is there any chance whatsoever that mccollough comes back

[orangehomer]

i don't think I've ever seen JB coach like this before, he doesn't seem too interested in this year

 

[Libero2]

Those two statements don't seem to go together on the face.

CM is going to the NBA unless his offensive play takes a dip and matches his defensive collapse in the final 5 minutes.

I would expect if he gets a first round grade, he's gone. Not just a lottery grade, but a first round grade and he's out. I suppose we could also discuss an injury possibly derailing his leaving early, but that's just depressing.

But if he comes back, whatever the reason, our team has a chance to be really good again next year. Otherwise we are likely staring at the hole where his presence is supposed to be saying the same about him as we are Ennis this year.

 

[dasher]

He is not coming back. No one that we will ever get again is coming back unless the nba change the rules.

 

[longislandcuse]

So far, what I've seen from him screams lottery pick no matter how much JB wants to cry about it. He's gone, and if he's a lottery pick, he should go.

I thought it was interesting hearing Shane Battier, who clearly knows what it takes to make it in the NBA, straight up in awe over him a few time yesterday.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Lottery pick at minimim.

 

[jekelish]

He's not coming back. I think he probably needs to to get fully prepared for the next level from a physical standpoint, but when has a kid ever come back for his sophomore season just so he can bulk up a bit?

 

[bozophobe]

I seem to recall CM stating that he would like to see his mother living in a less rough neighborhood. And I recall Carmelo saying something similar, along with various non-SU players. If that's a motivation, it's understandable if this was never a debate to begin with. I admit I don't know what, if anything, CM has said regarding what he'd do if the one year rule didn't exist.

 

[hoopsupstate]

He's not coming back. I'm starting to wonder if he might become a dust mop. He spends more time on the floor than any player I've ever watched. He's so weak that if he gets touched he falls down. He dunked on the lob, turned around and fell down. Two minutes later he drives by his man and falls down. SJU put him on the floor all day and he answered it by going 3-10 from the foul line. Pretty good strategy.

The one thing I will say is that JB needs to get him more jump shots from the baseline. He hardly ever misses from that spot. What's really scary is that we're going to be really bad next year. Same perimeter players but without CM and Rak.

 

[jekelish]

He's not coming back. I'm starting to wonder if he might become a dust mop. He spends more time on the floor than any player I've ever watched. He's so weak that if he gets touched he falls down. He dunked on the lob, turned around and fell down. Two minutes later he drives by his man and falls down. SJU put him on the floor all day and he answered it by going 3-10 from the foul line. Pretty good strategy.

The one thing I will say is that JB needs to get him more jump shots from the baseline. He hardly ever misses from that spot. What's really scary is that we're going to be really bad next year. Same perimeter players but without CM and Rak.

If we get Bryant, our post game will be just fine between him, Diagne, and Lydon. Lots of size and skill in that group. Just a matter of whether they're physically and mentally ready (Bryant and Diagne are definitely physically ready, Lydon is the question mark, but I hope he is because the kid can shoot and become a true stretch 4).

 

[cuseguy]

Saw Lydon last week. He's not physically ready. I don't see him playing next year, and if we have a full roster and the sophomores develop, I could see a redshirt year. He'll be a good player for us down the road.

 

[jekelish]

Saw Lydon last week. He's not physically ready. I don't see him playing next year, and if we have a full roster and the sophomores develop, I could see a redshirt year. He'll be a good player for us down the road.

If we have other guys who can play then I'm 100% cool with this. Lydon brings a different dynamic to our 4 spot than we've had in awhile. He's also rail thin, so I can totally see him needing a redshirt year. I hope the staff learned their lesson with BJ that a redshirt season is a good thing, when you can afford to have a kid take one.

 

[orangecuse]

So far, what I've seen from him screams lottery pick no matter how much JB wants to cry about it. He's gone, and if he's a lottery pick, he should go.

I thought it was interesting hearing Shane Battier, who clearly knows what it takes to make it in the NBA, straight up in awe over him a few time yesterday.

Battier also said...stay in college, that he'd go back himself. He was probably auditioning for a gig on those Dish commercials.

In seriousness though, I think this leaving early is taking a toll on JB and could make him retire sooner than he may of even thought. He wasn't happy about Ennis or Grant leaving, and it's bound to happen again with CMac. JB's likely saying to himself, I'm too old for this crap, it is what it is...and he knows he hasn't any power to change it. Additionally, with JB's win every game mentality (6-7 guy comfort zone rotation for 35 years) he ain't a changing that either...it goes against his grain. So, with his age, etc., he may likely not have the patience anymore for such undesired/unanticpated changeover.

 

[SmilinBob]

Once CM can work by himself to get his shot off then he should go. I see talent galore but you need to make things happen in the NBA and yes he's good but he isn't doing that with the Orange. Will he later in the season, I hope so but I still see too much gliding.

 

[jekelish]

Once CM can work by himself to get his shot off then he should go. I see talent galore but you need to make things happen in the NBA and yes he's good but he isn't doing that with the Orange. Will he later in the season, I hope so but I still see too much gliding.

The one reason I think McCullough needs another year, and this does tie in to strength, is the fact that he absolutely cannot power through contact. I've never seen a 6-10, athletic as hell kid get stripped on the way up as often as Chris does. This is against, for the most part, mediocre competition. How the hell does he expect to ever get a shot off against NBA bodies?

 

[dasher]

The one reason I think McCullough needs another year, and this does tie in to strength, is the fact that he absolutely cannot power through contact. I've never seen a 6-10, athletic as hell kid get stripped on the way up as often as Chris does. This is against, for the most part, mediocre competition. How the hell does he expect to ever get a shot off against NBA bodies?

He isn't coming back because he needs to get stronger. He does need to get stronger. But that won't make him stay.

 

[Fly Rodder]

He isn't coming back because he needs to get stronger. He does need to get stronger. But that won't make him stay.

Correct. I watched the 76ers the other night and Grant looks like he's put on a solid 20lbs.

Anything that McCullough needs to do, he can do in the NBA while getting paid.

 

[OrangeDW]

The one reason I think McCullough needs another year, and this does tie in to strength, is the fact that he absolutely cannot power through contact. I've never seen a 6-10, athletic as hell kid get stripped on the way up as often as Chris does. This is against, for the most part, mediocre competition. How the hell does he expect to ever get a shot off against NBA bodies?

Agreed. He falls down a lot when he shouldn't too. Definitely needs to improve his overall strength.

But that won't matter in this situation, I don't think. Most of our guys who left early had big flaws they needed to improve, and it didn't effect their situations at all in terms of staying or going. His lack of strength will just keep him on the bench more in his rookie season. He's quite a bit better player than guys like Greene and Grant already, IMO.

In fact, I wouldn't even be mad if he starts jacking up like 15-20 shots a game. He'd probably shoot a better % from 3 than all these other guys that are like 2-20 on the year.

 

[SBU72]

Battier also said...stay in college, that he'd go back himself. He was probably auditioning for a gig on those Dish commercials.

In seriousness though, I think this leaving early is taking a toll on JB and could make him retire sooner than he may of even thought. He wasn't happy about Ennis or Grant leaving, and it's bound to happen again with CMac. JB's likely saying to himself, I'm too old for this crap, it is what it is...and he knows he hasn't any power to change it. Additionally, with JB's win every game mentality (6-7 guy comfort zone rotation for 35 years) he ain't a changing that either...it goes against his grain. So, with his age, etc., he may likely not have the patience anymore for such undesired/unanticpated changeover.

I think it is more likely that JB stops recruiting top talent than him retiring. this way he gets to keep kids like Xmas, CJ, Southerland, Scoop, Trishe for 4 years. He'll live with their growing pains for 2 years then have veteran leadership.

 

[Brooky03]

Some quick thoughts about this thread:

1) McCullough's gone. Boeheim's expected it and prepared for it from the moment we landed him.

2) We won't be worse next year than this year. Why? Malachi Richardson, Moustapha Diagne, Thomas Bryant, Senior scorers in G and Cooney, an experienced PG in Joseph, and a true backup PG. In fact, we'll have true backups at every position for once. And I mean backups that can actually play.

 

[orangecuse]

I think it is more likely that JB stops recruiting top talent than him retiring. this way he gets to keep kids like Xmas, CJ, Southerland, Scoop, Trishe for 4 years. He'll live with their growing pains for 2 years then have veteran leadership.

I don't know. I don't see a change in recruiting pattern any time, as SU will continue to try to get the best players they can. SU typically doesn't get the renowned one and doners anyways ala the Kentucky's, Duke's, and Kansas' of the world, but solid top 50-100 type guys. The problem today is, is that if these guys end of blowing up after only one season of play, they're gone...MCW, Ennis, etc. There is no way to predict that, so when it happens, it leaves a major unanticipated void to fill...hitting the reset button again with guys we typically get. Which, generally, need a year or two to really contribute significantly.

 

[longislandcuse]

I think it is more likely that JB stops recruiting top talent than him retiring. this way he gets to keep kids like Xmas, CJ, Southerland, Scoop, Trishe for 4 years. He'll live with their growing pains for 2 years then have veteran leadership.

Soooo we should recruit like a mid major? No, that's not happening.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think it is more likely that JB stops recruiting top talent than him retiring. this way he gets to keep kids like Xmas, CJ, Southerland, Scoop, Trishe for 4 years. He'll live with their growing pains for 2 years then have veteran leadership.

The thing is how do you know? For example, Christmas came here way more highly touted than Grant. He probably thought he would be 1 and done or 2 and done. In fact, I remember a lot of talk on here after the 2013 season that he might not be back.

 

[samspann1]

The one reason I think McCullough needs another year, and this does tie in to strength, is the fact that he absolutely cannot power through contact. I've never seen a 6-10, athletic as hell kid get stripped on the way up as often as Chris does. This is against, for the most part, mediocre competition. How the hell does he expect to ever get a shot off against NBA bodies?

I've been surprised at how weak McCullough is with the ball, and his inability to finish at or around the rim. It almost seems as if he's afraid of contact.

 

[Madbiker]

I don't know. I don't see a change in recruiting pattern any time, as SU will continue to try to get the best players they can. SU typically doesn't get the renowned one and doners anyways ala the Kentucky's, Duke's, and Kansas' of the world, but solid top 50-100 type guys. The problem today is, is that if these guys end of blowing up after only one season of play, they're gone...MCW, Ennis, etc. There is no way to predict that, so when it happens, it leaves a major unanticipated void to fill...hitting the reset button again with guys we typically get. Which, generally, need a year or two to really contribute significantly.

If SU wants to compete in the ACC with Duke, UNC, Louisville, UVA we must recruit and get our share of top 25 ranked kids. Otherwise SU will become a middle of the pack team. And we need to stop crying about these high level kids leaving early and using it as an excuse for declining performance. ALL the high level elite programs deal with this...not just UK. Arizona loses kids every year and Miller keeps them humming along in the top 10. We have to make some changes to our recruiting. We need to recruit on top of kids assuming the high level guys will leave after a year. That means bringing in top guys at the same position in consecutive years. JB doesn't like to do that. If the kid returns we'll deal with it. Maybe JB then has to lengthen his rotation and not just play 6-7 guys. The days of these high level kids staying 2- 3 years is over. We need to adjust. And the answer isn't to just recruit lower level kids because they will stay.

 

[SBU72]

The thing is how do you know? For example, Christmas came here way more highly touted than Grant. He probably thought he would be 1 and done or 2 and done. In fact, I remember a lot of talk on here after the 2013 season that he might not be back.

I doubt Xmas (or any body ) could have thought he was 1 and done While a McD's AA, he didn't even avg double figure ppg his sr year. Made it strictly on defensive play at on summer camp. Don't remember any talk of him not coming back after 2013 season Not Xmas.