'13 TX C Dominic Woodson (Memphis Commit)

Unread post by **ATPTourFan** » 11 years ago

The way this thread (and forum) works, I'd expect that detail to be posted here as soon as it's known. Haven't seen it here yet.

Kingston · Unread post by **Kingston** » 11 years ago

I've been told he's coming on Sunday. Which is the opening of the dead period . If he passes the Hurley test he could be a ram by Monday .

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 11 years ago

Fingers crosssssed

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

Add Woodson and there is talent and depth at every position. Ok, maybe Woodson isn't considered to be a top 25 talent like he was a year ago. But he's still considered top 100. I'll take that. Just because his stock has slid a bit doesn't bother me. If somebody told me that we were getting a top 100 6'10 290 lb. center, not knowing that he was once a top 25, I'd be ecstatic. I have the confidence that once he sets foot on this campus, Dan Hurley will make him the best player he can possibly be. I am as excited about this possibility as I was when we got EC. LET'S DO IT!!!

Ramulous · Unread post by **Ramulous** » 11 years ago

You have to wonder, however, if Woodson slid so much this past year whether he even fits into a Hurley program which is designed with maximum input required of his players....

....we question many times here whether Hare fits in with this mentality.....I think there are as many questions with Woodson...

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

You're right. Hurley is sceptical, and that's why this
visit tomorrow is so important.
I hope this shitty weather clears up.

Mongo · Unread post by **Mongo** » 11 years ago

The buzz here in TX is that we have a "great" shot at Woodson. I guess we'll see, but the circles around here seem to say it would be a great move on both sides. I hope it works out.... We will be very deep at all positions and very talented... Can't wait for November.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

I'm glad he's not here today. This is about as cold and crappy as I can remember a Memorial Day weekend being. Hopefully, it's better by the time he gets here. I know weather isn't the most critical thing, but it can be a factor.

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 11 years ago

At least he'd know what winters are like here ...

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 11 years ago

It is true. When it rains on the URI campus the place looks pretty crappy. It's probably like that on most campuses though. A nice sunny day in Kingston would be perfect for his visit.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

Yes, he's from Texas, but he did play in Vermont for part of his high school career. So, he does know New England winters.

theblueram · Unread post by **theblueram** » 11 years ago

The sun is shining in Gansett!

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

If Woodson's here and having a personal session with Coach Hurley and other staff members, I'd say the forecast would be, "Calling for periods of very heavy drizzle. Also, watch out for some slick surface areas, and possible ponding."

hrstrat57 · Unread post by **hrstrat57** » 11 years ago

bressler3south wrote:If Woodson's here and having a personal session with Coach Hurley and other staff members, I'd say the forecast would be, "Calling for periods of very heavy drizzle. Also, watch out for some slick surface areas, and possible ponding."

I live right off campus....sun is out right now!

Ramulous · Unread post by **Ramulous** » 11 years ago

Bressler may be referring to the intensity of the workout Hurley may impose and the resultant blood sweat and tears emanating from Woodson....

rhodyfan3 · Unread post by **rhodyfan3** » 11 years ago

Will we know a decision by today?

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Doubtful.

Smokinjimit · Unread post by **Smokinjimit** » 11 years ago

I would love to have this guy on th team. That being said...
6'10 270lb and you barely get over 6 rebounds a game? In high school?

Am I missing something?

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

Do we know if he's here?

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Very interesting article. Sorry, no link, so I copied the whole article. Wonder how Auntie feels about him being in RI, if she hated him going to Vermont? This kid hasn't exactly had it easy:

'Auntie' paved way for Dominic Woodson
by J. HickmanSun, Jul 08 201210 Comments
The product of a shattered upbringing, MaxPreps.com's top-ranked center in the Class of 2013 is beating the odds.

LAS VEGAS – Dominic Woodson didn't gravitate toward the sport of basketball until eighth grade. There was no early indication he was destined to become one of the nation's most highly-prized recruits.

"He sucked," said Shavona Woodson, Dominic's aunt and guardian. "People kind of teased him about it, but that didn't stop him. It motivated him."

At 6-foot-10 and 288 pounds, nobody is teasing Dominic (pronounced Dominique) these days. He carries the weight well and is about as physically imposing as a teenager can be.

And he definitely doesn't suck at basketball.

Woodson was named the top center in the Class of 2013 last week by MaxPreps and could be in line for five-star status when the Top 100 is updated in August. His game is a mixture of brute force and well-schooled post moves, often finished with a soft touch belying his offensive lineman-type stature. He won't allow the acclaim to slow his progress, however.

"It makes me feel like I've accomplished a few of my goals, but I've got to accomplish more of them," Woodson said. "Rankings are just rankings. Anybody can be in the rankings. It's just a matter of who is going to play the hardest between the lines."

This past weekend, he was one of 93 elite high school prospects participating in the LeBron James Skills Academy. The road to Las Vegas, where he played in front of King James himself Sunday, hasn't been an easy one.

His mother and stepdad were drug addicts, leaving Dominic and nine siblings to fend for themselves. He doesn't know his father. Shavona recalls him heading off to a nearby corner store at an early age for handouts – usually potato chips.

Shavona – known by most as "Auntie" – stepped in to take custody of Dominic and six of his siblings when he was 9.

"He's always appreciated the little things," Shavona said. "I don't have much but I've tried to give him a lot of love and consistency, which he didn't always have."

Not long after taking custody, Shavona moved her new family from Louisville, Ky., to Austin, Texas, where he was connected with Kevin Robinson and former Michigan Fab Five member Ray Jackson, who operates a club team know as Ray Jackson's Rising Stars.

"He used to play with another team across town and my team used to always beat him," Robinson said. "One weekend we beat him and I told him, 'Come to Dallas with us so you can see how we play.'

"I got to know his situation, knowing about his parents, living with his aunt, not knowing his dad and not living with his mom. I said, 'This is a kid I can help.' I started being around in his life, helping him out, keeping him with me and mentoring him. And then he just grew to be 6-10."

Despite his attention-grabbing frame, Dominic didn't rocket to stardom as a freshman like so many of his peers on the roster at the LeBron James Skills Academy. He started to find his way onto the radar as a sophomore at Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas), but things really took off after a trip to Orlando with the Rising Stars last July.

"Dominic played great when everybody was watching," Robinson said of the Orlando trip. "He got to shaking the shot clock and shaking the rim (with dunks). When we got out of there, everything went crazy."

As a junior, he made the move to Vermont Academy (Saxtons River, Vt.) in an effort to shore up his academics. Even with her hands and house full with seven children, Shavonna hated the idea.

"I was against it," Shavona said. "I flat-out refused his 10th grade year. You always feel like nobody can take care of yours like you."

Dominic's relationship with the coaching staff at Vermont Academy went sour late in the year. Another relocation is in the works, this time to Huntington Prep (W.Va.), where he will play with a star-studded cast that includes top 2014 prospect and fellow LeBron camper Andrew Wiggins.

A stigma exists in the basketball world with players who bounce from school to school, but it hasn't slowed interest from college programs in Woodson's case. Louisville, North Carolina State, Oklahoma and Rhode Island are all in the picture. Robinson recently received an email inquiry from Kentucky.

"Toward the end of the summer, we are going to narrow it down to five and sit down with his aunt and try to make the best decision," Robinson said.

Becoming the first of his siblings to graduate from high school and attend college is more than enough for Shavona.

"He's not the kid that he was eight years ago. He's grown and matured so much," Shavona said. "His attitude is different on the court. He's aggressive but he's really a gentle giant. He would give you the shirt off his back."

Perhaps someday he can give Shavona even more.

"I always knew that God had a plan for him," Auntie said. "I just didn't know it would be this big."

hrstrat57 · Unread post by **hrstrat57** » 11 years ago

Nice read, good work Rod!

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Maybe Dan Hurley IS the person he needs to realize his potential? Time will tell.

hrstrat57 · Unread post by **hrstrat57** » 11 years ago

Hope so - could be the last piece we need to leap into the top 20 next year.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

I still haven't seen anything, other than Kingston's post, that says he's coming here today. Is this a secret, or hasn't it happened?

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

Very good, Ramulous!

(Though I wasn't looking for blood………)

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

I originally heard Wednesday. Who knows?

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

First of all, thanks for the article, Rod! "Auntie" certainly is a remarkable woman by all accounts…

"He's always appreciated the little things," Shavona said. "I don't have much but I've tried to give him a lot of love and consistency, which he didn't always have."

If that's the case, Dominic Woodson will find a coach who will become his mentor-for-life, who will be the most consistent person he's ever met aside from Auntie, and will be there from beginning-to-end.

Also, for those who care: The weather for Wednesday-Friday should be "Rhode Island Perfect!"

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Some bad info here.
The Hurley family is on vacation in the Carribean, so
Dan isn't here, obviously.
I doubt if they'd schedule a visit without him.

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

Well, IF that's the case, Rod, at least there was no heavy drizzle, no slick areas, no ponding in the Caribbean!
Look at it this way: Dominic Woodson graduated Friday. (Congratulations, if you're reading this stuff, Dominic!) Why rush him around to solely satisfy the "basketball-arati?"
I'm pretty sure that everything has been very nicely planned by Coach Hurley and the staff. Let's hope that Dominic Woodson wants to make the Hurley-Mentor-for-Life-Connection-Commitment….

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 11 years ago

i believe the dead period just ended last night

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

twisted3829 wrote:i believe the dead period just ended last night

It did, but it was thought that Woodson was visiting today. Maybe later in the week or next week now?

twisted3829 · Unread post by **twisted3829** » 11 years ago

Rod said he heard wednesday, I'll trust Rod

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

twisted3829, you must've meant: In Rod We Trust! All Else, Speak At You Own Risk!

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Again, dead period, live period, monthly period, Dan isn't here.
Preston told me next week.
So, I'll stand by some other day than today.

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

Again, dead period, live period, monthly period, Dan isn't here.
Preston told me next week.
So, I'll stand by some other day than today.

No big deal, Rod!

We'll all have something to look forward to next week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bressler3south · Unread post by **bressler3south** » 11 years ago

Can anyone out there verify this from "Verbal Commits?" 5/27/2013 - 2013 C Dominic Woodson (6-10, 315, 4★) | Overall Rank: 69 | Position Rank: 10 has trimmed his list, and removed Rhode Island from consideration. - Per Rivals
OR is this another of their recycling moves? That happened during the last 1-2 months with Vedder, Harris, McKoy, et al., being mentioned…...

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

bressler3south wrote:Can anyone out there verify this from "Verbal Commits?" 5/27/2013 - 2013 C Dominic Woodson (6-10, 315, 4★) | Overall Rank: 69 | Position Rank: 10 has trimmed his list, and removed Rhode Island from consideration. - Per Rivals
OR is this another of their recycling moves? That happened during the last 1-2 months with Vedder, Harris, McKoy, et al., being mentioned…...

Link?

SmartyBarrett · Unread post by **SmartyBarrett** » 11 years ago

Top piece here, under "Recent Activity": http://www.verbalcommits.com/schools/rhode-island

But if you click on the Rivals link, there's no back-up for that claim...

EDIT: Just searched Twitter, no news there either. Strange.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

The fact that it is under today's date is a little concerning. It says he trimmed his list, but doesn't show the list either.

Rhodymob05 · Unread post by **Rhodymob05** » 11 years ago

I think I'm just gonna wait until the words come out of Dan Hurleys mouth to believe anything anymore

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

Eh, no big deal, if he comes here of not, we'll be good and have another scholarship for 2014.
Haven't seen a peep on Twitter.

Kingston · Unread post by **Kingston** » 11 years ago

I apologize if Sunday was wrong. My sources told me Sunday and he is usually 100 percent on so I'm assuming things changed. As to the recent news Rhode Island is off his list, that to is news to me because I was told we had the best chance. I feel like Hurley and Preston have achieved Patriots status with me, any move they make is fine with me and will always work out. Let the URI dynasty begin. I will let the board know if I here anything new on Woodson

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

Kingston wrote:I apologize if Sunday was wrong. My sources told me Sunday and he is usually 100 percent on so I'm assuming things changed. As to the recent news Rhode Island is off his list, that to is news to me because I was told we had the best chance. I feel like Hurley and Preston have achieved Patriots status with me, any move they make is fine with me and will always work out. Let the URI dynasty begin. I will let the board know if I here anything new on Woodson

Thanks, hoping to hear some news soon.

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 11 years ago

For a guy who wanted to make a quick decision (as of last week), things have gone awfully quiet. Any news?

rodfromcranston · Unread post by **rodfromcranston** » 11 years ago

I suddenly got a few Memphis people following me on Twitter.
One claimed he spoke to Woodson, who told him that he wanted to keep
his recruiting quiet.
Guess he's succeeded.

Billyboy78 · Unread post by **Billyboy78** » 11 years ago

rodfromcranston wrote:I suddenly got a few Memphis people following me on Twitter.
One claimed he spoke to Woodson, who told him that he wanted to keep
his recruiting quiet.
Guess he's succeeded.

What's the big secret?

Iggy1979 · Unread post by **Iggy1979** » 11 years ago

If that's true I think it could work to URI's advantage. I know of a couple of times Preston was involved in some players where he was keeping it under wraps. The thinking was that if word go out the kid was looking at URI, some people would ask the recruit why the heck would you go to Rhode Island. Preston's strategy was to try to get the player signed before that happened.

Rhody74 · Unread post by **Rhody74** » 11 years ago

It's Memphis ...

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/20 ... ppeningnow

ace · Unread post by **ace** » 11 years ago

But someone else is saying he texted them directly, saying he committed to Memphis. He's no Ilker Er with all this, but whatever. Good luck, Pastner.

SmartyBarrett · Unread post by **SmartyBarrett** » 11 years ago

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