2023 College Basketball Transfer Portal Watch Thread


He had a 5 star recruit who go poached
Exactly my point. Seems like Ben sold Dennis on his vision/direction of the program with him in the fold. Louisville sold (or purchased.. really) Dennis with a quick million.

I find it hard to believe that he would have left if Ben was playing with the same kind of pockets.
 


Exactly my point. Seems like Ben sold Dennis on his vision/direction of the program with him in the fold. Louisville sold (or purchased.. really) Dennis with a quick million.

I find it hard to believe that he would have left if Ben was playing with the same kind of pockets.
The thing about Evans leaving is that Ben still has to prove he can coach. Would Evans helps us this season? Probably, but by how much? Having better players doesn't help that much if the coach is below average, the team will still struggle and continue to have zero identity. If MN is in a position that does not allow for much NIL money, then maybe when should bring in someone who can really coach to over compensate. If anyone uses NIL as an excuse for Ben's record thus far or going forward, then Ben should be fired yesterday if he can't compete in the current climate. Some recruits want money, some want excellent coaching and winning, hopefully we can give them at least one of these in the near future.
 

The thing about Evans leaving is that Ben still has to prove he can coach. Would Evans helps us this season? Probably, but by how much? Having better players doesn't help that much if the coach is below average, the team will still struggle and continue to have zero identity. If MN is in a position that does not allow for much NIL money, then maybe when should bring in someone who can really coach to over compensate. If anyone uses NIL as an excuse for Ben's record thus far or going forward, then Ben should be fired yesterday if he can't compete in the current climate. Some recruits want money, some want excellent coaching and winning, hopefully we can give them at least one of these in the near future.
Na, this same thing is happening everywhere. Asking out of NLI seemingly for NIL…

Of the top of my head:
Michigan
Alabama
Duke - this guy rumored to Louisville too.
Ol Miss - this was due to coaching change.
Penn State

I heard rumblings of a Kentucky signing wavering.
 


Um, there's a .500 record. I think that's in between
Is a .500 record really “winning”?

That might get a Power 6 team in the NIT if they’re extremely lucky, but nothing more.

I would define winning as making the NCAA Tournament. Not expecting that for this program every season, but should 3 (or so) appearances every 5 years be too much to ask?
 

Is a .500 record really “winning”?

That might get a Power 6 team in the NIT if they’re extremely lucky, but nothing more.

I would define winning as making the NCAA Tournament. Not expecting that for this program every season, but should 3 (or so) appearances every 5 years be too much to ask?
Sounds like heaven at this point
 


So is your honest expectation that we land every transfer portal recruit we reach out to?
No...but I don't think it is too much to ask that we might get a few. We are already dropping down our list of players and you can see the even the people who tend to say "I am all in on X player for Y reasons" are starting to stretch a bit.

And it can't always be NIL like some think.

Realistically we will only get a couple...the problem is we are already settling when it comes to who we can get and those players don't seem very interested. We are getting dangerously close to bar close and the hot chicks are gone and the decent ones seem to be making plans. If we don't get our positions filled soon we are going to be in some serious trouble.
 



Is a .500 record really “winning”?

That might get a Power 6 team in the NIT if they’re extremely lucky, but nothing more.

I would define winning as making the NCAA Tournament. Not expecting that for this program every season, but should 3 (or so) appearances every 5 years be too much to ask?
Considering the history of the program, that’s high expectations. Sounds like you would fire every coach we’ve had. Has any coach who wasn’t cheating met your expectations?
 


The thing about Evans leaving is that Ben still has to prove he can coach. Would Evans helps us this season? Probably, but by how much? Having better players doesn't help that much if the coach is below average, the team will still struggle and continue to have zero identity. If MN is in a position that does not allow for much NIL money, then maybe when should bring in someone who can really coach to over compensate. If anyone uses NIL as an excuse for Ben's record thus far or going forward, then Ben should be fired yesterday if he can't compete in the current climate. Some recruits want money, some want excellent coaching and winning, hopefully we can give them at least one of these in the near future.
Johnson's had some horrible luck with injuries. Fox and Ihnen were supposed to start two years in a row...and two years in a row we lost those two or 40% of our starters. That impacted our depth and everything else. I thought the players played well as a team in year 1...they were scrappy and didn't do dumb stuff. This year we once again lost 40% of our projected starters and lots of our depth and instead of having veterans on the floor we had a host of freshmen doing freshmen stuff. Now the freshman have some experience under their belts and I think it will be better next year. I think that he did a great job coaching Henley, Ola-Joseph, Payne and Carrington. By the end of the year all four of them were significantly better and doing far less not wise things on the court. I also applaud Johnson's running a clean program where the student-athletes are progressing in the classroom as well. Let's hope he fills ALL the scholarships for the first time so that we can have the depth we need in the event of an injury or two.
 

Is a .500 record really “winning”?

That might get a Power 6 team in the NIT if they’re extremely lucky, but nothing more.

I would define winning as making the NCAA Tournament. Not expecting that for this program every season, but should 3 (or so) appearances every 5 years be too much to ask?
I think it is reasonable to expect a Big 10 team to go to the tournament every other year or so. But winning to me is one over 500...and losing is one under
 



Just a roster update:
We lose: Jamison Battle, Treyton Thompson, Jaden Henley, Taurus Samuels and Ta'lon Cooper
We gain so far: Kaydn Betts, Parker Fox, Isiah Ihnen, Cameron Christie, Mike Mitchell, Erick Reader, and Jack Wilson (with two more scholarships to go)
If the latter group can beat the former group, then we have already improved our roster.
 


Just a roster update:
We lose: Jamison Battle, Treyton Thompson, Jaden Henley, Taurus Samuels and Ta'lon Cooper
We gain so far: Kaydn Betts, Parker Fox, Isiah Ihnen, Cameron Christie, Mike Mitchell, Erick Reader, and Jack Wilson (with two more scholarships to go)
If the latter group can beat the former group, then we have already improved our roster.
They can't though.
 

No...but I don't think it is too much to ask that we might get a few. We are already dropping down our list of players and you can see the even the people who tend to say "I am all in on X player for Y reasons" are starting to stretch a bit.

And it can't always be NIL like some think.

Realistically we will only get a couple...the problem is we are already settling when it comes to who we can get and those players don't seem very interested. We are getting dangerously close to bar close and the hot chicks are gone and the decent ones seem to be making plans. If we don't get our positions filled soon we are going to be in some serious trouble.
Yeah, transfer recruiting is insanely competitive. You have a finite number of impact guys and a whole bunch of teams trying to land them. On top of that we have factors like location and lack of pay for play money working against us as well.

And before the usual suspects chime in with their tired excuses or rationalization posts....It will be on Johnson to get at least one and probably two more guards that can be part of the rotation next year. Failure to do that most likely means the team doesn't improve enough and he gets fired.

Hopefully we get some good news in the near future from the guys that are visiting.
 

Considering the history of the program, that’s high expectations. Sounds like you would fire every coach we’ve had. Has any coach who wasn’t cheating met your expectations?
No, generally speaking I’m not a screaming “fire the coach guy”. With Monson, yes, I got to the point I had enough. Since then? Tubby, Richard, Ben. … I haven’t been on here hollering for their dismissals.

As far as “high expectations”, I offer one word. … Wisconsin.

If the Badgers can make just about every NCAA Tournament since 2000, I don’t think expecting a NCAA bid 60% of the time for the Gophers should be viewed as shooting for the stars.
 
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No, generally speaking I’m not a screaming “fire the coach guy”. With Monson, yes, I got to the point I had enough. Since then? Tubby, Richard, Ben. … I haven’t been on here hollering for their dismissals.

As far as “high expectations”, I offer one word. … Wisconsin.

If the Badgers can can make just about every NCAA Tournament since 2000, I don’t think expecting a NCAA bid 60% of the time for the Gophers should be viewed as shooting for the stars.
I certainly agreed on Monson, I left the Clemson game and said to my wife, if he isn’t fired by tomorrow, I will never attend an another Gopher basketball game. Luckily he was. I think the thing that makes Wisconsin different from our situation was much better AD’s and a more supportive administration.
 

No, generally speaking I’m not a screaming “fire the coach guy”. With Monson, yes, I got to the point I had enough. Since then? Tubby, Richard, Ben. … I haven’t been on here hollering for their dismissals.

As far as “high expectations”, I offer one word. … Wisconsin.

If the Badgers can can make just about every NCAA Tournament since 2000, I don’t think expecting a NCAA bid 60% of the time for the Gophers should be viewed as shooting for the stars.
I expect better than 60%. We have a lot of advantages here. Big Ten at the top of the list.
 

I certainly agreed on Monson, I left the Clemson game and said to my wife, if he isn’t fired by tomorrow, I will never attend an another Gopher basketball game. Luckily he was. I think the thing that makes Wisconsin different from our situation was much better AD’s and a more supportive administration.
Better coaches were the biggest reason.
 

Who would Fox and Ihnen have replaced as starters this year?
well with only 1 blown out knee i would have felt pretty confident that they both would have battle for starting spots.....
whos spots they would or could have taken who knows.....but i would have felt a lot better about the team with both those guys player.....thats for damn sure.
 

well with only 1 blown out knee i would have felt pretty confident that they both would have battle for starting spots.....
whos spots they would or could have taken who knows.....but i would have felt a lot better about the team with both those guys player.....thats for damn sure.
Lame answer. Here are/were the main starters. Put up or shut up. Who would they have started instead of?

Cooper?-Nope. Ihnen and/or Fox are not PG's
Samuels?, Carrington?, Henley?-Nope. Despite rumors, Ihnen is not a 2. Fox is not a 2
Battle?-Nope, many think he was our best player. He wasn't. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Battle
Garcia?-He was our best player last season. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Garcia
Payne?-Ihnen and/or Fox MAY have started in place of Payne but the typical 5 in the BIG would have dominated Ihnen or Fox.

A healthy Ihnen and Fox this past season would not have helped the Gophers win more games. Our problems weren't centered on the PF position. It was lack of guards on the roster. Well, lack of decent guards I should say.
 

Lame answer. Here are/were the main starters. Put up or shut up. Who would they have started instead of?

Cooper?-Nope. Ihnen and/or Fox are not PG's
Samuels?, Carrington?, Henley?-Nope. Despite rumors, Ihnen is not a 2. Fox is not a 2
Battle?-Nope, many think he was our best player. He wasn't. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Battle
Garcia?-He was our best player last season. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Garcia
Payne?-Ihnen and/or Fox MAY have started in place of Payne but the typical 5 in the BIG would have dominated Ihnen or Fox.

A healthy Ihnen and Fox this past season would not have helped the Gophers win more games. Our problems weren't centered on the PF position. It was lack of guards on the roster. Well, lack of decent guards I should say.
Payne started 3 games the entire year. One of the 2 would have 100% started over JOJ and JOJ would have probably played limited minutes if any at all if both were healthy.
 

Lame answer. Here are/were the main starters. Put up or shut up. Who would they have started instead of?

Cooper?-Nope. Ihnen and/or Fox are not PG's
Samuels?, Carrington?, Henley?-Nope. Despite rumors, Ihnen is not a 2. Fox is not a 2
Battle?-Nope, many think he was our best player. He wasn't. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Battle
Garcia?-He was our best player last season. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Garcia
Payne?-Ihnen and/or Fox MAY have started in place of Payne but the typical 5 in the BIG would have dominated Ihnen or Fox.

A healthy Ihnen and Fox this past season would not have helped the Gophers win more games. Our problems weren't centered on the PF position. It was lack of guards on the roster. Well, lack of decent guards I should say.
lol....love all the hills people would die on in a forum....

JOJ would not have started most of the season with a healthy combo of Ihnen/Fox
and if you are going to put up or shut up at least know that Payne started 4 games and wasnt a main starter
 

Lame answer. Here are/were the main starters. Put up or shut up. Who would they have started instead of?

Cooper?-Nope. Ihnen and/or Fox are not PG's
Samuels?, Carrington?, Henley?-Nope. Despite rumors, Ihnen is not a 2. Fox is not a 2
Battle?-Nope, many think he was our best player. He wasn't. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Battle
Garcia?-He was our best player last season. Ihnen and/or Fox were not starting in place of Garcia
Payne?-Ihnen and/or Fox MAY have started in place of Payne but the typical 5 in the BIG would have dominated Ihnen or Fox.

A healthy Ihnen and Fox this past season would not have helped the Gophers win more games. Our problems weren't centered on the PF position. It was lack of guards on the roster. Well, lack of decent guards I should say.
Ihnen would've started over JOJ. Payne started just 4 games.
 

lol....love all the hills people would die on in a forum....

JOJ would not have started most of the season with a healthy combo of Ihnen/Fox
and if you are going to put up or shut up at least know that Payne started 4 games and wasnt a main starter
Ihnen is going to play where he makes the most impact on defense. We should be a better defensive team than offensive this year. A healthy Ihnen starts somewhere.
 

I think they usually say that you can play whatever position you can guard.

Can Ihnen guard a wing? Not that I've seen, but maybe.

I know he can defend the post a little bit.
 

lol....love all the hills people would die on in a forum....

JOJ would not have started most of the season with a healthy combo of Ihnen/Fox
and if you are going to put up or shut up at least know that Payne started 4 games and wasnt a main starter
he was 4th in minutes played. So, yes. Only started 4 games. Point is, Fox/Ihnen, if healthy MAY have started a few games or even most. Their presence in the starting lineup woud not have moved the needle one iouta this past season. Again. Horrible defense of Ben. Regardless of injuries to Ihnen and or Fox, Ben's roster construction was atrocious.

If that is dying on a hill, wow.

Now, answer the original question. #1. Who would they have started for in the starting lineup and/or who's minutes would they have replaced? #2. If healthy, what would the gophers record have been with them all season? I'll wait as you deflect again and apparetnly while I am dying on this hill. lol
 





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