Akok Akok in the portal

[Niastri]

Player development hasn’t been an issue imo. I think the bigger issue has been how small our classes have been as a result of sanctions. No one is going to have 100% hit rate on recruits but if you’re only bringing 2-3 person classes you have a small margin for error. When we were rolling at our best we had a rotation full of “program guys” with NBA guys mixed in.

I think this class is the staff getting back to that roster construction. Let competition determine who gets the forward minutes and earlier playing time keep kids here longer so we can have a team that grows together. It’s the offseason so I’ll be optimistic that this is the staff addressing a problem and taking a different approach to solving it.

I don't think sanctions had anything to do with the last 7 years of mediocrity... Inability to keep the program guys the two years needed for them to contribute is the problem. We couldn't even get Guerrier or Swider to stick around when they were going to be big minute starters. Recruiting into the program hasn't been as bad as recruiting to keep kids in the program.

Look at the forwards who transferred out the last 2 years alone. Woody or Braswell in particular would look really good as upperclassmen forwards on next year's team.

 

[CousCuse]

Here's an idea as an addendum to the portal. If freshman players get recruited and then gets recruited over for players in the portal, they should be able to break their commitment and go back into the recruiting pool if they wish to. That would be equitable.

 

[Orangezoo]

Here's an idea as an addendum to the portal. If freshman players get recruited and then gets recruited over for players in the portal, they should be able to break their commitment and go back into the recruiting pool if they wish to. That would be equitable.

No. There is no way to prove "recruited over". It's all subjective. That would just make an existing problem even worse.

 

[CousCuse]

No. There is no way to prove "recruited over". It's all subjective. That would just make an existing problem even worse.

Why should freshman recruits be put in such a disadvantaged situation compared to guys who have played a year or more? The portal was established to help the players not for the programs. Coaches will have to be more upfront with recruits, and to me that's great.

 

[Briancuse]

When we originally signed him he was ranked in the 50’s or 60’s. He’s now ranked 108 on the composite. So it’s certainly possible we told him he’d be a rotation player as a freshmen.

Rotation player yes. Starter no.

 

[orangefog]

Why should freshman recruits be put in such a disadvantaged situation compared to guys who have played a year or more? The portal was established to help the players not for the programs. Coaches will have to be more upfront with recruits, and to me that's great.

A little research could tell a recruit anything he needs to know about a coach or program.

 

[kcsu]

I don't think sanctions had anything to do with the last 7 years of mediocrity... Inability to keep the program guys the two years needed for them to contribute is the problem. We couldn't even get Guerrier or Swider to stick around when they were going to be big minute starters. Recruiting into the program hasn't been as bad as recruiting to keep kids in the program.

Look at the forwards who transferred out the last 2 years alone. Woody or Braswell in particular would look really good as upperclassmen forwards on next year's team.

Sanctions or Bags as we never miss on a kid

 

[CousCuse]

A little research could tell a recruit anything he needs to know about a coach or program.

So in this current situation with regards to Akok or another player from the portal, the SU staff is honoring what they offered the freshman recruits? No one knows what they told the recruits so it's really conjecture anyways, but I would think they laid out reasonable expectations.

 

[RF2044]

I think you've outlined this quite well.

There is so much that has to go right just to get into the 18-13 range that we've been muddling through for the last 8 years. This roster looks like year 9 to me.

We're banking on a lot of IFs going right, but we've seen a consistent pattern of IFs going wrong over the last 8 years.

What happens if Judah shows up and plays like the last 2 PGs we recruited with similar rankings (Joseph and Carey)?

What happens if Benny doesn't make a giant leap? I mean, the leap he has to make for us to be decent is HUGE. He played a lot of minutes as a frosh and outside of one game against Duke accomplished a lot of nothing. From a correlative standpoint, his season stats on a per minute basis stack up historically with former SU players that never really developed. Not saying he won't, just saying that the empirical data doesn't fill me with hope.

What happens if Jesse can't play 30+ a night due to persistent foul trouble or worse yet, injury?

The only thing I'm willing to predict with certainty about next year is that Joe is going to have the ultimate green light. He's gonna average 1 shot attempt per 2 minutes of floor time at minimum. Worried that will lead to a lot of bad/low efficiency shots without other shooters to spread the floor for him.

I definitely realize that we can't discount the fact that there may be pleasant surprises from the frosh class. But the way player development and handling of FR has gone recently, it would be dubious to bank on that.

Terrific post [unfortunately]. And you outline some sobering / discouraging concerns.

An awful lot seems like it would have to go right for this team to qualify for the NCAA tournament.

 

[orangefog]

So in this current situation with regards to Akok or another player from the portal, the SU staff is honoring what they offered the freshman recruits? No one knows what they told the recruits so it's really conjecture anyways, but I would think they laid out reasonable expectations.

I don't know for sure, but I am confident that our coaches painted a favorable picture for the recruits with regards to early playing time. No promises are typically made. Perhaps with Mintz, because they know that if they get him, they won't be getting any other guards and they know that he would at least be getting the token start. The other guys, it sounds like "we see you a lot like Buddy, we can see you stepping in to that role." That is not a promise of starting or even playing time. The coach's job is to win. Talent accumulation and roster building is part of that job. These players all know what the coach's job is. If they don't want to be recruited over, then be better than the guy being brought in. If not, practice against and learn from the guy that is better than you so that you can get better than him. Steel sharpens steel. Other than Mintz, none of our other freshman have a shot at being one and done. So, their job is to get better over time. Playing time is one way, practicing against better players is another (better way in my opinion).

 

[tptcuse]

So in this current situation with regards to Akok or another player from the portal, the SU staff is honoring what they offered the freshman recruits? No one knows what they told the recruits so it's really conjecture anyways, but I would think they laid out reasonable expectations.

Cannot imagine they told Carey, who hasn't played in two years, that he would be backup center on Day 1.

 

[CousCuse]

Cannot imagine they told Carey, who hasn't played in two years, that he would be backup center on Day 1.

The people here who want Akok, want him to play forward and a little back up center time.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Cannot imagine they told Carey, who hasn't played in two years, that he would be backup center on Day 1.

Where is this 2 years coming from? He played AAU last spring. According to this he was injured late summer. I agree he should probably redshirt this season, but I don't think it's accurate that he has not played in two years.

Syracuse basketball recruit Peter Carey recovering from knee injury: ‘Everything feels great now’

Peter Carey, a 6-11 center from Sunderland, Mass., had a partial tear in his patella tendon.

www.syracuse.com

 

[Orangezoo]

Where is this 2 years coming from? He played AAU last spring. According to this he was injured late summer. I agree he should probably redshirt this season, but I don't think it's accurate that he has not played in two years.

Syracuse basketball recruit Peter Carey recovering from knee injury: ‘Everything feels great now’

Peter Carey, a 6-11 center from Sunderland, Mass., had a partial tear in his patella tendon.

www.syracuse.com

I sure hope he can get healthy. Just get worrisome vibes like with Sidibe, especially given he had the knee injury, plays well and gets the cuse offer then injured again and misses his final season.

 

[tptcuse]

Where is this 2 years coming from? He played AAU last spring. According to this he was injured late summer. I agree he should probably redshirt this season, but I don't think it's accurate that he has not played in two years.

Syracuse basketball recruit Peter Carey recovering from knee injury: ‘Everything feels great now’

Peter Carey, a 6-11 center from Sunderland, Mass., had a partial tear in his patella tendon.

www.syracuse.com

COVID and this past season? I could be wrong.

 

[Sherman20]

Moten is a never say never for sure. I would point more to a CJ Fair. Injury dropped his stock but he was far better than expected as a frosh. Marek was too. With that said they weren't coming in dropping 10-12 a game despite being surprises.

What about Oshae?

 

[Fly Rodder]

Yeah, this isn't happening. We're rolling with what we have outside of a surprise randomly showing up at the Melo Center.

 

[Orangezoo]

What about Oshae?

Oshae was a ratings glitch due to playing in Canada but his game was clearly ready. He wasn't really a big surprise.

 

[OptimusOtto]

I don't think sanctions had anything to do with the last 7 years of mediocrity... Inability to keep the program guys the two years needed for them to contribute is the problem. We couldn't even get Guerrier or Swider to stick around when they were going to be big minute starters. Recruiting into the program hasn't been as bad as recruiting to keep kids in the program.

Look at the forwards who transferred out the last 2 years alone. Woody or Braswell in particular would look really good as upperclassmen forwards on next year's team.

I agree but at the same time Woody didn’t crack the rotation on a mediocre Ok State team and Braswell lost his starting job at Charlotte. I was a big fan of both guys but that’s not 2 blue bloods they struggled to get minutes at.

As for the sanctions they definitely played a part but it’s not the number one reason. It’s been a perfect storm of events between sanctions, losing Hop, switching conferences, etc.

 

[Sherman20]

How Moten got his nickname. Was that your question?

"Poetry In Moten" SU Legend Lawrence Moten to have jersey retired

Lawrence Moten is the all-time leading scorer in Syracuse Basketball history with 2,334 points.Let that sink in. Two-Thousand, three hundred thirty four points.He beat Derrick Coleman's record and held off John Wallace by 215 points.In fact nobody has ecl

cnycentral.com

I remember when that sign first went up in the Dome and that nickname started. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Sherman20]

To date Jim doesnt recruit portal kids he didnt previously offer.

Allan Griffin, Andrew White, John Gillon. There’s no difference between these transfers (regular or grad) then and now. None of them had to sit out a year. The “portal” is just the official way they enter.

 

[kingtidge]

Allen Griffin, Andrew White, John Gillon. There’s no difference between these transfers (regular or grad) then and now. None of them had to sit out a year. The “portal” is just the official way they enter.

The big difference is the portal makes the transfer process more structured, and accessible and there is a BIG increase in the number of players participating and actively seeking transfers.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Heard again as of late last week right around when the Akok news came out that JB doesn't want to go after transfers for what he deems as just one year rentals.

 

[Yukon]

Can’t say I’ve heard of this happening before. Maybe it’ll be the new norm for coaches to visit transfers at their former school?

 

[orangefog]

Can’t say I’ve heard of this happening before? Maybe it’ll be the new norm for coaches to visit transfers at their former school?

He is going to get drunk and go cow tipping for sure.