Not sure if this has been posted - Wilkins

[tornado]

It will be hard to beat out BCS type programs, but we did for JP & DSE......
Providence has no open scholarship, and neither does Indiana....but of course they could always boot someone to open up a scholarship if they thought Wilkins was a game-changer...
but tell me why they'd ever think that? He hasn't played a game in a couple years...and the two things Indiana needs the most are a low post banger and a PG....neither of which is even remotely close to what Wilkins is...
If there's one thing Indiana is overloaded with it's bigger guys who don't like to play in the paint but play the wing...
(they already have Verdell Jones, Maurice Creek, then they already have Oladipo and Sheehey coming in next year...all these guys are 6-5 to 6-7 wing guys)
Anyway...both IU and Iowa State are firmly entrenched in the absolute bottoms of their respective leagues....something I am sure John knows......
and after nearly two years of not playing and working out...his juco coach still says...
"He has a lot of potential and a chance to be very good someday.
He is going to have to get stronger."
I am sure he knows that his potential to play right away is higher here then in the Big 12, B10, or Big East..and suspect he really doesn't want to get splinters all next year waiting his turn...

 

[ph]

OK, here it comes...
We are acting like Chicken Little here. I have heard good things about JW and he is still very much considering Bradley. Whenever he makes his decision, Bradley will be one of the final schools. He has not eliminated Bradley.
We have seen this phenomenon before, where an article from a BCS school site often completely ignores mentioning any midmajor school that a kid is interested. They probably can't fathom that Bradley would still be on his list along with heavyweights like Iowa State, Indiana, Providence, etc.

In the end, Bradley is going to lose more recruiting battles than they win, but I'd advise not getting totally defeated until it actually happens. And it has not happened yet. Bradley is still in the mix. And I'd take comfort in the fact that Iowa State is a last place team, and there is solid talk about a coaching change there. Also, they have only 1 open scholarship (L.A. Pomlee's scholarship), and there are a couple other kids they seem to want more than John Wilkins. I am sure he sees that. The same is true with Indiana.
He knows he would get immediate playing time at Bradley. He knows the Bradley coaches have been recruiting him the longest, and did the most work on his behalf to try to get all his transcripts, and appeal to the NCAA for eligibility. He has been in contact continuously with the BU coaches.
I still think the recruiting news will be good.

..used to be reported 100% BU, now we're just "in the mix"

 

[tornado]

would you rather we not be in the mix?

 

[Da Coach]

..used to be reported 100% BU, now we're just "in the mix"

It was 100% a year ago when he committed and was planning to come to Bradley. As we know, he would be playing for Bradley right now if the appropriate academic papers could have been obtained. Now that he is at the juco, he's open to recruiting again.

People are certainly welcome to torture themselves with the agony of believing that JW will never come to Bradley.

I prefer to wait until something actually becomes fact before I get worked up over it.

 

[PTownHawkeye]

This is cliche, but I want kids who WANT to be at BU. If it wasn't meant to be with JW, then we will move onto the next one. It seems like a number of times we have landed kids (TB and Will Franklin come to mind) who took the place of kids who did NOT want to be at BU.

From every bit of info out there both on this board and what is not posted on this board, Bradley is obviously still in the mix and it sounds like we will be in the final 3 with IU and Iowa St. I like our chances vs Iowa St and we do have at least 2 players on our roster who were offered by Iowa St but chose Bradley (can you imagine if Taylor Brown went there instead??).

We also have one who was offered by IU but chose BU. What concerns me about IU is that they could really sell the vision of being a part of turning a "once-great" program back to greatness. Indiana is at rock-bottom and JW probably sees an opportunity to play immediately. However, he is still unproven against D-I competition and would probably be better suited at BU.

 

[FarmerClone]

OK, here it comes...
We are acting like Chicken Little here. I have heard good things about JW and he is still very much considering Bradley. Whenever he makes his decision, Bradley will be one of the final schools. He has not eliminated Bradley.
We have seen this phenomenon before, where an article from a BCS school site often completely ignores mentioning any midmajor school that a kid is interested in. They probably can't fathom that Bradley would still be on his list along with heavyweights like Iowa State, Indiana, Providence, etc.

In the end, Bradley is going to lose more recruiting battles than they win, but I'd advise not getting totally defeated until it actually happens. And it has not happened yet. Bradley is still in the mix. And I'd take comfort in the fact that Iowa State is a last place team, and there is solid talk about a coaching change there. Also, they have only 1 open scholarship (L.A. Pomlee's scholarship), and there are a couple other kids they seem to want more than John Wilkins. I am sure he sees that. The same is true with Indiana.
He knows he would get immediate playing time at Bradley. He knows the Bradley coaches have been recruiting him the longest, and did the most work on his behalf to try to get all his transcripts, and appeal to the NCAA for eligibility. He has been in contact continuously with the BU coaches.
I still think the recruiting news will be good.

Actually, ISU likely has multiple scholarships available as I think Brackins and Gilstrap are leaving and likely one or two more players are transferring and I think the staff knows. The concept that Wilkins can make an immediate impact at Bradley, but not at ISU or Indiana is silly. Indiana and ISU are both BAD teams and ISU loses our best two players that play the three and four spots, which is where Wilkins will play. He has the opportunity to start from day one and be in the Big 12 where scouts will see him on a night in and night out basis. Right now, Marquis Gilstrap is being listed as a likely second round draft pick due to playing in the Big 12 in front of scouts every night. Can the NBA find you in the MVC? Heck yes they can, but ISU has had scouts at every Big 12 game this year, road and home I believe. Iowa State has been pushing hard to land him but I have no idea if we will. The rumors around McDermott I feel are just that, rumors. Time will tell if there is fire with the smoke.

 

[SaintLouBrave22]

would you rather we not be in the mix?

Yeah, because you may not want to believe it, but he's not coming here...



I'll pull the Joakim...If I am wrong, you can print this and I'll eat it next year at the tournament...BUT it just isn't happening T...

This guy is looking anywhere and everywhere to go somewhere else...


Good luck to him...at this point, I don't want him...its like having a gf, but going to all the bars trying to find someone else.

 

[Dallas Brave]

I think Bradley would have a lot of appeal to JW. It's clear that our guards are top notich and we have a great 3 in Taylor Brown. If JL is committed to playing bigger and putting JW and WE on the floor at the same time, Bradley could win the league crown for the next two years.

The fact that providence, Iowa St, and IU are interested is a good thing as it confirms the quality of JW.

 

[CubbieBear]

Yeah, because you may not want to believe it, but he's not coming here...


This guy is looking anywhere and everywhere to go somewhere else...


Good luck to him...at this point, I don't want him...its like having a gf, but going to all the bars trying to find someone else.

Agreed...all I have read on him lately, I don't want him either We can (and will) find a player who will fill our need and WANTS to be a Brave and not waffle about where he wants to play...let's just move on and put Wilkins in our rear view mirror:wink:

 

[SaintLouBrave22]

Agreed...all I have read on him lately, I don't want him either We can (and will) find a player who will fill our need and WANTS to be a Brave and not waffle about where he wants to play...let's just move on and put Wilkins in our rear view mirror:wink:

Agreed!


When we get a player, I want someone who WANTS desperately to be a Brave and really WANTS to be here...


Seems we've had enough trouble with players getting here and then not wanting to be here let alone a guy who is already this wishy-washy and hasn't even came to campus...



Just say no!

 

[Fetz86]

Where is our moderator post telling us all is well?

Remain calm. All is well!

 

[BUfan14]

Agreed!


When we get a player, I want someone who WANTS desperately to be a Brave and really WANTS to be here...


Seems we've had enough trouble with players getting here and then not wanting to be here let alone a guy who is already this wishy-washy and hasn't even came to campus...



Just say no!

Geez, I still really want this kid!! Come on, lots of kids have multiple schools they are considering, and like I and DC already said, you think a BCS school is going to mention a lot about Bradley in their article?? If you are looking for any recruit that says "I want this school and that's it" no matter what school your at you will be disappointed. Let him consider his options, wouldn't you consider yours? It is only smart to do so, and if he chooses elsewhere I certainly wish him no harm, and would be more mad at the NCAA for this happening. He is a smart kid, he has got to realize the love he would get here is more than he would get elsewhere. JL's system is perfect for a guard-forward of his type too.

To say you don't want him because he is considering another school is silly though. I still really want JW, but I will wait until he chooses and then move on either way from there.

Remember when he first committed to us, nothing was mentioned about us then either, it was all Indiana and other BCS schools then too. I wouldn't get to worked up yet.

 

[real fan]

Indiana is just not a good place to go right now as he is over recruiting hoping to find replacement players for the ones he currently has but are not panning out, no doubt he will get more playing time at BU and could become a star instead of a role player .

 

[lake Camelot]

Nothing to See

Nothing to See

Move along. All is Well.

 

[epistibrain]

To say you don't want him because he is considering another school is silly though.

It may be silly, but it's just how some of us feel. We demand nothing less than total devotion from our women, our beer, and the college basketball players we root for.

 

[SFP]

I'm more in the school of thought of let him look around because when he does make choice it will be his number one choice not one that was forced upon him. It's like dating. You may marry the first gal you dated but everyone would tell you to date around a bit before marrying her.;-)

It is what it is and as MM said,"I no longer get excited about a recruit til I actually see the player suited up at Bradley in Red/White and on the floor at Carver."

 

[ph]

would you rather we not be in the mix?

I do still want Wilkins, and I still like the idea of holding a 13th scholarship for him.

I'm also more concerned with getting the best competitors vs "school loyality". (Any Indiana State fan care that Bird first wanted IU?) Any great player knows they would have no choice in a potential future NBA team, so why fan preference matter with college choicer that much?

My greatest concern with Wilkins is how the 10/11 year is shaping up scholie wise. Recruiting usually takes many years for a mid-major. Within the past 2 years, it looked like we would enter next season with promising upper classmen, WE and AT. JP, MK (who was listed as a C in the HS box scores I saw), SH, JW and 2 other scholies. Since then, the 2 other scholies have been taken by AW and DD's (potential) redshirt... but we are now entering next year with 1 experienced big (that recently only lasted 5 minutes before fouling out) without SH next year and only a "in the mix" from JW.
Overall, we do not seem to be in an ideal situation, and I guess that is fustrating.

 

[FortyTwo]

My primary concern is centered around on the recruiting class as a whole. I hope we still get JW, but I hope we didn't make any decisions that will adversely affect us with other recruits, based on the belief that JW was locked up. We'll never know for sure either way, but I hope JL and staff kept recruiting as if he wasn't coming for the last year plus.

My personal feel on JW, we are his safety school at best.

 

[BUfan14]

It may be silly, but it's just how some of us feel. We demand nothing less than total devotion from our women, our beer, and the college basketball players we root for.

You don't think any other current or former BU players considered any other schools before deciding? No player ever just says this is where I'm going and that's final without weighing the options, it wouldn't be smart on the players part. If he decides to go here, then I think he is showing his dedication to us.

So are you saying that any current or former players that thought about other schools you don't like? Come on man, you wouldn't like anyone on the roster. That's why it is silly.

 

[houstontxbrave]

We are at best a fall back option.

And I have a feeling JL and staff have know this for a while and likely are fine with it. I would not be surprised that if he wants to come and there is a ride available he gets it but they are recruiting with the assumption that he is not going to be a Bradley Brave.

But that is true for anyone until and even if they sign the letter of intent.

For me until the guy is on campus in Aug/Sept none of this means one thing. Its nice speculation and conversation but really nothing should be taken for certain until that guy is on campus.

Just keep in mind signing period is not for 6/7 weeks lots of things will happen between today and then.