Justyn Fernandez Top 10

[He15man]

Basketball is NOT bigger at UT than football.

Kentucky and Vandy are the only southern, SEC schools that apply.

 

[GMUgemini]

Kentucky and Vandy are the only southern, SEC schools that apply.

Is any sport big at Vandy?

 

[Petey Buckets]

This is just such a bad take Jim

Is it? I don't really know how you recruit against a school like Florida, but this seems as good a pitch to me as any. At Florida if you're a great basketball player you'll maaaaybe be as popular as the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and star linebacker. At Mason you'll own the school. Not saying it's bulletproof, but there isn't exactly a lot to work with.

I would bet Florida tried very hard to close JF while he was on campus. The fact he's even making it to Mason is a good sign. Come on Kim, let's do this!

 

[He15man]

this is the kicker for me. Whether it means anything in the end, we’ll see. He has 5 officials lined up, and Mason gets a second.

i know I’ll be glued to my phone next weekend trying to hear anything haha.

I agree with this wholeheartedly. Whereas most kids use their officials to see the country, get wined and dined, and do their own analysis of the local "talent" and sororities, the fact that Justyn is using one of his 5 to come back to Mason for a second visit speaks VOLUMES. LIke any kid, he's going to want to have the perks of being a student athlete, and thank GOD we now have a facility and locker room to prove our commitment to athletics. It's really going to come down to KE and making it clear that he's not only a unique style of head coach, but one that isn't just cool... but knows how to get kids to the next level.

 

[He15man]

Is any sport big at Vandy?

Fair point. ... Baseball is pretty good. They won a natties in 2014 and 2019; 2014 was the first national championship in any mens sport. As for the women, they won team national championships in bowling and tennis. Bowling was the schools first national championship of any kind. ... And yes, I had to look that up.

 

[hoops10]

Why would he pick Mason? Of course the coach will be the deciding factor, but maybe there are other considerations from JF point of view. He can be a star in the A10, a leading scorer, and get plenty of publicity, especially in basketball rich DC. If he chooses one of the big 5 schools his talent, while impressive, will be equal to most of his teammates (all 4s and 5s) and he may get reduced playing time until he proves himself. Coach English will offer him a path to the NBA, what is important regarding attitude, demeanor, communications skills, etc. Priceless lessons that can only be offered from an experienced coach. Many fans like the underdog aspect, meaning the coach can play up the chance for JF to be the leader of an A10 team that can make a difference in the tournament. That publicity is also priceless. Finally, I believe the atmosphere of Mason, although having high student enrollment, yet the feeling of a small school would make him more comfortable. Finally, how he feels about his teammates is big, especially the relationship with Dinkins is important. I trust KE will know exactly what the hot buttons are. I wish him the best.

 

[gmujim92]

This recruitment is Exhibit A for why, when I kept defending DP the last couple years, @mkaufman1 texted me 4,000,000 times with the following message: If Mason gets the coaching hire right, it makes up for a lot of other stuff we don’t (and likely won’t) have.

He was right. I was wrong. We were never gonna get the kind of players we need to compete in the A-10 with Dave as our closer.

 

[mkaufman1]

This recruitment is Exhibit A for why, when I kept defending DP the last couple years, @mkaufman1 texted me 4,000,000 times with the following message: If Mason gets the coaching hire right, it makes up for a lot of other stuff we don’t (and likely won’t) have.

He was right. I was wrong. We were never gonna get the kind of players we need to compete in the A-10 with Dave as our closer.

As I tell my wife "occasionally I have good ideas".

It all starts with the coach. Other stuff helps, but it starts with a coach.

 

[GMUgemini]

As I tell my wife "occasionally I have good ideas".

It all starts with the coach. Other stuff helps, but it starts with a coach.

I think the writing was on the wall when all of our “big-time” 2021 recruits dropped Mason before their final five and Jim went ballistic (I think on Castro, maybe Reynolds). Paulsen was just not going to be able to close with that level of recruit.

 

[Patriot8]

If he wants to go to a school where basketball is bigger than football and still play in the south, he can pick Tennessee.

Respectfully, in no world is Tennessee Basketball bigger than Tennessee Football.

 

[GMU79]

Respectfully, in no world is Tennessee Basketball bigger than Tennessee Football.

Brother, you got that exactly right.

 

[jessej]

Is any sport big at Vandy?

Chess

 

[GreenLantern]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1430656134893944837

View: https://twitter.com/JustynFernande4/status/1430656134893944837?s=19

 

[Walter]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1430656134893944837

View: https://twitter.com/JustynFernande4/status/1430656134893944837?s=19

what does that mean?

 

[GMUgemini]

what does that mean?

Absolutely no clue, but clicking on the link I see an old Paulsen target, Christian Watson, picked Miami. Larranaga still killing it in the DMV.

 

[Falco]

We get this. But looking at his top 10, there's a whole lot of if we land him it's a massive, massive coup.

If he wants to go to a premier basketball-only conference, he could pick Providence and the Big East.

If he wants to go to a school where basketball is bigger than football and still play in the south, he can pick Tennessee.

If he wants to play in the "best basketball conference in the country" [aka ACC] he can pick Clemson, or Virginia Tech, or Wake Forest, or Boston College, or NC State [and with Clemson and Tech, he also gets the added bonus of some pretty football obsessed students, if that's actually important to him].

Hell, if he wants playing time right away and to showcase what he can do, he can also pick Rhode Island as easily as Mason.

And then there's still Florida hanging out there to be plucked.

A lot of work for KE to do, a LOT of work. But the fact that Fernandez, at least right now, still taking an official to Mason and hasn't committed anywhere, he's got to keep grinding.

ps: That's a lot of ACC schools in his final 10, by the way, just saying...

Obviously KE is nailing his pitch. I’m sure he has a lot of talking points. But I would have to imagine that one of his best selling points is that he played in the league and Felton Coached in the League.

 

[Falco]

Why would he pick Mason? Of course the coach will be the deciding factor, but maybe there are other considerations from JF point of view. He can be a star in the A10, a leading scorer, and get plenty of publicity, especially in basketball rich DC. If he chooses one of the big 5 schools his talent, while impressive, will be equal to most of his teammates (all 4s and 5s) and he may get reduced playing time until he proves himself. Coach English will offer him a path to the NBA, what is important regarding attitude, demeanor, communications skills, etc. Priceless lessons that can only be offered from an experienced coach. Many fans like the underdog aspect, meaning the coach can play up the chance for JF to be the leader of an A10 team that can make a difference in the tournament. That publicity is also priceless. Finally, I believe the atmosphere of Mason, although having high student enrollment, yet the feeling of a small school would make him more comfortable. Finally, how he feels about his teammates is big, especially the relationship with Dinkins is important. I trust KE will know exactly what the hot buttons are. I wish him the best.

You made a great point. The star athlete has the best chance of making money off their name. Unless he’s going to be the go-to-guy at a P5, choose Mason and the McKay family will make you rich!

 

[GMU79]

You made a great point. The star athlete has the best chance of making money off their name. Unless he’s going to be the go-to-guy at a P5, choose Mason and the Makay family will make you rich!

McKay

 

[Quentin Daniels]

Is any sport big at Vandy?

Baseball, women's bowling, and occasionally basketball which has one of the more interesting courts. It's a former theater so the floor is raised and the players benches are behind each basket.

Football games have pretty high attendance too. About half of that is from visiting fans though.

 

[GMU79]

MasonSAE4, why would you dislike a spelling correction?