OSU Men's Basketball Recruiting/Projections/General Discussions

[akronbuck]

Sporting News

7/4

Ohio State's encore
The only thing that approaches the wonder of having 7-0 center Greg Oden on your team is having all the guys who want to play with Oden join your team as well.
Also entering Ohio State this fall are top 30 prospects point guard Mike Conley, shooting guard Daequan Cook and wing David Lighty. If Oden decides to become a sophomore, he'll get four more highly regarded preps as teammates.
The OSU recruiting class of 2007 started with shooting guard Jon Diebler, who committed to the Buckeyes last fall. Diebler excelled at the NBPA Top 100 camp and led Scout.com analyst Dave Telep to predict Diebler would become a 1,000-point scorer at Ohio State.
Next up was 7-0 forward Kosta Koufos, who has a European name and a European game but is very much an Ohioan. Analyst Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com loves how Koufos has grown on offense and ranks him No. 14 in the 2007 class.
OSU's third recruit for '07, 6-8 Dallas Lauderdale, will add muscle and toughness to the frontcourt and likely will be Oden's replacement. The Buckeyes' last 2007 scholarship went to 6-6 wing Evan Turner of Westchester, Ill. He had been a prime target for Illinois.
That gives the Buckeyes a total of eight top 100 recruits in the past two years. Five are from Ohio. You can say coach Thad Matta is an exceptional recruiter, but even he would have to admit he has excellent timing.

ohio has never had so many top players in a row. I've followed BB since the 80's and ohio was lucky to have only one player in the top 100 if anything

 

[jwinslow]

I believe this is a class many feel that is realistic.

2008

- #6 nat, #2 PG - Noopy Crater

- #14 nat, #4 SG - William Buford

- #17 nat, #5 PF - Delvon Roe

- #40 nat, NR C - BJ Mullens

- NR nat, NR SG - Walter Offutt

To go along with

2007

- Koufos

- Turner

- Diebler

- Lauderdale

2006

- Oden

- Cook

- Conley

- Lighty

- Hunter

being a buckeye fan is almost unfair...

 

[akronbuck]

:osu: I still have trouble believing. I can't wait for the next seasons of bb/fb

Kinda funny thinkings that all buckeye fans and myself would be pissed off losing 2 top players like mayo/walker but, Matta has done such great recruiting that it has never even been brought up.

wow, to have Matta/Tressel AT THE SAME TIME:osu:

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Now that we have found out we are banking another spot for the 08' class, I would love to see (and think we have a good shot) of the 08' class shaping up like this:

1. Mullens
2. Offutt
3. Roe
4. Crater
5. Buford
(I wouldn't mid a Frease taking one of those spots if someone falls though)

..WOW

This is what I have been preaching for a while now.

And I agree that would be unbelievable. Who would of thought that a couple years ago that we would even be mentioned on guys of that talent and now we are bringing them in in mass numbers.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Roe and Crater are at the top of their list right now. Buford is going to be a great player and Gates is still a possiblity. Like someone mentioned earlier, Matta is not recruiting anymore, he is choosing.

I believe this is a class many feel that is realistic.

2008

- #6 nat, #2 PG - Noopy Crater

- #14 nat, #4 SG - William Buford

- #17 nat, #5 PF - Delvon Roe

- #40 nat, NR C - BJ Mullens

- NR nat, NR SG - Walter Offutt

To go along with

2007

- Koufos

- Turner

- Diebler

- Lauderdale

2006

- Oden

- Cook

- Conley

- Lighty

- Hunter

being a buckeye fan is almost unfair...

The best part of closing up the 2007 class is the head start Matta can get on the 2008 class.....like he needed another advantage.

 

[wadc45]

now it could look like this:

2006

1 Conley
2 Cook
3 Lighty
4 Hunter
5 Oden

2007

1
2 Diebler
3 Turner
4. Koufos
5 Lauderdale

2008

1 Crater
2 Offutt
3 Buford
4 Roe
5 Mullens

Unreal...

 

[HotMic]

hey guys, check out this story from The Columbus Dispatch. Great stuff!

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/bball/bball.php?story=dispatch/2006/07/09/20060709-E1-00.html

 

[BGriffBuckeye]

Alright, I have been trying out different depth charts for the next few years. I am under the impression that a team can have up to 13 scolarships right? Well, here is what I came up with:

in 2008: assuming Cook is the only one leaving early.
PG: Conley - Crater
W: Lighty - Diebler - Offutt
W: Turner - Buford
PF: Koufos - Roe - Madsen
C: Oden - Lauderdale - Mullens

in 2008: assuming Cook and Oden leave early.
PG: Conley - Crater
W: Lighty - Diebler - Offutt
W: Turner - Buford
PF: Koufos - Roe - Madsen
C: Lauderdale - Mullens - Frease

Frease may still be an option here guys.... although, as good as Frease may be, the only chance he comes is if we lose a Greg that has been a seasoned vet for 2 years. I don't know if I make that trade.

 

[jwinslow]

Our 07 team is going to be filthy, so I have no issue with Greg leaving that year.

I think Lauderdale will take time to develop, and many feel Frease may be ahead of Mullens... so assuming Greg departs Frease could be in the mix to start as a frosh.

Frease seems to be a huge buckeye fan, but realizes there is a logjam at C. The fact that he has not been offered suggests that Matta truly believes Greg is staying more than 2 years.

 

[buckeydoptimist]

Our 07 team is going to be filthy, so I have no issue with Greg leaving that year.

I think Lauderdale will take time to develop, and many feel Frease may be ahead of Mullens... so assuming Greg departs Frease could be in the mix to start as a frosh.

Frease seems to be a huge buckeye fan, but realizes there is a logjam at C. The fact that he has not been offered suggests that Matta truly believes Greg is staying more than 2 years.

I doubt it has anything to do with Oden actually. I think it is a matter of already having a C in that class ( Mullens ) and one in the prior class ( Lauderdale ) and with Koufos 7-1+ ( PF who could play some C at his size ) and Madsen ( F/C ) do you really take another C in the 2008 class? There is also the Van Tresse factor. You can't sign that many C's on a 13 man roster.

It seems clear that the outstanding offers in 2008 are at G and F only, so Frease is not a priority/taget. Crater at PG, Roe and Gates at F, and Buford at wing all have offers and are thus TM's top targets.

Oden's and Cook's spots, if they do leave early, will go to signing a 3rd among those 4 who have offers ( if possible ) or to Van Tresse or a 2009 recruit since we will have no SRs that year.

Like it or not, taking Madsen is probably going to cost us the chance to even offer Frease. The only way I see TM taking Frease is if he strikes out on most of his targets and Frease is willing to wait a long time for an offer from us ( maybe until after Oden and Cook decide when to declare ). That seems unlikely unless he is so set on coming he'd risk all other offers drying up. You'd think some teams would wait on a big man with his upside, but these days everything gets pushed up earlier and earlier - unless you are a late bloomer.

:osu:

 

[LitlBuck]

Oden's and Cook's spots, if they do leave early, will go to signing a 3rd among those 4 who have offers ( if possible ) or to Van Tresse or a 2009 recruit since we will have no SRs that year

I think if Mata can get Crater,Buford,Roe/Gates he does and there might not be any signees in the 2009 class.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

LitlBuck....they will have at least 2 spots minimum for the 2009 class and they have offered 1 of the spots to Van Tresse......Looking below in 2008 they will not have any seniors but I think Koufos is a one year player so that opens up an additional spot. I just don't believe that the staff would leave themselves with no spots in the 2009 class.

2008-2009


9 scholarship players. Projecting Oden and Cook declaring for the NBA draft.


Kyle Madsen (Jr)
David Lighty (Jr)
Mike Conley (Jr)
Jon Diebler (So)
Kosta Koufos (So)
Dallas Lauderdale (So)
Evan Turner (So)
Walter Offutt (Fr) (Verbal)
B.J. Mullens (Fr) (Verbal)


Ohio State is projected to have a maximum of 4 scholarships available for the 2008 class.

 

[wadc45]

So let's look even futher into the crystal ball...Van Tresse is obviously the #1 target in the '09 class at this point considering he is the only kid with an offer. Who has a shot at the second offer? Given his style so far I would guess Thad is going to be looking for two dynamics kids who will probably come from nearby. Looking at kids in this region, you obviously have Van Tresse, as well as Desmar Jackson of Warren JFK, Billy Edwards of Middletown, D.J. Richardson of Peoria and Danny McElroy of LaSalle. DaShonte Riley of Cass Tech might also be a name to remember. Nationally there are names like Lance Stephenson of Lincoln HS in Brooklyn (who always churns out talented guards), Derrick Favors from Atlanta and DeMarcus Cousins of Alabama.

 

[LitlBuck]

least 2 spots minimum for the 2009

Junkie, I think my brain has been on vacation for some time now. I have no idea what I was thinking. However, I do think KK stays for at least two years if not more since both of his parents graduated from college. I think that will mean something.

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Junkie, I think my brain has been on vacation for some time now. I have no idea what I was thinking. However, I do think KK stays for at least two years if not more since both of his parents graduated from college. I think that will mean something.<!-- / message -->

I hope your right about Koufos. He is a dynamic player who is only getting better.

Danny McElroy of LaSalle is widely considered the #1 player in Ohio for the 2009 class, he will definetly get a look. Desmar Jackson is another good one.

Matta has done a great job of getting in on kids early and with Van Tresse he has offered early and by early reports, Matta may have struck gold with Van Tresse. Indiana has also offered and you have to believe Van Tresse will give them a look.