AJC > Sports > Tech > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThompkins not nearly a Yellow Jacket
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Paul Hewitt is not finished adding players.
Iman Shumpert, the guard from Chicago, signed his letter of intent Thursday, and from what I know he’s the only player expected to sign with Tech on the dotted line in this one-week earlying signing period. Forward Trey Thompkins of Wesleyan, by the way, was not nearly a Yellow Jacket.
Tech, which of course will lose scholarship seniors Ra’Sean Dickey, Anthony Morrow and Matt Causey, will add more players in the spring period.
I don’t follow basketball recruiting nearly like I do football recruiting. Both baffle me occasionally, or make me wonder, like when the father of Howard Thompkins said a couple days ago after his son signed with Georgia that Tech, Kentucky and Florida had continued to recruit his son after he’d committed to Georgia.
So I called dad, Howard Thompkins II. I asked if Tech and the other schools kept recruiting his son after he had committed to Georgia some time ago. He paused, and then said, “No, not at all.”
In some of Mr. Thompkins’ comments this week, that wasn’t clear. So I asked another way. After your son commited, did anyone from Tech contact Trey or your family? The guy is one of the very highest-rated forwards in the nation, after all, so …
“It all came down to Florida, Georgia Tech and Georgia [what about Kentucky?] in the final analysis,” dad said. “After all was said and done, no one called after Georgia was picked.”
It may not seem like a big deal to some, and there’s no NCAA rule against one school continuing to recruit a kid after he’s committed to a different school. It might not even qualify as an unwritten rule.
But plenty of people consider it unethical, and I was curious where Hewitt and Tech fell on this issue, especially since some comments by Mr. Thompkins could have been interpreted to suggest that his son’s recruitment never stopped.
Oh well, another peculiar chapter in the recruiting world.
I’ll blog again later today from the tournament in St. Thomas, where it’s mid- to high-80s and very humid. Man, are the streets congested, too. Zack Peacock (right foot) did not make the trip, and PG Maurice Miller (back) will not start, and may not play. Matt Causey will start at PG.
Matt
Comments
By lil john
November 16, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
Howard is soft anyway.Tech didnt need him . The big question for you winklejohn… whats going on with Aminu, his mom is riding around in shiny new car and she aint got no job Sounds like payola.
By GTLoyal
November 16, 2007 11:40 AM | Link to this
You sure do enjoy calling our recruiting prospects. I, like many others, still do not appreciate this behavior.
Why not focus on the student-atheletes we have, instead of this meddling idolatry of seventeen and eighteen year old boys? You could have learned about the recruiting practices of Coach Hewitt by asking any of the current players on our roster, or better yet asking him directly.
By DA Tech
November 16, 2007 11:56 AM | Link to this
Matt,
St. Thomas is a great place to visit. Yes, traffic is awful there - took me about 45 minutes to get from the airport to the Marriott and that was only 2 miles at best. Enjoy the games. Go Tech.
By Wrekfaithful
November 16, 2007 11:59 AM | Link to this
lil john How do you know that his mom is riding around in a new car? so what if she is…. have you not seen anyone in a new car lately?
By Light Shedder
November 16, 2007 2:17 PM | Link to this
If you didn’t notice, Aminu’s little brother just committed to Wake Forest…
By GEB
November 16, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
Matt, thanks for harassing (calling) the kid’s family. That was mighty responsible of you. Did someone just see the AJC headline “Tech beat UNC” What?? Thought we were playing Charlotte.
By ga_tech_92
November 16, 2007 3:43 PM | Link to this
Iman Shumpert is another 6 foot something multi-positional player and highly rated. Sounds famiilar. I read that we are looking at playing him at the point, though he really is a two guard when it’s said and done. Sounds familiar. Can we not recruit traditional/true point guards? Tall guys cannot keep up with short quick ACC guards and nearly 20 turnovers to Charlotte should illustrate we need better PG play. You cannot have a ‘good year in the ACC’ without good pg depth…and that doesn’t mean one and done guys who are two guards. I’m glad Shumpert is coming to play with GT. I hope he stays more than a year…but more than anything…I hope we are continuing to put a true point guard (or three) as a chief priority.
By Jim Grogan
November 16, 2007 8:03 PM | Link to this
Can Tech recruit point guards? Mark Price, Stephan Marbury, Travis Best, Jarret Jack, Kenny Anderson….
By Jim Grogan
November 16, 2007 8:08 PM | Link to this
Oh, forgot: Dion Glover and Javaris Crittenton
By ArkyTech
November 16, 2007 9:02 PM | Link to this
Matt,
No idea why a couple folks here are jumping you. The kid’s daddy made a pretty bold statement and you were right to follow up on it. There’s certainly a lot of harassing in recruiting these days, but I don’t see that at all in this case.
By the way, I cringed in the 2nd half as Charlotte took the lead while GT had Bell, Faye, Smith and Sheehan in the game at the same time. So how many guys did they put on Morrow with that lineup? Glad to see the Jackets pulled it out.
By Fall Jacket
November 17, 2007 1:50 AM | Link to this
Matt, you continue to have nothing better to do than to call our recruits? Are you single handedly trying to destroy our reputation? Come on!! You should be classified as “unethical” for calling these kids yourself. Matt Winklejohn, investigative reporter. AKA..”Fletch”.
Got anyone in the Carribean to call?
By Mike
November 17, 2007 7:54 AM | Link to this
Um, why is everyone upset over a reporter calling a UGa recruit’s Dad?? I don’t get that at all? Hasn’t the kid committed and signed already? None of the questions to his Dad should hjave any impact, so why the fuss?
Matt, ignore those guys (I Know you do anyway).
By BankyGT
November 18, 2007 1:48 AM | Link to this
Grogan -
You forgot Craig Neal and Drew Barry. 2 of the best assist men not only in Tech history, but ACC history. Tony Akins wasn’t half bad either.
By BankyGT
November 18, 2007 1:49 AM | Link to this
Grogan -
don’t forget Craig Neal and Drew Barry. Tony Akins wasn’t half bad either.
By Mr. Reality
November 20, 2007 7:03 PM | Link to this
Quit responding to this knucklehead and the AJC will have no other choice.