Jon Rothstein on Nerlens...

[Sgt Cuse]

If I was advising Nerlens purely from the point of view of what is best for his personal development, I would rank them:

1. Kentucky - Cal knows how to fit first year players who are often raw into his system; enough talent at other positions to maximize NN's strengths and minimize his weaknesses
2. Georgetown - on the plus side, their system really emphasizes the center so it would be total immersion into offensive basketball; on the negative side, offensive basketball is his weakness and while GU would be good for his development it might make him look like he needs to stay 2 or 3 years. if the goal is to be one and done, that is not good
3. Syracuse - a lot of competition for minutes, and JB has a very clear recent history of putting his McD AA freshman centers on the court as token starters and then yanking them quickly. Good for long term development, very poor if you goal is to be a one-and-done player

I can understand the above, except I think you have to factor in expectations. The whole A Davis thing would be a real drawback. In my mind it would eliminate them. Your one year would never compare. Plus your coach could bolt (and even if you did a clause your next school would always be considered your second). If NN pulled the ultimate and won the whole thing he would be considered part of a group. Win it at SU and you will come back rock star style to a very greatful community (and with/to see your freind).

I have some fears with NN just from an expectation standpoint. I don't think he will live up to this hype. And if NN is not an AA or a one and done, it could conceivably look bad on the program and coach, at least in a small way.

But in JB I trust. I believe JB wants him here. JB would gladly give up the potential downside for a chance at the positive. Just like the possible downside of being a number 1 seed brings with it the bigger possibility of upsets or perception of not being a good tourney coach. And yet JB has shown consistently that if given the opportunity, he will do everything in his power for the better seed.

JB will be in the sweeps to the end and deal with playing time and egos as they arise. Hope he gets him.

 

[edowd26]

You do not know just like this Goober Rothstein does not know

No joke. That son of bi+(h should kick some rocks, maybe even a boulder.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Can't wait for next week when all the Nerlens hate threads spawn

 

[otto123]

Shabazz will end up deciding where Noel goes based on where he goes. If Shabazz goes to UCLA then Noel comes to Syracuse, if Shabazz goes to Kentucky then he follows him to Kentucky. There is no way he goes to Kentucky without Shabazz. You will know where the other one is going based on whoever decides first.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I agree with that . . . of course, any team is usually better when you add more talent, but I think a center rotation of DC2 and BMK surrounded by the rest of our talent is more than adequate to be at the top of the BE, earn a high seed, and potentially make a deep March run. I think SU will spend most of the next year in the Top Ten with or without Nerlens . . . I also think that DC2's low post offense would prove to be more valuable to the Orange than would NN's defense

But it won't be an either/or situation. We've already got DC2 locked and loaded.

If we get NN it would be up to JB to figure out how to use the talent. But I think you would want both NN and DC2 on the floor together a lot. DC2 will be bringing that desired post presence.

JB showed a different aspect, kind of Phil Jackson-ish, dealing with all the egos this year. Overall he did well, a couple of MCW lapses but nothing too serious (and Dion accepted his role right from the get-go). I'd like to see him do it again next year, juggling all the bigs egos. I have faith that he can figure it out. And in the process the team would be top 5 - and a much less nervous top 5 than last year - the normal pieces would be there.

 

[AlaskaSU]

Wish we had a Hak up our sleeve, just in case.

 

[otto123]

Shabazz should be the #1 recruit not Noel he will be the better player and be the #1 guy at Kentucky

 

[armory]

This will make it even better if he commits here, the entire media would look like jackasses

Dont think for a second that they won't get defensive, try to use the last 6 months as a way to conjure a conspiracy of a dirty program, and imply that Noel was bought.

 

[djcon57]

Wish we had a Hak up our sleeve, just in case.

We don't need a Hak...

We have Dujuan, Keita, and Rak if needed.

This is not the same as Hodge at all.

 

[jekelish]

We don't need a Hak...

We have Dujuan, Keita, and Rak if needed.

This is not the same as Hodge at all.

Exactly. We already have two McD's All-American centers on the roster.

 

[sandman525]

We don't need a Hak...

We have Dujuan, Keita, and Rak if needed.

This is not the same as Hodge at all.

Completely agree

 

[moqui]

Exactly. We already have two McD's All-American centers on the roster.

and a rising junior who knows the system and really shined in the post season once he got out from under Fab's shadow . . . regardless of NN's decision, I think BMK/DC2 will be the best center combo SU has had in a very long time

 

[Upstate]

Rothstein has no idea. Absolutely none, this isn't his area of expertise whatsoever.

 

[dollarbill44]

Nerlens must have told a hundred different people a hundred different things considering how many people have sources providing contrasting info.

He didn't say that he had a source. He only said, "From everything I'm hearing." For all we know, he could be sharing a cubicle with a guy who keeps saying "NN is going to either UK or GU."

 

[BleedsOrange44]

Remember, Rothstein is the same guy when asked about other possible early entries to the NBA draft said, "CJ Fair is a strong possibility." He also said of DaJuan Coleman "awful lot of Derrick Coleman in his game." He just doesn't know what he's talking about, ever.

 

[jekelish]

Yeah, anyone who says DaJuan is anything like DC is pretty much an idiot. People forget that DC was thin and super athletic, and eventually developed a great inside/outside game.

He really, really should have been the best power forward of all-time. He had it all in terms of size, mobility and skill.

 

[PauliePeppas]

Remember, Rothstein is the same guy when asked about other possible early entries to the NBA draft said, "CJ Fair is a strong possibility." He also said of DaJuan Coleman "awful lot of Derrick Coleman in his game." He just doesn't know what he's talking about, ever.

Last summer he also said dion was transferring and there was absolutely no way he will be back, of course there was a strong possibility but thats an irresponsible comment, he portrays himself as a know it all but hes not

 

[AirForceOrange]

I will go with what Francis said. While also realizing that recruiting you can never tell

Good post from a grammar perspective. You correctly capitalized the first letter in the first word of your sentences. Plus you did not have a run-on sentence, instead using a period. Only thing you forget was a period at the end of your second sentence. Otherwise you would have been golden!!!

 

[PoppyHart]

Could you clarify are you sticking to the info you reported along with francis or what ?

Why does it matter what francis says? Didn't we agree that nobody knows except for NN himself? So his opinion is just more speculation, no?

 

[rrlbees]

Rothstein doesn't have to know 1 thing about basketball to be able to say what he is "hearing". There are others hearing the same thing. And things can change day to day.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Wish we had a Hak up our sleeve, just in case.

NN is our Hak


Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk

 

[AlaskaSU]

I have some questions about Rak at PF and I would like to see CJ at the 3. Hak also started out raw, so I'm being a bit facetious about Hak up our sleeve. However, I want a PF that can create his own shot, drive and dish, and have a medium range game. Without NN, our weakest position could be PF.

 

[sandman525]

Maybe I'm overly optimistic, but I think Christmas and Coleman could form a nice high-low tandem, similar to what Jackson and A.O. did 2 years ago. And if they can't I'm sure we'll see a lot of Southerland at the 4, which would really stretch the floor.

 

[Knicks411]

Why does it matter what francis says? Didn't we agree that nobody knows except for NN himself? So his opinion is just more speculation, no?

Any pro SU opinion is more than speculation. Anything saying he is going somewhere else is just made up.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Bump for last known Berniefevercuse whereabouts...