With Las Vegas serving as a hotbed for prep hoops between now and next Thursday, the Sun tracked down college coaches Tuesday to find out just what this evaluation period means to them.
In a perfect world, for the UNLV coaching staff, the players it wants in the upcoming graduation classes would show up this week and/or next in Las Vegas for summer prep tournament ball, and they'd be sold.
They'd see the Strip lit up at night, they'd take a drive on the freeways and see the scenic mountain ranges in the distance and they'd feel that fabled 'dry heat.' Done. After that, they'd ask where the dotted line is for them to sign on.
But the world is not perfect. Far from it. Instead, the Rebels' staff will settle for what it gets, with four of the biggest prep summer events of the year being played in its backyard over the course of this week and next.
"It's not for everybody, so the impact you have on the number of kids I think, in general, is a very positive one," said Rebels assistant Greg Grensing, who took in action at Foothill High late Tuesday afternoon, scouting a talent from the Washington D.C. area. "I think that kids look forward to it. They're impressionable. They see the bright lights and they understand what it is, and there's a certain allure to it. So yes, I think it is advantageous. But because of the lack of an opportunity for any sort of contact or unofficial visits during this period, it is somewhat negated. But, again, would I rather be in this position, working where we're at? Yeah, I would rather have our spot."
Grensing also joked in mentioning the comfort of sleeping in your own bed during a lengthy recruiting stretch.
And a good night's rest is needed. See, for coaches in town - and every major university has some form of representation here - it's a 'look but no speak' policy. Phone calls and contact with prospects don't resume until Aug. 1. So this, in a sense, is the biggest of big evaluation periods in solidifying a recruiting game plan.
"You gain a certain amount of insight from the evaluation, but all said, the man hours that you spend, and the driving from high school to high school, it'd be nice to know that it really makes an imapct," Grensing said. "And truthfully, I think it makes very little impact.
"The one thing about this period unanimously the coaches will agree, the evaluation period, and where we're at in the recruiting proces, you've got to wonder exactly what you'e getting done. Because look around here. How many coaches are sitting in the stands? The only way those kids really know you're here - I mean, yeah, you can parade around and try to be seen - but generally speaking, in August, when you talk on the phone, you're going to talk about what you saw them do out here. It's a necessary evil. We're all here. I don't think anybody's gaining a particular advantage. A kid is still going to be quicker to respond to the Kansases and the North Carolinas and Floridas and people like that. It's kind of a pecking order, and we all sitting here in the stands are cognizant of that. We try to work hard to gain advantages, but this isn't one of those places you can really gain an advantage. You're just like everyone else, just watching."
Though knowing that just sitting in the stands doesn't help gain a huge edge on the competition for recruits, Grensing is thankful for the resurgence the UNLV program has experienced in recent years under its staff, headed by Lon Kruger.
"We were fortunate enough to win 57 games the last two years and go to a Sweet 16. They're aware," he said. "And again, the tradition that Vegas has, their parents and their coaches are very aware. Now we're starting to have a smattering of guys who play in the NBA again with Joel (Anthony) and Louis (Amundson), coach (Kruger)'s track record. We've got an awfully good product to sell and we've got all the resources most people could hope to have. So we hope to be successful with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work."
Now UNLV is in a spot where, yes, it can start trying to land some bigger fish. But Grensing said that the Rebels aren't forgetting what got the program to this point in a stretch of just a few years.
"Your success allows you to get into more homes at a higher level, so you do become a little more selective, and place a premium on players that you believe can impact a program," Grensing said. "Now, same thing, Guys like Curtis Terry and René Rougeau were walk-ons and had really good careers. So you've got to find guys that fit the type of personality coach likes to have. And guys that love the game and play with passion and energy. Obviously it doesn't always have to be a top-20, top-50, top-100 player. Guys develop and guys fit into roles, and the old adage of you can't have too many chiefs and not enough indians. You've got to have some guys that want to work, and we've been fortunate with that.
"But we're losing a guy (after next season) like Wink (Adams) that's been such an anchor the last couple of years. He gives you a base to work from. If you watch us, push comes to shove, at the highest levels, late in games especially, you've got to have guys who can go create their own shot, maybe a ball screen here or a little something there to give them a slight advantage. But primarily, they've got to be able to make their own shots, and Wink's been one of the best at doing that. So if you said to me what do you got to replace, that's kind of the area."
Replacing Wink Adams will be no easy feat. In Adams, you're talking about a guy who, Grensing said, could leave the program after this season as the school's third all-time leading scorer.
In Memphis transfer Tre'Von Willis, plus recent Kentucky transfer Derrick Jasper, there are some pieces in place. Grensing also brings up newcomers such as Oscar Bellfield, Brice Massamba and Deshawn Mitchell, who all could fill the void somewhere down the road.
But this is still an important summer for the staff in terms of filling spots.
Especially because there is a dearth of local prospects which deserve plenty of attention. In the class of 2009 alone, outside of Findlay Prep big man Carlos Lopez, who is already committed to UNLV, names such as Anthony Marshall and Elijah Johnson are becoming pretty well known.
And for the staff, this is a great time to evaluate those Vegas products, as this could be the most elite competition they'll face before making a college decision.
"I think there's a little more prestige to these tournaments, and the caliber of the competition is pretty good," he said. "I think they know that they're under a little different magnifying glass (this week)."
Just like any staff in Las Vegas, though, the UNLV coaches are searching deep beyond the rankings given to prospects by so-called experts. There's certain characteristics the program is looking for, and in a high profile setting such as this one over the next couple of weeks, they could shine through more than ever.
Better pay attention, because all you can do is watch.
"I think toughness is one of the things," Grensing said. "If you get an opportunity to see somebody long enough that you recognize that as a characteristic of them, that's as attractive or more attractive than athleticism, for example. And skill. Those are more tangible things. But I truly believe the difference-makers are the ones where there's intangible qualities - toughness, awareness, poise, just a high basketball IQ. Physically, obviously ... long, athletic, skilled players catch your attention. Bigs that can score with their back to the basket, because that's more of an exception than a rule.
"At UNLV, I think our niche is to try to find a nice mix of athleticism on our roster with some guys that can shoot it and make plays, so that we can make the game up-and-down. We feel, in the Mountain West Conference particularly, we should be as athletic or more athletic than any team that we face in the conference. And if we're able to do that, it'll generally correspond into some success at a national level."
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy