Play Syracuse basketball G.M. Would you rather have

[dasher]

I thought MR was an average player at best, nba thinks otherwise, all you forum gurus won't tell it like it is. SU will not miss MR and will carry on, hopefully better than ever. Young men, the team is the thing

Average at best?

 

[CaliCuse]

That is why I asked the question. No way either one would come here if Mali was coming back.

I'm not sure I can agree with this Playing with top players makes a player still looking to improve look and learn sooner.We lost three player to graduation or the pros. Malachi,Gbinije,Cooney. Either of the three puts us in theFF and mabe theNC gameand title.

 

[br801]

I thought MR was an average player at best, nba thinks otherwise, all you forum gurus won't tell it like it is. SU will not miss MR and will carry on, hopefully better than ever. Young men, the team is the thing

You aren't required to like the kid and/or his decision, but "average" players don't make a great impression at the combine, and "average" players aren't selected in the first round of the draft. Now Mali may end up having an average NBA career, but even that would be a fine achievement.

 

[retro44]

A beer...

 

[Jack Hall]

I think another way of looking at it is: how will JB do with either option? A: JB would do very well with either option...

Imo

 

[IthacaMatt]

Oh, really?
Show your proof.

They both averaged around 16 points a game for solid programs in pretty good leagues - one for Nebraska and one for Colorado State. One is a very good shooter (40%) and the other is also solid (35%). Together, we get a waterbug guy who can drive to the hoop, and we have a terrific spot up shooter on the wing. And we haven't even gotten to Tyus Battle yet, who I think is going to be a Dion kind of player.

That's a great combination of styles and talents, and then you add in Frankie, who is a pretty good ball handler, has good vision and is not bad running the break. Plus Frankie has some size and isn't' that bad on D. Great mix of guards, hope like hell we can get him,

 

[IthacaMatt]

I thought MR was an average player at best, nba thinks otherwise, all you forum gurus won't tell it like it is. SU will not miss MR and will carry on, hopefully better than ever. Young men, the team is the thing

No, I think he would have been the leading scorer next year with about 16 points a game, and I think he would have shot about 35% from three and gotten better driving to the hoop and finishing through contact. Mali was a very good talent. He left some money on the table by not coming back to be the star.

 

[kcsu]

John is a great player who had nothing around him he is going to be amazing.

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

He left some money on the table by not coming back to be the star.

Disagree. I'm not sure Malachi would have been the star, and next years draft is loaded. Not sure he would have gotten drafted higher than #22 next year. He made a wise choice.

 

[tbonezone]

malichi didn't even make all ACC 3rd team. hard to predict when a player of that caliber decides to jump. probably the best strategy as a coach/gm is to basically try to reload 1 center and 1 forward and 1 combo guard every class in the event of injury or early exit. we often tend to chase the elite talent regardless of need. and when they pass we're screwed. i'd rather bring in one solid very year and hope they stick around.

 

[RF2044]

John is a great player who had nothing around him he is going to be amazing.

Agree 100%.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Mali back next year or the combo of Gillon and White. If you keep Mali, you don't get Gillon or White. A or B?

Ill take Gillon and White. Mali is really streaky and Gillon and White complement each other. Gillon adds speed to transition game you don't get with Mali.

 

[Shark58]

Mal. getting neither Gillon nor White leaves room for another

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

Mali back next year or the combo of Gillon and White. If you keep Mali, you don't get Gillon or White. A or B?

White and Gillon. That's 30ppg vs 14. White put up way better numbers than Malachi. Gillon shot just as well from 3. Gimme two good players over 1. Also both are older, more experienced players.

White > Malachi

 

[JLine]

Absolutely Malachi, no question. Love the look of JG JRs game, and White looks to be the perfect fit to really stack this team. That said, in order to win you have to have great team chemistry. We can use White, of course, but it does worry me a bit how it plays out since certain players will be losing time, and pretty unexpectedly.

JB and the staff can handle it, but it has done some teams in before. Not to say that it does, but yeah, I'm taking Mali and that team. Everyone would know their place, and chemistry is already built between the returning players and incoming freshmen.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

malichi didn't even make all ACC 3rd team.

The lack of that accolade really doesn't matter.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I'd take B. People who think White and Gillon are just another guy is lazy talk. I know there's other things to basketball than numbers, but Whites shooting numbers were better across the board than anyone we had last year, and he will play D for JB, because I'd he doesn't he will be on the bench because this team will be LOADED.

 

[Flacusian]

I thought MR was an average player at best, nba thinks otherwise, all you forum gurus won't tell it like it is. SU will not miss MR and will carry on, hopefully better than ever. Young men, the team is the thing

Ok... let me make sure I understand you. You are saying that people who make a living evaluating talent for the NBA missed the mark by overrating a player who, in reality, is an "average player AT BEST" and the "forum gurus" (some of which if you haven't noticed, have a remarkable understanding of both the college and pro game) are reticent to be honest and as you say "tell it like it is".

This post is a classic case of , "if you spot it, you got it." Puleese! MR clearly demonstrated if anything, he is not an average player at best. The kid put the team on his back and dragged them to within a game of playing for the National Championship. And in case you hadn't noticed, he did so while being covered by and covering some of the best players in the Nation while doing so.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Ok... let me make sure I understand you. You are saying that people who make a living evaluating talent for the NBA missed the mark by overrating a player who, in reality, is an "average player AT BEST" and the "forum gurus" (some of which if you haven't noticed, have a remarkable understanding of both the college and pro game) are reticent to be honest and as you say "tell it like it is".

This post is a classic case of , "if you spot it, you got it." Puleese! MR clearly demonstrated if anything, he is not an average player at best. The kid put the team on his back and dragged them to within a game of playing for the National Championship. And in case you hadn't noticed, he did so while being covered by and covering some of the best players in the Nation while doing so.

To be fair, Mali put us on his back for six minutes. And that's commendable.

That being said, he was inconsistent through five tournament games, and for most of the season.

So yeah, I can see the argument for "average.". Does he have a ton of talent? Yes. Is that talent mostly potential right now? Yes.

 

[rstone7727]

C'mon. One of them averaged nearly 17 points per game in the b1g, and shot 41% from three point range.

The other...


I honestly think some people are going to be amazed when they see Gillon play, based upon how low expectations seem to be for some. Kid is beyond legit--he's a difference maker.

And these are D1 highlights, not HS...

 

[AlpharettaCuse]

To be fair, Mali put us on his back for six minutes. And that's commendable.

That being said, he was inconsistent through five tournament games, and for most of the season.

So yeah, I can see the argument for "average.". Does he have a ton of talent? Yes. Is that talent mostly potential right now? Yes.

Mali had 21 in the first game against Dayton and 23 against Virginia. 17 against UNC. 10 against the Zags. That's not average. It's not like he only showed up for 6 minutes vs. UVA. He averaged almost 13.4 ppg during the season and over 40% from 3 in the ACC. That better than average right?

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Ok... let me make sure I understand you. You are saying that people who make a living evaluating talent for the NBA missed the mark by overrating a player who, in reality, is an "average player AT BEST" and the "forum gurus" (some of which if you haven't noticed, have a remarkable understanding of both the college and pro game) are reticent to be honest and as you say "tell it like it is".

This post is a classic case of , "if you spot it, you got it." Puleese! MR clearly demonstrated if anything, he is not an average player at best. The kid put the team on his back and dragged them to within a game of playing for the National Championship. And in case you hadn't noticed, he did so while being covered by and covering some of the best players in the Nation while doing so.

My guess is all the naysayers had video links to MR's workouts, and even if none of the professionals saw it, the 9-5ers on this board could tell MR isn't an NBA player.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Mali had 21 in the first game against Dayton and 23 against Virginia. 17 against UNC. 10 against the Zags. That's not average. It's not like he only showed up for 6 minutes vs. UVA. He averaged almost 13.4 ppg during the season and over 40% from 3 in the ACC. That better than average right?

He went 3-14 against Gonzaga. Like MTSU he was not good. Great vs UNC, Uva, and Dayton though. So yeah I'd say he was inconsistent.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I am a huge MR fan but I disagree that he put us on his back and dragged us to a FF. that narrative picked up steam as it was expedient for his draft stock but is a big misrepresentation of what happened.

Lydon had the best NCAA tournament of any freshman ever blocking shots (as I recall), Roberson was in beast mode the whole time, we had 2 fifth year seniors in the backcourt, and yes Mali played great to spur our comeback against UVA. It was a textbook team effort. Nobody's back got ridden.

 

[Consigliere]

Win - win. I love these decisions.