2025 Recruiting

[chuckiepoo]

The money needs to be spent, so if I had to outbid for a player like Aaliyah Chavez that’s what I would do, but that’s just me.

This isn’t similar to a military budget. It is not a use it or lose it proposition. You can plan for future use if there is a known need down the road.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

This isn’t similar to a military budget. It is not a use it or lose it proposition. You can plan for future use if there is a known need down the road.

I understand that, but it needs to be money well spent.

 

[Mafiaboss]

That's just to give fans some reassurance. It helps she chose previous SEC coaches considering they've kept up with their and other SEC schools recruiting, the AAU circuit, and how other SEC schools recruit.

If a kid likes attention, they need to let it be known. Sounds kinda high maintenance to me.

Agreed.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Well she did say recruiting wasn’t her strength.

And yet CKC signed arguably the most talented overall transfer class in the portal era for the LVs womens basketball program a month after landing the job and received verbal commitments from highly ranked HS prospects. Facts are facts.

 

[Jr_Vol#]

If they can't handle someone like Nyla Brooks's uncle, they shouldn't be coaching at the Power 5 level. Look at Angel Reese and Fla'jae Johnson's moms from last year. Kim Mulkey can handle them, but then again, she is a Power 5 coach who has coached some of the best players playing the game, and with that comes their families. All these top players' families can be a pain in the behind, but it's up to the coaching staff to set and maintain those boundaries. Brooks has every bit of the skill set of the last 4 pro's Tennessee put into the W. Maybe not Rickea, but definitely Rennia, Rae, and Jordan. It is a big miss.

That's because Mulkey is as annoying as the parents you mentioned.

 

[Mafiaboss]

If they can't handle someone like Nyla Brooks's uncle, they shouldn't be coaching at the Power 5 level. Look at Angel Reese and Fla'jae Johnson's moms from last year. Kim Mulkey can handle them, but then again, she is a Power 5 coach who has coached some of the best players playing the game, and with that comes their families. All these top players' families can be a pain in the behind, but it's up to the coaching staff to set and maintain those boundaries. Brooks has every bit of the skill set of the last 4 pro's Tennessee put into the W. Maybe not Rickea, but definitely Rennia, Rae, and Jordan. It is a big miss.

I doubt it’s that Kim can’t handle him. It’s that she doesn’t want to waste her energy.

 

[chuckiepoo]

That's because Mulkey is as annoying as the parents you mentioned.

And, Mulkey has survived that particular forge conditioning…in spades. No need to introduce a potential team rending controversy into the recipe. CHW would have been wise beyond her experience to have chosen this course.

 

[Dak1219]

That's because Mulkey is as annoying as the parents you mentioned.

This is a true statement...LOL

 

[Dak1219]

And yet CKC signed arguably the most talented overall transfer class in the portal era for the LVs womens basketball program a month after landing the job and received verbal commitments from highly ranked HS prospects. Facts are facts.

That starts with Ruby who was transferring to Tennessee prior to her arrival. She closed the deal yes, but all of those players minus the player from Pitt had been recruited at one time or another by the previous staff and I don't know if any of these players in this class rate nearly as high as Rickea, so that may be a bit of a stretch.

 

[Dak1219]

You’ve been taking ridiculous shots at the Pauldo twins since their commitment. Mia Pauldo has consistently been ranked higher than Nyla Brooks. Mia ESPN rankings have been #7, #8 and now #13 in the 2025 class. Never seen people negatively focus this much on height in WCBB.

Everyone talked about Brooklyn Miles who's about the same size. Shannon Bobbitt was the last "small" guard that Tennessee brought in that had any reasonable success and she was surrounded by 4 other WNBA players and weirdly enough had very long arms for her size. The SEC is loaded with big athletic Guards. I am not saying they won't be successful, but I think they committed quickly knowing that the rankings are dropping going into their senior year. Lauren Park Lane from Mississippi State last year was a senior transfer who was similar sized to the twins killed it in a less competitive league before transferring to the SEC and just couldn't find the magic. She was fast and talented, but struggled often due to her size. The SEC is big and strong and has the best basketball players in the country.

 

[Orange.]

Rorschach test.

 

[37620VOL]

Everyone talked about Brooklyn Miles who's about the same size. Shannon Bobbitt was the last "small" guard that Tennessee brought in that had any reasonable success and she was surrounded by 4 other WNBA players and weirdly enough had very long arms for her size. The SEC is loaded with big athletic Guards. I am not saying they won't be successful, but I think they committed quickly knowing that the rankings are dropping going into their senior year. Lauren Park Lane from Mississippi State last year was a senior transfer who was similar sized to the twins killed it in a less competitive league before transferring to the SEC and just couldn't find the magic. She was fast and talented, but struggled often due to her size. The SEC is big and strong and has the best basketball players in the country.

Miles shooting is horrendous and she's a to machine.

Bobbitt was a bonafide sharp shooter and took care of the rock.

Someone remind me, how tall is Georgia Amoore?

 

[Dak1219]

Agreed. I don't get the height thing either. Bobbitt was 5'2" and I'm not sure we win 2 NC's without her. Give it a rest.

Bobbitt had 4 other WNBA draft picks in the starting lineup with her. That matters. Who's going to be paying attention to her when you have Candace and Nikki in the paint. She also had unusually long arms. Don't know why that matters, but it is what it is..

 

[Dak1219]

Miles shooting is horrendous and she's a to machine.

Bobbitt was a bonafide sharp shooter and took care of the rock.

Someone remind me, how tall is Georgia Amoore?

5-6 and thick.

 

[Terrells Bay88]

UNC has the fancy looks but what has Banghart done literally ? What pros has she coached most of her best players leave by the end of their career when they realize their WNBA stock is not what they thought it would be. See Deja Kelly , good luck though Nyla hopefully you dont become a bench foddler like baby Key.

Banghart can recruit and her teams can play above average defense at times but every other aspect of her coaching is mediocre at best. The ball screen action that she runs that is dependent on slashing and mid range jumpers grinds her players down because they have to work hard to create offense. CKC might get some these UNC players if hit the portal.

 

[Dadof2Vols]

Really don’t think this staff was interested. We’ve already seen a massive uptick in interest with other players in the same class who fit the system better.

She’s more of a slasher and based on everything we’ve see it’s clear the 3 is going to be option 1. We aren’t going to be running a ball screen offense for a player to get to the rim. Wrong fit all around.

Bingo.

Lots of pretty girls I would not date for various reasons when I was single even if they were Miss American and multi-millionaires.

if the staff wanted NB bad enough, I am sure CKC would have called every night to tell her goodnight and then give her a wake up call the next morning.

 

[therickbol]

Everyone talked about Brooklyn Miles who's about the same size. Shannon Bobbitt was the last "small" guard that Tennessee brought in that had any reasonable success and she was surrounded by 4 other WNBA players and weirdly enough had very long arms for her size. The SEC is loaded with big athletic Guards. I am not saying they won't be successful, but I think they committed quickly knowing that the rankings are dropping going into their senior year. Lauren Park Lane from Mississippi State last year was a senior transfer who was similar sized to the twins killed it in a less competitive league before transferring to the SEC and just couldn't find the magic. She was fast and talented, but struggled often due to her size. The SEC is big and strong and has the best basketball players in the country.

This is when you know you are really stretching to try to engineer a justification for a ridiculous bias. Committed quickly before their impending drop in the rankings.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

This is when you know you are really stretching to try to engineer a justification for a ridiculous bias. Committed quickly before their impending drop in the rankings.

I had to double check that post to make sure I was actually reading those words off the screen smh!
The Pauldo twins have used their social media platform along with Overtime, Nissan, Gatorade, Puma, Lego, and other major brand NIL sponsors to create their own show which included their recruitment/commitment decision. These people had the least worries imaginable about their rankings dropping lol lol lol!
Facts are just facts. The twins have played in multiple major recruiting showcase events this summer against the top recruits in HS. Each of them have held their own. Mya had some injuries and sat out during the AAU circuit.
Mia has started in every single major recruiting showcase event. If Mia ranking goes from #7 to #8 to #13 to lower that should tell you something about the recruiting services and not the player. She is playing with and against the top recruits without struggling to compete on any given night.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

That starts with Ruby who was transferring to Tennessee prior to her arrival. She closed the deal yes, but all of those players minus the player from Pitt had been recruited at one time or another by the previous staff and I don't know if any of these players in this class rate nearly as high as Rickea, so that may be a bit of a stretch.

No, it does not start with any one player which is why I emphasized the best overall transfer class of the portal era for the LVs. It is a fact nothing to stretch at all.

Samara Spencer is a former SEC FOY, an athletic career double figure scorer at PG and three year starter. Lazaria Spearman a former Top 30 4-star F according to ESPN and a player that matches up athletically with Watkins, Morrow in the SEC. Latham an All-ACC Freshman selection and an athletic rebounder/finisher in the post. Ruby Whitehorn is a former McD All-American and Top 20 5-star G. Favor Ayodele a system fit and excellent rebounder.

Rickea Jackson is one player who individually was an highly skilled and versatile collegiate player but that does not elevate her transfer class anywhere near the talent that CKC signed in one month via the transfer portal. We are talking about five individual players who all have starter experience. In addition, some of the performances that Alyssa Latham, Samara Spencer, Ruby Whitehorn, and Favor Ayodele had against common opponents that Tennessee played last season with Rickea and comparing their stats speaks volume. This is an outstanding portal class and regardless if they plan to visit before the coaching change or not is irrelevant. That just means they truly want to be in Tennessee.

I also believe that the theme of transfers having career years in Knoxville going back to Alexus Dye, Jordan Walker, Keyen Green, currently Jewel Spear is a sign that not just Rickea but these upcoming highly talented players can thrive in the LVs WBB program due to remarkable tradition, exposure, and resources available in Tennessee

 

[Peas29]

She, apparently, didn’t think Nyla was the better player.

Doesn’t mean she isn’t the better player. Nyla will make a WNBA roster before the twins will. The fact is, none of us know why there was a breakdown in communication between both parties. But for some y’all to get on this board and act as if Brooks wasn’t worthy to wear the Lady Vols jersey is diabolical. The young lady is a stood and however y’all choose to look at it we missed out on a very talented player. And for those that’s saying she couldn’t fit this system y’all aren’t wrapped to tight if y’all truly believe that.

 

[Volfan2012]

Doesn’t mean she isn’t the better player. Nyla will make a WNBA roster before the twins will. The fact is, none of us know why there was a breakdown in communication between both parties. But for some y’all to get on this board and act as if Brooks wasn’t worthy to wear the Lady Vols jersey is diabolical. The young lady is a stood and however y’all choose to look at it we missed out on a very talented player. And for those that’s saying she couldn’t fit this system y’all aren’t wrapped to tight if y’all truly believe that.

She was perfect for the system just didn't relate to this staff and that happens with players. Good luck to her there were going to be fine with the players have now and the ones coming soon.

 

[Volfan2012]

Everyone talked about Brooklyn Miles who's about the same size. Shannon Bobbitt was the last "small" guard that Tennessee brought in that had any reasonable success and she was surrounded by 4 other WNBA players and weirdly enough had very long arms for her size. The SEC is loaded with big athletic Guards. I am not saying they won't be successful, but I think they committed quickly knowing that the rankings are dropping going into their senior year. Lauren Park Lane from Mississippi State last year was a senior transfer who was similar sized to the twins killed it in a less competitive league before transferring to the SEC and just couldn't find the magic. She was fast and talented, but struggled often due to her size. The SEC is big and strong and has the best basketball players in the country.

The difference between the players you are mentioning and the Pauldo twins is like night and day. They will step in as our point guards for Spencer and Wells in 2025 and make an immediate impact.

 

[KnoxLikeUs]

Doesn’t mean she isn’t the better player. Nyla will make a WNBA roster before the twins will. The fact is, none of us know why there was a breakdown in communication between both parties. But for some y’all to get on this board and act as if Brooks wasn’t worthy to wear the Lady Vols jersey is diabolical. The young lady is a stood and however y’all choose to look at it we missed out on a very talented player. And for those that’s saying she couldn’t fit this system y’all aren’t wrapped to tight if y’all truly believe that.

To make that inference is diabolical, haven’t seen any poster say she wasn’t worthy. I do agree with the multiple posters who stated it is not a miss. Ruby Whitehorn, Talaysia Cooper, and Kaniya Boyd all play the same exact style. All three are preparing for their debut on Rocky Top. The media got their first look at these players in open practice and as expected spoke highly about their athleticism.
All three have film that is just as good and from the standpoint of dribbling, passing, and finishing at the rim superior to Nyla Brooks while in HS.
In order for it to be a miss the signing would have had to be a need, which it wasn’t due to the players currently on the roster and others that could potentially sign in 2025. Some posters on this board have a tendency to elevate any player that signs elsewhere to “huge need” “miss” status. I believe it was the best case scenario for both parties and wish Nyla Brooks much success.

 

[BruisedOrange]

You can't miss something you didn't swing at.

Our head coach didn't accidently only contact them twice. Just like that supermodel didn't accidently not call me when I gave her my phone number. It was intentional.

If it's any consolation, she now has regrets and says it was a big miss.

 

[chuckiepoo]

If it's any consolation, she now has regrets and says it was a big miss.

…tsk, tsk…