2022 Transfer Portal Discussion

[Gopherfan84]

Houston lost their best 2 players, went to the final 4 last year. Baylor lost Cryer/JTT half way through, still had a great year. St Louis lost Perkins and had a few other injuries, made the final of the conf tourney and were still relevant. And before you reply "Well they are better programs than we are its not fair to Ben!" Thats the coaches job!! He is here to sell the program, sell the players on wanting to be here and sacrificing for the team. If our only card to play is "well look we had no one else so we let Peyton Willis shoot whenever he wanted, you can be that guy!" we arent going anywhere.

And its not about getting a direct player who would play 0 min but could step in and give us 100% of Fox or anyones production, its about not being totally stuck when they are out. Not having to play 5 guys in a conf tourney because you look and no one can function off the bench. I agree with the concept we have our best depth at PF/C but now we are counting on TT who looked like a fish out of water last year and a freshman. And sure you can play JB and DG 35 min each in a game, but if they do that all year you see what happens, they are dog tired in March and we lose to Nebraska/PSU.

If this is worst case scenario I also think we need to be on the line with anyone left in the portal as we just had a big role open up.

I couldn’t care less if it’s fair to Ben or not. He’s doing what the majority do. If we suck next year then go after depth again. Right now we’ve lost one guy in our deepest position. His injury doesn’t make me think we should’ve added another front court guy. If you want to question not bringing in a guard I can hear the arguments and it’s fair to be reasonably concerned but the staff obviously wasn’t. Sometimes I wished they just scholarship Ramberg and Purcell so people would get over it. It’s obvious if you can find 13 playable guys who won’t wreck the locker room if they don’t play them you do it. It’s not that simple or every program would still fill all 13. Most don’t anymore and there is a reason.
Bringing up last years depth to this year is also a pointless exercise. Two years ago we had 2 returners and 2 prep recruits. We had to fill the rest with transfers. That’s why there was no depth. This year we have 3 returners and 4 preps. One of those returners is an all B1G level scorer too. It’s just not the same conversation or problem. Right now we have depth.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Anyone left in the portal worth looking at?

 

[leib0039]

Anyone left in the portal worth looking at?

Emoni Bates! Obviously not happening there. Keyontae Johnson from FL is in there, but has had a lot of health (heart) issues and as we have seen with Jarvis, the U is not a place who will hand out waivers for that type of stuff.

The only one i see is Daniel Akin from Cal Bap. 6'9 225 26min per game 10-8-1b per game. Looks like he has played 3 full years, has 2 partial years so I would guess he has one more to play. Not great but big and semi ish productive.

 

[howeda7]

Emoni Bates! Obviously not happening there. Keyontae Johnson from FL is in there, but has had a lot of health (heart) issues and as we have seen with Jarvis, the U is not a place who will hand out waivers for that type of stuff.

The only one i see is Daniel Akin from Cal Bap. 6'9 225 26min per game 10-8-1b per game. Looks like he has played 3 full years, has 2 partial years so I would guess he has one more to play. Not great but big and semi ish productive.

Sounds like Danny Agele. Sadly, we should take him though.

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

Emoni Bates! Obviously not happening there. Keyontae Johnson from FL is in there, but has had a lot of health (heart) issues and as we have seen with Jarvis, the U is not a place who will hand out waivers for that type of stuff.

The only one i see is Daniel Akin from Cal Bap. 6'9 225 26min per game 10-8-1b per game. Looks like he has played 3 full years, has 2 partial years so I would guess he has one more to play. Not great but big and semi ish productive.

Thanks!

 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

I'd be giving a call to Keyontae Johnson.....seems like a great kid. Get the medicals. Sign a waiver if the doctors agree.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed on court, accused of sexual battery

Keyontae Johnson, the Florida basketball player who collapsed during a game, has been accused of sexual battery, according to Alachua County records.

www.usatoday.com

 

[cheeseheadgophfan]

Florida basketball star Keyontae Johnson, who collapsed on court, accused of sexual battery

Keyontae Johnson, the Florida basketball player who collapsed during a game, has been accused of sexual battery, according to Alachua County records.

www.usatoday.com

Oops.....didn't know that.

 

[leib0039]

Emoni Bates to....EMU????!? I know its close to home but that seems shocking. He wasnt good last year but he was also supposed to be in high school, call me crazy but if I am any P5 team in the bottom 1/3 of their league are they not at least making a pitch? Its not like he committed actual crimes. Like it or not talent wins games, and he has talent.

 

[RockChalk]

There are still a few SF/PF out there that carry mostly 3 star ratings but there are a few 4 star as well if he wanted to add a player to replace Fox for a year

 

[GopherWeatherGuy]

Emoni Bates to....EMU????!? I know its close to home but that seems shocking. He wasnt good last year but he was also supposed to be in high school, call me crazy but if I am any P5 team in the bottom 1/3 of their league are they not at least making a pitch? Its not like he committed actual crimes. Like it or not talent wins games, and he has talent.

It is home for him and he did have plenty of interest from other schools. I'm going to guess the opportunity to play where he grew up and the ability to put up big numbers at a lower level is why he's going there.

It will be interesting to see how he does. Memphis was a better team when he didn't play.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Emoni Bates to....EMU????!? I know its close to home but that seems shocking. He wasnt good last year but he was also supposed to be in high school, call me crazy but if I am any P5 team in the bottom 1/3 of their league are they not at least making a pitch? Its not like he committed actual crimes. Like it or not talent wins games, and he has talent.

I was convinced it was just lip service when he announced them in his final bunch of teams. Totally wrong assumption.

 

[RockChalk]

I was convinced it was just lip service when he announced them in his final bunch of teams. Totally wrong assumption.

A little different situation but similar in a way. Patrick Baldwin was a top 5 recruit, stays to play in Milwaukee for his dad rather than go play for any blue blood of his choosing.

I know he was hurt, like Bates his freshman year but I believe it really hurt Baldwin when it came to his draft status.

 

[combes1]

It is home for him and he did have plenty of interest from other schools. I'm going to guess the opportunity to play where he grew up and the ability to put up big numbers at a lower level is why he's going there.

It will be interesting to see how he does. Memphis was a better team when he didn't play.

Bates had no viable high major offers. Michigan, Illinois, Louisville , etc. were never taking him. Too much baggage. He had no choice but to go to the EMU level.

 

[Bob_Loblaw]

Bates had no viable high major offers. Michigan, Illinois, Louisville , etc. were never taking him. Too much baggage. He had no choice but to go to the EMU level.

I hear you but there is a quite a gulf between Michigan and EMU. I'm not saying I wanted him to come here but he could certainly get a ton of PT here as well as a ton of other high major non-blue blood type of programs. Or I should I say, I assume he could have gotten a ton of PT at these other places.

It's not the worst idea in the world for him. Patrick Baldwin showed that you can flop at a low major and it not kill your stock.

 

[gopherguy15]

I hear you but there is a quite a gulf between Michigan and EMU. I'm not saying I wanted him to come here but he could certainly get a ton of PT here as well as a ton of other high major non-blue blood type of programs. Or I should I say, I assume he could have gotten a ton of PT at these other places.

It's not the worst idea in the world for him. Patrick Baldwin showed that you can flop at a low major and it not kill your stock.

By committing to Eastern Michigan, Emoni Bates could be repeating mistakes that stunted once-promising career

The former basketball prodigy is trying to reset his career, but will EMU be the right environment to do it?

www.cbssports.com

This CBS article explains it quite well...

 

[SanDiegoGopherFan]

I hear you but there is a quite a gulf between Michigan and EMU. I'm not saying I wanted him to come here but he could certainly get a ton of PT here as well as a ton of other high major non-blue blood type of programs. Or I should I say, I assume he could have gotten a ton of PT at these other places.

It's not the worst idea in the world for him. Patrick Baldwin showed that you can flop at a low major and it not kill your stock.

From that article, his father was a major cancer to the teams hes been on.

That doesnt fit into Bens or any other respectable coaches program.

He should just go to China a-la Ball