"We would love to win a national championship, but we're not obsessed with it because we're obsessed with these guys trying to live their NBA dream."

People might jump on him , but I think what he said is a pretty smart thing to say. The one and dones have changed the landscape of college basketball and I think this statement targets them.

They have changed the game for the worst. Sadly, there is nothing that will happen to change the situation.

Just recruit the not "one and dones."

ohiotiger33 wrote: Just recruit the not "one and dones."

Okay, O'Brian.

ohiotiger33 wrote: Just recruit the not "one and dones."

Yea, I bet Barnes regrets having Kevin Durant for that one year....

One and dones are fine when you have a nice mix of experienced talent to go along with it. When you recruit all one and dones to a team that doesn't have a lot of good upperclassmen, you're gonna struggle the next year or two because you won't have any experience.

Prime example of both is Kansas this year, who was able to sign Xavier Henry b/c they had a good team to go along with him, and they also had a good freshman class around him for the next couple years.

For the downside, would be Ohio State w/ the Greg Oden class...they followed that year w/ back to back double digit loss seasons. That may not be the best example, however, because they experienced significant success with the one and done class.

If your one and done class is successful like Ohio State's class, it's not so bad if you can handle a year or two of mediocrity after.

I have a feeling that Calipari will be proving that thinking to be wrong.

Oh by all means, if you can get one and dones on a consistent basis (aka, every year) then yeah that is great and will work. But Calipari is one of only a few coaches in the country who can do that.

You can be a one and done player and not be a cancer to a team. Oden and Conely would be perfect examples. The opposite would be Koufos and Mullens. Also, there are plenty of college basketball players who aren't one and done guys, but are "me before team" guys.

Coaches have to adjust the way they recruit.. Obviously if you recruit 5 one and dones (Thad Matta) it's not going to help you in the long run, but if you can recruit those 3 or 4 stars that may need 2 or 3 seasons and in some cases 4, and MIX them with those one and dones, then you have the recipe for success..

Obviously if you recruit 5 one and dones (Thad Matta) it's not going to help you in the long run,
Let's be fair here. Nobody expected Michael Conley to be a one and done player. When he signed many thought it was a concession given in order to get Oden's signature.
Oden's class of one and dones went to a Final Four, which is a positive for future recruiting. Taking one and dones is risky business, but Calipari has proven it can be a successful tactic.

Prescott wrote: Obviously if you recruit 5 one and dones (Thad Matta) it's not going to help you in the long run,
Let's be fair here. Nobody expected Michael Conley to be a one and done player. When he signed many thought it was a concession given in order to get Oden's signature.
Oden's class of one and dones went to a Final Four, which is a positive for future recruiting. Taking one and dones is risky business, but Calipari has proven it can be a successful tactic.

Im not going to sit here and say Conley was a 1 and done from the start, because it would be a lie. I NEVER expected him to stay past 3 years and I thought there was a pretty good chance he would be gone after his sophomore year. Anyone who thought he was a throw in clearly never watched him in HS. I saw him play numerous times and more times than you would think he was the best player on the court.

There was a reason he was rated in the top 25 players in the country the year he graduated. The guy could always ball, and would have been a 5 star player if Oden was on a different team.

THis is exactly what Duke is doing, K is not getting those athletes because he isnt trying to.

I thought John Wall was a duke target.

Prescott wrote: Obviously if you recruit 5 one and dones (Thad Matta) it's not going to help you in the long run,
Let's be fair here. Nobody expected Michael Conley to be a one and done player. When he signed many thought it was a concession given in order to get Oden's signature.
Oden's class of one and dones went to a Final Four, which is a positive for future recruiting. Taking one and dones is risky business, but Calipari has proven it can be a successful tactic.

Mike Conley was everything BUT a throw in.

He's finally turning into a solid pro too.