Smart vs. Barnes on player retention

Discussion in 'Men’s Basketball' started by blonthang, May 25, 2015.

  1. blonthang

    blonthang 2,500+ Posts

    Too lazy to do the research, and assuming that any number of posters here know off the top of your heads --- a knock on Barnes (my opinion, included), was that he tended to go too strong with potential superstar 1-or-2-and-dones at the expense of team building and continuity.

    I know other programs seem to do okay, but mostly I think with programs that have a BUNCH of 1-or-2-and-dones, so loaded with talent that early departures don't hurt as badly. But with UT, losing singular talents Aldrich, Durant, Joseph, etc. early to the NBA while a bit prideful to see them contributing in the NBA, it hasn't seemed to help the UT-Austin program go deep into the tournament.

    What is Smart's history with this phenomenom? Has he had success in getting uber talent? If so, have they left VCU after 1 or 2?

    Or has Smart been kind of recruiting with a short stick due to the "small school surrounded by Duke, UK, UNC, NCSt, Maryland, etc." and has not gotten the lottery pick kids, so no comparison?

    I hope he builds a team with players that stay around for a while --- having trouble keeping up with new players every year.:whiteflag:
     
  2. Horns11

    Horns11 10,000+ Posts

    I don't think Barnes had problems from the sense of getting the one-and-dones. I think his problem was in the system that he forced the one-and-dones to play in. Like you said, other schools don't seem to have a problem using them to go further than the first round of the NCAA tournament each year, but I don't think it's because they have so many one-and-dones. I just think they were coached to play offense better than Barnes teams have been.

    Smart didn't have that problem at VCU. He took a bunch of 2-or-3-star athletes at different positions each class, and let the best players play. I think one thing he has in common with Barnes is he uses the "basketball factory" schools a little too much, like Findlay Prep or Quality Academy. I was kind of hoping we'd get away from that practice when Lanier showed up.

    I think one of the more telling things about Smart's short tenure here is how he's going to use Taylor next year. Is he going to try to run everything through him, or get him to be more of a distributor like he was in HS? I think if we're desperate early on, we'll see the same Taylor from the Butler game from November-December. Smart has done more with less at PG at VCU, so if Taylor is on a short leash, then I think you'll see him move towards getting the 2-or-3-star guys who will stick around.
     

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