Now that it has been officially announced, I can go ahead and write about it. Sean Miller IS the new head coach for the Arizona Wildcats! I am pretty pumped up for this news. Just look at Miller's body of work at Xavier; it is very impressive to say the least.
With the musical chairs game that Arizona has played with their head coach the last three seasons, Arizona has really lost out in the recruiting battles. It is time for Miller to get out there and grab up some last second recruits this Spring and Summer and get his system started. There are some recruits that Miller could grab that have not signed yet:
* Kyryl Natyazhko - C - Florida
* Jamal Franklin - SG - California
* Colin Borchert - PF - Arizona
I wouldn't be surprised if Miller's 2010 committments followed him out to Tucson:
* Jordan Latham - PF - Maryland
* J.D. Weatherspoon - SF - Ohio
UPDATE - ESPN.com had this on Weatherspoon this afternoon:
Class of 2010 small forward J.D. Weatherspoon has decided to reopen his recruitment following former Xavier head coach Sean Miller's departure to Arizona, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
"I was really attached to coach Miller, but I understand that he had to do what was best for him and his family," said Weatherspoon, "He's a great coach, and I would certainly think about going to Arizona if he asked me to go there. Basically, it's back to the drawing board as far as looking at colleges."
Weatherspoon was being recruited by Wisconsin, Akron, James Madison and Georgia Tech before choosing the Musketeers. He averaged 15 points and eight rebounds as a junior in leading Northland High to the Division I state title.
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Miller does have ONE recruit coming in this next year after Abdul Gaddy opened his recruitment back up and ended up going to Washington:
* Tremayne Johnson - SF - California - JUCO Transfer
I know that Arizona is looking at a rebuild that is similar to what Tom Crean faced at Indiana, but he has shown it can be done. Look at the recruiting class he has coming in next season. Crean has the whole IU campus and town of Bloomington buzzing about the team and they only won SIX games this year.
Miller's transition would be a lot easier if Jordan Hill, Chase Budinger, and Nic Wise decide to stay around. However, I would assume that Hill and Budinger will both be gone and if Wise has good workouts, then I could see him staying in the draft or going to play overseas.
I will be really interested in seeing what Miller can do this Spring and Summer. I'm just glad that he is on board!!
ANOTHER UPDATE!!! ESPN.com also had this to say about SF - Solomon Hill
It looks like the buzz is already starting to build for Sean Miller.
