Josh Nickelberry commits to Louisville!
- Thread starter HRTheCard
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And the ice has been broken. Let the fun begin!
We got a commitment from apparently a pretty good player who is aggressive and tough. I've said previously that we'll be lucky to get 3* players so I'm completely stoked that we got a guy of this caliber. That's a good thing in of itself and completely separate from all the other ugliness. A few players can change a program, perhaps this is the first of many.
Here's my lawyer-speak:
1) Yes it's just a verbal
2) Yes he could change his mind
3) Yes scandal
4) Yes rankings and stars aren't everything
- berry is such a big get for Louisville basketball
Father, husband and now U of L's head basketball coach: Chris Mack hits the ground in the Final Four in San Antonio to steer the Cardinal basketball program in a new direction. Matt Stone, Courier Journal
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There was the meeting with current players and the meeting with former players. There was the stop in San Antonio for the Final Four. There were myriad local and national radio interviews. There was the late addition of graduate transfer Christen Cunningham for this next season.
And there was, of course, the introductory press conference and rally with scores of key figures in and around Louisville athletics in attendance.
But no event in the early stages of Chris Mack's time as Louisville's men's basketball coach was as important as last night, when the new Cards leader landed his first commitment from a high school prospect since moving into his office on Floyd Street two months ago.
More: Updated ACC power rankings: Where does Louisville basketball rate?
Josh Nickelberry, a 6-foot-4 guard and high school junior from North Carolina, represents so much for Louisville. His pledge, which came minutes before 9 p.m. Thursday, is as symbolic as it is basketball-relevant.
The basketball significance is clear: Nickelberry is a top-60 prospect in the Class of 2019, considered four out of five stars by all three major recruiting sites, and his addition gives Mack a scorer who has shooting range and touch and the explosiveness to get into the lane and create his own shot.
The Fayetteville product can be, as his trainer Mark Adams put it Friday morning, "a special scorer." He is a legitimate prospect with the chance to compete for a good chunk of playing time in his first season.
The symbolism of Nickelberry's pledge is more important, though. And for so many different reasons.
For one, on the surface, recruiting is the backbone of college athletics programs. It gives fans hope for the future, and it provides tangible evidence that a coach is building something. Getting a commitment, especially from a very talented player, fuels that hope.
Second, Nickelberry's pledge represents a turning of the corner, a breakthrough and much-needed good news for Mack and his staff. Louisville fans were concerned when the new coaches missed out on several graduate transfers, and while Cunningham's surprise addition in late April alleviated some of that worrying, this is Louisville, and stressing out is almost second nature at this point.
See also: How graduate transfer Christen Cunningham fits the Louisville roster
The fan base lives day-to-day, with so many fans joking that they just want a quiet day or two. With the ongoing off-court drama, silence has been hard to come by.
Nickelberry's decision, which came Thursday when he approached his parents and, according to his dad, Gerald, simply said, "Hey, I want to be a Cardinal," was a welcome disruption.
Third, and this is probably the biggest item in terms of importance, Nickelberry's commitment reflects the early work Mack and his assistants have put in on the recruiting trail.
When it comes to 2019 prospects and beyond, Louisville's coaches hit the ground running, reaffirming scholarship offers they extended to recruits at Xavier the night before they were even publicly announced at Louisville.
They hosted Nickelberry on a one-day campus visit last month, and the Nickelberry family "fell in love with the place," Gerald said, adding that Mack was "relentless" in his recruitment of Nickelberry.
David Johnson, Trinity's talented scoring guard who previously committed to Louisville, has also been on campus numerous times and is considered likely to re-commit to the Cards.
Now Jahmius Ramsey and Jaelyn Withers are reportedly set to visit Louisville this weekend, and Kevin McCullar (June 18-20) and Orlando Robinson (Sept. 14-16) will make official visits in the near future. All four are four-star prospects in the 2019 class, and there will be others who set up visits, too.
More coverage: Chris Mack's staff lands first 2019 commitment for Louisville basketball
If Mack wants to win early and often at Louisville, he needs program-building players. And even though Mack's contract is lengthy — seven years with a clause that could get him eight — he won't want to spend much time rebuilding.
Adding that kind of talent will make that goal far more attainable.
Beyond that, Mack needs players who will show other prospects that at least someone with bona fide talent believes it's OK to play for the Cards again, even amid the uncertainty that hangs over the program and university as everyone awaits more from the FBI and NCAA.
Nickelberry became that guy on Thursday night.
And that is very significant — for Mack, for Louisville basketball and for Louisville's fan base.
I’d like to add that his friend, Jaelyn Withers is currently on campus for a visit. Nickelberry is recruiting him hard to UofL. They say that Jaeyln is going to emerge this summer as a bigger recruit than where he is right now (top 75). He should jump up a lot at the end of the summer. Maybe not as much as Anfernee did, but he’ll at least be in the Top 50 I would think.
Also, Top 35, who has potential to jump in the Top 30, Jahmius Ramsey, is scheduled to visit tomorrow.
I assume Mack and Co. is going for a class similar of Johnson, Nickelberry, Ramsey (so 3 guards), Jaelyn Withers (1 of SF/PF), and Aidan Igiehon. (1 C)
That’d be a great class.
Idk, maybe their plan is to only take 2 guards, 1 SF, 1 PF, and 1 C
Also, Top 35, who has potential to jump in the Top 30, Jahmius Ramsey, is scheduled to visit tomorrow.
I assume Mack and Co. is going for a class similar of Johnson, Nickelberry, Ramsey (so 3 guards), Jaelyn Withers (1 of SF/PF), and Aidan Igiehon. (1 C)
That’d be a great class.
Idk, maybe their plan is to only take 2 guards, 1 SF, 1 PF, and 1 C
This kid's game reminds me of the GREAT MARCUS MAYBIN! L yes baby!
Chris Mack has a clean reputation, Pitino now is seen as a corrupt scumbag. Pitino had a huge ego any how!
People have short memories and Mack will quickly overcome the Rick Pitino scandal. Have patience and we will be back. Now is not the time to panic. We just all need to support our basketball program.
People have short memories and Mack will quickly overcome the Rick Pitino scandal. Have patience and we will be back. Now is not the time to panic. We just all need to support our basketball program.
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Top 35 nationally ranked Jahmius Ramsey is on campus right now.
So is Top 60 Harlond Beverly
So is Top 60 Harlond Beverly
Zipp must live a very miserable life now. We get a commitment and the first thing he posts is another theory. Lol.
Way to go Chris Mack. Almost everyone is behind you!!!
It was great that TJ identified him as a great up and coming coach worthy of the UofL job and that VT was able to get him to sign on the line.
It was great that TJ identified him as a great up and coming coach worthy of the UofL job and that VT was able to get him to sign on the line.
I simply posted a link that calls into question what a guy posted. If you have a link confirming Mack's whistle clean, I'll be glad to read it.
For the time being, I still reside in Missouri as I've said many times...
This has been covered ad nauseum but Jay Wright was not leaving Nova. We could’ve gotten him had Pitino been fired after the Sypher stuff. For a variety of reasons, he wasn’t coming him post-Katina. He is on record as saying the coaching the NY Knicks was his dream job - he recently declined the opportunity to talk with them about that job.
I remember when everyone said we wouldn't get Schnellenberger and we did. Our football program was so far down we were thinking about dropping football. Our basketball program is considered one of the top programs in the country so no one is off the table. I like Mack and I hope he is as successful as Pitino was.
I agree the Karen Sypher thing was bad for us but I am going to wait and see about the FBI thing. The Crap Journal reported they have Pitino on recording offering Bowen money and then later retracted that. Pitino is not negotiating Ike someone who is guilty, he is playing hardball.
The University of Louisville is trying to negotiate like they are the ones who screwed things up. I still think there is more to this than what we know, we'll just have to wait and see.
The University of Louisville is trying to negotiate like they are the ones who screwed things up. I still think there is more to this than what we know, we'll just have to wait and see.
Jay Wright was never coming here period and Vanetti didn't know shit but talked about his UK fandom why his show no longer exists. We got Mack move on and deal with it or don't root for U of L anymore. Theirs always another team to the East you can root for.
Well there it is! It's official now! Tony Vanetti said it, so it must be true. The guy who stirs up $hit on his radio show to get ratings is our source.
Did Mr. Vanetti provide a date at which Tom Jurich told him this?
Didn't hear the show, but for some context did Vanetti say when Jurich told him that?
I think its been sort of widely known that Jurich was fond of Jay Wright so this is totally believable. However if he told him that within the last 3 years I would have hard time believing it.
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I thought everyone hated Vennetti. Now he’s the go to guy for news?
I'm not touting Vanetti as credible on many subjects, but I'm not ready to accuse the guy of lying. And I heard him say it, and he said Jurich told him personally.
It's history at this point except for clown show apologists and Mack defenders who wanna keep shouting "lies" and "untrue". And I don't understand the defensiveness. If Mack is as good as some people think he is, it will be proven in wins and losses, and no one's gonna give a damn about Jurich and Jay Wright.
If Mack isn't successful, that's ALL we will wanna talk about--again. I can be patient, and I suggest that the clowns be patient as well...
It's history at this point except for clown show apologists and Mack defenders who wanna keep shouting "lies" and "untrue". And I don't understand the defensiveness. If Mack is as good as some people think he is, it will be proven in wins and losses, and no one's gonna give a damn about Jurich and Jay Wright.
If Mack isn't successful, that's ALL we will wanna talk about--again. I can be patient, and I suggest that the clowns be patient as well...
Like I said, I have no doubt that Jurich has told Vanetti before that Jay Wright was his choice to replace Rick. Thats been the rumor for years, what I do find hard to believe is that Jurich would have said that since Nova won their first title....also, winning his 2nd title in 3 years all but nullified any talks or secret handshakes Jurich and Wright may have had.
If you honestly think that Jay Wright would be our coach right now if Jurich were still our AD that's your prerogative.
If you honestly think that Jay Wright would be our coach right now if Jurich were still our AD that's your prerogative.
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