I know there's a lot of talk about the "down" talent on this year's basketball team, but I wanted to break out all of the guys Thad has recruited since he took over in '04-'05. A "Thad Five," if you will.
Position: Starter / Backup
PG: Mike Conley / Aaron Craft (Really, I think Noopy Crater was his only other PG recruit, and it didn't work out.
SG: Jon Diebler / William Buford
SF: Evan Turner (played PG his last year, I know) / David Lighty
PF: Jared Sullinger (I know, he played Center 95% of the time though but did start alongside Dallas his freshman year for 5 minutes a game or so) / DeShaun Thomas
C: Greg Oden / Kosta Koufous
Honorable Mention: Je'Kel Foster (transfer), Daequan Cook (did win Big Ten's 6th man of the year), Dallas Lauderdale (was a solid center for 4 years)
Misses: Sibert, Spoon, Crater, Offutt (a few others who weren't all that highly rated)
That's one helluva a starting 5 and a really good backup 5. I think we sometimes forget the level of talent Matta brings in because of a couple of years without a big name, 5 star first rounder.
Who are your 5? Note: Commits under O'Brien I did not count towards Matta, although I guess technically they did have to re-commit to Matta.
I would mix it up a bit.
PG Turner / Conley
SG Diebler / Buford
SF Lighty / Thomas
PF Sullinger / Koufos
C Oden / Mullens
This is based off purely of what they did at Ohio State. Turner got the nod over Conley because he was here longer and was NPOY.
Conley holds the all-time record for assists in an OSU season. You can't put him on the bench, IMO.
Plus Turner only played the point for one season out of necessity (and yes, I know Conley only played one there as well), which was not his natural position.
Conley was also on a much better team where he didn't have to score. Would you rather throw it up to Greg Oden or Dallas Lauderdale?
Jamar Butler.
That guy was really good.
Lighty was really one of the most versatile players OSU has ever had and really did a lot of things well.
At PG/SG you should include Jamar Butler. The guy was a solid and underrated player.
Great minds think alike^.
Thad didn't recruit him though......this was just guys thad has brought to osu
I know but I cannot omit him because how well he played and stood out for Matta.
My bad.
I thought Matta's first year in Columbus was 2004-2005 and Butler's first season was 2005. I guess O'Brien already had him committed to OSU before his departure.
Have to include Terrence Dials. Forgotten now, but played a few years for Thad and was Big 10 POY in 2005-6.
Loved Dials. He was definitely one of the best big men we've seen in the last decade @ OSU. The OP said he was trying to list the best players Thad has brought in though.
Got ya. Sorry, didn't catch that. Anyway, made it intersting. And I still stand by Foster being on any team. Loved his grit.
Dials was an O'Brien recruit. Matta took over starting the '04/'05 season but I believe a couple of those guys committed when O'Brien was the coach.
PG: Conley/Craft
SG: Diebler/Buford
SF: Turner/Thomas
PF: Sullinger/Dials
C: Oden/Koufos
Pick (2) more to ound out the bench, but (1) has to be Foster. Became a go-to guy, but the most I rememebr about him was his hustle and the willingness to get on the floor. Jent-like. Gotta have a guy like that on the team.
I absolutely hated his shooting slump in the '05-'06 season. He lit it up and then went cold late. It sucked watching that happen to him.
Offutt wasn't a miss...he was mis-used/under-used and developed quickly at Ohio U. I'm convinced LaQuinton's faced the same thing... If he was at another school (like Michigan State) where they are much more likely to throw their young but unproven blue chip freshman into the fire and get them big/important minutes early, he'd be a 15pt, 7 boards a game all-B1G 10 type guy this season...vs being on the bench for anywhere from 3/4 to 1/2 the game like he has for a big chunck of the season so far.
D. Anthony
I guess I meant "miss" in terms of developing and playing at Ohio State. Sibert and Spoon certainly could put up monster years next year and Thad/staff might regret not playing them, who knows.
I love Matta and I think he wants to win every game so bad that his instinct is to win the surest way, playing only the 5-6 guys he really trusts and under-using the next 3-4 best guys who most coaches would trust, but probably would risk an early season loss or 2 knowing they will be much better come tourney time...again this is Izzo's and many other coaches formula.
D. Anthony
PG: Conley/Craft
SG: Turner/Ron Lewis
SF: Deshaun/Buford
SF: Sully/Diebler
C: Oden/Mullens
"Who cares? Go Bucks." - Aaron Untch
I second this starting lineup.
I love Lauderdale also, but he was a bit player to give them 5 minutes of muscle at the start of every half.
Lighty would be on my roster because often times 5 all stars at the same time equates to jerky one on one type play whereas Lighty made everyone look better.
Probably would not include Buford since we won't need scoring in this lineup + still shell shocked over the last half of his senior season.
You could make one hell of a defensive minded team by putting Craft, Conley, Turner, Lighty, and Oden out there... Think anyone would score on us?
Two all time greats in Sully and Oden. Season assist leader in Conley. All time 3 point leader in 3's in Diebler. POY in Turner. That's how I got my lineup. Good discussion everyone.