Coach follows Miner recruits

It's what it looks like, I guess. UTEP signs two prep school basketeball players and then their coach follows them to Coach Tim Floyd's Miner staff of assistants.

I haven't seen this announced by UTEP yet. But the Martinsville (Va.) Bulletin says Heat Academy Coach Jason Niblett confirmed he's to be UTEP's third assistant, and has been talking with Floyd about that possibility since April.

Before Niblett's  confirmation, the Miners signed Heat Academy's Michael Haynes and Desmond Lee. Hayes is the catch. He was a 6-foot-6 high school star in Chicago before going to the academy, likely to get his grades up to college standards.

High school and prep school coaches following players has generally been frowned upon by the college basketball world. The Bulletin story said Niblett never told the two players he may be following them to El Paso until after they signed.

We'll see if Niblett is a good college-level coach/recruiter. Let's see if the second player in the deal, Lee, is major-college material. Perhaps Niblett is a budding star, destined for the big time and Lee is bonafide.

Until those things happen, you have to wonder if this was just one of those package deals smelling more of basketball-team than "he chose UTEP to get a solid college education."

Comments

[John C]

If one read the article in the Martinsville VA paper-----

http://www.martinsvillebulletin.com/article.cfm?ID=24309

A quote from Michael Haynes indicates that he was interested in an early entrance to the NBA and Tim Floyd would help that goal at UTEP.

The same article indicated that Nisbett played professional basketball in the NBA before returning to his roots to start Heat Acadamy.

I wonder if UTEP had landed Duane Poole, would his dad tag along as a package also??

[Barry]

I'm sure the NCAA is going to watch Floyd very closely. This is pretty fishy. Not very often does a middle to lower tier program steal a Duke/Texas recruit. When was the last time UTEP got such a high-profile high school kid to commit?

[John C]

The Miner Rush blog makes a good point that the UTEP fans should get use to some media critics targeting Tim Floyd.

NCAA banned packaged deals where a coach hires a HS school coach of a saught after recruit to an operational position in an attempt to deliver the recruit. However, NCAA does not ban hiring the recruits former prep or HS coach to an assistant coaching position where the recruit lands.

Nisbitt played professionally in France (I first thought NBA) and led Tennessee State to the 2nd rould of the NCAA tourney in 1992. Nisbitt reported that he received a couple of assistant coaching offers every year in the past. Nisbitt clearly knows basketball and is a good recruiter. I feel that we in El Paso should welcome Nisbitt whenever UTEP makes the announcement.

Check out the link-------

http://www.minerrush.com/2010/7/7/1557774/rivals-others-calling-out-uteps#storyjump

[Rob]

Haynes will be here 1-2 seasons tops.

[Golden State]

"Lack of institutional control" is the killer if the now watchful NCAA gets its dander up.

[John C]

It is really interesting that Floyd or UTEP has made no announcement of such hiring.

I wonder if Nisbitt went public with this on his own as if to enforce a verbal contract between he and Floyd.

I remember a couple of months ago when Tubby Smith of Minnissota was sued successfully by a former coach that said the Smith made a verbal contract with terms of salary and length of time.
The former coach was to be hired as an assistant to Smith at Minnissota.

This coach had sanctions levied on him by the NCAA and this was the reason that U of Minnissota AD would not honor the verbal contract terms that Smith had made.

Since UTEP and Floyd have been quite about this announcement by Nisbitt----it makes one wonder what is up!!

[John C]

Attached is an article from Ballin Basketball Blog about Floyd hiring assistants; Smith and Niblett-----except that Floyd or UTEP has yet to announce Niblett

http://www.ballinisahabit.net/2010/07/tim-floyds-package-deal-are-not-that.html

Attached is an article by ESPN's Brennan

http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/13146/is-tim-floyds-package-deal-all-that-bad

[Cougar Fan]

UTEP will be No. 1. That is No. 1 on the NCAAs watch list. Guess it beats being a CBI poster child.

[Stahala]

"Haynes will be here 1-2 seasons top" Such a bittersweet prediction, but definitely more sweet than bitter. I think we UTEP basketball fans can get use to having "one and done"s be a regular part of our program. This is what having Tim Floyd as our coach means. I'm guessing it will be at least a few years, if ever, until Barbee gets his first "one and done" recruit.

[DFW Miner]

Speaking of top recruits. ESPN is showing UTEP is in the mix for E Victor Nickerson, rated by ESPN as a top 100 recruit and the 19th best SF. I'm guessing we don't have to worry about his HS bball coach being hired at UTEP, no where to put him!!

Nice to see Floyd going for top talent!!

[Familyman]

FYI Caracter had 20 pts 10 rebounds 2 assists and 2 blocks in 1st summer league game as a Laker.

[MinerMike]

Barry, Cougar Fan, Golden State: The moment one of you actually points out something remotely out of policy that has occured, please chime in...until then keep your blather to yourself, you make a tired and boring argument. ~yawn~

[John C]

Muench has taken the month of July off.

[Stahala]

Nothing to talk about

[John C]

Does anybody know whether this Niblitt has been acutally hired by Floyd and UTEP??? It is strange that there has been no word from Minerland about this issue.

Anyway there is plenty to talk about-----as per Miner Rush; Memphis has alot of garbage on their door step!!

http://www.minerrush.com/2010/7/22/1583032/stay-classy-memphis-tigers-commit

[axe man]

There 's plenty to talk about.

1. Reports from practice--how does the defense/offense look, position battles--who's looking like the starter

2. Prognastication--breakdown of the upcoming schedule, game by game.

3. Scouing the opponent--what is happeming around cusa

4. Players to watch-- new miners to watch this season

There. I just gave 4 topics. You can do variations .

[JCV]

Does anyone know when the Miner basketball schedule for 2010 will come out?