Players at the next level.

[Walter]

Agreed. Potential is there. He still has a summer and a Senior season left.

 

Potential doesn't equal a D1 offer though. If it did, you'd see more kids getting D1 offers than what we have seen in nky over the years.

 

Corey Sorrell could shoot the lights out and play any position on the floor but ended up at D2 NKU. I think a school like that is about where Hodges would fit in as well.

[Handy Manny]

I never said that he was guaranteed. I said he had the potential to play D1. Having the potential and not are two different things also. Being 6'8 - 6'9" helps alot. Nothing is a given, but if he works hard and develops he has the potential. A 5'10" power forward might as well give it up, but I am not counting out a 6'8" small forward.

 

On another note, NKU is one of the better D2 schools in the country. I don't think any of the NKY kids would mind picking up an offer from them.

[The Hulk.......2]

This year at UK... Wall, Cousins, Bledsoe are the exception, not the rule. I dont know that we will ever see this many GREATLY talented one and done players on one team. UK usually has guys that spend at least 2 seasons at the school.

 

Talent like Wall or Cousins might not come around, but Knight Leslie Poole are going to come in and do the same. Hood would have been able to play for Billy G, but this is the era of 5 Stars in the bluegrass.

 

Also Pohlgeers is looking at a team from Florida and Mount Saint Joes and Kwolonek is looking at Transy.

[Jim Schue]

I do not think we'll ever see Mr. Pittman play D1.

 

Why do you say so?

[grandpa1951]

Did I seriously read a post that said Brady Jolly to NKU? No way? Not ragging on the kid, but no way is he good enough to play there.

[doubledeuce]

Again, Hodges is a very solid player but for comparison:

 

Jeremiah Johnson of Holmes has a much better all around game, rebounds just as well at 6'4, better ball handler, and MUCH MORE athleticism. His two biggest offers are NKU and Campbellsville.

 

Cory Sorrell was a much better all around player than Hodges as well, and had size at 6'5. He ended up at D2 NKU.

 

Greg McGraw was a better shooter, stronger, more athletic, and defended better and he ended up at Transy.

 

Hodges isn't a D1 caliber player and that's not a knock on him, but a testament to how good you really have to be to play at that level. Ricardo Johnson will go down as one of the best players in NKY history and his biggest offer was Western Kentucky.

 

I think Hodges will play at the D2 or D3 level and go on to have a very successful career. I hope I'm wrong because I really like to see NKY get recognition at that level, but the c/o 2011 in NKY simply doesn't have that type of talent this coming season like some are hyping it up to have.

 

All the players you mentioned are not 6'9" if they were they would have went D1.

 

6' to 6'5" perimeter players are a dime a dozen. I spent the past season watching almost everyone of Bellarmines mens games and every team they played was full of 6' to 6'5" players. Only the truly gifted go D1. I saw hardly any players over 6'7."

6'9" players are much more rare, even more rare are ones that can actually move and have light feet.

[passtheball]

All I can say is, "wow" when reading this thread! Wow!

[Walter]

All the players you mentioned are not 6'9" if they were they would have went D1.

 

6' to 6'5" perimeter players are a dime a dozen. I spent the past season watching almost everyone of Bellarmines mens games and every team they played was full of 6' to 6'5" players. Only the truly gifted go D1. I saw hardly any players over 6'7."

6'9" players are much more rare, even more rare are ones that can actually move and have light feet.

 

Do you honestly think Hodges could compete with guys like Elijah Pittman night in and night out? Again, that's what he'd see if you guys truly think he's D1 material.

 

I understand being optimistic about the guy from the school you support, but just because a kid's 6'9 doesn't automatically make him a D1 prospect and mean he has D1 potential.

 

You can say if he does this and if he does that but couldn't the same be said for any other kid out there?

 

You can quote me if you like but when it's all said and done, Mr. Hodges will be playing D2 or D3 ball. There's nothing wrong with that either. I think he'd have a very successful career at either level.

[Clyde]

Did I seriously read a post that said Brady Jolly to NKU? No way? Not ragging on the kid, but no way is he good enough to play there.

 

Its my understanding that he will be a walk-on.

[Clyde]

Potential doesn't equal a D1 offer though. If it did, you'd see more kids getting D1 offers than what we have seen in nky over the years.

 

Corey Sorrell could shoot the lights out and play any position on the floor but ended up at D2 NKU. I think a school like that is about where Hodges would fit in as well.

 

D1s will take more of a chance on 6'8 6'9 "potential" than they will with 6'4.

[Handy Manny]

All I know is that Elijah Pittman is not my determining basis for a D1 potential athlete. Do you think that Coach Tyndall at Morehead uses the Pittman method when determining a player's potential or Coach Bezold for that matter. Pittman was a good athlete, but there are so many other intangiable assets that a player can posses to get them to the next level.

[Handy Manny]

D1s will take more of a chance on 6'8 6'9 "potential" than they will with 6'4.

 

Agreed! Add another year of growth and experience under his belt also.

[4pointplay]

No denying that being 6'8" will get you a few more opportunities but there also comes a time when production has to meet potential. If you are that player who has that D1 potential there has to be times when you are the best player on the floor. I only saw Conner 4-5 times last season and I never walked away thinking Hodges was the best player on the team much less on the floor. Even if you are playing out of position because of your team needs there has to be those times where your game is just better than the other players.

 

Coach Hicks is a good coach and if he had a 6'9" player with guard skills who could create mismatches inside and outside I think he would find a way to maximize those skills.

 

There were games where I saw Thelen and Giesler when they were the best players on the floor against top competition. They were able to hold their own against Pittman (who by the way if you took away the academic requirements would be playing D1 and Coach Tyndall at Morehead would not have a shot at him). When I think of Hodges I think of the Campbell Co games where Campbell does not start anyone legitimately over 6'4" and Brady Jolly who will walk on at NKU was the best player on the floor by a wide margin.

 

I think that Hodges will play college basketball if he desires and might get an opportunity at the D2 level. I don't think Thelen or Giesler will play D1 either and it is not a knock on any of them.

[Walter]

All I know is that Elijah Pittman is not my determining basis for a D1 potential athlete. Do you think that Coach Tyndall at Morehead uses the Pittman method when determining a player's potential or Coach Bezold for that matter. Pittman was a good athlete, but there are so many other intangiable assets that a player can posses to get them to the next level.

 

I'm just saying that against kids his own size with just as much or more athleticism, Hodges has struggled. There aren't many others on here saying Hodges is a D1 caliber player for a reason.

[passtheball]

D1s will take more of a chance on 6'8 6'9 "potential" than they will with 6'4.

 

There's no denying there's truth to that statement. The highlight I posted shows what Prep ball is all about and what basketball outside of Kentucky can be like at the high school level.

 

On Jenkins prep team, you had 6'2 PG, Jenkins 6'4, WF 6'6, PF 6'7, and center at 6'11. You just don't see those types of line-ups locally and kids are able to develop skills at position that are more applicable to their height. Therefore, kids at 6'4 or 6'5 in Kentucky are taught center skills and never develop the right skills to play D1 or D2.

 

On an interesting note, Byron Allen #32 in blue in the clip below has committed today with George Mason. He's a 6'2 PG. That's interesting cause Chad Jackson is a PG too heading to George Mason I believe.

 

Edited March 30, 2010 by passtheball