Number 8 ranked prospect commits to FIU to play for Isiah

[Rondo2287]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4383839

This could be really interesting.  What if Thomas actually becomes a good college coach/recruiter.  He has to be doing something right as he drew this kid away from

Duke
Kentucky
Arizona
Indiana
UCLA
Who were all recruiting him heavily

[nickagneta]

Knowing Thomas' shady dealings in NY, I wouldn't put it past him to already have cut corners in getting this kid money or other stuff to entice him to FIU.

[Rondo2287]

I feel like this is a bigger shocker than Ray Ray going to big state in, "He Got Game"

[RAcker]

The kid just couldn't turn down the promise of hookers.   

[bdm860]

Knowing Thomas' shady dealings in NY, I wouldn't put it past him to already have cut corners in getting this kid money or other stuff to entice him to FIU.

So that puts him on an even playing field with every other major program.

As many bad decisions as Thomas made, he seems to be a very good salesman and a players coach.  Maybe not as a coach with NY, but I know with Indiana the players really liked him.  If I recall correctly, Jermaine O'Neal (in his prime) signed his big contract with with Indiana (7 years, $126M), and then later that same summer Thomas was fired.  O'Neal went on to say if he knew Isiah was going to be fired he never would have re-signed.

I think a fair assesment of Isiah is:
Very good Salesman
Very good Evaluator of Talent
Very poor Manager/Businessman
Average Coach (focus on his time with the Pacers, not the Knicks, even HOF coach Larry Brown couldn't do anything with the trainwreck that was NYK).

Combined that gives him the tools to be a very successful college coach.


Overall I like it (and I always wondered why one of the more obscure D1 schools didn't try to sign a big name coach in an attempt to turn things around) No reason the same few schools should always get the top recruits. Rage Against the Majors!