Recruiting is a world of hype and unfulfilled promises. Players reportedly headed for one school land at another. Players “who can’t miss” sometimes don’t even come close to being top producers. So with that disclaimer, we write about Tubby Smith’s first recruiting class at Minnesota, one that could eventually be among the top 10 in the nation.
Rivals.com reports that the Gophers have verbal commitments from two community college and two high school players for the recruiting class of 2008. On a star system rating with five being the highest, the Gophers have verbals from three star Paul Carter of Missouri State-West Plains Community College, three star Devron Bostick of Southwestern (Ill.) Community College, four star Ralph Sampson III of Northview High School in Duluth, Georgia, and three star Colton Iverson of Yankton High School in Yankton, South Dakota. The Gophers also continue to recruit other players.
There’s speculation that the 6-foot-8, 195-pound Carter, originally from Little Rock, will be the most ready of the recruits to help the Gophers next fall. He is a versatile player who can score, rebound, run the floor and is considered a leader. A pre-season junior college all-American, Carter is religious and talks openly about his faith. He said in the team’s media guide that his “proudest athletic moment” was committing to the Gophers in August.
“Paul is very skilled,” coach Brian Ostermann said in the guide. “He can score in a lot of different ways, and he rebounds well. …I really believe that Paul can be one of the best players in the country by February.”
Bostick is a 6-foot-4 scoring forward originally from Racine, Wisconsin. He’s in his second season at Southwestern where he’s impressed with his ability to score. He averaged 19.1 points per game last season when he became a junior college all-American.
Sampson is a teasing name and talent. He is the son of famed Ralph Sampson II, who at 7-4 was a dominant player in college and the NBA. There’s speculation whether the younger Sampson, sometimes now listed at 6-11, 220, will grow a few more inches and certainly he will add strength. Sampson wasn’t a coveted recruit a couple of years ago, but now could have his choice of many colleges but looks like he will be the Gophers’ starting center before too long. Known as a shot blocker like his dad, the younger Sampson needs to become more aggressive and consistent in his play.
Iverson, about 6-10, 240, has earned a reputation as a physical power forward or center type. Iverson, like Sampson, is known as a fast improving big man who could be a physical college player both offensively and defensively. He averaged about 15 points and 10 rebounds last year. He had offers from Florida, Kentucky and more than 20 other schools, according to keoland.com, the Web site for KELOLAND TV in Sioux Falls. Ken Lien, who has scouted high school players for many years as chair of the Minnesota Mr. Basketball Committee, describes Iverson as “an aggressive player….likes to bang and knows his way around the hoop.”
At Kentucky Smith won a national championship and regularly had his team in the NCAA tournament. Although NCAA rules don’t allow him to talk publicly about specific recruits at this time, he was asked by Sports Headliners about the apparent recruiting success at Minnesota. “I came in with a reputation, having won, having developed players,” he said recently. “So kids want that. Parents want that. They know we’re going to lead the right way. We’re going to demand certain things of them. They’re going to be disciplined. And who wouldn’t want that for their son? …”
Smith said he doesn’t invest time or energy following recruiting rankings. “I’ve never worried about where people rate us. Rankings mean nothing to me. …It’s what’s inside each player that determines how far he goes.”
Players can sign tenders next week, beginning on November 14 thru November 21. By then the Gophers will be more certain about what they have. The Gophers, with three senior starters, need talent and bodies for 2008. The help wanted sign is out at all positions, starters and reserves.
The Gophers are likely to sign more than four players. Asked last night how many scholarships the Gophers will award for the 2008 class, Smith said he didn’t know but acknowledged he has enough scholarships.