2025 and beyond recruits

[Big Mike]

Still trying to decide if that's a bad thing....only going by the videos on Goins but I never saw the attraction? Really slow and unathletic...but what do I know?

[yoda]

Goins committed to Bowling Green State

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[yoda]

Bradley Coach Brian Wardle offers 2024 recruit Keenan Garner of Fishers, Indiana - https://twitter.com/keenan_garner13/...43751006138590

Kid's a gamer, too bad we missed on him-
He is the Horizon Freshman of the Week - averaging 10ppg, 7.3rpg
(Maybe his name will appear in the portal???)

[Da Coach]

Just to be clear, Rienk was a RS freshman in 2020-21, so he had a year to improve and work on his game. This doesn't diminish his achievement, but I think it is relevant in the discussion of freshman bigs effectiveness.

Yes, thanks for pointing out the difference.
But he was also recovering from an ACL surgical repair on his knee, and that might have worked against him his first year competing. His stats jumped up significantly his second season after having another year to get stronger and more confident with his repaired knee. He still had a nice freshman season and was named to the MVC All-Freshman team. And he lead Bradley in 3-point shooting percentage his freshman year.
Rienk Mast's stats - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...677/rienk-mast

[egib52]

There have been some notable exceptions of big men who were outstanding in their freshman seasons in the MVC.
2023-24- Almar Atlason was All-Freshman and Cooper Schwieger was the Freshman of the Year. Yes, I realize they were not true centers/low post players. But the next 3 were
2022-23- Robbie Avila was All-Freshman
2020-21- Rienk Mast was All-Freshman
2017-18- Cameron Krutwig was All-Freshman and runner-up for POY, and lead Loyola to the Final Four

Just to be clear, Rienk was a RS freshman in 2020-21, so he had a year to improve and work on his game. This doesn't diminish his achievement, but I think it is relevant in the discussion of freshman bigs effectiveness.

[Da Coach]

Not that we ever in the mix. Darius Hannah's brother chooses 'Bama
Top-40 guard Davion Hannah just announced live on
@247Sports
that he has committed to #RollTide "it's go time at Alabama." https://247sports.com/article/top-40

Alabama has lots of NIL money, though most of it goes to football. But no doubt, there is still a buch available to lure basketball recruits.
Good for Davion. Hope it works out for him. I think you are correct that Bradley hasn't been involved for a while.

[KillerB]

Not that we ever in the mix. Darius Hannah's brother chooses 'Bama
Top-40 guard Davion Hannah just announced live on
@247Sports
that he has committed to #RollTide "it's go time at Alabama." https://247sports.com/article/top-40

[LongTimeFan]

Part of the recruiting is what are you recruiting for? Would a junior college center come to play behind Thomas and possibly Meta for one of his two years? I have no idea. I will have to rely on those on the board as to the Thomas' ability. You have seen him play in person. I missed the Washington State game and he did not play the last game.

Would a freshman be a better fit to learn while backing up Thomas and possibly Meta for one year and still have three years left compared to one year after Thomas and Meta graduate?

Could Thomas move to PF and let a JC center start? I agree a JC center would be more productive immediately if he plays in front of our two centers that will probably return next year.

Not trying to be argumentative. I just looked at the big man offers made by Bradley this year. Five offers were made to high school kids and one to a JC player, Goins. Not sure that means anything.

[tomahawk chop]

There have been some notable exceptions of big men who were outstanding in their freshman seasons in the MVC.
2023-24- Almar Atlason was All-Freshman and Cooper Schwieger was the Freshman of the Year. Yes, I realize they were not true centers/low post players. But the next 3 were
2022-23- Robbie Avila was All-Freshman
2020-21- Rienk Mast was All-Freshman
2017-18- Cameron Krutwig was All-Freshman and runner-up for POY, and lead Loyola to the Final Four

With NIL deals it makes it harder to get really good freshman big men. Avila and Mast both left their teams more then likely because of more money. I also do not think Mast was outstanding his first season, I would say he was decent.

[Da Coach]

I agree, freshman centers are not ready to play at this level most of the time with the exceptions of the ones that go to p-5 schools. That is why i prefer to recruit JUCOS or transfers with experience .

There have been some notable exceptions of big men who were outstanding in their freshman seasons in the MVC.
2023-24- Almar Atlason was All-Freshman and Cooper Schwieger was the Freshman of the Year. Yes, I realize they were not true centers/low post players. But the next 3 were
2022-23- Robbie Avila was All-Freshman
2020-21- Rienk Mast was All-Freshman
2017-18- Cameron Krutwig was All-Freshman and runner-up for POY, and lead Loyola to the Final Four

[tomahawk chop]

The problem with freshman centers at the MM level is that most come in and are either not strong enough or athletic enough to play day one. Now obviously there are exceptions, but we have seen our fair share of centers that never developed. I would rather get an athletic center from the JUCO or low major level.

I agree, freshman centers are not ready to play at this level most of the time with the exceptions of the ones that go to p-5 schools. That is why i prefer to recruit JUCOS or transfers with experience .

[Heemeskerk]

247sports.com ranks recruiting classes each year. Below is the ranking for the class of 2025. They have Bradley ranked # 59 with the 3 commits they have so far (Zobrist, Richardson, & Wheeler). There are only a few mid-majors ranked higher. And Bradley is the highest ranked MVC school, though note that Illinois State's 4-man recruiting class is ranked slightly behind Bradley at # 61. The next highest MVC school is northern Iowa at # 89.
And Bradley will add several more to their 2025 class.
>> https://247sports.com/Season/2025-Ba...eTeamRankings/

Suprised Zobrist is not ranked on that site when you drill in on bradley commits he has zero stars... excited about this class but need an athletic big man. I think juco or low major transfer portal will be the way to go. Hard to find athletic center out of high school but man Wardle should have something to sell in that you can play with a high level talent of incomers and get lots of playing time!

[egib52]

DC, I believe you mentioned a game or two ago that Davis was introduced as a junior?

I thought it was interesting in Wardle's interview on the recruits that he would continue to recruit freshman if they were talented. I'm in the minority but I wouldn't mind a freshman center, if talented, to develop with the guards we have.

The problem with freshman centers at the MM level is that most come in and are either not strong enough or athletic enough to play day one. Now obviously there are exceptions, but we have seen our fair share of centers that never developed. I would rather get an athletic center from the JUCO or low major level.

[Da Coach]

DC, I believe you mentioned a game or two ago that Davis was introduced as a junior?

I thought it was interesting in Wardle's interview on the recruits that he would continue to recruit freshman if they were talented. I'm in the minority but I wouldn't mind a freshman center, if talented, to develop with the guards we have.

What I posted is that at both home games this season, Christian Davis has been introduced as "junior Christian Davis".
I can only presume that may mean Bradley believes he can play another season after this current season.

He redshirted in his freshman season at Lemoyne, which was then cancelled by the school due to Covid. He played there as a redshirt-freshman in 2021-22 and lead the team in scoring. Then he transferred and has played at Bradley in 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25. So will the NCAA allow him an extra year for the Covid year of 2020-21, since he got that year back anyway with his redshirt? I hope so.

[LongTimeFan]

DC, I believe you mentioned a game or two ago that Davis was introduced as a junior?

I thought it was interesting in Wardle's interview on the recruits that he would continue to recruit freshman if they were talented. I'm in the minority but I wouldn't mind a freshman center, if talented, to develop with the guards we have.