BB Recruit Kennard Committing Somewhere on Monday night
Luke Kennard, a 6'6" forward from Franklin, Ohio and 2015 recruit, announced he is making a verbal commitment Monday night at 7:45pm.
Kennard just won 2014 Ohio Mr. Basketball (as a Junior.) He averaged 40 points a game. Kennard is considering Duke, Kentucky, Louisville, North Carolina, OSU, MSU, and Michigan.
LINK: http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/sports/kennard-to-verbally-commit-to-play-hoop/nfJ6q/
Luke Kennard just told me - "I think people will be surprised. I've been leaning this way for a while." Uh oh!
After some people I've talked to tonight, I'm now thinking that Luke Kennard might not be headed "that" far from home. Duke losing ground?
March 24th, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
It's like having your name on a list of suitors Kate Upton has to pick from but one where you never really had a shot. Impressive but still dismal. But then again, he hasn't picked yet and Michigan might actually be the surprise. Odds are against that though.
March 24th, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
Would UK or Duke even surprise anyone?
If what he says is true and it is a surprise, my guess is OSU.
March 24th, 2014 at 10:55 AM ^
I'll take Mercer.
March 24th, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^
March 24th, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
Are you talking about Duke blue, Kentucky blue, or Michigan blue?
March 24th, 2014 at 12:50 AM ^
He's going to Duke. Lord have Mercer on his career.
March 24th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^
March 24th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
March 24th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
How epic would it be if we picked up him and Taylor on the same day. In all likelihood, we are probably only going to get Garrett Taylor.
March 24th, 2014 at 12:52 AM ^
Just come to UM, you will iliterally have a green light to shoot for days.
Literally. And we'll have subs. Might be crazy.
MIGHT be?
March 24th, 2014 at 12:56 AM ^
Obviously I'm looking at this through maize-colored glasses but how do you not watch Michigan on offense and not drool over the prospect of open looks all day long if you're a top flight recruit?
March 24th, 2014 at 10:33 AM ^
But I imagine he feels, like we all do that Nik and GR3 are heavy leans to leave for the NBA.
With what Beilein has done with wing players and guards is amazing. He's turned Trey Burke into a Michigan Legend. He turned the scrawnny canadian kid who disappeared for the second half of the season last year (besides the Florida game) into a superstar, and a legit leader in this team. Back to back B1G players of the year. He has turned unheralded guys like Spike Albrecht, Darius Morris, Caris LeVert, etc into great college players.
Doubt he picks us, even though I hope he does. I figure its Duke or Kentucky. But with our trach record and the probability of a couple of our stars leaving, I don't think he would have to worry too much about playing time.
March 24th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^
Robinson and Stauskas would have to be four-year guys for them to be on the roster with Kennard for even one year. His biggest obstacles to playing time would be LeVert (for one year), Irvin, and Chatman. He would be a starter in year two at the latest, assuming the "one point guard, three wings, one big man" pattern continues.
March 24th, 2014 at 12:58 AM ^
Well, if he's not going far from home, it's probably between us and Kentucky.
Or Louisville. I discount the "surprise" comment, because they all say that if they want to create some drama. The "not that far from home" comment seems more likely to be true. Putting those two things together, Kentucky seems to be the likely outcome, though Michigan and Louisville are in the running if he really is planning to surprise people.
Man, fuck Kentucky.
depends what the kid wants. if he wants one and done hype and history of that type of success then cal and uk are the spot. if he wants to evolve as efficient offensive machine over several years and develop genuine camaraderie with his teammates before heading pro then um is his spot. coach cal does what he does very well and he puts a lot of young kids into the league - but hes had wins and championships vacated and teams put on probation at every single stop of his career (unfortunate fact). um has rode frosh and soph to consecutive big ten tiltles and potentially consecutive final fours. and this successful soph class is just crazy talented for um (all eventually will be drafted) , especially if levert further develops his handle he could be conferences best next yr. but its all about what this kid wants and expects out of his college career - just a path to nba where his teammates change every yr and often play like theyre competing for shots / highlights. but if he wants normal college hoops career and develop relationships over few years before leaving for nba whenever hes really ready then um would be great spot given his game
March 24th, 2014 at 10:37 AM ^
Completely agree with you.
That 'surprise' would be just terrible
He's probably to going to Duke. The one time I'd rather see a guy at Kentucky.
Duke is washed up. Coach K is on a downward spiral.
Having respect for the man says nothing about his recent coaching record. For all of the recruits and hype Duke receives, they have only been to one Final Four in the last 10 years (2010). His tournament losses lately have been far more epic than his wins. He may turn the ship around, but it's hard to argue against someone stating he is currently on a downward spiral.
March 24th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
Oh?
So he hasn't gone to the final four since... well, since he won a national title? a measley 4 years ago?
Duke will be fine with Coach K at the helm. They got the number 1 recruiting class next year coming in and he is a much better coach than Cal.. Coach K is one of college basketball's elite coaches, HoFer, and so on. Thanks to the genius of Coach K, Jabari Parker went to play for Duke instead of Sparty.
I hate Coach K some times, and I think he can be somewhat of a drama queen but any player that chooses to play for him is far from making a bad decision.
March 24th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
Nobody is denying that Coach K is a proven winner or a great mentor or anything of the sort. However, you are completely wrong if you think that one Final Four (even if it was a championship) in ten years is acceptable at Duke given their recent history and recruiting classes. Coach K peaked in the 90's results-wise and his tournament record has slowly been declining ever since then. Those are the facts.
March 24th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
Oh?
So he hasn't gone to the final four since... well, since he won a national title? a measley 4 years ago?
Duke will be fine with Coach K at the helm. They got the number 1 recruiting class next year coming in and he is a much better coach than Cal.. Coach K is one of college basketball's elite coaches, HoFer, and so on. Thanks to the genius of Coach K, Jabari Parker went to play for Duke instead of Sparty.
I hate Coach K some times, and I think he can be somewhat of a drama queen but any player that chooses to play for him is far from making a bad decision.
Every time these guys tease it's a surprise, it is not a surprise. Kentucky is not "far".
Disclosure: I know zilch about his recruiting. I do know when kids say it will be a surprise or its all about academics, 99% of the time it's hogwash.
Yep, and especially so in this case.
Sam Webb has been saying for weeks if not months that although Michigan has done a great job of recruiting Kennard, it's still a fact that Kentucky has always been his first love, and that's why they're in the driver's seat. He'll be playing for Calipari.
March 24th, 2014 at 10:43 AM ^
It's only going to be a surprise for avid Duke fans.
On a larger note I am hoping some more top 25s start looking our way. Aside from Mitch our "5 stars" seem to be guys we located early who blew up late in the process i.e. GR3 and Irvin. I know we are not a home base for one and dones but the job this staff does with wings and guards should have most guys who play the 1-4 in the top 30 salivating. Plus the team success the past 2 years should help. I guess last year's run was too late for the 2014 class that starts pretty early in a kid's life, but I am hoping we start to make some inroads in the 15 and 16 class based on all the momentum in this program and what the coaches can offer a kid.
Yep he is around 30. Maybe I am spoiled in thinking a coach who is doing this job and now sending kids - even 3 stars - to theNBA in their 2nd or 3rd years (Caris!) could pull more than 1. Look at OSU's class this year - it's pretty loaded for a good coach; ours is better.
March 24th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
I am pretty excited for the future even as things stand now, the way our coaching staff develop guards and wings. I can't wait to see next years LeVert (who I think has Oladipo potential) and Zak Irvin/Derrick Walton.
If it is a surprise and close to home, my guess is OSU. While the Michigan offense might be ideally suited for him, Michigan has not produced many (we can argue that Mitch McGary and GRIII could have bolted last year) one-and-done NBA prospect under John Beilein. If that is what he wants, I think he wd go to OSU or Kentucky. But we can still hope he dons the maize and blue.
You can't say he doesn't produce one and dones. He develops the talent he has. He hasn't had many one and done talents, but 100% of them could have made the leap.
Michigan and OSU are the surprise candidates. Kentucky is the prohibitive favorite. I think Duke is out...
I could honestly see Michigan, OSU, or MSU. It wouldn't surprise me if he picked michigan either, especially with how good we have looked the past 2 years. I wouldn't necessarily predict him coming here, it just wouldn't surprise me either.