Next Year's Starting Lineup

Donate To GopherHole
L

Lakers612

Banned
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
1,145
Reaction score
137
Points
63
Kinda curious how you guys see our starting lineup next year. We have 4 incoming Freshman. All 4 look like they will contribute early. Kevin Dorsey, Jarvis Johnson, Dupree McBrayar, Jonathan Nwankwo.

While I can see McBrayer being a 2 on most teams, I think he will play behind Morris to start the season. I can also see Mason, Dorsey, Johnson rotating in and out the way we have with Hollins, Mathieu, Mason. I think Pitino will start Mason at the 2 with Dorsey being a true freshman starting PG for us. I have high hopes for Dorsey. Nwankwo will split time with Bakary at Center.

PG: Dorsey/Mason/Johnson
SG: Mason/Johnson/Dorsey
SF: Morries/McBrayer
PF: King/Diedhou
C: Kanote/Nwankwo

Not really sure what happens to Buggs or McNeil. I'm not sure if Buggs transferring would be in both parties best interest. I do like that Buggs can be Lightning in a bottle at times and he does well in the press. If Pitino thinks Buggs fits on our team I definitely wouldn't mind him playing some minutes.
 


I think next year's starting line-up will be Dorsey PG, Mason SG, Morris SF, King PF, and Konate C.
A transfer eligible player could change this.
 

This is just a guess
Dorsey
Mason
Morris
King
Konate
K
 

Dorsey or Johnson
Mason
Morris
King
Transfer Juco Big (I hope)

Maybe someone at the three or four to transfer in too and push King or Morris
 


Lakers612 said:
Kinda curious how you guys see our starting lineup next year. We have 4 incoming Freshman. All 4 look like they will contribute early. Kevin Dorsey, Jarvis Johnson, Dupree McBrayar, Jonathan Nwankwo.

While I can see McBrayer being a 2 on most teams, I think he will play behind Morris to start the season. I can also see Mason, Dorsey, Johnson rotating in and out the way we have with Hollins, Mathieu, Mason. I think Pitino will start Mason at the 2 with Dorsey being a true freshman starting PG for us. I have high hopes for Dorsey. Nwankwo will split time with Bakary at Center.

PG: Dorsey/Mason/Johnson
SG: Mason/Johnson/Dorsey
SF: Morries/McBrayer
PF: King/Diedhou
C: Kanote/Nwankwo

Not really sure what happens to Buggs or McNeil. I'm not sure if Buggs transferring would be in both parties best interest. I do like that Buggs can be Lightning in a bottle at times and he does well in the press. If Pitino thinks Buggs fits on our team I definitely wouldn't mind him playing some minutes.
Click to expand...

I hope we don't lose Buggs after this year. We're already losing four seniors and three transfers/guys kicked off the team.
 



As of right now with 3 scholarships still open, it is still soon to tell. However if I had to guess which of the three incoming freshmen guards would get the start it would be Dorsey. He is the best defensively of the three, and Pitino is probably going to value that the most. Dorsey has the potential to be the on ball defender Nolen was, but also better Offensively. I have high hopes for Dorsey.
 



That's depressing. We need a big transfer pick-up or two in the post.
 


XMan said:
Dorsey or Johnson
Mason
Morris
King
Transfer Juco Big (I hope)

Maybe someone at the three or four to transfer in too and push King or Morris
Click to expand...

+1. If Konate is the starter, that's a big problem.
 

GameDay said:
That's depressing. We need a big transfer pick-up or two in the post.
Click to expand...

Or just sweep in and get Diamond Stone to commit instead of going to Wisconsin. That would be a real treat...albeit 100% unrealistic.
 



I will predict that we. Add malik Ellison. Cullen Russo And johnny, woodard.
Starting 5
Dorsey
Mason
Morris
King
Konate
Next five
Jarvis
Woodard
Ellison
Russo
Nwankwo
 

We really, really can't have Joey King start at the 4 again next year. Absolutely have to land a player capable of playing the position immediately in the Spring or in a worst case scenario get Diedhiou (or Buggs?) ready to take over for King before conference play begins. We simply can't go in to another season at such a deficit at that position, especially on the boards. That's not to say Joey can't or shouldn't play, just that we need him playing 15-20 minutes at the 4 spreading the floor and doing what he can and not playing more minutes where the lack of a second rebounder on the floor becomes too much.
 

EG#9 said:
We really, really can't have Joey King start at the 4 again next year. Absolutely have to land a player capable of playing the position immediately in the Spring or in a worst case scenario get Diedhiou (or Buggs?) ready to take over for King before conference play begins. We simply can't go in to another season at such a deficit at that position, especially on the boards. That's not to say Joey can't or shouldn't play, just that we need him playing 15-20 minutes at the 4 spreading the floor and doing what he can and not playing more minutes where the lack of a second rebounder on the floor becomes too much.
Click to expand...

I think Joey does have very real rebounding issues, however they are significantly magnified playing next to Mo Walker who has the same deficiency. I think Joey could thrive if you put him next to a rebounding, defensive minded center (sort of like EE last year, hopefully better on O though) the problem this year has been Mo is so good on offense you can't not start him, you have no one else at the 4, and so on D and rebounding you struggle with your bigs.
 

Mason
Johnson
Konate
Woodard
Rebounding PF

Key Reserves: King, Morris, Dorsey
 


I think the bigger issue with rebounding and physical play is we go 5-9, 6-1, 6-5 170 on the perimeter. That is mid major sized. It will not be any better next year as we are going to have 6' guards and 170 lb sf. We have to get a juco or transfer who has some muscle to play the 3 and 4.



scher215 said:
I think Joey does have very real rebounding issues, however they are significantly magnified playing next to Mo Walker who has the same deficiency. I think Joey could thrive if you put him next to a rebounding, defensive minded center (sort of like EE last year, hopefully better on O though) the problem this year has been Mo is so good on offense you can't not start him, you have no one else at the 4, and so on D and rebounding you struggle with your bigs.
Click to expand...
 


I highly doubt we have 5 new starters next year, we either start Morris or we start King and I'd put a large sum of money with decent odds that we start both.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
I highly doubt we have 5 new starters next year, we either start Morris or we start King and I'd put a large sum of money with decent odds that we start both.
Click to expand...

I would start King over Morris easy. King's rebounding has improved over the last five games and his head fakes have diminished. Morris kills ball movement, makes stupid plays, takes stupid shots and his teammates hate playing with him if facial expressions and body language are indicators.
 

jamiche said:
I would start King over Morris easy. King's rebounding has improved over the last five games and his head fakes have diminished. Morris kills ball movement, makes stupid plays, takes stupid shots and his teammates hate playing with him if facial expressions and body language are indicators.
Click to expand...

I can't see King playing SF. He lacks speed and athleticism for the position. I think Gopher fans have to accept that next year we are going to lack good Forwards.

My hope is that Morris and Diedhou get some playing time together. I feel like they would complement each other well. Maybe have Morris come off the bench. While I agree Morris does make stupid plays, he's also the only guy on our roster who can drive with authority to the basket.. That's why Morris would make a great 6 man..

Ideally, our 2 Freshman big men elevate their games exponentially in the offseason.

Dorsey
Mason
Morris
Diedhou
Konate

King/McBrayer/Johnson/Nwankwo

This is all assuming we don't sign another guy this Spring. Which is a joke because we for sure will get one JUCO guy I think. Hopefully a big
 

Winasota Gopher said:
I highly doubt we have 5 new starters next year, we either start Morris or we start King and I'd put a large sum of money with decent odds that we start both.
Click to expand...

Ya, but the grass is always greener ... there were people last year who were convinced Josh Martin would be a star when he arrived based on edited video and his tweets.
 

Next year we can only exceed my expectations. Talk about a rebuild year with so many new faces. Should be exciting.
 

march madness said:
I think the bigger issue with rebounding and physical play is we go 5-9, 6-1, 6-5 170 on the perimeter. That is mid major sized. It will not be any better next year as we are going to have 6' guards and 170 lb sf. We have to get a juco or transfer who has some muscle to play the 3 and 4.
Click to expand...

I totally agree that we need more size and muscle at the 3 and 4 and I hope we get it. However, we are going to be a little bigger on the perimeter just in little dre's spot alone. He has been neutralized because everything he has tossed up has gotten blocked. With Dorsey or Johnson or Mason at the point we are bigger. The other option we might have is to go with Dorsey or Mason with McBrayer (6-4) and Morris at times. That would make us a lot bigger.

You can bet Pitino is banking on a number of things for next year:

1. Guys like Morris and Buggs getting a lot stronger in the offseason and also developing their weak points- half court defense for both and distributing the ball for Morris.
2. Konate and Diedhou development - strength and skills.
3. Picking up some size in the spring recruiting.
4. The use of added depth to improve play and help guys learn from mistakes

Next year is a big mystery at this point. I think we will be bigger and perhaps better on defense but I think it will be challenging to score at times. Andre's shooting will be sorely missed. I actually am really excited about what Konate could be by next year. This staff has proven to me that they can do a lot with a big guy based on how Walker's offensive game has developed.
 

jamiche said:
I would start King over Morris easy. King's rebounding has improved over the last five games and his head fakes have diminished. Morris kills ball movement, makes stupid plays, takes stupid shots and his teammates hate playing with him if facial expressions and body language are indicators.
Click to expand...

Any adjective that isn't a synonym of horrible, to describe Joey's rebounding, is totally wrong.
 


DeathClutch said:
Any adjective that isn't a synonym of horrible, to describe Joey's rebounding, is totally wrong.
Click to expand...

It's a shock to me when he gets a board. The home game prior to yesterday a shot came off the boards and bounced around uncontrolled and the other team (I forget who) eventually got it, Joey was at midcourt looking for a fast break pass. Your are just not going to win a lot of Big Ten games with him as a starter. Off the bench- no problem he'd be a good Big Ten depth guy.
 

Fairly confident the opening day starters will be:

PG: Dorsey
SG: Mason
SF: Morris
PF: King
C: Konate

Really hope Buggs or Diehiou surpass King.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom