Turner no longer a Gopher

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Not shocking at all. Omot and Stephens seem likely to depart as well.
 



I seem to remember someone, at the exhibition game, saying Turner seemed to have a bad attitude. It seems he and Niko never were on the same page.
 











So...portal season is coming soon and we will know shortly who is staying, who is leaving, and who is coming. I am eagerly awaiting some decisions and announcements as there are a number of unknowns. Here is what we think we know:

RETURNING--Asuma and Grove (that makes 2)
HOPEFULLY RETURNING BUT MAY HAVE BETTER NIL $ OFFERS--Crocker-Johnson and Durkin (that makes 4)
COMING--Anderson, Tomes, and Mpoyi (that makes 7)
UNKNOWN BUT IN THE 50/50 RANGE TO RETURN--Shinholster, Vaihola, and Willis (that makes 10)
UNKNOWN BUT LIKELY TO LEAVE--Omot and Stephens

If the 50/50 guys stay we will have three spots to fill from the portal or with spring recruits; could be as many as 8 spots available if the 50/50 guys leave and we lose Crocker-Johnson and Durkin d/t NIL. Gonna be interesting.

Here is what I am hoping for. We keep Asuma, Grove, Crocker-Johnson, and Durkin and add the three freshmen. We keep all three of the 50/50 guys--Willis, Vaihola, and Shinholster--as each fits a need on the team. We then add a spring recruit with some upside. Might be someone raw, a late bloomer, or someone who needs a year or more of development. Matters not as the plan would not be to play that recruit much, if at all, in 2026-2027...you can't really maintain a 13-man rotation IMO. Next season would be focused on development for the spring recruit, maybe even a redshirt year.

Let Omot and Stephens portal out. That leaves us with two spots.

With one of those spots, I'd like to see someone big--6'10" or taller--who has some history of success at the D1 level. Could be from any D1 conference--MAC, MVC, OVC, MW, WCC, SunBelt, et. al.--don't care so long as they have had some productivity. We need the size. And with the 13th spot take a flyer on someone who could blossom within Niko's system (as Tyson and Durkin have done)--there are plenty of them out there, many of which have been mentioned and fantasized about on this board. As for which one we bring in, 'In Niko I Trust'.

What say you GopherHolers?
 

Indiana Gopher said:
So...portal season is coming soon and we will know shortly who is staying, who is leaving, and who is coming. I am eagerly awaiting some decisions and announcements as there are a number of unknowns. Here is what we think we know:

RETURNING--Asuma and Grove (that makes 2)
HOPEFULLY RETURNING BUT MAY HAVE BETTER NIL $ OFFERS--Crocker-Johnson and Durkin (that makes 4)
COMING--Anderson, Tomes, and Mpoyi (that makes 7)
UNKNOWN BUT IN THE 50/50 RANGE TO RETURN--Shinholster, Vaihola, and Willis (that makes 10)
UNKNOWN BUT LIKELY TO LEAVE--Omot and Stephens

If the 50/50 guys stay we will have three spots to fill from the portal or with spring recruits; could be as many as 8 spots available if the 50/50 guys leave and we lose Crocker-Johnson and Durkin d/t NIL. Gonna be interesting.

Here is what I am hoping for. We keep Asuma, Grove, Crocker-Johnson, and Durkin and add the three freshmen. We keep all three of the 50/50 guys--Willis, Vaihola, and Shinholster--as each fits a need on the team. We then add a spring recruit with some upside. Might be someone raw, a late bloomer, or someone who needs a year or more of development. Matters not as the plan would not be to play that recruit much, if at all, in 2026-2027...you can't really maintain a 13-man rotation IMO. Next season would be focused on development for the spring recruit, maybe even a redshirt year.

Let Omot and Stephens portal out. That leaves us with two spots.

With one of those spots, I'd like to see someone big--6'10" or taller--who has some history of success at the D1 level. Could be from any D1 conference--MAC, MVC, OVC, MW, WCC, SunBelt, et. al.--don't care so long as they have had some productivity. We need the size. And with the 13th spot take a flyer on someone who could blossom within Niko's system (as Tyson and Durkin have done)--there are plenty of them out there, many of which have been mentioned and fantasized about on this board. As for which one we bring in, 'In Niko I Trust'.

What say you GopherHolers?
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Indiana Gopher said:
So...portal season is coming soon and we will know shortly who is staying, who is leaving, and who is coming. I am eagerly awaiting some decisions and announcements as there are a number of unknowns. Here is what we think we know:

RETURNING--Asuma and Grove (that makes 2)
HOPEFULLY RETURNING BUT MAY HAVE BETTER NIL $ OFFERS--Crocker-Johnson and Durkin (that makes 4)
COMING--Anderson, Tomes, and Mpoyi (that makes 7)
UNKNOWN BUT IN THE 50/50 RANGE TO RETURN--Shinholster, Vaihola, and Willis (that makes 10)
UNKNOWN BUT LIKELY TO LEAVE--Omot and Stephens

If the 50/50 guys stay we will have three spots to fill from the portal or with spring recruits; could be as many as 8 spots available if the 50/50 guys leave and we lose Crocker-Johnson and Durkin d/t NIL. Gonna be interesting.

Here is what I am hoping for. We keep Asuma, Grove, Crocker-Johnson, and Durkin and add the three freshmen. We keep all three of the 50/50 guys--Willis, Vaihola, and Shinholster--as each fits a need on the team. We then add a spring recruit with some upside. Might be someone raw, a late bloomer, or someone who needs a year or more of development. Matters not as the plan would not be to play that recruit much, if at all, in 2026-2027...you can't really maintain a 13-man rotation IMO. Next season would be focused on development for the spring recruit, maybe even a redshirt year.

Let Omot and Stephens portal out. That leaves us with two spots.

With one of those spots, I'd like to see someone big--6'10" or taller--who has some history of success at the D1 level. Could be from any D1 conference--MAC, MVC, OVC, MW, WCC, SunBelt, et. al.--don't care so long as they have had some productivity. We need the size. And with the 13th spot take a flyer on someone who could blossom within Niko's system (as Tyson and Durkin have done)--there are plenty of them out there, many of which have been mentioned and fantasized about on this board. As for which one we bring in, 'In Niko I Trust'.

What say you GopherHolers?
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Good analysis.

No idea who stays with eligibility left, but I would not encourage the players with injury history unless there is solid medical information that indicates they are completely recovered.

Need to find a guy that has experience that can replicate Tyson, a guy can both shoot and is a scorer. The experienced big is essential and gives Crocker-Johnson flexibility to be inside or out. I have no idea if any of the incoming freshmen are ready to contribute, but I would not plan on it.

Maybe getting a guy coming home for a fifth year who provides leadership and enthusiasm would help.
 

IF (big IF) we can keep everyone...the 3 biggest needs are:

Go to experienced wing scorer (replace Tyson)
Swiss army knife / rugged defender guard/wing (replace Langston)
Big guy with some size and toughness (replace nobody as we don't have a player like that).

I'd love to keep Willis and Vaihola.

Am guessing Stephens and Omot will be gone.

Would gladly welcome Shinholster back as a depth guard piece but am guessing he will portal. If Willis Asuma Tomes etc are here then minutes will be tough for him to come by. And yes he's a freshman but Kai has regressed if anything over the last couple months (and we've been crying out for him to contribute something meaningful).
 


Zeppelin Gopher said:
IF (big IF) we can keep everyone...the 3 biggest needs are:

Go to experienced wing scorer (replace Tyson)
Swiss army knife / rugged defender guard/wing (replace Langston)
Big guy with some size and toughness (replace nobody as we don't have a player like that).

1) I'd love to keep Willis and Vaihola.

2) Am guessing Stephens and Omot will be gone.

3) Would gladly welcome Shinholster back as a depth guard piece but am guessing he will portal. If Willis Asuma Tomes etc are here then minutes will be tough for him to come by. And yes he's a freshman but Kai has regressed if anything over the last couple months (and we've been crying out for him to contribute something meaningful).
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1) Yeah, I'd say we owe them that and, if healthy, they are decent players.

2) I hope so and I don't think we owe them anything.

3) I wouldn't be angry if he returned but I wouldn't be sorry if he left either.
 

TwistingMyMelon said:
1) Yeah, I'd say we owe them that and, if healthy, they are decent players.

2) I hope so and I don't think we owe them anything.

3) I wouldn't be angry if he returned but I wouldn't be sorry if he left either.
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Why do we owe anybody anything? They all got paid, and ultimately weren’t worth it. I trust Niko’s judgement regardless, but I’d hope anybody with an injury history takes a pay cut if it allows us to be more competitive with an impact transfer.
 

topos said:
Why do we owe anybody anything? They all got paid, and ultimately weren’t worth it. I trust Niko’s judgement regardless, but I’d hope anybody with an injury history takes a pay cut if it allows us to be more competitive with an impact transfer.
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I think we owe something to players who were hurt while playing for us. I don't think we owe anything to anyone else. I definitely hope Niko can land some quality players who can at least come close to what we are losing in Tyson and Reynolds but I think both Vaihola and Willis are at least good enough to be rotation players anyway.
 

TwistingMyMelon said:
I think we owe something to players who were hurt while playing for us. I don't think we owe anything to anyone else. I definitely hope Niko can land some quality players who can at least come close to what we are losing in Tyson and Reynolds but I think both Vaihola and Willis are at least good enough to be rotation players anyway.
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It sounds like Reynolds and Tyson will be great references to any recruits Niko is looking to get.
 

Indiana Gopher said:
Let Omot and Stephens portal out. That leaves us with two spots.

With one of those spots, I'd like to see someone big--6'10" or taller--who has some history of success at the D1 level. Could be from any D1 conference--MAC, MVC, OVC, MW, WCC, SunBelt, et. al.--don't care so long as they have had some productivity. We need the size. And with the 13th spot take a flyer on someone who could blossom within Niko's system (as Tyson and Durkin have done)--there are plenty of them out there, many of which have been mentioned and fantasized about on this board. As for which one we bring in, 'In Niko I Trust'.

What say you GopherHolers?
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Actually, 3 as you said earlier in your post since the remaining 5 players with eligibility who played most of the season, Vaiholla and Willis, and the 3 freshman total 10.

I agree that they should recruit one more post player with size even if its just a rotational player especially if that player could shoot from outside on occasion and make free throws. My #1 wish though is for them to recruit a scorer who has the potential to come close to Tyson in scoring output. If we had the good fortune to find a Langston Reynolds clone that would be fabulous.
 


I never know what to really expect from the portal, but I thought Turner would be a guy who could play 5-10 minutes a game, grab a few boards, and dish out a couple of hard fouls while clogging up the middle on defense.

What will happen in the off-season regarding the portal (both incoming and outgoing) is anyone's guess. I do think Medved has a clear idea of what type of players fit his system so he won't be going out to just get guys. I always thought that was one of Johnson's weaknesses as the portal became a larger element. He didn't seem to have his system (provided he did have one, which is a legitimate question) in mind when he brought guys in.
 


50PoundHead said:
1) I never know what to really expect from the portal, but I thought Turner would be a guy who could play 5-10 minutes a game, grab a few boards, and dish out a couple of hard fouls while clogging up the middle on defense.

What will happen in the off-season regarding the portal (both incoming and outgoing) is anyone's guess. 2) I do think Medved has a clear idea of what type of players fit his system so he won't be going out to just get guys. I always thought that was one of Johnson's weaknesses as the portal became a larger element. He didn't seem to have his system (provided he did have one, which is a legitimate question) in mind when he brought guys in.
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1) So did I. Obviously, we were wrong.

2) Well, the two guys who are out of eligibility at the end of the season sure gave him a great idea of the kinds of player who would fit his system. It took a little time for Reynolds to show his best but he was worth the wait.
 

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