SF/PF Wenyen Gabriel (Kentucky Commit)

[gtcam]

and I spoke with my brother in law, my barber, the guy in line at Stop and Shop who needed help, Scott at the veggie stand in Madison and that was in the past 2 hours - NOT BAD

 

[auror]

Just glad KO is worth listing as an "impressive" name.

 

[aceboon]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/in-las...i-and-slew-of-high-major-coaches/#more-138272

UConn: “I think it’s cool [that they play small forwards at the four spot] because at the next level they’re able to translate that and play the three. A lot of schools have been doing that. A lot of schools say that they can play you at the four but I don’t know if they want you to stay at the four all year. That’s going to play a role.”

 

[husky99]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/in-las...i-and-slew-of-high-major-coaches/#more-138272

 

[husky99]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/in-las...i-and-slew-of-high-major-coaches/#more-138272

15 minutes. I am getting slow

 

[DreamSeason]

Based on that Zags article it looks like the Squid is gaining momentum. He talks about wanting to be a wing in college and that's the conversation he is having with Calipari "alot". KO wants to play him at the 4 and he doesn't sound interested.

 

[Paesano]

Next?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Next?

not at all

 

[Brochacho]

Based on that Zags article it looks like the Squid is gaining momentum. He talks about wanting to be a wing in college and that's the conversation he is having with Calipari "alot". KO wants to play him at the 4 and he doesn't sound interested.

Ollie is recruiting Gabriel as a 3.

 

[intlzncster]

Next?

Why? Let it play out.

One thing we know, Cal will tell the kid whatever he wants to hear to get him on campus. Let's see if a relationship with KO trumps that.

 

[James]

I'm pretty sure gabriel is aware if he were to commit here he would be given free reign on the offense, running at both forward slots and getting a lot of shots. Think thats what he is concerned about, getting pigeonholed into something he isn't ... That shouldnt be an issue with the amount of PT available for him once miller leaves ( and possibly hamilton).

 

[DreamSeason]

Ollie is recruiting Gabriel as a 3.

Maybe...but according to his statements in that article he seems to think differently. I don't know....just going by what I read.

 

[BUConn10]

I think these kids and their handlers need to realize that positions are better evaluated by the coaches than their handlers and HS coaches. Any top-tier program like UConn is always worried about winning AND SIMULTANEOUSLY getting kids ready for the pros. Let guys like KO do their jobs. All they have to do is find a coach whom they trust and who has playing time up for grabs. Putting a stipulation about position just turns the honest coaches off and gets the Bruce Pearls of the world hot under the collar to tell the kid whatever he wants to hear to get him in the program. NBA teams draft for talent anyway and they have no problem teaching young talented guys new positions if need be.

yea but KENTUCKYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!1

 

[mauconnfan]

I think these kids and their handlers need to realize that positions are better evaluated by the coaches than their handlers and HS coaches. Any top-tier program like UConn is always worried about winning AND SIMULTANEOUSLY getting kids ready for the pros. Let guys like KO do their jobs. All they have to do is find a coach whom they trust and who has playing time up for grabs. Putting a stipulation about position just turns the honest coaches off and gets the Bruce Pearls of the world hot under the collar to tell the kid whatever he wants to hear to get him in the program. NBA teams draft for talent anyway and they have no problem teaching young talented guys new positions if need be.

I think a lot of their handlers like the "limelight" and schmoozing with Cal, K and alike means more to them than the kid himself sometime.

 

[DreamSeason]

Maybe the real battle is between UConn / Kentucky and Squid knows it.

Squid to Gabriel: "If you go to UCONN they play small ball...they'll use you as a four....you should go with us...I recruit big...you can easily play on the perimeter because I won't need you as a big...they will....C'mon what do ya say....trust me I know Drake and LeBron"

 

[DreamSeason]

KO to Gabriel :" I'll play you wherever I need you. 3-5...doesn't matter to me. I love to take advantage of mismatches. We're position less here. You'll be picking and popping and shaking things up. Trust me I know Jesus"

****kidding****

 

[B1GEast]

Based on that Zags article it looks like the Squid is gaining momentum. He talks about wanting to be a wing in college and that's the conversation he is having with Calipari "alot". KO wants to play him at the 4 and he doesn't sound interested.

Not true, academics will play a large part of his decision, we're still in this

 

[David 76]

Time to chill.
Doesn't he weighs like 185 pounds? He 's concerned about being stuck in a position that could hurt his chances. But he seems a mature kid. He's not freaking out about it but he wants to play the position he has a chance to play in the NBA.
Of course the Squid will tell him he can play whatever he wants. But in this case it is likely true.
The kid blew up. We may not land him, but we certainly are in the arena.

 

[Tenspro2002]

What is the difference between playing the 3 and playing as a stretch-4? Just because he's the 4th smallest person on the floor doesn't mean he's confined to the paint in our offense. KO has (thankfully) evolved our offense to one of 4-out, 1-in. In our offense, the 4 gets to handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter. What should matter for a recruit is what kind of skills they'll be able to showcase and develop, not the numerical designation of their position.

 

[Gurleyman]

After watching Rudy and Sticks (and DD early in his career) struggle to create their offense a lot playing the 3 against smaller and quicker wings, I personally think it's better for tall wings to play stretch four in college and use their skills against bigger players to gain a better advantage. Rudy is an NBA 3, but he's going against players his own size in the NBA and has been a better offensive weapon there than he was here (paint was too crowded to post up with Boone, Armstrong and Adrien at the 4-5). Duke has done that in the past with guys like Battier, Dunleavy, Deng and Singler playing a lot of 4 even though their NBA position was at the 3. A lot of other examples out there too ranging from studs to role players (Durant, Gordon Hayward, Gomes, Matt Barnes, etc.).

 

[RipCity]

His play will determine his position when all is said and done. Calipari or Ollie can tell him he's a 3, but if his handle is sloppy and he isn't making his shots, their words are shot to heIl at that point.

 

[DreamSeason]

After watching Rudy and Sticks (and DD early in his career) struggle to create their offense a lot playing the 3 against smaller and quicker wings, I personally think it's better for tall wings to play stretch four in college and use their skills against bigger players to gain a better advantage. Rudy is an NBA 3, but he's going against players his own size in the NBA and has been a better offensive weapon there than he was here (paint was too crowded to post up with Boone, Armstrong and Adrien at the 4-5). Duke has done that in the past with guys like Battier, Dunleavy, Deng and Singler playing a lot of 4 even though their NBA position was at the 3. A lot of other examples out there too ranging from studs to role players (Durant, Gordon Hayward, Gomes, Matt Barnes, etc.).

That's the argument I expect KO to make to counter Cal's bullstool. It's a winning statement for programs that love the pressure of winning. WINNING!

 

[8893]

His play will determine his position when all is said and done. Calipari or Ollie can tell him he's a 3, but if his handle is sloppy and he isn't making his shots, their words are shot to heIl at that point.

Or maybe he plays the 4 to Hamilton's 3 for one season, we win a National Championship, and the next season a loyal-to-a-fault coach allows him to play the 3.

Certainly a much different player than K Free and would appear to have a higher ceiling, but that's just an example of how it can play out differently here.

 

[DogMania]

He has stretch-4 written all over him. Unless you have crazy talent where you play Gabriel at the 3 because you want another talented player at the 4, this kid seems like the match-up nightmare you'd want as your 4. He rebounds well for a long thin forward, but can really put the ball on the floor and also stroke it from deep. The Donyell Comparison is pretty good, though Gabriel looks like a much quicker and more athletic talent than Donyell.

Every few years there's a recruit I see that I just want badly. Gabriel is that guy for 2016, though Diallo is right there with him as a player that I really want as well. These two are simply fun and exciting players to watch. I love winning, but I really enjoy watching fun players that have that something extra. Kemba had it. Bazz had it. Two players that are going to do something special in just about every game, if not multiple times in a game. These two will do the same for whatever program they land, and I hope that landing strip ends in Storrs.

 

[B1GEast]

The way I see this playing out

dook, if he commits, he'll have to ride the pine and wait his turn before significant playing time behind tatum and possibly giles and others

kentucky, if academics are truly a factor, then they are out

UNC, there's just too much going on with the ncaa

Uconn - close to home, solid academics, real playing time at the 3 an some 4

KO will have a good shot to land Gabriel