Tauren Thompson/ Kaleb

[DoctorBombay]

Maybe it says something about our talent evaluation.

Tyler Lydon, OShae Brissett, Andy Rautins, MCW, and a truckload of hits on the recruiting trail say hi!
For every 1 miss, I can name 5 hits to validate the program’s “talent evaluations”. It all depends on what one chooses to focus on when looking. See how that works?

 

[MSOrange]

I"m not sure about that, especially if you're not motivated but even if you are. Not every four-year player got the hang of the zone.

He's been at SH two years and his coach says he's struggling on defense. He might not have done well here.

Agree. There were numerous times I noticed what I felt was a definite lack of even trying on that end.

 

[PhatOrange]

Kaleb Josephs film was outstanding and he played for Cushing Ac. It was just a miss, it happens - see Quade Green. A lot of P5 schools were in line to miss on Kaleb.

 

[moqui]

Maybe it says something about our talent evaluation.

not just us. we beat out uconn, arizona, michigan state & kansas for thompson

 

[Sgt Cuse]

I"m not sure about that, especially if you're not motivated but even if you are. Not every four-year player got the hang of the zone.

He's been at SH two years and his coach says he's struggling on defense. He might not have done well here.

If you're not motivated you won't improve much on either side of the ball.

But what I meant was TT's atrocious defense could/should have improved a lot his second year with some effort and experience. More so than let's say PC's offense would improve with the same level of effort. I think TT got here late and only did the center part time. Because he is doing poorly at Seton Hall does not mean he wouldn't have improved here.

It's looking like a lose/lose scenario IMO. TT would have seen a lot of time here at center. He easily could have had Marek's time.

 

[OmahaCuse]

It came off as you thumbing your nose at them, intended or not. I just don't see the point of highlighting their struggles. It's not like either left with a middle finger to the program or fans.

Kaleb was, more or less, forced out and TT wanted to be closer to home/mom.

Correct me if I am wrong but did TT basically inform the staff a day before practice? So yes it’s fair to comment on struggles or success of past players. For example really wish we kept OBJ and he had finish.

 

[OmahaCuse]

That's less an FU and more a product of immaturity, imo. It wasn't cool, but I was referring to the fact that there didn't appear to be any animosity or malice. His mom was handed a bag of money, or whatever, and convinced her son to come back home to play ball.

I wasn't happy when he left and didn't appreciate the way he left, but pointing and laughing at him this far down the road just seems to be in poor taste.

So you are are saying his mom took a bag of money? Talk about a horrific assumption and social profiling on your part, wow.

 

[OmahaCuse]

It’s important to cut bait quickly with players when you miss. See Nick Saben for the example of how to manage a roster. Think JB did this well in the Kaleb case and he was able to move on. TT is a horse of a different color but in the end my main point is we are not missing anything on the basketball front with either departure.

 

[Sgt Cuse]

It’s important to cut bait quickly with players when you miss. See Nick Saben for the example of how to manage a roster. Think JB did this well in the Kaleb case and he was able to move on. TT is a horse of a different color but in the end my main point is we are not missing anything on the basketball front with either departure.

I disagree, I think TT could have helped us. His stats at Seton Hall do not reflect what he could of been (and was) at SU.

 

[OmahaCuse]

Hard to say he seems to have a low basketball IQ and really slow footed on defense. He has some offensive skills, but not convinced he really is a Junior now and not playing great in lesser conference. He would have been another big body which we need for sure.

 

[Briancuse]

But that was still shady. I mean, the kid's gone. But being man enough to let the staff know one way or the other would have been nicer than a no-show in August (way past the recruiting cycle). Someone said his phone was even turned off ... and it's still a mystery why was SH even talking with his mom before he was released? Lots of issues there ... but better to let the Hall deal with them.

I think we can all agree that tt didn't handle the situation the right way.

 

[Dcuse]

Maybe it says something about our talent evaluation.

Your posts make me yawn more and more daily.

 

[jgeorge322]

Maybe it says something about our talent evaluation.

Kaleb was hop. So, that problem has been alleviated i suppose.

 

[Flacusian]

It seems like an exercise in futility to revisit the departure of former players. There doesn't need to be some pervasive flaw in the recruiting process/ talent evaluation. Sometimes is just doesn't work out. It really is as simple as that. Phat Orange referenced the tape which chronicled KJ's recruitment and provided us with a glimpse of who he was, where he was, and what he was doing to prepare for play on the next level.

I recall coming away with a very favorable opinion of Kaleb on account of how the tape reflected KJ's goal oriented life which centered around basketball, and that he believed that by hard work and uncompromised commitment he would become the next " great Syracuse point guard. He seemed to project a very positive outlook and I can only speak for myself, but by all indications he was being groomed to succeed at this level. To his detriment... Ennis bolted for the NBA and the one year of adjustment to Div 1 basketball while learning from Ennis was not available to him.

By most accounts, if I recall correctly, most people here were of the opinion that he had the huge responsibility of having the keys handed over to him to play point guard before really being ready and thus had been overwhelmed. That was unfortunate for both Kaleb Joseph and the Syracuse Basketball Program., He simply could not come in and play at the level we needed him to play at from the get go.

TT's departure was cloaked in mystery and frankly it seemed everyone had some theory on what had happened and why it happened. Perhaps we will never fully know. It matters not at this point and it's just conjecture as to whether he would have developed differently ( for better or worse) had he stayed on at Syracuse. Personally, I had pretty much forgotten about him until I saw this post.

Not the same for Kaleb Joseph. I really thought he was carved out and destined to be the next great point guard at Syracuse. From all I read and the few times I watched him be interviewed he seemed very excited by the prospect of paying at Syracuse and it seemed he was doing everything he could to insure that he would be successful when he began his Syracuse / College basketball career.

As it turned out... he was neither ready or able to do so. I believe he was just overwhelmed by the pressure of running the point for Syracuse and ACC play. I don't think it was any fault of KJ's. Again... because of the circumstances of having step right in from day one and run the show... he was in over his head and he's perhaps more a victim of circumstance and was the type of kid who needed some time to ease into taking on the task rather than baptism by fire. Sometimes things just don't work out.

 

[kirbivore]

It came off as you thumbing your nose at them, intended or not. I just don't see the point of highlighting their struggles. It's not like either left with a middle finger to the program or fans.

Joseph yes. But with Taurean I disagree. Ghosting the team is leaving with a silent middle finger IMO