Drooling over next year.

[Go Gophs eh?]

Its a fact, this year sucks. We are so close, but injuries and transfers f us over again. I still think we will make the tourney, but wont make the 2nd round. Im just really pumped about next year though. Hollins' in the backcourt will be a huge step up defensively, and offense wont be as deadly as hoff and nolen, but will be more deadly than hoff williams which is what we will see for the rest of the year. I expect rodney to be really good next year. not great, but hes been a lot better in B10 play this year than last, and i expect steady improvement. Andre hollins at pt, Au hollins at SG, and Williams at SF will be deadly, especially if Mbakwe stays, and colt/ralph/walker all improve. With chip, coleman, oto, eliason, and mav ready to step up on the bench, i think we'll have a good year next year. excited for a season that appears to be w/o distractions finally. crossed fingers.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Make sure you buy yourself a bib.

 

[From the Barn]

The Big Ten should be pretty close to horrible next year. We might finally finish in the top half.

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

Long Way To Next Year

Its a fact, this year sucks. We are so close, but injuries and transfers f us over again. I still think we will make the tourney, but wont make the 2nd round. Im just really pumped about next year though. Hollins' in the backcourt will be a huge step up defensively, and offense wont be as deadly as hoff and nolen, but will be more deadly than hoff williams which is what we will see for the rest of the year. I expect rodney to be really good next year. not great, but hes been a lot better in B10 play this year than last, and i expect steady improvement. Andre hollins at pt, Au hollins at SG, and Williams at SF will be deadly, especially if Mbakwe stays, and colt/ralph/walker all improve. With chip, coleman, oto, eliason, and mav ready to step up on the bench, i think we'll have a good year next year. excited for a season that appears to be w/o distractions finally. crossed fingers.

Gophers will have young, inexperienced G albeit talented.

Front line will have better balance (F and C) and good depth.

There may be early departures for pro basketball and/or transfers.

 

[Atl Gopher]

Its a fact, this year sucks. We are so close, but injuries and transfers f us over again. I still think we will make the tourney, but wont make the 2nd round. Im just really pumped about next year though. Hollins' in the backcourt will be a huge step up defensively, and offense wont be as deadly as hoff and nolen, but will be more deadly than hoff williams which is what we will see for the rest of the year. I expect rodney to be really good next year. not great, but hes been a lot better in B10 play this year than last, and i expect steady improvement. Andre hollins at pt, Au hollins at SG, and Williams at SF will be deadly, especially if Mbakwe stays, and colt/ralph/walker all improve. With chip, coleman, oto, eliason, and mav ready to step up on the bench, i think we'll have a good year next year. excited for a season that appears to be w/o distractions finally. crossed fingers.

I hate this but Mbakwe looks too good. You can not argue with his numbers. I think he will be a solid 1st round draft choice and he will not come back. It is my hope that Ralph and Colton will continue to develop and be more consistant. I hope that Mo recovers and stays because I think he is the rebounder that we need. I think Elliot will surprise some folks.

We will lack that quick 6'7" small forward that can both defend and shoot if Rodney does not step up. I am really not that concerned with our gaurd play for next year.

 

[bga1]

Its a fact, this year sucks. We are so close, but injuries and transfers f us over again. I still think we will make the tourney, but wont make the 2nd round. Im just really pumped about next year though. Hollins' in the backcourt will be a huge step up defensively, and offense wont be as deadly as hoff and nolen, but will be more deadly than hoff williams which is what we will see for the rest of the year. I expect rodney to be really good next year. not great, but hes been a lot better in B10 play this year than last, and i expect steady improvement. Andre hollins at pt, Au hollins at SG, and Williams at SF will be deadly, especially if Mbakwe stays, and colt/ralph/walker all improve. With chip, coleman, oto, eliason, and mav ready to step up on the bench, i think we'll have a good year next year. excited for a season that appears to be w/o distractions finally. crossed fingers.

I'm pumped about the opportunity we will have next year to be pumped about the following year.

When is the year when we start out good and get better all year and sit comfortabbly on Selection Sunday waiting for our high seed? I need one of those. Just one every once in a while.

Sorry- not a happy fan today. I'll be in the stands Sunday cheering though.

 

[Reserve]

The more I think about next year the more I think about last year. Imagine putting Trevor on our team last year.

Or ( gasp ) think about having even Westbrook on our team this year.

 

[Monty519]

Maybe one day we'll be drooling over the current season. All I ask next season is for a drama free year, assuming that with that will come a successful campaign.

 

[Art Vandelay]

I hate this but Mbakwe looks too good. You can not argue with his numbers. I think he will be a solid 1st round draft choice and he will not come back. It is my hope that Ralph and Colton will continue to develop and be more consistant. I hope that Mo recovers and stays because I think he is the rebounder that we need. I think Elliot will surprise some folks.

We will lack that quick 6'7" small forward that can both defend and shoot if Rodney does not step up. I am really not that concerned with our gaurd play for next year.

Mbakwe a solid 1st rounder?

The Johnson kid from Purdue that lit the Gophers up twice is MAYBE a late 1st round pick.

Guys like Mbakwe are a nickel a dozen in the NBA.

 

[tikited]

Or ( gasp ) think about having even Westbrook on our team this year.

As much as I liked Johnson better than Westbrook, we really could use Westbrook's shooting and driving ability right now. We just don't have anyone, other than Hoff, that can shoot from anywhere.

 

[Moonlight]

Maybe...

I hate this but Mbakwe looks too good. You can not argue with his numbers. I think he will be a solid 1st round draft choice and he will not come back. It is my hope that Ralph and Colton will continue to develop and be more consistant. I hope that Mo recovers and stays because I think he is the rebounder that we need. I think Elliot will surprise some folks.

We will lack that quick 6'7" small forward that can both defend and shoot if Rodney does not step up. I am really not that concerned with our gaurd play for next year.

But no way first round - and if it happened it would be a mistake.
Guys who succeed in the NBA have a jump shot and can shoot freethrows. Both Mbakwe and Williams lack in these departments

 

[Tater]

Unfortunately, I think last night might be a bit of a preview of next year (minus Hoff). We'll still have a huge hole at G and PG position. Hopefully, Hollins/Hollins/Armelin/Oto/Maverick can turn into long range shooting threats to cover for our lack of strength at PG.

 

[Gopher4Life]

>>Drooling over next year.<<

Unrealistic posts by homers on a sports message board? Par for the course.

 

[panndder]

Front line will have better balance (F and C) and good depth.

If everyone comes back and is healthy this might be the understatement of the century.

 

[khoffman43]

I think he will be a solid 1st round draft choice and he will not come back

You're kidding, right? He might get drafted...but there are soooo many guys like him in the NBA. What sets him apart? He is 6'8" and athletic? So is Kobe, who is a SG.

I guess you could say Kevin Love is doing well and is 6'8" and that Mbakwe is more athletic, but Love can pass, shoot and dribble. He was also a more impressive college player in his 1 season than Mbakwe is now, and Love was (I'm guessing) 3 years younger when he played in college than Trevor is now.

Trevor could carve out a really nice career playing overseas, but I think he would benefit from playing for the Gophers next year. More time to develop and he can work on his FT's, jump shot and back to the basket game before trying to make a living on the court.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Put it this way. K-Love is 4 months older than Mbakwe and they graduated from high school the same year.

Also, Blake Hoffarber is 5 months OLDER than Kevin Love.

 

[playhosea!]

It's a little bit sad to say this, but I find it hard to project anything about future seasons. With everything that has happened the last few years, who knows who will even be on the roster, much less healthy and eligible next year?

I really don't mean that as a slam on Tubby even if it sounds that way.

 

[dpodoll68]

He is 6'8" and athletic? So is Kobe, who is a SG.

Kobe is maybe 6'5" with shoes on. He lists himself at 6'6" because Jordan did, and he would never admit he was lesser in any respect.

I guess you could say Kevin Love is doing well and is 6'8"

He was 6'9.5" coming out of college, but there's a decent chance he has grown in the interim since he was 19 at the time.

 

[scher215]

Kobe is maybe 6'5" with shoes on. He lists himself at 6'6" because Jordan did, and he would never admit he was lesser in any respect.

I am a Kobe fan, and I must admit that comment was wonderful lol

 

[jmag21]

Kobe is maybe 6'5" with shoes on. He lists himself at 6'6" because Jordan did, and he would never admit he was lesser in any respect.



He was 6'9.5" coming out of college, but there's a decent chance he has grown in the interim since he was 19 at the time.

Why that's preposterous, my good man. I, at 6'3, stood next to him at the grand opening of the Maplewood Applebees, and he was a good six inches shorter than myself. Oddly enough, he didn't look much like he does on tv, although of course the jersey was the same. In his case, the camera apparently takes off thirty or forty pounds, and adds a full head of hair.

 

[CollegeBBallFan]

It amazing how many really good seniors across the conference will be gone next year. I'm proud of them that they stayed. They will leave really big shoes to fill.

 

[scher215]

I do like the looks of the roster for next year (provided everyone stays on board)

G: Andre Hollins
G: Austin Hollins
F: Rodney Williams
F: Trevor Mbakwe
C: Ralph Sampson III

Bench
Maverick Ahanmisi (G)
Chip Armelin (G)
Joe Coleman (G/F)
Oto Osenieks (F)
Chris Halvorson (F)
Colton Iverson (C)
Moe Walker (C)
Eliot Eliason (C)

For people saying the team is big now, assuming all bigs stay, next year will be ridiculous.

Rodney 6-7
Trevor 6-8
Ralph 6-11
Oto 6-8
Halvorson 6-8
Iverson 6-11
Walker 6-10
Eliot 6-11

 

[khoffman43]

Kobe is maybe 6'5" with shoes on. He lists himself at 6'6" because Jordan did, and he would never admit he was lesser in any respect.

He was 6'9.5" coming out of college, but there's a decent chance he has grown in the interim since he was 19 at the time.

I'll buy that Kobe isn't 6'8", I was thinking LeBron.

According to Draft Express: Neither are Kevin Love’s- 6-7 ¾ without shoes, 6-11 ¼ wingspan, 8-10 standing reach

http://www.draftexpress.com/article...-Measurements-and-Combine-2913/#ixzz1CwEkfLGz

So lets say he has grown an inch, which I doubt. That makes Love just under 6'9".

 

[khoffman43]

I do like the looks of the roster for next year (provided everyone stays on board)

Wouldn't there be a chance for 1 more player with Devoe's scholly? Could be interesting to see who, if anyone, Tubby targets.

 

[scher215]

Wouldn't there be a chance for 1 more player with Devoe's scholly? Could be interesting to see who, if anyone, Tubby targets.

Absolutely.

I'd like to see an elite true PG, if we can't get a proven (i.e. 3 or 4 star for lack of a better method right now) PG, just ride with Andre and get a Walter Pritchard type. Based on reading about him, I like him, he adds even more size as well, but is rumored to actually have a nice jump shot.

I just don't like the idea of giving a PG a scholarship next year simply because they play PG, heck go to the rec and get a walk on if you just want a PG. However, I trust if Tubby does bring in another PG it is someone he has looked at and thinks will help the team.

 

[Atl Gopher]

But no way first round - and if it happened it would be a mistake.
Guys who succeed in the NBA have a jump shot and can shoot freethrows. Both Mbakwe and Williams lack in these departments

I admit I am not the most knowledgeable fan. I have been a crazy Gopher homer for over 40 years. I see someone like Mbakwe with amazing physical attributes. I see him pulling double doubles night after night in one of the most competitive leagues in college basketball. He frustrates me when he misses free throws, but as a pro I would think he would work on that day and night, as well as a short range jumper. I would think the pros would recognize that and that is why I think he will be a first round draft pick if he turns pro.

Williams clearly is not close although he is an amazing athlete. He looks lost at there at least half of the time. Mbakwe seems like he belongs. He is always in the game. He appears to have great anticipation as to where to get the rebound. Compare that to Iverson who also seems lost and not ready most of the time.

One of the things I enjoy about this site and the other forum I participate in, is that I get a chance to learn from people more knowledgeable than me. What am I missing?

 

[khoffman43]

What am I missing?

You're missing that there are a lot of guys in the NBA Trevor's size and they have similar athletic abilities. Look at guys like Evan Turner, Hasheem Thabeet and Cole Aldrich. Turner was an all-american and he barely gets minutes. Thabeet and Aldrich were dominant college centers are are both in the development league. Great college players are not necessarily great pros and good college players can be great pros.

We could all be wrong on Trevor and he could carve out a nice NBA career like Monticello's finest Joel Przybilla and stick around but Przybilla is a true 7ft'er and those are increasingly rare.

Just my thoughts and I think a lot of people of gopherhole and draft analysts agree.

 

[underground629]

That's why I'm excited about our team next year. Roster wise, I think we're taking a slight step back from what we had earlier in the year (with every player actually playing). The loss of Hoffarber and Nolen will hurt. I think people overestimate the ability of freshmen to come in and make a significant impact. I love our recruits coming in but we're going to have to be patient with them. Pg is going to be rough next year.

The Big Ten should be pretty close to horrible next year. We might finally finish in the top half.

 

[dpodoll68]

According to Draft Express: Neither are Kevin Love’s- 6-7 ¾ without shoes, 6-11 ¼ wingspan, 8-10 standing reach

http://www.draftexpress.com/article...-Measurements-and-Combine-2913/#ixzz1CwEkfLGz

So lets say he has grown an inch, which I doubt. That makes Love just under 6'9".

As soon as basketball players start playing games barefoot, that statistic will be relevant.

 

[underground629]

There's a possibility that Trevor will leave, but it won't be because he's a first round pick.

I hate this but Mbakwe looks too good. You can not argue with his numbers. I think he will be a solid 1st round draft choice and he will not come back. It is my hope that Ralph and Colton will continue to develop and be more consistant. I hope that Mo recovers and stays because I think he is the rebounder that we need. I think Elliot will surprise some folks.

We will lack that quick 6'7" small forward that can both defend and shoot if Rodney does not step up. I am really not that concerned with our gaurd play for next year.