Leslie McDonald Article in The Commercial Appeal

#2
#2
Sounds like a top quality kid. From the article and the stuff I hear when I travel to Memphis, McDonald is a quality young man with a wonderful family. Rarely do you hear character statements about top quality athletes before you hear about people talking about their athletic ability. I would love to see this young man in Orange and White to play for his home state school.
 
#3
#3
His game -- steady, smooth, understated, reliable -- mimics his personality, which has drawn as much attention from such prominent members of the coaching fraternity as North Carolina's Roy Williams and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski as his jump shot. Elliot Williams, a senior guard at St. George's Independent School, was in a similar situation last year. He signed with Duke, turning down offers from Memphis and Tennessee, among others. McDonald and Williams appear to be part of a new generation of Memphis-area athletes: Private-school students whose college options extend beyond the city.

that's the best thing I've read about this situation.
 
#4
#4
I've heard McDonald is a UNC lean, as the Tar Heels look for their fifth five-star commit for the 2009 class. They already have 4, a PG Dexter Strickland, a combo forward John Henson and the Wear twins who are post men from California. They're hot after a 5-star scorer and McDonald seems to be at the top of Roy Williams list.
 
#6
#6
Scotty Hopson could be the one. The disheartening part is that UNC already has 4 lined up for 2009 and will get at least one more 5 star before that class is all said and done. Roy is as good a recruiter as there is and the guys he has lined up for 2009 are in the 25-16 overall ranking range, meaning they are top talents, but likely not one and done guys.
 
#8
#8
LifeLongVol90 said:
Roy flew in after their game to watch his game last night.
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The guy is relentless. No classier coach in college basketball either. As big a Bruce Pearl fan as I am and as much as I love being a student here, if I had the chance to play for Roy Williams at UNC I'd have a tough time turning it down...let's hope Leslie isn't me though.
 
#9
#9
pricevol5 said:
The guy is relentless. No classier coach in college basketball either. As big a Bruce Pearl fan as I am and as much as I love being a student here, if I had the chance to play for Roy Williams at UNC I'd have a tough time turning it down...let's hope Leslie isn't me though.
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There are plenty of classier coaches in college basketball than Roy Williams.
 
#11
#11
pricevol5 said:
Scotty Hopson could be the one. The disheartening part is that UNC already has 4 lined up for 2009 and will get at least one more 5 star before that class is all said and done. Roy is as good a recruiter as there is and the guys he has lined up for 2009 are in the 25-16 overall ranking range, meaning they are top talents, but likely not one and done guys.
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Matt Doherty also landed virtually any prospect he wanted. You're giving Roy a little too much credit.
 
#12
#12
StunnA N' Orange said:
Matt Doherty also landed virtually any prospect he wanted. You're giving Roy a little too much credit.
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Ok I asked for an example of a more classy coach than Roy Williams and the first name out of your mouth is Matt Doherty? Doherty had one good recruiting class which was in '02 when he landed May, McCants, and Felton, who were the ones instrumental in his firing. On the other hand Roy Williams has constantly coached at the highest level, recruited at the highest level, and kept his programs clean. Roy is known around college basketball as being on of the most humble and hardworking individuals in college basketball. He came from literally nothing, and continues to take nothing for granted to this day. He does things the right way in a profession where so many fail to do so. The UNC name sells itself a lot of the time, but as good a recruiter, teacher, and human being as Roy is he takes the program back to where it was under Dean Smith.
 
#13
#13
pricevol5 said:
Ok I asked for an example of a more classy coach than Roy Williams and the first name out of your mouth is Matt Doherty? Doherty had one good recruiting class which was in '02 when he landed May, McCants, and Felton, who were the ones instrumental in his firing. On the other hand Roy Williams has constantly coached at the highest level, recruited at the highest level, and kept his programs clean. Roy is known around college basketball as being on of the most humble and hardworking individuals in college basketball. He came from literally nothing, and continues to take nothing for granted to this day. He does things the right way in a profession where so many fail to do so. The UNC name sells itself a lot of the time, but as good a recruiter, teacher, and human being as Roy is he takes the program back to where it was under Dean Smith.
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First of all, you didn't ask me a damn thing. You retorted with five dots that could insinuate a variety of things. Now, if you'd like me to compile a list, ask me using the English language in a proper manner.
 
#15
#15
I'll give you ten coaches right off the top of my head:

1. Rick Pitino
2. Mike Krzyzewski
3. Gary Williams
4. Ben Howland
5. Jamie Dixon
6. Lute Olson
7. John Thompson III
8. Jim Calhoun
9. Tom Izzo
10. Tubby Smith
 
#16
#16
What makes these 10, more classy? I'll agree in that coach K, Lute Olsen, Garry Williams, and Tubby are in the same class, but what makes the other 6 more classy and humble than Roy? How can Jamie Dixon and JTIII, guys that have coached less years combined than Roy by himself, have a better reputation? Pitino? I don't mean classiest dressed. Pitino has no school allegiance...a UMASS grad coaching at Providence? He rebuilt a Kentucky program to bolt to the NBA when his top players left, then resurfaces in the college game at Louisville? You must be kidding. Jim Calhoun? An alleged alcoholic?
 
#17
#17
pricevol5 said:
I've heard McDonald is a UNC lean, as the Tar Heels look for their fifth five-star commit for the 2009 class. They already have 4, a PG Dexter Strickland, a combo forward John Henson and the Wear twins who are post men from California. They're hot after a 5-star scorer and McDonald seems to be at the top of Roy Williams list.
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Leslie supposedly shot that rumor down a few weeks ago.
 
#18
#18
Coach K is a good coach and might keep his program clean, but he isnt classy. At least in my experience and several people I know, he was/is a jerk off the court.
That being said, he is an awesome basketball coach.
 
#19
#19
Dawson said:
Coach K is a good coach and might keep his program clean, but he isnt classy. At least in my experience and several people I know, he was/is a jerk off the court.
That being said, he is an awesome basketball coach.
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I don't like the vibe I get from Coach K, he seems arrogant, but I did read his book Beyond Basketballa little while ago and I have to have a little more respect for him. I've heard great things about the character of Lute Olsen and met Gary Williams once and both of those guys are class acts. I was in middle school when I met coach Williams and he actually talked to me for a couple of minutes and gave me pointers and stuff, a really nice experience.
 
#21
#21
In an article written by the sentinal, Leslie's uncle(I think it's is uncle) thinks Tennessee is the leader. I know he wants to be an architect, and UT has a well known architecture program. I don't even know if Tiger High has one period.
 
#22
#22
lacrossepro70 said:
I know he wants to be an architect, and UT has a well known architecture program. I don't even know if Tiger High has one period.
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Sure they do. . .This was their top graduate's senior project
house.jpg
 
#23
#23
The article says that McDonald wants to verbally commit somewhere before the start of his senior year. It also says that he doesn't like to let people down. Do you really think he'll commit to Tennessee, only to let everyone in Memphis down and be booed by fans for his entire senior season (a la Tony Harris)?
 
#24
#24
tclowers23 said:
The article says that McDonald wants to verbally commit somewhere before the start of his senior year. It also says that he doesn't like to let people down. Do you really think he'll commit to Tennessee, only to let everyone in Memphis down and be booed by fans for his entire senior season (a la Tony Harris)?
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I don't think he would be worried about letting down people he doesn't know. He would be more worried about leaving his teammates and former coaches and family. And even then, I think they would fully understand if he wanted to leave Memphis for a better opportunity somewhere else.
 
#25
#25
I think it will ultimately come down to Tennessee and North Carolina. Indiana had a very good chance, but all the problems will probably take them out of the running. He has only visited Tennessee, Memphis, and Indiana. But he has told me he wants to get out of Memphis.
But having met Coach Williams a few times, he is one of the classiest coaches in college basketball. Not saying he is the classiest, but he is up there.
I also would imagine Pearl will spend plenty of time at Briarcrest this week.
 
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