How good is Wolters

[FargoBison]

Down one with 14 minutes left is "in the game" fact of the matter is Nate Wolters isnt a bad athlete at all and Marcus isnt as good of an athlete as you dream about, if he was he would have been a high major CB. Saying a guy that averages 19 6 and 4 in D1 basketball wouldnt start over a guy thats not playing D1 basketball is pretty asinine.

NDSU's football coach went to watch Marcus play a basketball game, Clemson's basketball coach was there and he raved about his athleticism and said if he had a better jump shot he would have offered on the spot. I know NDSU's basketball coach would love to have Marcus on the team, but Bohl wants him focused on football. The guy might be playing in the NFL in a few years, he is that good of an athlete.

 

[jamiche]

Someone has to score points on even bad teams. Wolters is that kid for SDSU. Great for his level of play. Not so great beyond that. Chip ripped him on D twice in a row, he couldn't handle our press, and he made Mav look like the second coming of Eric Harris.

For the first 28-30 minutes of the game he was the best guard on the floor, then he got tired. He would start on the gophers.

 

[Tater]

For the first 28-30 minutes of the game he was the best guard on the floor, then he got tired. He would start on the gophers.

Sorry dude. No disrespect but this kid would get eaten alive in the B1G. He made Mav, a third string B1G PG, look like an All Star. Imagine how the rest of the B1G PG's would destroy him.

 

[gophervet]

NDSU's football coach went to watch Marcus play a basketball game, Clemson's basketball coach was there and he raved about his athleticism and said if he had a better jump shot he would have offered on the spot. I know NDSU's basketball coach would love to have Marcus on the team, but Bohl wants him focused on football. The guy might be playing in the NFL in a few years, he is that good of an athlete.

I agree 100 percent. Marcus Williams is an excellent athlete. I have heard through the grapevine that academics have always been a struggle for him, so that limited his options a little bit, but I am pretty sure he will be playing on Sundays.

Marcus Williams to Wolters is apples to oranges. Wolters is having a good career, and I would be glad to have him on the Gophers. Marcus Williams is a great athlete and DB and I'd love to have him on the Gophers (but the football team).

 

[ColNathanJessup]

He would start on the gophers.

That may or may not be true. I think you could make an argument but it's very debateable. But that says more about the Gophers point guard situation right now than Wolters. Northwestern is the only other team in the conf. right now where I think he'd even be considered as the starter. (PSU has Frazier and I think Nebraska has the LSU transfer at pg right?)

That said, I like his game and wouldn't mind having him on the Gophers. Let's not pretend he'd be a difference maker in the B10 though. he wouldn't.

 

[SoMpls]

Someone has to score points on even bad teams. Wolters is that kid for SDSU. Great for his level of play. Not so great beyond that. Chip ripped him on D twice in a row, he couldn't handle our press, and he made Mav look like the second coming of Eric Harris.

Being compared to Eric Harris is not a compliment. Wolters is good enough to start for the Gophers right now, period. He got Marverick and Dre Hollins in foul trouble the first half. He put a move on Welch and Hollins that almost made them come out of their shoes. His D is a little suspect but he carries a huge loade for that team. They have nothing after him. If SDSU had anything around Wolters the Gophers would've been in trouble...... But I also give Marverick and Tubby credit. Maverick hit some big shots and finally got the Gophers in some offense. Tubby made it a good call in turning up the defensive pressure. If he did that earlier they woul've won by 20-30.

 

[Tater]

Wolters is good enough to start for the Gophers right now, period.

Thanks for the good laugh. The kid couldn't even go weak hand all night. Good stuff.

 

[GophersOnTheRise]

Tubby loves his defense. For that reason I think Wolters would have a hard time cracking the lineup, but I bet he'd be a good player off the bench. He's a talented scorer and if defenses weren't putting 100% of their focus on him and if he wasn't forced to jack up more shots than is natural for him he would shoot a higher percentage. He wouldn't play against a more athletic team in the Big Ten than he did tonight. Coming from the guy who said Schilling would not be a scholarship worthy player in the Big Ten, I think Wolters could definitely play for the Gophers.

 

[Tater]

Tubby loves his defense. For that reason I think Wolters would have a hard time cracking the lineup, but I bet he'd be a good player off the bench. He's a talented scorer and if defenses weren't putting 100% of their focus on him and if he wasn't forced to jack up more shots than is natural for him he would shoot a higher percentage. He wouldn't play against a more athletic team in the Big Ten than he did tonight. Coming from the guy who said Schilling would not be a scholarship worthy player in the Big Ten, I think Wolters could definitely play for the Gophers.

I'd agree with you if he was a 2 or a 3. Then he might be able to put up a few buckets and hide his horrendous defense and turnovers. But he's a PG, and a turnover prone PG who can't defend is not going to start in the B1G.

 

[GophersOnTheRise]

I'd agree with you if he was a 2 or a 3. Then he might be able to put up a few buckets and hide his horrendous defense and turnovers. But he's a PG, and a turnover prone PG who can't defend is not going to start in the B1G.

Well I didn't say he would start, I said he would come off the bench. And why couldn't he play the 2 for the Gophers?

 

[Tater]

Fair enough GOTR. He might give us a few bench points at the 2. But too much of a liability if the other team has a big dog to deal with.

 

[jamiche]

Sorry dude. No disrespect but this kid would get eaten alive in the B1G. He made Mav, a third string B1G PG, look like an All Star. Imagine how the rest of the B1G PG's would destroy him.

I had never seen Wolters play before, so I had no bias. By the time Mav got to him in the second half he was gassed. Wolters outplayed Hollins and Welch, by a lot. He needs to learn to go to his left but he's a smart, athletic player. It's a cliche, but he made the other four players on the floor about as good as they could be. If he was on the gophers and Tubby wasn't being stubborn, he would start.

 

[THE SCOUT!]

Start with ease and make more $$$$ at the next level , still the the kool aid drinkers will think all High D1 players are better than all low D1 players because coaches never miss on a kid and all kids improve equally after highschool!

 

[zambam]

Can't use the off-hand and no defense. Just because he scores doesn't make him a better player.

 

[MrAugustana]

Wolters would've started for Hopkins. He was absolutely a better player then Marcus Williams who was their starting PG. The reason why Wolters was a miss by the U and many other D1 schools is because he played for a mom and pop AAU program. When you are as talented as Wolters is/was you can put your future in a program that doesn't have the history of sending players D1. If he had played for Pulley, Magic, Net Gain, or 43 Hoops going into his senior year he would've had mulitple D1 offers. I could be wrong but I think he didn't have a D1 offer until mid-way through his senior year and his final list came down to SDSU, NDSU, and St. Coud State. So you can't blame Tubby for not recruiting him in this case. But Wolters can definitly play at a high level.

Not that it's that big of a deal, but I believe Nate has even said in interviews that, if SDSU hadn't come in toward the end of the recruiting cycle, he probably would've gone to Augustana in Sioux Falls.

That would've given Augie a backcourt of Wolters and Cody Schilling for three years. Would've been a really impressive backcourt at the D2 level, to say the least.

Always kills me to see him have great games for SDSU when the Vikings almost had him.

Either way, glad to see Augie didn't get beaten any worse than SDSU against the Gophers. Especially seeing as most of the Gopher starters played similar minutes as they did in their game against Augie.

All in all, way to keep the state of South Dakota looking like Minnesota's little brother, Gophers.

 

[NurumbiCongo]

Can't use the off-hand and no defense. Just because he scores doesn't make him a better player.

That kid can flat out play, it if wasn't for our substitutions absolutely winding him he could have scored in the high 30's. At one point when I noticed he was zapped and we switched Austin on him, he was in his face and didn't let him go anywhere with the ball. That and Rodney and Mbakwe dealt them some deflating stuffs, the game was over.

Problem is that isn't going to work against a better team with a deeper bench.

 

[Pewterschmidt]

Wolters would start for the Gophers. He's really good and one bad half won't change my opinion of him. He was excellent in the 1st half. That's the Wolters most people know who have watched him thru his career.

 

[Tater]

Wolters would start for the Gophers. He's really good and one bad half won't change my opinion of him. He was excellent in the 1st half. That's the Wolters most people know who have watched him thru his career.

I'd agree with you if defense, ball handling, and turnovers didn't matter. This is another case of people falling for a bad opposing team's best player, especially when it is a MN kid.

 

[Pewterschmidt]

I'd agree with you if defense, ball handling, and turnovers didn't matter. This is another case of people falling for a bad opposing team's best player, especially when it is a MN kid.

National opinion is high on Wolters. This isn't a "MN kid" thing. CBS ranked him as a top 25 guard in the country. Lindy's loves him as a top 25 guard as well. Many others consider him the best player in the Summit league.

He would start for the Gophers.

 

[BigGopherFan]

National opinion is high on Wolters. This isn't a "MN kid" thing. CBS ranked him as a top 25 guard in the country. Lindy's loves him as a top 25 guard as well. Many others consider him the best player in the Summit league.

He would start for the Gophers.

B.I.N.G.O.

 

[GoFerit]

I guess this is another case of two diff perspectives on player evaluation. I think it takes more than good shooting and decent handle to start for a legit high major team. If Wolters is a starter for us, it probably means that we are a bottom-feeder in the conference -- maybe, we are at this point.

Mav with a little improvement in shooting can start for many good mid major teams as an upperclassman. If he can shoot with a bit more consistency, Chip may be all conference material in a mid major conference wherein his defense can remain hidden, and shot selection may not be a big issue. But, if Chip is a starter for us right now, it probably means that we may be a bottom-feeder in the conference.

I am sure there are many who absolutely would not agree with me on this. I understand their point of view. Perhaps, the similar thing when it comes to evaluating Wolters.

I think he is a good bench player for a decent Big Ten team.

Nonetheless, he would not have developed as nicely, had he been with us all long. No way could he have decent minutes with us in 2009-2010. If things did not break down in the way they did in 2010-2011, he would not have seen more than 10 mpg behind Hoffarber, Nolen, Joseph, et al. Arguing that we could have used him ex post facto is meaningless with respect to recruiting him in the first place -- well, not that anyone is arguing it right now.

Going to SDSU worked out for Wolters, IMO.

 

[dpodoll68]

Nonetheless, he would not have developed as nicely, had he been with us all long. No way could he have decent minutes with us in 2009-2010.

This is a great point, and one that is not brought up very often. A good player can start immediately at a lower-level school and get all the run he needs to develop. However, it takes a truly exceptional player to come in and start as a freshman at a major school. What is the difference in Wolters as a player right now if he played 5-7 min/game each of the last two years instead of 35-37 min/game?

 

[bigticket1]

Plus he can only go right and stinks at defense.

Sounds like a right-handed version of Blake - I don't recall Al Nolen goiung to his left hand much either. Point guards that are great with both hands and are great defenders probably aren't going to be playing at SDSU,or for the Gophers either,as far as that goes.

 

[Minnesconsin fan]

Nonetheless, he would not have developed as nicely, had he been with us all long. No way could he have decent minutes with us in 2009-2010. If things did not break down in the way they did in 2010-2011, he would not have seen more than 10 mpg behind Hoffarber, Nolen, Joseph, et al. Arguing that we could have used him ex post facto is meaningless with respect to recruiting him in the first place -- well, not that anyone is arguing it right now.

Going to SDSU worked out for Wolters, IMO.

this is what I have been thinking while reading this whole thread- with Nolan, Joseph, Cobbs on the roster or on the way he wouldn't have seen the floor. Going to SDSU got him the minutes to further develop his game.

 

[Facts34]

I'd agree with you if defense, ball handling, and turnovers didn't matter. This is another case of people falling for a bad opposing team's best player, especially when it is a MN kid.

You've blown a lot of credibility in this thread.

 

[fan of Ray Williams]

Chip may be all conference material in a mid major conference wherein his defense can remain hidden, and shot selection may not be a big issue.

Yeah, I was wondering how Chip would fare on a club like SDSU. I bet he would put up some points.

 

[BigAl]

Wolters would've started for Hopkins. He was absolutely a better player then Marcus Williams who was their starting PG. The reason why Wolters was a miss by the U and many other D1 schools is because he played for a mom and pop AAU program. When you are as talented as Wolters is/was you can put your future in a program that doesn't have the history of sending players D1. If he had played for Pulley, Magic, Net Gain, or 43 Hoops going into his senior year he would've had mulitple D1 offers. I could be wrong but I think he didn't have a D1 offer until mid-way through his senior year and his final list came down to SDSU, NDSU, and St. Coud State. So you can't blame Tubby for not recruiting him in this case. But Wolters can definitly play at a high level.

I played with the same AAU program as he did last year and 5 of the 10 guys went D1 so I wouldn't be calling it a mom and pop AAU program, I agree its not to the level of pulley and 43 hoops, but net gain?? we beat them twice

 

[BigAl]

No one has mentioned the fact that Wolters was ranked 44th best basketball player in the country after the year he had last year, and you guys are still comparing him to DJ Peterson somehow.

 

[GophersOnTheRise]

I'd agree with you if defense, ball handling, and turnovers didn't matter. This is another case of people falling for a bad opposing team's best player, especially when it is a MN kid.

Just out of curiosity, do you think Ben Woodside would have been a good Big Ten player?

 

[Tater]

You've blown a lot of credibility in this thread.

Why? Because I don't believe a kid who got ripped by Mav and Chip could be a starting PG on this Gopher team (and that if he was the Gophers would really stink) or that i believe a kid that got burned by Mav and Chip would get eaten up by other B1G point guards?