to make an opinion but I will once I’m caught up. Like I said I watch the tape and look for certain attributes that I think will translate to college, I’m not saying I’m always right but that’s my opinion. For example even though Chastain is coming in 2027 I think she’s elite so far from what I’ve seen. But let’s see how she develops over the years.

 

[Coach Jumper]

As for me I don’t look at the rankings, I look at the film and judge for myself, I look for certain things when I watch. That’s why when we got Pissott I didn’t say anything since everyone was excited, but I knew she wasn’t worth the hype from what I watched on film. At this point we don’t have any elite recruits coming in yet.

I want an athlete in the rankings if nothing more than to show I can get them,
If I am truly interested in an athlete that is not high in the ranks,,, I never rely on film segments...I want to see two full games,,,1 game where she had a good game and one where she didn't,,,,this way I get to see her in "the zone" and on an off night

 

[Majors]

As for me I don’t look at the rankings, I look at the film and judge for myself, I look for certain things when I watch. That’s why when we got Pissott I didn’t say anything since everyone was excited, but I knew she wasn’t worth the hype from what I watched on film. At this point we don’t have any elite recruits coming in yet.

I agree with that. During the time JP chose us, she saw her ranking rise drastically from her true ranking area to beyond her level of play. Always good to see who else is actively recruiting to get a gauge on if the rankings are somewhat legit.

 

[Majors]

That is kind of how HS recruiting works. They don';t immediately start playing but teams have to wait for them to graduate from HS. You will say anything to diminish anything Kellie accomplishes won't you?

And which players could not make it at other programs-- Rickea? Destiny Wells? Powell?- all were doing just fine before they transferred. Hollingshead was injured much of her freshman year, which is not exactly not making it (see Candace Parker's freshman season as a LV).

Rickea quit midway through the season on MS State, can’t really glaze over that. Lucky us though. Not every transfer is a “could not make it”…some fall into the category of playing for a bigger brand.

When your accomplishments are well behind elevating the program, you don’t really get too much praise.

 

[WinnerCircle]

Lol at the no elite recruits coming in at this point yet.
People just talking (in this case “typing”) to make themselves feel relevant at this point.

 

[Volfan2012]

Speaking of Justine, I was very much in her camp last season, believing that Kellie had not given her enough of a run.

I just checked her Vandy starts. 4 games with 2 starts. She is averaging 18 minutes and 6.8 points per game. She is shooting 29% from the 3 and 31% overall. And she has a grand total of 3 rebounds over those 4 games.

Maybe her numbers will pick up but it appears that Kellie was making the right call last season.

I see a lot of posters on here hoping for Wolfenbarger to come here. While she was at Arkansas she was Pissott 2.0 stood around on the perimeter and shot threes at 26 percent. Both Wolfenbarger and Pissott need to learn at 6'5" you have to be able to rebound and score in the post. Trying to play two guard is unacceptable anywhere, but maybe Vandy and Duke.

 

[Lucy]

Jackson and Cooper are transfers, I’m talking about high school recruits.I haven’t seen much tape on Brooks yet to make an opinion but I will once I’m caught up. Like I said I watch the tape and look for certain attributes that I think will translate to college, I’m not saying I’m always right but that’s my opinion. For example even though Chastain is coming in 2027 I think she’s elite so far from what I’ve seen. But let’s see how she develops over the years.

They all will/ have suited up in orange and Kellie and staff recruited them to come to UT. If you get 4 and 5 stars on the court that’s recruiting. Why does it matter whether they played in High school or college last year!!
Regarding Chastain she is just a few years past Chukee Cheese birthday parties. So really we should all just let her have fun for now. She maybe a young Candace or a young Pissott. We should all just hope she remains injury free and has a ball during her high school years.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

They all will/ have suited up in orange and Kellie and staff recruited them to come to UT. If you get 4 and 5 stars on the court that’s recruiting. Why does it matter whether they played in High school or college last year!!
Regarding Chastain she is just a few years past Chukee Cheese birthday parties. So really we should all just let her have fun for now. She maybe a young Candace or a young Pissott. We should all just hope she remains injury free and has a ball during her high school years.

Only time will tell how certain players pan out, I don’t focus on how many stars a player has, I focus on my eye test, that’s the problem with some people on here, they just like to say she was a 4-5 star recruit but she could have been overrated.for example Pissott and Juju Watkins are both 5 star recruits, do u think they are in the same league?

 

[Lucy]

Only time will tell how certain players pan out, I don’t focus on how many stars a player has, I focus on my eye test, that’s the problem with some people on here, they just like to say she was a 4-5 star recruit but she could have been overrated.for example Pissott and Juju Watkins are both 5 star recruits, do u think they are in the same league?

Nice try changing to a star discussion. I would certainly agree stars don’t guarantee great players but would you take 10 three stars or 10 5 stars? One 5 star might be a bust and one 3 star may turn out to be great. So I would just on statistics alone take the 5 stars. Also the folks awarding the stars make a career out of that and I can’t imagine you are better at evaluating talent than the folks who do that for a living.
Back to the original discussion Kellie has recruited multiple elite recruits and deserves credit for those. It does not matter whether they are coming to us via the portal or out of HS. Wow the negas just cannot give credit where credit is due on the great players Kellie has brought in!!

 

[DarkPhoenix]

Nice try changing to a star discussion. I would certainly agree stars don’t guarantee great players but would you take 10 three stars or 10 5 stars? One 5 star might be a bust and one 3 star may turn out to be great. So I would just on statistics alone take the 5 stars. Also the folks awarding the stars make a career out of that and I can’t imagine you are better at evaluating talent than the folks who do that for a living.
Back to the original discussion Kellie has recruited multiple elite recruits and deserves credit for those. It does not matter whether they are coming to us via the portal or out of HS. Wow the negas just cannot give credit where credit is due on the great players Kellie has brought in!!

I wasn’t making this about Kellie, this was about elite players and 5 star recruits. Yes we have Rickea and Spear who are great and we both agree on that. Maybe we will get another elite or 2 in the portal, that’s what I’m hoping for, nothing negative about what I’m saying, I’m just speaking the facts.

 

[Lucy]

I wasn’t making this about Kellie, this was about elite players and 5 star recruits. Yes we have Rickea and Spear who are great and we both agree on that. Maybe we will get another elite or 2 in the portal, that’s what I’m hoping for, nothing negative about what I’m saying, I’m just speaking the facts.

Back to the facts! Why in the world do you see yourself as speaking facts and everyone else just has opinions. Your personal evaluation of players are opinions not facts.
I believe that the high school recruits we have coming in should be really good based on their rankings etc. That is an opinion!
Fudd has a potentially bad knee injury. That is a fact.
It is a fact that you hope we get another elite player from the Portal (as we all do).
It is your opinion that our high school recruits are nothing to get excited about.
I am done with this bizarre tutorial over fact vs opinion.
As a matter of fact! I am going to have go have a toddy right now. THAT is a fact,

 

[Knoxvol14]

Speaking of Justine, I was very much in her camp last season, believing that Kellie had not given her enough of a run.

I just checked her Vandy starts. 4 games with 2 starts. She is averaging 18 minutes and 6.8 points per game. She is shooting 29% from the 3 and 31% overall. And she has a grand total of 3 rebounds over those 4 games.

Maybe her numbers will pick up but it appears that Kellie was making the right call last season.

People didn't come beating down her door to transfer to their program either. I think it's a matter of she was big time in her smaller program where she was from. Not all five stars in any sport pan out to be five stars in college. Maybe over time she will show more improvement. Wish her the best.