Stephon Marbury

[two3zone]

So... your position is that we wouldn't start Marbury because of Michael Lloyd.

Got it.

To which, I reiterate:

Dude was great his first year here, when did JB ever remove a capable starter for a freshman? I can’t think of once.

 

[RF2044]

Dude was great his first year here, when did JB ever remove a capable starter for a freshman? I can’t think of once.

I'm a Lloyd fan.

JB wouldn't have turned his nose up at Marbury because of Michael Lloyd. It's ridiculous.

And Lloyd -- despite being 5-11 -- was actually a two guard at the junior college level. He played the point at Syracuse because that's what we needed, and he did ok.

Marbury was a point GOD. He would have started day 1 of practice, when James Arthur Boeheim would have placed the ball in his hands.

And for the record, had Marbury come here and Lloyd not have had his eligibility taken away due to transcript issues, Lloyd wouldn't have been "removed" from the starting lineup -- he would have shifted back to the 2 and started ahead of Jason Cipolla.

 

[two3zone]

I'm a Lloyd fan.

JB wouldn't have turned his nose up at Marbury because of Michael Lloyd. It's ridiculous.

And Lloyd -- despite being 5-11 -- was actually a two guard at the junior college level. He played the point at Syracuse because that's what we needed, and he did ok.

Marbury was a point GOD. He would have started day 1 of practice, when James Arthur Boeheim would have placed the ball in his hands.

And for the record, had Marbury come here and Lloyd not have had his eligibility taken away due to transcript issues, Lloyd wouldn't have been "removed" from the starting lineup -- he would have shifted back to the 2 and started ahead of Jason Cipolla.

I don’t know, can still see him saying it to him.

 

[OrangeDW]

If he expected Lloyd back I can absolutely see it. We’re talking about the guy who didn’t started the number three pick in the draft and wouldn’t started Kadary when anyone with eyes knew who the best point guard on the team is. These are just two examples, there are plenty more dating back to when Marbury was in college.

Thing is - Z has said how he almost transferred after that year. Janulis was certainly not a “has to start by soph year” guy. Cipolla was a JUCO transfer.

Personally I think if Lloyd was still here and Marbury wanted to come…,it’s Marbury at point, Lloyd at the 2, Z probably transfers, and fill in from there.

 

[OrangeDW]

Dude was great his first year here, when did JB ever remove a capable starter for a freshman? I can’t think of once.

I wouldn’t say Mike was “great” here. He showed flashes. He was super talented. He was a scorer first and foremost. He averaged like 30 ppg in JUCO playing more of the 2.

He wasn’t 5’11, he was listed at 6’4 and was probably a legit 6’2 at least. He played the point because Moten was locked in at the 2, and Luke Jackson was more proven and older at the Sf spot than Z was at the point.

He could’ve and would’ve easily slid over to the 2 if Marbury came…..if the academic stuff didn’t happen.

Side note….pretty insane that Marbury didn’t come and Lloyd couldn’t stay and we still made the final 4.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I assume Marbury was a 5 star McDonalds All-American coming out of high school and the highest rated pg. If so, you don't tell that individual that he won't be starting. So, I don't believe Marbury is telling the truth. Who did we have at the point that Marbury couldn't unseat?

Legend is the told Paulus he wouldn't start freshman year, which was a deal breaker

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Thing is - Z has said how he almost transferred after that year. Janulis was certainly not a “has to start by soph year” guy. Cipolla was a JUCO transfer.

Personally I think if Lloyd was still here and Marbury wanted to come…,it’s Marbury at point, Lloyd at the 2, Z probably transfers, and fill in from there.

And no FF, IMO. Z was such a good leader

 

[OrangeDW]

Legend is the told Paulus he wouldn't start freshman year, which was a deal breaker

Well, we had GMac.

Wonder if Devendorf was signed up at that point?

Both were way better than Paulus.

 

[RF2044]

Legend is the told Paulus he wouldn't start freshman year, which was a deal breaker

The difference being, of course, that Paulus was overrated and Marbury was a stud.

Not surprising that the coaching staff wasn't going to guarantee that Paulus would start over senior, national championship winner, Gerry McNamara.

Marbury was on an exponentially higher level as a player than Paulus could ever dream.

 

[djcon57]

Marbury telling the same story to Melo. Very interesting comments from Melo suggesting JB basically didn't want him. Would love for JB to tell the real story. Simply doesn't add up. Michael Lloyd would start over him?
Z was the backup and only started once Lloyd got kicked out in the summer, so his name in there makes NO sense.

 

[miamicuse]

Is this the official "Cuse is the recruiting bridesmaid" thread?

 

[jr4750]

Marbury telling the same story to Melo. Very interesting comments from Melo suggesting JB basically didn't want him. Would love for JB to tell the real story. Simply doesn't add up. Michael Lloyd would start over him?
Z was the backup and only started once Lloyd got kicked out in the summer, so his name in there makes NO sense.

Isn't Michael Lloyd one of the main reasons we got Melo? What a wild ride that was.

 

[Brooky03]

Is this the official "Cuse is the recruiting bridesmaid" thread?

I think it was more of the ‘Cuse doesn’t drop bags of cash’ thread.

Instead, we give recruits at basketball camps some shirts, and a steak dinner here and there for players, and help guys who can’t speak English write papers. Oh and turned a blind eye to the devil’s lettuce. Y’know, the real nefarious stuff.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Is this the official "Cuse is the recruiting bridesmaid" thread?

Bridesmaid is too generous with how we’re doing in the portal. More like last lady at the bar at 2am.

 

[tbonezone]

what truly sucked about the whole Marbury thing for me is that for 3 years he told EVRYBODY who would listen he was coming to Syracuse.and that drove away every other possible option for us . and then at the eleventh hour GTECH and bobby cremins hand him a bag. we were left high and dry. now Laz Sims did yeoman's duty filling in (had a triple double) BUT if you put marbury and adonal foyle (who also should've worn orange if not for his Colgate "sponsors" ) on that team WE ROLL ! the reason to this day i hate the yellowjackets. colgate not so much.

 

[RF2044]

Marbury telling the same story to Melo. Very interesting comments from Melo suggesting JB basically didn't want him. Would love for JB to tell the real story. Simply doesn't add up. Michael Lloyd would start over him?
Z was the backup and only started once Lloyd got kicked out in the summer, so his name in there makes NO sense.

There was an article published a few years ago that told the story from the Syracuse coaching staff's perspective. Looked for it for 5 seconds before having to jump on a work call, and couldn't find it.

The gist of the story was that SU was all-in on Marbury. He was one of the top players in the nation, he was a NYC hoops god, and he was in our backyard. We'd been recruiting him for a long time, and the entire staff went to where he lived in Brooklyn to make one final push to close the deal.

While they were there, JB was at the kitchen table with Stephon and other family members, and one of Stephon's older brothers pulled then-AC Wayne Morgan aside, bringing him into another room for a private conversation -- where he relayed that in order to land Marbury, Syracuse had to deliver a bag [I recall it being several hundred thousand dollars].

The context is that Syracuse had just undergone a huge NCAA investigation a few years earlier, and had been hit with unprecedented penalties by the NCAA for a multitude of infractions. The athletic department had in response proactively established a compliance department to prevent future infractions, so the program was recruiting differently than they had before, knowing that no shenanigans would be tolerated.

In the article, Morgan describes that he got sick to his stomach hearing the request, and immediately went in and told JB that they needed to leave. And shortly thereafter, Marbury committed to Georgia Tech, who DID come through with the bag the family requested.

Now, I'm not suggesting that Marbury himself is a liar, or that he was aware of the request. Morgan did indicate that the demand came from the brother, not the player. So maybe he just didn't know [which seems unlikely].

But his version of events doesn't accurately portray what went down, or why SU decided to pocket veto their recruitment of this talented superstar. Boeheim would have cut off his left hand to land Marbury.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

There was an article published a few years ago that told the story from the Syracuse coaching staff's perspective. Looked for it for 5 seconds before having to jump on a work call, and couldn't find it.

The gist of the story was that SU was all-in on Marbury. He was one of the top players in the nation, he was a NYC hoops god, and he was in our backyard. We'd been recruiting him for a long time, and the entire staff went to where he lived in Brooklyn to make one final push to close the deal.

While they were there, JB was at the kitchen table with Stephon and other family members, and one of Stephon's older brothers pulled then-AC Wayne Morgan aside, bringing him into another room for a private conversation -- where he relayed that in order to land Marbury, Syracuse had to deliver a bag [I recall it being several hundred thousand dollars].

The context is that Syracuse had just undergone a huge NCAA investigation a few years earlier, and had been hit with unprecedented penalties by the NCAA for a multitude of infractions. The athletic department had in response proactively established a compliance department to prevent future infractions, so the program was recruiting differently than they had before, knowing that no shenanigans would be tolerated.

In the article, Morgan describes that he got sick to his stomach hearing the request, and immediately went in and told JB that they needed to leave. And shortly thereafter, Marbury committed to Georgia Tech, who DID come through with the bag the family requested.

Now, I'm not suggesting that Marbury himself is a liar, or that he was aware of the request. Morgan did indicate that the demand came from the brother, not the player. So maybe he just didn't know [which seems unlikely].

But his version of events doesn't accurately portray what went down, or why SU decided to pocket veto their recruitment of this talented superstar. Boeheim would have cut off his left hand to land Marbury.

I remember hearing this version of events as well.

 

[tee1222]

Marbury telling the same story to Melo. Very interesting comments from Melo suggesting JB basically didn't want him. Would love for JB to tell the real story. Simply doesn't add up. Michael Lloyd would start over him?
Z was the backup and only started once Lloyd got kicked out in the summer, so his name in there makes NO sense.

 

[jordoo]

Interesting, so 15 years from now I will still be able to read a fresh thread about Kadary Richmond.

 

[albanycuse]

W

Marbury telling the same story to Melo. Very interesting comments from Melo suggesting JB basically didn't want him. Would love for JB to tell the real story. Simply doesn't add up. Michael Lloyd would start over him?
Z was the backup and only started once Lloyd got kicked out in the summer, so his name in there makes NO sense.

Wowwwwww, its like JB was sabotaging the program at times.

 

[tbonezone]

well despite family medical issues JB hardballed jason hart here after his initial commitment.

 

[Dcuse]

Trying to figure this out... was Michael Lloyd there when Marbury was recruited? Because Lloyd, I think, was only with us 1 year. He would be gone the next year. But the next year we went to the title game with Z which would have been Marbury's only year here probably. Thank God Cremins came with his bag.

 

[Chip]

Trying to figure this out... was Michael Lloyd there when Marbury was recruited? Because Lloyd, I think, was only with us 1 year. He would be gone the next year. But the next year we went to the title game with Z which would have been Marbury's only year here probably. Thank God Cremins came with his bag.

I think we expected Lloyd to be with us for 2 years, but yeah, he left after 1, which worked out quite well.

Was always amazed at how disappointing 94-95 turned out to be, combined with how unexpectedly awesome 95-96 turned out to be.

 

[Dcuse]

94-95 was the Arkansas game. Defending champs who would go on to title game again.

And we had em in our hands. Wasn't a bad year at all.

 

[sufandu]

I have to believe JB just wasn't going to hand him the starting job, but as soon as he hit the practice floor it would've been his. Oh well. A NC would've been nice.