Returning Playas for 2024-25

Fox coming back would be an awesome piece to have as a 6th man. So if these recent reports are accurate roster is shaping up as:

Guards - Christie, Hawkins, Mitchell, Asuma
Frontcourt - Garcia, Fox, Betts, Grove

Need a couple capable centers to replace Payne, And if they can find a starting caliber wing this has potential to be a pretty good and very experienced roster. Especially if Christie takes another leap and becomes the star player it looks like he is capable of being.

Garcia and Christie coming back is vital for this team to have a realistic shot of being good in 24/25 without needing to land high end talent from the portal.
Would think this would make it attractive to lure in some good candidates from the portal to complete this roster.
 

So here we are at this point:

Asuma
Hawkins
Mitchell
Christie
Betts
Grove
Garcia
Fox

5 Transfer Spots Available

I'm pessimistic on Ben, but this roster isn't that bad to build on.

*Pending further departures
Not a horrible roster to build on for next year. It’s the following year that may be the biggest drop off depending on who Ben gets for transfers.
 


The 4 starters returning is a massive bit of good news today. Would be nice to have Fox back but he's a guy I feel like you could replace if need be. Time to hit the portal hard, need 3-4 more good D1 players.

Also feels like we are due for a kid like Betts to just explode and be good. I'm sure there is someone but I really can't think of a guy who was here for multiple years doing nothing and then was out of the blue really good. Feels like that happens on other teams but not ours.
Early in the season I would have agreed with you on Fox but down the stretch he was one of our best players in a lot of games and seemed to be getting better and better as the season went on. Replacing his overall skill set might not be that hard but replacing the intangibles he brings to the court would be much much harder. Guys with his motor are hard to find.

Betts is a definite x-factor. As long as Christie keeps progressing the way he seems likely to, a guy like Betts can really change the overall outlook of the team. If it is going to happen with Betts it will be next year, will be in his 3rd year with the program even though he will only be the age of a typical sophomore.
 



Not a horrible roster to build on for next year. It’s the following year that may be the biggest drop off depending on who Ben gets for transfers.
Would definitely be nice to bring in some transfers with multiple years left. That said, in this current landscape and with Ben's job status the focus will almost certainly be on winning now and finding guys that can help make that happen in 24/25.

Likely going to be another large transfer class needed in 25/26 but can worry about that when the time comes.
 

The days of getting too concerned about anything beyond the next season are dissipating quickly if not gone already.
In basketball they are gone. In football you can still project a little because guys take time to develop but even there, if a guy hasn't played it really isn't worth giving him much thought until he sees the field since there is a good chance he is going to transfer out.
 

Would definitely be nice to bring in some transfers with multiple years left. That said, in this current landscape and with Ben's job status the focus will almost certainly be on winning now and finding guys that can help make that happen in 24/25.

Likely going to be another large transfer class needed in 25/26 but can worry about that when the time comes.
A good mix of classes from the transfer portal should keep things manageable. A scholarship grid was put on Twitter a couple days ago and things are pretty well spread (Garcia, Mitchell, and Hawkins - seniors, Christie and Betts - sophomores, Asuma and Grove - freshmen). Obviously if we lose more guys, we should try to replace with similar classes if possible, but better just to get the best players you can and figure the rest out later. We'll be smart to try to add an extra couple juniors if we can.
 
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The days of getting too concerned about anything beyond the next season are dissipating quickly if not gone already.
Again, it depends on who Ben gets this year in the portal. Last year he did ok but two previous years not so much. Losing 4 starters after next season can be disastrous if he can’t replace with quality players.
 



A good mix of classes from the transfer portal should keep things manageable. A scholarship grid was put on Twitter a couple days ago and things are pretty well spread (Garcia and Fox - seniors, Mitchell and Hawkins - juniors, Christie and Betts - sophomores, Asuma and Grove - freshmen). Obviously if we lose more guys, we should try to replace with similar classes if possible, but better just to get the best players you can and figure the rest out later.
Problem is that next year would almost certainly be the last ones for Hawkins, Mitchell, Garcia, Fox and Christie.

So even without other transfers there are going to be a lot of spots open for 25/26. Ideally the transfers that come in this year are around next year as well but tough to bank on anything with all the guys transferring multiple times during their college career.
 

Would definitely be nice to bring in some transfers with multiple years left. That said, in this current landscape and with Ben's job status the focus will almost certainly be on winning now and finding guys that can help make that happen in 24/25.

Likely going to be another large transfer class needed in 25/26 but can worry about that when the time comes.
If the one-time transfer rule is never going to be enforced again, he really can only look at next season. Next year will be different as well with the COVID year expiring after this next season.
 

Problem is that next year would almost certainly be the last ones for Hawkins, Mitchell, Garcia, Fox and Christie.

So even without other transfers there are going to be a lot of spots open for 25/26. Ideally the transfers that come in this year are around next year as well but tough to bank on anything with all the guys transferring multiple times during their college career.
It's essentially impossible to bank on anything more than 1 year. I'm sure SCar was jazzed up to get multiple years of Meechie Johnson. He led then in scoring, really good team, and yet he leaves after 1 year. It's total chaos year to year, maximize each year and hope it works out.

EDIT: or Dain Dainja, bring him home??
 

Things are trending in the right direction;

The four that are leaving, didn't waste time and entered the portal right away.

Appreciate the patience with Betts trusting CBJ and this program.

I'm desperate to have Parker back in a uniform, what will it take? Do we need to throw a scholly at his younger brother?

I was the biggest critic of Andrew Morgan in high school, but if he comes here and we can run a lineup of 5 players as 3pt threats could really be a treat.

Dainja, Kyreese? Who else can we land? Have been pretty pleased with Ben's guards transferring in the last three seasons.
 



Things are trending in the right direction;

The four that are leaving, didn't waste time and entered the portal right away.

Appreciate the patience with Betts trusting CBJ and this program.

I'm desperate to have Parker back in a uniform, what will it take? Do we need to throw a scholly at his younger brother?

I was the biggest critic of Andrew Morgan in high school, but if he comes here and we can run a lineup of 5 players as 3pt threats could really be a treat.

Dainja, Kyreese? Who else can we land? Have been pretty pleased with Ben's guards transferring in the last three seasons.
As long as Cam and Dawson come back there is a solid chance we can upgrade through the portal and be better next year. Payne leaving was unfortunate but only option is to adjust and keep moving forward.
 

247 says Andrew Morgan committed to the Gophers!

If true, it’s the quietest commitment in history!

Hats off to St Paul campus for existing.

Speaking of which, what can you learn in college that you don’t know from growing up on a farm? How to conjugate a verb?
 

247 says Andrew Morgan committed to the Gophers!

If true, it’s the quietest commitment in history!

Hats off to St Paul campus for existing.

Speaking of which, what can you learn in college that you don’t know from growing up on a farm? How to conjugate a verb?
Markets. The major I looked at was agricultural economics. It’s every bit as good as anything Carlson has to offer.
 

247 says Andrew Morgan committed to the Gophers!

If true, it’s the quietest commitment in history!

Hats off to St Paul campus for existing.

Speaking of which, what can you learn in college that you don’t know from growing up on a farm? How to conjugate a verb?
Soil science. A lot to be learned. Business management as well. Finance. Some of the new equipments runs to half million dollars or so.
 

Apparently bad news coming in the next day or two. Not enough NIL to keep some of these highly regarded guys around. Has to be Garcia or Christie
 

Apparently bad news coming in the next day or two. Not enough NIL to keep some of these highly regarded guys around. Has to be Garcia or Christie
If I couple more “bad news” with the idea that Roddy Gayle, wants to stay, but his NIL agent says he needs to leave Ohio State.

That would sort of be good news. Then I’d have less to pay attention to, and thus more free time, less expense.

I mean do I really care about a league of licorice butts?

Ohio State can’t keep a decent to middling gaurd, that wants to be there. Then who has it, and why do I care what some rich person buys? Let them buy what they want. If I don’t look, it don’t matter.
 


Apparently bad news coming in the next day or two. Not enough NIL to keep some of these highly regarded guys around. Has to be Garcia or Christie
As well as Morgan committed to us but is still visiting Nebraska. That is not ideal. Sounds like the news we have been fearing in the next day or 2. Sounding like both
 



I’m guessing Garcia will test NBA while keeping his eligibility.
I’m not stressing until it’s announced, a lot of rumors these days.
In the end if true MN needs to find money or we will never be able to compete in the BIG.
 


As well as Morgan committed to us but is still visiting Nebraska. That is not ideal.

I read he had a home visit from Hoiberg. If he actually is visiting Nebraska, I don't think he committed. I think that was a mistake on 247.
 

Apparently bad news coming in the next day or two. Not enough NIL to keep some of these highly regarded guys around. Has to be Garcia or Christie
If that's true, that's all on the athletic department and the administration for falling so far behind the curve. A 9-11 team can't afford their players? Good grief.
 

If the state of MN and businesses in Mnpls can’t come up with NIL money for a competitive bb program in 2024, I am going to enter fan portal out. Like Kaiser Söze you’ll never see me again.
 


If the state of MN and businesses in Mnpls can’t come up with NIL money for a competitive bb program in 2024, I am going to enter fan portal out. Like Kaiser Söze you’ll never see me again.
There are 520,000 argletes in the NCAA sports in 2022. Roughly 4,550 in college basketball and 11,000 in football that are scholarship athletes. The rest that get scholarships are basicaly negligible. Heck say it’s an even 20,000 scholarship players total.

The rest pay to be there. 500,000 athletes.

We got all the power in this market. I say instead of leaving, why don’t we start the fan empowerment era.

Only support those that do it for the game. The rest can go their own way.

Don’t watch revenue sports until they bring the walk ons back. You won’t miss much. 12 football games and 30 basketball games. Plenty to do.

Tell Jay Bilas and co to suck it.
 




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