Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Breaking News- RJ Curington

The dominos have begun to fall and as predicted, RJ Curington is a name that has begun to stand out. I cannot disclose all of the details at this point in time but his recruitment has been turned up a notch this past week. There was activity this past weekend, which included being asked to come to campus this week for a visit. RJ will be on campus today. As discussed previously, RJ is a borderline top 100 2013 SG who is currently very undervalued. Look for him to have a similar Summer to Nick Faust 2 summers ago. In addition, Nate britt has transferred to Oak Hill so RJ's will thrive playing alongside a 5 star pg. I will update this later after I receive word on how the visit went.

Update:  RJ Currington dominates portions of the scrimmages at this past weekends Under Armour (UA) Grind Session in Atlanta.  Link here.  Sounds like RJ is putting in hard work after missing out on the Top 100, he seems extremely motivated by the snub.

29 comments:

  1. Can't wait to hear the update. You're completely in the loop on this one, you'll prob be first to know unless he tweets it out first.

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  2. Thanks for the update! Would be nice to see where he stands in the eyes of the coaching staff after the visit

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  3. He is not going to get an offer.

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    1. We shall see. Curious why you are so negative

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    2. Why so negative? Every write up I have seen of RJ says he has tremendous upside and has the frame to put on the additional strength needed (he's 6'5, 180). He is a spot up shooter who has 3 point range, I'm not so sure he is different than Kam besides being 3 inches taller and having a frame to add strength, unlike Kam.

      He dominated the UA Grind Session in Atlanta this weekend, he could/should be in the Top 100 by the end of the summer.

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    3. The kid plays at the highest profile HS program in the country and plays for a relatively known AAU program and still is lightly recruited into the summer before his senior year? Furthermore, kids like Kam Williams and Roddy Peters don't have offers, yet you think this kid is just going to stroll on campus today and get one?

      Maybe he's someone you monitor the rest of the summer, but that's no different than probably a dozen other kids. No guard other Rysheed Jordan is going to have a commitable offer before the Harrisons come off the board.

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    4. Kam Williams isn't being recruited by top programs (Miami and Wake are NOT top programs) because he doesn't have hte frame to add the bulk needed to play the minutes at a top program. Yes, he is a niche player; he has a deadly shot. But when you are a top program you don't recruit niche players, you recruit all around players who you believe can start for your team at some point in their career.

      RJ has tremendous upside, that is obvious to anyone who has actually read up on how he plays and how he has been evaluated. He is the leading scorer on the highest profile HS program in the country, so what makes you think that he wouldn't at some point be highly recruited? We offered Jake Layman before anyone else did, and then he blew up. Don't think that this might not be a similar situation. RJ felt extremely slighted by missing the Top 100 and he's been striving to get better since then.

      On Roddy Peters, don't think it isn't a coincidence that he is playing for DC Assault this summer. Hill is his lead recruiter and got him where he could see him against top competition. You can take this for whatever you think it is worth, but between Pookie and Peters, they are 3a and 3b at PG behind Andrew and Rysheed.

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    5. Neither is Curington. What top programs have made him a priority? Both Williams and Peters already have offers and serious interest from high major programs.

      The point isn't to debate who is better between a bunch of 2nd/3rd tier prospects, the point is that a one day mid-week unofficial does not mean the kid is even close to getting an offer or that his recruitment is really heating up. Tons of kids roll through campus every summer, most of them unreported and most of them will never be serious targets. That is particularly the case with a kid who would be a strong lean to commit when you're waiting out 3 elite guards already in his class.

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    6. Without giving further details..it isn't just a one day mid-week unofficial. He is here for two days working out for the staff.

      Like I said...case in point is Jake Layman. This staff has a knack for identifying kids who are about to explode (Layman, Dodd).

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    1. I'm hoping so. This staff has let us know that they will go off their own evaluations and not ESPN's. So far we have zero reason to doubt their judgement and if they offer this kid, we should feel pretty good about securing a top guard for the 2013 class.

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  5. Is he about to explode? I've seen nice reports about the kid dating back to last summer and every college coach in America has probably seen him a half dozen plus times over the season with Oak Hill, yet here we are in the middle of the summer before his senior year and he has yet to record a high major offer.

    It's one thing for kids to come from completely off the grid and explode onto the scene (Like Layman and Dodd), but I can't recall many kids who are known for a few years playing at well known programs that all of a sudden just take off as prospects at this point in the game.

    I don't doubt that he'll eventually end up on some high major radars, but I think it's really premature to predict any kind of real movement (ie - a commitable offer) in this recruitment right now and until they know what is going to happen with the Harrisons.

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    1. Why would the Harrisons be affected by his commitment? RJ is an obvious 4 year player, taking him wouldn't make them flinch.

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    2. Nobody is saying they would, but it makes the roster numbers/position management problematic. If they offered Curington and then landed the Harrisons, they'd have 8 of their 13 scholarships locked up in guards/wings.

      The numbers make more sense in the absence of the Harrisons, this is why I think any movement on his recruitment is contingent on their decision, which could be said for probably a half dozen or more other prospects.

      Again, there is a reason no other guards/wings have commitable offers right now other than the Harrisons and Jordan. In fact, I'm not sure if they even take more than 1 other guard if they don't land them, especially given who they've targeted and offered in 2014 already.

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  6. This is not a random unofficial. There are a lot of things going on behind the scenes right now. Whether anyone wants to take my word on that or not is up to them. I would point out that we were the first to find out he would be on campus and RJ and I are very close. I'm going to believe what he tells me.

    In regards to his talent, he will be a top 100 guard. Again think of Nick Faust. He will be the vocal point of the offense this year and he will explode.

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  7. I've never seen this kid of Kam Williams play, but I'm just curious as to why Charlotte and DJ are so adamant about this kid? I know you like him because you've talked to him and like his mindset, but damn, it seems like you get a signing bonus if he comes here or something.

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    1. I'm guessing you mean you've never seen him play like Kam. They are a similar player in that both are spot up shooters who have good shots. The difference is that RJ has the ability to put on the strength needed to play at the D1 level so he won't be just a niche player that can drain 3s when needed.

      RJ has been putting in work this summer and is very close to a top 100 ranking. He showed his improvements last weekend at the UA Grind Session in Atlanta where he was dominating portions of the scrimmage with his shooting ability.

      If it makes you feel better, I was on the Kam Williams boat too, but the staff wasn't on it with me. I read up more on RJ and he isn't as different from Kam that you make him out to be, that is why I am going back and forth with you.

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  8. You guys are going to be sad if he doesn't go to Maryland.

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    1. disappointed? Maybe, I think he has tons of potential and the fact that Turgeon brought him in and wanted him to stay a second day makes me believe that Turge believes he fits very well into his system. He isn't the high ranking guard everyone likes to see commit because it gives you a fancy spot in the rankings, but he has a ton of potential.

      I get annoyed with the argument of "he played for oak hill and doesn't have many offers yet." He was the leading scorer on the undefeated national champions for HS last year. The argument that because he doesn't have many offers doesn't do much for me. If he can score against the elite competition in high school, then the kid is good. Is he a niche player right now that only has a deadly shot? Maybe, but that is all that Kam Williams is right now as well. Kam just happened to be on an AAU team that played in a big event two weekends in a row and led in scoring so everyone is talking about him.

      But, it is all good talk. Kam would be good for MD off the bench as a spot 3 point threat, but IMO he doesn't have the potential to grow beyond that. RJ has the potential to grow past that niche spot that the both of them would currently occupy.

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    2. Why do you Keep trashing Kam.he has nothing to do with Rj. I like Kam Williams because my son plays for the same ball program. I'm Bias. Is it safe to say your bias to R.J because your boy is breaking the non story.you guys aren't the baltimore sun or Wapo.Stop trying to make news

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    3. Look, I've explained myself before that I am not trashing Kam, I am merely stating my own opinion of him and paraphrasing what recruiting analysts have said about him.

      RJ has everything to do with Kam, because Maryland is not going to take two shooting guards this year, they have plans for one. RJ and Kam play the same position, so it is logical to compare them to one another because RJ is visitng and many people (including myself) have said the Terps should be looking at Kam.

      But, like you said, you are biased. You aren't going to look at this objectively, so do everyone a favor and stop responding if you can't. If you think that all we put out is non-stories, then you don't have to read the blog, no one forces you to. I'll let Charlotte address your "non-story" comment, as that is more of an insult thrown at him than me.

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  9. No offense against RJ or anything, but if you are a rising senior playing for Oak Hill and not one BCS school has offered you, there has to be something behind that. This is not a case of Turgeon plucking Seth Allen or Damonte Dodd from obscurity, proving his ability to scout unknown players. This is Oak Hill we are talking about, maybe the most high profile high school in the country. It's a new era in MD bball recruiting and he just doesn't seem to fit the profile of guys Turge and co. are going after.

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  10. Anonymous: there's a pretty clear reason why you aren't on the staff. To say he can't explode because he plays at Oak Hill and hasn't gotten a ton of notice yet is very stubborn. These rankings always change, and evaluators see some kids when they're playing lights out and others when they're off their game, its a judgement at a few certain times. There are also plenty of kids who were great at Oak Hill, got notice, and didn't pan out to their rankings. Either way I'm 100% positive RJ fits the Turgeon mold if Turgeon himself is bringing him in for a visit. I know nothing about this kid but I know Turgeon well enough that if he wants him I sure as hell want him too.

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  11. I assume tomorrow is the second day of his visit. Can't wait to hear more!

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    1. Staff asked him to stay both days but he is taking another visit tomorrow to a Big 10 school. He said visit went great. Don't have all the info yet.

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  12. RJ is well-rounded player with experience on the big stage. RJ is an honor student even away for home, with a 44-0 season record. RJ could have starred for a local high school team, and gotten 5 star recognition, local media coverage, repeated visits from local college coaches, etc. But RJ wanted to win a National Championship, and that, he did. Now he pursues a second. Playing on a OHA team loaded with 8 D1 seniors, RJ manage to receive top scoring record, and lots more notable achievements. RJ is well known in the AAU circuit as a stat stuffer. And time will only increase the force he brings.... 4sure.

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    1. my real question is given how exposed he already is why isn't he ranked. If he is that talented and is seen by that many coaches and scouts, he would be ranked. I'm not putting him down, just honestly asking why you believe he is not already ranked.

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