Class of 2015 C/PF Thomas Bryant (NY) Verballed to Indiana

[Francis03]

Chino has done exactly what he was brought here to do. Get good grades, work hard, be a back up big and he was a high school team mate of Bryant. He's not a kid who's here strictly for his basketball career. Basketball is his vehicle for education.

People forget that we'll always need all the help that we can get when it comes to the APR as well. We don't want to complain about facing another post season ban due to academics right?

 

[NineOneSeven]

Next year, even without Bryant, I can legit see 10 deep like 11/12.

Not saying we will, but the potential is there.

 

[jordoo]

People forget that we'll always need all the help that we can get when it comes to the APR as well. We don't want to complain about facing another post season ban due to academics right?

Exactly and Chino is a Student Athlete if ever there was one. The sad thing is the NCAA basically took a season of court time away from him for being a good student in High School.

 

[jordoo]

Next year, even without Bryant, I can legit see 10 deep like 11/12.

Not saying we will, but the potential is there.

Potential is there agreed. Its not likely to happen but certainly the deep bunch will be much more ready and useful if needed than this years.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Potential is there agreed. Its not likely to happen but certainly the deep bunch will be much more ready and useful if needed than this years.

Agreed. Certainly won't happen- will likely only be 8, but like you say, if the circumstances arise, the depth is there.

 

[Francis03]

Exactly and Chino is a Student Athlete if ever there was one. The sad thing is the NCAA basically took a season of court time away from him for being a good student in High School.

NCAA doing NCAA type things.

 

[RF2044]

Agreed. Certainly won't happen- will likely only be 8, but like you say, if the circumstances arise, the depth is there.

8 seems low to me. I'd guess 9's the number--

Joseph, Cooney, Gbinije, McCullough, Bryant, BJ, Richardson, Coleman, Roberson.

Assuming of course that Bryant comes here, that Coleman can bounce back from his injury, and that McCullough / Gbinije both return next season.

And to your point, players like Howard, Lydon, Diagne aren't slouches. Chino hasn't even been mentioned. Practices will be COMPETITIVE next year. After having such depleted depth this year, it will be a welcome change to see the pendulum swing the other way.

 

[CusefanATL]

5-TB with DC2/Diagne backup
4-CM with TR/Diagne backup
3-TR/BJ
2-Cooney/Richardson
1-G/KJ
I dont think Lydon and Howard are going play much. This lineup also assumes that Buss would be the one possible transferring, which would be sad but entirely possible as he can't play the 1, and MR would consume nearly all of his minutes.

you forgot someone.

unless you think G and Patterson are both out.

 

[RF2044]

you forgot someone.

unless you think G and Patterson are both out.

No, he listed G at the 1.

 

[bpo57]

If we get an NCAA announcement saying no ban next year and G is back think its like this.
SF: G/Tyler/Lydon
PF: Chris/Tyler/Diange
C: Thomas/DC2/Diange
Mike coming back is a big question and if he doesn't can Malachi play at all there? Does Mike leaving have BJ staying because honestly he is a better fit at the 3 than Tyler and he rebounds very well f0r his build.
DC2 is a huge wild card IMO because no one knows if the knee will hold up or how many minutes he can play on the knee each game. He could be healthy and a huge load locking out minutes from Diange or he may wind up playing very little.

The great news is that we have a lot of guys for the staff to figure out what works. Chris and Mike will play big minutes if back and if both are back I'd bet none of the other front court guys play more than 25 per.

Where is Mike going?

 

[CusefanATL]

No, he listed G at the 1.

oops I just read that as PG.

 

[jordoo]

Where is Mike going?

Where ever he decides to go. He will be 23 with a degree and even if we think it makes no sense when you may have to go to Europe to get paid he may not think that. I hope he is back but I'm trying to be realistic with what we have heard and what has happened lately with players leaving.

 

[asj410]

Where ever he decides to go. He will be 23 with a degree and even if we think it makes no sense when you may have to go to Europe to get paid he may not think that. I hope he is back but I'm trying to be realistic with what we have heard and what has happened lately with players leaving.

I've never understood why people ALWAYS respond to a statement that Player X may leave before his eligibility runs out with: "Where would he go?" The NBA isn't the only option for these kids to earn good salaries. While playing for $100,000 a year in Europe may be a fraction of what some NBA salaries are, it's still $100,000. That's a hell of a lot of money that any of us (that don't make that kind of money) would LOVE to make, myself included.

 

[jordoo]

I've never understood why people ALWAYS respond to a statement that Player X may leave before his eligibility runs out with: "Where would he go?" The NBA isn't the only option for these kids to earn good salaries. While playing for $100,000 a year in Europe may be a fraction of what some NBA salaries are, it's still $100,000. That's a hell of a lot of money that any of us (that don't make that kind of money) would LOVE to make, myself included.

Right and no matter how easy it is for us to say hey if he stays another year he has a better chance to make big bucs in the NBA and can at the very least play in Europe a year later that is a much harder thing to see clearly at the age of 23. Its also a much harder thing for us if we are turning down the money.

 

[orangefog]

I've never understood why people ALWAYS respond to a statement that Player X may leave before his eligibility runs out with: "Where would he go?" The NBA isn't the only option for these kids to earn good salaries. While playing for $100,000 a year in Europe may be a fraction of what some NBA salaries are, it's still $100,000. That's a hell of a lot of money that any of us (that don't make that kind of money) would LOVE to make, myself included.

In my early to middle twenties, I probably played twice as much as these guys do FOR FREE. In the suburbs of Utica, NY no less, and not traveling through Europe. There are worse things. Mike is a smart guy, a unique guy, hopefully he wants to have a killer year next year at Syracuse and try to bring a championship to SU.

 

[jordoo]

In my early to middle twenties, I probably played twice as much as these guys do FOR FREE. In the suburbs of Utica, NY no less, and not traveling through Europe. There are worse things. Mike is a smart guy, a unique guy, hopefully he wants to have a killer year next year at Syracuse and try to bring a championship to SU.

The point is that it doesn't have to make sense to anyone except Mike and posters here regularly act surprised when these things happen.

 

[Francis03]

Where ever he decides to go. He will be 23 with a degree and even if we think it makes no sense when you may have to go to Europe to get paid he may not think that. I hope he is back but I'm trying to be realistic with what we have heard and what has happened lately with players leaving.

If G leaves, then the staff better have Jamal Murray's # on speed dial.

 

[jordoo]

If G leaves, then the staff better have Jamal Murray's # on speed dial.

That would be great! If we have to replace Mike.

 

[iommi]

If G leaves, then the staff better have Jamal Murray's # on speed dial.

Wouldn't G's scholarship go to TB? I guess you're anticipating another departure...

 

[Francis03]

Wouldn't G's scholarship go to TB? I guess you're anticipating another departure...

I still expect either Buss/BJ to leave but if not then guard play is much more important in the college game and Murray would fit a need more than TB imho. We can get by with a rotation at C with DC2, Diagne, CMac, Chino, and see how it all plays out.

 

[iommi]

I'd love to land Murray but it seems like he's completely off our radar. I haven't seen SU connected to him in a long time.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Hard to say, because a couple of variables are unknown, namely:

• Does Coleman come back anywhere close to 100%?
• Does Bryant come here?
• Does McCullough come back anywhere close to 100?
• Does McCullough declare for the NBA?
• Does Gbinije declare for the NBA?
• Does Patterson stay or depart?
• Does BJ stay or depart?

Please note that I'm just listing the unknown factors, not advocating that any of the above can or will occur. For the purposes of responding to your note, I'm going to make a couple of quick assumptions:

• Bryant ends up at SU
• Coleman returns, but isn't 100%
• McCullough and Gbinije both return
• Patterson transfers

So, with that in mind, here's how I see the rotation:

PG--Joseph, backed up by Gbinije. Howard is the third option in a two-player rotation at lead guard

SG--Cooney, with Malachi Richardson backing him up and occasionally playing alongside him. Gbinije can also fill in here.

SF--Gbinije starts, but reprises his role as the team's primary lead guard / facilitator. Roberson can play here in a pinch. BJ returns and gives us a legit bench scoring option

PF--McCullough or Roberson start here. The other is a top bench guy. Diagne could fill in here, too. Lydon doesn't play much next year.

C--Bryant starts, Coleman backs him up. Both end up playing about 50% of the game. McCullough can also slide into the pivot, as can Diagne as the fourth option. Obokoh doesn't play much next year.


If Bryant doesn't come here, then it all comes down to whether Coleman can start or not. If he can, he's the center. If he can't, then while it is less than ideal, I see McCullough potentially starting at the 5 with Roberson starting at the 4.

Patterson is old to transfer, IMO.

 

[CaliCuse]

And I think that most people would argue with you on this point. The kid has hit double figure rebounds in the majority of games he's started since Chris got hurt. He is at least Fair's equal on the glass, and is likely better in the long run. Fair, you will recall, led us in rebounding.

CJ was great past history.Chris McC is the current situation "if he comes back physically able or decide enough of the risky college game and thinks that he might want to cash in if he has the chance to do so.While we may think that he comes back ,its still his call and the organization waving the paycheck.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I still think Patterson is the most likely to bolt.

 

[CaliCuse]

Patterson is old to transfer, IMO.

Paterson has become very valuable lately and provides a great deal on defense and creating opposition TOs Aside from his shot he is more valuable than Joseph. Joseph is one of the program's biggest disappointments ever. I can't think of another player that can match up with him on the disappointment list.