Gator Country

don23lucia · 10-02-2012, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tupacbiff

If he doesn't choose UF I hope he picks DePaul. This way we don't have to worry about seeing him in the tourney since he will be NIT bound.

Cosign

Gator Mike · 10-02-2012, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tupacbiff

If he doesn't choose UF I hope he picks DePaul. This way we don't have to worry about seeing him in the tourney since he will be NIT bound.

We'll see. I sorta think they've got a shot at an NIT birth this year.

REM08 · 10-02-2012, 03:51 PM

Per Randle's school - He's cut Duke and UNC from his list and narrowed his 6 down to UK, NC st, UF, Texas, KU, Oklahoma.

don23lucia · 10-03-2012, 07:55 AM

On Monday, power forward Julius Randle (Dallas/Prestonwood Academy) picked up the phone and called Baylor, Duke, North Carolina and Oklahoma State. Those four programs did not make the next round of cuts for the nation’s No. 3 overall prospect in the ESPN 100.

However, six programs did make it to the next round and remain in the mix to land Randle, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound power foward. Kentucky, NC State, Florida, Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma remain.

This weekend, Randle will take his second official visit. The Florida Gators host him. Randle’s connection to Florida was crystalized last summer when Gators coach Billy Donovan had Randle on the United States' under-18 national squad.

You have to believe that Randle is going to attempt to make the most of his likely singular year in college. That means the pursuit of a national championship. Not everyone on his list is built for that type of run. Florida's recruiting class and transfers who are sitting out, combined with Randle's existing relationship with Donovan, makes it a formidable foe that hasn't received the same attention as some of the other names on the list. Obviously, this is a significant weekend coming up.

Randle’s first visit was to Kentucky on Sept. 15. According to Jeff Webster, Randle’s mentor, no other official visits have been scheduled.

Trimming Duke and North Carolina is big news. North Carolina's home visit last month drew plenty of media attention, and Randle clearly was a priority. The Heels getting sliced from the list stands out more than Duke not making the cut for that reason. Programs, when recruiting elite-level guys, don't publicize priorities, but it certainly looked as if UNC was further down the road with Randle than Duke, while the Blue Devils had made No. 1 overall prospect Jabari Parker their go-to-guy. All we know for sure now is neither is getting Randle.

The Wolfpack had a hook that neither Duke nor UNC had: family connections. Randle and his family are close with Pack freshman guard Rodney Purvis and his mother. So far, that connection, plus coach Mark Gottfried’s pursuit of Randle, has gotten the team this far and just boosted it onto a shorter list.

http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/coll.../post?id=14402

don23lucia · 10-03-2012, 08:05 AM

Jabari Parker will take official visits to Duke and Michigan State — his two perceived leaders — and will add three more officials, according to a report on ESPNChicago.com.

The 6-foot-8 Parker will visit Duke the weekend of Oct. 27, as previously reported on SNY.tv. A date for the MSU visit has not yet been set.

North Carolina coach Roy Williams will have an in-home with Parker Tuesday and Florida coach Billy Donovan visits Chicago Simeon that same day, ESPN reported.

“From there, we’ll probably sit down and evaluate all his home visits and decide which will be his official visits,” Sonny Parker told the site. “It’s a process. He’s had quite a few home visits. He’s going to start taking his visits. It’s the month of October already. It’s going to take time.”

Parker initially released a list of 10 schools: BYU, DePaul, Duke, Florida, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State, North Carolina and Stanford.

He had in-home visits with everyone except Georgetown and Kentucky. It appears that Kentucky has moved on to other targets at the forward spot, including Julius Randle, who trimmed to six, including Kentucky, on Tuesday.

Parker recently added UConn as his 11th school and last week had a home visit with new coach Kevin Ollie.

“It was a great home visit,” Sonny said. “Kevin Ollie, him being a former player, being in the NBA, now the coach at UConn, they have a great program. Jabari chose to have UConn come in.”

http://zagsblog.com/articles/parker-...#disqus_thread

StrangeGator · 10-03-2012, 12:44 PM

Starting to feel better about our chances with Randle. Kentucky dropping out of the Parker sweepstakes is good news, but he still has a long list and I have a bad feeling about Michigan State. I think the family will want him close but DePaul doesn't give him a big enough stage.

jshaas · 10-03-2012, 02:36 PM

Is bullis still around. Bullis your thoughts??

don23lucia · 10-04-2012, 11:42 PM

Parker will be here the first weekend in NOV for a official. Many believe that we are behind Duke and Mich St. are leading but this has to be good for Coach Donovan and staff. Randle is coming this weekend for the LSU games as well. The next couple months should be very interesting.

**gatordee** · 10-05-2012, 12:06 AM

Imagine what this kid would do for this class! However, I have a feeling we come in 3rd out a 6 man race.

don23lucia · 10-06-2012, 09:53 PM

Randle tweeted pic from the gator locker room today.

jshaas · 10-06-2012, 10:14 PM

Copy of pic?

**jeffphillips21** · 10-07-2012, 01:20 AM

it's just a shot of the football players, he's not in it. but he did just tweet this:

Julius Randle ‏@J30_RANDLE
S/O to my bro @KaHill11 !! Follow him !

GatorInSC · 10-07-2012, 02:12 AM

Dillion Graham just twitted that Randale will be joint the class, don't put to much stock in it but its a good sign

InstiGATOR1 · 10-07-2012, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorInSC

Dillion Graham just twitted that Randale will be joint the class, don't put to much stock in it but its a good sign

As I remember, Graham was quite accurate in his tweet about Chris Walker joining the class.

tupacbiff · 10-07-2012, 06:10 AM

Graham = recruiting savant.

He could supplant Telep tomorrow.

don23lucia · 10-07-2012, 08:35 AM

Simeon Career Academy (Chicago) forward Jabari Parker, the nation's No. 1-ranked senior, cut his list to five schools Friday: BYU, Duke, Florida, Michigan State and Stanford.

Parker in July had revealed a list of 10 schools he was considering, which included DePaul, Georgetown, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina.

Of that list, Georgetown and Kentucky did not make in-home visits. Connecticut wasn't on his first list but was allowed a home visit.

Parker
Parker now will set up official visits to his final five schools and is expected to commit in November. He's scheduled to visit Duke on Oct. 27 and Florida on Nov. 2.

"He thought about it and looked at the programs. That's the five he had," Simeon coach Robert Smith said Friday. "It took him a long time to find. Everyone was really good, but he had to make a decision. He really respected everyone recruiting him and wanted to thank them for their time. He knew he couldn't make everyone happy.

"He's just ready to go out and visit the campuses and get a real feel for the players and the campuses. Him, his family and myself will sit down and see what he comes up with. This is Jabari's decision. We're just making sure he's being guided. I tell him to follow his heart."

Smith understands BYU is the one school that seemed out of the ordinary on Parker's list. Smith said Parker, who is Mormon, didn't include BYU out of generosity.

"All five schools are schools he's really interested in and really thinking about attending," Smith said. "He's really thinking about BYU. I know his faith has a lot to do with it. The coaching staff has been great with him. They've been a winning program. That's one of his choices."

Smith said Parker's hardest decision was not including DePaul, his home school, on his final list.

"I think that was the hardest one of them all because he talked about coach (Oliver) Purnell and things of that nature," Smith said. "It was hard for him to call them and let them know. I understand that. That's his home school. That's a rough decision."

Smith also praised Parker and his family for the way they've handled the recruiting process.

"People call me all the time and tell me, 'I know it's difficult situation, but they've handled it well,' " Smith said. "His mother and father have been doing a good job."

As a junior, Parker was named the ESPNChicago.com Player of the Year, Illinois' Mr. Basketball and the national Gatorade Player of the Year. He averaged 19.5 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 3.3 blocks and 1.4 steals a game.

don23lucia · 10-07-2012, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorInSC

Dillion Graham just twitted that Randale will be joint the class, don't put to much stock in it but its a good sign

@DillGraham12: Tonight>>>> #Gville is wild!!! And my guy @J30_RANDLE is about to be part of this Family #GatorNation

don23lucia · 10-07-2012, 08:53 AM

Florida already has two of the nation's top 10 players in the Class of 2013 committed, and more could be on the way this weekend.

"Billy Donovan is hosting a prospect party a week early, and he's invited five five-star recruits," ESPN's Dave Telep said. "Seriously, you have to be a bona fide stud to be in Gainesville this weekend."

According to Telep, the visitors include: commits Kasey Hill (No. 8 in 2013), Chris Walker (No. 9 in 2013) and recruits Julius Randle (No. 3 in 2013), Dakari Johnson (No. 4 in 2014) and Karl Towns (No. 1 in 2015).

Oh, and did we mention 2013's No. 1 player, Jabari Parker, has the Gators in his final five and will visit Gainsville on Nov. 2? Gaining a verbal from any of the aforementioned recruits would solidify Florida?s elite status for years to come. All are potential one-and-done players.

Kentucky coach John Calipari is the name mentioned when thinking about the nation?s best recruiter. Billy Donovan, who's doing this at a school known for football, isn't far behind.

Bradass · 10-07-2012, 01:39 PM

Is Graham just being hopeful/trying to sway Randle or do we think there's actually some truth to this?!?!

MadduxFanII · 10-07-2012, 02:01 PM

I assumed it was the former when he was Tweeting about Walker, Brad, and that worked out fairly well. Maybe Dillon's prepping for a post-basketball career as a recruiting insider.