JOHNSON WANTS THE BIG DOGS...
A short while ago I wrote a post about the danger of Avery Johnson's gamble to go after highly rated recruited status players. I'm talking five-star recruits and those players who are right at five-star status. Is it working? Well, at this point it is difficult to say. We keep hearing about players like John Petty and his interest in the Tide. So far we have no verbal commitments. I'd give Coach a lot of credit for even getting five-star recruits on campus. John Brown comes to mind. I know from talking with a few of the players they have some interest in the Tide. Would I call it a burning interest? I don't think so. For Johnson just to create enough interest to get those calibre players to visits is progress. Even if Alabama got only one five-star player to commit that has be labeled progress. A visit can create a burning interest. Give Johnson credit. He's working the circuit.
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| John Brown, Jr. has Tide on his short short list |
Rumors are flying faster than tear gas canisters in North Carolina at this point. Some say we are in good shape for Brown, Petty, and Sexton. Others say that Petty tried to commit to Kentucky earlier in the week. So what does this writer have to think about all this? Nothing. Recruiting big time basketball players is a thankless task and truth is an absolute stranger to the process. My gut tells me that all Avery's hard work is going to pay off. But that's all I have to offer. TIDERINSIDER, who does excellent work, says we have two private commitments. I'll take their word because I know where they get their information. I'd also like to offer my kudo's to the Rodney and Dalton for getting on board and taking hoops more importantly. The interest is there. They had been stymied by find out a way to get information in my opinion. Regardless, they have shown they are capable of doing an A-1 job in college hoops recruiting. Hoops recruiting makes football recruiting look like jello on a hot summer day.
I know that the Tide has been listed on the Top-Ten Watch List by other publications anticipating big years. Are they guessing, or where their is smoke their must be fire. I bet we get two or three big dogs. I think we know who the usual suspects are by now, but let's go over them a minute.
1. John Petty - The Huntsville native is ranked as the 25th best player by ESPN in the Country. The 6-5 senior is a prototypical shooting guard. He'd start from the minute he hit the campus. Or would he? My guess is yes, but the Tide has some good outside shooters who can score. He'll get his minutes.
2. Troy Brown, Jr. - might just be the best small forward in the nation who can also play the two in a pinch. I idea of him and Petty on the floor at the same time makes Bama fans salivate. ESPN checks him in at number 18 in the USA. The Las Vegas native, via Centennial High School is a great player. Johnson got him campus but can he steal the kid away from Kansas, Georgetown, Oregon, UNLV, (lot of pressure to stay at home) Arizona, and Cal. Local AAU coaches say Johnson made a strong impression. Don't leave out Cal in this hunt either. 6-6 - 185,
3. Herb Jones - I'm going on record to say that Bama needs to offer Jones and recruit him hard. He has a big upside once he's played against some big time competition. He dominates everyone locally. He's from Newbern, Alabama and has the frame to play the small forward, but the kid is a scraper and a scorer. 6-5 180.
4. Alex Reese - The Pelham native is 6-10. He's a power forward, and if you said he is the best player in Alabama you'd get a lot of support. He's going to either Alabama or UAB. I think we all know the importance of his recruitment. By the way, Vandy is pushing him hard, and Pitt just visited and made an offer.
5. Collin Sexton is instant offense. The 6-3 shooting guard from Georgia has easily been the most impressive recruit I've seen this summer. He was a game changer in a lot of AAU match ups. ESPN has him ranked as the 10th ranked player in the Country, and he is much better than that. No smoke blowing here, I've seen him play. Easily the best player the Tide is after.
Tide fans think the Crimson may sign four of these guys which tells me you can still by LSD on the streets. Could they get two? They just might.
