I haven’t seen a separate Kugel thread on NBN, so here goes. I honestly think that this kid might be more talented than Kowacie Reeves. He has great size for a 2-guard, he is a tremendous and quick leaper, he has great form on his jump shot from deep, he is a very good passer, and he appears to be an unselfish player. He is way underrated right now. This will be a huge coup for the Gators if we get him.
We are recruiting him now. Dr. Phillips had 3 really good players on the team. Their big man, Udeh, is going to Kansas. Denzel Aberdeen signed with Florida. Kugel signed with Mississippi State, but he has since decommitted. He also has exploded into prominence. He is now listed as #62 on the ESPN top-100 list. Udeh is #23. Aberdeen is not listed. Jalen Reed is #85. Reneau is #22. Kugel purportedly outplayed Nick Smith head to head at the City of Palms. Smith is rated #3 by ESPN. I have watched 30 minutes of highlights of Kugel which were limited to 2 games against very good teams. Kugel was spectacular. I need to see more film on him, but he looked like a future NBA player on the film that I watched.
I agree with you 100%. Can't believe how underrated is. Watched several Dr. Pepper games and he consistently is the best player on the floor. He's extremely athletic and can take the ball to the rim, but also shot 40% from 3 last year. He's 6'6, can play the 2 or 3 and has a high basketball IQ. I think Golden should lock him up immediately if he's ready to commit. I believe he can contribute right away and be a solid SEC starter his sophomore year, if not even better.
He was a late riser. Not sure why. Some scuttlebutt about grades, but who knows? We seem to be prioritizing long, athletic, skilled wings, maybe because in this system they can play four positions.
He wants in, but academics need to be cleared or he may get passed up with another. If academics clear, expect him in the class.
Gotta like some of these moves by the staff. Our roster is going to be vastly different and from all appearances, improved.
was just thinking the same exact thing We should start a new course - or hell even a new program - called "How to make money off your likeness" designed specifically for athletes with poor grades. A new NIL degree.
Yes, this is why it isn't an automatic take. Not sure what all that entails, but it was enough to hit the brakes. Should know in the next few days.
Indeed we are, and it's about time.. It's been scientifically "proven" that if you could create the ideal College Basketball player he'd be 6'6"ish with a 7'0" wingspan and be about 210-225 lbs, with good lateral quicks. These players can legitimately guard 3-4 positions as rserina said. If they are on the small side of ideal, they can guard 1-3, and maybe the 4. If on the large side, they guard 2-4 and maybe the 5. This is what Musselman is stockpiling at Arkie. He has 6 top 90 Wings, all incoming Freshman. 3 of whom are in the top 20. That's his entire class. He must already think he has a pg. Need one of those too. The closest player we've had recently too that was KJ. He was the total package. 6'5". 225 lbs. 7'0" wingspan. All the movement indicators, plus he was vertically explosive and could shoot any shot, hence his quick rise from Top 60 recruit, to starter, scorer, and after 2 years he's PreSeason Player of the year. Since you can't clone KJ's (yet), the closest thing is to go out and sign a lot of like body types. Just another way Golden and his staff are using analytics to get every edge they can. Golden knows every one of these small edges translates into more stops on defense, more points scored per possession and more games won; something the former regime openly dismissed as really just hocus pocus.
^ Another sense in which Donovan was ahead the game. 1999-2000: Weaks, Wright, Parker, Miller, Hamilton—all longer, skilled, athletic kids who could play multiple positions at both ends of the court.
Based on your post, KJ has a surprisingly short wingspan. I followed KJ throughout 11th and 12th grade. The top-60 label likely resulted from the gurus not paying much attention to him. He was as good as anyone on his IMG team as a junior, and he was one of the top-2 players on Oak Hill as a senior along with Keldon Johnson. Both of those teams were loaded with big time talent.
But he was always a complementary player who didn’t demand the ball like Keldon Johnson. The sites that obsess over travel ball always favor those types of players (Ballard, for instance).
