Recruiting 2024 Offers

[Ramlove81]

We may or may not have Max, Zeb and Bam. All three could graduate and move on to pro careers or use their COVID year at other schools.

My hopeful list.
If all three were to be missing, then we definitely need to hit the portal for some guards.

 

[RAMification]

Replying to the thread here, not just RAMification. I'm going to say the jury is not still out, but really hasn't even convened yet. We are too early in to have gathered enough evidence.
We know how recruiting has worked here for a long time, but the whole scene has changed and our coaching staff has changed.
Recruiting may be very different now, but could still be fruitful.
We know that Odom has done well with recruits from over seas, our one freshman this year is from England and played in France and appears to be very good, maybe even impactful this year.
The Jennings guy above looks like he could be really good and is just starting to blow up.
I'm thinking this year we will see two portal guys and two high school guys (who may not be playing a lot right away).
Next year we will still have Max, Zeb, Wheeler, Tobi, Fermin, Fats, Nelson, Belle, Bam and Obi, without the always now expected transfers.
We can win a lot of games with that line up.
Maybe those who say there is no longer any future for recruiting guys out of high school for a program like VCU are right and that's the direction VCU is headed. If so, we will be waiting until spring to get an idea of the guys staying, and the new guys coming in.
It's a new world.

I am still in the school of thought that firmly believes there is ample opportunity to recruit quality preps. NIL has definitely made it more difficult but it is still doable. NIL is a REAL problem with respect to the top 50/75 preps but many in the top 150 receive modest and in some cases no NIL. Let's not forget Portal players get NIL too. I think RO and his staff are going to recruit well at VCU. I will admit I am a bit surprised we have not been more active in the top 150 or so for 2024. Perhaps that will change or as stated perhaps the strategy for 2024 is more geared towards the portal and focusing on preps for 2025 and beyond. With at least 4 scholarships to fill nailing a couple of high-quality preps in the early signing period would be nice and then seeing what the portal brings in the spring.

 

[Ramdog]

Maybe RO feels we only need so many players…3 short this season

 

[Mr X]

Maybe RO feels we only need so many players…3 short this season

Maybe the fewer we have the more we can pay them.

 

[Ramlove81]

I am still in the school of thought that firmly believes there is ample opportunity to recruit quality preps. NIL has definitely made it more difficult but it is still doable. NIL is a REAL problem with respect to the top 50/75 preps but many in the top 150 receive modest and in some cases no NIL. Let's not forget Portal players get NIL too. I think RO and his staff are going to recruit well at VCU. I will admit I am a bit surprised we have not been more active in the top 150 or so for 2024. Perhaps that will change or as stated perhaps the strategy for 2024 is more geared towards the portal and focusing on preps for 2025 and beyond. With at least 4 scholarships to fill nailing a couple of high-quality preps in the early signing period would be nice and then seeing what the portal brings in the spring.

Agreed, yet I also see the point (I think Ramdog has made, if not sorry Ramdog) that there is a danger that Mid-major programs could become the development centers for P5/6/4 (however many Ps we end up with) who pluck up players we develop when it becomes apparent they are ready to play at a P5 level.
I'm somewhere between. I think there is a place for recruiting kids from high school, but the explosion of the transfer portal and the effects of NIL have changed the game. I would prefer recruiting high school players, developing them (for fans getting to know them) and having them for 4 years, but the world just may not be moving in that direction right now.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

Agreed, yet I also see the point (I think Ramdog has made, if not sorry Ramdog) that there is a danger that Mid-major programs could become the development centers for P5/6/4 (however many Ps we end up with) who pluck up players we develop when it becomes apparent they are ready to play at a P5 level.
I'm somewhere between. I think there is a place for recruiting kids from high school, but the explosion of the transfer portal and the effects of NIL have changed the game. I would prefer recruiting high school players, developing them (for fans getting to know them) and having them for 4 years, but the world just may not be moving in that direction right now.

The potential downside to recruiting high school kids is, if they come to VCU and blow up, there is a good chance they are going to enter the transfer portal in order to capitalize on as much NIL money as they can earn. The transfer portal and NIL have created a type of free agency that is out of control in college sports. These kids do not sign contracts like the pros do through free agency, so the schools will never have any control over them. Everyone in college is now a year to year free agent.

 

[SteveMM]

The potential downside to recruiting high school kids is, if they come to VCU and blow up, there is a good chance they are going to enter the transfer portal in order to capitalize on as much NIL money as they can earn. The transfer portal and NIL have created a type of free agency that is out of control in college sports. These kids do not sign contracts like the pros do through free agency, so the schools will never have any control over them. Everyone in college is now a year to year free agent.

Agreed, and...

1) Basketball is year-to-year now. It seems like it's going to be the exception that a player stays in once place for four years, and thus you're building a new team every season. Schools that are a "program" like VCU will have an advantage there. You also need a coach who is good at team building versus team growing.

2) I believe bringing in a prep player or two every season is a good idea, but frankly I think high mid-majors like VCU should be scouting the transfer portal for players leaving lower mid-major schools due to development or leaving power conferences because of lack of playing time, because once they transfer then they aren't likely to be able to transfer again. If you can bring in sophomores and juniors, they'll be with you for a couple of years. This is the equivalent of VCU players leaving for P5/6/whatever conferences.

3) You fill the holes with graduate transfers and seniors.

I mean, it seems easy, even if it isn't. Truly, it seems to be what Odom did this year.

 

[Mr X]

Agreed, and...

1) Basketball is year-to-year now. It seems like it's going to be the exception that a player stays in once place for four years, and thus you're building a new team every season. Schools that are a "program" like VCU will have an advantage there. You also need a coach who is good at team building versus team growing.

2) I believe bringing in a prep player or two every season is a good idea, but frankly I think high mid-majors like VCU should be scouting the transfer portal for players leaving lower mid-major schools due to development or leaving power conferences because of lack of playing time, because once they transfer then they aren't likely to be able to transfer again. If you can bring in sophomores and juniors, they'll be with you for a couple of years. This is the equivalent of VCU players leaving for P5/6/whatever conferences.

3) You fill the holes with graduate transfers and seniors.

I mean, it seems easy, even if it isn't. Truly, it seems to be what Odom did this year.

It's what we need to do.

 

[TampaKAP]

So many ways to peel an onion. First and foremost, just because you dont see something doesn’t mean its not happening. There is a good bit of recruiting occurring including High School, Canadian, and other International players. In this era, it makes sense for VCU to heavily focus on High School players that might stay for more than one year. I also would develop relationships with high school players that may go to other programs but there is no need to make a public offer to those player. The relationship now is for when the hit the transfer portal. I also am going to throw this wild thought out. All of the home games we have this year are potential recruiting trips as is the Disney trip.

 

[Ramdog]

So many ways to peel an onion. First and foremost, just because you dont see something doesn’t mean it’s not happening. There is a good bit of recruiting occurring including High School, Canadian, and other International players. In this era, it makes sense for VCU to heavily focus on High School players that might stay for more than one year. I also would develop relationships with high school players that may go to other programs but there is no need to make a public offer to those player. The relationship now is for when the hit the transfer portal. I also am going to throw this wild thought out. All of the home games we have this year are potential recruiting trips as is the Disney trip.

it’s hard to hide your activity in recruiting in this era of social media

 

[TampaKAP]

it’s hard to hide your activity in recruiting in this era of social media

There is information on social media, (hint I didn’t pick Canada out of thin air when I mentioned that country specifically. Anyways, are you and others suggesting that RO and staff who are getting paid well to advance the program are simply not recruiting? I know some will point to open schollys this year to augment the concern. Maybe people are right and he doesn’t plan on putting a team on the court next year

 

[Major Ram 2.0]

This coach seems to keep things under heavy wraps. Not much leaking from BDC per people I have spoken to.

 

[Wolfpack Ram]

This coach seems to keep things under heavy wraps. Not much leaking from BDC per people I have spoken to.

I'm sure Coach Odom is holding his cards close to his vest, but I think there is a lack of information for another reason. Up until Coach Odom's hiring, every head coach VCU has hired since Shaka Smart has been from the Shaka Smart coaching tree. That means numerous donors/fans had prior relationships with those coaches and were able to re-establish some of those relationship fairly quickly after the new head coach arrived. That is not the case with Coach Odom. He is not from the Shaka Smart coaching tree and really has minimal connections to VCU and the donor/fan base prior to arriving. Neither does most of his coaching staff, with the exceptions being Darius Theus and Bradford Burgess. And I'm sure both Theus and Burgess have been told what they can and cannot share with the outside.

Coach Odom is from a different coaching tree and does things totally different than coaches from Shaka's coaching tree. That includes coaching style and recruiting. He won at UMBC and he won at Utah State. He WILL win at VCU, but it is going to be doing things his way and not the way VCU fans have been used to since the arrival of Shaka Smart.

As we have heard coaches say to players so many times since Shaka's arrival, everyone just needs to trust the process. Coach Odom has a map of where he wants to take this program and he knows how to read it.

 

[RAMification]

Brandon is a very intriguing prospect. He was one of the notable "stock risers" this summer and his recruitment is really taking off. He is a 6'4" PG with great length, exceptional athleticism, can score on all 3 levels, is tough and has a high basketball IQ. He is also a very good defender. On the academic side he boasts a GPA well over 4.00. Last year at St. Christopher's he averaged 18ppg., 7 boards, 5 assists, and 2 steals. He and his brother Willie are 2 sport stars(BB and FB) having transferred from Prince George High a couple of years ago to St. Christophers. Willie is a star defensive back and has committed to Christopher Newport. While Brandon plays WR and DB in football his future is on the hardwood. Brandon was MVP of the Henrico Holiday Hoops Tournament last year. So far his offers include VCU, Louisville, Richmond, W&M, Radford, Penn., Navy, Colorado State, and Harvard among others. Brandon is just turning 18 and it looks like he is really coming into his own. He has a lot of upside.

Of interest, Brandon's mother has both an undergraduate degree and Master's from VCU. This is a very hard working and outstanding family.

Brandon now has a prospect rating on 247Sports. He is now a 3* prospect and rated the number 13 prospect in Virginia and rising. He really made a statement this summer playing with Team Loaded.

 

[Ramlove81]

Cancelling UVa and VaTech visits, still planning on a VCU visit though didn't list a date.