:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/34725285/20130108_jla_ad9_398.0.jpg)
1. Kim Anderson is playing for keeps
MUTIGERS.COM: Anderson Completes Staff With The Hiring Of Rob Fulford
The Trib: Huntington Prep coach Fulford joining Missouri staff as assistant
Post-Dispatch: Anderson completes staff with prep school coach
PowerMizzou: Mizzou tabs Fulford
ZagsBlog: Missouri Hires Huntington Prep Coach Rob Fulford; Arkell Bruce Takes Huntington Job
Sam Snelling wrote last night what I intended to write this morning:
But it's clear that Kim Anderson has no intentions of just getting the band back together for Ol' Mizzou's sake. He could have hired Corey Tate and very few of us would have scoffed at the hire and it would have been considered safe. He didn't do that. This is a hire that may be a bit of a gamble, but with serious intentions of making Mizzou a destination for the nations elite players.
When Anderson got hired, virtually everybody -- pro-Kim and anti-Kim -- figured he would make the Corey Tate-type of hire. Try to retain Tim Fuller, bring one of his CMU guys along, and go local with the third hire. With all the talk of building relationships in-state and playing "midwestern" ball and whatnot, it made sense. Instead, Anderson is going national. Rob Fulford has no Missouri ties, but he has infinite ties to the prep basketball universe. Anderson is relying on his own reputation (and that of Brad Loos) to bring the "Missouri" back to Missouri, and he's evidently going to use Tim Fuller and Fulford to bring in everybody else as well.
Now, as Norm Stewart learned, you're more likely to get into trouble with a Rich Daley on your staff, and while we know nothing about Fulford other than his résumé, we know the stereotypes of the "ace recruiter." It would be unfair to go too far down this road without knowing Fulford, so we won't, but we know there are risks involved in going big on the recruiting front.
We also know that Mizzou is going big now, as evidenced by a current visitor.
A chance for an immediate impact
ZagsBlog: Maker Sets Kansas, Mizzou, Duke Visits
Thon Maker has set visits to Kansas Monday (today), Missouri Tuesday and Duke June 30, his guardian, Ed Smith, tells SNY.tv.
Kansas and Missouri have already offered, as have Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis and others. Duke has yet to offer.
As reported here earlier, Maker, the No. 1 prospect in 2016, is targeting January for a decision on whether or not to reclass to 2015, meaning he could ultimately land in the 2016 NBA Draft.
More about 2014-15
The Trib (Courtside View): More from Missouri's freshmen
2. In the pros
Keyon
SLAM Online: Q+A: Keyon Dooling
Jabari
KC Star: MU’s Jabari Brown ready for NBA draft
MLB
MUTIGERS.COM: Tigers in the Pros: Stites Makes MLB Debut, Gibson Dealing
3. ~9.5 weeks to Mississippi Valley State
MUTIGERS.COM: Mizzou Volleyball Announces 2014 Schedule
4. Year in review
PowerMizzou: Teams of the Year
5. [points three fingers sideways] EAST SIIIIIIIIDE
Mizzou Network: Mizzou East-Side Upper Deck
6. WHATNOT
~9.5 weeks to SDSU
PowerMizzou: Study Guide: South Dakota State
Swimming & Diving
MUTIGERS.COM: Mizzou Swimmers Impress at Arena Grand Prix