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Message: [QUOTE="Consigliere, post: 2559241, member: 559"] Look. I am firmly in the camp that the sanctions created an incredible challenge to the program. To have continued a winning tradition, even if the results might have been somewhat below our standards during the last few regular seasons while overachieving significantly in our last two NCAA Tournament appearances is a testament to the team's heart and the coaching staff's ability to adapt. The one shortcoming I see is that we have not adapted well to the one-and-done culture. Seems like there are two approaches: I. Become an NBA lottery factory like Kentucky, Duke, and increasingly Arizona and Kansas or - II. Build a program on slightly less talented players who will bring some continuity like Villanova, Xavier, Gonzaga, Virginia. First option is tough because we do not run a plug-and-play system. Very few upper echelon recruits have the ability or the desire to fully embrace the principles of the zone when they first step on campus. Second option has been challenging because players that seem to have been multi-year contributors show enough early on to enhance their profiles and get NBA consideration. I think part of this is that due to the zone, we focus recruiting on kids with the measurables the NBA craves, part is that opportunities with a short rotation are abundant and part, as K said, because "all Jim's payers get better." As a result we've kind of ended up with an in between philosophy that keeps us successful but a notch below the top tier talent factories. Of course all of that can change on one given day - hence the post season success - but ultimately it catches up with you. Going to be an interesting transition as the one-and-done environment is sunset but I'm optimistic that the end result will be very good for us. [/QUOTE]

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