DJ Williams, a 6-7 guard who was a top 50 recruit from Simeon HS in Chicago, just announced his transfer from Illinois. Simeon is the alma mater of previous UT transfer Steve Taylor and current rocket James Gordon (and Derrick Rose, uncle of incoming recruit Dwayne Rose). Despite being a heralded recruit, Williams never got untracked at Illinois. Seemed to come on late in the freshman year but got stuck on the bench last season. Talented kid who Illini fans are disappointed to see go and frustrated that he never excelled there. Would have 3 years to play 2 (RS next season). I got no specific info on him and UT, but there's a lot of connections and I'd imagine the staff is making calls. We've got an open scholarship for him and he'd be a potentially good fit to spend a year fine tuning his game and then replacing Treshaun Fletcher.

Interesting info Pono... I wonder if he'll give us a sniff?

He would fill multiple needs. I would think that the staff is very much aware and is making calls just as you posted. If not then shame on us. I would guess that we are "in the mix".

would be a huge pickup

well, no word on DJ Williams but another potential transfer possibility just came up. Kansas pf dwight coleby announced he will forego his sr year at kansas to play elsewhere. a 6-9 240 pound strongman from the bahamas, coleby began his career at mississippi where he averaged about 5 pts 5 reb and a block a game as a soph, sat out a year at kansas but then got stuck on the bench this year behind a loaded kansas front court. he's graduating this month so can play right away for 1 season. i mention him here because 1) kansas' asst head coach's son plays for the rockets and UT has scheduled 2 games w them in 4 years. 2) coleby leaves on good terms expressing that he wants to use his final yr of eligibility to get more playing time and develop his game enough to have a pro career somewhere, which seems like a good fit for a UT team desperately short a big strong guy who just had a similar 1 year transfer (Taylor) come in and create pro options for himself with his success at UT. 3) This senior class only has 1 player so it would make sense to bring in a 1 year guy (rather than a marginal juco) and re-use that ride next year to recruit a good freshman big man prospect in the 2018 class. We'll see...

(05-16-2017 04:34 AM)pono Wrote:  well, no word on DJ Williams but another potential transfer possibility just came up. Kansas pf dwight coleby announced he will forego his sr year at kansas to play elsewhere. a 6-9 240 pound strongman from the bahamas, coleby began his career at mississippi where he averaged about 5 pts 5 reb and a block a game as a soph, sat out a year at kansas but then got stuck on the bench this year behind a loaded kansas front court. he's graduating this month so can play right away for 1 season. i mention him here because 1) kansas' asst head coach's son plays for the rockets and UT has scheduled 2 games w them in 4 years. 2) coleby leaves on good terms expressing that he wants to use his final yr of eligibility to get more playing time and develop his game enough to have a pro career somewhere, which seems like a good fit for a UT team desperately short a big strong guy who just had a similar 1 year transfer (Taylor) come in and create pro options for himself with his success at UT. 3) This senior class only has 1 player so it would make sense to bring in a 1 year guy (rather than a marginal juco) and re-use that ride next year to recruit a good freshman big man prospect in the 2018 class. We'll see...

I will admit that Coach K has done a good job with transfers, but it's no way to build a program. A lot of these guys are here for one or two years and there is continuous turnover. I think we should be aiming to be a mid-major program that gets to the NCAA's at least every four or five years, but with the inability to get better direct from HS kids, I don't see that happening.

Just like when the JC pipeline seemed to close up for past UT coach Larry Gibson, it is imperative to establish a good relationship with HS programs (especially local kids).

Yep. Let's go get Coleby. Absolutely! Wow would that make Toledo tough. The Taylor experience was great. Then maybe we can get some of these bigs out of high school.

(05-16-2017 07:02 AM)DetroitRocket Wrote:  

(05-16-2017 04:34 AM)pono Wrote:  well, no word on DJ Williams but another potential transfer possibility just came up. Kansas pf dwight coleby announced he will forego his sr year at kansas to play elsewhere. a 6-9 240 pound strongman from the bahamas, coleby began his career at mississippi where he averaged about 5 pts 5 reb and a block a game as a soph, sat out a year at kansas but then got stuck on the bench this year behind a loaded kansas front court. he's graduating this month so can play right away for 1 season. i mention him here because 1) kansas' asst head coach's son plays for the rockets and UT has scheduled 2 games w them in 4 years. 2) coleby leaves on good terms expressing that he wants to use his final yr of eligibility to get more playing time and develop his game enough to have a pro career somewhere, which seems like a good fit for a UT team desperately short a big strong guy who just had a similar 1 year transfer (Taylor) come in and create pro options for himself with his success at UT. 3) This senior class only has 1 player so it would make sense to bring in a 1 year guy (rather than a marginal juco) and re-use that ride next year to recruit a good freshman big man prospect in the 2018 class. We'll see...

I will admit that Coach K has done a good job with transfers, but it's no way to build a program. A lot of these guys are here for one or two years and there is continuous turnover. I think we should be aiming to be a mid-major program that gets to the NCAA's at least every four or five years, but with the inability to get better direct from HS kids, I don't see that happening.

Kent just went to the tourney w a bunch of jucos and transfers. Buffalo had judo heavy rosters in their recent NCAA years. As long as the majority of the new guys are HS players I'm fine w transfers