Bear Down Wildcats

Newportcat wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:UCLA didn't reach out to Luke haha

Yes they did, nothing formal but they did

Newport is right.

Beachcat97 wrote:

Newportcat wrote:

MrBug708 wrote:UCLA didn't reach out to Luke haha

Yes they did, nothing formal but they did

Newport is right.

Not saying I have personal knowledge but basketball people I know said it was something floated through the Myers channel.

Yep. Myers floated the possibility to Luke before Barnes was offered. That’s from a friend of Luke’s who works for the Lakers.

Gonzaga, eh? I'd think Few is selling immediate PT.

Beachcat97 wrote:Yep. Myers floated the possibility to Luke before Barnes was offered. That’s from a friend of Luke’s who works for the Lakers.

Yep, I heard it from a couple people. Nothing formal and was a quick pass by Luke

Luke really wants to show Lakers they made a mistake in how they handled this year

Beachcat97 wrote:Gonzaga, eh? I'd think Few is selling immediate PT.

I feel pretty good about landing Hazzard.

Newportcat wrote:
Luke really wants to show Lakers they made a mistake in how they handled this year

I know a little more: Buss and Pelinka asked Luke to fire his assistants and he refused. Had he agreed, he'd still be their coach. Another weird thing: as of this past Friday, Miles Simon was the only Laker assistant from Luke's staff still with the team.

But the Myers/UCLA thing has been confirmed by multiple people/sources. So for the record, Cronin was UCLA's fifth choice (Calipari, Luke, Dixon, Barnes).

Maybe Luke will coach AZ someday. If he does, not gonna be for a while.

ChooChooCat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Gonzaga, eh? I'd think Few is selling immediate PT.

I feel pretty good about landing Hazzard.

Happy to hear it!

ChooChooCat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Gonzaga, eh? I'd think Few is selling immediate PT.

I feel pretty good about landing Hazzard.

I feel bad about your good feeling, unless he is content with playing the role his brother did.

gronk4heisman wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Gonzaga, eh? I'd think Few is selling immediate PT.

I feel pretty good about landing Hazzard.

I feel bad about your good feeling, unless he is content with playing the role his brother did.

He'll play a bigger role than that.

ChooChooCat wrote:

gronk4heisman wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

Beachcat97 wrote:Gonzaga, eh? I'd think Few is selling immediate PT.

I feel pretty good about landing Hazzard.

I feel bad about your good feeling, unless he is content with playing the role his brother did.

He'll play a bigger role than that.

Seems to me like a great insurance plan for Williams, and a 15 or so min per game guy when Williams is healthy that can help spread the floor and play decent defense...I think it’s an important role that he is much better suited for than Randolph or Smith.

Who is Hazzard replacing? Is Randolph not being allowed to return?

84Cat wrote:Who is Hazzard replacing? Is Randolph not being allowed to return?

It's not that Randolph isn't welcomed back, it's just that reality of the situation has actually taken hold.

Another former miller player leaving early and out of professional ballnin 1-2 seasons because they couldnt honor their own development process?

CalStateTempe wrote:Another former miller player leaving early and out of professional ballnin 1-2 seasons because they couldnt honor their own development process?

I think BR was overrated out of HS. Player eval errors do happen.

ChooChooCat wrote:

84Cat wrote:Who is Hazzard replacing? Is Randolph not being allowed to return?

It's not that Randolph isn't welcomed back, it's just that reality of the situation has actually taken hold.

Does this change things with Smith? I figure it would free minutes for him, Doutrive or both. Frankly, if Doutrive can improve his D and shooting and get the game to slow down, we wouldn't really need both.

I just looked through Hazzard's schedule last year, he played 4 games that I saw that would be decent competition (they had an over 200 ranked schedule so there weren't a lot). St Mary's, Oregon, KSU, and Butler. In those 4 games he shot 34% from the field, 30% from 3PTers, had 3 assists total and 7 turnovers. Should fit right in and might as well kick someone off who's been here for years to do it!

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

84Cat wrote:Who is Hazzard replacing? Is Randolph not being allowed to return?

It's not that Randolph isn't welcomed back, it's just that reality of the situation has actually taken hold.

Does this change things with Smith? I figure it would free minutes for him, Doutrive or both. Frankly, if Doutrive can improve his D and shooting and get the game to slow down, we wouldn't really need both.

If every thing goes as planned Smith will be out too for another transfer.

Any chance if we land Hazzard Barcello decides to redshirt?

Enough about Hazzard, how are we doing with Brown?

Frybry02 wrote:Any chance if we land Hazzard Barcello decides to redshirt?

No

Spring singing period starts tomorrow (4/15-5-15), let's see if Nnaji signs the LOI in a couple days. Maybe he waits until the trial ends?

Anyway, Nnaji kinda looks like a less talented Marvin Bagley here.

NYCat wrote:Spring singing period starts tomorrow (4/15-5-15), let's see if Nnaji signs the LOI in a couple days. Maybe he waits until the trial ends?

The plan is for Nnaji to sign tomorrow.

ChooChooCat wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

84Cat wrote:Who is Hazzard replacing? Is Randolph not being allowed to return?

It's not that Randolph isn't welcomed back, it's just that reality of the situation has actually taken hold.

Does this change things with Smith? I figure it would free minutes for him, Doutrive or both. Frankly, if Doutrive can improve his D and shooting and get the game to slow down, we wouldn't really need both.

If every thing goes as planned Smith will be out too for another transfer.

Is this a trade for Brown and/or a wing? With Randolph seemingly gone now, the wing looks shaky because Doutrieve & Armstrong are completely unproven. Ideally it would be someone who can backup Williams and Green at the 2/3.

NYCat wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

84Cat wrote:Who is Hazzard replacing? Is Randolph not being allowed to return?

It's not that Randolph isn't welcomed back, it's just that reality of the situation has actually taken hold.

Does this change things with Smith? I figure it would free minutes for him, Doutrive or both. Frankly, if Doutrive can improve his D and shooting and get the game to slow down, we wouldn't really need both.

If every thing goes as planned Smith will be out too for another transfer.

Is this a trade for Brown and/or a wing? With Randolph seemingly gone now, the wing looks shaky because Doutrieve & Armstrong are completely unproven. Ideally it would be someone who can backup Williams and Green at the 2/3.

Doutrive is certainly somewhat proven as a backup isn't he? If we're going to use that kind of rhetoric here then Josh Green is absolutely unproven too, so we're screwed either way.

Hazzard & Brown are the top two priorities. I don't see a third guy being a real option at the moment.

Unproven in the sense that if he's ready to shoulder the weight of being the 6th man, first wing off the bench, primary scorer off the bench - that's a lot of pressure. Unproven in if he's capable of defending the 2 & 3 for 20-25 mins. He couldn't see the floor last year because he didn't defend. I'd argue he's not proven from last year, nothing he did last year (too little time) prepared him for being the 6th man, he needs to take huge leap from last year. Doutrieve being the first wing off the bench however is better for his development. I would think him and Armstrong will probably see more time now that Randolph is looking like a goner, and again that's to the benefit of the future teams beyond this year.

NYCat wrote:Unproven in the sense that if he's ready to shoulder the weight of being the 6th man, first wing off the bench, primary scorer off the bench - that's a lot of pressure. Unproven in if he's capable of defending the 2 & 3 for 20-25 mins. He couldn't see the floor last year because he didn't defend. I'd argue he's not proven from last year, nothing he did last year (too little time) prepared him for being the 6th man, he needs to take huge leap from last year. Doutrieve being the first wing off the bench however is better for his development. I would think him and Armstrong will probably see more time now that Randolph is looking like a goner, and again that's to the benefit of the future teams beyond this year.

Again, I go back to last year...by the end of last year, Randolph and DD seemed to be viewed very similarly by Miller minutes-wise, with DD on the ascension in that regard later in the season. So I think considering Randolph as "proven" and DD as "unproven" seems to be flawed. Randolph's departure doesn't mean a whole lot in the grand scheme of things imo.

At the end of the day, if we land Hazzard (and it seems like we will), the vast majority of minutes at the 1-2 will go to Nico, Williams, and Hazzard. That means DD (or Armstrong) essentially needs to be able to backup Green and play at most a handful a few mins at the 2. I think if DD can improve at a standard trajectory for a freshmen to sophomore, he should be very capable in that role.

NYCat wrote:Unproven in the sense that if he's ready to shoulder the weight of being the 6th man, first wing off the bench, primary scorer off the bench - that's a lot of pressure. Unproven in if he's capable of defending the 2 & 3 for 20-25 mins. He couldn't see the floor last year because he didn't defend. I'd argue he's not proven from last year, nothing he did last year (too little time) prepared him for being the 6th man, he needs to take huge leap from last year. Doutrieve being the first wing off the bench however is better for his development. I would think him and Armstrong will probably see more time now that Randolph is looking like a goner, and again that's to the benefit of the future teams beyond this year.

Ultimately the better defender between Doutrive and Armstrong will certainly play more. Doutrive has a year in the system and should theoretically have a leg up over Armstrong defensively due to that, but we'll see. I certainly wouldn't feel any better if Randolph or Smith got those first wing off the bench minutes either. We'll go as far as the starters take us either way.

I'm a big Doutrieve fan so I'm not that against him coming back and being the first non post off the bench. Randolph is not a player who is capable of being the primary scorer, nor the primary offensive threat. That was part of the problem last year, he had to be Kobe-esque on a team who struggled offensively, when he's not that type of player. I think he would've been better suited for next year's team when he doesn't have to carry the team offensively, or be the primary threat offensively.

Both Randolph and Doutrieve are a wash defensively imo, maybe they buy in more and improve dramatically but they're sort of the same imo. Offensively, Randolph would've been better next year because I know he can come in and score 15-20pts off the bench any given game. Especially now that he would theoretically have more spacing because there's other legitimate offensive threats, plus he's playing against 2nd teams. We don't know that Doutrieve can do that, maybe he can, maybe he will, but he hasn't proven (albeit too little playing time) that he can do that yet. If Williams or Green go down or get in foul trouble, Randolph is more ready to come in fill that role and provide scoring. Randolph is made to play alongside PGs like Mannion and a guy like Green who can cover for his deficiencies, and all he has to worry about is getting buckets.

Hopefully Doutrieve or Armstrong progress through the season and can do that.

To me Randolph was way better than DD defensively. I still don't understand why people didn't see why he didn't play a lot.

Also I don't see why Barcello would stay. He does nothing. To me he is basically the same player as Hazard but Hazard is a more willing shooter. If we swapped AB for Hazard that would be fine because I think Hazard is a little better and will actually shoot shots.

I don't think this upcoming season is Doutrive to contribute like a star (hopefully I'm wrong) but his junior year "WATCH OUT"!!!

SunnyAZ wrote:To me Randolph was way better than DD defensively. I still don't understand why people didn't see why he didn't play a lot.

100%

SunnyAZ wrote:Also I don't see why Barcello would stay. He does nothing. To me he is basically the same player as Hazard but Hazard is a more willing shooter. If we swapped AB for Hazard that would be fine because I think Hazard is a little better and will actually shoot shots.

Barcello being content with his very minimal role is honestly jarring. I had a ton of Barcello stock, but I'm selling it. All my hope of him becoming a Arcidiacono, Ty Jerome, London Perrantes etc type player as an upperclassmen are gone.

Barcello reminds me a bit of Justin Wessel. Wessel was Mr Iowa Basketball, and preferred being a small fish in a big pond. Barcello was of course the 2nd ranked player in the state after the other fella, some guy named Ayton.

You have to admit, the accommodations are pretty nice and you get a great seat to watch the games. The "talent" at Arizona is outstanding too, as we all know. Never saw a player with any ugly girl.

Others, such as Zane Johnson, didn't want to spend the rest of their career end of the bench, so transferred to a smaller school. Mo Tangara too, both ended up in Hawaii, one at UH and the other at Chaminade.

Not too shabby.

Merkin wrote: You have to admit, the accommodations are pretty nice and you get a great seat to watch the games. The "talent" at Arizona is outstanding too, as we all know. Never saw a player with any ugly girl.

Barcello has a serious girlfriend at U of A, which plays a big reason as to why he doesn't want to leave regardless of his PT.

kick off the whole team for this guy. dude is a baller

SunnyAZ wrote:

kick off the whole team for this guy. dude is a baller

Wow. Blackshear is a big time player. I'm shocked after the run VT made, but ok.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

SunnyAZ wrote:

kick off the whole team for this guy. dude is a baller

Wow. Blackshear is a big time player. I'm shocked after the run VT made, but ok.

Remember, they have a new coach.

SunnyAZ wrote:

kick off the whole team for this guy. dude is a baller

I’d bet on Kentucky.

ChooChooCat wrote:

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

SunnyAZ wrote:

kick off the whole team for this guy. dude is a baller

Wow. Blackshear is a big time player. I'm shocked after the run VT made, but ok.

Remember, they have a new coach.

I guess he doesn't think Wofford's coach looks as good as Rise and Fire did.

Spaceman Spiff wrote: I guess he doesn't think Wofford's coach looks as good as Rise and Fire did.

Chicat wrote:

SunnyAZ wrote:

kick off the whole team for this guy. dude is a baller

I’d bet on Kentucky.

I say Texas A&M.

SunnyAZ wrote:I just looked through Hazzard's schedule last year, he played 4 games that I saw that would be decent competition (they had an over 200 ranked schedule so there weren't a lot). St Mary's, Oregon, KSU, and Butler. In those 4 games he shot 34% from the field, 30% from 3PTers, had 3 assists total and 7 turnovers. Should fit right in and might as well kick someone off who's been here for years to do it!

He is short for a shooting guard which he played at UCI

Like maybe 5’10

Very well built though

The couple games I went to he played well but that was against big west competition

Honestly, I am bummed he is leaving UCi as they should have another good team but would be excited to have him on our team

Plays very hard

Zeke Nnaji has officially signed his NLI.

https://kstp.com/sports/hopkins-basketb ... a/5320553/" target="_blank

ChooChooCat wrote:Zeke Nnaji has officially signed his NLI.

https://kstp.com/sports/hopkins-basketb ... a/5320553/" target="_blank

Such an important player next year...can make the difference between a top 15 team and a FF quality team.

ChooChooCat wrote:Zeke Nnaji has officially signed his NLI.

https://kstp.com/sports/hopkins-basketb ... a/5320553/" target="_blank

Paging enfuego. Please pick up a white courtesy phone.

NYCat wrote:

Backup option for Hazzard I believe.

ChooChooCat wrote:

NYCat wrote:

Backup option for Hazzard I believe.

Wouldn't mind him at all tbh.