2022 Transfer Portal Discussion

Gophers reached out on him initially but that was about it. Never got an offer and Gophers haven't been on him for a while now.

This is the truth. The only reason there was even talk about Larson coming here was driven by this board, because Minnesota.

He's not a B1G caliber player, no loss there.
 

I am bumping this very informative Ragnor post about the timing of last year's commits:

Summary:
March 29- Battle April 2- Loewe, April 3-Stephens, April 12- Sutherlin, April 15-Fox, April 16- Willis
Daniels and Ogele came in June and July....

Essentially, our business of filling a whole roster from nothin' last year was done by April 16th. Nobody they got afterwards helped.

While this timing isn't definitive, it is a good benchmark.

Again, H/T to Ragnor for an outstanding bit of research!

It has been slower across college basketball compared to last year and I think NIL is likely the reason for that. The dominos are starting to fall now, so I would expect a lot of the in demand transfers to find a new home over the next week or two.
 

Message boards mean zilch (look at us clowns on here babbling like we know something ha) but FWIW I looked at a few UNC boards and absolutely zero mentions of Garcia or Walton being on the squad next year. This is starting to be my only hope is that if those 2 came we would be far less in desperate need of talent.
 

You know, maybe...just maybe... he didn't want to come here. He just spent 4 years in South Carolina and now he's going to another South Carolina university (a pretty good one too as I understand). Maybe he likes it there and doesn't want to come back here and freeze his ass off next winter. Maybe he has friends and/or a girlfriend that he rather stay closer to. Charleston is also a very nice area and would be a good place for a lot of people to spend at least a year.

A lot of people around here talk about basketball players like they're robots. They spend their lives in a pod and are let out only to practice and play games. The only decisions that matter to them are things that maximize their basketball prospects and exposure. They don't have opinions, preferences, or any other goals in life that don't concern basketball. They don't have friends or significant others, only teammates and coaches.
Wait…. Charleston WV. Right?
 

Despite my suggestion for patience...I am concerned now. I thought we'd have at least one guy by now. Assuming we are adding 4 or 5 guys it has to happen pretty quick for at least one or two of them. Like somebody said 75% of the guys in the portal can't help us. The guys after April 16th last year were not helpful.
Some of these guys are probably waiting to see who else we take...depending on their mindset....how good will we be? Or, I'd like to know who I gotta beat out to play big minutes.
Wait too long...they go elsewhere where the roster is only adding one guy or already has an all star lineup and say add me too it.
And more patience or you can be Like him -

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Giving Ramberg a scholarship is just like making a trade...
 


Yipes. This kid is 5-10 150 # and his stats got worse from his sophomore year to his senior year.

Actually, judging by advanced stats, he was a pretty steady performer through his four years. His stats went down as a senior but I would say that part of that was due to lower minutes last season. His true shooting percentage also went down as a senior (although it was still decent) because his 3 point shooting was a little worse and he went to the line (where he was a very good shooter) at a lower rate than previous years. He's been among the conference leaders in steals percentage all four years and he doesn't turn the ball over too much.

He's not a great player but he's serviceable. I don't think a 5th year player like this would want to come here to play backup minutes. Maybe the coaches' thinking is that he could play the majority of minutes while a younger point guard also plays and develops.
 

Actually, judging by advanced stats, he was a pretty steady performer through his four years. His stats went down as a senior but I would say that part of that was due to lower minutes last season. His true shooting percentage also went down as a senior (although it was still decent) because his 3 point shooting was a little worse and he went to the line (where he was a very good shooter) at a lower rate than previous years. He's been among the conference leaders in steals percentage all four years and he doesn't turn the ball over too much.

He's not a great player but he's serviceable. I don't think a 5th year player like this would want to come here to play backup minutes. Maybe the coaches' thinking is that he could play the majority of minutes while a younger point guard also plays and develops.
Who is this younger point guard?
 



Actually, judging by advanced stats, he was a pretty steady performer through his four years. His stats went down as a senior but I would say that part of that was due to lower minutes last season. His true shooting percentage also went down as a senior (although it was still decent) because his 3 point shooting was a little worse and he went to the line (where he was a very good shooter) at a lower rate than previous years. He's been among the conference leaders in steals percentage all four years and he doesn't turn the ball over too much.

He's not a great player but he's serviceable. I don't think a 5th year player like this would want to come here to play backup minutes. Maybe the coaches' thinking is that he could play the majority of minutes while a younger point guard also plays and develops.
Here, in a nutshell, is an issue.

To win and win a lot in conference, MN has to have players that are more than "serviceable". No disrespect at all......
 


I have mixed feelings about this one.

A couple of years ago, a poster on this board made an astute analogy of a player (I no longer remember the player) to Michael Carter Williams (MCW). MCW was rookie of the year with a horrible Philadelphia 76ers team (19-63) but he really was a pretty inefficient player. In fact, the notorious GM Sam Hinkie unsuccessfully tried to trade him during the draft following his rookie year. As the poster said: "Somebody had to score on that terrible team!"

This kid was the leading scorer as a freshman on a 5-25 team but his advanced stats were pretty mediocre. That's not unusual for a freshman (especially one who has to play more minutes than he should) so you have to cut him some slack but a high usage/low efficiency point doesn't strike me as the ideal Ben Johnson type player.
 


I have mixed feelings about this one.

A couple of years ago, a poster on this board made an astute analogy of a player (I no longer remember the player) to Michael Carter Williams (MCW). MCW was rookie of the year with a horrible Philadelphia 76ers team (19-63) but he really was a pretty inefficient player. In fact, the notorious GM Sam Hinkie unsuccessfully tried to trade him during the draft following his rookie year. As the poster said: "Somebody had to score on that terrible team!"

This kid was the leading scorer as a freshman on a 5-25 team but his advanced stats were pretty mediocre. That's not unusual for a freshman (especially one who has to play more minutes than he should) so you have to cut him some slack but a high usage/low efficiency point doesn't strike me as the ideal Ben Johnson type player.
Good point. The question is whether the coaches feel like a kid as a moldable attitude. Marcus Carr, who played on similar teams with us and Pitt, was probably not the ideal Chris Beard player, but they took him and worked with him.
 



I have mixed feelings about this one.

A couple of years ago, a poster on this board made an astute analogy of a player (I no longer remember the player) to Michael Carter Williams (MCW). MCW was rookie of the year with a horrible Philadelphia 76ers team (19-63) but he really was a pretty inefficient player. In fact, the notorious GM Sam Hinkie unsuccessfully tried to trade him during the draft following his rookie year. As the poster said: "Somebody had to score on that terrible team!"

This kid was the leading scorer as a freshman on a 5-25 team but his advanced stats were pretty mediocre. That's not unusual for a freshman (especially one who has to play more minutes than he should) so you have to cut him some slack but a high usage/low efficiency point doesn't strike me as the ideal Ben Johnson type player.
You don't have to worry he's going to the Badgers.
 


This is the truth. The only reason there was even talk about Larson coming here was driven by this board, because Minnesota.

I didn't move to this state until I was 45 years old. I never went to high school here, had no association with, or interest in, local high schools, and I don't care where a player is from. I checked out Larson and I thought he would have been a solid, steady pickup. Still do.
 

Here, in a nutshell, is an issue.

To win and win a lot in conference, MN has to have players that are more than "serviceable". No disrespect at all......

None taken. I guess I don't believe this program is in a position to "win a lot in conference" or get top-shelf players next season. After three straight losing seasons, I'd be satisfied with modestly decent winning record (and maybe an NIT berth) next year and hopefully a better season in the following year. I think a key to having significant improvement next season may be minimizing bad players even if we don't have much in the way of really good ones. If we can get 8 or 9 players who can be trusted to do something useful when they're on the floor and have some competition for playing time, that could lead to positive results. Of course, if we don't rebound any better than we did last season, we'll likely tank again.
 

Sessoms or Moore would be very solid gets IMO. I would also take Thompson or Honor and be just fine with it. 2 of those 4 would be great.

I wouldn't imagine any of those 4 are going somewhere to be a backup though.
 

Looks like Jeff Linder may have Wyoming in the tourney again next year. Two USC transfers, one from UCLA and a 6'10' prep recruit from Texas. This not even knowing whether Maldonado will be back. They still have Graham Ike also. Sure they've also lost a couple to the portal, but looks like net gain.

We're all waiting to hear who the Gophers pick up. Hopefully, we're surprised with some strong additions.
 

I have mixed feelings about this one.

A couple of years ago, a poster on this board made an astute analogy of a player (I no longer remember the player) to Michael Carter Williams (MCW). MCW was rookie of the year with a horrible Philadelphia 76ers team (19-63) but he really was a pretty inefficient player. In fact, the notorious GM Sam Hinkie unsuccessfully tried to trade him during the draft following his rookie year. As the poster said: "Somebody had to score on that terrible team!"

This kid was the leading scorer as a freshman on a 5-25 team but his advanced stats were pretty mediocre. That's not unusual for a freshman (especially one who has to play more minutes than he should) so you have to cut him some slack but a high usage/low efficiency point doesn't strike me as the ideal Ben Johnson type player.
I'm guessing his usage rate would drop significantly on a more talented team, at a higher level, so whether it's Ben or Greg Gard or whoever, you have to make the determination if he's good enough to play at this level, and then from there figure out if he's going to be a fit or not. Head to head isn't everything, but Green Bay did play us this year, so there's film and Green bay played some other HM's as well. Guessing if the Badgers are interested, Bo Ryan's kid is the GB coach, so there's obviously a good connection there. Personally I'd rather go with Nick Honor or Isiah Thompson., neither is a super star, but both have proven they can give 20-25 minutes a night at PG at the HM level, pair that with a combo like Josiah Strong, we should be solid at the Point Guard spot
 

None taken. I guess I don't believe this program is in a position to "win a lot in conference" or get top-shelf players next season. After three straight losing seasons, I'd be satisfied with modestly decent winning record (and maybe an NIT berth) next year and hopefully a better season in the following year. I think a key to having significant improvement next season may be minimizing bad players even if we don't have much in the way of really good ones. If we can get 8 or 9 players who can be trusted to do something useful when they're on the floor and have some competition for playing time, that could lead to positive results. Of course, if we don't rebound any better than we did last season, we'll likely tank again.
This is a big year for obj. Needs to field a winning team next season, or the ramp gets very steep. Getting transfers, really good transfers, simply has to be an expectation. That is step one. Winning with them is the next step.
 

I'm guessing his usage rate would drop significantly on a more talented team, at a higher level, so whether it's Ben or Greg Gard or whoever, you have to make the determination if he's good enough to play at this level, and then from there figure out if he's going to be a fit or not. Head to head isn't everything, but Green Bay did play us this year, so there's film and Green bay played some other HM's as well. Guessing if the Badgers are interested, Bo Ryan's kid is the GB coach, so there's obviously a good connection there. Personally I'd rather go with Nick Honor or Isiah Thompson., neither is a super star, but both have proven they can give 20-25 minutes a night at PG at the HM level, pair that with a combo like Josiah Strong, we should be solid at the Point Guard spot

If we picked up Honor or Thompson, Josiah Strong, and this kid from GB, I guess I would be happy enough. Add in a blue collar bigger man who has demonstrated an aptitude for rebounding the ball and a willingness to be physical inside and I think Year 2 can be significantly better than Year 1.
 






Here, in a nutshell, is an issue.

To win and win a lot in conference, MN has to have players that are more than "serviceable". No disrespect at all......
Come on Barny, buy a clue. Every good team has "serviceable" players to complement their really good players. Even you know that.
 


I'm with you on Dawson and Jones. I feel like Walton will end up here too if he enters the portal, but I'm not a big fan. They still need a starting PG though.
I talked to a NC fan who thought Walton's problem at NC was defense. They loved his shooting stroke but....
 




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