2016 commit Darius Hicks decommits

[Thick]

Good luck kid.

[Rick Danko]

Sorry but who? Basketball, football, baseball?

[msstate7]

Strange that he'd decommit on the day we hire such a big name as HC. With howland's recruiting prowess, hicks may have cost himself a chance to play here

[Bothrops]

I don't understand this.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

Hicks better be careful about decommitting or he may get recruited over. I like him but he can't be a guy that thinks we can't replace him.

[smootness]

This was likely just the first time someone was able to speak with him since Ray's firing. I wouldn't read too much into it.

If Brooks stays on staff, I would guess we'll get him in the end.

[TheRef]

Hey...no bad mouthing the kid.

[Ifyouonlyknew]

If we want him he'll be at MSU but he shouldn't think he's a must have recruit.

[Thick]

Nothing wrong with his decision, Howland will bring in who he wants in 2016. Hicks could still be a part of that class.

[mparkerfd20]

I didn't badmouth anyone. If you don't wanna be here don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

[TheRef]

I didn't badmouth anyone. If you don't wanna be here don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya.

"Good riddance"....not exactly the way you keep a possible recruit, still. Didn't want it being thrown around at him. You understand why I did that, correct?

[civildawg]

The kid needs time to digest this I'm sure. I mean the guy that recruited him for two years just got fired

[mparkerfd20]

I know why YOU particularly did it, yes. We share very different opinions on several things, but it's cool. I can live with it if you can.

[smootness]

The kid needs time to digest this I'm sure. I mean the guy that recruited him for two years just got fired

I found his twitter account, and it's interesting that he said he was waiting to make a decision until he heard who the new coach would be, then decommitted when we announced Howland.

My guess is that he was waiting to see if it would be a coach he already has somewhat of a relationship with, and since he doesn't know Howland, he opened it back up.

[thunderclap]

Maybe he just needs help with math. 19 NBA players > 0 NBA players.

[quickstrike2]

Got a little testosterone pumping overly in this thread.

[blacklistedbully]

Can't really fault the kid. With the new staff coming in, he may well be concerned that Howland may have different plans as to who he wants on the team. A coach with Howland's credentials should have the ability to recruit nationally, and will likely open the doors for us to other recruits. Maybe Hicks just wants to protect himself, and also have more options, just in case Howland & staff aren't as big on him as Ray was.

Maybe he wants to see if Howland really wants him, as well.

[chef dixon]

I've watched him play and he's not really a "must have" guy like some think. I don't mind howland having a blank slate for 2016.

[mparkerfd20]

^^^This... If Ray was still coach I might wince, but I actually trust Howland will get what he wants to replace any 'holes'.

[whosyourdawgy]

I don't see an issue with a freaking junior in high school who is what 16 or 17 years old decomitting from a school that just fired the coach who had been recruiting him for his entire high school career. Reopen in his commitment doesn't mean he won't still be open to signing with MSU at all. What it means is that both of these guys have their college basketball future to think about and a change at the head coach is a damn good reason to reevaluate his options. If these 2 are as good as advertised then Howland will be in contact with them to see if he can convince them to still be Bulldogs. So there is no need to bad mouth a junior in high school (even though you say you aren't and didn't). It wouldn't surprise me if Tookie, Q, and/or Strugg are having 2nd thoughts as well. Give this a little time and let the dust settle then see how things play out. But for goodness sakes don't dog a kid for wanting to protect his future when he's done absolutely nothing wrong

[Todd4State]

I don't see an issue with a freaking junior in high school who is what 16 or 17 years old decomitting from a school that just fired the coach who had been recruiting him for his entire high school career. Reopen in his commitment doesn't mean he won't still be open to signing with MSU at all. What it means is that both of these guys have their college basketball future to think about and a change at the head coach is a damn good reason to reevaluate his options. If these 2 are as good as advertised then Howland will be in contact with them to see if he can convince them to still be Bulldogs. So there is no need to bad mouth a junior in high school (even though you say you aren't and didn't). It wouldn't surprise me if Tookie, Q, and/or Strugg are having 2nd thoughts as well. Give this a little time and let the dust settle then see how things play out. But for goodness sakes don't dog a kid for wanting to protect his future when he's done absolutely nothing wrong

Well said.

[Dawg61]

Only decommits that would sting for me right now are Tookie and Spoon. Those two I want in Maroon. Throw in Houston on the current squad and two years from now those are really the only three I for sure hope are still here. The other ten spots as far as I'm concerned Howland can do with as he pleases.

[smootness]

Only decommits that would sting for me right now are Tookie and Spoon. Those two I want in Maroon. Throw in Houston on the current squad and two years from now those are really the only three I for sure hope are still here. The other ten spots as far as I'm concerned Howland can do with as he pleases.

We definitely want Simonds.

And Oliver Black is precisely the kind of player Howland likes.

[Dawg61]

We definitely want Simonds.

And Oliver Black is precisely the kind of player Howland likes.

Ok I'll give you Simonds but not Black. Howland, McCray, the Atlanta Celtics and Adidas are about to blow the doors off what we considered good recruiting at MSU.

"Highly touted class of 2016 prospects Kobi Simmons, Josh Langford and Braxton Blackwell all played for the Celtics last season. All three are uncommitted and considered top-20 national prospects by 247Sports."

[mstatefan91]

I don't see an issue with a freaking junior in high school who is what 16 or 17 years old decomitting from a school that just fired the coach who had been recruiting him for his entire high school career. Reopen in his commitment doesn't mean he won't still be open to signing with MSU at all. What it means is that both of these guys have their college basketball future to think about and a change at the head coach is a damn good reason to reevaluate his options. If these 2 are as good as advertised then Howland will be in contact with them to see if he can convince them to still be Bulldogs. So there is no need to bad mouth a junior in high school (even though you say you aren't and didn't). It wouldn't surprise me if Tookie, Q, and/or Strugg are having 2nd thoughts as well. Give this a little time and let the dust settle then see how things play out. But for goodness sakes don't dog a kid for wanting to protect his future when he's done absolutely nothing wrong

THIS!!!

I know you are all excited about a new and exciting hoops future but for the love of all that is good, don't go crazy over a junior decommitting from the program when the guy who recruited him just got replaced.

#HowlState

[smootness]

Ok I'll give you Simonds but not Black. Howland, McCray, the Atlanta Celtics and Adidas are about to blow the doors off what we considered good recruiting at MSU.

"Highly touted class of 2016 prospects Kobi Simmons, Josh Langford and Braxton Blackwell all played for the Celtics last season. All three are uncommitted and considered top-20 national prospects by 247Sports."

We'll see. I certainly expect an uptick in recruiting, but not a huge one. Personally, I don't think we're going to start landing multiple 5-star guys.

And honestly, I don't necessarily want us to. Howland's best teams were those filled with solid, tough guys and sprinkled with really talented ones.

[dawgs]

We'll see. I certainly expect an uptick in recruiting, but not a huge one. Personally, I don't think we're going to start landing multiple 5-star guys.

And honestly, I don't necessarily want us to. Howland's best teams were those filled with solid, tough guys and sprinkled with really talented ones.

If you told me we could land multiple 5* guys that are solid, tough players, I would be ecstatic. Being "solid, tough" and being highly rated aren't mutually exclusive.

[dawgs]

One thing I will say though is that I'll trust howland when he goes after a mid-tier rated guy more than I did ray simply because he's proven he knows what he's doing when evaluating, recruiting, and developing players. Kinda like mullen has with football recruiting. He's earned the benefit of the doubt.

[smootness]

If you told me we could land multiple 5* guys that are solid, tough players, I would be ecstatic. Being "solid, tough" and being highly rated aren't mutually exclusive.

Sure, but your odds of getting elite guys to buy in will always be lower.

Regardless, I don't think this hire means we will suddenly become a rival to schools like Kentucky and Kansas in bringing in talent.

I do think it means we will be very, very good, however.

[dawgs]

Sure, but your odds of getting elite guys to buy in will always be lower.

Regardless, I don't think this hire means we will suddenly become a rival to schools like Kentucky and Kansas in bringing in talent.

I do think it means we will be very, very good, however.

Well obviously we aren't gonna be kentucky/kansas/unc/duke on a yearly basis. I just think stating that you don't want us landing a bunch of potential 5* because you like "solid, tough" players is the wrong mentality. Not every 5* is a prima Donna and not every 3* has the cieling of a 5* with the right amount of hardass coaching.

Also, are you suffering from insomnia or a west coaster like me?

[Dawg61]

Sure, but your odds of getting elite guys to buy in will always be lower.

Regardless, I don't think this hire means we will suddenly become a rival to schools like Kentucky and Kansas in bringing in talent.

I do think it means we will be very, very good, however.

I don't expect Kentucky recruiting. I do expect he'll be signing players that are better than Black though so are we just keeping Black because we like him? Say BH does fill the roster with better players than Black. That'll mean less and less playing time for Black. Wouldn't that mean the best thing for MSU to do for Black is to let him transfer? Tookie, Spoon, Houston and Simonds. Everyone else will get replaced by better players.

[mstatefan91]

I don't expect Kentucky recruiting. I do expect he'll be signing players that are better than Black though so are we just keeping Black because we like him? Say BH does fill the roster with better players than Black. That'll mean less and less playing time for Black. Wouldn't that mean the best thing for MSU to do for Black is to let him transfer? Tookie, Spoon, Houston and Simonds. Everyone else will get replaced by better players.

It is too soon to say anything like this... especially for the upcoming season.

[Liverpooldawg]

Two things: 1)Never bad mouth a kid who is still being recruited. In fact it doesn't really pay to bad mouth them even when they sign elsewhere. You never know who they are friends with. I need to follow that second part more closely myself. 2). I'm excited about Howland too. He has probably the highest profile at the time we hired him of any coach we have ever hired other than maybe Jackie Sherrill. That being said let's try not to get carried away. I don't think you are going to see a sudden influx of 5 star talent. The turn around next year may not even be that great. Our team right now is really bad. I suggest you also look at Howland's record the first year at all three previous stops. What we do know is that we have a guy who knows how to build a winner. He has done it three times, four times if you count the fact he really did it twice at UCLA. Don't expect an instant turn around, but do expect one. If an instant one does happen, then enjoy it!!! Just don't go all negative right away if it doesn't.

[Liverpooldawg]

One plus that may help with the turnaround: Howland's style may not be as great a contrast with Ray's as it was with the previous coach at some of his previous stops. He wants his teams to get after it on defence. That is one thing you can say that is positive about Rick Ray on the court, his teams did get after it on D.