GW Hoops / Caputo Staff News

**Posted by GW0509** 4/06/2022 6:43 pm

We have our first new hire of the Caputo era:
@trillydonovan Source: George Washington head coach Chris Caputo has hired Eric Rubenstein as Director of Recruiting. Rubenstein previously worked for the Sacramento Kings scouting department.

Also, the oficial job posting for Assistant Coach is now open on the GW jobs website. I nominate DMVPiranha as a new AC in charge of scouting the opposition!
https://www.gwu.jobs/postings/92117

**Posted by gwstudent2024** **Online!** 4/06/2022 7:12 pm

Rubenstein did some writing for Pro Insight this past winter about some high school prospects at various events. I'm not sure how instructive it is of who he'll target as the Director of Recruiting here but it's something...

https://www.prospectiveinsight.com/post/grind-session-notebook-1
https://www.prospectiveinsight.com/post/grind-session-notebook-2
https://www.prospectiveinsight.com/post/hoophall-west
https://www.prospectiveinsight.com/post/ftth2022

**Posted by The Ross-Man!** 4/06/2022 7:27 pm

Do we definitely trust an unverified account with 69 followers? Maybe it's right, but I'll wait to see it somewhere else first

**Posted by Florida Colonial** 4/06/2022 7:32 pm

First clue.. He went to Miami and worked in analytics for the basketball program. So it seems to make sense

**Posted by jf** 4/06/2022 7:43 pm

Young, but with Miami and Sacramento pro experience.
Seems like a nice fit.
Assuming the report is correct, welcome Eric.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 4/06/2022 9:15 pm

Have we ever had a Director of Recruiting before?

**Posted by trops_fc** 4/07/2022 9:11 am

Bio: https://www.prospectiveinsight.com/ourteam/eric-rubenstein

Eric Rubenstein is Pro Insight’s senior basketball analyst. In his current role, he is tasked with the evaluation and analysis of basketball prospects at the high school and college levels, as well as assisting in scouting pro and international players. Rubenstein has spent the last 5+ years working in basketball at both the professional and collegiate level. He last worked with the Sacramento Kings, where he reported to the Director of Scouting and was responsible for coordinating the day-to-day efforts of the scouting department. In this role, he was tasked with spearheading the scouting department’s grassroots scouting efforts and managing the organization’s scouting database. He also assisted in the amateur and G League evaluation processes, conducting live and video observations, while working hand-in-hand with the analytics department to best serve the front office.

Prior to joining the Kings, Rubenstein served as a member of the support staff for the University Miami men’s basketball program. In this role, he fulfilled the program’s analytics needs while playing a role in opponent scouting/preparation, film breakdown, recruiting coordination, and player development. The Hurricanes appeared in the NCAA tournament during two of his three seasons with the program, finishing as high as 3rd in the ACC during the 2017-18 season. Miami enrolled three 5-star freshman and saw four former players selected in the NBA draft during Rubenstein’s time with the program (Davon Reed, Lonnie Walker IV, Bruce Brown, and Dewan Hernandez).

Rubenstein, who currently resides in Phoenix, AZ, graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelors degree in Sports Administration and minors in Economics & Finance. He was born and raised in Ridgewood, NJ.

Last edited by trops_fc (4/07/2022 9:11 am)

**Posted by BM** **Online!** 4/07/2022 9:22 am

https://twitter.com/erubenstein12

**Posted by MG14** 4/08/2022 10:17 am

https://twitter.com/JonRothstein/status/1512449377813553155

Source: GW's Chris Caputo has hired St. Joe's Brenden Straughn as an assistant coach. Deep D.C. roots.

**Posted by Mike K** 4/08/2022 10:27 am

Brenden Straughn Bio

Deep DC roots is right! Welcome coach!

**Posted by Florida Colonial** 4/08/2022 10:30 am

St Joe's has been very strong in the DMV since Straugh's arrival.. Eric Reynolds is the latest example... Sounds like a strong hire. St Joe's fans are not going to be happy

**Posted by Hugh** 4/08/2022 10:37 am

if you want to feel old, looks like he was a high school teammate of lasan kromah at eleanor roosevelt

**Posted by Florida Colonial** 4/08/2022 10:46 am

Yes Hugh you were successful in making me feel old

**Posted by Mike K** 4/08/2022 10:49 am

Yup, in 2007-08 they were teammates!

**Posted by BM** **Online!** 4/08/2022 12:34 pm

Florida Colonial wrote:
St Joe's fans are not going to be happy

Correct

https://247sports.com/college/saint-josephs/board/105444/Contents/straughn-gone-185918941/?page=1

**Posted by trops_fc** 4/08/2022 1:50 pm

The players mentioned in that post on the St. Joe's board (all local products, who knows if they'd want to be closer to home):
Cam Brown
Erik Reynolds
Christian Winborne
Looking at Verbal Committs, wonder too if Straughn would be able to convince four star 2023 prospects Jacoi Hutchinson and James Johns to come here. Looks like we offered Hutchinson last year and, interestingly, Miami had offered Johns back in 2020.

Last edited by trops_fc (4/08/2022 1:50 pm)

**Posted by BC** 4/08/2022 3:26 pm

I'd hate to rob another program though if the players want to change without our poaching, I have no problem.

**Posted by dmvpiranha** 4/08/2022 11:30 pm

GW0509 wrote:
Also, the official job posting for Assistant Coach is now open on the GW jobs website. I nominate DMVPiranha as a new AC in charge of scouting the opposition!
https://www.gwu.jobs/postings/92117

I'm flattered GW0509! I'm sure the staff is aware of most if not all of what I post from their scouting reports but if I had any say I would definitely push for us to go two-for-one more often than not at the end of the first half (like Todd Golden did this past season at San Francisco) and not settle for an isolation shot in our last possession. In principle, I get it from the standpoint that you want the ball in your most capable scorer's hands in that situation (which I guess will continue to be Bishop next season) and any passing may lead to not getting a shot up at all but far too often teams just end up taking a wildly contested shot that misses the majority of the time. The time left in the final possession dictates this somewhat, but assuming there's 15+ seconds left I think you can afford to get in a pass or two after running the clock down enough where you aren't concerned about the other team potentially stealing the ball away and getting a fast break opportunity before the buzzer sounds.

Anyways, back to the actual topic Rubenstein and Straughn are great hires and a good start to building out the staff. Straughn's ties to Team Takeover can only help. It seems like Maryland is going to finally make an attempt to keep kids home after adding Cox from URI, and with Georgetown hiring Nickelberry the local recruiting battle is going to be crazy. Mason of course has Simpkins as well. We needed a guy with local ties (I believe there are rumors of Lamar Butler who is coaching at Paul VI and was on Mason's final four squad being potentially added on the staff as well, but that might have been dependent on Straughn's inclusion). I still hope to see one guy get added to the staff with international recruiting ties. All schools recruit internationally nowadays as well, but I still think we can distinguish ourselves locally going that route. We should be up there with Davidson getting guys from outside the US.

I can dream, but imagine Reynolds following Straughn to GW and Brayon electing to come back. Along with Bishop and Adams, that would be a really formidable backcourt. Reynolds probably has a better opportunity to shine (in terms of playing time) by staying at St. Joe's but maybe he'll like the added bonus of coming home. He's a great player who I'm surprised we never really recruited the first time around.

As for Winborne, it seems like he's staying committed to SJU:

Colby Giacubeno @ColbyGHoops 11h
FWIW: ‘22 @GilmanHoops PG Christian Winborne will remain committed to St. Joe’s, I’m told. Straughn was the lead recruiter for Winborne.

**Posted by Alum1** 4/09/2022 7:25 am

These are really solid hires. The kind of hires you get with the kind of credibility and networking that Caputo obviously has. No stringers or vagabonds….guys on the upside of their career arc. Great to see this. Welcome to the new era, boys.

**Posted by moneybox** 4/12/2022 5:40 pm

I think Shawnta Rogers would be a great hire as an assistant. I'm sure Shawnta would agree.