Thing is Austin doesn’t owe UVA anything. If that’s how they feel as a family I’ll appreciate it. But on the flip side J Willy might know ACC coaches better than coaches from other conferences and thus trust them more. Would be hard to blame the family if he stays in conference in that case. Unless he goes to Tech or Duke, of course.
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I don’t really see how li’l Will’ is different from any other prospect. If the staff is happy to have him and he’s happy to be a Hoo, that’s great.
Otherwise, better for everyone not to force something that isn’t there. In my experience, it seldom works how you hope it will.
He seems like a great kid, but there are others out there. UVa is a great program, but there are others out there. I don’t think either party would be wrong to go in any other direction.
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He’s a good enough prospect where his dad being Coach Williford is irrelevant to how good he is. It’s just a bonus (I say this as someone who thinks its silly to prioritize kids just because they are instate). Way too far to be projecting kids in 2025 but he is definitely someone standing out in the class of 2025/going head to head with some legit 2023s and even coming up on top in those matchups. Dude is springy but also has a smooth jumper and is very active on defense (saw clips of several games where he has multiple steals).
(he doesnt miss LOL)
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This is far too reasonable and level headed.
This is a message board dammit!
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We have any streams from Philly to watch Elijah?
I disagree. I strongly suspect you do really see how he is significantly different.
I agree with the general thrust of your post, but it’s obvious why he’s very very different than most recruits. I can’t even think of one that’s close.
How about this: “even though he is significantly different, we’d all be better if we treated him like he’s the same.” That’s true.
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Justin Taylor maybe the closest recent one? But still an obvious difference
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Yeah, we’ve rarely even had a top 100 local kid, Taylor being one of the few exceptions. DeLaurier another?
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I was thinking Taylor because it seemed that he wanted to go to uva. Not sure Javin ever did or if anything could compete with duke $$$
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BJ Stith?
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Yup, bigger shoes, but probably less of a connection. (Esp with Bryant on staff at ODU, unless my timeline is off)
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Can we save the Austin talk until at least next year?
No ‘23 commits yet and only a single offer out to ‘24.
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Bryant was their HS coach at the time in Brunswick
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Yup. Austin is a local kid, with two alum parents, dad was on the team, and has been an assistant for 10+ years (time flies…). I don’t think there’s a recent precedent that gets in that neighborhood.
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And literally grew up in JPJ and the lockerroom etc. Chase Coleman threw him his first alley oop! (or was it Justin McCoy…?)
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Other schools hire relatives just to lock in recruits. It would be a giant kick in the balls if his dad has been on the staff since the kid was in preschool and that’s still not enough to get him.
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Elijah Gertrude’s game vs Justin Edwards
https://mobile.twitter.com/ARosenfeldHoops/status/1541112358835261446
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https://mobile.twitter.com/HoozGotNext/status/1541117301101154304
https://mobile.twitter.com/Owen_McCue/status/1541106392202870786
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Thank you! I hate being lectured to, three years in advance for something I haven’t even done yet 
…
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