Tyshawn Taylor & Dominic Cheek Update

St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley said he has asked Marquette to release Tyshawn Taylor from his Letter of Intent, but that the school won't do so until it names a new coach.

"We sent a letter to them on Thursday asking for his release and they had mentioned to another recruit that they wanted to hold on to the kids until the new coach is in place," Hurley said by phone from the Final Four. "And they would want the kids to talk to the new coach.

"It's unacceptable but it's one of the things wrong with college basketball, that they would hold a kid for this long when there' s such uncertainty."

Marquette assistant Buzz Williams has been mentioned as a possible successor to Tom Crean, who took the Indiana job, but Hurley said that that might not be enough to keep Taylor.

"No disrespect but that (Buzz Williams) was not the reason why this kid went to Marquette," Hurley said.

As per Big East regulations, Taylor is not permitted to sign a second Letter of Intent with one Big East school afer having signed with one previously, but Hurley said he has heard from Florida, Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, St. Joe's and Houston.

"We've had a ton of schools call," Hurley said.

As for 6-5 junior Dominic Cheek, Hurley said there was no major news on that front. Cheek is being recruited by Villanova, UConn, Texas, Florida, Rutgers and Seton Hall, among others.

"We're just concentrating on the last marking period," Hurley said of Cheek. "We're going to put together a list."

Comments

[Bebeskids]

He's not technically transferring, right? Wouldn't Marquette have to make an agreement with him so he didn't go to another Big East school? Regardless, it seems he won't go to another school.

[Adam Zagoria]

He would have to be released from his LOI by Marquette. Nowadays it seems like if the kid meets with the new coach and the AD, he can get released. In the old days, it was harder to get a release. Big East rules prevent a kid from signing two LOIs within the conference, so he'd likely end up at a Virginia Tech or Georgia Tech or someplace like that.

[MUBBFAN]

Why is Hurley in such a hurry to get Tyshawn Taylor out of his commitment. We will most likely sign our new coach on Tuesday or Wednesday. This is about after Crean resigned. Also, the Marquette family wants Tyshawn to be a Golden Eagle. Our new coach is most likely going to be Buzz Williams. Look what Hurley had to say after Tyshawn commited in the fall.

What did you think about his commitment to MU? It's logical. They're in the Big East, so they're going to come back and play in the area. So he's going to come back and get a chance to play Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John's, Villanova, UConn. There's chances that people can see him play. He also really liked when he was out there (at Marquette) that the system is very guard-oriented based on the personnel that the coach has. Ty kind of felt that that's their strength, that's what they're going to play to. And he really liked the assistant coaches, particularly the coach that came up from New Orleans - he was really comfortable with him. I think there were a lot of things he liked. He visited two other places, so he knew what he wanted to compare with one to the other. When he came home he was sure. I talked to him six times. We talked about everything under the sun, and he didn't waver at all in his feelings basically about anything. So we were very comfortable. He made the decision that was good for him.

The way Hurley is exaggerating this after a few days (unacceptable?) is not very classy, and it seems as though he is pushing his own agenda in this case.

We are hoping Tyshawn still wears a Marquette uniform next season. This will continue our string of getting guards into the NBA.

[jutaw22mu]

This is a direct quote from the blog of Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel following the committment of Tyshawn Taylor. Rosiak asks: "What did you think about his (Tyshawns) commitment to MU?"

Bob Hurley's response: "It's logical. They're in the Big East, so they're going to come back and play in the area. So he's going to come back and get a chance to play Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John's, Villanova, UConn. There's chances that people can see him play. He also really liked when he was out there (at Marquette) that the system is very guard-oriented based on the personnel that the coach has. Ty kind of felt that that's their strength, that's what they're going to play to. And he really liked the assistant coaches, particularly the coach that came up from New Orleans - he was really comfortable with him. I think there were a lot of things he liked. He visited two other places, so he knew what he wanted to compare with one to the other. When he came home he was sure. I talked to him six times. We talked about everything under the sun, and he didn't waver at all in his feelings basically about anything. So we were very comfortable. He made the decision that was good for him."

Link: http://blogs.jsonline.com/muhoops/archive/2007/11/02/bob-hurley-on-tyshawn-taylor.aspx

To me, it sounds like Taylor committed to Marquette University, not Tom Crean University. Based on the personnel at Marquette, it is very likely they will still be guard oriented, plus Taylor will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best (McNeal, Matthews, and James). I appreciate Hurley's concern for his player, but it hasnt even been a week since Crean blindsided Marquette's administration and somehow they are the bad guys? Marquette fully intended to honor their side of the LOI, I think its only fair that Tyshawn waits until the new coach is named and he has a chance to speak with him individually before Hurley jumps to conclusions. Marquette is still very much the right fit for Taylor.

[Chilltown]

No, he ULTIMATELY chose Marquette because of Crean. Now if Taylor still wanted to go to the school I'm sure he would. Hurley, a big name in the basketball community, is only speaking on Taylor's behalf. Just like Devon Ebanks didn't want to go to IU when Sampson got let go...It happens!

[jutaw22mu]

Well I hope Taylor does what he feels is his best interest, not Hurley's.

[jpudner]

Yes, we all want Tyshawn in a Marquette uniform next year and then in the NBA like Wade and Diener. Of course we want what's best for him, but he may decide he is really excited depending on who is hired, whether it be Buzz or someone else. Obviously most 18 year olds asked if they want to play for a team with no coach would say no, but as much as we all respect Hurley, what's the problem with giving us a little time and then letting him talk to the new coach once before making his final decision. He might get really excited by the hire - ESPN just spent time talking about how MArquette and LSU are the two hot jobs out there, so he may get excited. If not, he will know he made the best decision KNOWING who the new coach was.