Sooooooo can we conclude from this that Groce had a new job lined up before Ohio even made its run in 2012? Speculation or reading between the lines?

LeVert was committed. The coach leaves and never says a word to him until he’s basically forced to 9 months later. Don’t most coaches at least give a quick call in basketball to tell their recruit personally that their plan might now be altered?

In the pod, LeVert sounded like he was left just with no information. Groce didn’t have to recruit him to Illinois. I’d at least just want a call, even if it’s just to confirm he was leaving and to still wish him luck. Groce addressed the team, right? He can’t contact 3-4 signed recruits (whatever number we had).

He said he never heard from Groce during the NCAA Tournament (wouldn't figure he would), and learned about Groce leaving by watching the ESPN bottom line. Woj even asked him again to clear up what he said, and LeVert said he never heard or spoke to Groce again until the next year. As important as the college decision is, I don't think this is something LeVert would misremember.

I'm not talking about Groce recruiting him to go to Illinois. I think the bigger sign of integrity is leaving kids who are signed out to dry, not saying a word to them again. Once signed, they are part of the team just as much as the players in class. LeVert's college career was turned upside down by Groce's decision. No explanation, no quick call, no text even. To me, that's bad form, and Woj seemed to react the same way to that information.

I think if you go back to the thread and take a look back in time you will see that Groce did not talk to him at all. There were ample reports in articles and internet reports that Caris was out there waiting for contact. None came. I suspect the supposition that Groce was not wanting to tamper or influence was correct and presume that he hoped the next coach would re recruit LeVert.
I am curious if there were any recruits at Xavier or Butler when Matta and he moved that were treated similarly. Does anyone have real information on Coaching Changes and how the athletes they have NLIs from are treated and what the institution will pursue as far as blocking an athlete from following a coach? I would assume the AD has the final say on release.

In any case, there is a gray area where a coach should probably not contact an athlete he has recruited that intersects with the area where the family and the athlete have a relationship that has been built over time with phone calls, visits and "selling" the program and the school. The school is where the athlete signed and has a vested interest as well as resources consumed in recruiting the athlete. In this case one would think an assistant coach remaining (Fuss at the time) would contact the athlete and express Groce's regrets and maybe thoughts on the next step.

EDIT. To echo Andrew's thoughts, I think that is correct and can be found in the articles that ensued that he would have followed to Illinois but was not asked. I am pretty sure Groce states somewhere in those that he was pretty sure Caris would have followed but he was trying to stay above that particular drama.

Who is Nance Jr.?

My take: this proves Groce didn’t actually want to leave and felt bad about it/couldn’t take the heat of telling admins/fan/players who cared about program. So why leave? Wife must have hated Athens

This is how fiction becomes fact. Anyone here that knew and interacted with Mrs Groce knows she loved and still loves Athens. Shameful post even in jest.

Anyone remember the video clip - not even sure it was on YouTube - could have just been a video on ohiobobcats.com - where TOS was shooting layups after practice in the background...and he missed like 5 in a row, and even air-balled one or two? That my friends was high quality entertainment. I remember laughing so hard at that.