Recruiting the State of Florida (A missed opportunity by our coaching staff).

Da_Lucky_One

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Currently, Miami has one player from the state of Florida on the roster in grad transfer Keith Stone. Miami really needs to establish a relationship with the people who run some of the elite travel basketball teams in the state of Florida.

Team Breakdown (Under Armour), Nightrydas Elite (NIKE)Game Elite (Adidas), E1T1 (Nike), Team Parsons (Adidas) to name a few.
 
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Florida has some very good talent


One of the clear storylines this weekend was the play of prospects from the state of Florida. In the finals at the 17-and under level was Team Parsons and the Florida Knights, and Game Elite Florida also had a very good showing.

For Team Parsons, Joe Bamisile and Kario Oquendo were both very impressive. Oquendo is a freakishly athletic guard who combines raw power with big time athleticism. He can attack the rim on offense, and then is also a fantastic rebounder. On the defensive end, Oquendo has the potential to guard any position in the backcourt with his combination of size, strength and athleticism.

Bamisile, who is committed to Northwestern, showed his scoring talent. He is a drive first player, but he can also score it from the mid-range, and his outside shot is solid as well. Being able to put the ball in the basket from all three levels is impressive.

On Game Elite Florida, forwards Corey Walker and Ernest Ross showed big time potential.

Walker is one of the top prospects in the 2020 class, and the future Tennessee Volunteer looked even better than last year. He still needs to tone up his body, but Walker is shooting it well from the outside, driving bigger defenders, and posting smaller defenders. Quite simply, he is the type of hybrid modern forward who is a major matchup problem in college basketball.

Ross is a class of 2021 prospect that is all about potential right now, but he shows flashes of elite ability. At every bit of 6-foot-9 with long arms, high-level athleticism, and an ability to really run, Ross could be one of the highest recruited prospects in the country as he gets stronger and more experienced.

For the title winning Florida Knights, Devin Carter and Jalen Speer were huge. Carter is a silky-smooth scorer on the wing, and Speer is a fast and dangerous point guard who can create as well as get buckets.

Carter was especially impressive in bracket play, and his scoring was impressive in leading the Florida Knights to the title. That said, Speer led them during pool play, and was one of the stars early on in the event.
 
Maybe things are changing/have changed for the better but, for decades, -- with a few very notable exceptions -- recruiting HS basketball players from Florida was like recruiting football talent from Maine. You wouldn't want to put much effort into either.
 
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Maybe things are changing/have changed for the better but, for decades, -- with a few very notable exceptions -- recruiting HS basketball players from Florida was like recruiting football talent from Maine. You wouldn't want to put much effort into either.


I hope so. People make a big deal out of what Penny Hardaway is doing at Memphis. It is impressive but the core of his roster is from Memphis, TN and his dealings with the local AAU team. Of course, he was the former coach but every school need to have that type of relationship with a travel basketball team from their state.
 
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The 2023 Class in Florida is as loaded as any class in recent memory. There are approximately 6-8 kids that garner top 100 national rankings and could end up being high major signees when it's all said and done. Class is absolutely loaded! If Miami's coaching staff is to make in-roads with any of these kids, it needs to start now. Unlike Katie Meier and the women's squad, Coach L and his staff tend to get on kids way too late sometimes. Must do a better job of identifying the talent early and building those relationships.
 
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Two kids that I haven't seen mentioned here and could end up playing in the league are Nate Sasser (considered by many to be top in FL) and Sam Walters (6'8" Wing).
 
Two kids that I haven't seen mentioned here and could end up playing in the league are Nate Sasser (considered by many to be top in FL) and Sam Walters (6'8" Wing).

Thank you for the response. I completely agree with you. I think the state of Florida averages better 10 or more 4 and 5 star kids every year. I am not including the kids at Montverde and IMG as most of them are from other states and countries.

Coach L and staff should extend offers to these kids now and get them on campus for home games and unofficial visits. Having a solid relationship with these travel basketball programs would take Canes basketball to another level.

I like how Miami recruits the kids from PA and the DMV along with the NYC but if they would focus more on the state of Florida, the talent on the roster would start to compete for National Championships. IMO.
 
Two kids that I haven't seen mentioned here and could end up playing in the league are Nate Sasser (considered by many to be top in FL) and Sam Walters (6'8" Wing).

Feel free to post any information or highlights you have of those players you have mentioned.
 
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2023 Nate Sasser, Sam Walters, Jaylen Carey (Vernon's little brother) and DJ Delancy. All four play for the Nightrydas Travel basketball team.
 
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Maybe things are changing/have changed for the better but, for decades, -- with a few very notable exceptions -- recruiting HS basketball players from Florida was like recruiting football talent from Maine. You wouldn't want to put much effort into either.
Anfernee Simons was the 24th overall pick in last years draft out of high school and he's from the Orlando area...
 
Anfernee Simons was the 24th overall pick in last years draft out of high school and he's from the Orlando area...
Orlando has been loaded IMO the last few years.

The First Academy - Chaundee Brown - Wake Forest Malik Williams
Winter Park - Wyatt Wilkes FSU
Edgewater - Anfernee Simons- Portland Trailblazers
Oakridge (They Recruit Heavy) - Antonio Blakeney- Chicago Bulls Emmitt WIlliams- LSU CJ walker - Oregon , Mike Devoe - starts as a freshman for Georgia Tech, Antwann Jones - Memphis *transfering to Creighton* multiple other D1 kids
Kissimmee Osceola - A few D1 kids as of late , best player transfered to Montverde - Omar Payne - UF
U School - Vernon Carey
Orlando Christian Prep *OCP* - Nassir Little(preciously Oakleaf Jax) - UNC - multiple other d1 kids
Boone - BJ Taylor UCF

Tampa/St. Pete - Serrell smith - Maryland, Amp lawrence - The U , Kevin Knox - The Knicks Tony Bradley - Utah Jazz - Bartow

Pensacola - Mitchell Robinson - The Knicks

Prep Schools/Basketball academys - IMG, Montverde Academy, West Oaks (Orlando) The whole SIAA (Sunshine Independent Athletic Association) Non FHSAA affiliated


That is just a small dose of the last 3 -4 years of real Florida boys that are not just transplants. There are multiple other high level players that we don't recruit. I agree and hope that we start to recruit more Florida boys earlier.
 
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