re: Alabama Basketball Recruiting and Offseason Talk

Before we go saying poor players and want to pay them more, consider the compensation they already get. Many of them are from out of state so their scholarship covers out of state tuition. At Alabama, that’s $45000 a year. Then they get books and tutors and nutrition counseling and food and trainers and every resource that is available to the student athletes. Especially the football and basketball players. Forgive me if I don’t cry them a river. I realize that many of them are from poor socioeconomic backgrounds and may not have a dollar in their pocket for spending money and I’ve got no problem with some sort of small stipend for some pocket cash like no more than $400-500 a month. But they are getting the chance at a good education with nearly all costs paid. What they do with that opportunity is up to them, especially considering the sliver of athletes that make it to the pros. It’s a tough life being a full time student athlete. I get it. My daughter aspires to be one. But like anything else in life worth having, you’ve gotta work at it unless your last name is Gates or Rockefeller.
It’s a full time job. But it’s already paying $50-$60K a year, more at some elite schools like Stanford. That’s not a bad deal. Especially to play a sport you love.

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But it’s already paying $50-$60K a year, more at some elite schools like Stanford. That’s not a bad deal. Especially to play a sport you love

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I agree 100% with your points and that the value of the scholarship is lost on quite a few kids

The only thing I don't like is that everyone in the AD departments get paid, some even get paid like kings.

Athletic Departments are run like a shady non profit that takes in money to pay out ridiculous salaries. Everyone makes money except for the players. Hell even student employees are hired and paid


It is hard for me to buy any argument about amateur athletics when an amateur coach gets millions in salary + buyouts of millions $

Is the late season collapse and questions surrounding Avery affecting recruiting any yet?

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Myreon Jones to Memphis

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His only P5 offer was Ole Miss. No other service is even ranking him

He may end up a good player, but I think 247 just happened to catch him when he was hot. He was no where near the 5* player they thought he was

You know that AU doesn't have a single recruited scholarship player eligible from Alabama right

I should rephrase to AU isn't prioritizing any in state kids at the moment. Watford is the only take but he hasn't shown much love.

Kira Lewis/Kobe Brown we've monitored but I could only see Lewis getting a real offer if we miss on others

Auburn focuses on ATL/GA + Natl guys. We also have found quirw a few summer camp gems too

Right now AU is after

-SF Isaac Okoro
-PF/C Jared Jones
-SF Nate Tabor
-SG Christian Brown
-PG Ashton Hagan's
-SG Josh Nickleberry
-F Jaylin Williams

The one instate guy we are monitoring is Carver Jaquon Walton. Probably a backup if we strike out on most of the guys above

We probably lead for Okoro/Jones. We are in it for Tabor and

I think AUs staff prefers ATL/GA basketball over instate ball. More talent, better coaching and better competition + much closer proximity. I mean it is 4-5 hrs to North Alabama to visit Kira Lewis but 1.5-2 to North ATL.


Then most kids grow up Bama fans and hate AU which is always a fun dynamic

I've never felt much optimism w Watford/Lewis since we'll before football season

Auburn would prefer SF Isaac Okoro over Watford though anyways.

They’re obviously doing something right....
But again, I don’t believe recruiting has been our problem.

I like Okoro a lot. Prefer Watford, but that's not diss to Okoro