****Official Class of 2020 Recruiting Thread****

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Sigmapolis

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It is very difficult to count on any of the freshmen to come in day on an start. It is possible and we've seen it with THT, Hali and Wigginton, two of those were top 60 recruits. I do think XF is in that range will be starting a PF with SY/Conditt at C. Ideally Prohm gets a floor general
Bolton is a given starter at one guard and my hope is a full year under Prohm can improve his turnovers, he has the size, first step and finishing to be all conference at PG even if he's better as SG this year. Tre could be the other, the light is turning on for him and him getting the same instruction as a sophomore could make the jump to solid starter. I assume Johnson will be the starting SF and will need to top half starter.
Between Zion/Dubar/Blackwell/Grill/Lewis one needs to exceed present expectations to make ISU really good next ear. I feel 2 of the 4 will be there in two years but need to see it first to count on it in the fall.

Yeah, I momentarily forgot about Johnson.

Amending the above --

TRANSFER PG
Bolton
Johnson
one of the other wings on the roster/coming in
Young/Conditt
---
Jackson/Grill
one of the other wings
Foster
whoever of Young/Conditt is not starting

Starting and/or playing Bolton and Jackson together for long stretches is going to be hard because they are both so small. These wings gotta work out.

All this is going to change anyways.
 

WhoISthis

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Yeah, I momentarily forgot about Johnson.

Amending the above --

TRANSFER PG
Bolton
Johnson
one of the other wings on the roster/coming in
Young/Conditt
---
Jackson/Grill
one of the other wings
Foster
whoever of Young/Conditt is not starting

Starting and/or playing Bolton and Jackson together for long stretches is going to be hard because they are both so small. These wings gotta work out.

All this is going to change anyways.
Good post, thank you.

So much can change in one offseason. Remember Floyd’s second season? Anyone know if Prohm has stashed an elite shooting guard at a juco? A man can dream!
 

LLCoolCY

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Yeah, I momentarily forgot about Johnson.

Amending the above --

TRANSFER PG
Bolton
Johnson
one of the other wings on the roster/coming in
Young/Conditt
---
Jackson/Grill
one of the other wings
Foster
whoever of Young/Conditt is not starting

Starting and/or playing Bolton and Jackson together for long stretches is going to be hard because they are both so small. These wings gotta work out.

All this is going to change anyways.

I agree that the size of a Bolton Jackson back court is concerning but, that could be the case for next year if a better transfer isn't available. The staff recognized that and one of the reasons they prioritized Walker (6'4") to complement them.
I get the sense Prohm may be ready to pivot to getting a ready now SG sharpshooter based on what we know about the HS and JuCo recruiting targets (Walton, Ellis JuCo, Maryland bound Smart) and have Bolton start at PG with Tre and Jadin backing him up if they can't find a ready now PG.
There just aren't many high level PG in JuCo this year, the grad transfer market could change that.
 

Sigmapolis

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I agree that the size of a Bolton Jackson back court is concerning but, that could be the case for next year if a better transfer isn't available. The staff recognized that and one of the reasons they prioritized Walker (6'4") to complement them.
I get the sense Prohm may be ready to pivot to getting a ready now SG sharpshooter based on what we know about the HS and JuCo recruiting targets (Walton, Ellis JuCo, Maryland bound Smart) and have Bolton start at PG with Tre and Jadin backing him up if they can't find a ready now PG.
There just aren't many high level PG in JuCo this year, the grad transfer market could change that.

I have been a big defender of Bolton on here, but as a SG.

His A:T numbers are pitiful if you try to sell him as a PG.

Bolton and Jackson are, in some ways, two sides of an awesome player -- both of them are undersized SGs initially styled as PGs, Bolton is great on offense but suspect on defense, and Jackson is very active on defense but not a particularly useful offensive player. He cannot create his own shot and offers only mediocre spot-up shooting right now. I wish you could merge them. That would be a fine two-way player, which we lack.

Going into next season with those two plus a true freshman as your options at PG makes me a little queasy. A good PG can paper over a lot of other issues on offense, and Prohm has always had an elite or at least a very good one at Iowa State with Morris, Weiler-Babb, and Haliburton. Trying to play SGs as PGs (with the Wigginton experiment and Bolton, both because of injuries) ends badly, as we are seeing right now.

Handing the keys to a guy likely coming from the mid-major ranks, though, unless Prohm can pull off a coup this spring, does not sound great, either.
 

Sigmapolis

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Good post, thank you.

So much can change in one offseason. Remember Floyd’s second season? Anyone know if Prohm has stashed an elite shooting guard at a juco? A man can dream!

Wish we still had this guy around --

Jackson_Donovan_TTU_2017_18.jpg


I would feel a lot better about next year if we had his equivalent coming into the program.
 
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WhoISthis

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;):):):)
Wish we still had this guy around --

Jackson_Donovan_TTU_2017_18.jpg


I would feel a lot better about next year if we had his equivalent coming into the program.
An under appreciated talent. In today’s game, There isn’t a team that DJ couldn’t help. He also would have loved playing for Johhny :)

Juco recruiting is wild, man. I hope this staff knows how to scour those ranks. You just know there’s an option out there that would help.
 
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LLCoolCY

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;):):):)
An under appreciated talent. In today’s game, There isn’t a team that DJ couldn’t help. He also would have loved playing for Johhny :)

Juco recruiting is wild, man. I hope this staff knows how to scour those ranks. You just know there’s an option out there that would help.

JuCo ranks aren't a magic elixir to fill a hole for every DJax there is a Bluford. It is really difficult to evaluate the competition and how that translates to the P6 level.

Currently there are only 2 true PG in the top 20 ranks (ISU has contated Hill), once you get past that it is a total crapshoot where a HS player could be just as good and a transfer likely better.

https://www.jucorecruiting.com/2020-junior-college-basketball-player-rankings-top-100
 

Messi

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JuCo ranks aren't a magic elixir to fill a hole for every DJax there is a Bluford. It is really difficult to evaluate the competition and how that translates to the P6 level.

Currently there are only 2 true PG in the top 20 ranks (ISU has contated Hill), once you get past that it is a total crapshoot where a HS player could be just as good and a transfer likely better.

https://www.jucorecruiting.com/2020-junior-college-basketball-player-rankings-top-100

juco talent has really declined the last few years with the rise of prep schools
 

Sigmapolis

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Thank you for being on top of this as you are and organizing this information for the curious but not as knowledgeable, @Messi and @LLCoolJansma.

Looks like we are going to have another exciting spring. I still felt spring recruiting in 2019 went well... Bolton is a nice piece, sounds like Johnson will at least be useful, and while Grill was not that good this year, I still like him as an upside/developmental piece with three more years to play... so we are going to need something similar in the next few months at least. Might not be likely, but sometimes you have to love the chase.
 
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CloniesForLife

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I have been a big defender of Bolton on here, but as a SG.

His A:T numbers are pitiful if you try to sell him as a PG.

Bolton and Jackson are, in some ways, two sides of an awesome player -- both of them are undersized SGs initially styled as PGs, Bolton is great on offense but suspect on defense, and Jackson is very active on defense but not a particularly useful offensive player. He cannot create his own shot and offers only mediocre spot-up shooting right now. I wish you could merge them. That would be a fine two-way player, which we lack.

Going into next season with those two plus a true freshman as your options at PG makes me a little queasy. A good PG can paper over a lot of other issues on offense, and Prohm has always had an elite or at least a very good one at Iowa State with Morris, Weiler-Babb, and Haliburton. Trying to play SGs as PGs (with the Wigginton experiment and Bolton, both because of injuries) ends badly, as we are seeing right now.

Handing the keys to a guy likely coming from the mid-major ranks, though, unless Prohm can pull off a coup this spring, does not sound great, either.

I like Bolton a lot as a SG as well. He isn't PG (at least right now). Our offense really struggles when he does play point and his court vision, passing ability, and decision making leave a lot to be desired as a PG. Maybe he will be able to hone those skills in the offseason.
 

Sigmapolis

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I like Bolton a lot as a SG as well. He isn't PG (at least right now). Our offense really struggles when he does play point and his court vision, passing ability, and decision making leave a lot to be desired as a PG. Maybe he will be able to hone those skills in the offseason.

I like (and fear) he is another Wigginton.

Great college SGs trapped in PG bodies with some pretensions they are PGs.
 
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Sigmapolis

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That’s a weird thing to fear.

The thing to love -- elite college shooter that can break down a defense. An excellent player when letting a true PG set him up and run the show for him.

The thing to fear -- thinks he's a PG. Proceeds to turn the ball over a lot. Leads the nation in wiggintons, my name for a play where a guy drives when it isn't really there, panics, leaves his feet, and throws the ball to the other team for a break.
 

LLCoolCY

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I like (and fear) he is another Wigginton.

Great college SGs trapped in PG bodies with some pretensions they are PGs.

Nothing wrong with Bolton being a undersized SG and being deployed as Wigginton his two years was. Lindellwas all Big 12 freshman and 6th MOTY as a soph averaging over 15ppg.
The issue was him wanting/needing to play PG for his NBA aspirations and causing off the court discord, but on the court he produced.
As long as the staff and Rasir recognize his strengths/weaknesses and play him correctly he can have major success at ISU.
 
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WhoISthis

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JuCo ranks aren't a magic elixir to fill a hole for every DJax there is a Bluford. It is really difficult to evaluate the competition and how that translates to the P6 level.

Currently there are only 2 true PG in the top 20 ranks (ISU has contated Hill), once you get past that it is a total crapshoot where a HS player could be just as good and a transfer likely better.

https://www.jucorecruiting.com/2020-junior-college-basketball-player-rankings-top-100
Could be a miss, but that’s recruiting no matter what!

Juco recruiting is when GM skills shine. Always has been a eye of the beholder. As you know, the rankings, although the best, are not conclusive indicators for juco. It’s all about having a staff that knows how to scour the ranks and find guys that fit needs! We’re not going to find a top draft pick, but a staff that’s knows how to put a team together can find pieces. I think this staff knows guard pieces when they see them.
 
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Cyclonepride

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I like (and fear) he is another Wigginton.

Great college SGs trapped in PG bodies with some pretensions they are PGs.

I don't see that comparison at all. First, Wigginton was at a higher level as a sophomore, and second, he was ball dominant. Rasir is not, and I think he'd be perfectly content to play off the ball, and get his points where he can.
 

Sigmapolis

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I don't see that comparison at all. First, Wigginton was at a higher level as a sophomore, and second, he was ball dominant. Rasir is not, and I think he'd be perfectly content to play off the ball, and get his points where he can.

Seasonal usage rates --

FR Wigginton = 27.7%
SO Wigginton = 26.9%

FR Bolton = 24.1%
SO Bolton = 25.5%

For comparison, Giannis' career usage rate is 26.38% in the NBA.

They are not quite Kobe (31.85%) but the ball ends with both of them quite a lot.
 

Cyclonepride

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Seasonal usage rates --

FR Wigginton = 27.7%
SO Wigginton = 26.9%

FR Bolton = 24.1%
SO Bolton = 25.5%

For comparison, Giannis' career usage rate is 26.38% in the NBA.

They are not quite Kobe (31.85%) but the ball ends with both of them quite a lot.

I'm guessing that Bolton's usage rate has gone after Tyrese went out? I'm surprised that it is that high, but I think it's partly born out of necessity (and lack of other offensive options), whereas I think Lindell was a bit stickier with the ball (despite a plethora of other offensive options).
 
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