Class of 2024 SG Aiden Tobiason (DEL) Portal from Temple / Visiting

[Cusefan0307]

I don't think he's on the draft radar this year. Kids make bad decisions pretty frequently but I'd be very surprised if he stays in the draft.

I didn’t think he would either, but worth noting.

 

[Orangezoo]

So I wonder how long we have to wait here…

 

[Red Holzman]

The thing I mentioned before- bring in as much talent and hard working kids as you can and then let competition and fit work its way out to figure the rotations.

So is the strategy what's been discussed: get good backups, then unload big $ on the starting PG/center?
Or stock the team with intriguing players like Tobiason, and trust that a couple will make huge leap?
Option 2 would avoid losing a $3M+ player for the season (ie: a Calvin Russell event) and be a solid plug/play roster.
I'm risk-averse, so Option 2 is intriguing but realize the gamble on excellent evaluation of potential vs proven.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

So is the strategy what's been discussed: get good backups, then unload big $ on the starting PG/center?
Or stock the team with intriguing players like Tobiason, and trust that a couple will make huge leap?
Option 2 would avoid losing a $3M+ player for the season (ie: a Calvin Russell event) and be a solid plug/play roster.
I'm risk-averse, so Option 2 is intriguing but realize the gamble on excellent evaluation of potential vs proven.

I think their plan is to try to find a Goldilocks zone between talent level and cost.

I'm skeptical. I think that's going to lead to a roster that doesn't have enough high end talent to be much of a threat.

Hope everyone enjoys scrappy basketball!

 

[Cuse1055]

I think their plan is to try to find a Goldilocks zone between talent level and cost.

I'm skeptical. I think that's going to lead to a roster that doesn't have enough high end talent to be much of a threat.

Hope everyone enjoys scrappy basketball!

Better than what we had to witness the last 3 years.

 

[Franz69]

Melo was on campus, so I would assume Tobiason met him. Never a bad thing.

 

[Franz69]

Not my handiwork:

 

[Orangezoo]

I think their plan is to try to find a Goldilocks zone between talent level and cost.

I'm skeptical. I think that's going to lead to a roster that doesn't have enough high end talent to be much of a threat.

Hope everyone enjoys scrappy basketball!

Honestly pending some more entries into the portal there are maybe 5 -10 guys total that are good enough to be program changers paired with a bunch of guys a lot closer to who we are targeting. I mean the VT kid is ranked high but he’s as much looking at potential as the Temple kid for example.

The margins between top 20 vs top 200 are really slim this year and I’m not sure if that’s just a weaker portal or a stronger portal depends on the perspective. I mean Donnie is a top 25 guy who has red flags over injuries, being too finesse and questionable decision making.

 

[Scotch]

Honestly pending some more entries into the portal there are maybe 5 -10 guys total that are good enough to be program changers paired with a bunch of guys a lot closer to who we are targeting. I mean the VT kid is ranked high but he’s as much looking at potential as the Temple kid for example.

The margins between top 20 vs top 200 are really slim this year and I’m not sure if that’s just a weaker portal or a stronger portal depends on the perspective. I mean Donnie is a top 25 guy who has red flags over injuries, being too finesse and questionable decision making.

This is what I was thinking. When Estrella is a top of the market big (who admittedly I wanted) it reveals the level of “sure thing” that’s out there.

 

[Red Holzman]

I think their plan is to try to find a Goldilocks zone between talent level and cost.

I'm skeptical. I think that's going to lead to a roster that doesn't have enough high end talent to be much of a threat.

Hope everyone enjoys scrappy basketball!

During the season he sat out, there was a buzz about Wes Johnson at practice and the impact he was going to have-
It was a great thrill to see Wes live up to the hype and make that great leap from his seasons at Iowa State.
Finding a Wes or two on a roster loaded with scrappy players who want to win would be a good start for GMac.
I trust that GMac and staff have a good plan -fun to imagine their strategy while waiting for signing news.

 

[Orangezoo]

This is what I was thinking. When Estrella is a top of the market big (who admittedly I wanted) it reveals the level of “sure thing” that’s out there.

We used to excel at having good players make the jump between freshman and sophomore years.. especially top 40 or better. While also getting an immediate impact freshman as well. That trend began to stop some 8 years ago and flat out was non existent under Red. You can’t live on the portal until you prove yourself as an elite investment. So we need to be a team that takes Sadiq, Kiyan and M3 and maximize that growth to be critical.

The portal complicates that but yet getting Doty , Tobiason and maybe Tillery or the San Diego kid plays similar into that ability to develop kids and mix that with proven productivity.

 

[granthath9]

We used to excel at having good players make the jump between freshman and sophomore years.. especially top 40 or better. While also getting an immediate impact freshman as well. That trend began to stop some 8 years ago and flat out was non existent under Red. You can’t live on the portal until you prove yourself as an elite investment. So we need to be a team that takes Sadiq, Kiyan and M3 and maximize that growth to be critical.

The portal complicates that but yet getting Doty , Tobiason and maybe Tillery or the San Diego kid plays similar into that ability to develop kids and mix that with proven productivity.

This is a winning formula. Take Houston, Florida, and quite a few mid majors that made the tournament this year. They develop raw talent and supplement it with portal guys. I think that’s what Gerry is aiming for.

 

[Orangezoo]

This is a winning formula. Take Houston, Florida, and quite a few mid majors that made the tournament this year. They develop raw talent and supplement it with portal guys. I think that’s what Gerry is aiming for.

Yep. We just need this domino to fall quickly and then go get the San Diego kid and some bigs.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Better than what we had to witness the last 3 years.

The only better that means anything is getting back to the tournament consistently.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Honestly pending some more entries into the portal there are maybe 5 -10 guys total that are good enough to be program changers paired with a bunch of guys a lot closer to who we are targeting. I mean the VT kid is ranked high but he’s as much looking at potential as the Temple kid for example.

The margins between top 20 vs top 200 are really slim this year and I’m not sure if that’s just a weaker portal or a stronger portal depends on the perspective. I mean Donnie is a top 25 guy who has red flags over injuries, being too finesse and questionable decision making.

So then what was the point of going for the guy that would get the donors most jazzed about NIL?

 

[GHLF]

2.5 million

2.5 million for this young gentleman is what you're saying and or equivalent?

 

[SUFan44]

Heard Texas Tech might be involved, and UVA. TT could drive the price up. But does anyone really want to go to Lubbock?

 

[Orangezoo]

So then what was the point of going for the guy that would get the donors most jazzed about NIL?

So this is what I’ve been grappling back and forth with. Say you dump a huge chunk of your NIL into Hines and Wilkens or the $$ level equivalent and then go in on Tobiason. Then you fill in with as many bargains as possible. Is that exciting us because we don’t trust this staff or is it truly exciting the donors more than more of a complete team with the need to coach them up but with likely more options both now and next year?

My concern is the splash excites us but also comes at the cost of a higher likelihood of failing with reduced depth or injury crushing everything… not all that unlike Donnie did even if most of the issue was Red..

I see both points of view and I go back and forth on this. I think it’s us as true fanatics more than how we think the donors see it but that’s a guess. I think a foundation that wins and is tourney bound with more big fish in year two is a better look.. but who knows

 

[GHLF]

This would be a great get an immediate impact starter.

Seems like a logjam of players we are recruiting at 2/3, Doty and KA Are already here. MM High level Euro commit noted as well. How many more commit? And the question is is who is going to sit? In any event if we are good I do not see GM playing more than 8, EVER. I suspect if you're a defensive liability you will be riding the bench

 

[granthath9]

2.5 million for this young gentleman is what you're saying and or equivalent?

That’s the middle ground for guards right now. He could get more/less depending on bidding.

 

[granthath9]

Heard Texas Tech might be involved, and UVA. TT could drive the price up. But does anyone really want to go to Lubbock?

Have a feeling it’ll be TT and us. UVA has guards ahead of him. Tech lost Petty to the portal and Donovan Atwell because he graduated. If they think he can start in B12 they’ll probably go hard after him.

 

[Orangezoo]

Gotta be able to close in this situation. First real test and if we can’t close on what would be a bigger get then confidence comes way down for me.

 

[Caleb8800]

Gotta be able to close in this situation. First real test and if we can’t close on what would be a bigger get then confidence comes way down for me.

TT has boatloads more money than us would have to choose us because of relationship w/coaches and potential role. TT would crush us in a bidding war

 

[littlereg]

Don’t sleep on how good Tillery could be should we bring him in. After cincy Cuse have a good scout could be a steal. Also Sadiq is primed to make a big jump and absolutely could be all ACC. M3 maybe too pending what we see. We don’t have to bring guarantees All ACC just good candidates. There is potential with each addition. Big Q on the 5 spot and where we go there.

Maybe this maybe that.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

So this is what I’ve been grappling back and forth with. Say you dump a huge chunk of your NIL into Hines and Wilkens or the $$ level equivalent and then go in on Tobiason. Then you fill in with as many bargains as possible. Is that exciting us because we don’t trust this staff or is it truly exciting the donors more than more of a complete team with the need to coach them up but with likely more options both now and next year?

My concern is the splash excites us but also comes at the cost of a higher likelihood of failing with reduced depth or injury crushing everything… not all that unlike Donnie did even if most of the issue was Red..

I see both points of view and I go back and forth on this. I think it’s us as true fanatics more than how we think the donors see it but that’s a guess. I think a foundation that wins and is tourney bound with more big fish in year two is a better look.. but who knows

I'm saying you don't have a complete team if you don't have stars.

There's like a 1000 guys in the portal. Shopping in the bargain bin/dumpster diving is going to be an option for putting a team around the core.

We will not win if we don't have talent.