Shaka Smith and the boys from VCU basically did the impossible and ran from a play-in game to the final four this year. It was completely unprecedented and totally shocking, but now it sets them up to be more than just a Cinderella. This team is for real? Right?
Gonzaga became a real power that got real talent after they started making runs in the tournament. Clearly, Butler is a major player in college basketball after they just went to two straight national titles games. (By the way, I don’t care if they lost both of them, that’s freaking incredible. Do we know how hard it is to get that far? Look at what happened to GT after one visit, and Butler’s made two and with no signs of slowing down.)
So, if VCU steps into that next class, what will that look like? Do they have to get back to the final four? Do they have to win a national title? Do they have to go undefeated?
No, they need to get some good players to go there, they have to start being way more talented than most people (but not all), and they have to keep being successful in the tournament. Shaka Smart, is, well, smart enough to make this happen, but it’s still a matter of recruiting and THEN play that will make this work. If the Rams have any chance of being a great program over a long stretch of time, they have to win recruiting battles.
It doesn’t even matter who the battle is with, as long as kids want to go to VCU more than other places. That’s what makes the difference. That’s what makes the program unique and dangerous and special. That’s what makes them go deep in the tourney every year.
They keep on this path, and they’ll be the new Gonzaga/Butler in no time.
