Most Excited About This Team in Years!! Bright Future!

[WindyCityGopher]

Coaches, in every sport, have been telling athletes to take a hike for decades and generations, and you'll never find any "documentation" regarding any of those situations either.

You can't even have an honest discussion about any of this? Seriously?

Except for Deion. In full view of the cameras he said the quiet part out loud that new coaches have been saying to inherited players forever: I want my guys here and you’re not one of them, so hit the bricks. Anyone who doesn’t believe that’s the norm in any collegiate sport is either naive or willfully ignorant.

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

I hope there is a place somewhere between a savior and someone not even starting on this team next year that Evans can fit in. This "skinny freshman" is the highest rated recruit this program has had in forever, he moves well, is by all accounts a very hard worker, has some post moves, has great shot-blocking instincts and a 7-7 wingspan. And he's going to start on the bench? Wow, I guess we're going to have an unbelievably good front line next year!

Is it really so unreasonable? Evans is a 5, and only a 5, so he could only start at the 5. I don't think it's a stretch at all to think Payne would start at the 5, with Evans getting plenty of time off the bench behind him. Payne is the ONLY post we have who has any strength right now, and even he's getting backed down & pushed around by stronger, more experienced 5's in the B1G. Then there's Fox, if he's healthy, who could also start at the 5?

I never said Evans wouldn't play. I just said I think people need to temper their expectations for a skinny, 7ft Freshman. His rating isn't based on what they envision his day 1 impact being, but rather what his longer term NBA potential is. I envision him coming off the bench, getting acclimated to college basketball, playing a solid role as a shot blocker, and grabbing a few rebounds, rather than coming in ready to take on the best 5's in the B1G.

Pharrel Payne is averaging 21 mins, 7.5 pts, 4.8 rebs & 1.1 blks per game. I envision Evans giving us a few more minutes, a little less scoring, and a little more shot blocking than that. A best case scenario would be Evans being comparable to Joel Pryzbilla, although Pryzbilla was further along physically than Evans is. Pryz played 25 mins a game, averaged 6pts, 6rebs & 3 blks as a Freshman. If Evans could give us something in that range, we'll be a much better team next year.

 

[Costa Rican Gopher]

another off season for Payne and i really hope he can be that "bruiser" presence for us.

I think we need at least one more though.

 

[MennoSota]

Who sits when fox and II play their minutes?

I don't care. If both of them earn time then the other guys have to work harder. Competition is a good thing.

 

[NorCalGopher]

Next year, barring transfers out, we will also have Ihnen and Fox. They are, at this point, wild cards. We are missing a quick point guard and my guess is Coach Johnson will work hard to try remedy that issue this spring.

Bingo. Zero doubt that type of ball-handling guard should be and will be the priority. CBJ has been using Cooper off the ball to start sets much more often recently to put him in position to create plays for himself and others. Samuels is starting to prove himself as serviceable, but an upgrade is needed.

 

[Gophs24]

Who sits when fox and II play their minutes?

if either sticks around. and if either earns minutes, the logical answer to this would be JOJ 1st and Battle 2nd

 

[Gophers_4life]

100%. I don't even have to think about it. I expect real results in one full recruiting cycle, so I'm looking at where we'll be when our currrent Freshmen, are Seniors. If THAT team isn't competing for a B1G title, and making a serious run in the tourney, I'll be very disappointed.

People talk about how basketball can be a quick fix compared to football, but not if we're going to do it the right (imo) way. We've been mediocre-bad for so long that it's not an instant fix, short of using huge NIL/transfer money, or rolling the dice on guys with baggage.

Next year Payne, JOJ, Carrington & Henley will be Soph's, with Betts (presumably a red shirt this year?), Christie & Evans as Freshmen. That team will have legit B1G talent, and should start to take on their identity. I'll throw in Treyton Thompson as well, who I hope doesn't go anywhere, because I believe he will still develop into a good B1G player if we're patient. I still don't think we're a tourney team next season, but I expect we'll win a few B1G games, unlike this season. All part of the progression.

Hopefully CBJ can land a solid PG & a bruiser in the post, because (imo) those are our two most glaring needs right now.

Thanks for the through answer!

Obviously few were giving us a chance in Columbus, but hey, look at that!