Yes but it also cost the school lots of money to invest in a kid that does not intend to finish or graduate. Its a loss and something Riordan should be looking at before signing all these dudes.
King Wilhite
- Thread starter ArmchairGOAT
- Start date
I’m sure, they didn’t try to recruit him at all. Parents must have called Red Rock with a lot of interest in coming. Because everybody goes to Red Rock lol. Stop. You know damn well there was a ton of recruiting coming from that side.
i am sure there was. but people on here bashing a 17 year old as if he is a 22 year old in the ncaa transfer portal. the minor here cant make this decision without a parent/s why dont yall call them out if yall mad?
Honey, red rock is on the line. Who? Didn’t we see the chili peppers there a few years ago? Different place. Oh ok.
I don’t play for Riordan so why would I care where he goes? I’m not bashing a 17 year old. I’m bashing prep schools, they come to HS games, shake the head coaches hand, and then snake a kid right out from under him.
If it doesn’t pan out at the prep school, who cares? Not the prep, they move onto the next kid. Destroying another HS program, with some BS about him starting and playing every minute. Kid can’t go back to the HS or he’s ruled ineligible. When the kid is successful, they loved him the whole time and “We Told you this was your best decision”
To put in perspective, this is like < 1% of the high school athletes. The majority of the roster is staying put, enjoying their high school experience with their friends/classmates and not worrying about any next level athletic prospects.
We have a ton of talented No Cal hoopers but sure is a shot in the dark to make it to the pros. Is Aaron Gordon our last bay area guy to make it? I guess G-league is pretty decent as well. Ferrari made it to the Warriors G-league.
Let the kids pick their path. Its their dream. Not yours. Maybe their dreams will one day be realized.
We have a ton of talented No Cal hoopers but sure is a shot in the dark to make it to the pros. Is Aaron Gordon our last bay area guy to make it? I guess G-league is pretty decent as well. Ferrari made it to the Warriors G-league.
Let the kids pick their path. Its their dream. Not yours. Maybe their dreams will one day be realized.
I think it’s the parents dreams in some cases.
I don’t really care. There Are plenty of Kyree Walkers out there who have made it big. Let’s move on and talk about how league is looking. Happy new year.
Sure of course the parents too. What parent doesnt want their children to surpass their own successes, goals? The number of hours, days weekends bringing their kids to these games, tournaments, and the expenses involved is a whole lot of sacrifice.
As a fellow human being, when you hear stories of someone making it, I cant help but feel happy for them. I try not to get caught up in the perceived negatives.
Happy new year!
Brain dead response. This isn't a teenager's choice. This is an out of control parent.
Man let these kids chase their dreams. If it doesn’t work out, they can always come home and play juco.
Hoop Dreams is a real thing! These are some of the best years of their lives! Playing ball, traveling around the country, staying in hotels, being recruited, flying on planes, meeting people from around the world!
Hoop Dreams is a real thing! These are some of the best years of their lives! Playing ball, traveling around the country, staying in hotels, being recruited, flying on planes, meeting people from around the world!
Your playing at riordan! A fine institution with a storied history in one of the best leagues in calif. Traveled all summer during AAU. Chasing dream as a low/mid major prospect. I don’t know. Wouldnt prolific prep been a better option? Closer.. better reputation..
Agreed do whatever the fvck you want to do, just show some responsibility to your homies and don’t leave your friends out to dry 40% in the season, just do the right thing and bounce on them before the season starts……it’s the decent thing to do for your friends, but I know these youngsters don’t give af about going to war with their homies anymore
LOL. Go find Mr. & Mrs. Wilhite and say that to their faces you big bad wolf. Grow up. You keep that same energy for that next kid that does the same because this is how it is now.
Iamgeary / Jordan24 - When basketball is over will those old WCAL connections throughout the city provide a hand or will they turn an cheek because he left?
yes, they always come back and yes traveling and hooping as a 16 or 17 year old is a fantastic time.
The young man will always be supported by Riordan and his City youth basketball connections and community.
You don't know me. I will absolutely tell someone they're an irresponsible parent. Yes, irresponsible parents have always existed which you seem to support.
Riordan is a great school! Its greatest selling point is its academics. This is a great opportunity for a student athlete. But Prep school can also be a great opportunity. Kids on the East Coast dreamed of going to Prep Schools, especially those that wanted greater opportunities or needed to change environments.
It seems like Prolific Prep is survival of the fittest. Their roster always appeared to be overstacked. A drawback is proximity. It’s in Napa…
The school in Vegas sounds like Las Vegas!!!! High School AAU kids love Las Vegas! It’s a huge playground!
I beg to differ. Some of these schools make money off of the athletes. Especially schools that draw decent at the gate.
The basketball and football kids are the only students that bring in $$$. I’ve been to HS football events where the school made more than 70k in one night and basketball games that brought in 20k. Some of these basketball programs bring in over 100k per year…
they have tons of internet coverage, and kids now a days go watch the stars play. then you have the people on message boards that still go watch good teams play. prolific gets tons of fans. people will go watch basketball.
Not to take a side here, I can see both the benefits and problems either way...
But to the question "how do the academies draw?", it varies widely.
I have gone to games at Napa Valley College, where Prolific plays its home games, and have seen the 15-1800- seat gym nearly full... And I have seen it less than a quarter full. The players at Prolific all (or maybe nearly all) go to tiny Napa Christian for their classes, so many classmates from there go to Prolific games, but that's certainly not many with the super-small enrollment numbers there.
Their other local events, like Crush In The Valley, generally get quite a few fans.
I have seen other events online, like the one they hold at Paducah HS in Kentucky... Little town, small school, HUGE gym, like almost 4000 seats... In particular, I remember one year where there was a game featuring two top prep teams playing, like maybe Montverde and Oak Hill (can't remember for sure). That huge gym was PACKED! The very next game was two top high schools, once again can't remember who except that I was really interested, so there must have been a NorCal team in it, maybe Salesian... The gym emptied right after that prep game and the high schools played in front of mayyybe 500.
So, ya never know what's gonna grab people's interest...
But to the question "how do the academies draw?", it varies widely.
I have gone to games at Napa Valley College, where Prolific plays its home games, and have seen the 15-1800- seat gym nearly full... And I have seen it less than a quarter full. The players at Prolific all (or maybe nearly all) go to tiny Napa Christian for their classes, so many classmates from there go to Prolific games, but that's certainly not many with the super-small enrollment numbers there.
Their other local events, like Crush In The Valley, generally get quite a few fans.
I have seen other events online, like the one they hold at Paducah HS in Kentucky... Little town, small school, HUGE gym, like almost 4000 seats... In particular, I remember one year where there was a game featuring two top prep teams playing, like maybe Montverde and Oak Hill (can't remember for sure). That huge gym was PACKED! The very next game was two top high schools, once again can't remember who except that I was really interested, so there must have been a NorCal team in it, maybe Salesian... The gym emptied right after that prep game and the high schools played in front of mayyybe 500.
So, ya never know what's gonna grab people's interest...
Red Rock defeats AZ Compass. Ex- Riordan star King Wilhite and ex-Modesto Christian star Jamari Philips made their debuts with their respective teams .
I think any issue with these moves centers on two points:
1. Why make the move in the middle of the season when nothing noticeable has changed about the HS situation?
2. In the case of King, why go to a prep school that doesn't have the history of Prolific, AZ Compass, SoCal Academy, etc?
There is no way to really know if these moves work out positively for their basketball careers. But I think it is fair to say that for most, the move from traditional HS to prep school hasn't produce an overwhelming postive change in a player's career arc for the handful of NorCal players that have done it in the past decade
1. Why make the move in the middle of the season when nothing noticeable has changed about the HS situation?
2. In the case of King, why go to a prep school that doesn't have the history of Prolific, AZ Compass, SoCal Academy, etc?
There is no way to really know if these moves work out positively for their basketball careers. But I think it is fair to say that for most, the move from traditional HS to prep school hasn't produce an overwhelming postive change in a player's career arc for the handful of NorCal players that have done it in the past decade
I can only provide the Josh Jackson a LOCAL example as a cashed in lotto ticket via this route. Goes from HS in Detroit to Prolific to Kansas, to being drafted #4 by Suns and according to Sportrac in 6 NBA seasons has $29M in earnings.
maybe he wants to be the start to something. as well as playing/living in las vegas instead of napa.
well, i imagine you are of a different cloth, era and many other things than he is. so makes sense
I'm sure the result varies widely from kid to kid...
Hopefully, King (and others who have tried this route) weighed things out with care and parental help...
One thing I do like (at least somewhat) is that, by going to a hoop factory with a bunch of 5-star studs, a kid can get a bit of a head start on learning to fit in, pick and choose shots rather than "If you see it, take it". Except for the super-high 5-star studs, they're gonna have to learn that stuff in college anyway...
However, just like just about everyone on this forum, I can't say that deserting your school midseason is cool... But there is absolutely nothing the CIF can do about it, since the kid has left their jurisdiction, except not allowing one to come back at all should he want to, such as what was apparently done with Ben Roseborough.
Hopefully, King (and others who have tried this route) weighed things out with care and parental help...
One thing I do like (at least somewhat) is that, by going to a hoop factory with a bunch of 5-star studs, a kid can get a bit of a head start on learning to fit in, pick and choose shots rather than "If you see it, take it". Except for the super-high 5-star studs, they're gonna have to learn that stuff in college anyway...
However, just like just about everyone on this forum, I can't say that deserting your school midseason is cool... But there is absolutely nothing the CIF can do about it, since the kid has left their jurisdiction, except not allowing one to come back at all should he want to, such as what was apparently done with Ben Roseborough.
And we have to remember that the "academies" (in quotes for a reason) will only stay in business, even as a "non-profit," if they continue to try to poach kids. It's how the coaches keep their jobs, expand their influence, etc. Sure, a bit of recruiting happens at regular private and even public high schools but the "academies" are playing by different rules and, quite frankly, don't care about taking a kid from his high school team in the middle of his season - teammates be dammed. They're obviously promising something compelling to both the kid and his parents and other influences. The spin will be that they're creating "opportunities" but I don't think it works out better in the long run for the kid, his parents nor his original school and teammates. Playing in the WCAL this season would prepare a kid as well as anywhere else.
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Kids vying for college scholarships don't necessariy want to play in the WCAL... There is nothing special about it to most of these kids. The competition certainly doesn't compare to what goes on in the summer. These kids love AAU summer basketball. They don't like CIF basketball. The summer circuit is what they love.
They love playing against the top players from around the country. They want to play against other kids vying for scholarships. They actually like to compete. They don't want to play on a team full of guards or 6'4 centers. Kids want to play basketball that looks more closely to the college or the NBA.
Kids are attracted to the hype, the likes, Vegas, LA, and Florida Tournaments... And promise of college scholarship opportunities...
They love playing against the top players from around the country. They want to play against other kids vying for scholarships. They actually like to compete. They don't want to play on a team full of guards or 6'4 centers. Kids want to play basketball that looks more closely to the college or the NBA.
Kids are attracted to the hype, the likes, Vegas, LA, and Florida Tournaments... And promise of college scholarship opportunities...
I dated a girl from Paducah, Ky when I was a young man. Strange seeing that towns name after all these years. She was FINE as sh%# too
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