5 * CG Zion Cruz

[johnjacob 44]

13 hours ago, steeleagle said:

Ofc NC has still that Blue Blood luster. You don't lose it bc of 1 down year and a legendary coach retiring.

yes Davis is green, but he can sell Cruz on being the key guy to bring them back to the top. Sometimes a new coach brings energy and guys want to jump on that bandwagon. 

So, I would never down them as not a strong factor...

It happened to UCLA for a time (they are no longer a blue blood, but could be getting there again with their current coach.) and Indiana still has not been what it used to be.  Cincy was a blue blood in  the 1960's (National Championships: 2 (1961, 1962) Final Four Appearances: 6 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1992), then just a pretty good program since minus 1992. (FYI: The Big O, Oscar Robertson did not play on either of Cincy's NCAA championships, he played from 1957-1960.) We can see at Indiana that bad coaching hires can depress a program. We shall see if Hubert Davis is a Roy Williams or a Mike Davis. 

[AuburnArch13 185]

11 hours ago, johnjacob said:

It happened to UCLA for a time (they are no longer a blue blood, but could be getting there again with their current coach.) and Indiana still has not been what it used to be.  Cincy was a blue blood in  the 1960's (National Championships: 2 (1961, 1962) Final Four Appearances: 6 (1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1992), then just a pretty good program since minus 1992. (FYI: The Big O, Oscar Robertson did not play on either of Cincy's NCAA championships, he played from 1957-1960.) We can see at Indiana that bad coaching hires can depress a program. We shall see if Hubert Davis is a Roy Williams or a Mike Davis. 

Anything could happen, but it’s probably safest to assume that UNC is still UNC until proven otherwise, especially from a recruiting standpoint. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if they ended up being a threat for Cruz.

[keesler 5,924]

I'm happy we can sweeten the pot now that recruits can see for themselves what NIL $$ can come their way at AU.  

[johnjacob 44]

5 hours ago, AuburnArch13 said:

Anything could happen, but it’s probably safest to assume that UNC is still UNC until proven otherwise, especially from a recruiting standpoint. Wouldn’t surprise me at all if they ended up being a threat for Cruz.

We shall see, but I see UNC taking a step back at least for a few years due to inexperienced HC. 

[AuburnArch13 185]

2 hours ago, johnjacob said:

We shall see, but I see UNC taking a step back at least for a few years due to inexperienced HC. 

I think that’s fair. It’s hard to replace a legend. But at the same time if there is a drop off, I’d expect a drop in recruiting prowess to lag behind any drop in on court performance if it happens. Even the UCLAs and Indianas were able to continue to recruit well until it was clear that the on-court product was not the same. I also think that the continuity that Hubert provides there as an internal promotion helps the recruiting cause. He’s likely to have already been personally recruiting many of these kids to UNC for a few years. So he’s not having to cobble something together out of whole cloth.

[johnjacob 44]

4 hours ago, AuburnArch13 said:

I think that’s fair. It’s hard to replace a legend. But at the same time if there is a drop off, I’d expect a drop in recruiting prowess to lag behind any drop in on court performance if it happens. Even the UCLAs and Indianas were able to continue to recruit well until it was clear that the on-court product was not the same. I also think that the continuity that Hubert provides there as an internal promotion helps the recruiting cause. He’s likely to have already been personally recruiting many of these kids to UNC for a few years. So he’s not having to cobble something together out of whole cloth.

The internal promotion is part of the problem. Look how bad they did this past season and I am pretty sure they did not have players out like our team. Part of Bobby Knight's problem towards his end at Indiana was that he was not bringing in new ideas by hiring outsiders, but only yes men. Even grad assistants (per him) were all former players of his I think he did better with that at TTech. When he started he got a lot of ideas from other coaches like Dean Smith.

It would be nice if someone pointed out to Zion how bad UNC played and how unhappy the players were at UNC last season. Davis was a big part of that. 

[AuburnArch13 185]

5 hours ago, johnjacob said:

The internal promotion is part of the problem. Look how bad they did this past season and I am pretty sure they did not have players out like our team. Part of Bobby Knight's problem towards his end at Indiana was that he was not bringing in new ideas by hiring outsiders, but only yes men. Even grad assistants (per him) were all former players of his I think he did better with that at TTech. When he started he got a lot of ideas from other coaches like Dean Smith.

It would be nice if someone pointed out to Zion how bad UNC played and how unhappy the players were at UNC last season. Davis was a big part of that. 

I mean maybe.. but I just can’t think of a case in either basketball or football where recruiting fell off quickly and precipitously after the coach retired - particularly when they were replaced by essentially a HC-in-waiting. UNC just landed a commitment from 5-star C Jalen Washington on Friday. I think we still have a good shot at Cruz, and I’m sure that our staff will be making all of the same arguments about UNC to him that your making now. But I just don’t see any reason to assume that Hubert won’t recruit just as well if not better than Roy.

[johnjacob 44]

5 hours ago, AuburnArch13 said:

I mean maybe.. but I just can’t think of a case in either basketball or football where recruiting fell off quickly and precipitously after the coach retired - particularly when they were replaced by essentially a HC-in-waiting. UNC just landed a commitment from 5-star C Jalen Washington on Friday. I think we still have a good shot at Cruz, and I’m sure that our staff will be making all of the same arguments about UNC to him that your making now. But I just don’t see any reason to assume that Hubert won’t recruit just as well if not better than Roy.

True. But if AU misses on him there are plenty of really good 2Gs interested in Auburn. I am more worried about Walker, the PF. Cruz was recruiting him to AU. 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,649]

Seems like he still has a fairly quick timeline in mind 

[AuburnArch13 185]

2 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Seems like he still has a fairly quick timeline in mind 

Yeah, Peach Jam is July 20-25 I think. So it sounds like we’ve got a good chance of knowing this month.

[jared52 4,354]

23 minutes ago, AuburnArch13 said:

Yeah, Peach Jam is July 20-25 I think. So it sounds like we’ve got a good chance of knowing this month.

So not this Friday or the next this Friday, but the next Friday after the next this Friday?

[johnjacob 44]

4 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Seems like he still has a fairly quick timeline in mind 

NICE!!!! 

[Maverick.AU 13,279]

 

[Dual-Threat Rigby 8,649]

Two first rounders and a five star in a week’s span. Would be the most transformative week in Auburn basketball’s history (aside from any of the weeks in March 2019) 

[steeleagle 2,945]

10 hours ago, Dual-Threat Rigby said:

Two first rounders and a five star in a week’s span. Would be the most transformative week in Auburn basketball’s history (aside from any of the weeks in March 2019) 

That would be a great PR emphasis. Watch 2 Auburn players go to the NBA in the first round, and get a commitment from a 5* player to Auburn, his future also NBA bound.

[steeleagle 2,945]

On 7/14/2021 at 9:43 PM, Maverick.AU said:

 

Any update on Cruz? I know he did the Peach Jam event. 

Reason I ask, I heard a rumor, no fact backed, that he has fallen down on our board now. If he has, I wonder what SG is also on Pearl's radar...

[Dunndone414 469]

20 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Any update on Cruz? I know he did the Peach Jam event. 

Reason I ask, I heard a rumor, no fact backed, that he has fallen down on our board now. If he has, I wonder what SG is also on Pearl's radar...

Would be curious to know where this rumor came from, from an outside perspective Bruce has been on Zion harder than anyone the last few months.
 

The only other shooting/combo guards we’ve seemingly made any progress with are Nick Smith and Chandler Jackson. I’m very skeptical Nick Smith ends up at Auburn, and (as far as rankings go) Jackson is a tier or two below Zion. 

[AuburnArch13 185]

46 minutes ago, steeleagle said:

Any update on Cruz? I know he did the Peach Jam event. 

Reason I ask, I heard a rumor, no fact backed, that he has fallen down on our board now. If he has, I wonder what SG is also on Pearl's radar...

Last I heard, he was trying to schedule a visit to UNC. I haven’t seen any indication that he’s visited or that he’s even got it on the schedule yet. But that’s the only news I’ve seen.

[CameronCrazy 1,058]

I really hope that rumor isn’t true - Pearl should’ve learned by now that 1 in the hand is better than 2 in the bushes. We’ve lost out on way too many guys the past couple of years to be turning away a 5* SG (the one position that we keep missing on).

[johnjacob 44]

Posters on two other sites are claiming Cruz may not be a take for Bruce; that Bruce likes another player better. Probably BS. Cruz and Tre D are announcing on the 19th. 

[Rednilla 5,383]

3 hours ago, johnjacob said:

Posters on two other sites are claiming Cruz may not be a take for Bruce; that Bruce likes another player better. Probably BS. Cruz and Tre D are announcing on the 19th. 

I simply cannot see that as being the case...here's hoping we reel in both of those guys.

[AuburnNTexas 7,134]

1 hour ago, Rednilla said:

I simply cannot see that as being the case...here's hoping we reel in both of those guys.

Pulling both of these guys would be a real coup for Pearl and Auburn to get those types of players to agree to commit on the same day..

[steeleagle 2,945]

5 hours ago, johnjacob said:

Posters on two other sites are claiming Cruz may not be a take for Bruce; that Bruce likes another player better. Probably BS. Cruz and Tre D are announcing on the 19th. 

I think Nick Smith out of Ark has really risen on their radar and they are pushing for him more ahead of Cruz, the scuttlebut is out there.

Smith had a great Nike Peach Jam, and as a CG, Pearl and Flanigan really like his overall shooting better than Cruz. 

[johnjacob 44]

1 hour ago, steeleagle said:

I think Nick Smith out of Ark has really risen on their radar and they are pushing for him more ahead of Cruz, the scuttlebut is out there.

Smith had a great Nike Peach Jam, and as a CG, Pearl and Flanigan really like his overall shooting better than Cruz. 

That is exactly the player mentioned I just could not remember his name. Most likely we will need a 2G and a 3 and in Pearl's system a big 2G could easily play the 3 so Cruz might be worth the take. 

[Rednilla 5,383]

I'm not sure how to embed a tweet here, but Tre Donaldson, the S/PG we've been recruiting who is announcing on the same day as Cruz, tweeted that big news was coming from two of them on the same day...maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that kinda sounds like it might be a good day for us with both of them.