It’s Portal time!

[baggerbob]

I mentioned he shoots more jumpers, from both mid range and three point line. 37% this year from three, which is fantastic for a big man. But, he is a big bodied, low post scorer that can establish and maintain position and then use either hand around the basket. He is not a high flyer. He is more likely to finish with a layup than a dunk.

DC watch film as a pro when he was allowed to be himself.

 

[dasher]

so do programs via back door channels approach players who aren't in the portal but may get in? I assume that is a major no-no but it has to happen right?

Of course. And there is no reason to believe we aren't doing that right now.

 

[orangefog]

Of course. And there is no reason to believe we aren't doing that right now.

Hey Luka. The NCAA is giving you a free year. How about leaving the corn field and getting your jersey hung in front of 35,000 fans?

 

[Cuse_NYC]

Kenyon Martin

What? Lol

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

Woody should have played more, it not like we AA talent in front of him. Every year the same thing. It time for a culture change. JB is the problem

The current SU roster has more talent at the wings than any other position. QG and AG are the closest thing JB has to AAs. I would have liked to see more minutes for Woody but acting like there was a clear path for him to see the court this year is not accurate.

 

[SUOrangeSU]

The plan was to redshirt Jesse this year and he agreed to it. Come on. You know what they say about rumors. Kid would be a fool to leave.

why would he be a fool to leave? Are you kidding? It's not like our head coach has a great track record with centers. The man has 4 centers on a team and can't even establish 1 of them to be a backup.

 

[jr4750]

why would he be a fool to leave? Are you kidding? It's not like our head coach has a great track record with centers. The man has 4 centers on a team and can't even establish 1 of them to be a backup.

This is an excellent point, but that’s been the dig against JB for years and the reason we have missed out on a lot of other centers over the last 10 years. Jesse signed on, albeit without a ton of other offers. Jesse is also the starter next year, and he does see how those players get all the minutes. Could he leave and be the starter elsewhere? Perhaps, but I doubt it’s somewhere as high profile as SU. I simply can’t believe we run Sid back again.

 

[Gotothehole]

The current SU roster has more talent at the wings than any other position. QG and AG are the closest thing JB has to AAs. I would have liked to see more minutes for Woody but acting like there was a clear path for him to see the court this year is not accurate.

He is skilled enough to get minutes at the 2 guard spot.

 

[ApexSUFan]

Seems like an odd time for Jesse to leave just as the roster is opening up for him. Maybe I missed something, but why is there talk of Quincy leaving and where would he be able to go?

 

[MSOrange]

Hey Luka. The NCAA is giving you a free year. How about leaving the corn field and getting your jersey hung in front of 35,000 fans?

and he'd be like "to cover the 3 point line????" yeah right!"

 

[orangefog]

and he's be like "to cover the 3 point line????" yeah right!"

No no, just turn your chin toward the shooter.

 

[Orangezoo]

The thing with Jesse is that JB has put our greatest size in the middle it seems forever. That includes those not ready and those whose minutes didn't always add up to even 20. We have had our share of two/three headed approach at C but almost always a true 5 unless we were pressed into not having a choice.

The results we have gotten with smaller guys at the 5 is one wild run to the FF with two big comebacks and then the rest being dominated in the post alongside middling results. The reward of going small has not been there and so I continues to beg the why. Guys like Edwards are developmental but at least their size alone, beyond anything else and I mean anything provides an obstacle on D that makes the team better

 

[Sherman20]

He would leave for more playing time opportunities.
He could have helped this team during conference play.
If Bourama or Marek come back why would Jesse want to sit again?

With all his knee issues, no one is planning to rely on Bourama next season. Jesse could at least split time w/ him if he’s somehow healthy. And I assume Marek isn’t coming back, but I guess you never know.

why would he be a fool to leave? Are you kidding? It's not like our head coach has a great track record with centers. The man has 4 centers on a team and can't even establish 1 of them to be a backup.

No, are YOU kidding? JB and the program has a 40 year track record of developing all American centers—from Rosie Bouie and Rony Seikaly to Conrad McCrae, Otis Hill, Etan Thomas, Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson, Feb Melo, Rak Christmas, etc. Who you gonna trust? A 40-year track record of coaching and development (and putting guys in the pros) or some mid-major charlatan who just got a P5 job and is making a lot of empty promises with no track record? Our assistants need to beat back the negative recruiting and go on the offensive. The old ways of running above the fray don’t work anymore, apparently.

 

[Alsacs]

With all his knee issues, no one is planning to rely on Bourama next season. Jesse could at least split time w/ him. And I assume Marek isn’t coming back, but I guess you never know.

No, are YOU kidding? JB and the program has a 40 year track record of developing all American centers—from Rosie Bouie and Rony Seikaly to Conrad McCrae, Otis Hill, Etan Thomas, Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson, Feb Melo, Rak Christmas, etc. Who you gonna trust? A 40-year track record of coaching and development (and putting guys in the pros) or some mid-major charlatan who just got a P5 job and is making a lot of empty promises with no track record? Our assistants need to beat back the negative recruiting and go on the offensive. The old ways of running above the fray don’t work anymore, apparently.

Why would Bourama come back then?
You don’t bring Bourama back to sit on the bench and we get a bunch of people on here saying his loss is why we are what we are this season.

Jesse/Frank should be the C rotation next year.
I don’t want Marek to come back unless he was promised he wouldn’t play center.

To your second point we whiffed on a lot of centers and its on the HC not the assistants to get centers to want to play here.

 

[Horn88]

so do programs via back door channels approach players who aren't in the portal but may get in? I assume that is a major no-no but it has to happen right?

It’s pretty common and goes both ways.

AAU or high school coaches can reach out to their coaching contacts and say do you know of any potential landing spots for Player X who is really unhappy at ABC University. And the coaches who want to stay on the AAU program or high school program good side will reach out to their network if they don’t think they’re a fit. It’s all about relationships like most other businesses.

 

[721Comstock]

With all his knee issues, no one is planning to rely on Bourama next season. Jesse could at least split time w/ him if he’s somehow healthy. And I assume Marek isn’t coming back, but I guess you never know.

No, are YOU kidding? JB and the program has a 40 year track record of developing all American centers—from Rosie Bouie and Rony Seikaly to Conrad McCrae, Otis Hill, Etan Thomas, Arinze Onuaku, Rick Jackson, Feb Melo, Rak Christmas, etc. Who you gonna trust? A 40-year track record of coaching and development (and putting guys in the pros) or some mid-major charlatan who just got a P5 job and is making a lot of empty promises with no track record? Our assistants need to beat back the negative recruiting and go on the offensive. The old ways of running above the fray don’t work anymore, apparently.

Rak graduated in early 2015 (edited) SIX years ago.

So, the kids we're recruiting now - were 10 or 11 years old (which is what, 4th or 5th grade?) when Rak last patrolled the middle for us.

The game has evolved and is totally different now than it was, back when all of the guys you listed starred for us.

NONE of these kids wants to be a back-to-the-basket, low-post Center.
Or spending their first 2-3 years in college doing nothing but setting screens 30' from the basket, and having to sprint out to cover corner 3's.

They all picture themselves on the perimeter, shooting 3's.
Or being part of a screen-and-roll where they actually ROLL, and then get the ball!
Being part of a modern offense.

We have just as little track record at doing that, as the mid-major charlatan does.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Frank was higher rated out of HS and seen as a better offensive player.

I don't think that's right.

 

[Sherman20]

Why would Bourama come back then?
You don’t bring Bourama back to sit on the bench and we get a bunch of people on here saying his loss is why we are what we are this season.

Jesse/Frank should be the C rotation next year.
I don’t want Marek to come back unless he was promised he wouldn’t play center.

To your second point we whiffed on a lot of centers and its on the HC not the assistants to get centers to want to play here.

I agree if Bourama comes back that changes the equation. But is he really gonna come back? And what chance is he healthy enough (like in his junior year) to be impactful for an entire season? That would be awesome but I wouldn’t bet on that again. I also agree I only want Marek back if he’s playing power forward full time.

My frustration with the other poster is that we have guys on here spouting negative talking points against our program that aren’t true. JB has the track record of developing centers. That’s undeniable. The past few years haven’t been the same, but we all know the reasons for that—missing out on high level targets, JB not hitting the road hard enough, injuries injuries injuries. But wouldn’t you take a 40-year track record of center development over the empty promises of some mid major/P5 newbie? When we have the talent at center, JB isn’t afraid to feed them the ball and make them an offensive focus—a la senior year Rak Christmas.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I agree if Bourama comes back that changes the equation. But is he really gonna come back? And what chance is he healthy enough (like in his junior year) to be impactful for an entire season? That would be awesome but I wouldn’t bet on that again. I also agree I only want Marek back if he’s playing power forward full time.

My frustration with the other poster is that we have guys on here spouting negative talking points against our program that aren’t true. JB has the track record of developing centers. That’s undeniable. The past few years haven’t been the same, but we all know the reasons for that—missing out on high level targets, JB not hitting the road hard enough, injuries injuries injuries. But wouldn’t you take a 40-year track record of center development over the empty promises of some mid major/P5 newbie? When we have the talent at center, JB isn’t afraid to feed them the ball and make them an offensive focus—a la senior year Rak Christmas.

I want to believe that the issue is missing out on high level targets, but it's been haunting me ever since Tom made the observation that JB may have fallen in love with the way Keira could basically cover anywhere in the half court from the 5 spot, and he's been trying to recapture that ever since, to the great limitation of basically, well, anything else we could be getting from the center spot.

In short, I don't think strategically that the things Boeheim are the same things that he was doing when he helped all those other big men develop.

 

[nyucuse]

Very good post -- agree 100%.

Both of them bring something our good teams have always had - a defensive presence with some semblance of shot blocking that intimidates the opposition. Even if limited offensively, they should be change the way we play. I would happily give up some of the offense we would lose by the departure of Marek for having size on the court and giving the team s chance against all sorts of teams, vs the current construct whereby size is always an issue for us.

Love Marek (and Sid) and all he has done, but for the good of the program I think it's time we move on to the youngins

 

[Halfmooncuse]

Sid is done. He needs to be careful or he may risk his ability to walk.

 

[RF2044]

Both of them bring something our good teams have always had - a defensive presence with some semblance of shot blocking that intimidates the opposition. Even if limited offensively, they should be change the way we play. I would happily give up some of the offense we would lose by the departure of Marek for having size on the court and giving the team s chance against all sorts of teams, vs the current construct whereby size is always an issue for us.

Love Marek (and Sid) and all he has done, but for the good of the program I think it's time we move on to the youngins

If Guerrier and Woody both leave, then I'd be fine having Marek back to play the 4.

But I agree -- I don't want him occupying the 5 for another entire season, because it limits the ceiling defensively.

 

[721Comstock]

Both of them bring something our good teams have always had - a defensive presence with some semblance of shot blocking that intimidates the opposition. Even if limited offensively, they should be change the way we play. I would happily give up some of the offense we would lose by the departure of Marek for having size on the court and giving the team s chance against all sorts of teams, vs the current construct whereby size is always an issue for us.

Love Marek (and Sid) and all he has done, but for the good of the program I think it's time we move on to the youngins

Well - we would LOVE to have Marek back.
But ONLY IF JB lets him play Forward.

And frankly, if I'm Marek, I'm thinking the same thing.
Why sign up for another year of getting abused in the middle of the zone, when he has a multitude of skills that are being underutilized by playing there?

That's not his future - he's a wing in a Euro Pro league.
He should get to spend time playing the position he'll want to play as a Pro, NOT being a square peg being forced into a round hole here in our system.

 

[CardiacCuse]

Seems like an odd time for Jesse to leave just as the roster is opening up for him. Maybe I missed something, but why is there talk of Quincy leaving and where would he be able to go?

agreed on both. Why wait out your 2 years on bench to leave when you could be the starter?

Also, I am not seeing where QG is going either. not getting drafted and Gleague will be there whenever. He should stay and try to improve so he can be a first round pick. Might not happen but that is his best bet.

 

[RF2044]

agreed on both. Why wait out your 2 years on bench to leave when you could be the starter?

Also, I am not seeing where QG is going either. not getting drafted and Gleague will be there whenever. He should stay and try to improve so he can be a first round pick. Might not happen but that is his best bet.

Because there are exponentially more professional options than just the NBA / G-League, and Quincy is an international player.

The goal might be the NBA, but there are lots of alternative ways to earn a paycheck if that goal isn't attained.