Wilkins enrolls at Southeastern Iowa JUCO

[PeoriaLou]

Hmm. Well, that's not good. If that's the case, it might be time to move on.

BB, I know you're entitled to your opinion, but your constant negativity on the JW situation is getting old. What do you have against BU waiting on this kid? He says he's still committed, and has given no indication otherwise. If the tide turns, then have at it. Otherwise, let's support all parties involved. JMO...

[Dubl R 1]

Well this is really dissappointing, for BU, and especially for J Wilkins. I can't imagine how frustrating this has been for him. I wish him the best at SE Iowa and hope to welcome him on the Hilltop in 2010-11!

[BradleyBrave]

BB, I know you're entitled to your opinion, but your constant negativity on the JW situation is getting old. What do you have against BU waiting on this kid? He says he's still committed, and has given no indication otherwise. If the tide turns, then have at it. Otherwise, let's support all parties involved. JMO...

What are you talking about?

I think if you go back to when the NCAA first handed down their 5 game 'suspension', I said this was a POSITIVE development in the situation because it means the NCAA was moving on something. Furthermore, I think you'll find time and again several posts where I said that BU HAS DONE ALL THEY POSSIBLY CAN to make this thing happen. My angst was with the NCAA twiddling their thumbs, and the increasing likelihood that they'd deem him ineligible. With every passing day it became less likely he would be here, and I expressed that.

What is old, that I thought he wouldn't end up here? Did you think he was going to play this year? If you did then you're naive. As several people mentioned during this saga, the NCAA has never been our friend, and thus the likelihood of this working out were slim. Likewise, I would challenge you to name a situation with a player similar to this where it worked out for BU. The most recent example closest to this one is that of Xavier Crawford. How'd that work out for BU? Thankfully I think we're in a much better position now than we were then for a player to not make it through the clearinghouse. BU took a flyer from a position of strength in the Wilkins case, unlike the Crawford ordeal where he was a huge question mark, and we had no other big men outside of Zach Andrews lined up for the upcoming season.

Also, I would ask - Is it really the best use of our limited recruiting resources on someone who's most likely 2 years away, and is by all accounts a talent that might be a league above the BU's of the world? I'm not advocating severing the relationship, but this team has more pressing needs in the next couple of years, namingly some kids that can shoot the basketball. I hope that Wilkins is true to his word, but if we have to go about 're-recruiting' him, I think the program is better served for the long run focusing on some shooters.

[Guinness]

WMBD radio said, NCAA mandated he must first get his Associates degree before playing D-1 ball.
To me that means at the earliest, if ALL goes well, we would not see him in a BRAVES uni untill the 2010-2011 season.
Seems to me if a kid passes his ACT-SAT and a College with Bradleys academic reputation feels he is qualified to enter the University and do College level work, then he is.

You'll never see him in a Bradley uniform. I'm only quoting what others have said (since before when I repeated it, it was censored). He came here for the opportunity to play this spring.

[BradleyBrave]

So BB and Guinness - do you doubt JW will play for Bradley because his committment will weaken and he'll choose somewhere else?
Or do you think he will still want to come to BU but there will be some other impassable roadblock?

If he can't sign until the spring of 2010 or fall of 2010, then I fear that he'll 'open up his recruiting' and end up somewhere else. Heck, by then DePaul will have a new coach, and Chicago is a lot closer to Gary than Peoria. So is Milwaukee and Marquette. If he can pass the SAT on his first try, then that tells me he's more than intelligent enough to get through his JUCO and shouldn't have any more roadblocks to playing DI. I would like to believe that he'll remain true to his word, as I think he's a great talent and it would be a great story if he ended up here. But in this day and age of verbal committments being meaningless, and BU's luck over the years going all the way back to Anthony Grundy, I just can't feel too good about it. I hope PeoriaLou doesn't rip me again for thinking that, I was just responding to a question!

One question I haven't heard answered - Does his 5 game suspension carry over to 2010 when he's finally able to play DI? Or is that erased since he now has to essentially serve a 60 game penalty? I guess it depends on where he ends up, right? Bradley = 5 game suspension and a warning that they're watching. Indiana = No suspension and an apology for making him go to a JUCO.

[Da Coach]

You'll never see him in a Bradley uniform. I'm only quoting what others have said (since before when I repeated it, it was censored). He came here for the opportunity to play this spring.

This has been stated many times and is not true. Bradley was willing to try to let him come in and be eligible and play this season, yet that was not the reason he came to Bradley.
He chose Bradley because he liked and trusted the coaches, the system, and the educational opportunity he'd have.

And yes, BB, the 5 game suspension will be in effect whenever he makes his first appearance at the NCAA level.

[Dubl R 1]

This has been stated many times and is not true. Bradley was willing to try to let him come in and be eligible and play this season, yet that was not the reason he came to Bradley.
He chose Bradley because he liked and trusted the coaches, the system, and the educational opportunity he'd have.

And yes, BB, the 5 game suspension will be in effect whenever he makes his first appearance at the NCAA level.

Kind of Ironic huh. You know I'm just kidding DC.

[Guinness]

So BB and Guinness - do you doubt JW will play for Bradley because his committment will weaken and he'll choose somewhere else?
Or do you think he will still want to come to BU but there will be some other impassable roadblock?

There is what you say aloud for good relations and PR and then what is best for you. I think he will be a big standout for the JuCo team next year and get even more interest regardless of his verbal.

He had so many interested in him, you know how this works. Corruption is abound, someone will put some money or compensation on the table.

[Da Coach]

Again this isn't my fight, but this isn't what Kirk Wessler thinks. I know many of you aren't fans of his (KW), but dogsrus asked him this very question (on another forum) and his answer was:



There is more to Wessler's answer, but I am pretty sure that is a no-no to link or quote other message boards. Right? If so, feel free to delete the quote section.

I won't go into details, but suffice to say that Kirk Wessler is not high on Jim Les' calling list when it comes to information about recruiting.
He only gets the public releases by fax that all the news outlets get when BU wants info out to the public.
There is more to the reasons why JW chose Bradley that will never be released, and that is true with a lot of recruiting info. As I have said many times, this staff is highly secretive. So consider that just maybe KW's wrong here.

I have even heard of at least 1 commitment Jim Les got in the past that some of his assistants and closest confidants didn't even know about.

But if you prefer to consider the PJ Star as the highest source of truth and information about Bradley, feel free.

[ph]

But JW is NOT a qualifier, so he would have to wait until his 2nd year of juco to be eligible.

Wonder what the NCAA definition of a 2nd year is? I recall seing schools mention 30 hours.
Not impossible for a full time student to take 18 hours this spring, 6 hours in normal Summer and possibly 2 summer minimesters to have 30 hours before fall.

[lefty]

I won't go into details, but suffice to say that Kirk Wessler is not high on Jim Les' calling list when it comes to information about recruiting.
He only gets the public releases by fax that all the news outlets get when BU wants info out to the public.
There is more to the reasons why JW chose Bradley that will never be released, and that is true with a lot of recruiting info. As I have said many times, this staff is highly secretive. So consider that just maybe KW's wrong here.

I have even heard of at least 1 commitment Jim Les got in the past that some of his assistants and closest confidants didn't even know about.

But if you prefer to consider the PJ Star as the highest source of truth and information about Bradley, feel free.

Seems strange to me JL would get a recruitment without assistants knowledge....does he not trust his assistants?

[SFP]

Let's stop stating things none of us really know how this will be played out. Unless you are a Wilkins or a BU basketball coach I doubt that you know what you are talking about. The NCAA again has shown their true colors. JW obviously has the mental capacity to qualify for the school with or without being an athlete. The same cannot be said for various students in other large institutions. Kansas and the Chalmers incident is case in point and now we have Bill Self admit contact with a recruit and do we believe anything will materialize from this. Shame on the NCAA not letting a young man who by all accounts has done everything needed not follow his dreams. Regardless of BU this is a travesty and I wish someone would try to sue them for their obvious corruption right up there with any mafia ties with a union. Where is there JUSTICE in this decision.

[georgethedog]

Here is an idea if Mr. Wilkins is listening or if someone knows him. He can "clep" or "test" out of classes at a JUCO very easily and get credit for those classes. Not only that, there may be some of his work in HS in Belgium that qualifies as college credit especially if Belgium is like some other foreign countries and has higher standards and tougher classes in high school than the US. He could end up with Sophomore status quicker than people think. I have seen this in action. Someone needs to make sure that the Wilkins' understand that these are distinct possibilities!!!

[ER3]

Here is an idea if Mr. Wilkins is listening or if someone knows him. He can "clep" or "test" out of classes at a JUCO very easily and get credit for those classes. Not only that, there may be some of his work in HS in Belgium that qualifies as college credit especially if Belgium is like some other foreign countries and has higher standards and tougher classes in high school than the US. He could end up with Sophomore status quicker than people think. I have seen this in action. Someone needs to make sure that the Wilkins' understand that these are distinct possibilities!!!

I'm quite sure that Bill Self, Tom Crean, and a host of other coaches are already busy at work advising him on how he can expedite his NCAA eligibility.

[georgethedog]

I'm quite sure that Bill Self, Tom Crean, and a host of other coaches are already busy at work advising him on how he can expedite his NCAA eligibility.

Fine. Forget it then.