La Tech Transfer Xavian Stapleton on Campus

[isutrevman]

Why? College basketball is a guard dominated game. We will be fine.

The only guys currently on the roster for 2016 that are over 6'-5 are The Greek, and Ernst. It would definitely be nice to get a transfer big man IF there is a good one available (they may all be gone at this point). While it is a guard dominated game, you still need guys with some size.

I'm not panicking, just saying it might be ok to be a little worried. If we can get a good JUCO or two or a good incoming freshman that is ready to play right away that would work too.

 

[allfourcy]

This Stapleton kid would have to sit out this year, correct? So basically he's a 2016-17 recruit. Prohm has plenty of time to recruit 2016-17 kids. He doesn't have to reach for a guard this early when guard is the least of our needs right now.

Why should we fill our roster with "bodies", as some have said on here, with all the success we've had recently and the success we should have this year?

If we have the kind of success a lot of us are hoping we'll have this year, I would think we can get some better recruits than just "bodies" to fill out the bench and keep it warm.

I understand what you're saying, but people are forgetting that by the time the so-called success that will hopefully be proven after the upcoming season, it will be too late to build the needed relationship with alot of top 50-100 recruits. Sure there are the top 5-star guys that hold out late to see who can offer the most and who has what one-and-done guys leaving to be swooped up by KU, UK, etc., but the Vaughn's and Diallo's of the world dont seem to end up here. The guys in the 50-125 range usually commit earlier. I don't care how good Prohm does next season, the 2016 guys arent going to be lining up to wait and see. Sure hope the JUCO crop is good and that we can get 'in' with 2017 studs.

 

[Cydkar]

I would have liked to see our name mentioned with that big from St. John's that is visiting Minnesota. Not sure why we wouldn't go after him, especially since Matt A. would help us out most likely since he said he would steer guys to ISU that didn't want to be at St. Johns.

Matt A steered us away from Obepka.

 

[isutrevman]

That is a good point. We've already added Babb and Ernst, who were questionable Big 12 level players. Now if we add Stapleton we'd be up to 3 already. Yes, we have a lot of scholarships to hand out, but I just hope we don't fill those up with marginal guys first, and then when we go to the Final Four this year we don't have any left to hand out.

Your mistake is believing that a trip to the final 4 automatically gets you a boatload of top 50 and McDonald's All American players. It doesn't. MY guess is it would have some effect and help you get in the door for some players, but at the end of the day, most will still end up at Kansas, Duke, UNC and Kentucky.

Butler made 2 straight NCAA Championship games and they aren't really pulling in any better players than they were before. .Recruiting is still more about school prestige, location and $$$(cheating) than it is recent success. That's why you don't see non-blue blood programs stay at the top very long

 

[isutrevman]

Not to mention, by the time the final 4 run would happen, 99% of the high school players are already committed to schools. Its a little late by then to start recruiting players for 2016.

 

[istater7]

dont blame prohm for babb. He's tj's guy.

Heres the thing. We are ******** b/c Fred couldn't recruit. Yet he managed to be our most successful coach. If prohm can coach, this won't matter.

Mcdermott wasted too much time trying to build the program with high school kids v

Who's "blaming" anyone for picking up Babb? Babb will be a very good player for ISU

 

[baagoe]

I would have liked to see our name mentioned with that big from St. John's that is visiting Minnesota. Not sure why we wouldn't go after him, especially since Matt A. would help us out most likely since he said he would steer guys to ISU that didn't want to be at St. Johns.

Obekpa left St John's because he didn't like the stricter rules Mullin put in place & from what I've seen it seems like Prohm is being a bit more stricter with the team so I think that could negate interest from either side. Obekpa is a good player but I'm not sure how likely ISU is.

 

[Rhoadhoused]

Oh really? Is that why we had posters projecting stats per 40/min? As I said and you confirmed, they're transfers. That's it. No need for the research or argument.

First of all, nobody is projecting stats per 40 minutes.

Those are just stats. They are facts.

And someone posted Kane's numbers per 36 minutes, and I simply gave him the per 40 minute stats without any comment.

The point is, the kid played well when he got some minutes. We don't know how that will translate when minutes are increased or when he's playing in the B12 or how he will develop in the next 1.5 years sitting out and having another offseason.

But I'll take a kid who has played 15 minutes a game for 36 games for a good mid major team over players who don't have that same experience or at least minor proof of ability at the college level.

 

[cyclones1994]

Has anyone watched a Louisiana Tech game? Or even seen college highlights outside of the top ten dunks?

 

[cyclones1994]

If anyone is interested. Here is Louisiana Tech's message board on Stapleton transferring. http://www.latechbbb.com/forum/showthread.php?131968-Bye-Bye-Stapleton&

EDIT: Just reading the first couple of pages, it seems most of the talk is about the restrictions and the state of the program with their coach getting poached by Florida, but the posters seemed to think he had high potential for next year and beyond.

 

[Wesley]

i think prohm realizes he has two open scholarships now and likely 5 next year. He needs bodies.

So does CPR

 

[mjhavlo76]

I think Stapleton would be a good addition next season. Sign em up Coach Prohm!

 

[acgclone]

Looking at the schedule/results La Tech wasn't half bad

 

[jsb]

So does CPR

And that has what to do with this topic?

 

[ForeverIowan]

Common sense here tells me this kid is going to be pretty dang good if the AD felt the need to restrict 55 schools including Florida. LTech coach took the Florida job this past season. LTech AD knew he was going to go after this kid. If he is good enough for Florida I welcome him with excitement if he were to pick us. I know Florida has had a tough year or two but they are still a top tier program.

 

[Doc]

Has anyone watched a Louisiana Tech game? Or even seen college highlights outside of the top ten dunks?

I watched them a couple of times in the NIT -- LA Tech had a pretty talented fast-paced team. Didn't really pay any attention to Stapleton, though. Looking at Kenpom, he's got some pretty good comparables for his freshman year numbers. I'd be excited about him.

Plus, it's not like ISU is the only big school after him.

 

[allfourcy]

Feel like this would be less for 16-17 and more so for later on than that. He'll only be a redshirt sophomore in 16-17.

I'm all for it, you can never have too many big, athletic guards.

I figure he wouldn't have been given that many restrictions if they didn't think they were losing a decent potential type guy.

 

[LLCoolCY]

Though I expected the final scholly (at least until we get a final decision from GT) would be used on a Transfer Post player either this summer or more likely at midseason due to most of the impact bigs being off the board at this point.

That said I am not sure why poster are referring to Xavier as not BCS quality? Stapleton has visited Alabama drawing interest from Miss St and that was after he was restricted from 55 other schools for transfer until recently. If he would have the talent to play at BCS level he wouldn't be getting that type of attention. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that he as improved and grown at La Tech could be a contributor for ISU.

I am more curious about the fit since Nick Babb is already sitting out and they seem to have similar skills and positions. ISU could use a backup SF to Burton next year and beyond and it appears he is growing (profile of 6'4" SG in HS and now listed as a forward 6'6") I would think he could slot there? In truth, 6'6" athletic players can usually find minutes in most systems ala Clark, Hogue, and Stevie Johnson. If XS were to commit, I'll reserve judgment until he get's on the court but I do think could be a contributor.

 

[acgclone]

You can't have too many 6'6" athletic guys.

He doesn't have to be a highly skilled player to fit into a fast paced system as Hogue proved. His stats weren't eye popping out of IHCC.

 

[cyclones1994]

That said I am not sure why poster are referring to Xavier as not BCS quality? Stapleton has visited Alabama drawing interest from Miss St and that was after he was restricted from 55 other schools for transfer until recently. If he would have the talent to play at BCS level he wouldn't be getting that type of attention. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that he as improved and grown at La Tech could be a contributor for ISU.

Reading some of their board, it is clear they are angry about losing him. I also agree that the restrictions and interest implies he is BCS quality. Maybe not an all-conference player, but a 6-6 athletic guard is always needed.

You can't have too many 6'6" athletic guys.

He doesn't have to be a highly skilled player to fit into a fast paced system as Hogue proved. His stats weren't eye popping out of IHCC.

+1