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The Good, The Bad and The Interesting: The Gophers Roster Makeover Edition
By zipsofakron
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/305474?referrer_id=388419
Another year, another busy offseason for the Gophers. Is it ever any different? As we’ve learned, though, there’s “good” busy and “bad” busy. And unlike the past handful of years this offseason had a distinctly different feel to it. Instead of reading about DUIs, arrests and other front-page news items that aren’t basketball-related, we were treated to a coaching search, transfers, waiver-approval watches and a busy recruiting trail. In short, we saw an offseason that revolved around actual basketball; and it was very refreshing, even if it there were some peaks and valleys.
It’s an exciting time for Gopher basketball, which is to be expected with a new coach in tow. And Richard Pitino has certainly maintained and even generated greater interest in the program. Unlike past years, though, our expectations are different in terms of what success is supposed to look like. With pundits hardly giving Minnesota a fighting chance this year in the conference, the Gophers are clear underdogs. And with high expectations in recent seasons, it definitely feels different having to overachieve. But that unfamiliar feeling is also exciting.
Sure, the Gophers have new leadership, a new system and plenty of new personnel, but with the complaints and criticisms we saw when Tubby Smith was here, seeing a brand new approach to basketball will be fun, even if it doesn’t immediately translate into on-court success. A departure from the boring, often ineffective half-court offense of the past will definitely be a welcome sight for most of us, and a guard-heavy lineup will almost certainly feature plenty of shots and faster pace to the game. They might not all go in, but it’ll certainly be interesting to watch.
Of course, plenty has happened since the Gophers fell to the Florida Gators in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Some good, some bad and some interesting. Here’s a snapshot:
GOOD
Joey King gets hardship waiver approved – The NCAA is a curious, frustrating entity. And, unfortunately, you never know what you’re going to get when it comes to transfers. A seemingly arbitrary decision to us outsiders, some players get approved and some get denied. Fortunately, for the Gophers frontcourt, Joey King’s transfer was approved. King, a former Drake Bulldog, requested an immediate transfer to be closer to his ailing brother. Mercifully, the NCAA approved his request.
From a basketball perspective, King is an intriguing addition. The Gophers will have much to prove in the frontcourt this year, and King brings a skill set that should fit nicely in the rotation. He’s a power forward, but one that can (and does) step out and shoot threes. That’s a fun combination, and in an offense that’s sure to feature lots of shooting, being able to hide a skill like that in one of your bigs is a good advantage. Can King rebound in the B1G? That remains to be seen. But getting him through the NCAA red tape was a major hurdle.
Pitino gets on the recruiting board … THREE TIMES – Bringing in a new coach is a challenge for several reasons, but one of the biggest ones is starting from scratch on the recruiting trail. With Minnesota preps well-represented in the national recruiting conversation, Pitino is under special pressure to try and land some of the bigger names out there. And with many high-profile recruits putting the Gophers in their final list of schools, it was clear that Richard was being taken seriously on the recruiting trail. After the unexpected fanfare, the Gophers finally landed a 2014 recruit when PF prospect Josh Martin committed, who was soon followed by PG Nate Mason and G Carlos Morris.
Not only are the players three solid commitments for the Gophers, it represents a special success from our new coach and sets the stage for more. Coming into a situation like the one Pitino inherited is not easy, and I had nightmares about the Gophers getting shut out on the recruiting trail. Sure, they were on several short lists, but what can you realistically expect from a guy who took the job less than seven months ago? That he didn’t have to reach on his first three commitments is a major weight off Minnesota’s back, at worst, and could represent a momentum shift that leads to more commitments.
BAD
Gophers play NCAA Transfer Roulette and lose – From the same entity that allowed Joey King to transfer closer to his family and Malik Smith to avoid the repercussions of FIU’s poor APR showing, Rakeem Buckles – a potential frontcourt addition for the Gophers – was denied his transfer request by the powers that be at the NCAA. It’s unclear exactly what goes on behind the curtain when these decisions are made, and it’s entirely possible that the committee spins a wheel when coming to a conclusion, but what we DO know is that the Gophers will not be adding Buckles to their roster this season.
The denial is frustrating for a couple of reasons: 1) Buckles would have been an ideal addition to a team with a thin frontcourt. While the oft-injured forward has seen his fair share of rehab on his ailing knees, a healthy Buckles would almost assuredly have contributed to the team this season and added some much needed size and experience down low. And 2) Buckles appeared to have a legitimate argument for being able to transfer. He was originally recruited by Pitino to play at FIU, but took a redshirt season to rehab an injury. And with the FIU postseason ineligibility due to poor APR performance, Buckles found himself at a troubled program. Even more frustrating, Malik Smith was granted his request under essentially the same circumstances. It’s hard not to feel for Buckles, who has seen his fair share of adversity. And with him entering his fifth and final year of eligibility, he can’t really sit out a year to transfer to a better program. Everyone loses here, but the NCAA Transfer Roulette Wheel keeps spinning.
INTERESTING:
Mo Walker down 50 (!) pounds – Perhaps the most interesting story of the offseason is the physical transformation of Mo Walker, who has slimmed down to the point of being nearly unrecognizable. On his arrival, Richard promptly challenged Walker to shape up, literally, or risk losing playing time. And you know what? He responded, dropping an incredible 50 pounds from his 310-pound weight at the end of last season to a slim 260 when we last checked. Considering he came to campus as a freshman weighing close to 350, he’s shed a staggering 90 pounds. That’s dedication. With a stated goal of entering the season at 255, it’s clear that Walker is serious about being a contributor in a thin Gophers frontcourt.
We haven’t seen Walker really contribute on a big scale since he’s been here, but we also haven’t seen him play when he’s supposedly in shape. He’s a question mark down low, but the good news is he seems to be taking the challenge from his head coach seriously. That’s saying something.
By zipsofakron
http://www.gopherhole.com/news_article/show/305474?referrer_id=388419
Another year, another busy offseason for the Gophers. Is it ever any different? As we’ve learned, though, there’s “good” busy and “bad” busy. And unlike the past handful of years this offseason had a distinctly different feel to it. Instead of reading about DUIs, arrests and other front-page news items that aren’t basketball-related, we were treated to a coaching search, transfers, waiver-approval watches and a busy recruiting trail. In short, we saw an offseason that revolved around actual basketball; and it was very refreshing, even if it there were some peaks and valleys.
It’s an exciting time for Gopher basketball, which is to be expected with a new coach in tow. And Richard Pitino has certainly maintained and even generated greater interest in the program. Unlike past years, though, our expectations are different in terms of what success is supposed to look like. With pundits hardly giving Minnesota a fighting chance this year in the conference, the Gophers are clear underdogs. And with high expectations in recent seasons, it definitely feels different having to overachieve. But that unfamiliar feeling is also exciting.
Sure, the Gophers have new leadership, a new system and plenty of new personnel, but with the complaints and criticisms we saw when Tubby Smith was here, seeing a brand new approach to basketball will be fun, even if it doesn’t immediately translate into on-court success. A departure from the boring, often ineffective half-court offense of the past will definitely be a welcome sight for most of us, and a guard-heavy lineup will almost certainly feature plenty of shots and faster pace to the game. They might not all go in, but it’ll certainly be interesting to watch.
Of course, plenty has happened since the Gophers fell to the Florida Gators in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Some good, some bad and some interesting. Here’s a snapshot:
GOOD
Joey King gets hardship waiver approved – The NCAA is a curious, frustrating entity. And, unfortunately, you never know what you’re going to get when it comes to transfers. A seemingly arbitrary decision to us outsiders, some players get approved and some get denied. Fortunately, for the Gophers frontcourt, Joey King’s transfer was approved. King, a former Drake Bulldog, requested an immediate transfer to be closer to his ailing brother. Mercifully, the NCAA approved his request.
From a basketball perspective, King is an intriguing addition. The Gophers will have much to prove in the frontcourt this year, and King brings a skill set that should fit nicely in the rotation. He’s a power forward, but one that can (and does) step out and shoot threes. That’s a fun combination, and in an offense that’s sure to feature lots of shooting, being able to hide a skill like that in one of your bigs is a good advantage. Can King rebound in the B1G? That remains to be seen. But getting him through the NCAA red tape was a major hurdle.
Pitino gets on the recruiting board … THREE TIMES – Bringing in a new coach is a challenge for several reasons, but one of the biggest ones is starting from scratch on the recruiting trail. With Minnesota preps well-represented in the national recruiting conversation, Pitino is under special pressure to try and land some of the bigger names out there. And with many high-profile recruits putting the Gophers in their final list of schools, it was clear that Richard was being taken seriously on the recruiting trail. After the unexpected fanfare, the Gophers finally landed a 2014 recruit when PF prospect Josh Martin committed, who was soon followed by PG Nate Mason and G Carlos Morris.
Not only are the players three solid commitments for the Gophers, it represents a special success from our new coach and sets the stage for more. Coming into a situation like the one Pitino inherited is not easy, and I had nightmares about the Gophers getting shut out on the recruiting trail. Sure, they were on several short lists, but what can you realistically expect from a guy who took the job less than seven months ago? That he didn’t have to reach on his first three commitments is a major weight off Minnesota’s back, at worst, and could represent a momentum shift that leads to more commitments.
BAD
Gophers play NCAA Transfer Roulette and lose – From the same entity that allowed Joey King to transfer closer to his family and Malik Smith to avoid the repercussions of FIU’s poor APR showing, Rakeem Buckles – a potential frontcourt addition for the Gophers – was denied his transfer request by the powers that be at the NCAA. It’s unclear exactly what goes on behind the curtain when these decisions are made, and it’s entirely possible that the committee spins a wheel when coming to a conclusion, but what we DO know is that the Gophers will not be adding Buckles to their roster this season.
The denial is frustrating for a couple of reasons: 1) Buckles would have been an ideal addition to a team with a thin frontcourt. While the oft-injured forward has seen his fair share of rehab on his ailing knees, a healthy Buckles would almost assuredly have contributed to the team this season and added some much needed size and experience down low. And 2) Buckles appeared to have a legitimate argument for being able to transfer. He was originally recruited by Pitino to play at FIU, but took a redshirt season to rehab an injury. And with the FIU postseason ineligibility due to poor APR performance, Buckles found himself at a troubled program. Even more frustrating, Malik Smith was granted his request under essentially the same circumstances. It’s hard not to feel for Buckles, who has seen his fair share of adversity. And with him entering his fifth and final year of eligibility, he can’t really sit out a year to transfer to a better program. Everyone loses here, but the NCAA Transfer Roulette Wheel keeps spinning.
INTERESTING:
Mo Walker down 50 (!) pounds – Perhaps the most interesting story of the offseason is the physical transformation of Mo Walker, who has slimmed down to the point of being nearly unrecognizable. On his arrival, Richard promptly challenged Walker to shape up, literally, or risk losing playing time. And you know what? He responded, dropping an incredible 50 pounds from his 310-pound weight at the end of last season to a slim 260 when we last checked. Considering he came to campus as a freshman weighing close to 350, he’s shed a staggering 90 pounds. That’s dedication. With a stated goal of entering the season at 255, it’s clear that Walker is serious about being a contributor in a thin Gophers frontcourt.
We haven’t seen Walker really contribute on a big scale since he’s been here, but we also haven’t seen him play when he’s supposedly in shape. He’s a question mark down low, but the good news is he seems to be taking the challenge from his head coach seriously. That’s saying something.