'22 SF Buru Naivalurua (Garden City CC ---> Oakland )

[Dino611]

Buru Naivalurua - SF
Hometown: Yagoona, Australia
School: Endeavor Sports High School
Initial College: Garden City Community College
Instagram: buru_16
Twitter: ApolosaBuru

Height: 6'8"
Weight: 235

- Garden City stats 2022-23
- Picked First Team All-KJCCC Men's Basketball
- Ranked #29 by JUCO Recruiting for the 2023 class
- A good, long article from September 2021 about his difficulties getting into the country, and his ability being recognized back home

OFFERS - 2023
Rhode Island (visited 4/15/23)
Cal State Bakersfield
Cal State Fullerton
Duquesne
ETSU
Iona
Montana State
Oakland
Portland
Samford
Southern Indiana
St. Bonaventure
Tarleton State
Texas State
Tulsa

[jcru]

Would like to see an update on this guy.

It would appear that Minor may be out of the picture

[Dino611]

Would like to see an update on this guy.

It would appear that Minor may be out of the picture

Wouldn’t count on it, Minor said he’d visit all of the places first and then commit, here’s to hoping tho!

But no updates on Buru jcru

[Jdrums#3]

Per SteveyS, in the General Visits thread, Buru is on a visit to campus today.

Great day for a campus visit.

[rhodyram22]

This guy would be a great addition to our front court.

[CamsRams]

[hrstrat57]

Hrstrat57 likey! Get this done!

[reef]

Wow very hopeful, let’s go !!

[DeanDome88]

This guy looks like a serious building block for our program. Hope it gets done.

[theblueram]

Let's get this one!!!! Thanks Stevey for keeping me informed!!!!

[rhodyblue12]

This would seriously solidify the frontcourt. Hope he likes it here.

[rhodyram22]

.

[Jersey77]

So if we get this guy, Kortright and a starting PG where do you guys think we stand on paper? I think top 4 A10.

22, I think you need to pump the brakes a little.
Let's see how our roster shakes out along with the rest of the A10.

Remember we just finished 14th and lost our best player and also our 2nd leading scorer.

[rhodyram22]

So if we get this guy, Kortright and a starting PG where do you guys think we stand on paper? I think top 4 A10.

22, I think you need to pump the brakes a little.
Let's see how our roster shakes out along with the rest of the A10.

Remember we just finished 14th and lost our best player and also our 2nd leading scorer.

Ok sorry. I deleted that stupid take.

[Dino611]

Also have to wait and see what the hell is going on at Dayton, I swear I hear a different rumor every day

[jcru]

I think Buru would be a good pickup. A power forward that can score.

I hope they are a bit more selective with the scholarship(s) they have left after that. Is time running out for the transfers? Yeah, but there is still 3 weeks left, it's not like anyone else is even considering Kortright, I don't see the urgency to have this wrapped up by Wed or whatever.

There are still a small handful of difference maker type players that we are involved with who are not going to ride out the entire process, taking all of their visits and whatnot. Pride being one of them. I would hold out for a player like that who COULD mean the difference between "middle of the pack" A-10, and upper 1/3rd.

edit.

sometimes I accidently throw a "negative" in there just for the heck of it. It was meant to read: are going to ride out the entire process

[reef]

So if we get this guy, Kortright and a starting PG where do you guys think we stand on paper? I think top 4 A10.

22, I think you need to pump the brakes a little.
Let's see how our roster shakes out along with the rest of the A10.

Remember we just finished 14th and lost our best player and also our 2nd leading scorer.

Yeah let’s see how we look after the next 3 signings but if they are all solid a top half finish isn’t out of the question considering this is a league in flux

[Dino611]

I think Buru would be a good pickup. A power forward that can score.

I hope they are a bit more selective with the scholarship(s) they have left after that. Is time running out for the transfers? Yeah, but there is still 3 weeks left, it's not like anyone else is even considering Kortright, I don't see the urgency to have this wrapped up by Wed or whatever.

There are still a small handful of difference maker type players that we are involved with who are not going to ride out the entire process, taking all of their visits and whatnot. Pride being one of them. I would hold out for a player like that who COULD mean the difference between "middle of the pack" A-10, and upper 1/3rd.

edit.

sometimes I accidently throw a "negative" in there just for the heck of it. It was meant to read: are going to ride out the entire process

Jcru like I said before not hearing about what schools have reached out to a transfer when enters the portal doesn’t mean we’re the only one who is considering him lol

[jcru]

If you aren't hearing what other schools are recruiting him, then the average person out there definitely isn't either. So the perception will be, no one else was recruting him.

[Dino611]

If you aren't hearing what other schools are recruiting him, then the average person out there definitely isn't either. So the perception will be, no one else was recruting him.

I’m sorry that’s not how it works behind the scenes, but yes to the public eye you are correct

I’ve heard some other schools have reached out to him, funny enough two of them are in the A-10, but I haven’t had another source confirm it yet so I don’t want to release false info

We probably won’t hear about what other schools recruited him officially and confirmed until Bill Koch writes up an article if/when he commits here

[jcru]

Dino, I like you. But you know what was great about what happened last year? Don't expect everyone to just have a parade everytime they sign someone this year. There is much more scrutiny in year two. And expect even more in year three.

This mentality like we are going to be the island of misfit toys and somehow repair everyone and form a team that can compete for the Conference championship is a little like selling ice to the Eskimos. I would rather they go after players in a crowd of interested, like minded schools, and lose the head to head recruiting battle than just go after players because they are so far under the radar no one else is even aware they exist.

[McRam]

So if we get this guy, Kortright and a starting PG where do you guys think we stand on paper? I think top 4 A10.

22, I think you need to pump the brakes a little.
Let's see how our roster shakes out along with the rest of the A10.

Remember we just finished 14th and lost our best player and also our 2nd leading scorer.

Yeah let’s see how we look after the next 3 signings but if they are all solid a top half finish isn’t out of the question considering this is a league in flux

We have three more signings left?

[jcru]

I'm guessing three if Alex T were to leave, otherwise two.

Someone suggested Alex would probably stay or go depending on who they get in the recruiting over process. I would imagine if they landed Buru, then Alex would become redundant to the point where it wouldn't make sense to stay and just sit and watch.

[jcru]

If they got Buru, Pride and the kid from Baylor, Dale Bonner, I think at that point, you could start making some typical, outlandish predictions like we all have a tendency to do, and there would be a chance the talent level could actually make good on it.

It's a fantasy, sure, but it's my fantasy.

[Dino611]

Dino, I like you. But you know what was great about what happened last year? Don't expect everyone to just have a parade everytime they sign someone this year. There is much more scrutiny in year two. And expect even more in year three.

This mentality like we are going to be the island of misfit toys and somehow repair everyone and form a team that can compete for the Conference championship is a little like selling ice to the Eskimos. I would rather they go after players in a crowd of interested, like minded schools, and lose the head to head recruiting battle than just go after players because they are so far under the radar no one else is even aware they exist.

I couldn’t agree more with you jcru, I’m totally all in for what you’re saying we saw that a month ago at the beginning of the portal with all the big names coming out. I don’t want to have that mentality either. Part of me also thinks we’ve only heard probably 50% of the played Archie and his staff have actually talked to. As well as there could’ve been players that could have visited campus this spring that we have no idea about.

The only reason why I’m not coming down hard on Archie for Luis is that I feel like there is more to the story. Looking at the PGs we’ve been after in the portal makes it look like this is a little patch / temporary piece to have for a year or two and then have Cam or Jalen Dunkley-Distant be the star PG going forward

[Dino611]

22, I think you need to pump the brakes a little.
Let's see how our roster shakes out along with the rest of the A10.

Remember we just finished 14th and lost our best player and also our 2nd leading scorer.

Yeah let’s see how we look after the next 3 signings but if they are all solid a top half finish isn’t out of the question considering this is a league in flux

We have three more signings left?

Yep three open schollies, CamRams has a scholarship tracker spreadsheet in another thread making it easy to keep track

[rhodyblue12]

This is the type of player that makes me excited to go to the game. He has that "can't wait to see what he'll do next" quality.
In general, we were a team that played below the rim last year. That seems to be changing for the better.

[RhowdyRam02]

If you aren't hearing what other schools are recruiting him, then the average person out there definitely isn't either. So the perception will be, no one else was recruting him.

I’m sorry that’s not how it works behind the scenes, but yes to the public eye you are correct

I’ve heard some other schools have reached out to him, funny enough two of them are in the A-10, but I haven’t had another source confirm it yet so I don’t want to release false info

We probably won’t hear about what other schools recruited him officially and confirmed until Bill Koch writes up an article if/when he commits here

It looks like St. Bonaventure and Fordham were in on Luis coming out of high school, so it wouldn't be a surprise if they're in on him now. If Mark Schmidt is in on a player I have no problem with out staff also being in

[jcru]

St. Bonaventure and Fordham lost a recruiting battle to Quinnipiac? Yeah, not likely.

[Backroads]

Anything from his visit?

[Dino611]

Nothing as of yet just know he’s on visit and he’s followed two of the assistant coaches on insta

[sevegny7]

This is a guy that would flutter the needle a little bit lol. I hope we could close the deal after the visit. I really like his potential

[jcru]

In honor of Buru’s weekend visit.

[Rhody74]

I’m not against Luis but I want this guy more.

[steveystuds06]

I’m not against Luis but I want this guy more.

Agreed. It would suck to not have Buru commit. He's loaded with upside.

[CamsRams]

Sound of Sweet Silence leading up to Buru commit? Here’s hoping…

[Billyboy78]

Every one of our recruits are followed by one of our assistant coaches on twitter except for one. Kenny follows a lot of them, Duane some, some both Duane and Kenny, Austin has a few. Only Buru isn't followed by any of our coaches, Don't know if it means anything, just pointing it out.

[Ramfan22]

Every one of our recruits are followed by one of our assistant coaches on twitter except for one. Kenny follows a lot of them, Duane some, some both Duane and Kenny, Austin has a few. Only Buru isn't followed by any of our coaches, Don't know if it means anything, just pointing it out.

Kenny Johnson follows him on Instagram

[CamsRams]

Every one of our recruits are followed by one of our assistant coaches on twitter except for one. Kenny follows a lot of them, Duane some, some both Duane and Kenny, Austin has a few. Only Buru isn't followed by any of our coaches, Don't know if it means anything, just pointing it out.

Kenny Johnson follows him on Instagram

KJ, Austin and Ryan Mcclosky

[rhodyram22]

Every one of our recruits are followed by one of our assistant coaches on twitter except for one. Kenny follows a lot of them, Duane some, some both Duane and Kenny, Austin has a few. Only Buru isn't followed by any of our coaches, Don't know if it means anything, just pointing it out.

Instagram might just be his preferred way of communicating. I wouldn't read too much into it but it's still good detective work. We'll see what happens!

[reef]

Come on Buru we really need you !!

[Billyboy78]

Every one of our recruits are followed by one of our assistant coaches on twitter except for one. Kenny follows a lot of them, Duane some, some both Duane and Kenny, Austin has a few. Only Buru isn't followed by any of our coaches, Don't know if it means anything, just pointing it out.

Instagram might just be his preferred way of communicating. I wouldn't read too much into it but it's still good detective work. We'll see what happens!

Yeah, I check out twitter more than Instagram, especially since Kenny has been so active there lately. I guess I should check out IG more often.

[rhodyblue12]

Unless this is a designed delaying of an announcement, every day the dream of getting Buru fades a bit.

[jcru]

Perhaps I chose the wrong Australian band to honor Buru. Let's try this one:

[CamsRams]

[steveystuds06]

Spoke to Buru and he said “Rhode Island was beautiful” idk if he’s interested or anything but at least he enjoyed his visit

[jcru]

Sounds good. Let's crank up another song...

[Billyboy78]

I wonder if he has any other visits lined up?

[bigappleram]

Crank the Silverchair! Buru singing to us “wait til tomorrow”

[reef]

Really good highlights and great musical accompanyment