Eric Hunter - 2018 Point Guard (Purdue)

I really want Hunter. I think that under LaVall he could end up like Trey Burke.


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About everyone who posted here after the 4 September OV's were announced. I was about the only one pumping the brakes saying there had to be more to the story. Would love to see Vall get a real shot here to convince Eric he's a Butler guy...which I believe he is.

 

While I agree 100% with you in theory, I always struggle to think of an example of a kid using 5 OV's and then committing to a "local" school he made unofficial trips due to the distance.

 

Out of darkness of the eclipse, comes some voices of reason...I don't feel EH's game is similar to that of Burke but I do think he would excel at BU and while maybe not superstar, he will be pretty darned good player for whoever he decides on.

 

I don't know where he grew up, but Cole Swider did that this year with Nova. Had visited unofficially numerous times, took OVs to Duke, X, and Cuse but then chose Nova.

 

I'm not sure that I totally understand that logic. If that is the case, Purdue has Carsen Edwards who will be a junior and Nojel Eastern will be a sophomore. Xaviver will have Quentin Goodin who will be a junior and Paul Scruggs who will be sophomore, As others on this board have said in the past, many of these recruits don't fear competition because they believe they are good enough to earn playing time.

 

I tagree that it seems that local kids for the most part to not want anything to do with Butler because it's too close to home. But I wonder if this just applies to Butler or does it apply to other schools as well. Because if it applies to other schools, then I would think Hayes may not want to go to Xavier because it is too close to home.

 

I agree, but let's face it local kids do not see Butler the same way others do. Even if Butler does not get Hunter or Henry they will be fine. Going back over the last
twenty five years only Rylan Hienje, Gordon Hayward, and Joey Brunk were the only local kids of any consequence who committed to Butler. I do not consider Matt
Howard, Zach Hahn, Avery Sheets local.

 

Wasn't Kellen Dunham local?

 

Kellen Dunham?

The state of Indiana has a rich basketball tradition. Most of these kids grew up watching IU & Purdue because that's who everyone (Parents, Neighbors, Media outlets) was talking about. No one was talking about Butler when they were young because they were in the Horizon league doing their own thing. Butler was just viewed as a place where you could go see decent D1 basketball for cheap and have the kids run around the track while the game was going on. Hopefully this changes and those 8-12 year olds who went to see Butler in the final four when it was in Indianapolis will change their mindset about the school. Put it this way, Kids in the driveway are dreaming hitting those game winners in assembly hall against UNC but hopefully nowadays some kids are looking up to hitting the game winner against Gonzaga at Hinkle now.... some of "those" kids should be coming close to graduating.

Regardless of how the new era of Indy recruits view Butler Basketball, I still think there will also be a bit of a barrier here. There will also be a "Butler" Guy or a "Purdue/IU" guy. Really can't describe it but coaches know who is a Butler kid and who isn't. holtmann, LaVall, Stevens have all mentioned highschool coaches calling them saying they have a "Butler Kid" on their team. It just the way it is. Some kids like the national stage, some kids like the tradition of basketball, & some kids want to stay at home or leave.

In most states, you only have two options to play high level basketball. In Indiana, you have 4. Butler can't play the national stage card because IU and Purdue can. They also really can't play the academic card because of Notre Dame. With all this, along with the budget differences, Butler has a disadvantage in recruiting in Indiana. It is what it is.

 

The question is not whether BU will be alright, it's how many kids from the metro area would have made a difference had they chosen BU. Maintaining the status-quo is one thing but striving to improve is another. I know academics have been an issue with many local products, but BU is overdue in landing a few of these high profile players who can help take the program to the next level and stay there.

 

Sorry I missed Dunham and McDermott. How could I forget Dunham, please forgive me I'm old. Pendleton is local. Furthermore I predict McDermott will be a force
this season.

 

We have this discussion every year at this time. Lots of kids want the experience of living away from home even if it's just an hour away like X, Purdue or IU. Some kids like Elijah Weaver want the big football school (see his final five) and fancy locker rooms. Others want the smaller school with smaller classes. Some want to be close to home and close to their family like Joey Brunk. Just a few weeks ago most on this board said kids pick coaches and not programs. Now they aren't picking Butler because of other reasons, Each kid is different. Lots of kids obviously make mistakes which is why there are so many transfers every year.

Butler needs to stabilize the coaching program and stay focused on geting Butler kids wherever they come from. I think I read somewhere that 57% of Butler's incoming freshmen class is from out of state. Is that bad or is that good? I'd say it's good and is a reflection of the national exposure which the bball program in part has helped bring to the university.

Recently I learned that there are over 250 alumni in Austin. I would have guessed that there were less than fifty.

 

I am full agreement with getting BU kids. I am not diminishing players coming from outside the state or region. In fact I alike the diversity. Still the metro area is a resource BU should tap into. Identifying and convincing players has and continues to be a problem. BU has had great success with players from the Indy area. Burris, Mason, Orner, "Fitz", Schilling, Warren and "Shep" just to name a few more. Hopkins was one biggest setbacks BU has had. I was so disappointed. So much potential lost. Not just with the player but starting that inner city pipeline that took a step backward. I am in no way suggesting lowering admission standards but when a kid is demonstrating the ability to meet the academic qualifications, I hope we make contact early and often. I think that will happen under LJ.

 

Ed Schilling was from Cleveland.

 

I stand corrected. So I will replace "Big Chill" with Gerry Williams.

 

Let's face it Butler is not for everyone, there are Butler kids and not Butler kids. LaVall and staff know what to look for and will get that Butler kid. Right now we must
as stated earlier stabilize the coaching situation, we have lost at least one I know of because of the lack of stability.

 

Recruiting the Indianapolis area is hard. Look at the top players from there over the last 10 years and you aren't just seeing IU and Purdue, but OSU, MSU, X, Lville have been forces in recruiting the area. Oden, Conley, Gordon, Jajuan Johnson, McRoberts, Lyles, Scruggs, Wilkes, Jaren Jackson, Garry Harris, Dunham, Hayward - the list goes on of great players from the city who have gone all over the country.

This years crop is a little different because the national powers aren't coming calling in the way they did for some of these others (2017 OSU isn't the same as 2007 OSU) and we should have a better shot, but they are still involved and have a lot to sell.

 

Everyone recruits Indianapolis but not Cincy, Columbus, Dayton, Louisville, Kentucky.