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Speaker 3: Welcome back this so March is right around the corner
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Speaker 2: It's time to talk to some college basketball on Cougar
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Speaker 1: The aid and support BYU student.
Speaker 2: Athletes UH for the last five years now they want
to and support you as well. It is time for
a little college basketball on Cougar Sports. Going to welcome
in UH, an expert in all things recruiting in college basketball.
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Speaker 1: Let's get out to the hotline. Welcome in.
Speaker 2: Jamie Shaw, Senior National recruiting Analysts for Rivals and on
three Sports.
Speaker 1: What's up, Jamie?
Speaker 3: Then, man, I'm good.
Speaker 1: How you doing living the dream? Man?
Speaker 2: I appreciate you hopping on it's you know, Jamie, I
gotta give you a tip of the cap man. You
know you'll you'll post things on Twitter and you will
get all manner of conversation brewing and you are responding
to all of these comments.
Speaker 1: Jamie, I salute you.
Speaker 2: Man, you're you're I used to do that, uh, and
I just gave up because I felt like I was
just spinning my wheels. But man, you were engaged over
the last few days, engaging with the fans.
Speaker 3: The fans of what makes it go? Fans? Are the
fanatics there? What there? Would kind of drop the whole sport.
You know, if the fans weren't engaged, if the fans
weren't there, you know, we wouldn't be able to watch
these games on TV like we do, and we wouldn't
be here talking about them on the radio with people listening. Man,
fans of the absolute best. So it's always good to
engage in conversation, see where their mindsets they're at and
kind of talking away through thy Yeah.
Speaker 2: The one that I'm referring to is you put out
this question the freshman class continues to be special. This
was on February twenty third, just a day ago. Aj Debonsa,
Cameron Boozer, Darren Peterson, Caleb Wilson, Darius Acuff Junior or
someone else, who.
Speaker 1: Do you pick?
Speaker 2: What was the feedback that you got on the best
freshman right now? But what one game one win today?
Who you take and what's the feedback you got?
Speaker 3: It was all over the board. I think maybe those
guys are there. There's a lot of Darius A Cup love.
There's a lot of agent advanced to love you know
in there as well. So yeah, I think that that's
one thing that's beautiful about college basketball this year, both
the teams and individually, there's a ton of parody. There's
a ton of guys that are just really good. There's
a ton of teams that are just really good. So
that fee it's don't make it exciting from here on, allens,
because getting down the stretch and in the de Tournament
playing all that stuff is The parody that we have
within the game right now is incredible.
Speaker 2: So who do you pick? Who would you pick to
win the games right now?
Speaker 1: For you?
Speaker 3: Well, I put out my number one, my player of
the year tally earlier than player in college basketball, also
a freshman, so right now, week seventeen, I'd have to
lean on Cam Boozer to be that.
Speaker 1: Cam Boozer is a great player.
Speaker 2: How would you describe Cam Boozer or you know, individuals
who have tried to do player comps of him.
Speaker 1: What's his ceiling in the NBA? Who do you compare
him to? Who is he like?
Speaker 3: I think the archetype is there. I kind of like
the Kevin Love talk. I kind of like his dad,
Carlos Boozer. You know, obviously his range extends a little
bit further than that. What Ken is as a grinder,
He's somebody who just understands the game. His feel for
the game, his IQ for the game is so high
in his understanding of angles and leverage and all that
type of stuff in order to continue to make plays
but also have an offense run through him as a
power forward.
Speaker 1: He's truly a fantastic player.
Speaker 2: He's great fundamentally, He's he's well rounded, no doubt about it.
He's he's producing at a high level for Duke right now.
What's the It's the curious case of Darren Peterson though
like he seems like he's the best scorer in college basketball,
and other times it's like, well, he's got flu he's
got cramping, he's got injuries. What do you make of
the whole saga? Surrounding Darren p you're sitting right now.
Speaker 3: Oh, you know, it's one of those things that's where
when he's playing, he's unbelievable to watch. It's the situation
that's where Kansas can beat anybody in the country whenever
he's on the floor because he goes down and he's
had stretches of games this year. You know, you follow
in the first half of that Dyu gave where he's
just simply unguardable, you know, so you know when he's
on the court and play and he's super exciting to watch,
super exciting to play, and he gives Kansas legendary coach
Bill Self a chance or an opportunity, you know, to
make a run.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's crazy. What's happening in college basketball this year?
Aj Devonso over the last six or seven games has
been pretty elite. How would you evaluate AJ thus far
this season and especially in the last five.
Speaker 1: Or six games?
Speaker 3: Hey, Jay, My first time thing. AJ was eighth grade
going into ninth grade when we debuted our rankings with
on three. At the time, he was number one in
his class and he stayed double one throughout the entire
high school year. His career even through the reclap, and
he stayed number one coming into college this year. AJ's
been the number one player in my eyes, in this class,
in this cycle, throughout the entire duration of his career,
and he keeps getting better, which is the thing about it.
High school incredible flashes, three gold medals with Feeble USA basketball,
put up incredible numbers. But now you're seeing him, You're
seeing him streamline his game, You're seeing him put things together.
You're seeing him play efficiently, seeing the floor better, hitting
his spots when that's not there, getting off the ball,
fighting teammates, the passing. These last three games, I think
it's seven or more assists in three of the last
four games that he's played. Started with the triple double,
which would have been the second one of the season.
This past game against Iowa State, the game is just
looking very easy for him. He's playing very confidently, and
it seems to him and Kevin yall are really really
playing on the same court right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah, no doubt about it. They're getting on the right
track right now. Buy he's winning three out of last
where they had their best win of the season over
Iowa stayed and definitely going to help them in the
seeding in the Big twelve tournament as well as the
NCAA Tournament. In my opinion, a couple other things that
you've broached on Twitter. Dean Rukert has been an intriguing
prospect on the recruiting front. And I know you had
a recruiting this is what you do all day every day.
Jumps one hundred spots in the latest Rivals one fifty
and you've broke down the six foot seven wing.
Speaker 1: What do you see from Dean?
Speaker 2: How did he jump so aggressively into your top one hundred.
He was kind of a borderline top one fifty. Now
he's right smack in the middle of some of the
best in the country.
Speaker 3: For sure. He's always a guy who's been able to play.
He's always been a lanky six foot seven player who
can elevate the floor of a team. He played as
a cohesive piece. Now all of a sudden, he's becoming
the He's being okay with being the guy. He's on
the top of the opposing team scouting reports. He's the
one that's taking the shot, he's the one that's making
the pass, has the ball in his hands, and he's
the one getting downhill dunking on kids. The upside is
incredibly massive with him when it comes to the athletic fluidity,
when it comes to the link that he has, when
it comes to the ability to scale up or down
the lineup, both being able to play and initiate on
the ball or finish plays off the ball, shooting and
stretching the floor and all that. More than just a
floor spacer. He's somebody who can actually run offense. He's
one who can actually lead offense as well. So he
took a huge step when it didn't like he grew.
It isn't like he all of a sudden came into
some skills set. He's always had the skills that now
all of a sudden, he's turning it on in order
to instead of being able to dribble shooting pass, now
he's dribble shooting and passing toward an advantage consistently throughout
the course of the game. And that trajectory is very
intriguing when it comes to the scalability of what he
brings those to a team.
Speaker 1: Yeah, you wrote a nice piece on him.
Speaker 2: We invite everyone to read it on three dot com
and Rivals dot com.
Speaker 1: YBA, you commit.
Speaker 2: Dean Ruker jumped one hundred spots in Rivals one fifty
top one fifty. You get a player conforen Dean? What
does he look like? What does he feel like? For
those that haven't been able to watch him, he's a
b YU recruit, obviously hard commit for for the Kug's
gonna be a b YU cougar and uh but what
what is it? What's in store for Cougar fans? Uh
in the future?
Speaker 3: Man, I'm I'm trying to think, because there's a He's
done a lot of stuff to his game. I'm not
entirely sure. I haven't. I haven't thought of a player
comp when it came to him. But yeah, again, somebody
who's six seven, six eight, lengthy, athletic fluidity. He can
shoot the ball, to pass the ball, and he can
also get downhill and put it with two hands, go
chest to chess with your big man. So there's a
lot there's a lot of stuff there that's intriguing, and
I'm fascinated to see what Kevin Young does with him.
Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, uh b yu uh Ish has done well
in the two seasons under Kevin Young. What's the buzz
like on the recruiting front surrounding b YU. What are
prospects saying about b YU. I know there's been a
few high profile players that have taken a visit to
Provo recently. Give us a little breakdown for sure.
Speaker 3: Well, b YU has been very selective with the high
school guys that they're going after, you know, so the
buzz is is their intrigue, especially with what Aj Yegor
kind of opened the door of this past year. Now
getting a j and seeing what Aj is doing, seeing
that he's continuously getting better now all of a sudden,
it's almost helping in their advantage that he started to
season outside of the norms talk for number one. Now
of a sudden, he's becoming the consensus number one type
guy in that conversation. It's almost helping by U, especially
when it comes to those lengthsy wings like an agent
at Advanced like a Yegor David Is lots of positive buzz.
They're they're our place now as a school where if
they call, every prospects going to take the call. But
they've also been very selected with guys who spit what
they're trying to do, what they're trying to build and
bring in and place, So it's uh, yeah, what what
they are now is completely different what they wore too
years very difficult what they were five years ago.
Speaker 2: It seems like BYU's targeting aggressively. Bruce Branch the third
of five star at a prolific prep in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
I don't know if he's got a top five a
top three right now, the six foot seven, two hundred
pound wing small forward first Branch, But they give us
in the latest on Bruce Branch's recruitment.
Speaker 3: Yeah, so b Yu has taken an approach with him.
Who's they got his first official visit Kansas and USC
or turn the schools that are in the midst there,
schools that you hear mentioned. Bruce opened his eyes again
with the AJ stuff. You know, you got a six
ft seven, long armed player out out there on the wing,
and it's intriguing to him to see the development of
AJ's brought. Been told that his decision is not necessarily close.
To play it out and see how the season goes,
then maybe dip its toe into the portal a little
bit and see how things are starting to line up
as people declare for the NBA Draft and the portal
and and do all that on his end. But he yeah,
B B YU squareling when they you had them on campus.
They were the first ones to get him on campus.
And they're still in the conversation.
Speaker 2: Jamie Shaw Rivals dot Com on three Sports here on
your Utah ESPN Radio network talking some excuse me college
basketball right now, senior national recruiting analysts for Rivals and UH. Jamie,
want to get your thoughts right now on the approach
that BYU is taking.
Speaker 3: UH.
Speaker 2: They've been very strategic about the high school players that
they're taking and who they're recruiting.
Speaker 1: They've they've definitely.
Speaker 2: Got the transferportal route. What's the right I guess balance
for UH for these college basketball programs and teams the
vifurcation of UH and splitting up of high school recruiting
and also the transferportal recruiting.
Speaker 3: Well, talking to most coaches out there, a lot of
them appreciate roster continuity, so being able to have guys
multiple years, maybe not even four or five like they
used to be, but you know, having guys multiple years
a year two and being able to grow within the
system like that. But also, I'll starting to a coach
the other day that said that they were they still
recruit high school players because the high school players are
the guys that can be pros. You know, you come
in one and done and all that. You're not getting
that out of the transfer portal. If they were a
pro and the transporportal for the most like, they probably
would have gone. Now you're able to get a guy
because they have to go to college for a year.
So you're seeing a lot of talent and you're seeing
that this year in the college ranks as the guys
I think what the first eight, nine, possibly ten projected
players in the draft this year is going to be
one and done freshmen, you know, so they won't roster continuity.
They want to passwork it through the portal, and they
want to be able to get the best freshman possible.
If they can get a pro as a freshman, you
know they're gonna look to do that. But also, you
know you got the Nile price tagle on that and
everything too, So it's not as easy as it founds.
Speaker 1: No, it's not.
Speaker 2: Right now you're looking at the the talent though, that's
coming through college basketball. Uh, that's coming back to college basketball.
G leaguers trying to come back. Yeah, you know, really
qualified players. Uh, maybe staying a little bit longer rather
than going to the G League or going overseas. Are
we seeing the product of college basketball improved over the
last two years as a whole?
Speaker 3: I mean, I think it's watching these games this year,
the stakes they have, and then following it on Twitter,
and following on the social media impressions and people that
are writing about it, covering it and see it on
TV and the news and everything. It seems like college
basketball is an incredibly healthy point. You know, anytime you
can have talented players playing in the game, whether guys
thoughts to his that would have gone pro, would have
made their way through the G League and the up
guys that are possibly coming back now to college. You know,
anytime that you're able to have more talent on the floor,
it's good for the game. You know. Now, obviously they're
gonna have to get their hands around the rulings and
figure some some parameters out and all that type of stuff,
but not to get all track the game, it seems
looking at what everybody's talking about, looking at all the
ratings and looking at all the you know what leads
in the news and everything. It seems the college basketball
game is that is high right now?
Speaker 2: Yeah, it seems like it's at an all time high,
real quick, Jamie. But you know, let's talk a little
NBA though projected Draft big board. I know you put
up your twenty twenty six NBA Draft big board, it's live.
You published it on February and ieal, I'm sure you've
made maybe a few updates as well. What do you
stand right now in the twenty twenty six NBA draft
do you take?
Speaker 1: You know, who do you take first? Overall? What does
your sequence look like?
Speaker 3: Aj Divasa has the number one for me the beginning
of the year through the year, haven't moved off of that.
I think that he's kind of in a tier of
his own, continues to be in a tier of his own.
I don't think that. I don't think right now that
I don't think it has been all year a conversation
number one now. I think the number two pick is
going to be an interesting conversation. You have Darren Peterson there,
you have Cambouseer there, Caleb Wilson has had a very
good year. I'm there as well in a couple other
guys too. But I think the race for number two
is going to be a very interesting one to see
how that plays out. I think ag is in the
tier of his own at number one, though.
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's He's definitely showcased it. I think in the
last six games he's a a well rounded player. I mean,
in this last Iowa State game, I don't know if
you were able to watch it, but I mean, he
almost had a triple double.
Speaker 1: He probably should. He should have had a triple double.
Speaker 2: There were plenty of missed opportunities that his teammates just
didn't drop wide open shots that they just didn't hit.
But a rebounding effort, of defense, effort at distribution and
scoring that he is unparalleled in college basketball.
Speaker 3: One of the things about AJ, even going back to
being able to watch in the USA Basketball training camps,
those close practical and stuff, it's the competitive nature that
he brings. He's very vocal and he wants to win,
and you're seeing that. Obviously, Richie goes down. There's a
couple of injuries throw out the lineup, obviously the biggest
one being Richie. But he's adapted. The whole team's adapted,
and now he's running through the offense of that, and
he's and he's making plays for the team, not only himself.
Obviously he had the twenty nine, but then you had
the nine assists with a couple of him left on
the table. Aga competitive, AG is incredibly competitive, that he's
incredibly talented, and that's that's an awesome crossroads to.
Speaker 1: Be at, no doubt about it.
Speaker 2: There's UH with the high quality college basketball that's being
played right now, because with the high quality players, UH,
it seems like there's more parody in college basketball than ever.
You asked the question, only one team could cut down
the nets? Who's your pick right now? No hedging? Who
do you got? Is it Duke Arizona Michigan? Ioways stayed
someone else?
Speaker 3: Man, I gotta tell you, I think there's about ten
teams out there that could win it. And as we know,
it all comes down to, UH, to the mass ups.
Whoever you get matched up with and paired with. An
NCAA tournament can go a long way, you know, making
it all the way through injuries and and just riding
a hot wave and everything too. But I do think
there's about ten eight to twelve teams UH intellege basketball
who could end up winning the national championship, and that's
gonna be that's gonna make for an incredibly exciting Marph.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's gonna be a fun one, no doubt
about it.
Speaker 1: Is the do you have a.
Speaker 2: Like a favorite, like, like from a personal standpoint, who
you're rooting maybe to win it all out of those
Nate like ten teams. As there's like a storyline, You're like,
it would be really cool to see this storyline play out,
uh in the uh in the finality of the of
the college basketball season.
Speaker 3: Not really, you know, there's a storyline anywhere if he
just looks for it and tell the right put the
right set of words together.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 3: So don't really pull for anything outside of just really
great matchups, like competitive matchups, and you know, just the
best basketball we can possibly see. I want to see
somebody break a scoring record every night.
Speaker 2: Yeah, love that, real quick evaluating great out for me.
The twenty twenty six b U basketball recruiting class, they
got Dean Ruker, kJ Perry, Abdullah Akhmed and will open
Obviously Abdullah is already there from the G League coming
in you know, kind of an interesting acquisition. kJ Perry
is red shirting this year at coming out of Citus College.
Dean's finishing up his senior season and will open shop
finishing up his senior season. And what's crazy is two
guys on the same team, same high school team getting
recruited to a particular school.
Speaker 1: Kind of crazy, no, for sure.
Speaker 3: And we talked about Dean earlier. I think Dean's got
incredible upside him. Fascinated to see what he does. You know,
once he gets in the strength and conditioning program at
the collegiate level and learns how to really streamline his
game and get his footwork right and do all that well,
will open saw is A is a is a big
that you need in college. He's somebody who who's a
big that plays big, you know, going over the day,
the you know, the the down on the block guy
who just plays out on the block and bruises and
sumpshow around a little bit and all that. And that's
what will open Shawl is. You're going to need to
get stronger, We're gonna need to continue to grow his
game and all that type of stuff. But the guy
who's not afraid of the physicality and once he again
gets into the strengthen conditioning program eighteen years old, turns
twenty years old, twenty one years old and starts to form. Uh,
there's there's a lot to light there with what he
can bring. His contributor u kJ Athletic downhill guy, one
of the best players this past year. Lots of lots
of injuring us not there. You might have leticism that
he brings to the wing potential two way type stuff
and we're saying what the big doing now in the rotation.
Speaker 2: Jamie always appreciate your time, best way to support you,
what you do, how you do it, and teesus with
any content you're going to be dropping you shortly, No,
for sure.
Speaker 3: On three dot com is the website on three butt
rivals earlier this year. So on three covers the college side,
Rival covers the high school recruiting side. You'll see my
biolines on both. So yeah, that's the best way go.
Jamie saw five is the Twitter feed at Jamie shawfive
J A M I E. You know, go check it
out there. Working on a top transfers list right now
that will probably come out tomorrow. I'm actually working on
AJ the advance, the piece that I'll be working for the
game tonight. So hopefully be able to put that out.
Speaker 2: To Bar as well. Love your content, man, love conversating
with you as well. Brother, Thanks for hopping on today.
We invite anyone everyone to follow you and readat on
three and rivals.
Speaker 3: Ben. Thank you so much man, keep doing a great job.
Speaker 1: Yeah, appreciate you.
Speaker 2: Jamie Shad, Ladies and gentlemen, great segment under our belts.
Speaker 1: They're getting to know this BAU basketball team.
Speaker 2: Get Jamie Tho's comments on what's going on in the
recruiting world as well. Ruby's In is the sponsor of
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