2023-24 Portal Options

[RF2044]

Just watch. I hope I'm wrong, like desperately want to be wrong. I would love to upgrade one of those forwards spots DESPERATELY but all of these forwards did stay for a reason. Obviously, Red being there hits different than JB. Also, one or more will take a leap so there's a part of me that isn't too overly concerned about the lack of talent

I would like to believe that both of those things would come to pass -- i.e., we upgrade at forward AND the incumbents show incremental improvement. But neither of those things is a given.

The players are back because they like Red. Whether Red can have success next year essentially running it back with the same squad, but using a different style of play, remains to be seen.

Which is why it would behoove the coaching staff to look to upgrade the talent base, and then let the chips fall where they may with respect to PT.

 

[pwong]

You're lying to yourself right there. No portal player that is established is going to a potential situation where they have to battle out for time or a log jam. You don't roll those dice. You think Hunter Dickerson is even considering ANY program where he is going to have to battle or even a roll of the dice for the majority of playing time. Stop. Besides, it's not like our program is in some grand standing spotlight right now, we aren't UK, Duke or KU.
You got kids leaving 6 figure NIL opportunities at their current schools because they want to go to a better playing time situation.

Chris Bell averaged 20 minutes per game, Benny averaged 22 minutes per game. I like both players but I don’t think an established player would necessarily be scared off by starters who only played half the time the previous year

 

[FrancoPizza]

. And then I think we go after a forward transfer. I don’t think we are done in the portal yet

god we better not be done. We’re gonna find out real soon if Red is serious about playing with the big boys. Running back one of the worst collections of talent in the JB era is not a winning formula. Nobody cares if they’re friendly with the coaches if we’re not winning games.

 

[orangefog]

I would if I was an established player. Would any quality player really be scared off by JT or Bell?

Nope

 

[DilemaCuse]

I would like to believe that both of those things would come to pass -- i.e., we upgrade at forward AND the incumbents show incremental improvement. But neither of those things is a given.

The players are back because they like Red. Whether Red can have success next year essentially running it back with the same squad, but using a different style of play, remains to be seen.

Which is why it would behoove the coaching staff to look to upgrade the talent base, and then let the chips fall where they may with respect to PT.

And this part concerns me a little. Its good they like him and hopefully his personality leads to recruiting better players because the program needs better talent and to perform better. But I have seen cases where the interim hire is liked by the players which is nice but the Coach then isn't tough on them or holding them accountable and the program drops off. Hope that's not going to be the case.

 

[007]

Just watch. I hope I'm wrong, like desperately want to be wrong. I would love to upgrade one of those forwards spots DESPERATELY but all of these forwards did stay for a reason. Obviously, Red being there hits different than JB. Also, one or more will take a leap so there's a part of me that isn't too overly concerned about the lack of talent

Let's all hope that there is not a part of Red that thinks the way you do relative to talent.

My understanding, which includes a grain of salt, is that Red is still actively looking to add to the talent via the portal. IMO, this is the smart move.

 

[SUOrangeSU]

UK Freshmen Center just hit the portal...might be directly related to Hunter coming in

 

[kingtidge]

UK Freshmen Center just hit the portal...might be directly related to Hunter coming in

 

[kingtidge]

 

[orangepassion]

Ugonna? Try He Gone-a. Amirite?

 

[longtimefan]

Ugonna? Try He Gone-a. Amirite?

An indication that Dickenson is coming? Or simply "You're not as good as we thought"?

 

[UpstateSM]

 

[FrancoPizza]

Do we even know for a fact that Red is aggressively hitting the portal for anyone else? If you’re not pounding it like chip at a truck stop bathroom stall, bags in tow, then what are we really doing here??

 

[hoopsupstate]

Red has to be careful using the portal. It looks like he wants to bring in four recruits next year. To have room, he needs to bring in grad transfers or players with only one year left. He still might not have room.

 

[Orangezoo]

Red has to be careful using the portal. It looks like he wants to bring in four recruits next year. To have room, he needs to bring in grad transfers of players with only one year left. He still might not have room.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and presume he can do that math

 

[hoopsupstate]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and presume he can do that math

I’m sure Red knows that, but fans think he should bring in two more portal kids.

 

[pwong]

 

[Orangezoo]

Ooof

 

[Sherman20]

That’s a really odd choice. Talk about two totally different programs.

 

[Sherman20]

I would like to believe that both of those things would come to pass -- i.e., we upgrade at forward AND the incumbents show incremental improvement. But neither of those things is a given.

The players are back because they like Red. Whether Red can have success next year essentially running it back with the same squad, but using a different style of play, remains to be seen.

Which is why it would behoove the coaching staff to look to upgrade the talent base, and then let the chips fall where they may with respect to PT.

Didn’t you hear that this was the best freshman class JB ever recruited? Lol. i do like some of the players but we also need a talent infusion at the forward spot or for guys to make big leaps. And I just don’t see JT as a forward.

 

[orangefog]

Justin Moore, what’s your number?

 

[AZOrange]

Ehhhh I think we pursue a player like Westry who isn’t gonna start this year but would be nice off the bench behind JJ and Judah. And can start the year after or so once he develops more. And then I think we go after a forward transfer. I don’t think we are done in the portal yet

No I think we get 2

 

[DilemaCuse]

Red has to be careful using the portal. It looks like he wants to bring in four recruits next year. To have room, he needs to bring in grad transfers or players with only one year left. He still might not have room.

Thats a good point and I follow the logic but we need to stop worrying about next year, or next year's recruiting class and start having an urgency to acquire as much talent as possible in the present to get back to winning and then figure out the next recruiting class. There's no guarantee we land all 4 of Moore, Bethea, Sorber and Freeman.

Edit:
If we had won 22 games + and made the tournament we'd be set for year 2 with this group. We didn't and I still think there are too many question marks to not actively pursue others that could be an upgrade. I would love nothing more than to be wrong and come back here and eat crow like I did after beating SD St in the tournament 2 years ago.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Maybe Red thinks Copeland and Taylor can replace Symir and Girard. I think Benny and Brown can handle the four. We need another small forward to rotate with Bell.

 

[oldpinepoint]

Yeah. The COD part is a joke. She likes playing video games together though, currently just has the Nintendo switch. She also mountain bikes with me so I don’t have her sitting in front of a screen every second.

Where you biking these days?