Jelly Transferring

[dtrain19]

Saw this coming from a mile out. Really felt like a giant mess by Pitino. Kid is obviously talented, just never given the time to develop. I understand he wasn't great but he is one of the guys I am very nervous about the next few years coming back to haunt us.

I guess we have all the scholarships to give! That should be a positive, it doesn't feel like it is.

When the head coach feels like he/she can’t trust a player it’s hard to put them on the floor. Plus we have no idea what was going on behind the scenes.


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[cjbfbp]

Holding u to this!!! Some keep saying Tre is a NBA guy IW twice as talented with the same outside shot percentages. Except IW can get in the lane on anyone and drop dimes with the best of them. I will stick by my opinion! Most don’t understand the PG position and what that position needs to bring.

I agree he has a narrow set of exceptional talents (ball handling and court vision) that are very important for a point guard but I also agree with others that he had some significant holes in his game. I think the criticisms about his defense are a bit overstated because he was capable of playing pretty good on-the-ball defense when he put his mind to it. But, his shooting ability and, to a lesser degree, explosiveness were lacking and he was also undersized. Some short guys can make up for that with great quickness but he wasn't exceptionally quick without the ball.

I posted before that his struggles adapting to the high level college game reminded me a bit of Evan Turner's struggles adjusting to the NBA. Like Washington, Turner was an exceptional ball handler with good court vision and could get anywhere on the court he wanted and create his own shot. In college, his ball handling was enough to leave defenders in the dust but, in the NBA, his relatively poor shooting and explosiveness exposed him. He also had a lack of commitment on the defensive end for his first few years.

Having said that, I do think Pitino handled Washington poorly and I'm sorry he is gone. He definitely could have helped here in the future. I hope the rest of his career is far more satisfying.

So, here is another position of need going forward. At least four open scholarships in April. This will be Pitino's greatest recruiting challenge yet.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Well said. He has not been able to even guard his own shadow. Could care less about his ranking, i saw zero refined skills that make a team better. I still think he can be a serviceable D1 player but what great offers did he have ? Why did Villanova never even look. Pitino's own father did not like his game. He has to slow down his game to know where he is going because his teammates sure do not. Wish him all the best in his mental health and finding the best fit.

I've said this before, and SON posted it, and you imply it, and I'll say it again: know what you're getting and have a plan for how you're going to use him and develop him. In my mind, this is a recruiting blunder, perhaps Richard's biggest. I would certainly have recruited Mike Hurt. Heck, I might have even brought Bakary in by virtue of his length and hops. But if I scouted IW in high school and saw all the limitations in his game and body, I would not have even considered offering him. The reason they recruited him was basically, how can you turn down a Mr Basketball New York.

 

[BleedGopher]

I can't imagine anyone is surprised. Check out his body language during warm-ups of the biggest game of the season, and this was a regular pattern for home games as well. Watch the entire video and look at his shot attempt during warm-ups of an NCAA Tournament game:

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Go Gophers!!

 

[BleedGopher]

Judd: See ‘U’ later: Former New York Player of the Year to transfer

Point guard Isaiah Washington arrived on the University of Minnesota campus in 2017 having been named the player of the year in New York and with an expectation that great things were to come.

But that did not come close to happening and on Monday the former four-star recruit took to Twitter to announce that he has decided to transfer. The Pioneer Press reported that Washington has entered the NCAA transfer portal.

Washington’s arrival was a big deal not only because of his ability on the court, but also because he was the co-founder of the “Jelly Fam” brand and had a significant following on social media.

But Washington saw his playing time decrease from his freshman year as he averaged only 4.3 points and 2.8 assists in 16.1 minutes in 28 games as a sophomore. He had averaged 8.7 points and 2.6 assists in 20 minutes as he played in all 32 of Minnesota’s games during his freshman year.

“Thank you to the University of Minnesota, I appreciate all the support,” Washington wrote in a tweet. “You guys were tremendous on and off the court and made me a better man each day. However, this season took a toll on me mentally. I started to lose the love of basketball and my grandparents health issues added more to it. I’ve took the time to sit with a therapist to help me out. After talks with family, it’s best that I find a new home. With that being said, I will not be returning to the University of Minnesota next season. I love you all, you will always have a place in my heart.”

Washington told reporters after the Gophers’ lost to Michigan State in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, that he would be back but it was pretty clear that wouldn’t be the case. He had scored nine points in 24 minutes in that game, but coach Richard Pitino had sat Washington in six of seven games through the Gophers’ first-round victory over Louisville in the NCAA tournament.

The Gophers lost Nate Mason after last season, but Pitino decided to go with Amir Coffey, not Washington, as his point guard, even though that wasn’t Coffey’s natural position.

https://www.skornorth.com/gophers-2...rmer-new-york-player-of-the-year-to-transfer/

Go Gophers!!

 

[oleboy41]

I can't imagine anyone is surprised. Check out his body language during warm-ups of the biggest game of the season, and this was a regular pattern for home games as well. Watch the entire video and look at his shot attempt during warm-ups of an NCAA Tournament game:

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Go Gophers!!

you ever had a job you were just waiting to quit? You've interviewed elsewhere and are just waiting to hear back and now you just don't have it in you to keep up with the fake smiles and all that? That's what that seems like. That said on the bench during games he always appeared to cheer on his teammates, remain engaged and not pout. But think about it this way: IW was the only guy on the bench not playing who realistically should've been expecting to play. Stull played a little bit at least.

 

[Gopherfan84]

I've said this before, and SON posted it, and you imply it, and I'll say it again: know what you're getting and have a plan for how you're going to use him and develop him. In my mind, this is a recruiting blunder, perhaps Richard's biggest. I would certainly have recruited Mike Hurt. Heck, I might have even brought Bakary in by virtue of his length and hops. But if I scouted IW in high school and saw all the limitations in his game and body, I would not have even considered offering him. The reason they recruited him was basically, how can you turn down a Mr Basketball New York.

Maybe in HS and AAU those didn't come off as limitations. If you think the staff didn't have a plan for IW and wasn't talking/working with him constantly, you are blind. Sometimes it doesn't work out. I think IW would be a fit with his skill set if he took care of the basketball and could defend. He didn't do either

 

[go_gophers]

I tend to believe the staff saw his unique skill set (handles, creativity) and his charisma and decided to give it a shot in spite of his limitations (consistency, shooting, defensive awareness) with the idea they could develop his all-around game. When he proved to be unable or unwilling to make progress in those other areas, they chose to go in another direction. It doesn't mean he's a bad kid or the staff can't develop talent. It simply means that it didn't work out in this particular situation.

Hopefully we can get to the point where we can sign athletes that are less likely to be mismatches. I'm encouraged by our possibilities in the next few recruiting cycles. If Pitino and staff can get someone solid early in next year's class (as they did with Oturu), I'll be really excited moving forward.

Most of us should have been aware that Isaiah had some warts in his game. Why else would a player with his skill-set and credentials have had such limited attention in the recruiting process? I believe it was basically us and St. John's without a lot of other inquiries. I wish Isaiah the best moving forward and hope he finds a better fit.

 

[Lakers612]

I tend to believe the staff saw his unique skill set (handles, creativity) and his charisma and decided to give it a shot in spite of his limitations (consistency, shooting, defensive awareness) with the idea they could develop his all-around game. When he proved to be unable or unwilling to make progress in those other areas, they chose to go in another direction. It doesn't mean he's a bad kid or the staff can't develop talent. It simply means that it didn't work out in this particular situation.

Hopefully we can get to the point where we can sign athletes that are less likely to be mismatches. I'm encouraged by our possibilities in the next few recruiting cycles. If Pitino and staff can get someone solid early in next year's class (as they did with Oturu), I'll be really excited moving forward.

Most of us should have been aware that Isaiah had some warts in his game. Why else would a player with his skill-set and credentials have had such limited attention in the recruiting process? I believe it was basically us and St. John's without a lot of other inquiries. I wish Isaiah the best moving forward and hope he finds a better fit.

Hitting on IW would have also opened the pipeline to NYC. With McBrayer having a successful career and locking up Washington, one of the most well-known ballers in NYC, we could have really established Minnesota as a New York hot bed. Didn’t work out obviously

 

[Gopherbbdude]

I don't see this as a recruiting blunder. He apparently has some mental issues and needs to take care of them. How can any coach see that coming? Can't

 

[go_gophers]

I'm sure the staff considered the possibilities/advantages of strengthening NYC recruiting ties, especially post-Kimani. The problem lies in how far you're willing to bend to improve recruiting possibilities. I'm a fan of letting the players earn time based on merit, not whether their brother is a 5 star or they come from a talent-rich area. I think that's what Pitino has done.

It's too bad the NYC door couldn't have been pushed open a bit further, but hopefully recruits from all across the country will recognize that Pitino won't play games and that playing time is earned based on performance in practice and on game day. Establishing long term trust and integrity is more important a used car salesman, win now at any cost approach to recruiting. I'm hopeful that Pitino is playing the long game and that we'll start to see the benefits soon. If not, he'll likely be trying to establish it somewhere else...

 

[builtbadgers]

Hitting on IW would have also opened the pipeline to NYC. With McBrayer having a successful career and locking up Washington, one of the most well-known ballers in NYC, we could have really established Minnesota as a New York hot bed. Didn’t work out obviously

If anyone does their homework on NYC recruiting they will find out that it not even close to what it was. Best kids are going to the Jersey Basketball factories for better coaching and college connections. There is a ton of info on the demise of any NYC pipeline. If people paid attention to City Parks like Rucker they would have seen the abuse Ty Jerome inflicted on IW and exposing the lack of fundamentals.

 

[John Galt]

Hitting on IW would have also opened the pipeline to NYC. With McBrayer having a successful career and locking up Washington, one of the most well-known ballers in NYC, we could have really established Minnesota as a New York hot bed. Didn’t work out obviously

Do you really believe the sh*t you say?

 

[John Galt]

I don't see this as a recruiting blunder. He apparently has some mental issues and needs to take care of them. How can any coach see that coming? Can't

Who knows whether he's having mental health issues. It's a nice way to try and get eligible for next year at a minimum....

 

[Gopherbbdude]

Who knows whether he's having mental health issues. It's a nice way to try and get eligible for next year at a minimum....

I guess that's my point. Nobody knows what happened or is happening with IW and Pitino. Lots of assumptions and no facts. is what it is.

 

[Plinnius]

I don't see this as a recruiting blunder. He apparently has some mental issues and needs to take care of them. How can any coach see that coming? Can't

I mean, he did have a pretty crappy offer list for a four-star recruit.

 

[NWMetroGopherFan]

Who knows whether he's having mental health issues. It's a nice way to try and get eligible for next year at a minimum....

What an absolutely classless thing to say. He admitted in his own social media post the season weighed on him heavily and it required him to see a therapist because he lost a love for basketball. The game will probably make him money overseas in a few years. Plus, his grandparents are apparently not in good health.

There was also talk on GI that he was dealing with another family situation that requires him being closer to home. He seems like a good kid, it just didn't work out. Best of luck to him wherever he ends up.

 

[WoodburyTim]

I guess that's my point. Nobody knows what happened or is happening with IW and Pitino. Lots of assumptions and no facts. is what it is.

Using your rationale though, nothing could ever be Pitino's fault. But using that same logic, you could also say that nothing could ever be positively attributed to Pitino either. I mean none us know the whole story behind let's say Oturu's or Gabe's decisions to come here, so we can't really give Pitino credit for that either. Which is fine, just so long as you are consistent.

 

[Gopherbbdude]

Using your rationale though, nothing could ever be Pitino's fault. But using that same logic, you could also say that nothing could ever be positively attributed to Pitino either. I mean none us know the whole story behind let's say Oturu's or Gabe's decisions to come here, so we can't really give Pitino credit for that either. Which is fine, just so long as you are consistent.

Your right...as usual

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[jovs]

Out of curiosity, what is on Pitino? That he didn't play enough, or that he didn't show enough on the floor to get more playing time? When does that responsibility shift from coach to player? On one level, I am with you. I thought he should have played more. But when he played, his defense was consistently substandard. I think he has a good future, but at a lower level. Is your aggressive critique about your admiration of IW or your contempt of Pitino?

Unless you are there for practice, it's not likely you know any more than the rest of us who see potential but never saw enough execution on the floor.

Well, you have a kid that is as explosive as there is in college basketball, can beat almost everyone off the dribble, great court vision, way above passing ability, average shooter but a scorer and can't find a way to develop and get playing time, I call that a failure, in Pitino's defense he went with the skills on the team he had, having Murphy and Oturo in the middle is not conducive to Washington's style of play and he didn't or couldn't adjust.

 

[Mountaineer Gopher]

The part that is on Pitino is different standards for different players. If Jelly did make his first shot or didn’t have a great pass in the first minute of play he was yanked. I would watch coffey fall down turnovers one 3 straight possessions nothing. Mcbrayer go 0 for the world many many games still in there. His D was as good as coffey or Mcbrayer. On a team that had absolutely no one to create for this team with the only player in the program that can get u easy buckets u play him. Would have had 3-4 more wins with him playing 20 minutes a game.

+1,000

 

[builtbadgers]

Well, you have a kid that is as explosive as there is in college basketball, can beat almost everyone off the dribble, great court vision, way above passing ability, average shooter but a scorer and can't find a way to develop and get playing time, I call that a failure, in Pitino's defense he went with the skills on the team he had, having Murphy and Oturo in the middle is not conducive to Washington's style of play and he didn't or couldn't adjust.

Do you honestly think he was as explosive as any in college basketball, a average shooter ? To my eye there are hundreds of kids more explosive, plus he was a complete minus on defense.

 

[Gopherbbdude]

Do you honestly think he was as explosive as any in college basketball, a average shooter ? To my eye there are hundreds of kids more explosive, plus he was a complete minus on defense.

^^^ this is as SPOT on as you can get

 

[jovs]

Do you honestly think he was as explosive as any in college basketball, a average shooter ? To my eye there are hundreds of kids more explosive, plus he was a complete minus on defense.

Who, one on one, I don't see it, I doubt Tre Jones is any more explosive and who is quicker than Jones, not Winston, not Edwards, I don't see anyone.

 

[Gopher Teeth]

I can't imagine anyone is surprised. Check out his body language during warm-ups of the biggest game of the season, and this was a regular pattern for home games as well. Watch the entire video and look at his shot attempt during warm-ups of an NCAA Tournament game:

<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Go Gophers!!

That was ridiculous, literally made me laugh.

 

[Bad Gopher]

Maybe in HS and AAU those didn't come off as limitations. If you think the staff didn't have a plan for IW and wasn't talking/working with him constantly, you are blind. Sometimes it doesn't work out. I think IW would be a fit with his skill set if he took care of the basketball and could defend. He didn't do either

And you would blindly assume that they did and they were. I do not make that assumption. It looked like they totally abandoned him after a point.

 

[WoodburyTim]

Your right...as usual

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Nailed it.

 

[WoodburyTim]

The problem seems to be more in the evaluation than the usage or development. To Pitino's credit, he didn't play him just to justify the initial evaluation. I would rather have a coach that sits a guy on the bench who just isn't good enough, rather than compound the issue by playing someone who just isn't good enough.

 

[Gopherfan84]

And you would blindly assume that they did and they were. I do not make that assumption. It looked like they totally abandoned him after a point.

I'm not blindly assuming, it's part of being a D1 basketball player. Their lives (especially during the season) are extremely regimented and structured. Programs have specific work out plans, diets, study sessions that players are expected to be at. Most head coaches talk about roles with players constantly and Pitino is not different with that. If they had "abandoned him" they wouldn't have let him stick around. They would've told him to transfer mid year and save eligibility, they would've found an excuse "conduct detrimental to the team" and suspend him.

I'm not saying Pitino is guilt free or free of criticism here. His rotations to the outside were different, but we didn't know what he was saying to guys. He also put way too much faith in Kimani's judgement of talent and it just didnt fit with him and IW and didn't stay strong on building a culture of D right away. He obviously is trying to now by not playing IW. That happens and is ok. There are over 500 in the transfer portal currently, it's not just related to Richard.

 

[cjbfbp]

I would rather have a coach that sits a guy on the bench who just isn't good enough, rather than compound the issue by playing someone who just isn't good enough.

Then how do you explain Stull?