Perfect Package for UCLA in '09?

by Underbruin on Apr 16, 2008 2:00 AM PDT

I can't help myself with the MSM-style puns for diary titles. I can see how copy editors at the Times could get caught up with them. Heh.

Anyway, I'm surprised this hasn't yet been noted, but I figured BN might be interested. While some moan and groan about the 'doom' of the basketball program, Ben Howland simply gets back to work.

Since it's premium content, I can't post anything beyond what's listed in the free preview, but frontpaged on BRO is: "There are some big basketball recruiting developments involving the #2-ranked player in the class of 2009, post player Renardo Sidney, and the #3-ranked player in the nation, 6-5 small forward Lance Stephenson..."

From what I've been able to gather, Lance (who visited UCLA over the weekend) would like to go to college with his friend Renardo. Think not unlike high school/AAU teammates Gred Oden and Mike Conley. Sidney and Stephenson are currently on the same AAU team themselves, the L.A. Dream Team (I'm not one to believe in superstition, but that has the potential to be awfully prophetic).

Sidney, as has been suggested in the past, would probably like to stay in Los Angeles. Rumors have him very interested in coming to UCLA, with the big hurdle being his grades. Questions of character have arisen as well, which I have to imagine figure in to any scholarship offers. Either way, now some are suggesting that if Stephenson goes with Sidney, he seems to prefer UCLA over other west coast options. This provides the Bruins with the tantalizing prospect of being able to bring in two top-5 players together.

Sidney, I think, has been covered already as a targeted player. Stephenson is extraordinarily talented - there is a documentary of his quest for basketball success currently in the works (or done? not sure...) called "Born Ready." He's 6'5, out of NYC, EA Sports' National Player of the Year in the junior class. Can play the 2 or the 3, I believe. Actually played with Jrue Holiday at the Elite 24 Hoops Classic last summer, with the two being named Co-MVPs of their team.

I've heard things both good and bad regarding both players, but I believe that if they can both get themselves eligible for admission, the team would take them (something that I seem to recall being suggested by multiple sources, at least in Sidney's case). Both players very well might be in the 'one-and-done' mold, but offer immense talent for their short time available. Given the good we've seen Kevin Love do, it would be hard to pass up not one, but two players who hold similar game-changing potential, at the least. Pairing them with Reeves Nelson would give the team another fantastic group of signees to follow this upcoming one, a likely top-10 class.

To paraphrase a well-known sports cliche, "it's not rebuilding, it's reloading."

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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this would be wonderful

we definitely need the players, but are they right type of players? one report early this year described sidney screaming at refs, coaches, and fellow players. allegedly this was the norm. as far as stephenson i guess he could further his movie career (sic). however, it would be nice to extend our reach outside of california. and we need athletes. florida and memphis simply flew by us. they had top level athletes at all positions. all in all i guess you take the good with the bad. two #1 overall players at their position, wow! by the way is rivals.com a step behind scout.com? i don't subscribe to either and only get the free stuff.

Riggs

by dpriggs on Apr 16, 2008 6:09 AM PDT reply actions

Recruiting violations

Renardo's dad is a walking, talking recruiting violation- any school that picks him up will be opening up a world of trouble.

That said, if he's somehow clean, it would be an amazing coup for a 2009-2010 squad which could use some help since Westbrook and probably Jrue will be gone after this year.

by dprodigy19 on Apr 16, 2008 10:02 AM PDT reply actions

Hate to be a party pooper

but from what I've seen and read of Sydney and Stephenson I think I'd rather take the next best players at each of their positions and let someone else have these guys. They seem like the type that would have landed at UNLV under Tark, Cincinatti under Huggins or $C under Timmeh. When I think of the frequently transferring Sydney, the phrase show-me-the-money comes immediately to mind. He seem to be thinking too much about his role as a commodity and too little about loyalty or class (multiple definitions work there). As for Stephenson, he seems to be a primmadonna in the mold of Marbury (makes sense as they both developed their games and reputations as the next big thing in the same neighborhood).

by Pyrrhus on Apr 16, 2008 10:43 AM PDT reply actions

Pass on Sydney

I've read enough here and elsewhere to know he's not a good fit. Don't know enough about Stephenson to comment.

by Raisin on Apr 16, 2008 11:56 AM PDT reply actions

Right On !

Let's hope mother nature someday deliver us some player who is a hybrid of Tim Duncan & Hakeem Olajuwon, has the hustle of Dave Cowans, playmaking skills of John Stockton and most of all, being already 7'6'', the leaping ability of Edwin Moses.

Now, you tell me, would anybody not cower even before the ref blows his tipoff whistle ?????

by Htse005 on Apr 16, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up reply actions

"fit"

If an elite prospect has the grades to be admitted and lacks a criminal record, then we shouldn't be passing on them because of perceived "fit" issues. Attitudes can be adjusted, and I have the utmost faith in Coach Howland's ability to get any kid to conform to his standards.

by ishXdavid on Apr 16, 2008 12:44 PM PDT reply actions

Don't Agree

In the era of one-and-done, I think there are certainly kids who are beyond saving. Do you think any coach would have had any real power over Lebron James, for example? I'm not suggesting he had attitude issues, simply that he would have been the top pick in any draft he entered, regardless of whether or not he listened to his college coach or got booted off the team. Some of these one-and-done players are going to blow up on schools and I would rather than not happen at UCLA.

Don't forget that these are kids who would likely have their names in the NBA draft if it weren't for the rule change and are essentially being forced to play in college for a year. They aren't all going to come in and be a KL story - regardless of how great our coach is.

by cabz on Apr 16, 2008 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions

The real question is

Would any player beyond saving really want to come to UCLA? Howland doesn't exactly have a reputation for letting players cruise.

by SuperBruinMan on Apr 16, 2008 8:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Nope

Totally naive to believe that just any kid can be adjusted to fit into a system. I prefer to have guys that I can actually root for anyways.

by bruin8uclap on Apr 16, 2008 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions

In my mind its worth a shot though...

Howland wont offer him if hes a total prima donna...but lets imagine it as a randy moss patriots situation(all other issues aside)

A guy with talent and attitude issues bought into a winning formula, worked hard, and kept his mouth shut and I gotta credit him for that. Whos to say if Howland believes he can do it with this kid, it wont happen.

O.A.

by Ollie on Apr 16, 2008 11:26 PM PDT up reply actions

Good point re Moss

I thought he would really be a cancer and would cause the Patriots to fall apart, but obviously that didn't happen. It has to be the environment that fixed whatever needed to be fixed. It may well be that the UCLA environment would generate a similar fix. In any event, I think we have the right guy making the decision in Coach Howland.

by Fox 71 on Apr 17, 2008 4:52 AM PDT up reply actions

Corey Dillon is another good example

by bruinliv on Apr 17, 2008 7:15 AM PDT up reply actions

Eh

Show me an example where this happened in college (recent). These guys are veterans in the NFL. They aren't kids who aren't making a dime in college and have been treated like gods since the age of 7.

by bruin8uclap on Apr 17, 2008 7:33 PM PDT up reply actions

With that said

Whatever Howland decides about a particular recruit, I will be comfortable with - I trust him to continue to make great decisions with regard to recruiting.

I was simply trying to make the point that there are issues worth passing on kids for aside from grades and the presence of a criminal record.

by cabz on Apr 16, 2008 1:03 PM PDT reply actions

True, you evaluate potential recruits'

character traits to determine if they fit the overall team chemistry. That aspect looms equally large than everything else. Howland is no Lavin, by any means, when it comes to this category.

Remember JaRon Rush. He wanted this and that, then becoming homesick, missed the flight back to LA and came late to team practices, etc I understand he now coaches YMCA pickup games back at Kansas City.

Luckily Schea Cotton got rid of himself for academic reasons or he would have been more than a handful too. He is a trainer at some South Central LA gym.

We don't need potentially trouble prone players despite their skills, especially to eyewitness possible embarrassing scenes of Renardo Sydney hollering at his coach at Pauley, if indeed the latter possesses the penchant to be just that way.

by Htse005 on Apr 16, 2008 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions

Agreed

I trust Howland will make the best choice.

by Raisin on Apr 16, 2008 2:33 PM PDT up reply actions

I won't claim to know the facts

and I think a lot of the people who claim to be close to the situation don't have the facts either. We've seen this first hand with the KLove and DC "announcements" twice already, so I will withhold judgment on these kids until there's something concrete, like, say, getting busted on a drug run.

The only judgment I feel qualified to give in this case is "Trust In Howland".

by Tydides on Apr 16, 2008 3:22 PM PDT reply actions

I Know roughly that

the kids got talent and that the kid also has off the court problems. My opinion is why not take a chance. I think howland has established the rules and the persona of this team and program. If the kid decides to commit, he knows what hes getting into.

Lets look at the pros and cons. This guy ether buys into howlands system and Howland gets himself an enormously athletic and skilled player, and builds his team around a serious ATHLETE.

Or..the kid is disrespectful and/or not so studious, gets benched, and maybe transfers. I dunno I think its a bit of a risk reward situation, but I think we've reached a point where we can take a chance on a guy that I think can possibly take us over that final hurdle.

All in all, I think Howland will evaluate this more than I have, try to judge his character, and will decide to give him an offer or not based on what he sees. Only time will tell i guess.

O.A.

by Ollie on Apr 16, 2008 5:53 PM PDT reply actions