Derek Kellogg
UMass coach Derek Kellogg oversees practice at the Mullins Center on Oct. 6, 2014.
(Daniel Malone | MassLive.com)
AMHERST – Wednesday, University of Massachusetts basketball recruit Luwane Pipkins had is National Letter of Intent processed by the athletic department, officially giving the Minutemen their point guard of the future.
If Pipkins ends up redshirting next fall – a likely possibility on a roster that will feature three senior guards – it'll be years before UMass even begins to reap the benefits of what the 5-foot-10 Chicago native can do with what appears to be a fairly impressive shooting prowess.
That's a long time to wait, but it's all part of the program-building process for coach Derek Kellogg, who's always having to think one, two or even three years down the road when it comes to restocking his roster with talent. We're seeing that right now with players like Pipkins, Malik Hines and Rashaan Holloway.
What exactly goes into the recruiting process? Clearly, Kellogg has experience. He was the main man for John Calipari in bringing Derrick Rose to Memphis and he's proven adept at landing talented transfer players, as well. So what, generally, is he looking for?
"I want to make sure he's a competitor and a guy that his teammates like being around and playing with," Kellogg said of his type of recruits. "I want to make sure the guy's a ball player."
That might sound nebulous and arbitrary, but it means something to Kellogg. Coaches will talk about scheme fits and styles of play, but when push comes to shove, Kellogg is looking for someone who is a natural on the court.
And Pipkins fits the bill.
"He has all those attributes," he said. "The kid can play basketball. He's a good basketball player."
Of course, the relationship between program and recruit has to go both ways. Kellogg might have loved what he saw of the player on tape and in person when he went to scout him over the summer during AAU games, but if Pipkins isn't on board with what's happening on campus in Amherst, things will hit a snag.
When it comes to recruits like Pipkins, Kellogg tries to let the program sell itself. He counts on his current players to help determine if a prospect is a good fit.
Prospective players will take visits to Amherst and mesh with the team over the course of a few days. More often than not, Kellogg said, the new guys fall right in line with the older players. As ambassadors for the program, they're best suited to let a recruit know what to expect.
"The best people that can sell the university or the team are your players," Kellogg said. "I tell the recruits to ask the guys on the team more than me."
Kellogg, like any coach, is always looking for a good match. A square peg could potentially work in a round hole, but everyone's going to be a lot happier if both sides line up from the get-go.
With Pipkins, he said, the match is exceptional. Watching his highlight film, it's easy to see why.
"A lot of coaches in recruiting say they play fast and press and run, but they really don't," Kellogg said. "You can see how we play that we are actually one of those teams that gets out and plays and presses. If you watch his high school team, it's very similar to how we play."
Kellogg has committed UMass to pressing and running and the P.A.I.N. lifestyle. Pipkins, if all goes according to plan, should be ready to try his hand at it in a couple years.