2021 Paolo Banchero

[zagssuperfan]

Excellent communication today. If we could get Paolo and Watson, those are 2 high level recruits. Fingers crossed.

I love all these bigs and I would of course be excited if they committed, but it seems like we are always in more need of guards. Wish we had more of them lined up.

[seacatfan]

Think of it this way, how many offers do we truly hand out? How many visits take place and of those visits how many do not result in a commitment? Most other schools (think Kentucky and Arizona) hand out so many offers if they all came to fruition they would field a football team. Gonzaga is all about fit and family, emphasis on family. It takes a special kid to get an offer to GU and to commit. We have handed out a handful of offers in the last few years that we ended up back pedaling on (Jordan Brown is one that comes to mind) as we got to know him and his family better, but most of the offers we hand out stick and they seriously are considering Gonzaga. We are not a one and done factor, like Duke and Kentucky, we develop kids and we sell the development, not to the next level, but to be the best version of themselves they can be. GU is just different, in all ways shapes and forms.

Gonzaga isn't quite the same as it used to be. The kids at GU want to get to the pros as quick as they can just like they do EVERYWHERE ELSE. Maybe not a lot of one and dones, but certainly leaving after 2 or 3 years is getting to be common (including sitting out a RS year for some of them). If Banchero came to GU, he almost certainly would only stay for 1 year. Where he goes isn't going to change that.

[Zag1203]

Gonzaga isn't quite the same as it used to be. The kids at GU want to get to the pros as quick as they can just like they do EVERYWHERE ELSE. Maybe not a lot of one and dones, but certainly leaving after 2 or 3 years is getting to be common (including sitting out a RS year for some of them). If Banchero came to GU, he almost certainly would only stay for 1 year. Where he goes isn't going to change that.

Couldn't agree more. The top guys that GU is going after in '21 are lottery picks regardless of where they go to college. At this point, they want to go to programs that are national brands with top tier facilities and a chance to win a national championship in one season. Development and school/program culture is an added bonus for the elite elite guys.

[caldwellzag]

Couldn't agree more. The top guys that GU is going after in '21 are lottery picks regardless of where they go to college. At this point, they want to go to programs that are national brands with top tier facilities and a chance to win a national championship in one season. Development and school/program culture is an added bonus for the elite elite guys.

The question was asked how are we different and what I typed is what we are selling to those kids. It does not mean we won't be getting top ranked kids, none of these kids truly remember when Gonzaga was a mid-major, they all remember us as a powerhouse program. But for the question that was asked, it was asked how are we different and that is how we sell it to kids. I fully know that Suggs, Paolo, Chet, potentially Peyton will all be one and done, and most likely none of the recruits we are landing will be 4-5 year guys, but it doesn't mean we change what we are selling, as what we are selling is working (and we don't have to fork out large amounts of cash to get any recruit).

[Markburn1]

I’m with Caldwell on this. If you look at the backgrounds and the families of the kids Gonzaga is interested in, they match up with previous recruits in that respect. These kids and their families still respect the culture that has been created and spending six months in that culture is still a positive. Few and staff are still particular about who they bring to the inner circle, it’s just that previous success has opened doors to extraordinary talent the last couple of years.

[TheOtherGreatOne]

To my knowledge the coaching staff does not go after a lot of these AAU superstars that have bring a huge enterage with them. It seems to me like they target players that family members only handling their buisness. That way you don't have all these hangers on filling the players heads with this you are a superstar so you just worry about your own stats, that will get you to the league faster. To me this eliminates a lot of team problems. To me this is what Caldwell is talking about when he talks about our recruiting is different than most schools. It is more of a family atmosphere, instead of being ran as a buisness.

[SLOZag]

If you haven't personally experienced fear of being arrested for DWB (driving while black), read this:

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...s-2018-accoun/

[willandi]

If you haven't personally experienced fear of being arrested for DWB (driving while black), read this:

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...s-2018-accoun/

Thanks for sharing that.

Interesting that the Police officer denies pointing his gun at Williams and says that Williams got belligerent and was asking 'Why is your gun pointed at me?'

I guess the cop doesn't realize that the implication is that the gun WAS pointed at him makes his denial become a lie, all with the words out of his own mouth.

[zagdontzig]

If you haven't personally experienced fear of being arrested for DWB (driving while black), read this:

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/20...s-2018-accoun/

Paolo seems like a stand-up guy. He speaks his mind. That can be challenging at his age.

[LTownZag]

The question was asked how are we different and what I typed is what we are selling to those kids. It does not mean we won't be getting top ranked kids, none of these kids truly remember when Gonzaga was a mid-major, they all remember us as a powerhouse program. But for the question that was asked, it was asked how are we different and that is how we sell it to kids. I fully know that Suggs, Paolo, Chet, potentially Peyton will all be one and done, and most likely none of the recruits we are landing will be 4-5 year guys, but it doesn't mean we change what we are selling, as what we are selling is working (and we don't have to fork out large amounts of cash to get any recruit).

Thanks for answering my question, Caldwellzag!

I find that difference very interesting and (of course) I'm a fan of the results it brings.

[former1dog]

Thanks for sharing that.

Interesting that the Police officer denies pointing his gun at Williams and says that Williams got belligerent and was asking 'Why is your gun pointed at me?'

I guess the cop doesn't realize that the implication is that the gun WAS pointed at him makes his denial become a lie, all with the words out of his own mouth.

Thou doth protest too much.

Having your weapon drawn, the testimony of the officer in this case, and pointing a weapon directly at someone can, and often, are two different things.

I don't doubt Williams thought that the weapon was pointed at him and the officer could still be lying about it, but you didn't find a contradiction, as you thought you did.

I also believe that the officers actions in this circumstance were potentially wrong.

I don't doubt that Williams is a great guy and a credit to his community and to WSU.

I don't like that he referred to police as "pigs".

[zagsfanforlife]

If youre calling cops "pigs", I am going to assume you arent a high class individual in the first place.

[YankMyZAG]

Thou doth protest too much.

Having your weapon drawn, the testimony of the officer in this case, and pointing a weapon directly at someone can, and often, are two different things.

I don't doubt Williams thought that the weapon was pointed at him and the officer could still be lying about it, but you didn't find a contradiction, as you thought you did.

I also believe that the officers actions in this circumstance were potentially wrong.

I don't doubt that Williams is a great guy and a credit to his community and to WSU.

I don't like that he referred to police as "pigs".

Why do you believe the officer at all? He was trying to save his job. He knew what he did was wrong. If you went through something like this you would be calling cops names also. Sounds like he deserved it

[former1dog]

Why do you believe the officer at all? He was trying to save his job. He knew what he did was wrong. If you went through something like this you would be calling cops names also. Sounds like he deserved it

Reread my post carefully, please.

[YankMyZAG]

Reread my post carefully, please.

Oh i read it. "Could" "potentially ". They settled a lawsuit, should be enough evidence for everyone

[former1dog]

Oh i read it. "Could" "potentially ". They settled a lawsuit, should be enough evidence for everyone

The settlement of a lawsuit is a financial decision, not a finding of fact.

Let me spell it out for you very carefully, I didn't take a side in the matter. I don't know enough about the case. I said the police could have been lying, because I don't know if he was or not. You don't know either. You merely have an opinion, that may or may not be different than mine and yet you have no idea because I didn't express an opinion on the issue you are complaining about.

I posted because Willandi made a statement not supported by article and I wanted to point that out.

[zagssuperfan]

Oh i read it. "Could" "potentially ". They settled a lawsuit, should be enough evidence for everyone

Not saying that either side's version of facts are true, but as someone who works in the field I can tell you that cities/counties often settle matters like this even when their attorneys believe they will win. It's a lot cheaper than going to trial and resolves the issue without it getting bigger in the media. So it really doesn't mean much that they settled. In fact, you could argue the opposite because the settlement amount was so small. If the lawyers for the plaintiffs thought they would win, they would be more likely to go to trial for a much bigger pay day.

[zagmantis2001]

If youre calling cops "pigs", I am going to assume you arent a high class individual in the first place.

Maybe the experience of getting a gun pointed in your face would tend to color your view of the police. The report in this case apparently says one thing---so did the written report of the guy they just killed in Minnesota--yet the video of the killing shows the exact opposite. Is it possible the the officer did #### his weapon and point it at his head? Yes. Is it possible he just drew his firearm? Also possible. You have no idea what that is like. I don't either. But, I could imagine that if I faced that kind of crap and you see people of color being choked, chased and shot for very suspect reasons on a routine basis in direct conflict with the written accounts, it would tend to color your view of the police.

[zagdontzig]

Just a gentle reminder; this is a recruiting board. There's not a single one of us that doesn't have impassioned views on these topics, but we come here for basketball, and we want Paolo. Emphasis is on "we" as in us Zags. Can we stick to that?

[zagfan08]

Just a gentle reminder; this is a recruiting board. There's not a single one of us that doesn't have impassioned views on these topics, but we come here for basketball, and we want Paolo. Emphasis is on "we" as in us Zags. Can we stick to that?

Thank you. It was a story that should be widely read. Any opinions should be kept out of this thread.

[zagdontzig]

Thank you. It was a story that should be widely read. Any opinions should be kept out of this thread.

Agreed.

[YankMyZAG]

The settlement of a lawsuit is a financial decision, not a finding of fact.

Let me spell it out for you very carefully, I didn't take a side in the matter. I don't know enough about the case. I said the police could have been lying, because I don't know if he was or not. You don't know either. You merely have an opinion, that may or may not be different than mine and yet you have no idea because I didn't express an opinion on the issue you are complaining about.

I posted because Willandi made a statement not supported by article and I wanted to point that out.

Ok

[caldwellzag]

Just a gentle reminder; this is a recruiting board. There's not a single one of us that doesn't have impassioned views on these topics, but we come here for basketball, and we want Paolo. Emphasis is on "we" as in us Zags. Can we stick to that?

Thank you for posting this first. This is a warning to everyone that we need to stay on the topic of Paolo and him becoming a Zag. If we get off topic it can lead to this thread being locked, you getting a suspension, etc. I don't care if the story should be widely read or not, it is a thread about Paolo, period end of story. Thank you everyone!

[ZagNative]

From Twitter today:

Jake
@jakeweingarten
·

Source: Kentucky’s John Calipari and staff virtually met with five-star junior Paolo Banchero. Major target for the Cats’ who have already hosted him for a physical visit.

[MDABE80]

If I was Paolo, I'd look at the rankings and see to it, I'd go there. One and done kid it seems. I'd like to have him with us as most would. Bright kid and good talent. Caldwell or Blue, do we have a decent shot at him??