So… Howard’s been in town as our HC for about a month now. From reading all the articles on here, it’s still pretty tough to get a read on who our actual “top targets” are (i.e. who we really want and have a legit shot at ultimately signing). So I thought I’d go to the expertise of the very well-informed board members. I know there are a lot of 2020 threads already in existence, but I thought this would be fun, educational and not too annoying for anyone.
So… with all that being said… who do YOU predict will ultimately be in Juwan Howard’s 1st recruiting class?
Me:
1-Seems like all green lights with Zeb Jackson. Should be a very interesting PG battle in 2020. Should be very interesting to see what Martelli and Eisley can do with DeJulius and Brooks this coming season.
2-Jabri Abdur-Rahim. Seems to pretty clearly be a “top target”. Virginia just won a national championship and put a similar profile player into the lotto. They’ll be tough to beat, for sure. Maybe not impossible?
3-Nimari Burnett. Joshua Christopher’s got a Howard offer in hand too… but seems like sort of a long-shot. It’s tough, really, to read… but of all the Chicago guards we started hearing about upon JH’s hire… Burnett seems to have the most smoke. A 5-star two-guard… coming in to compete with a 3rd yr guy who hasn’t really seen the court yet (Nunez), but who has real potential… with PG’s playing out of position (Zeb, DeJulius, Eli)… and with SF’s playing out of position (Bajema, JAR?). He could definitely be a game-1 starter.
4-Big man? Walker Kessler and Hunter Dickson both seem to qualify as real “top targets”. Both have top dogs after em. Which – if either – will buy-in enough to the JH development pitch? Pretty impossible to say at this point. I really, really do hope we’re able to land one though.
5/6-Fifth guy? (Sixth guy?). Certainly, there will be some non-elite-elite guys who emerge. Doesn’t seem to be much smoke with Scooby at the moment. And I really have no idea who there is real smoke with. I’m sure some of you do.
7-Probably not but worth mentioning in my deluded mind. Isaiah Jackson. He’s damn good. He’s local. He seems like he’d be interested in a full-court-press recruitment scenario. Haven’t heard a ton of smoke to date… but hoping to.
Seems likely that both Castelton and Johns will be on the roster as big men in 2020/21. Livers could be. Wagner could be. Bajema probably will be. Nunez probably will be. At least one of DeJulius/Brooks will be, possibly both. That’s best case scenario 8 scholarship guys on the roster = 5 scholarship spots. Obviously could be 2/3 more.
Thoughts? Predictions?