JP Macura commits to Xavier

[SemajParlor]

@GoodmanESPN JP Macura just committed to Xavier. Was widely assumed he was a done deal to Butler until Brad Stevens left for Boston.

@jpmacura Just made the best decision of my life!!! Officially committed to XAVIER��

[waggy]

Nice! I think this is a great pick up.


Welcome JP!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fx_y9y9Als

[XU-PA]

first things first,,,, get this young man into the cafeteria

[Titanxman04]

What's this kids story?

[nkymuskie]

What's this kids story?

He was a virtual lock to Butler before Brad Stevens left. In the end it came down to Xavier and Creighton. Skill wise he is supposed to be a really good shooter who also has enough athleticism and skill to drive the lane. Looking at the video he is pretty thin, but he will fill out once he hits a college weight room.

[ammtd34]

#88 on Scout (http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=6926831)


#104 on Rivals (http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/recruiting/player-J.P.-Macura-140291)

4 stars on both.

[bleedXblue]

looks like a solid pick up

[Jumpy]

Hopefully we will see this one make it to campus.

[BandAid]

Welcome to X JP!

[Cheesehead]

Hopefully we will see this one make it to campus.

Word.

[XUFan09]

Nice! I think this is a great pick up.


Welcome JP!




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fx_y9y9Als

What I love about this mix video is that this kid is a sharpshooter, yet the video only showed two threes. He has some real versatility, including a beautiful reverse layup going either way.

His deficiencies apparently are his "feel for the game" and connected with that, passing ability. He has enough positives that it's still a great pickup.

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[jhelmes37]

Word.

Usually the commits like this one do make it. Only a month or so til signing day...................

[More Cowbell]

It has been far too long since X had a white shooter.

[paulxu]

Mini Doellman.

[mistabeecee41]

Great get. Now it's time to get London to commit, get them all to sign and get the hell off of this 2014 recruiting roller coaster with a solid class.

[XUFan09]

By the way, when I say "deficiencies," I mean relative to his other attributes. He's still solid in those categories.

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[XUFan09]

Great get. Now it's time to get London to commit, get them all to sign and get the hell off of this 2014 recruiting roller coaster with a solid class.

Agreed on London, but we actually have four scholarships available when you assume that Semaj will be gone. Five if you assume a transfer out of the program, which isn't crazy when you consider that the national rate of transfers is greater than one per program.

I hope Xavier locks up Sean O'Mara at center. They're in good position there. Bibbs or Bess joining Macura on the wing would also be great.

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[XUOHTX]

It has been far too long since X had a white shooter.

Yeah Redford was awful

[Milhouse]

Yeah Redford was awful

This kid can actually create his own shot and drive.

Redford couldn't do either of those.

Also at 6' 5" hopefully a decent defender. I think this was a great get for X. Staff has been after him a LOT. Great pickup for Rick Carter stealing him from Minnesota.

[ammtd34]

This kid can actually create his own shot and drive.

Redford couldn't do either of those.

Also at 6' 5" hopefully a decent defender. I think this was a great get for X. Staff has been after him a LOT. Great pickup for Rick Carter stealing him from Minnesota.

And Creighton. Is this the first in-league battle won?

[casualfan]

This kid can actually create his own shot and drive.

Redford couldn't do either of those.

Also at 6' 5" hopefully a decent defender. I think this was a great get for X. Staff has been after him a LOT. Great pickup for Rick Carter stealing him from Minnesota.

I don't know this for sure, but it seems like Minnesota was slow playing him down the stretch waiting on other targets.

[Milhouse]

I don't know this for sure, but it seems like Minnesota was slow playing him down the stretch waiting on other targets.

I was under the impression he was a big initial target for little pitino there. Could be wrong though.

[casualfan]

I was under the impression he was a big initial target for little pitino there. Could be wrong though.

Yeah. Like i said I don't know that, but I did think it was interesting that in the end Minnesota wasn't an option (it apparently came down to us and Creighton).

For a guy that was seemingly a lock for a certain school to not even include them in his final choices just seems odd.

[Caveat]

I'm still going to call him Brad until further notice.

[XUdenver]

The return of Brian Walsh.

[Juice]

It has been far too long since X had a white shooter.

Does it matter what kind of shooter they are?

[More Cowbell]

Does it matter what kind of shooter they are?

absolutely not. I just want to win, but do you think Brad Redford would have as many fans if he wasn't white?

[Milhouse]

absolutely not. I just want to win, but do you think Brad Redford would have as many fans if he wasn't white?

We'll see in the next couple years when Myles Davis is a better version of Brad.

[BandAid]

absolutely not. I just want to win, but do you think Brad Redford would have as many fans if he wasn't white?

This kid isn't as cute as Brad.

(What a strange thing to say...)

[Juice]

absolutely not. I just want to win, but do you think Brad Redford would have as many fans if he wasn't white?

Haha no, I agree with you and it drives me insane.

[gladdenguy]

Now that is funny Bandaid.

[GrimeTime]

He made free throws in the video. That's good enough for me.

[GIMMFD]

This kid isn't as cute as Brad.

(What a strange thing to say...)

Hahahah +public reps, that one was brilliant.

[RealDeal]

Maybe this is a silver lining to not getting Vez. Seems like a similar guy, maybe he doesn't come with Vez in front of him. These are the kinds of things I tell myself to ease the pain.

[XUFan09]

Maybe this is a silver lining to not getting Vez. Seems like a similar guy, maybe he doesn't come with Vez in front of him. These are the kinds of things I tell myself to ease the pain.

Nah, different positions. Vez is a stretch four and Macura is a wing. Sorry that you can't use this to ease the pain.

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[xudash]

Maybe this is a silver lining to not getting Vez. Seems like a similar guy, maybe he doesn't come with Vez in front of him. These are the kinds of things I tell myself to ease the pain.

Actually, that is a very good thought. You may be right. At the very least, you are right about it having the effect of easing the pain.

[RealDeal]

Nah, different positions. Vez is a stretch four and Macura is a wing. Sorry that you can't use this to ease the pain.

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I think they both play the 3 at x. I guess we'll never know.

[XUFan09]

I think they both play the 3 at x. I guess we'll never know.

Some fans only assumed that because he shot the 3, but I consistently heard he was a prototypical stretch four. It's the Xavier-fan (or basketball traditionalist?) tendency of always moving a player to a smaller position if he has an outside shot. This is the same tendency that led fans to suggest putting James Farr or Griffin McKenzie at the 3 or Justin Martin at the 2.

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[RealDeal]

Some fans only assumed that because he shot the 3, but I consistently heard he was a prototypical stretch four. It's the Xavier-fan (or basketball traditionalist?) tendency of always moving a player to a smaller position if he has an outside shot. This is the same tendency that led fans to suggest putting James Farr or Griffin McKenzie at the 3 or Justin Martin at the 2.

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Nah, it was his weight, at 225 I don't think he could guard 4's. Those other guys you mention are a lot bigger and heavier. He's probably a combo forward, and jp is a 3, so there is some overlap.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Looks like he can do a lot more than Redford. He shoots 3's, drives to the basket (nice reverse layups) and blocks shots. And he is 6'5".

[XUFan09]

Nah, it was his weight, at 225 I don't think he could guard 4's. Those other guys you mention are a lot bigger and heavier. He's probably a combo forward, and jp is a 3, so there is some overlap.

Travis Taylor and Jeff Robinson didn't even weigh 225. That was actually going to be the big issue for him. He doesn't have the quickness to guard 3s, and he was going to be rather light for the 4. His overall game is that of a 4, though, and defensively he could manage much better there (like Robinson and Taylor) than at the 3.

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[LA Muskie]

Maybe this is a silver lining to not getting Vez. Seems like a similar guy, maybe he doesn't come with Vez in front of him. These are the kinds of things I tell myself to ease the pain.
According to ALL reports, Vez would have been a pure (albeit "European") 4 -- and wouldn't have seen time at the 3.

[PMI]

We'll never know, but I'm pretty confident that Vezenkov was never going to play the 3 at Xavier, based on everything I've read. 09 is right. A lot of Xavier fans always seem to regard guys who can shoot as fitting at a smaller position than they should be playing. I'm not suggesting that is the case in this thread, but it's something I've always noticed. I'm pretty sure there are still Xavier fans out there who think Justin Martin is capable of playing the 2.

[waggy]

Not what I remember. Common wish around here was that he would displace JMart.

[PMI]

Not what I remember. Common wish around here was that he would displace JMart.

That's what people seemed to be counting on, but they were just speculating. Justin Martin can play some at the 4, so in theory, he could've taken some of his minutes. But Vezenkov, by all accounts, is a true stretch big, not a tweener.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

I am amazed at the number of offers he received. I do not remember seeing that many offers for a 3-4 star recruit.

[XUFan09]

I am amazed at the number of offers he received. I do not remember seeing that many offers for a 3-4 star recruit.

I think he was getting a lot of low-major interest before he blew up this spring.

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[RealDeal]

I hope the reports you guys are going off of aren't bsnow's. He said d brown couldn't play the 4 at X. I let my subscription lapse at that point.

[XUFan09]

Brian Snow and Rick Broering didn't have any direct info on Vezenkov, as he was a European player, so all info they garnered was from sources connected with the coaching staff and from the coaching staff itself.

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[SemajParlor]

I am amazed at the number of offers he received. I do not remember seeing that many offers for a 3-4 star recruit.

I was thinking the same thing. Don't get me wrong, I am happy but am I missing something here?

[Masterofreality]

Dominoes fall.

JP commits to XU and unfortunately Justin Bibbs commits to Va. Tech.

Hope that doesn't hurt us with Makinde London.

[SpectorJersey]

London and Bibbs werent packaged deals, not sure where you got that nonsense from, the only thing they have in common is they go to the same prep school. X wasnt really a choice for Bibbs once they took Macura.

[Milhouse]

I hope the reports you guys are going off of aren't bsnow's. He said d brown couldn't play the 4 at X. I let my subscription lapse at that point.

Yeah I don't put very very little stock in snow's opinion. He comes off as very arrogant, but the site is still worth the description. Rick is great and I love the analysis he provides.

[casualfan]

Looks like my haunch may be correct.

Jerry Meyer the national recruiting analyst for 247sports reoorted yesterday that JP tied to commit to Minnesota, was turned away, and then committed to us.

JP's high school coach is denying that but what else is he supposed to say?

Why would Minnesota turn him away you ask? Apparently they feel they're getting 5 star isaiah whitehead who plays the same spot as JP.

In the long run I'm not sure it really matters, but definitely interesting to see how recruiting works sometimes

[Masterofreality]

London and Bibbs werent packaged deals, not sure where you got that nonsense from, the only thing they have in common is they go to the same prep school. X wasnt really a choice for Bibbs once they took Macura.

Not " nonsense ". Didn't 't say that they were a "package". Just that sometimes coaches of the high school were the same kids go may be put off by someone else getting a spot at a college who was recruiting their kid for the same position. Then that coach influences the other kid negatively.

Don't think that will happen here, but you never know.

[bobbiemcgee]

@GoodmanESPN JP Macura just committed to Xavier. Was widely assumed he was a done deal to Butler until Brad Stevens left for Boston.

@jpmacura Just made the best decision of my life!!! Officially committed to XAVIER🏀


He was impressed and influenced by the "the Xavier Way" philosophy.

[paulxu]

That's...The Xavier Way (tm)(c).

[Emp]

absolutely not. I just want to win, but do you think Brad Redford would have as many fans if he wasn't white?

holy shit, are you kidding? Brad was as popular as our last great 3 PFG shooter, BJ Raymond. They both put the ball in the hoop from a long way away. We loved them both because they were shooters.

[Juice]

holy shit, are you kidding? Brad was as popular as our last great 3 PFG shooter, BJ Raymond. They both put the ball in the hoop from a long way away. We loved them both because they were shooters.

It's ok to acknowledge it. Everyone knows. People weren't yelling "shooooooot" every time BJ got the ball anytime near half court. Old, white men weren't getting basketball boners to BJ nearly as much as Brad.

[xudash]

He was impressed and influenced by the "the Xavier Way" philosophy.

From what I've quickly gathered, there have been no comments from the Little Engine That Could crowd in Indy. In fact, it appears as though nobody has put anything on their (YUKU) board for two days.

Other than officially being taken in by the Big East, they've had a helluva summer over there.

I believe Butler will be okay, as things go moving forward. It's all somewhat relative, but the point is that I doubt they will tank into oblivion any time soon. But I absolutely believe those two runs from a very crappy conference have exposed them for what they are: a smaller-time program with highly elastic fan support that accomplished a lot with less, and that now has chewed off a little more than would generally be advisable.

That last part doesn't matter, because no program in its right mind would pass on the opportunity to jump from the Horizon to the A10 and then to the Big East in such a short time. But now they have to figure out how to exist in the Big East, and with non-relevant football serving as an anchor to their overall athletic department, and with an old dump that has limited options for improvement due to its NHR status.

I particularly like how their jealousy of Xavier shows through with some of the threads they start over there about Xavier - - the Xavier Way diatribe being the most recent. How do they now explain to themselves that a recruit they coveted, and was coveted by their former coach has moved on with a commitment to Xavier? They can explain it. They just don't want to explain it.

[paulxu]

I particularly like how their jealousy of Xavier shows through with some of the threads they start over there about Xavier - -

Boy, that sounds familiar.

[LA Muskie]

Boy, that sounds familiar.

I was thinking the exact same thing. "Hey there Pot. How're you doing? Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Kettle..."

[paulxu]

I miss Fired Up Karen.

[X-band '01]

That's...The Xavier Way (tm)(c).

The Xavier Way with Thomas More College?

[bobbiemcgee]

Too Many Condoms

[paulxu]

Too Many Condoms

Well, we know that's not right.

[Cannonball]

Having watched the video, JP appears to be the second coming of Chris Mack as a player. This is a very good thing!

[More Cowbell]

I was not around to see Chris Mack as a player, but his highlight reel reminds me a bit of Jordan Crawford.

[Blue Blobs Bro]

i dont know what it is ,i just feel like hes gonna be a big time player once he gets here and bulks up.

[Milhouse]

Saw Semaj tweeting at him and Sumner last night. Would be great if he decides to stick around for their frosh year.

[blueblob06]

Saw Semaj tweeting at him and Sumner last night. Would be great if he decides to stick around for their frosh year.

Great would be a huge understatement.

[PMI]

Saw Semaj tweeting at him and Sumner last night. Would be great if he decides to stick around for their frosh year.

I will not allow myself to get my hopes up for that one, but yes, that would be amazing to have him for two more years.

[Milhouse]

I just want to see the kid in March Madness. After that I'll be fine to let him go.

[PMI]

He will be playing in the dance this year. I'm sure of it.

[Chalmers0]

Looks like my haunch may be correct.

Jerry Meyer the national recruiting analyst for 247sports reoorted yesterday that JP tied to commit to Minnesota, was turned away, and then committed to us.

JP's high school coach is denying that but what else is he supposed to say?

Why would Minnesota turn him away you ask? Apparently they feel they're getting 5 star isaiah whitehead who plays the same spot as JP.

In the long run I'm not sure it really matters, but definitely interesting to see how recruiting works sometimes

I don't think that is even remotely correct. I think Meyer is just trying to cover his and the rest of 247's behinds since they have predicted Minnesota for months.

Minnesota actually went out and offered Riley LaChance right after Macura committed to X. LaChance was reportedly our backup plan for if Macura went elsewhere (somewhat similar skillsets, both considered to be above average shooters). Pitino definitely wanted Macura.

[XUFan09]

No program at Minnesota's level would pass up on a solid four-star player in the hopes of landing a five-star who is being recruited by all the big boys. The risk of losing out on both is just too great, and really, they could still take a commitment from Whitehead if they had Macura in the fold (as Xavier would have done in the recruitment with Bluiett). That's especially true since they're both wings, so they have the flexibility to be on the court at the same time.

[casualfan]

No program at Minnesota's level would pass up on a solid four-star player in the hopes of landing a five-star who is being recruited by all the big boys. The risk of losing out on both is just too great, and really, they could still take a commitment from Whitehead if they had Macura in the fold (as Xavier would have done in the recruitment with Bluiett). That's especially true since they're both wings, so they have the flexibility to be on the court at the same time.

Just passing along what a guy who gets paid to report recruiting news and doesn't have any allegiance to either school is saying.

[XUFan09]

Just passing along what a guy who gets paid to report recruiting news and doesn't have any allegiance to either school is saying.

His fan allegiance is irrelevant in the question of whether he is trying to cover his own ass, as ChalmersO said. 247Sports is the only site that was predicting Minnesota to the bitter end, long after others were saying it's Creighton vs. Xavier. His job depends on looking right most of the time, because otherwise the site will start losing subscribers to Scout and Rivals. They're already at a competitive disadvantage by being newer than the other sites.

[XUFan09]

Basically, you're saying your hunch may have been correct, and we're telling you to hold on a second and realize the distinct possibility that the guy has his own agenda.

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[SixFig]

OK so with a PG and SG (both 6'4") in the fold...we are still waiting on some players to play in the paint. O'Mara is visiting on the 15th let's lock him up and call it a day.

[A10fan]

OK so with a PG and SG (both 6'4") in the fold...we are still waiting on some players to play in the paint. O'Mara is visiting on the 15th let's lock him up and call it a day.


I thought Makinde London was coming in this weekend? Did something change?

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=7024113

I'd much rather have him than O'mara. Lock em both up maybe.

[XUFan09]

I thought Makinde London was coming in this weekend? Did something change?

http://scouthoops.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=7024113

I'd much rather have him than O'mara. Lock em both up maybe.

Yep, London is coming this weekend, with O'Mara coming next weekend. Technically there are three scholarships available, but with the assumption that Semaj leaves early, there are four, enough to pick up both these guys.

Edit: O'Mara might actually be this weekend. I can't remember.

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[Masterofreality]

Tweet from Ed Sumner to Sean O'Hara:

@TF_32: @S3AN_54 Get with me and JP @jpmacura at Xavier! We need you