This article was linked in another thread, but never discussed. It's an interesting subject, so it would be good to hear what those without a vested interest think.

Skal Labissiere is a 6'11" center, ranked #11 to #14 in Rivals/Scout/ESPN in the Class of 2015, and a refugee from the Haiti earthquake. He lives in Memphis now with a guardian, Gerald Hamilton, who works in the IT field.

Labissere has skills, if not that much basketball experience. He's probably an NBA stretch 4, who could play in the post, especially in college, and he is likely a one-and-done. Think Joel Embiid or perhaps Chris Bosh, although I'm not saying he has their skill level. That is more the type of player he is. But he is still damn good, perhaps a lottery pick in 2016.

Anyway, for the longest time, his recruitment seemed to be a battle between Memphis and Kentucky, with Memphis in the lead. But this week, it came to light that Ole Miss was deeply involved also, to the point that Andy Kennedy was considering offering an assistant's position to Gerald Hamilton, even though he has no basketball experience at all.

Hamilton has already raised a red flag by founding a non-profit that appears to simply be a donation fund for Skal.

Now, he and Skal say they are considering skipping college and going the Emmanuel Mudiay route.

What do you guys think of all this?

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...ing-battle

I wonder if the international route would be wise considering it sounds like this kid needs a lot of coaching/development.

I think that basketball recruiting is real shady. Football recruiting is probably no better, but players having guardian/handlers and schools offering jobs to a guy to get a kid seems almost like the schools are paying players through third party guardian/handlers. It seems like hiring a parent to lure a recruit smells different than hiring an nonrelative third party who in theory could pass along some of his wages to the player. Shady stuff.

(07-25-2014 09:14 AM)TripleA Wrote:  This article was linked in another thread, but never discussed. It's an interesting subject, so it would be good to hear what those without a vested interest think.

Skal Labissiere is a 6'11" center, ranked #11 to #14 in Rivals/Scout/ESPN in the Class of 2015, and a refugee from the Haiti earthquake. He lives in Memphis now with a guardian, Gerald Hamilton, who works in the IT field.

Labissere has skills, if not that much basketball experience. He's probably an NBA stretch 4, who could play in the post, especially in college, and he is likely a one-and-done. Think Joel Embiid or perhaps Chris Bosh, although I'm not saying he has their skill level. That is more the type of player he is. But he is still damn good, perhaps a lottery pick in 2016.

Anyway, for the longest time, his recruitment seemed to be a battle between Memphis and Kentucky, with Memphis in the lead. But this week, it came to light that Ole Miss was deeply involved also, to the point that Andy Kennedy was considering offering an assistant's position to Gerald Hamilton, even though he has no basketball experience at all.

Hamilton has already raised a red flag by founding a non-profit that appears to simply be a donation fund for Skal.

Now, he and Skal say they are considering skipping college and going the Emmanuel Mudiay route.

What do you guys think of all this?

http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketba...ing-battle

It brings me back to the hiring rule that I don't like being taken advantage of even with kids like the Lawsons in Memphis.

In today's unique environment of AAU where kids are being attached at the hip to adults looking to capitalize the NCAA really needs to look at limiting the ability of schools hiring assistants just to grab high level recruits.

Basketball recruiting IS shady. Shady as it gets.

(07-25-2014 09:22 AM)Chappy Wrote:  I wonder if the international route would be wise considering it sounds like this kid needs a lot of coaching/development.

I don't think it would be. Somebody on our board posted that at least 5 NBA execs think Skal going overseas would be a mistake.

(07-25-2014 09:23 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  I think that basketball recruiting is real shady. Football recruiting is probably no better, but players having guardian/handlers and schools offering jobs to a guy to get a kid seems almost like the schools are paying players through third party guardian/handlers. It seems like hiring a parent to lure a recruit smells different than hiring an nonrelative third party who in theory could pass along some of his wages to the player. Shady stuff.

Well, both moves are NCAA legal, but it certainly is different when the guy is a well-respected HS coach with a state championship, who is qualified for a #3 assistant's spot, vs. hiring an IT guy with no basketball experience. That guy would be gone the second Skal leaves.

I don't think there would be room for him at Memphis anyway. I hear they are already are full of 5* recruits. He may want to go to a lesser program like Kentucky or Louisville if he has the opportunity.

(07-25-2014 09:25 AM)NBPirate Wrote:  Basketball recruiting IS shady. Shady as it gets.

Yep. Probably slightly worse than football, although most major schools break NCAA rules in both sports on a regular basis. The difference is, b/c basketball is more influenced by one player, elite BB recruits seem to attract guardians or handlers.

I have no idea how Hamilton came to be Skal's guardian, other than the fact that Skal came here as a kid from the Haiti earthquake.

Why the hell did someone start a new thread on this when another one is already raging?

(07-25-2014 09:31 AM)40smokingcannon Wrote:  I don't think there would be room for him at Memphis anyway. I hear they are already are full of 5* recruits. He may want to go to a lesser program like Kentucky or Louisville if he has the opportunity.

Do you want to contribute to the discussion, or do you just want to fail at being witty?

Given the events of this week, he may not go to Memphis at all. That's what we're discussing.

UK is in the middle of this, and part of Ole Miss' pitch is that Skal could get immediate playing time, whereas at Memphis, he would likely be behind Shaq Goodwin and Austin Nichols. And since Hamilton has made it clear he wants to stay close to Skal, Ole Miss is not that much farther away, since Hamilton and Skal live in Olive Branch, MS. Oh, and OM might be offering Hamilton a job, too.

No way to tell about UK's situation by the time Skal shows up.

Or, he could go overseas. And with the guardian's "ministry" aimed at acquiring donations for a Haitian refugee (Skal), now his amateur status could be in question.

(07-25-2014 09:37 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Why the hell did someone start a new thread on this when another one is already raging?

Because the other thread is an ECU-bashing thread that is not discussing this recruitment, which I wanted to do. I also explained it in the title and the OP why I started another one.

Yeah this whole thing feels extremely wrong, but I guess if it's not breaking any current rules it's just the way things have to be done.

(07-25-2014 09:39 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:31 AM)40smokingcannon Wrote:  I don't think there would be room for him at Memphis anyway. I hear they are already are full of 5* recruits. He may want to go to a lesser program like Kentucky or Louisville if he has the opportunity.

Do you want to contribute to the discussion, or do you just want to fail at being witty?

Given the events of this week, he may not go to Memphis at all. That's what we're discussing.

UK is in the middle of this, and part of Ole Miss' pitch is that Skal could get immediate playing time, whereas at Memphis, he would likely be behind Shaq Goodwin and Austin Nichols. And since Hamilton has made it clear he wants to stay close to Skal, Ole Miss is not that much farther away, since Hamilton and Skal live in Olive Branch, MS. Oh, and OM might be offering Hamilton a job, too.

No way to tell about UK's situation by the time Skal shows up.

Or, he could go overseas. And with the guardian's "ministry" aimed at acquiring donations for a Haitian refugee (Skal), now his amateur status could be in question.

Do you want to contribute to the discussion, or do you just want to fail at being witty?
I'll just stick with failing at being witty.

(07-25-2014 09:37 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Why the hell did someone start a new thread on this when another one is already raging?

this bothers you but 500 threads and elevnty million posts by you in p5 related threads doesnt?

(07-25-2014 10:02 AM)shere khan Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:37 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Why the hell did someone start a new thread on this when another one is already raging?

this bothers you but 500 threads and elevnty million posts by you in p5 related threads doesnt?

My posts are always highly relevant, insightful, and on-topic. They are models of good form around here.

If Memphis loses a kid playing HS ball in Memphis to Ole Miss, I would be shocked, SHOCKED.

(07-25-2014 09:29 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:23 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  I think that basketball recruiting is real shady. Football recruiting is probably no better, but players having guardian/handlers and schools offering jobs to a guy to get a kid seems almost like the schools are paying players through third party guardian/handlers. It seems like hiring a parent to lure a recruit smells different than hiring an nonrelative third party who in theory could pass along some of his wages to the player. Shady stuff.

Well, both moves are NCAA legal, but it certainly is different when the guy is a well-respected HS coach with a state championship, who is qualified for a #3 assistant's spot, vs. hiring an IT guy with no basketball experience. That guy would be gone the second Skal leaves.

Yes, huge difference IMO.

(07-25-2014 10:19 AM)Chappy Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:29 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:23 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  I think that basketball recruiting is real shady. Football recruiting is probably no better, but players having guardian/handlers and schools offering jobs to a guy to get a kid seems almost like the schools are paying players through third party guardian/handlers. It seems like hiring a parent to lure a recruit smells different than hiring an nonrelative third party who in theory could pass along some of his wages to the player. Shady stuff.

Well, both moves are NCAA legal, but it certainly is different when the guy is a well-respected HS coach with a state championship, who is qualified for a #3 assistant's spot, vs. hiring an IT guy with no basketball experience. That guy would be gone the second Skal leaves.

Yes, huge difference IMO.

So all 3 of us are in agreement. There seems to be a difference between hiring a relative (parent) versus hiring a non-relative.

My thinking in regards to the hiring of the non-relative is that the non-relative will act as a pass through and the kid will end up getting a kickback. At that point the school is paying the kid to play, albeit indirectly through a middleman. I can clearly see how a non-relative could be paid $300,000 a year to do a job, which would probably normally pay $100,000 a year. I can see that other $200,000 going to kid and the non-relative could claim that he is just using his salary to take care of his protege.

(07-25-2014 10:37 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 10:19 AM)Chappy Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:29 AM)TripleA Wrote:  

(07-25-2014 09:23 AM)PirateMarv Wrote:  I think that basketball recruiting is real shady. Football recruiting is probably no better, but players having guardian/handlers and schools offering jobs to a guy to get a kid seems almost like the schools are paying players through third party guardian/handlers. It seems like hiring a parent to lure a recruit smells different than hiring an nonrelative third party who in theory could pass along some of his wages to the player. Shady stuff.

Well, both moves are NCAA legal, but it certainly is different when the guy is a well-respected HS coach with a state championship, who is qualified for a #3 assistant's spot, vs. hiring an IT guy with no basketball experience. That guy would be gone the second Skal leaves.

Yes, huge difference IMO.

So all 3 of us are in agreement. There seems to be a difference between hiring a relative (parent) versus hiring a non-relative.

My thinking in regards to the hiring of the non-relative is that the non-relative will act as a pass through and the kid will end up getting a kickback. At that point the school is paying the kid to play, albeit indirectly through a middleman. I can clearly see how a non-relative could be paid $300,000 a year to do a job, which would probably normally pay $100,000 a year. I can see that other $200,000 going to kid and the non-relative could claim that he is just using his salary to take care of his protege.

The same thing could happen through a parent.