mrjames
Professor
Posts: 6062
Loc: Montclair, NJ
Reg: 11-21-04
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12-15-17 11:22 AM - Post#240262
In response to Silver Maple
Nothing has really changed here.
For a variety of reasons, Harvard struck out in its 2013, 2014 and 2015 classes. 2013 it couldn't go big after two sizeable classes (that pulled in a lot of starter/rotation level talent). Zena was legit, but there were issues there. Hunter Myers just couldn't ever overcome injuries. And Noah Allen didn't end up matriculating. In 2014, Harvard lost out on a couple surprising ones - Justin Gray and Jeff Roberson - and Egi, who coaches seemed to think was the best player in that incoming class, never developed. Meanwhile, there was a ton of assistant coaching turmoil.
In 2015, Harvard went BIG because it new it had a ton of slots after two small classes. Chimezie Metu, AJ Turner, Aaron Falzon were the biggest names in a long line of big names that Harvard came close to but whiffed. It did a nice job of recovering (because after 2013 and 2014 if HAD to) with a solid mid-major class, but really only Corey Johnson had any higher-level offers.
To a great extent, it was Harvard's inability to land extremely highly rated players in those classes that has left it where it is today. This season, Harvard's highly touted 2016 class has combined for 3.3 win shares. The 2017 class has 0.4 (all Djuricic). The 2014 and 2015 classes combined have 0.5 win shares (all Corey Johnson). Without the 2016 class, Harvard would not be an Ivy Tourney team.
The 2013, 2014 and 2015 classes all *seemed* elite because there was a high-major player in each (Zena, Egi and Corey). But dig any deeper than that and you could tell that these weren't comparable to the 2009 class that launched the program or the 2011 and 2012 classes that took it to new heights. The 2016 class was better than all of those, but it's still relatively alone. 2018 will change all that - Kirkwood and Freedman could be playing big minutes for Harvard right now and Mason Forbes and Kale Catchings are better than any depth from those 2013-2015 classes.
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