Mean Green Sign Point Guard

[Harry]

http://meangreen.beloblog.com/

UNT signs Josh White - A source close to the North Texas men's basketball program said Tuesday that Josh White, a 5-10 point guard from Baton Rouge, La. has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Mean Green.

Rivals.com ranks White No. 10 on its list of the top 10 players in Louisiana.

For more on White check the blog later today or tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle.

Here is a link to White's page on Rivals.com:

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=41359&Sport=2

[Harry]

[Harry]

Discussion of Josh on LSU Site:

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/Message...801443&Pg=1

NOLA Article on Top 10

http://www.nola.com/weblogs/print.ssf?/mtl...rint192173.html

Note from Louisville Kentucky Newspaper Courier Journal Columnist Jody Demling:

Baton Rouge Christian Life guard Josh White is listed at 5-foot-9 (and that might be getting a boost from a teammate) but he can flat play. White had a HUGE game in a 79-74 overtime win ober Bryan Station with 31 points, five rebounds and five assists. He was 11-for-11 from the free-throw line and 9 of 15 from the field. White hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime after his team had blown a 12-point lead.

[NCMeanGreen]

Uh...oh...according to this article (Louisiana Weekly), he has had a sever shoulder injury:

Louisiana Weekly - Joshua White article

<H2 class=headline>Excellence a way of life for Joshua White</H2>April 23, 2007

Joshua White, the younger brother of former St. Augustine and University of Oklahoma standout Quannas White, has been making a name for himself for most of his life.

For the second straight year, his high school basketball team, Christian Life, has won the Louisiana Class 1A title. The team's success at repeating last year's feat was all the more amazing given the fact that late in the season Joshua White injured his shoulder badly and found it more difficult to dribble, shoot and handle the ball.

Despite his mother's insistence that he sit out three or four games so that his shoulder could heal properly, as the doctor recommended, White pleaded his case and was compelled to continue to play because of a sense of urgency and loyalty to his teammates.

With his teammates sharing the load, especially against the perennial powerhouse Southern Lab team, White recovered to 70 percent in time for the playoffs.

From 2005 to 2007, Joshua White earned the following accolades:

- 2005 -1st team All-State, District MVP, All Metro, averaging 24.6 points per game.

- 2006-1st team All-State, District MVP, All-Metro MVP, Top 28 MVP, Star of Stars, averaging 22 points per game.

- 2007-1st team All State, 1st team All District, District MVP, All-Metro MVP, Top 28 MVP and Class 1-A State MVP.

Joshua White's success on the hardwood dates back to his childhood days when he won back-to-back city-wide state titles while a 5th- and 6th-grader at Martin Luther King Elementary School of Science and Technology. back-to-back NORD championships on the 12/13-year-old division when he was only 10 and 11, two Biddy Basketball state champions at the age of 8 and 10, and two Biddy Basketball national championships at the age of 7 and 9.

White's success in athletics has not hampered his performance in the classroom. Presently on the B honor roll and with a solid score of 21 on his ACT exam, the senior's next goal is to repeat the success his older brother Quannas had on the college level.

Among the schools that have expressed interest in the New Orleans native are USC, Florida, Minnesota, Colorado, Long Beach, Southern, Tulane and Marshall. He expected to begin visiting colleges this week.

Joshua White attributed his success on and off the court to God and his two brothers, Clarence IV and Quannas, who is now playing professional basketball with the USBL and was selected Player of the Year 2006.

In addition to his teammates with the New Orleans Panthers and Christian Life, White credited Panthers coach Maurice Foster for challenging him to work harder and believing in him.

"He's the best I've ever coached," Foster said of White. "I'll never coach another as good as him, and that's the truth."

White says he also had to recognize four special people in his life and #1 fans: De Stan and Dave Muze of Baton Rouge, La., New Orleans attorney Ronald Wilson and his dad.

While he says New Orleans will always have a place in his heart, Joshua White has also grown to love Baton Rouge and thanked The Louisiana Weekly for keeping up with his achievements in athletics and the classroom.

[Censored by Laurie]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...well...this is hopefully an indication that there is still one more scholarship available as has been hinted at by the coaching staff. I've been on here harping for a big man...but I also like this signing and think it makes sense for many reasons. A. it puts a nice buffer between the point guard position and number 11. B. it stabilizes the 2 year swinging door at the point guard position...not since Jerome Rogers has our starting point been a high school recruit. C. This guy seems to have a bit of clout...Kentucky, Tulane, Indiana and Kansas St were all on his boards (and yes just as many lesser schools) and a top 10 state guy as well.

This seemed to come out of left field...this may have been a guy JJ didn't think he could get...and who knows if he has some kind of existing relationship with Tic.

We still need a 4 or 5 though...and maybe Tic's got one of those on call as well.

[greenminer]

If true that he signed, a great addition to the team. He's used to winning, and I'm sure (or, in the least, HOPE) will not tolerate anything less.

Anyone else notice that his Rival's profile doesn't list NT as one of his possible choices?

Edited May 15, 2007 by greenminer

[Harry]

[chrisfisher]

I just got through reading about our new recruit. Great signing it appears! Given the quality of our other signings, I'd think it is safe to say now that we've had a very respectible recruiting class!?! If we could only top this off with a bad-ass big man signing.

Edited May 15, 2007 by chrisfisher

[MeanGreenBuzz]

Finally someone that can shoot free throws! Hopefully it will rub off on his new teammates.

[Keith7]

Depth is never a bad thing to have and this guy seems like a hell of a player, but we are starting to get crowded at the guard positions.. lets hope for a quality big guy soon

[NT80]

Where's the Beef? We could be down to small-ball very quick after next season. Seems NT always has a constant need for Offensive Linemen and Post Players.

[Green to the Bone]

Where's the Beef? We could be down to small-ball very quick after next season. Seems NT always has a constant need for Offensive Linemen and Post Players.

Gee, now that you mention it, why does North Texas always seem to recruit such small people? I mean, I had at least three professors who were no more than 5'6", and two of them were men. And has anybody noticed that RV and Dr. B are both under six foot? I mean, what gives here?

[Cooley]

As they say in the war room, this guy was the best guy on the board. Smells like Dale Brown may have helped with this one. Ryan McCoy now seems to be the odd man out at the point. JJ needs to give this kid the rock before he bolts back to LA!

[OldTimer]

As they say in the war room, this guy was the best guy on the board. Smells like Dale Brown may have helped with this one. Ryan McCoy now seems to be the odd man out at the point. JJ needs to give this kid the rock before he bolts back to LA!

I understand NT was able to get in on this kid at this late time because LSU signed another player instead of Josh White. Reportable JJ believes this is the best HS recruit he has signed at NT.

[CMJ]

Great pickup! I wonder if we can hold onto McCoy now.

[Censored by Laurie]

Sooo...I fear I may have pulled the trigger a bit quickly on my first post...and having thought about the entirerty of this signing i'm going to play a bit of a pesimist. Based on this kids rivals board he was looking at premier programs and very low programs. Here's why: He is a premier talent, however this shoulder injury has the premier programs worried. Kentucky and Indiana can find healthy talent comperable to this kid so they don't gamble on the injury. He ends up targeting a lesser program; High Point, Murray St. as a place to go and showcase that he is healthy, re-kindling the premier program's interest, and then bolts...see Patrick Sparks...he had injury problems and while all the tools were there, there were questions about his athleticism at an SEC level...he showed he was healthy and competant at Western Kentucky for a season and left for UK. Add to that...Ryan McCoy may now be questioning his choice. If McCoy pulls out, and White leaves after a season, we may be in serious point guard trouble.

This is not neccissarily my opinion of what WILL occur...just what I FEAR may occur based on history...and pure speculation. White certainly was the best player on the board (so far as we know) and may be one of the most highly touted players to wear green. If he is viewing NT as his full on commitment...4 years...this is a huge signing, and we may have the deepest backcourt in a very guard oriented conference.

I still hope we have the one extra scholarship the staff has hinted at (and I hope it's Sturns') b/c to beat a dead horse...we need a horse in the middle. I think the 3 options are Johnathon Jackson, Colin Mangrum and Michael Sturns...I can't imagine it opening elsewhere unless one of the newbies backs out

[GreenBat]

Sooo...I fear I may have pulled the trigger a bit quickly on my first post...and having thought about the entirerty of this signing i'm going to play a bit of a pesimist. Based on this kids rivals board he was looking at premier programs and very low programs. Here's why: He is a premier talent, however this shoulder injury has the premier programs worried. Kentucky and Indiana can find healthy talent comperable to this kid so they don't gamble on the injury. He ends up targeting a lesser program; High Point, Murray St. as a place to go and showcase that he is healthy, re-kindling the premier program's interest, and then bolts...see Patrick Sparks...he had injury problems and while all the tools were there, there were questions about his athleticism at an SEC level...he showed he was healthy and competant at Western Kentucky for a season and left for UK. Add to that...Ryan McCoy may now be questioning his choice. If McCoy pulls out, and White leaves after a season, we may be in serious point guard trouble.

This is not neccissarily my opinion of what WILL occur...just what I FEAR may occur based on history...and pure speculation. White certainly was the best player on the board (so far as we know) and may be one of the most highly touted players to wear green. If he is viewing NT as his full on commitment...4 years...this is a huge signing, and we may have the deepest backcourt in a very guard oriented conference.

I still hope we have the one extra scholarship the staff has hinted at (and I hope it's Sturns') b/c to beat a dead horse...we need a horse in the middle. I think the 3 options are Johnathon Jackson, Colin Mangrum and Michael Sturns...I can't imagine it opening elsewhere unless one of the newbies backs out

CBL,

Might you want some mayonaise on thar $h!+ sandwich.

[OldTimer]

http://meangreen.beloblog.com/

UNT signs Josh White - A source close to the North Texas men's basketball program said Tuesday that Josh White, a 5-10 point guard from Baton Rouge, La. has signed a national letter of intent to play for the Mean Green.

Rivals.com ranks White No. 10 on its list of the top 10 players in Louisiana.

For more on White check the blog later today or tomorrow's edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle.

Here is a link to White's page on Rivals.com:

http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=41359&Sport=2

Its interesting that the 10th ranked BB player in La is rated a 2 * by rivals. I would have thought a 3 * for that high rating.

[Green to the Bone]

Its interesting that the 10th ranked BB player in La is rated a 2 * by rivals. I would have thought a 3 * for that high rating.

I decided long ago not to care even a little bit what Rivals says. The importance of their little star system vanishes as soon as the ref tosses up the opening jump ball of the first game.

[greenminer]

CBL,

Might you want some mayonaise on thar $h!+ sandwich.

Are you calling him out on an opinion? I thought he offered a great perspective, and he made it clear that it wasn't he THOUGHT would happen. Just a worst case scenario. No harm in that, right?

[emmitt01]

Are you calling him out on an opinion? I thought he offered a great perspective, and he made it clear that it wasn't he THOUGHT would happen. Just a worst case scenario. No harm in that, right?

Some people get a bit jumpy when you throw anything less than sunshine about the Mean Green out there...opinion or not. It's understandable, it happens in every fan base.

[Stan R]

If you watch the free rivals video on this kid, he is impressive. Fearless in driving to the basket. Seems to have a great touch on the ball and able to make amazing shots around guys bigger than him. I like!

[Green Lantern]

CBL,

Might you want some mayonaise on thar $h!+ sandwich.

Geez...A bit of an overreaction don't you think? The whole thing was prefaced as being just pure speculation and fear of what COULD happen. It's not like this program is that far removed from acting as a developmental area for UT talent. This kind of thing happens from time to time. CBL was just offering a pessimistic view (ie worst case scenario) on what I'm sure he considers a major coup for NT.

[Charlie NT 73]

I beleive this is a great signing! This is a kid that wants to play here, and has

real BB talent! Looks like this kid has real ball handling skills, and can run

a offensive attack! A very good PG skills, and a lot of heart!

The kid reminds me of a Joe Hamilton/Spud Webb type of player!

Hey- this kid is goood!

Edited May 17, 2007 by charlie nt73

[SouthBendGreen]

Geez...A bit of an overreaction don't you think? The whole thing was prefaced as being just pure speculation and fear of what COULD happen. It's not like this program is that far removed from acting as a developmental area for UT talent. This kind of thing happens from time to time. CBL was just offering a pessimistic view (ie worst case scenario) on what I'm sure he considers a major coup for NT.

Don't sweat it, you aren't the first person to get blasted for having an opinion especially one that might not be completely positive!