1 of 1- Gwmayhem
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To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
The recent news that we might be in the mix for a JUCO player along with the reminder that Bernard Barrow may have been the last GW player who started out at a JUCO raises a question that was once debated on the old board: Should GW extend offers to JUCO players? Most JUCO players were either academically ineligible to initially compete at the D1 level and/or may have had attitudinal or behavioral issues which scared off DI programs. You look at guys like Javonte Perkins of SLU who started out at a JUCO or Teddy Allen who began his career at WVU but eventually landed at a JUCO program before coming back and lead Nebraska in scoring last season to know that the JUCO ranks can produce some genuine talent. The other side of the coin is that GW is an institution which prides itself in academics, and that JUCO players represent are unnecessary risks ranging from disrupting team chemistry to a player not taking academics seriously enough.
My view is that a JUCO player is worth any associated risk as long as due diligence has been paid. Was the player more academically inclined while at a junior college than in high school? Was he at all a disciplinary problem? This goes back a while but for what it's worth, I do not recall any problems pertaining to Bernard Barrow during his GW career. Nevertheless, I can understand why a program would not want to recruit JUCO players, given the risks combined with the very large pool of "non-JUCO" talent to recruit from.
Do you like or dislike the notion that we might be offering to a JUCO prospect?
- BGF
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
My thought on this is this: you don't recruit JUCO players. You recruit a single JUCO player because he fits your team's needs and your desired team culture. Players end up in JUCO for any number of reasons.
You said it yourself: "as long as due diligence has been paid."
- GWRising
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
I'm not sure how serious the JUCO interest is on either end. Most likely engaging more in some due diligence.
That said, no problem with recruiting JUCOs if they fit the program academically and otherwise. I am 99.9% sure that this will not be a point of emphasis for JC's recruiting though so I wouldn't spend too much time thinking about it.
- brod
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Has anyone seen the most recent season of Last Chance U? They follow a top JUCO basketball program in California. You don't have to see much to understand why it doesn't work out for certain kids at the D1 level.
Out of the million reasons for a player to end up at JUCO, the ideal candidate would be a player that was overlooked or under-recruited, maybe injured during their senior year. It's like looking at the discount rack at Target, you probably won't find anything - but it's always worth a look.
- Tennessee Colonial
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
What Jr. college? What GPA do they have? GW, as a University, does take in a lot of transfer students. But they HAVE to be academically qualified. If a student-player can get accepted as a "regular" transfer student then there should be no problem. The A10 is not the Ivy League.
- jf
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
If memories are correct, Marcus Ford was a JUCO. Very good defensive player who made a difference.
But JUCOs seemed to have changed and may now have a somewhat different role.
All good points about the person,rather than the institution. How it jibes with GW's perceived admissions policy, the same one used as cover justification to derail NCAA qualified Darnell Rogers, may be a big question as noted.
It would seem that the many transfers are a better bet in general, especially if they have performed well at a D1 level,simply because they may be already used to D1 basketball and academics. Though a transfer could also have academic issues passed on and flame out,as well as the risk of not being an asset on the for us.
All of which is to say, as others note: it comes down to the person.
For a transfer example, from what we see at least,Joe Bamisile seems like he can really bring something positive to the GW community, along with his basketball skills.
- Mentzinger
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
May be time to revisit that lusty Trachtenberg quote from the New York Times Omar Williams story:
"As a private institution, GW may admit students at its discretion who lack a HS diploma." (paraphrased)
- Mentzinger
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
jf wrote:
How it jibes with GW's perceived admissions policy, the same one used as cover justification to derail NCAA qualified Darnell Rogers, may be a big question as noted.
Darnell was admitted to GW. His scholarship offer was rescinded by the AD. We know why.
- GW Alum Abroad
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Historically, JUCO´s have been the exception not the rule at GW. The aforementioned Barrow and Gerald Jackson are probably the most noteable JUCO´s in living memory. But, GW has a long history of guys who went to prep/finishing schools (some of questionable legitimacy) and has had some guys come on campus who probably should have had their ability tested first at the JUCO level before trying to play in the A-10 (see Matt Albitron).
If the academics are there, no reason not to bring in a JUCO at this point (better than asking SuperFan Drew to put on a uniform to fill out the roster, no?). I like the analogy to the bargain bin "brod" made, seems like a fair approach to me.
- Thomas
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Didn't the proliferation of prep schools in the early to mid 2000's pretty much make JUCO's irrelevant? I understand that players still go to JUCO's, but it seems that most talented high school players who are struggling in school will bounce around prep schools until he meets the requirements to enter college as a freshman with 4 years of eligibility. JUCO seems to be the very last resort nowadays.
- 22ndandF
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Gwmayhem, I feel that GW shouldn't dismiss JUCO players from their recruiting process. There are many reasons high school players go from HS to Junior college and you pointed out some legitimate negative reasons for concern. I feel everyone develops in different ways and at different times and just because someone has been labeled as being or having a problem doesn't make it true. And even if it is true, it doesn't make it so forever. There are many other reasons players go from HS to JUCO, including family, financial, medical, relationships, etc. Also, as you may know there are many great players that journeyed through JUCO that went on to great D1 careers and even NBA careers. I believe Jimmy Butler is a recent example. JUCO, Maquette, NBA Superstardom!!!!
Last edited by 22ndandF (4/17/2021 11:24 am)
- GW0509
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Speaking of JUCO transfers, former GW player Shawn Walker Jr, who went to play at Tallahassee CC last season, is now back in D1 at Mercer
Verbal Commits[/url] [url=]@VerbalCommits[/url]·13m 2021 Tallahassee CC (FL) G Shawn Walker, Jr. has committed to Mercer. [url=]http://verbalcommits.com/players/shawn-
- Florida Colonial
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Here's a JUCO guy everyone forgot about:
"sophomore guard Marcus Ford graduated in the top 5 percent of his class at Detroit's Finney High, attended Auburn for one year and Polk Community College in Florida for another before transferring to GW"
- Poog
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
Here's a JUCO guy everyone forgot about:
"sophomore guard Marcus Ford graduated in the top 5 percent of his class at Detroit's Finney High, attended Auburn for one year and Polk Community College in Florida for another before transferring to GW"
Believe jf mentioned Ford as someone he believed came from Juco ranks.
- Florida Colonial
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Re: To JUCO Or Not To JUCO
My bad.. I miss that