2024 Recruiting Thread

[DarkPhoenix]

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,

Don’t put words in my mouth, I’m saying that not all the so called 5 star recruits are elite and that’s a fact, not that my evaluation of a player is a fact, so hopefully I cleared that up for u, let’s see if u twist my words again.

 

[Lucy]

Don’t put words in my mouth, I’m saying that not all the so called 5 star recruits are elite and that’s a fact, not that my evaluation of a player is a fact, so hopefully I cleared that up for u, let’s see if u twist my words again.

You need to go back and review your old posts.

 

[Dak1219]

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.

Not to mention, Vandy does not have nearly the talent of Tennessee, so she should really be standing out there had she had the talent to get that extra time on the Court with the Lady Vols. I was hoping she might have some of the same skillset as the Samuelson sisters that played at Uconn and Standford, but that has not shown up yet.

 

[Dak1219]

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.

With todays transfer portal, portal recruiting is recruiting. These elite players we have on our roster out of the portal were also, recruited by Tennessee out of high school and initially decided to go somewhere else, i.e., Rickea, Talaysia, Jillian. Those are three High School All-Americans. Do you think had Kellie not formed that relationship back while they were in high school we would have gotten these players the second time around. The portal changes everything and the recruiting these coaches are doing while they are in highschool seems to be paying off with transfer portal recruits. It was actually coach Sams relationship with Rickea that got her here, but she was between South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi State as finalists coming out of high school. Rickea could have gone to LSU, Texas or South Carolina last year when she entered the portal, but chose to play for Kellie.

 

[glv98]

With todays transfer portal, portal recruiting is recruiting. These elite players we have on our roster out of the portal were also, recruited by Tennessee out of high school and initially decided to go somewhere else, i.e., Rickea, Talaysia, Jillian. Those are three High School All-Americans. Do you think had Kellie not formed that relationship back while they were in high school we would have gotten these players the second time around. The portal changes everything and the recruiting these coaches are doing while they are in highschool seems to be paying off with transfer portal recruits. It was actually coach Sams relationship with Rickea that got her here, but she was between South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi State as finalists coming out of high school. Rickea could have gone to LSU, Texas or South Carolina last year when she entered the portal, but chose to play for Kellie.

I don't think anyone is arguing against the portal nor whether the portal has been very, very, good to us. The question was whether high school recruiting, which the LVs sort of blow at right now, is even important or necessary any more. Can program live by portal alone? I'm afraid we're testing that the hard way.

 

[Dak1219]

I don't think anyone is arguing against the portal nor whether the portal has been very, very, good to us. The question was whether high school recruiting, which the LVs sort of blow at right now, is even important or necessary any more. Can program live by portal alone? I'm afraid we're testing that the hard way.

Of course, it is. I don't think we get Talaysia or Jillian without the recruiting in high school. I don't think we get Rickea without the relationship she formed with coach Sam while she was at Louisville recruiting her out of highschool. These relationships were built then and these young adults remember that.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

With todays transfer portal, portal recruiting is recruiting. These elite players we have on our roster out of the portal were also, recruited by Tennessee out of high school and initially decided to go somewhere else, i.e., Rickea, Talaysia, Jillian. Those are three High School All-Americans. Do you think had Kellie not formed that relationship back while they were in high school we would have gotten these players the second time around. The portal changes everything and the recruiting these coaches are doing while they are in highschool seems to be paying off with transfer portal recruits. It was actually coach Sams relationship with Rickea that got her here, but she was between South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi State as finalists coming out of high school. Rickea could have gone to LSU, Texas or South Carolina last year when she entered the portal, but chose to play for Kellie.

I’m glad she chose Tn, hope we can get a few more next season.

 

[glv98]

Of course, it is. I don't think we get Talaysia or Jillian without the recruiting in high school. I don't think we get Rickea without the relationship she formed with coach Sam while she was at Louisville recruiting her out of highschool. These relationships were built then and these young adults remember that.

For sure those relationships give us a foothold for the portal. The specific question came up over how much resources should be devoted to repeat visits for high school players who you know you don't have the resources to match the signing bonus offers of other schools. Apparently vast time and resources went into a handful of players who bailed last minute to follow the money.

 

[Lucy]

For sure those relationships give us a foothold for the portal. The specific question came up over how much resources should be devoted to repeat visits for high school players who you know you don't have the resources to match the signing bonus offers of other schools. Apparently vast time and resources went into a handful of players who bailed last minute to follow the money.

Perhaps those players will remember us after a year or two.

 

[glv98]

Perhaps those players will remember us after a year or two.

Sure hope so, since that's the basis of our recruiting right now. And that's really scary.

 

[Lucy]

Sure hope so, since that's the basis of our recruiting right now. And that's really scary.

No love for our high school recruits. I don’t get it.

 

[glv98]

No love for our high school recruits. I don’t get it.

Love em to death but they're too few and far between and honestly, not quite the blue chip variety we'd love to see. Doesn't mean some or all won't turn out great, but just look at what our closest rivals are raking in and it's clear we're just not keeping up in hs recruiting.

Being too dependent on either portal or hs instead of competing in both just makes me nervous. All eggs, one basket.

 

[LadyVol1908]

Love em to death but they're too few and far between and honestly, not quite the blue chip variety we'd love to see. Doesn't mean some or all won't turn out great, but just look at what our closest rivals are raking in and it's clear we're just not keeping up in hs recruiting.

Being too dependent on either portal or hs instead of competing in both just makes me nervous. All eggs, one basket.

THIS! All I think about is what if we whiff on the portal 1 year, it’ll be dark times in Lady Vol land.

 

[WinnerCircle]

Anybody saying any of the Lady Vols current HS recruits aren’t blue chip can’t be taken serious. Two will certainly be in the Top 5 - 15 of their respective classes by next season.
The other as I’ve stated and others close to the situation have provided coverage illustrating was ranked ahead of several players that many people on here pushed tirelessly for TN to sign and are calling them elite still today.
Well Kaniya Boyd was ranked ahead of several of those players between her sophomore-junior season in HS, if they are elite how is Boyd not elite?
Just say you wanted TN to sign certain players and not try to dim the light of this extremely skilled player.
She didn’t go to all those camps and is a team first player.
That’s how the ranking and recruiting service ties drive these narratives that fans pick up on through social media.
Truth is, she’s a proven winner. Elite defender. State Champion. Natural born leader.

You’ll see.

 

[lvocd]

Why is everyone wanting Pissott to do well? I wish her good health ... and complete failure on the court. I hope she misses all her shots and loses every sec game.

Yikes. Seriously? You would actually wish a young person, whom you have no idea what they might be going through in their lives or how devastatingly negatively she might be affected by it, to be a complete failure? Just out of your allegiance to another team?

Wow. Okay. I am soooooo not in agreement with that approach to life and love, but obviously we were raised to have different priorities.

Hope you're okay.

 

[madtownvol]

THIS! All I think about is what if we whiff on the portal 1 year, it’ll be dark times in Lady Vol land.

Love em to death but they're too few and far between and honestly, not quite the blue chip variety we'd love to see. Doesn't mean some or all won't turn out great, but just look at what our closest rivals are raking in and it's clear we're just not keeping up in hs recruiting.

Being too dependent on either portal or hs instead of competing in both just makes me nervous. All eggs, one basket.

Well before the portal, all eggs were also in one basket, though in desperation, even the legend CPS sometimes turned to the JUCO ranks. Kellie and staff have been using the portal (quite well) to build their roster. Kellie has recruited, via the portal, RJ, Hollingshead, Spear, Cooper, Powell, Wells, plus Strickland who is probably more of a role player. That is a really solid recruiting record. And now we have Boyd coming in via the HS route and she looks to be an underrated recruit. So, if not for the transfer would be very bleak indeed. Here is the good news--the transfer portal is a real, actual thing that brings in real actual players.

I don't get the downer narrative (and not just form you but many others) that the transfer portal is somehow an inferior, unsustainable route compared to HS recruiting.

In some ways, it reminds of the early days of three point shot, where many (pundits, fans, even coaches) treated those points as "settling" and as a kind of moral failing compared to those hard earned, "virtuous" points in the paint. It took about ten years for everyone to finally update and realize that 3 pts. > 2 pts. It seems like a similar old skool stubbornness is in play when it comes to the transfer portal.

Trust the process. Kellie has been finding ways to put good players on the floor.

It is funny, folks on this board have been gloomin' and doomin' Kellie on the recruiting front for five years (she is a terrible recruiter who will never build an elite!) and simultaneously lambasting her for not winning more with the "incredible talent" she has on the team. Those two positions don't square.

 

[Dak1219]

Love em to death but they're too few and far between and honestly, not quite the blue chip variety we'd love to see. Doesn't mean some or all won't turn out great, but just look at what our closest rivals are raking in and it's clear we're just not keeping up in hs recruiting.

Being too dependent on either portal or hs instead of competing in both just makes me nervous. All eggs, one basket.

Right now, we are not looking bad on the 25 class. Already in the final list for 4 top players and we keep adding to the list. I see we are recruiting out of Australia again in that class. That will finally be the year the Covid super seniors are finally gone. Might make a big difference in our recruiting.

 

[Dak1219]

Well before the portal, all eggs were also in one basket, though in desperation, even the legend CPS turned to the JUCO ranks. The LVs have been using the portal (quite well) to built their roster. Kellie has recruited, via the portal, RJ, Hollingshead, Spear, Cooper, Powell, Wells, plus Strickland who is probably more of a role player. That is a really solid recruiting record. And now we have Boyd coming in via the HS route and she looks to be an underrated recruit. So, if not for the transfer would be very bleak indeed. Here is the good news, the transfer portal is a real, actual thing that brings in real actual players.

I don't get the downer narrative (and not just form you but many others) that the transfer portal is somehow an inferior, unsustainable route compared to HS recruiting.

In some ways, it reminds of the early days of three point shot, where many (pundits, fans, even coaches) treated those points as "settling" and almosst as a kind of moral failing compared to those hard earned, "virtuous" points in the paint. It took about ten years for everyone to finally update and realize that 3 pts. > 2 pts. It seems like a old skool stubbornness is in play when it comes to the transfer portal.

Trust the process. Kellie has been finding ways to put good players on the floor.

It is funny, folks on this board have been gloom and doomin' Kellie on the recruiting front for five years (she is a terrible recruiter who will never build an elite!) and simultaneously lambasting her for not winning more with the "incredible talent" she has on the team. Those two positions don't square.

Not to mention Kellie has the second most wins in the SEC over the last five years. Now it is just getting to that next step in the NCAA tournament. Elite 8 or better. Seeding matters. These next few games are going to be really important. I really like our chances with Indiana, Oklahoma, and Notre Dame. All though Ohio State is a home game, that is a toss up with that press they run unless we can figure out how to not turn the ball over while under pressure real quick. Those first three games are dependent on a healthy Rickea Jackson as well.

 

[creekdipper]

Kudos to the staff for having coveted players considering our program. I have some reservations about the term "finalist" when we're one of 10-12 programs in the running. I'd think that number would be more of a starting list. Do most good players actually seriously consider more than a dozen schools regardless of how many offer?

I'd be more comfortable with the term "finalist" when we're in the top two or three.

 

[37620VOL]

Yikes. Seriously? You would actually wish a young person, whom you have no idea what they might be going through in their lives or how devastatingly negatively she might be affected by it, to be a complete failure? Just out of your allegiance to another team?

Wow. Okay. I am soooooo not in agreement with that approach to life and love, but obviously we were raised to have different priorities.

Hope you're okay.

Only in basketball, not in life, I stand by all of my words

In life, I wish her the very best

 

[Majors]

Anybody saying any of the Lady Vols current HS recruits aren’t blue chip can’t be taken serious. Two will certainly be in the Top 5 - 15 of their respective classes by next season.
The other as I’ve stated and others close to the situation have provided coverage illustrating was ranked ahead of several players that many people on here pushed tirelessly for TN to sign and are calling them elite still today.
Well Kaniya Boyd was ranked ahead of several of those players between her sophomore-junior season in HS, if they are elite how is Boyd not elite?
Just say you wanted TN to sign certain players and not try to dim the light of this extremely skilled player.
She didn’t go to all those camps and is a team first player.
That’s how the ranking and recruiting service ties drive these narratives that fans pick up on through social media.
Truth is, she’s a proven winner. Elite defender. State Champion. Natural born leader.

You’ll see.

Just so we are clear. In less than 24 hours you’ve gone from high school rankings don’t matter and are not accurate to writing a thesis on the kids committed and their rankings.

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

 

[glv98]

Well before the portal, all eggs were also in one basket, though in desperation, even the legend CPS sometimes turned to the JUCO ranks. Kellie and staff have been using the portal (quite well) to build their roster. Kellie has recruited, via the portal, RJ, Hollingshead, Spear, Cooper, Powell, Wells, plus Strickland who is probably more of a role player. That is a really solid recruiting record. And now we have Boyd coming in via the HS route and she looks to be an underrated recruit. So, if not for the transfer would be very bleak indeed. Here is the good news--the transfer portal is a real, actual thing that brings in real actual players.

I don't get the downer narrative (and not just form you but many others) that the transfer portal is somehow an inferior, unsustainable route compared to HS recruiting.

In some ways, it reminds of the early days of three point shot, where many (pundits, fans, even coaches) treated those points as "settling" and as a kind of moral failing compared to those hard earned, "virtuous" points in the paint. It took about ten years for everyone to finally update and realize that 3 pts. > 2 pts. It seems like a similar old skool stubbornness is in play when it comes to the transfer portal.

Trust the process. Kellie has been finding ways to put good players on the floor.

It is funny, folks on this board have been gloomin' and doomin' Kellie on the recruiting front for five years (she is a terrible recruiter who will never build an elite!) and simultaneously lambasting her for not winning more with the "incredible talent" she has on the team. Those two positions don't square.

Results. Plain and simple. It can look great, sound great, be oh so close to actually being great, but she simply has to produce the result of winning against ranked teams and competing for championships. Unless it's decided that is not actually the goal, although KJH has reaffirmed that it is.

Heard a podcast the other day that hit it right on the head. He called the LV problem being "consistently underwhelming" in terms of results. Both in recruiting of elite players and on court. Unfortunately, this is the nail being hit square on the head.

We have about 2 more weeks to go back and forth on this stuff, bc that upcoming 4 game stretch is everything. Definitive for the program and our conversation. We cannot continue to dig the hole deeper. We HAVE to whelm.

BTW, I've never thought KJH had "incredible talent". But this year, she definitely has "enough talent" to break thru and beat ranked opponents. Please, please Let It Be!

 

[Majors]

Perhaps those players will remember us after a year or two.

Rebound recruiting

 

[Majors]

Results. Plain and simple. It can look great, sound great, be oh so close to actually being great, but she simply has to produce the result of winning against ranked teams and competing for championships. Unless it's decided that is not actually the goal, although KJH has reaffirmed that it is.

Heard a podcast the other day that hit it right on the head. He called the LV problem being "consistently underwhelming" in terms of results. Both in recruiting of elite players and on court. Unfortunately, this is the nail being hit square on the head.

We have about 2 more weeks to go back and forth on this stuff, bc that upcoming 4 game stretch is everything. Definitive for the program and our conversation. We cannot continue to dig the hole deeper. We HAVE to whelm.

BTW, I've never thought KJH had "incredible talent". But this year, she definitely has "enough talent" to break thru and beat ranked opponents. Please, please Let It Be!

Honest assessment…this statement has been where many have been for awhile.

Crossroads approaching fast on the direction of the team and place at the table.

 

[NeedOrange]

Results. Plain and simple. It can look great, sound great, be oh so close to actually being great, but she simply has to produce the result of winning against ranked teams and competing for championships. Unless it's decided that is not actually the goal, although KJH has reaffirmed that it is.

Heard a podcast the other day that hit it right on the head. He called the LV problem being "consistently underwhelming" in terms of results. Both in recruiting of elite players and on court. Unfortunately, this is the nail being hit square on the head.

We have about 2 more weeks to go back and forth on this stuff, bc that upcoming 4 game stretch is everything. Definitive for the program and our conversation. We cannot continue to dig the hole deeper. We HAVE to whelm.

BTW, I've never thought KJH had "incredible talent". But this year, she definitely has "enough talent" to break thru and beat ranked opponents. Please, please Let It Be!

Some here are insiders. I am not an insider in fact far from it. I'm not an outsider but more of a looker-in. (And for clarity, while I am a Tennessee fan, I owe my full allegiance to a program that shall be nameless ) Here are my thoughts about LV recruiting. I am surprised by the number of offers that are documented by this board. I wonder if there isn't a diminishing margin to the volume of offers. Like inflation is caused by too many dollars available so each dollar becomes less and less valuable. These top players play in the top circuits and all talk to each other. Follow my thought; If I am a top 15 player and I hear that two top 30-40 players, who I crush, have Tennessee offers; How much value do I place in my offer from Tennessee. I know of another program that intentionally makes it appear difficult to get an offer from them.

If I had the ability to create a college recruiting program. I would establish a flock of interns tasked with creating and maintaining a database of players in grades 5, 6, and 7. I would identify by the seventh grade my core 6 to 10 prospects. I would begin to build relationships. I would mail them letters encouraging them to be the best they can be and pointing out that the University of Tennessee only accepts high achievers in the classroom and in society. I would call the coach and ask about the particular player expecting the coach would share that UT called. By 9th grade I would identify 5-6 quality individuals that I must have and begin the full court press of recruiting (getting 1 of those is a win). I want top 10 players talking about UT long before the top 20's. 30's and 40's. Freshman and sophomore year the net broadens to give you a balanced recruiting focus of 12 to 15.

that's all in my perfect world. This is the approach I expected Kellie to have in her first year here.