OSU Men's Basketball Recruiting/Projections/General Discussions

[BayBuck]

Dispatch signing review:

Asked if he was frustrated he could not reap more from the 2013 class, Matta noted that recruits have not seen opportunity for early playing time lately, with only one senior on the roster last season and this.
He also mentioned some of the program?s accomplishments during his tenure.
"You look at the last six years, I think we?re No. 3 in total wins in college basketball," he said. "We're trying to get our fourth straight Big Ten championship, and get to our fourth straight Sweet 16."
He paused for effect and added, "We know what we?re doing."
But Matta and Telep both acknowledged that the onus is now on him and his staff to make 2014 another big class for the Buckeyes, in quality as well as quantity.

 

[BayBuck]

#27 class on Rivals (#8 among 2-man classes FWIW), with some nice comments:

27. OHIO STATE 2013 commits (National rank)
PF Marc Loving (No. 63)
SG Kameron Williams (No. 83)
The Buckeyes have landed a pair of guys who can shoot the ball in combo forward Marc Loving and shooting guard Kameron Williams. Loving has to get stronger but has upside while Williams is one of the best shooters in the class and brings Baltimore toughness to the floor.

 

[LitlBuck]

You know that's not what I'm saying. Three recruits in two years is not momentum. We are still in the conversation with the best players in the country. We just haven't closed on any of them in a while. And that kind of momentum could take us out of the conversation.

Let me pose this to you for next year: Both DT and Ross leave for the NBA. We'll have very little perimeter scoring; no inside scoring; and no depth.

It is way too early to start talking about Ross leaving early for the NBA. I mean he is not even starting five for us. Maybe if he wants to go to Europe and play he will leave early but not for the NBA unless I am missing something.

We have Loving coming next year and he is a very talented player and will help with the absence of Thomas. I also think that Sam Thompson with another year under his belt will be very helpful.

My concern is the man in the middle and we just have to hope that Williams and Trey get better. I would not be surprised to see a big man transfer for next year or maybe even a player from the Junior College circuit. We shall see.

 

[OH10]

It is way too early to start talking about Ross leaving early for the NBA. I mean he is not even starting five for us. Maybe if he wants to go to Europe and play he will leave early but not for the NBA unless I am missing something.

We have Loving coming next year and he is a very talented player and will help with the absence of Thomas. I also think that Sam Thompson with another year under his belt will be very helpful.

My concern is the man in the middle and we just have to hope that Williams and Trey get better. I would not be surprised to see a big man transfer for next year or maybe even a player from the Junior College circuit. We shall see.

I think that's the best option for next year, but I'm really hoping to see Amir make a leap offensively during the season.

 

[Bulls-Eye]

The 2013 class is far from over. OSU may not get anyone else, but you have to look at the trends right now for the top recruits nationally, especially with the recent rise of one-and-done prominence at Kentucky.

Many top recruits are waiting until the spring signing period to make a decision because they want to find the best situation for themselves after early-entrants, transfers, etc. Wiggins is a far-fetched scenario, but let's say DT and Ross blow up this year, each averaging 20 per game and they go pro. All of a sudden, there is a starting lineup opening at one of the premier programs in the country. It is almost a free agency scenario anymore with recruiting. Things change quickly and drastically.

Kentucky has this next big recruiting class lined up - what happens if throughout the season, Goodwin, Noel, Poythress, etc. begin to regress? It likely won't happen, but what if? Just like that UK may not have the amount of enticing scholarship openings available as previously thought.

Basketball recruiting is a fickle world anymore. It just so happens that Thad Matta has stockpiled some talented players who aren't quite NBA-quality yet, and the path to immediate stardom isn't so wide open right now at OSU.

 

[lord vegas]

Recruiting is fine

Don't see a problem with Matta's recruiting. It is always nice to land a top 10 type kid but we should do very well with the roster we have.

Our team is filled with former All-Americans who are just Sophs, Juniors. This is the deepest team we've had in years. Our roster this season would make tOSU a hard sell to any recruit unless they are the best of the best who can start anywhere. A high school top talent isn't going to come in and sit behind other former top talent for two seasons patiently waiting their turn for the most part. The only reason Indiana loaded up was because the incoming class is rated higher than the kids already there save for Zeller. Kentucky loads up every year because the incoming kids expect the other kids to leave and go pro for the most part.

I think the only area we might be able to snatch a big name is at center. A top flight center should be salivating at the tOsu roster. We have no offensive scoring big men on roster or deck, elite guards and a history of feeding the post.

 

[DZ83CK]

You're right lord vegas. I think they lost out on Tony Parker, and didn't have another guy who seriously considered them that had the talent to make an impact offensively. Now the options for quality big men are few and far between - this is an important point where things could go either way for next season's team - if Matta gets a good one, the team next year could be pretty special. If he doesn't, then obviously the team won't be as good as it ought to be with the talent in place at the other positions. This is a decision that will test his skill in finding an unheralded player.

The nature of the team having only one Senior the past two seasons has stunted recruiting as the top basketball players from remote locations typically don't want to come to OSU to wait their turn, but really there weren't many needs on the team as it is right now, other than upgrading the skill level at the 5. This 2013 team could be the best team Matta has had in terms of the #7 and #8 players in the rotation being able to contribute since 2007.

I am starting to question the DT and Ross to the pros talk. They've played one game this year, they weren't going to be first rounders last year, and so far they haven't looked like first rounders in 2013. They're prone to playing suspect defense in college, which will only be magnified at the next level - you don't think NBA teams care about that? Maybe the fact that OSU has lost a lot of guys early to the pros in recent years has people thinking that it is going to happen for the stars even when they're not as talented as the ones that typically go. At this point I'm more concerned about the effort that DT and Q are going to give on defense this year than them turning pro after the season.

 

[korchiki]

I don't know about that. Lighty and Diebler were 3 stars and turned into very nice players. Lenzelle Smith was a 3 star and is very nice. I think the first game we can already see the progression of Ross, Scott and Thompson.

And neither guy is in the NBA right now.

Listen I'm not bashing Matta. In fact I really like him. I'm just saying that other coaches are using that against him. It is what it is.

 

[Bulls-Eye]

The amazing thing about Thad Matta is what he has done without, for the most part, elite NBA-level talent.

OSU has become one of the best, most consistent programs in the nation, and they've mostly done it on the backs of solid 4-year players along with a few borderline NBA prospects. Oden and Conley being the exception in '07, and Sullinger being the exception in '11-12. Otherwise, the key cogs in the OSU program have been guys like Je'Kel Foster, Jamar Butler, David Lighty, Jon Diebler, Evan Turner (developed into NPOY after 3 years with Matta), Will Buford, and Aaron Craft. All solid, 3-4 year players who fit the mold of what Thad Matta wants on his team. If Matta continues to recruit this type of player, he will continue to have much success.

 

[MaxBuck]

I am starting to question the DT ... to the pros talk.

Surely you're joking.

This is Thomas's last year in scarlet and gray, without question.

 

[LitlBuck]

Surely you're joking.

This is Thomas's last year in scarlet and gray, without question.

I am not joking but I will wait until a little later in the season before I make my judgment. This might be his last year at Ohio State but he has a long way go to become a complete player. Right now, I think he might be better suited for European basketball where you don't need a complete game.

 

[Bulls-Eye]

I am not joking but I will wait until a little later in the season before I make my judgment. This might be his last year at Ohio State but he has a long way go to become a complete player. Right now, I think he might be better suited for European basketball where you don't need a complete game.

Unfortunately, I do agree.

People called Sullinger a tweener. DT is even more so. He has the size of a 3, but the game of an NBA 4. He will really struggle to score and defend the 4 in the NBA, and he doesn't have the ball-handling ability or shot-creation ability of most NBA 3's, IMO.

I have a feeling this is his last year, no matter what. But, I think he'll put up numbers that are fool's gold, to a degree, for his NBA prospects. He'll shoot well, rebound well, and typically put up really good numbers, but I don't think it will do much to improve his NBA Draft standing. Still a late 1st round, or, more likely, 2nd round pick.

 

[OHSportsFan]

I don't think Deshaun Thomas will have trouble scoring in any league.

Or on any planet.

Kid scores.

 

[Oh8ch]

It is way too early to start talking about Ross leaving early for the NBA. I mean he is not even starting five for us. Maybe if he wants to go to Europe and play he will leave early but not for the NBA unless I am missing something.

We have Loving coming next year and he is a very talented player and will help with the absence of Thomas. I also think that Sam Thompson with another year under his belt will be very helpful.

My concern is the man in the middle and we just have to hope that Williams and Trey get better. I would not be surprised to see a big man transfer for next year or maybe even a player from the Junior College circuit. We shall see.

Good comments.

Setting aside any individual desire to leave early, I am more concerned about Thompson leaving early than Ross at this point.

I still really like Williams. There may be something missing in the attitude, or perhaps it is an issue of confidence. But his size and the way he moves speak to immense potential. Offensively all we need from him this year is the ability to score when left completely alone. There is no end to our other weapons.

 

[DZ83CK]

Surely you're joking.

This is Thomas's last year in scarlet and gray, without question.

It may be his last year, if he wants to turn pro and earn a living playing basketball, that's his choice. But I am doubtful about his NBA future - if he's going to turn pro regardless of his stock, obviously it won't matter but if he's only going to go if he's a first round pick, then his stock will matter. Thomas can score, but the NBA is loaded with guys who can score who are significantly bigger and more athletic than DT, and play a lot better defense.

A lot of people talked about Buford being an early entry, he was more athletic than Thomas + a better defender, and a higher rated recruit, and he wasn't even drafted ... I think there is a significant number of Buckeye fans that post on message boards that overrate some of these guys when it comes to NBA draft stock. I think we should consider a projection where everybody but Ravenel comes back next season, because that is a distinct possibility.