In getting to more of your pressing questions in this week’s Wednesday’s Leftovers, we take a closer look at the last month of the Greg Brown recruitment, the latest with Karim Mane, what Caleb Daniels can achieve at Villanova, and Oklahoma's chances in the 2021 class.
MORE: Brown sets commitment date | Mane not close to decision | Twitter Tuesday mailbag
Yes, it does seem that a cooler seat for Shaka Smart means that the likelihood of Brown choosing Texas is much, much greater.
Earlier this winter, I had placed my FutureCast on Memphis. The Tigers had gained the most ground during the time and meanwhile, the Longhorns were not on the proper trajectory which reflected by a talk regarding Smart’s uncertain future in Austin.
After a strong end to the season and practically their entire roster expected back, Smart is likely to be the head coach at UT next year. I believe that Brown and his family wanted most for him to remain close to home for college. Texas’ campus is just a 15-minute drive from his home and both his dad and uncle played football at the school. The connection that he has with Smart is strong, too.
Texas is the leader. Auburn, Kentucky and Michigan are also still in the picture. However, I am not saying is a done deal for the Longhorns just yet. His commitment is a month away, which might just be enough for Memphis, who has the greatest chance of all his other finalists, to swoop in and nab the five-star talent.
Karim Mane is the lone guard within the high school realm that Michigan State would enroll in the fall. However, he has not been willing to speed up his recruitment much despite his season being over and the coronavirus impacting the visits that he is allowed to take. Speaking with him last week, Mane is holding out hope that the ban on visits will be lifted on April 15 and, if that is the case, would take a handful of visits before committing.
He has just taken a single official visit to Marquette on Jan. 4, and while the Golden Eagles remain a top suitor, Mane remains open to others. Beyond MSU, he is also speaking with Alabama, DePaul, Georgetown, Memphis, Pitt and Wake Forest. There was a belief earlier in the year that he might test the NBA waters, but there is now a better chance of Mane attending college in the fall.
If they feel like their chances are dwindling or Mane’s timeline doesn’t match theirs, then the grad-transfer route could be next avenue they take.
I sure do. Caleb Daniels might have been forgotten about during his sit-out year, but there is good reason for why Villanova didn’t invest much of their time in the 2020 class.
Sure, they missed on Jeremy Roach, but Daniels is just the type that has found great success on the Main Line of late. No, Villanova has not been much of a landing spot for transfers but those that do, see Eric Paschall, usually find success.
Daniels is a do-it-all guard that can play all over the place in the backcourt. Unless Villanova lands a grad-transfer or a high school prospect this spring, they could be forced to go the small ball route even further.
The Tulane product averaged over 16 points, five rebounds and three assists during his final season of play in New Orleans. He also had 10 games of 20 points or more during his sophomore campaign. He might not approach that next season, but alongside stalwart lead guard Collin Gillespie, a healthy Bryan Antoine, and a shot-maker in Justin Moore, Villanova’s backcourt should be as complete as any in the nation.
You’re right and it is for good reason. Oklahoma is slated to lose a plethora of talent after next season. They could squelch just a massive gap by landing a sit-out transfer this spring, a move that I expect for them to make, and already, sit with the commitment of Bijan Cortes.
Where they strike in the transfer portal remains up for debate, which also is the case in the 2021 class. However, I do like their chances with Trey Alexander, one of the top juniors in the state, along with Daimion Collins, one of the top big men nationally. LSU is involved heavily for Collins, as is Arkansas and Texas A&M, but Texas may be the team to beat.
Nolan Hickman, Frankie Collins, Jaylon Tyson, and KJ Adams are a few others that the Sooners have continued to recruit. Much will rely on what they do on the transfer front this spring, though, whenever it comes to who they prioritize and how many they need in the 2021 class.
