Ok guys I'm here baring a white flag and looking to only respond and understand some of your positions. I am not looking to troll or flame you. All of you are disappointed and or angry the Juiston chose UNLV. I get it your coach put in a lot of work building a relationship and he didn't choose you guys.
As someone else mentioned you wouldn't be so perturbed if it had been say a Blueblood school. You could easily rationalize this fact. However, lots a comments suggest that the only way he could choose UNLV over ISU is because of cheating. If you have evidence to suggest this then bring it forward.
UNLV has a lot to offer basketball recruits versus the coaches having to 'cheat'.
- UNLV albeit down for many years has a strong and storied brand. They play in the 18K seat Thomas & Mack which up until this last couple season touted some very high attendance numbers. UNLV just spent $72M on its renovations and expansion.
- UNLV number of NCAA appearances are similar to ISU. UNLV also has a National Championship. The UNLV brand has taken a beating but it's still a storied brand (watch the HBO special). Some recruits like the idea of being the one to help bring it back to national prominence. Many of this year's recruits feel this way.
- UNLV Basketball has its own dedicated $12M facility built in 2012. USA Basketball uses it for training and well NBA Sumner League.
- As mentioned above the Thomas & Mack and UNLV Basketball facility (both owned by UNLV) hosts NBA Summer Leagues and USA Basketball. This provides great level of interaction and relationships with the next level.
- Las Vegas is a great town and very nice to live in. Obviously many of you will disagree but unless you have actually lived in the city you really don't know. "Great city, great people, phenomenal area to go to school," Hardy said of UNLV."
- Las Vegas hosts number of AAU and other high school tournments in which high level recruits are exposed to the city and UNLV.
- Las Vegas is becoming a professional sports town with additonal of NHL Golden Knights and NFL Raiders. And some to be more.
- For families wanting to visit and attend games it easier, more affordable and more desirable than almost any city in the country.
- UNLV's down years have taken a toll on national televised games however all games are available online if not broadcast on TV. But televised games always swing on a pendulum even for more notable programs. UNLV will have its share of nationally televised games.
- Marvin Menzies and his assistant coaches are good recruiters and good people. Recruiting is about relationships as much as anything else. I'm sure you've interviewed for a job before and came away saying 'I really want to work for that person', 'they can offer me what in want in a company' or the opposite. Recruits feel the same way and generally it's a big part of your decision. Sometimes the biggest.
- Yes. Las Vegas is not Ames. That's not a knock on Ames. Las Vegas has some of the best restaurants, nightlife and entertainment one can offer. Why wouldn't this be attractive? It also doesn't mean the athlete won't take his development seriously. Read Amauri Hardy's response on why he committed; he said that he wanted exposure of a big city as part as his development. He said "I think Las Vegas can prepare me for the long run," he said. "If I have a chance to make the NBA, I can get a taste of (a big city) before the fame. If I can handle Las Vegas, I should be able to handle the fame of possibly being an NBA player."
- UNLV was also selling a recruiting package with other players. Signing McCoy was a big factor in both Juiston and Hardy decision.
You can say hookers and blow and all the other stuff. But quite honestly UNLV is ultra careful with recruiting based on the tiff between Tark and the NCAA. They pay extra close attention to UNLV and so playing by the rules is critical.
So there are more things that UNLV can offer besides resulting to hookers and blow.