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BREAKING: Cats nab another young-un

Kentuckyforward1_tiny by JL Blue on in Basketball

Various internet sources now reporting Kentucky has secured a verbal commitment from ... wait for it ... AN EIGHTH-GRADER.

Michael Avery, a 6'4" combo guard out of Southern California, joins the nascent UK Class of 2012.

Seriously.

Clark Francis, the infamous recruiting guru, has Avery ranked as his No. 8 player in the class, No. 2 at his position, inexplicably listed as power forward.

A brief writeup from an AAU event in which his team went undefeated among strong competition...

Marc Maggard spoke to Michael's father about the commitment on his latest podcast, which I recommend. Great way of hearing how some of this stuff goes.

Avery recently spent time playing with Indiana Elite, the top flight AAU team which brought the world Greg Oden and Mike Conley, among others, and which currently boasts Stephen Van Treese, another UK target.

Avery also has played a level "up" on teams with players such as Duke commit Mason Plumlee and Treese, meaning this kid is getting into some very heady company recruit-wise.

More as it comes...

  [ED NOTE]...

For all of those folks talking about how sad this is, or how somehow we've crossed a line, what did you expect?

I'll address this in a future post, but you can't have it both ways. If you want elite talent a la UNC, Duke and Kansas, you have to be willing to play the game. We had a coach who was "above" such tactics. And it landed us more Mike Williamses and Sheray Thomases of late than it did Tywon Lawsons.

It's admittedly new ground for the program, but Billy Gillispie has a crack staff who is extremely visible on the AAU circuit. This trend, at least for now, of taking super early commitments is ahead of the curve. Maybe eventually, the game will change. But for now, I'd rather have a coach willing to play the game, short of cheating or shady street agents, than one who is above it and slowly fading into the woodwork.

End of brief rant...

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I can't help
but laugh.

Hell in 8th grade, my big decision was which type of cheerios to eat, not what school I'd be attending.

by piketaylor on May 1, 2008 1:26 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

I'm too old ...
to remember the 8th grade.

:-)

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 1:30 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Hanging my head
I know it was inevitable... but I can't help but be embarrased by this just a little bit.

by chirop1 on May 1, 2008 1:31 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

In a way ...
it seems almost pedophilic.

Well, you gotta keep up with the Jones', and the Floyd's, and the Williams' ...

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 1:38 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Over the top...
...that terminology seems unnecessary.

These kids are playing AAU events 300 days a year against high school juniors and seniors.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 1:39 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Heh...
Oh, don't get me wrong, it's weird...but I think it's weirder to be happening to OUR team.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 1:42 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Soon ...
it will be happening to almost every team in the upper tier.

Just reality.  Still seems ... a bit ... err... unctuous, I guess is the word I'm looking for.  Not at any one coach or anything.  Just in general.

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 1:46 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Yikes!
Can't the NCAA make this illegal too?  I mean, come on.  What if he's stopped growing?  :^)

by CW on May 1, 2008 1:36 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Being in 8th grade
There are no assurances he's been through puberty, so...

Welcome to out first commit from the class of 2016! Wow!

by Thomas Hunt Morgan on May 1, 2008 1:58 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Very smart
Coach G is doing well again.  I was reading another article somewhere that says that the recruits choose who they choose because of the coach that's been "on them" the longest.  So it only makes sense to start as soon as possible.

by EEWildcat on May 1, 2008 1:47 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Matt Jones ...
had this to say:
I am not talking to 8th graders about basketball.

Classic.

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 1:53 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

But...
...he'll talk to adults with eighth-grade mental capacity about wrestling, so not sure the "high ground" here is all that high.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 1:57 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

You shouldn't ...
... talk about Ken like that!

Oops -- Hi Ken!

Just kidding. :-)

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 2:01 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

OMG
THAT was funny!

by wilson452 on May 1, 2008 2:02 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Derby Draw
Did anyone catch Gillispie being interviewd by ESPN from 4th Street Live in Louisivlle for the KY Derby Draw yesterday? I wasn't aware it happened until today. . .

by blbskue on May 1, 2008 1:58 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Also
Having grown up in Ashland, I know with certainty that OJ Mayo was being recruited HEAVILY as an 8th grader, maybe even as a 7th grader. I'm not speaking to the morality of such tactics, just pointing out another example of how it goes on.

I do agree with MJ on not interviewing the kid about it. I think a few years are in order before that takes place. A lot could change in 4+ years, like the commitment.

by blbskue on May 1, 2008 2:01 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Agreed...
...and thought it was appropriate that Maggard spoke to the Dad, not the kid.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 2:06 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Only 1 year younger than Zollo
Who did an excellent interview with Maggard.

I don't remember there being a big difference between an 8th and 9th grader when I was that age.  I expect the difference would narrow especially for an 8th grader who is spending time playing basketball with older kids.

by EEWildcat on May 1, 2008 4:57 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Look up: Mr. Show - HBO
This was from mid/late 90's. David Cross.

One skit was of two low level college "scouts" watching 4 and 5 year olds play at day care and offering scholarships. They didn't have the money of big schools so they had to get in earlier and earlier.

Very funny stuff! And from 10-15 years ago.

by wilson452 on May 1, 2008 2:06 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

LITERALLLY
Totally unrelated, I watched this this AM for the first time in years...weird!

Mr. SHOW PRESCIENT?

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 2:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That is just freaky!
Deeper than that JL - I just had a person at lunch come up to me with their copy of a crappy CD I once recorded. They went to a Center College.

NOT KIDDING! 100% True.

All in one freaky day.

by wilson452 on May 1, 2008 2:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Don't
see a snub there. . .I went to Centre. . .just being sure there is no bashing of my alma mater in there. . .

by blbskue on May 1, 2008 3:47 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

No no...
It's a bit of an inside joke.

Let's just say the fact that any of the kids we played shows for at Centre could actually REMEMBER that we played would be surprising, if not impossible.

Those kids sure know how to get wasted...or at least they did back in '95.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 3:57 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Still do
I'm nearly 5 years removed from there, and as of then we/they still knew how to have a good time. From the rumors I've heard, the mid-90's were an especially juicy time to be at Centre.

by blbskue on May 1, 2008 5:52 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Well...
JL and I did our part to help back then. I LOVE Centre. Great place and killer parties. HUGE budget for bands too. I would like my daughter to go there.

 JL and I watched the UK-UMass FF game there before a show. I was sick and had no voice, we had been paid too much, lots of drinking and throwing of bottles from the couch out a window every time UK did something bad. I prayed so hard we would win. If not I felt we would be run out of town. All was fine!

by wilson452 on May 1, 2008 11:42 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Ha
Your bottle breaking comment brought back memories. I have no idea if it is as pervasive at other colleges, but we Centre kids LOVED smashing bottles. We actually had an alcove in the basement of my frat house dedicated to smashing bottles. Really, it was a good idea, at least the damage was contained.

Hope your daughter ends up there. It's definitely not a place for everyone, considering the average high school is larger, but you get a great education and have a lot of fun.

by blbskue on May 2, 2008 8:09 AM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Bottle smashing in the basement
Intriguing... maybe its more widespread than I thought.  I can certainly guarantee you that if you were to look at the cinder blocks that make up the walls of the basement of the Sigma Chi house at Murray State, there is most assuredly glass fragments from 10 years ago!

The basement always made a good place for that sort of destruction.  For a while there, we went through an unfortunate phase of releasing fire extinguishers down there too.  That got expensive though and we had to put a stop to it!

by chirop1 on May 2, 2008 8:54 AM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Lynagh's
I think I saw this band play at Lynagh's once - I had a man-crush on the bass player.

by olddoc on May 2, 2008 1:41 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

So...
what happens if these young kids end up getting hurt sometime before they get to college (or high school at that matter)?  I mean, I know that this is what it is and that to keep in the game we will have to compete, but my gosh, that is so far away - ANYTHING can happen between now and then.

by kentuckygirl0724 on May 1, 2008 2:19 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Non-binding
This verbal is non-binding on either the university or the athlete. While we might take a PR hit if we just backed out for no reason, I think we'd be OK if the kid gets hurt or something.

by Acdixon on May 1, 2008 5:04 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Let the names keep rolling...
This is great publicity for UK. All this top flight talent telling the nation that they want to play at UK for Gillespie. Others will look at that and may take a longer look at UK than before.

If the kid has been scouted..."Clark Francis, the infamous recruiting guru, has Avery ranked as his No. 8 player in the class, No. 2 at his position, inexplicably listed as power forward".....then he is good for a verbal commitment.

One last thing this tells me is that Gillespie is sending the message that he is going to be here for a time. "Sure kid, I know you just finished seventh grade but I'm gonna be at UK when you graduate. Hey, do really good in school, take summer courses and you could be playing in college when you are 17! Get three years of college  and finish with a degree and a good draft pick! I've got it all planned out for you. Here is the shot sheet I've mapped out......"

Keep blazing the trail Coach G!! Laying waste to rival coaches's dreams! :)

by bluecrip on May 1, 2008 3:17 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Would one of you Lexington residents please...
...mention my first grade son, Carson, to Coach G? His team just won the local YMCA's 7-9 year old league and, although he could probably use a little more seasoning, I couldn't help noticing a guy that looked suspiciously like Roy Williams at the championship game trying to blend in with the rest of the parents.

Thanks.

by tooblue on May 1, 2008 3:44 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

LOL!
Hilarious!  I was saying the same thing to my co-workers!  My son is almost two and has a pretty good shot - how young is too young? ;)

by kentuckygirl0724 on May 1, 2008 3:51 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Financial Planning
If I can secure that scholarship now, I won't have to keep saving for college. Yippeee!

Gotta go now, it's time to work on Carson's crossover dribble.

by tooblue on May 1, 2008 3:58 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Not Complaining
Im glad Coach G has decided to go out and work for recruits. A person can change their commit an upteen number of times. All this does for us is make sure that people realize that we are the leader for their services, and it makes us a favorite in the mind of the kid at an early age. Its not like they are signing letters of intent. If they get hurt or dont develop Coach G just wont offer a scholly in 4 years when the boy graduates high school
Neil Carter

by KingKentucky on May 1, 2008 3:58 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Unbelievable!
We can't go against the top programs in the country and recruit so we look for eighth graders.
I'm an old guy, living in Florida and still have my season tickets for UK basketball. Ain't going to give them up because there is always a chance that Barnhart will quit and someone will actually bring in coaches who can raise us to the 'next' level.  Isn't it a shame to say that Kentucky basketball needs to get to the next level?
A football question to ponder. What if the wheels fall off this year in football and we go 3-9 or 4-8. Brooks decides he's had enough. Do we still get Joker? If so, do we have to wait 4 years to have a winning season or will the faithful see how stupid that move was.  Did we not think that maybe some coach with head coaching experience might be available? Sorry, Urban, we've already committed. There's that word again.  
Seeing as how Tubby averaged 27 wins a season, Trooper only needs to win 36 next year to average the same.

by Paris10 on May 1, 2008 4:02 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Wow.
Are you sure your name isnt MyBloodRunsBlue?

You seem to have a lot of the same charater traits as that guy.

Dont come with the negative waves man

Neil Carter

by KingKentucky on May 1, 2008 4:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Going against the top programs
While I do experience dismay at the state of affairs that makes 8th graders viable recruiting fodder... in no way is Kentucky leading the curve in this movement.  By recruiting 8th graders, sadly we ARE competing with the top programs in the country.  We can lament the fact that 8th graders are being recruited, but rest assured that the Kansases, UNC's, UCLA's, and Dukes of the world are doing it too.

The Tubby comment at the end of your post was deliberately inflammatory and you know that you put it in there with all the maturity of the 8th grader we're recruiting just to get a rise out of some people.  Shame on you.

by chirop1 on May 1, 2008 4:08 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

If
your grammar/spelling was worse, and you typed in all caps, I would have assumed you were the douche that kept posting/flaming today over at Kentucky.com (or one of the myriad folks that post at the CJ's site constantly). Jeez man.

by blbskue on May 1, 2008 5:55 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Average W Per Season
Rupp averaged 21 W per season. Hall 23 W. Sutton 22 W. Pitino 27 W. Tubby 26 W (not 27 W).

Was Rupp UK's worst coach until lately?

Of course NOT.

by FortyYearCatFan on May 1, 2008 6:18 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'm an old guy too ...
but seriously, what has age got to do with a rant like that?

To each his own, I guess.  We certainly don't require anyone here to like the current head coach, or the AD.

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 7:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

The problem with early commitments.
I had an offer to play at The University of North Carolina State when I was a freshman in High School, and it changed my attitude, and the way I played. Every night i felt that I had to go out and score 50 pooints instead of letting the game come to me and maintain my average of 27 a game.

After the offer, I never played the same way, and by the time I was a senior I had lost all interest in playing, mainly because I had become such a rock star in my own head that I was too good to practice and too nervous to play well. My Freshman numbers were 21 and 8, and my Sophomore numbers were 27 and 6 but fell to 19 and 5 by the end of the season. My junior year I was 13 and 5, and my senior year numbers were an apalling 4.3 and 4.

I went from being a good player to thinking my own crap didnt stink, and so i ended up forcing myself to try and play out of my comfort zone. I tell all of this to say that an early commitment is hard on a young player and I hope that the same doesnt happen to them.

Neil Carter

by KingKentucky on May 1, 2008 4:05 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Not just your fault?
Was your family and coaches trying to set you straight?
The Online Home of the Big Blue Nation...

by TheFakeGimelMartinez on May 1, 2008 4:08 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Well...
I dont have much of a family. Basketball was always my way out. I am an orphan, and was raised by my grandparents. But the coaches cant do much for a mental block. I just basically got soooo caught up in wanting to be perfect I couldnt even be decent.

I kill in the church leagues now though

Neil Carter

by KingKentucky on May 1, 2008 4:14 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Sorry I Offended
Sorry, I don't buy in to the garbage that Brooks and Trooper Billy is the best we could get for the Kentucky programs.
If I'm commenting on a site full of glad handers, we see no wrong, and the next Final Four is just around the corner people, than good luck and I hope the Easter Bunny gave you all the candy you wanted.

by Paris10 on May 1, 2008 4:31 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Glad handers?
Oh I don't know that I'd say that most posters around here are Little Miss Sunshine, but to take a deliberately negative viewpoint and frame it in inflammatory tones is generally frowned on.

There's plenty of room for dissonance and reasonable concern (the pre-hiring phenomenom in general bothers me) with many decisions.  Its all in how you phrase it.

Internet forums get awfully boring if everyone agrees, but they become awfully annoying when they are filled with empty rhetoric wrapped in a sarcastic covering.

PS  Yes the Easter Bunny brought me lots of chocolate.  Did you get enough?

by chirop1 on May 1, 2008 4:35 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

The Easter Bunny
...I'm sure you can find plenty of sites for your not-at-all-unique brand of witless criticism without basis in any reality save the one rattling around in your skull.

Oh, and don't apologize for having an opinion, even a stupid one. I won't apologize for calling it what it is.

The Online home of Big Blue Nation ...

by JL Blue on May 1, 2008 4:36 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

To Quote Jim Rome
When Billy Donovan turned down the Kentucky Job Jim Rome had this to say on ESPN radio.

"This shows that your no longer KENTUCKY, your just kentucky."

Dude, Adolph Rupp isnt walking through that door, and besides your whole argument against Coach Brooks is totally hypothetical. Who gets this upset over a hypothetical situation?

We tried for who we thought would be a homerun coach, turns out that Donovan would have been a bad fit because he likes to bad mouth his players, we tried for who we thought would be good and we got a man who works 24 hours a day to make kentucky, KENTUCKY again.

By the way, Santa Clause said hi.

Neil Carter

by KingKentucky on May 1, 2008 4:37 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I can't really ...
see any reason for your ranting against either coach.  Certainly Brooks has delivered an improved football program from the recent past, one that looks like it is continuing on the right path.  Will Phillips do as well?  We won't know until he takes the job.

And Gillispie has only had the head job at UK for 1 year.  I think even an unreasonable person would give him more than that.

And the Easter Bunny was very kind to me this year, thank you.  I was a very good boy this year.

:-)

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 7:22 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Easter Bunny...
...brought Tru the cardboard Pitino cutout. :)
The Online Home of the Big Blue Nation...

by TheFakeGimelMartinez on May 1, 2008 7:23 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I am in awe
and flabberghasted at this news!

With Tru's post today about USC...I really thought that was way too young! Well Shwit, what do I know? LOL

by kykat51 on May 1, 2008 4:36 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

You can't ...
say my post wasn't well timed!

:-)

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 7:23 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Tubby Smith
I'm a Tubby Smith fan and think the bashers got what they deserved with Gillispie.  
If you think what we got now anyway compares to Tubby tell me where.

by Paris10 on May 1, 2008 4:37 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

ROFL
Yeah, that pretty much explains it.  Now I know why you don't fit in...

Most people around here don't consider themselves Tubby fans or Gillispie fans... we are KENTUCKY fans.  You can trade in your blue and white for maroon and yellow at any time.

by chirop1 on May 1, 2008 4:39 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Your a tubby fan?
I couldnt tell.

This site doesnt need any more people coming on here for a week to start an argument about the Tubbs. You will find that 95% of everybody on here liked tubby and are still fairly strong supporters. What you need to do is adjust your panties that seem to be in a wad, and calm down, and understand that Tubby started with a lot more talent than did Billy.

Does that make either of them a bad coach? No.

Neil Carter

by KingKentucky on May 1, 2008 4:39 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I think ...
that's fine, and I was a Smith supporter as well.

Gillispie has done fine so far by any reasonable measure.  Next year should give us a better read, and I do see more consistency in recruiting.

I just didn't expect to be committing 2012 recruits in 2008.

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 7:25 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I thought it was a joke
I read about an 8th grader committing yesterday, but I thought it was some poster making a joke.  Guess I have to realize that, when it comes to recruiting and BCG, age has no limits.  Hope the committement holds-- sounds like another awesome player in the making.

Needless the say, BCG has UK on track to be back in the elite status again.  Keep up the good work, Coach.

by bevcat on May 1, 2008 4:39 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Enough
I give up.
good luck and you all keep dreaming.

by Paris10 on May 1, 2008 4:40 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Giving up?
Well shoot... and I really hoped you'd stick around long enough for a true Tubby basher to show up and make this a 100 post thread.

/end sarcasm

by chirop1 on May 1, 2008 4:42 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Haw!
Almost fell out of my chair on that one.

:-)

by Truzenzuzex on May 1, 2008 7:26 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

UK Early Commitments Before 2007 And 2008
Adam Williams committed in the summer between his Soph and Jr year in HS. He was rated Top 25 to 50 range at the time. He was NR as HS Sr.

Chris Harrison committed just before his Jr HS season. He was rated Top 100 then. He was NR as HS Sr.

Dominique Ferguson will be Top 5-10 as HS Sr.

KC Ross-Miller will remain Top 25. Dakotah Euton will drop to Top 50. GJ Vilarino has already dropped out of Top 100.

by FortyYearCatFan on May 1, 2008 4:47 PM EDT