Tudor: Wall picks UK over UNC

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News & Observer has seen a lot more ACC games than I probably ever will.  He’s met and shaken hands with and received tips from more college basketball insiders than I could probably name.  So it’s with great humility that, regarding his column analyzing John Wall’s decision to attend UK, I declare him to be dead wrong.

Let’s take a look at his points:

- UNC, dook, and State are in dire need of point guard help.

- All three “lost out” on John Wall when he chose UK.

- The talent Calipari is bringing to UK is imposing for UNC, dook.

- Reviving a dynasty is easier than building one, so the drawing of talent to UK could easily wake up the sleeping Wildcats (and their sleeping beauty, Ashley Judd).

- Not only will this talent help immediately on the court, it alters the recruiting landscape that UK, UNC, and dook share.

- If Wall happens to stay for more than one season, the pain of losing him will be compounded exponentially for UNC, dook.

I should caution that I’m not usually a fan of speculative journalism.  However, there’s plenty of value to be found in “what if” columns, as long as those columns are based on facts we know, not more speculation.  That’s Tudor’s first mistake: he assumes that UNC needs point guard help, that Roy made a concerted effort to recruit Wall and lost, and (essentially) that the recruiting landscape hasn’t changed since 1957 and is still heavily regional.

It’s difficult to argue that dook and State are set at the point- it’s difficult to argue that they’re set anywhere.  The idea that UNC has a hole at point guard is short-sighted.  First, Larry Drew II may not be Ty Lawson, but he’s not Quentin Thomas, either.  As Drew’s minutes grew late in the season, especially when Ty was out nursing his toe, you could almost see lights flickering on with each pass.  An improved, more mature Drew coupled with a healthy Ginyard and wildcard Strickland leaves UNC with a much better point guard situation than in 05-06.  The team did ok that year and could have done better; to lump UNC’s point guard situation with State and dook is absurd.

Repeat after me: UNC did not recruit Wall.  Roy spoke with him a time or two, and what was discussed in those conversations may never be known.  I discussed my take on the situation more in the original post announcing Wall’s decision- there’s probably a reason Roy didn’t try harder.  To insinuate that it was a mistake or a loss to not recruit Wall is ludicrous and completely based on the wrong-headed idea that UNC is hurting at point.

The most puzzling assertion Tudor makes is that losing out on a high school star from the Triangle will hurt with recruiting in future years.  While snagging a homegrown hero is great PR, I have to imagine dook will be the first to tell you it’s overrated (sup Shavlik).  Technology, Caulton, has made recruiting internationally possible.  Last year, our best players were from Missouri, Maryland, Virginia, New York, California, and Pennsylvania.  Next year, our stellar recruiting class hails from California (twice), Florida, Tennessee, and New Jersey.  Would Roy want to get the next Michael Jordan?  Absolutely.  But the country’s filled with talent, and the UNC brand is strong everywhere.  Any school that becomes a recruiting force is a threat, whether in Kentucky or Cali. In that respect, Wall to UK is a blip on the radar, not armageddon.

Could Tudor end up being right?  Sure.  Even a broken clock’s right twice a day (unless, of course, by broken the clock runs slow or fast, meaning that it could be right only once a month or year).  Is Tudor likely to be right?  No.  His speculation is based on speculation and false assumptions.  And even if Wall ends up being a messiah for UK this year, there’s no reason to believe that UNC will be wringing its hands when Kendall Marshall and Reggie Bullock walk on to campus.  For all your idiocy, Roy laughs at you, Caulton.