ESPN: Woodbury to crack Top 50, possibly Top 25

storminspank

storminspank

Justin VanLaere
Ten recruiting story lines to look for in July - ESPN

Can Woodbury do it again?
Raise your hand if you had Adam Woodbury (Sioux City, Iowa/East) winning MVP honors at the NBPA Top 100 camp. The No. 57-ranked player is going to crack the top 50 the next time we produce a list. The big question is does he move closer to the top 25 and into All-American status or slide a few spots neatly into the top 50 based off his NBPA Top 100 Camp effort. We expect a slew of head coaches to track him from the LeBron James Skills Academy to the Nike EYBL Peach Jam, each thinking the same thing. If Woodbury replicates his NBPA Top 100 Camp effort then it'll take him no more than a day or two to turn into the hottest center prospect in the country, not named Andre Drummond (Middletown, Conn./St. Thomas More) or Kaleb Tarczewski (Claremont, N.H./St. Mark's). The biggest leap is going from good to great and Woodbury has a chance to earn that distinction in July.
 
Everybody wants Iowa to get the best recruits, but when a recruit gets interest from a big time program (which is what happens to best recruits) people assume that there is no way Iowa will get them. You can't have it both ways, if you want Fran to get top recruits he has to beat out the best for them. I think Woodbury is by far his best chance to do that.
 
hawkfarmer said:
You can't have it both ways, if you want Fran to get top recruits he has to beat out the best for them. I think Woodbury is by far his best chance to do that.
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That's definitely true. If Woodbury gets a bunch of top-tier scholarship offers, then I think our chances of getting him dwindle considerably, given the way our past 4-5 years have gone recordwise. If we start winning again, then I think it's more realistic to compete for top-flight recruits, at least the in-state ones. But this is Fran's best chance to date to pull in a highly rated recruit.

But the fact that Woodbury hasn't committed to the Hawks yet worries me.. If he goes to Iowa because he's a Hawk fan and always dreamed of wearing the black and gold, then what's he waiting for if not an offer from a school like KU, UNC, etc.?

The longer this plays out, the less I like our chances.

What happened to the news that Woodbury would be making a decision "soon"? Is there any update on that?
 
I personally think (hope) the kid is just trying to get those big offers so he can say, hey KU an UNC offered me, that's the kind of prospect I was.

Another thing that has been debated on here a lot is if he is a make or break prospect. I always say there is no such thing as one on the basketball court, however in the recruiting game I think he is. If Iowa can pull down a top kid out of the grasp of KU, UNC, OSU, that says something to other recruits. I think some people underestimate the importance that he may bring to a program like Iowa.
 
I do not know Mr Woodbury, nor do I have any insight into what he is thinking. But one good selling point I would use on him is, "Son, you know Iowa has been down for quite awhile. But, you also know what the Iowa Hawkeye fans are like. They will support you win or lose. Just imagine the support you will get if you come to Iowa and help me turn this ship around. They will be talking about you for years as the one recruit who brought winning basketball back to Iowa City."

Then again ... I could be wrong ... : ) Happy and safe 4th to all of you.
 
hawkfarmer said:
Another thing that has been debated on here a lot is if he is a make or break prospect. I always say there is no such thing as one on the basketball court, however in the recruiting game I think he is. If Iowa can pull down a top kid out of the grasp of KU, UNC, OSU, that says something to other recruits. I think some people underestimate the importance that he may bring to a program like Iowa.
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Good points. I believe more in "make" prospects than I do "break" ones. If we get Woodbury, it could be a huge boost for the program and send us on our way.. And like you said, hopefully send a message to other recruits.

If we don't get Woodbury, it's not the end of all hope. I still trust Fran's eye for talent and there will be plenty more opportunities to bring in good talent.
 
Never understood the negative mindset some have when it comes to recruiting. Or some people don't want a kid to be highly ranked because other schools will want a kid too. However when we get a kid with few offers those same people are upset because he must not be that good because the kid had few offers.

I'm taking the approach that we get the kid and have a great recruiting class. However, if I hear of Roy Williams renting a car anywhere in the area I just might get a little worried -:).
 
Here is the brutal thing about Iowa. The state has produced radically highly rated players over the last few years. Really unprecedented. However, they haven't produced the next level down. Barnes, Paige, and now Woodbury? Are you freaking kidding me?! Why can't we just develop a bunch of high three star types? Seriously, it would be better for Iowa to have three in-state athletic three star guys instead of one top 25 stud.
 
Ronco said:
Never understood the negative mindset some have when it comes to recruiting. Or some people don't want a kid to be highly ranked because other schools will want a kid too. However when we get a kid with few offers those same people are upset because he must not be that good because the kid had few offers.

I'm taking the approach that we get the kid and have a great recruiting class. However, if I hear of Roy Williams renting a car anywhere in the area I just might get a little worried -:).
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I can understand not wanting a kid to be too highly ranked. It's the same kind of deal that we have with the football team. That's not necessarily a problem. But you definitely can't turn around and say: "Well he can't be that good, he doesn't have any good offers."
 
CAARHawk said:
Here is the brutal thing about Iowa. The state has produced radically highly rated players over the last few years. Really unprecedented. However, they haven't produced the next level down. Barnes, Paige, and now Woodbury? Are you freaking kidding me?! Why can't we just develop a bunch of high three star types? Seriously, it would be better for Iowa to have three in-state athletic three star guys instead of one top 25 stud.
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You mean like Gatens, May, Cougill, Gibbs, McDermott, Barz, Creekmur, McCabe, Dykstra, etc... those guys?
 
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For some odd reason, I believe Adam is ours to lose, depending on whether or not the great white sharks come calling. There is blood in the water and the Roys of the world are always thirsty.....

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CAARHawk said:
Here is the brutal thing about Iowa. The state has produced radically highly rated players over the last few years. Really unprecedented. However, they haven't produced the next level down. Barnes, Paige, and now Woodbury? Are you freaking kidding me?! Why can't we just develop a bunch of high three star types? Seriously, it would be better for Iowa to have three in-state athletic three star guys instead of one top 25 stud.
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Most Hawkeye fans were born and raised in Ia. We grew up pulling for the home team. With the progress of aau basketball Iowa will normally have 1-2 elite players per year, I would love it if they all wanted to stay home but they need to do what they feel is best for them, I think the Hawkeyes are trying to attract the best athletes (new practice facilities) but we have a ways to go to catch up with uconn, kansas, and unc. The last 5 years have really set the program back. Woodbury would be nice but not make or break!
 
If you read further down in the article under the heading "The chase for bigs," it states that Royboy and Self are pursuing another highly regarded big, power forward Brandon Ashley, out of Oakland. They are also both after true center, Kaleb Taczewski. This doesn't necessarily mean they don't think they can sign Adam, but I am taking it as a good sign. Obviously they would probably take both, but I am hoping that Adam will break the trend and be that one top recruit that is willing to sign on and be the recruit that decides he wants to turn the Hawkeyes into a winner rather than just be another cog in the machine of these top ranked programs.
 
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MisterLucky said:
If you read further down in the article under the heading "The chase for bigs," it states that Royboy and Self are pursuing another highly regarded big, power forward Brandon Ashley, out of Oakland. They are also both after true center, Kaleb Taczewski. This doesn't necessarily mean they don't think they can sign Adam, but I am taking it as a good sign. Obviously they would probably take both, but I am hoping that Adam will break the trend and be that one top recruit that is willing to sign on and be the recruit that decides he wants to turn the Hawkeyes into a winner rather than just be another cog in the machine of these top ranked programs.
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I wouldn't read much into their recruitment of Ashley as it pertains to how difficult/easy that Self and Williams think it will be to sign Woodbury. Ashley is considered a better player than Woodbury, as he's the #5 PF, and the #14 overall player in the 2012 class. That's just the kind of player you recruit if you're the coach of Kansas or UNC. Woodbury, at this point, is a guy that they give conditional offers to. If he keeps playing at this level or better, that could very easily change.
 
I realize that. I also realize that I am sure that Coach McCaffery has pointed out that our offer in an unconditional one. We won't be changing our mind about wanting him depending on who else might sign one.
 
MisterLucky said:
If you read further down in the article under the heading "The chase for bigs," it states that Royboy and Self are pursuing another highly regarded big, power forward Brandon Ashley, out of Oakland. They are also both after true center, Kaleb Taczewski. This doesn't necessarily mean they don't think they can sign Adam, but I am taking it as a good sign. Obviously they would probably take both, but I am hoping that Adam will break the trend and be that one top recruit that is willing to sign on and be the recruit that decides he wants to turn the Hawkeyes into a winner rather than just be another cog in the machine of these top ranked programs.
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Don't forget about Duke...
 
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