Another 7'0"

eulesseagle · April 22, 2008

http://colorado.scout.com/2/748373.html

MeanGreen61 · April 22, 2008

Not very impressive stats for a 7 footer.

Peacock · April 22, 2008

He averaged 8 min of play in 14 games as a true freshman. While these are certainly not impressive numbers, he does have time to grow...

untlynchka · April 22, 2008

who was the other 7'?

foutsrouts · April 23, 2008

Here's his bio. Small town boy or not, would be an interesting pick up for '09.

http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2007

Green Crazy · April 23, 2008

Here's his bio. Small town boy or not, would be an interesting pick up for '09.
http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2007

could this be the tallest baseball player ever?

TheTastyGreek · April 23, 2008

Here's his bio. Small town boy or not, would be an interesting pick up for '09.
http://www.cubuffs.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SP...p;Q_SEASON=2007

There's no ship for him when Vouyoukas signs.

eulesseagle · April 23, 2008

meangreen61-

what sort of stats do you expect of a freshman? i would think the same as howerton and possibly knox. it is not too often NT gets some sort of phenom player as white.

Cerebus · April 23, 2008

You can't teach tall.

UNTLifer · April 23, 2008

There's no ship for him when Vouyoukas signs.

If he transfers, his scholarship wouldn't count until 09 because of the transfer rules, correct?

Keith7 · April 23, 2008

here is more on Patterson.. I think he has more potential then the greek dude..

http://theoldcoach.rivals.com/viewprospect...mp;pr_key=48587

Censored by Laurie · April 23, 2008

If he transfers, his scholarship wouldn't count until 09 because of the transfer rules, correct?

No...he would be considered a part of the 2008 class so he would take the final scholarship unless he could be convinced to walk-on, sit, and be promised a scholarship spot starting in 09...a very unlikely situation

ADLER · April 23, 2008

The best solution may be to extend scholarships to both Vouyoukas and Patterson and place Knox at a juco for a year to develop.

Knox is a project that needs minutes and he's simply not going to get them riding the end of the bench next year at North Texas. The only danger is that he would be eligible to sign with any college after a year at juco.

Censored by Laurie · April 23, 2008

here is more on Patterson.. I think he has more potential then the greek dude..
http://theoldcoach.rivals.com/viewprospect...mp;pr_key=48587

Could I ask what you're basing that assumption on? I'm not saying your wrong...I've never seen either of these kids play...but if that assumption is based on numbers, let me say Vouyoukas has put his numbers up in one of the toughest, if not the toughest high school region in the country...definently better compition than suburban Oklahoma.

The other big thing with me is that if you're going to have a scholarship player sit...I'd prefer it be a star in the waiting...Shawnson, Kendrick, Keith, Collin and hopefully George fill that criteria. Knox is probably a redshirt candidate...that would leave 11 available scholarship players per game...depth could become an issue with a serious injury or two

Censored by Laurie · April 23, 2008

The best solution may be to extend scholarships to both Vouyoukas and Patterson and place Knox at a juco for a year to develop.
Knox is a project that needs minutes and he's simply not going to get them riding the end of the bench next year at North Texas. The only danger is that he would be eligible to sign with any college after a year at juco.

I don't know if you can do that...I don't think there is a "greyshirt" for college basketball. If Knox is playing at a JUCO next season it would be b/c we pulled his scholarship...which has as been pointed out is potential suicide for the future recruiting efforts of a coach.

Obviously signing Vouyoukas and Patterson would be an upgrade from one or the other and Knox. The early Knox signing is sooooooo baffling to me and what will potentially keep this from being potentially JJ's best signing class

ADLER · April 23, 2008

I don't know if you can do that...I don't think there is a "greyshirt" for college basketball. If Knox is playing at a JUCO next season it would be b/c we pulled his scholarship...which has as been pointed out is potential suicide for the future recruiting efforts of a coach.

It can be done; TCU's former coach Billy Tubbs did it several years ago but it was a very unpopular decision with the player and his family. I think that it should only be done if it's in the best interest of the player and the player agrees. In this case I think it is as long as North Texas guarantees the player that a scholarship will be available to him next year. It would certainly give Knox time to add weight and to develop his game. If he comes straight to North Texas he'll likely be the 13th player down on the end of the bench and will garner very little playing time next year.

Censored by Laurie · April 23, 2008

It can be done; TCU's former coach Billy Tubbs did it several years ago but it was a very unpopular decision with the player and his family. I think that it should only be done if it's in the best interest of the player and the player agrees. In this case I think it is as long as North Texas guarantees the player that a scholarship will be available to him next year. It would certainly give Knox time to add weight and to develop his game. If he comes straight to North Texas he'll likely be the 13th player down on the end of the bench and will garner very little playing time next year.

Well...JJ may have the cred with the player and family to pull this off, having offered so (soooooooooooooooooooooooooo) early...but he strikes me as way too much of a loyalist to even have this sort of move on his radar. Additionally, I doubt Ben would be too on board with missing out on the real college experience.

At this point, I think it may just be best to stand pat and wait a season for UNT and Ben to figure out whether or not he is vastly overmatched with mid-D1 basketball or if he has something...my bet is he figures out after a season of practice and minimal if any PT he'll see he's in over his head and the issue will resolve itself...giving us an extra scholarship in '09...maybe '10

TheTastyGreek · April 23, 2008

This kid may be 7 feet tall... But can he call upon the spirit of Naismithedes, the Greek God of Basketball? Did this guy's great-great-great-great-(etc.)-Grandfather invent algebra or philosophy? Can he hold his ouzo? Can he get a restraining order fast enough to stop me from strangling him to death with my bare hands if he steals a scholarship away from Alex Vouyoukas?

If the answer to any of those questions is "no", I think it's best to give young Alex the chance to choose us before offering a scholarship to this guy or anyone else.

GrandGreen · April 23, 2008

Has anyone who is commenting about Knox, actually seen him play or you simply going by the available stats? Obviously the coaching staff saw something in the player or they would not have signed him to a LOI. By the way a LOI is a contract, a school cannot simply opt to disregard it. Sure, a coach can make it so uncomfortable for a signed player that he knows it is in his best interest not to enroll. Ever wonder about what happened to Trilli's early signees when JJ came a board? Not a wise long term strategy as well as being something that I hope NT does not condone.

Many programs gamble on big players developing later and sometimes it works and sometime it doesn't. Think of recent NT signees: Barnett, Masters, Riley, Howerton, etc. NT and most non-power conference teams are not going to get a sniff of an accomplished "big" high school post player, so they take chances. It has been quoted that the Belt is getting bigger and that maybe true, but there have always been a lot of tall players sitting on the end of benches in the Belt.

Knox has signed and I will welcome him aboard next year. To speculate on replacing signed players with the available recruit of the day may be fun but it is not something that any program should be involved in. I wonder how many were for Trilli when he did not renew seven ships of players that had played for him as hard as any I've seen at NT the year before. That move too, was to get better players into NT. That was perfectly legal but it was definitely wrong and IMO plagued the program for years.

Edited April 23, 2008 by GrandGreen

Keith7 · April 23, 2008

Could I ask what you're basing that assumption on? I'm not saying your wrong...I've never seen either of these kids play...but if that assumption is based on numbers, let me say Vouyoukas has put his numbers up in one of the toughest, if not the toughest high school region in the country...definently better compition than suburban Oklahoma.

Well for one, Peterson has better size, he was recruited by a big 12 school and got to play as a freshman (though sparingly that says something), he was a 3 star recruit by rivals (greek dude is unranked right now, but scout.com has him as a 2 star and they typically give out stars more sparingly then rivals), the stats you see on his rivals page are from his junior year in high school btw.. Both guys would be excellent pick ups for our team, I just think Patterson is more of the type of forward we want right now, a pure center, something we have been missing the past couple of years..

UNTLifer · April 23, 2008

I just think Patterson is more of the type of forward we want right now, a pure center, something we have been missing the past couple of years..

But JJ's system doesn't necessarily need a true center, especially if he can't run the floor.

foutsrouts · April 24, 2008

This kid may be 7 feet tall... But can he call upon the spirit of Naismithedes, the Greek God of Basketball? Did this guy's great-great-great-great-(etc.)-Grandfather invent algebra or philosophy? Can he hold his ouzo? Can he get a restraining order fast enough to stop me from strangling him to death with my bare hands if he steals a scholarship away from Alex Vouyoukas?
If the answer to any of those questions is "no", I think it's best to give young Alex the chance to choose us before offering a scholarship to this guy or anyone else.

Have you taken him to The Lodge yet? It's an establishment run by the Rizos family, and I know for a fact that they would just love to provide some fine hospitality to one of their home boys.