Players to target

Borman's entire value is serving as a pied piper for the NY Rens kids. As a DOBO, those kids wouldn't be able to follow him -- he has to be a top three assistant. 

Cleveland is looking for a head coaching gig so I doubt he'd take a DOBO position. 
The best scenario is Watkins coming in as a Gene Keady special adviser role.

Briefly looking over the rosters Anderson had a Arkansas...it doesn't appear like he utilized transfers.  I find that odd with his style relying so much on depth and how young some of his teams have been.

I think the transfer game is the key to success here. None of our staffs have been able to finish off a roster since Jarvis and it has wasted some very solid cores. I'd rather not see 6+ transfers, but 3-4 seems almost necessary.  Hsu is the kind of guy that can make that happen. IMO with all biases aside, HSU would make or break MA's career at St. John's.  You need a guy like him.

Also a chance that Cleveland or Watkins aren’t as interested in moving to NY on assistants salaries. Or perhaps have other opportunities already.

I like marillac’s idea of Watkins in the advisor role. Doesn’t have the hassle of creating new relationships in new area and has already had his go as a head coach and top assistant. Maybe his aspirations arent as high.

Nothing to do with his function in the role. Only the three main assistants can have their recruits/players follow them. DOBO and administrational positions can’t have players they coached follow them to their school for two years after being hired.

Ahhh, I did not know that.  Thanks for the info, you're right then he would have to be one of the main assistants, otherwise it wouldn't make sense. 

I don't know what CMA is going to do then... 

Watkins has always been his right hand... he's the big man coach, he's the guy that developed Portis, Gafford, and Kingsley and turned those guys into NBA prospects.  I can't see him not being the Associate Head Coach if he comes down here.

And I can't see TJ taking a demotion to DOBO, when he probably still has options to be a head coaching at a lower level school.  And TJ is the guy that landed all the top JUCO players at Arkansas, which is a big part of Anderson's recruiting.

Interesting to see what he does then.  He might choose 1 between HSU and Borman. 

If Im not mistaken, there is a juco pg, ranked about #13 ,unsigned. Desperately need a pg, might be worth going after

Ahhh, I did not know that.  Thanks for the info, you're right then he would have to be one of the main assistants, otherwise it wouldn't make sense. 

I don't know what CMA is going to do then... 

Watkins has always been his right hand... he's the big man coach, he's the guy that developed Portis, Gafford, and Kingsley and turned those guys into NBA prospects.  I can't see him not being the Associate Head Coach if he comes down here.

And I can't see TJ taking a demotion to DOBO, when he probably still has options to be a head coaching at a lower level school.  And TJ is the guy that landed all the top JUCO players at Arkansas, which is a big part of Anderson's recruiting.

Interesting to see what he does then.  He might choose 1 between HSU and Borman. 

Even if that happens, it would be a great staff. We would have a big man coach, a guard coach and recruiters. All hard workers. Big upgrade relative to Mullins staff.

He might choose 1 between HSU and Borman. 

This is what I believe as well.  Our fans love Borman, but I just don't see what he offers over Hsu.  Most of Borman's top players aren't heading to college for two years and the key to getting a re-commit from Tabor seems to be Heron enjoying Anderson -- who I think he will love.

HSU and Cleveland can lock down recruiting and the more I dig, the more it looks like Anderson really needs Watkins as his "bench coach."

Borman's entire value is serving as a pied piper for the NY Rens kids. As a DOBO, those kids wouldn't be able to follow him -- he has to be a top three assistant. 

Cleveland is looking for a head coaching gig so I doubt he'd take a DOBO position. 
The best scenario is Watkins coming in as a Gene Keady special adviser role.

Briefly looking over the rosters Anderson had a Arkansas...it doesn't appear like he utilized transfers.  I find that odd with his style relying so much on depth and how young some of his teams have been.

I think the transfer game is the key to success here. None of our staffs have been able to finish off a roster since Jarvis and it has wasted some very solid cores. I'd rather not see 6+ transfers, but 3-4 seems almost necessary.  Hsu is the kind of guy that can make that happen. IMO with all biases aside, HSU would make or break MA's career at St. John's.  You need a guy like him.

The only time CMA's teams have been young was this season.  His teams are usually senior/junior laden and he typical always had 2+ JUCO's and at least 1 transfer that sits out and develops.

The reason the team was so young this year is because of a unexpected transfer in the 2nd best returning player, and because the Arkansas 2018 in-state class was so deep, he had to make sure to get them all.  They all played on the same AAU Team (Arkansas Hawks).  Arkansas landed their entire starting lineup which featured Reggie Perry, who grew up in Arkansas, and was a McDonald-All American.  Reggie decommitted late in his senior year after an Adidas camp trip to Italy, and shortly after committed to an Adidas school in Miss St... read into that what you will.

Arkansas also had a player in Khalil Garland who was a 4-star ESPN Top 100 player come in the 2017 class, who still hasn't gotten medically cleared to play, who was suppose to be a major impact guy, they let him stay on scholarship hoping he'd get cleared the following year and it never happened. So, all those things are what lead to him not having a typical Mike Anderson team last year. 

If Im not mistaken, there is a juco pg, ranked about #13 ,unsigned. Desperately need a pg, might be worth going after

Here's a kid to keep an eye on.  TJ Cleveland has watched him ALOT, the were recruiting him hard.  Many thought he was an Arkansas lock before the staff change.  I'm eager to see if staff has reached out to him about coming to St. Johns.  If they do, I like the chances that he ends up here.

http://www.nwfraiders.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/bios/hamlet_javion_s356

That’s who I was talking about, ranked 17 juco player.

How Mitch couldn't help him is mind boggling.   

Wasn’t Matt our big man coach?

Mahamadou Diawara a big man could be a target.

This is what I believe as well.  Our fans love Borman, but I just don't see what he offers over Hsu.  Most of Borman's top players aren't heading to college for two years and the key to getting a re-commit from Tabor seems to be Heron enjoying Anderson -- who I think he will love.

HSU and Cleveland can lock down recruiting and the more I dig, the more it looks like Anderson really needs Watkins as his "bench coach."

Wasn’t there supposed to be a rule change that would allow the DOBO to recruit/coach?

The only time CMA's teams have been young was this season.  His teams are usually senior/junior laden and he typical always had 2+ JUCO's and at least 1 transfer that sits out and develops.

The reason the team was so young this year is because of a unexpected transfer in the 2nd best returning player, and because the Arkansas 2018 in-state class was so deep, he had to make sure to get them all.  They all played on the same AAU Team (Arkansas Hawks).  Arkansas landed their entire starting lineup which featured Reggie Perry, who grew up in Arkansas, and was a McDonald-All American.  Reggie decommitted late in his senior year after an Adidas camp trip to Italy, and shortly after committed to an Adidas school in Miss St... read into that what you will.

Arkansas also had a player in Khalil Garland who was a 4-star ESPN Top 100 player come in the 2017 class, who still hasn't gotten medically cleared to play, who was suppose to be a major impact guy, they let him stay on scholarship hoping he'd get cleared the following year and it never happened. So, all those things are what lead to him not having a typical Mike Anderson team last year. 

Thanks for the info.  The results Anderson had with such a young roster did not warrant a firing IMO.  It seems almost bizarre.  But Musselman is a fantastic coach.

Wasn’t there supposed to be a rule change that would allow the DOBO to recruit/coach?

Three coaches are allowed to recruit now in addition to the head coach.  I believe Luca recruited in Mitch's stead. At 64 I think Watkins would be happy to pass that role on to a DOBO or some other non-assistant coach member of the staff.

Borman could come on initially as a DOBO since none of his players will be with the team in 2019-20. At that point if Cleveland is not hired, it may never happen. 

Wasn’t Matt our big man coach?

Matt didn't coach. 

Maybe Hsu will bring this top 100 kid. Didn’t read the whole thread so sorry if it was already posted

https://twitter.com/EvanDaniels/status/1119690488053993472

Maybe Hsu will bring this top 100 kid. Didn’t read the whole thread so sorry if it was already posted

https://twitter.com/EvanDaniels/status/1119690488053993472

Don't think he would have committed to WKU today if he was planning on following Hsu out the door but who knows

Zagoria tweeted something that Hsu landed him. Hsu is still in WK staff but maybe he decommits when Hsu leaves

Mahamadou Diawara a big man could be a target.

Yep, I meant to mention Diawara earlier.  Anderson's staff has been recruiting him for a very long time.  He loves the staff, if they offer I believe he'll commit on the spot.  Watkins has been his lead recruiter.

Another guy they could possibly look at is Shawn Stith. He was scheduled for an official visit right before CMA was fired.  Many felt he was going to commit on the visit.
 
http://www.saddlebackgauchos.com/sports/mbkb/2018-19/bios/stith_shawn_0jcm

Also, a guy that may be a long shot.  But they may offer and see if he bites.

https://247sports.com/player/javon-franklin-46058877/

Staff has been recruiting him since he was like in the 9th grade.  He ended up not being able to qualify for D1 after high school and went JUCO route.  Played 1 year of JUCO and had a good first season, then broke his leg and missed the entire 2nd season.  He red-shirted this year, so he'll have 3 years to play.  I know Ole Miss and Memphis are heavily involved, but Anderson's staff has the best connection with him.