re: Who was biggest missed basketball recruit of the Dale Brown Era?

In 1973 a lot of the instate players signed with the in state Gulf States Conference schools. Including USL, Mcneese, Southeastern, LaTech, etc. it was a brutal league. There were grade issues and admissions issues with a lot of them. These recruits would be introduced at the basketball games. I asked more than one and many just didn’t like dale Brown, who had all kind of quirky problems. There was a long list of instate impact players we missed on.

My mistske. We brought in Eliott lawrence and mike Mcconathy on a visit a few years later. Both signed with LaTech as i recall and McConathy is a coach. I have to think hard who the other big guy was pretty sure last name was Lawrence. Maybe Bo bahnsen would remember

Probably boring everyone but Lawrence was 7-0 center from WO Boston HS and signed with Mcneese. Drafted by Cleveland. Parrish signed with Centennary drafted by Boston. So two true 7 footers in year one, both signed with in state schools.

"Sweet Lou" Dunbar

I almost signed but I decided to focus on academics instead.

just naming LA guys that became good or great in other places is a pretty silly answer to the OP IMHO

to me the first criteria by “missed” is LSU wanted them and tried to get them

if Malone goes to LSU does his career turn out the same? was going to Tech a crucial part of his development and if he went to LSU instead it might have been a totally different outcome?

think about this, is larry bird going to IU and then leaving a “miss” for bob knight? what if bird went to IU and stayed four years and turned into a good but not great player?

so to me in my opinion the biggest miss of the Dale Brown era was Dave Johnson of Morgan City HS/Syracuse

johnson was class of 1987, partial qualifier. Syracuse sent him to Maine Central to get eligible. He did, went to Syracuse and waited his turn.

in 1991 as a JR he became a 19ppg Second Team All Big East and in 1992 as a SR he became a 19.8ppg First Team All Big East SG

Now imagine a SG like Dave Johnson next to CJ35 with Shaq etc on that 1989 team and then playing with Shaq in 1991 after CJ35 left

to me THAT is the biggest miss in Dale’s career

Ledell Eackles from Broadmoor. Watched him battle Fess Irvin at East Ascension.

I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure Robert Parrish was drafted by Golden State.

Karl Malone
John Rudd
Larry Wilson

If memory serves, I would have to say Benoit Benjamin, but a good case could be made for Sabonis.

LSU was a top program when Benjamin graduated HS and fans thought we’d get him.