'19 MD F Marial Mading (Pacific Commit)

[URIRecruitingInfo]

Four-star forward Marial Mading of Marianna (Fla.) Chipola spent one semester at Rhode Island and will have three years of eligibility if he chooses to sign with a D1 program this season. At around 6-foot-10, Mading can shoot the three with ease, he creates off the dribble and causes serious matchup problems. He now has offers from Florida, Kansas, Oregon and Texas A&M.

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com ... co-rising-

[DC_Rams]

Now he’s a 4*.

How the tables have turned.

[Iggy1979]

The Curious Case of Marial Mading

[79RhodyFan]

Marial was here for a semester did anyone hear how he looked during his time here? Did he look more like a 4* recruit or the 13th man on the team? Does anyone have any knowledge of his abilities/potential he showed while he was here?

[bigappleram]

This shows you the sham that is high school scouting...from zero to hero without bouncing a ball or playing a game. What a joke.

[CHICO 78]

These schools have visions of Lamar or Ben Simmons dancing in their heads.
So they seem willing to take a flyer just like we did.

[DC_Rams]

Marial was here for a semester did anyone hear how he looked during his time here? Did he look more like a 4* recruit or the 13th man on the team? Does anyone have any knowledge of his abilities/potential he showed while he was here?

He would’ve been a 6/7th man here. The staff went all out to get him. How quickly we forget.

[CamsRams]

Having been through the recruiting process already and gone to a place that didn't end up being a fit, Mading is going to be very cautious in the decision making process.

"This time around I want to make the right choice," said Mading. "Rhode Island was a good place. I loved the coaching staff, I loved the students and the team it just wasn't the right fit. This time around I want to make sure I get that."

So, what makes a good fit? Is there a timeline for a decision? Bottom line, relationships and development will matter.

"First thing is obviously my relationship with the head coach," said Mading. "A coach who is going to trust my skill set and let me play the game the way I know how to play it. Also a program that has good player development and help me get to the next level.

"When the time comes to make a decision it won't matter what time it is or what month it is, I'll make the decision."

[URIRecruitingInfo]

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com ... g-admirers

[Billyboy78]

I'd be interested to hear why Rhode Island wasn't a good fit. He loves the coaching staff. He loves the students. It couldn't have been potential playing time if he's now considering Kansas, Oregon, etc. What was it? Didn't like the dining room food? Kingston a bit too rural for him? The water in Narragansett too cold? What???

[DC_Rams]

I'd be interested to hear why Rhode Island wasn't a good fit. He loves the coaching staff. He loves the students. It couldn't have been potential playing time if he's now considering Kansas, Oregon, etc. What was it? Didn't like the dining room food? Kingston a bit too rural for him? The water in Narragansett too cold? What???

None of the above. He’s just not at URI anymore.

[Billyboy78]

I'd be interested to hear why Rhode Island wasn't a good fit. He loves the coaching staff. He loves the students. It couldn't have been potential playing time if he's now considering Kansas, Oregon, etc. What was it? Didn't like the dining room food? Kingston a bit too rural for him? The water in Narragansett too cold? What???

None of the above. He’s just not at URI anymore.

He said in that interview that Rhode Island wasn't the right fit.

[ATPTourFan]

Something else

[DC_Rams]

Something else

Right. Can we leave it at that.

We’ve been down this road a thousand times in this thread.

[giovanni]

Four-star forward Marial Mading of Marianna (Fla.) Chipola spent one semester at Rhode Island and will have three years of eligibility if he chooses to sign with a D1 program this season. At around 6-foot-10, Mading can shoot the three with ease, he creates off the dribble and causes serious matchup problems. He now has offers from Florida, Kansas, Oregon and Texas A&M.

https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com ... co-rising-

I think we should all take solace in the fact that right here on this board we have a few guys that can evaluate a player better than Bill Self, Mike White, Buzz Williams and Dana Altman, not to mention David Cox and at least give the kid a shot believing he can do better than Umass Boston.

[Ramulous]

He was here for a semester.....I assume he worked out with the team.....I assume he practiced with the team....I assume he scrimmaged with the team....I assume the coaches were assessing him as a contributor.....then the coaches signed Jacob Toppin.....in my opinion a player with a similar skill set to Mading....then Mading leaves.....

[reef]

There were some here who loved his potential probably like all the schools who offered and some here who thought he be a major project , going to be interesting to see how he turns out let’s hope it’s not into a lottery pick lol

[Iggy1979]

He was here for a semester.....I assume he worked out with the team.....I assume he practiced with the team....I assume he scrimmaged with the team....I assume the coaches were assessing him as a contributor.....then the coaches signed Jacob Toppin.....in my opinion a player with a similar skill set to Mading....then Mading leaves.....

Thought the order was reverse, no?

[Ramulous]

It was close......maybe he saw them recruiting Toppin and didn't like it.....it all happened in May I believe....

[DC_Rams]

It was close......maybe he saw them recruiting Toppin and didn't like it.....it all happened in May I believe....

Please sift through the thread and find your answer. It has nothing to do with Toppin.

[The Dude]

It wouldn't surprise me if some guys just end up flying under the radar of a lot of big teams. There are a lot of kids playing ball these days. Who really knows...
I think he'll pretty good. Always thought he'd be a tough matchup.

[SmartyBarrett]

[TruePoint]

Lol

[wpbrown8267]

This has Sidd Finch written all over it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidd_Finch

[DC_Rams]

There’s a reason people on this board do what they do for a living, and why coaches do what they do — that’s all I’m saying LOL

[reef]

God dammit Kentucky and Kansas look at Mading and he was once at URI be interesting to see how this plays out

[Rhody83]

Btw, Jake (who is 18 years old) and Mading’s JUCO Coach (whose job it is to be a hype man for his players) are the two that labeled Mading “one of the highest ranked JUCO players in the nation”.

[TruePoint]

I’m just confused how a guy goes from not rated as a high school player to the top ranked JUCO player with no intervening event. It’s not like he had an unreal JUCO season - he hasn’t played any games at all between being then and now. Good for him, but honestly it makes no sense what is going on.

[Rhody83]

I’m just confused how a guy goes from not rated as a high school player to the top ranked JUCO player with no intervening event. It’s not like he had an unreal JUCO season - he hasn’t played any games at all between being then and now. Good for him, but honestly it makes no sense what is going on.

His last organized game was mid December (10 months ago).

[RamStock]

I’m just confused how a guy goes from not rated as a high school player to the top ranked JUCO player with no intervening event. It’s not like he had an unreal JUCO season - he hasn’t played any games at all between being then and now. Good for him, but honestly it makes no sense what is going on.

I agree completely. Good for him if he can get a scholarship to a top 10 schools. I’m not sure what everyone sees in him now, but you can’t blame him for taking all this in

[bigappleram]

There’s a reason people on this board do what they do for a living, and why coaches do what they do — that’s all I’m saying LOL

C'mon dude, while i agree with your underlying point in this case that ain't it. He was a recruit ranked 350th or something, not recruited by anyone of significance besides us...without playing 1 competitive game at any level he has suddenly become the best JUCO recruit in the country. There are Ja Morants who go from obscurity to lottery pick quickly, but usually it requires you to actually play and dominate an actual basketball game to do so. This is unheard of and almost comical.

[theblueram]

So if he goes to Kentucky, does he become the highest rated recruit who never played a game at URI?

[rhodylaw]

Read between the lines of what he said - wants a team where he can play the way he wants to play. I take that to mean he wants to more guard/wing then a center/wing and rhody wasn’t going to use him that way. Maybe even thinks he is a PG and the next giannis.

[theblueram]

So he's the 350th ranked recruit when we signed him as a forward but he's a 5* guard now?

[DC_Rams]

There’s a reason people on this board do what they do for a living, and why coaches do what they do — that’s all I’m saying LOL

C'mon dude, while i agree with your underlying point in this case that ain't it. He was a recruit ranked 350th or something, not recruited by anyone of significance besides us...without playing 1 competitive game at any level he has suddenly become the best JUCO recruit in the country. There are Ja Morants who go from obscurity to lottery pick quickly, but usually it requires you to actually play and dominate an actual basketball game to do so. This is unheard of and almost comical.

Why are you telling me to c’mon?! He has 4 of the Top 10 schools in the country after him now. They don’t put this kind of effort into 10th and 11th players off the bench. No need to try and convince me he’s not going to be what these schools are seeing and hearing, convince yourselves.

[RamStock]

There’s a reason people on this board do what they do for a living, and why coaches do what they do — that’s all I’m saying LOL

C'mon dude, while i agree with your underlying point in this case that ain't it. He was a recruit ranked 350th or something, not recruited by anyone of significance besides us...without playing 1 competitive game at any level he has suddenly become the best JUCO recruit in the country. There are Ja Morants who go from obscurity to lottery pick quickly, but usually it requires you to actually play and dominate an actual basketball game to do so. This is unheard of and almost comical.

Why are you telling me to c’mon?! He has 4 of the Top 10 schools in the country after him now. They don’t put this kind of effort into 10th and 11th players off the bench. No need to try and convince me he’s not going to be what these schools are seeing and hearing, convince yourselves.

So everyone has to feel the same way on this kid and just praise how great he must be because big schools are looking at him? He has done nothing in actual games to help increase his 350th ranking. People said when Aris came that he must be good for no other reason than that if we brought him in we need to trust the coaches and he must be good. That was a different situation in that we add an extra scholarship, but there is good reason for people to question his ability despite not doing this for a living. I will go with the idea that he has continued to grow and can shoot from the outside. Big time programs leave no rocks unturned. Once he proves that he can contribute at any division one program I know myself and anyone else who questions Mading will admit they are wrong. I hope it is the same way on the other end.

[DC_Rams]

C'mon dude, while i agree with your underlying point in this case that ain't it. He was a recruit ranked 350th or something, not recruited by anyone of significance besides us...without playing 1 competitive game at any level he has suddenly become the best JUCO recruit in the country. There are Ja Morants who go from obscurity to lottery pick quickly, but usually it requires you to actually play and dominate an actual basketball game to do so. This is unheard of and almost comical.

Why are you telling me to c’mon?! He has 4 of the Top 10 schools in the country after him now. They don’t put this kind of effort into 10th and 11th players off the bench. No need to try and convince me he’s not going to be what these schools are seeing and hearing, convince yourselves.

So everyone has to feel the same way on this kid and just praise how great he must be because big schools are looking at him? He has done nothing in actual games to help increase his 350th ranking. People said when Aris came that he must be good for no other reason than that if we brought him in we need to trust the coaches and he must be good. That was a different situation in that we add an extra scholarship, but there is good reason for people to question his ability despite not doing this for a living. I will go with the idea that he has continued to grow and can shoot from the outside. Big time programs leave no rocks unturned. Once he proves that he can contribute at any division one program I know myself and anyone else who questions Mading will admit they are wrong. I hope it is the same way on the other end.

I have not once said one way or the other that the kid is good or bad. I do know that he has a very unique skill set for his height and that can’t be taught. I only take issue with the fact that you all are solely basing your opinion of the kid on his ranking and some fellow posters who left unimpressed after seeing him play. There is no shortage of talented guys that want to play for Kentucky or Kansas. The question is why are they after him all of a sudden? Talent evaluation? A hunch? Hearsay? I’ll wait....

[reef]

Maybe it’s possible that after he enrolled at URI he then somehow got wind that the high majors were after him and he decided that’s what he wanted to go for ???

[SGreenwell]

I’m just confused how a guy goes from not rated as a high school player to the top ranked JUCO player with no intervening event. It’s not like he had an unreal JUCO season - he hasn’t played any games at all between being then and now. Good for him, but honestly it makes no sense what is going on.

That's what has me curious too. Like every once in a while, you hear a story about a guy growing five inches randomly in his 20s, or he worked for a summer and suddenly he can shoot 3s. If we get some weird story like that, then this all makes more sense. As is, plenty of programs "dream" about a raw prospect they can coach up and turn into an elite player, but it seems weird that Mading went from that type of player with almost no interest to the type that has NCAA elites interested.

[PeterRamTime]

I'm sure he looked more impressive after spending time with us. Practicing with a higher level college team for a semester.

Maybe he did a work out for some teams?

[bigappleram]

Why are you telling me to c’mon?! He has 4 of the Top 10 schools in the country after him now. They don’t put this kind of effort into 10th and 11th players off the bench. No need to try and convince me he’s not going to be what these schools are seeing and hearing, convince yourselves.

So everyone has to feel the same way on this kid and just praise how great he must be because big schools are looking at him? He has done nothing in actual games to help increase his 350th ranking. People said when Aris came that he must be good for no other reason than that if we brought him in we need to trust the coaches and he must be good. That was a different situation in that we add an extra scholarship, but there is good reason for people to question his ability despite not doing this for a living. I will go with the idea that he has continued to grow and can shoot from the outside. Big time programs leave no rocks unturned. Once he proves that he can contribute at any division one program I know myself and anyone else who questions Mading will admit they are wrong. I hope it is the same way on the other end.

I have not once said one way or the other that the kid is good or bad. I do know that he has a very unique skill set for his height and that can’t be taught. I only take issue with the fact that you all are solely basing your opinion of the kid on his ranking and some fellow posters who left unimpressed after seeing him play. There is no shortage of talented guys that want to play for Kentucky or Kansas. The question is why are they after him all of a sudden? Talent evaluation? A hunch? Hearsay? I’ll wait....

I always put more stock in the other schools recruiting a kid over rankings or the opinions of fans who have seen someone play. Because, as you say, these coaches are paid lots of money to evaluate talent and are experts at it. So that is what makes this odd...none of these schools or anyone even close to their caliber showed any interest in Mading last year, he then does absolutely nothing tangible to improve his stock and all of a sudden he goes from obscurity to being "the best JUCO out there" and courted by the most elite programs in the country. That path is not only rare, its pretty much unheard of. To say otherwise is ignoring logic.

[bigappleram]

Why are you telling me to c’mon?! He has 4 of the Top 10 schools in the country after him now. They don’t put this kind of effort into 10th and 11th players off the bench. No need to try and convince me he’s not going to be what these schools are seeing and hearing, convince yourselves.

So everyone has to feel the same way on this kid and just praise how great he must be because big schools are looking at him? He has done nothing in actual games to help increase his 350th ranking. People said when Aris came that he must be good for no other reason than that if we brought him in we need to trust the coaches and he must be good. That was a different situation in that we add an extra scholarship, but there is good reason for people to question his ability despite not doing this for a living. I will go with the idea that he has continued to grow and can shoot from the outside. Big time programs leave no rocks unturned. Once he proves that he can contribute at any division one program I know myself and anyone else who questions Mading will admit they are wrong. I hope it is the same way on the other end.

I have not once said one way or the other that the kid is good or bad. I do know that he has a very unique skill set for his height and that can’t be taught. I only take issue with the fact that you all are solely basing your opinion of the kid on his ranking and some fellow posters who left unimpressed after seeing him play. There is no shortage of talented guys that want to play for Kentucky or Kansas. The question is why are they after him all of a sudden? Talent evaluation? A hunch? Hearsay? I’ll wait....

I always put more stock in the other schools recruiting a kid over rankings or the opinions of fans who have seen someone play. Because, as you say, these coaches are paid lots of money to evaluate talent and are experts at it. So that is what makes this odd...none of these schools or anyone even close to their caliber showed any interest in Mading last year, he then does absolutely nothing tangible to improve his stock and all of a sudden he goes from obscurity to being "the best JUCO out there" and courted by the most elite programs in the country. That path is not only rare, its pretty much unheard of. To say otherwise is ignoring logic.

[DC_Rams]

So everyone has to feel the same way on this kid and just praise how great he must be because big schools are looking at him? He has done nothing in actual games to help increase his 350th ranking. People said when Aris came that he must be good for no other reason than that if we brought him in we need to trust the coaches and he must be good. That was a different situation in that we add an extra scholarship, but there is good reason for people to question his ability despite not doing this for a living. I will go with the idea that he has continued to grow and can shoot from the outside. Big time programs leave no rocks unturned. Once he proves that he can contribute at any division one program I know myself and anyone else who questions Mading will admit they are wrong. I hope it is the same way on the other end.

I have not once said one way or the other that the kid is good or bad. I do know that he has a very unique skill set for his height and that can’t be taught. I only take issue with the fact that you all are solely basing your opinion of the kid on his ranking and some fellow posters who left unimpressed after seeing him play. There is no shortage of talented guys that want to play for Kentucky or Kansas. The question is why are they after him all of a sudden? Talent evaluation? A hunch? Hearsay? I’ll wait....

I always put more stock in the other schools recruiting a kid over rankings or the opinions of fans who have seen someone play. Because, as you say, these coaches are paid lots of money to evaluate talent and are experts at it. So that is what makes this odd...none of these schools or anyone even close to their caliber showed any interest in Mading last year, he then does absolutely nothing tangible to improve his stock and all of a sudden he goes from obscurity to being "the best JUCO out there" and courted by the most elite programs in the country. That path is not only rare, its pretty much unheard of. To say otherwise is ignoring logic.

Lol he must have done something though, right?! Someone has seen him do something that has these big boys coming out the woodwork...perhaps?

[adam914]

He should just go straight to the NBA at this point!

[DC_Rams]

He should just go straight to the NBA at this point!

...the way things going.

[giovanni]

Playing devils advocate, though a few here believe the kid is pretty bad and should play at a much lower level or d-2 and could never play here, is it possible that during his time here he realized that playing against our guys he may have got the feeling he could play a t a much higher level? He appears to have unique skills for his length despite our boards scouting reports. Bill Self, Calipari , Buzz and others at a very high level usually have a better handle on a players talent than our people on this board , I would think.

Also, among a few, it seems since he was recruited that want this kid to fail and not do well, I would assume to back up their useless evaluations. Whether its a kid that didn't choose us or a kid someone may feel is not good enough, I never understand the disdain for a young man , his decision or how he does if he doesn't end up here.

[Ramulous]

I hope the kid plays at the highest level he can.

Imagine how we would have felt had he played this year at Rhody.....averaged 22 and 10 with 42% 3pt shooting..then decided to transfer up...

[SGreenwell]

I hope the kid plays at the highest level he can.

Imagine how we would have felt had he played this year at Rhody.....averaged 22 and 10 with 42% 3pt shooting..then decided to transfer up...

If he averaged THAT, he'd be declaring for the draft, forget transferring. Lamar Odom was only 17.6 and 9.4 as a freshman.

[theblueram]

Did the kid even play a game in JUCO?

[DC_Rams]

Did the kid even play a game in JUCO?

Haha haha! Nope!