Sam Ekstrom: Trimble and Russell Performances Show Talent Gap Between Gophers & Rest

[BleedGopher]

Sam Ekstrom: Trimble and Russell Performances Show Talent Gap Between Gophers & Rest

per Ekstrom:

Having to face Trimble and Russell in consecutive games – and getting handled by both – serves as a cruel reminder to the Gophers how far they are from being a relevant destination for elite prep prospects. The last time the Gophers had a player drafted in the NBA, it was over a decade ago, and he turned out to be a reality TV villain.

Pitino has had to rely on transfer students to keep his team competitive the past two seasons. DeAndre Mathieu, Joey King and Malik Smith all played prominent roles in Pitino’s debut season, while Carlos Morris has gelled nicely this year along with Mathieu and King.

”It's critical for us to bring in great players and great representatives,” said Pitino after losing a recruit of his own, Josh Martin, earlier this season. “That's what's critical.”

The bulk of Smith’s recruits will be gone after this season as Hollins, Elliot Eliason and Mo Walker graduate. Then Pitino will have full ownership of the roster he constructs.

In a program so starved for high-end talent, fans would be quick to embrace a freshman phenom, even if he intends to use the U of M as a stepping stone for the NBA.

http://www.105theticket.com/common/...etween+Gophers+And+The+Rest&id=9251&is_corp=0

Go Gophers!!

 

[BballJones]

per Ekstrom:

Having to face Trimble and Russell in consecutive games – and getting handled by both – serves as a cruel reminder to the Gophers how far they are from being a relevant destination for elite prep prospects. The last time the Gophers had a player drafted in the NBA, it was over a decade ago, and he turned out to be a reality TV villain.

Pitino has had to rely on transfer students to keep his team competitive the past two seasons. DeAndre Mathieu, Joey King and Malik Smith all played prominent roles in Pitino’s debut season, while Carlos Morris has gelled nicely this year along with Mathieu and King.

”It's critical for us to bring in great players and great representatives,” said Pitino after losing a recruit of his own, Josh Martin, earlier this season. “That's what's critical.”

The bulk of Smith’s recruits will be gone after this season as Hollins, Elliot Eliason and Mo Walker graduate. Then Pitino will have full ownership of the roster he constructs.

In a program so starved for high-end talent, fans would be quick to embrace a freshman phenom, even if he intends to use the U of M as a stepping stone for the NBA.

http://www.105theticket.com/common/...etween+Gophers+And+The+Rest&id=9251&is_corp=0

Go Gophers!![/QUOTE

Russell and Trimble are not the norms. They are more talented than most of the players in the BIG. But I'd take a Nate Mason for 4 years over a Russell for 1 year. Obviously if you can get a mix of both, that'd be ideal - some programs are able to do that. I don't foresee the Gophers ever being that program though.

 

[bga1]

Since 2005 Rick Pitino's Louisville squad has had only two guys leave early to be drafted in the 1st round and both were juniors. They have had pretty good results there and I'd love to see that kind of a program here. We may not get to that level but I think we will go in that direction.

 

[cjbfbp]

per Ekstrom:

[/QUOTE

But I'd take a Nate Mason for 4 years over a Russell for 1 year. Obviously if you can get a mix of both, that'd be ideal - some programs are able to do that. I don't foresee the Gophers ever being that program though.

Absolutely. All Calipari or Coach K need is a handful of holdovers every year because they can restock with the same level of 5 star (and some 4 star) talent. If you can only get a one-and-done (or two and done) every decade or so, you're better off ignoring them and recruiting players like Mason instead.

 

[Moonlight]

"The last time the Gophers had a player drafted in the NBA, it was over a decade ago, and he turned out to be a reality TV villain." Great line. But so what? The Hump years were AWFUL. The worst. We left games early that year - the only time ever.

And I am sorry, I don't care how talented Russell is, he is a child and I have some pretty big doubts about a child in the NBA. Watching him fall down rather than score the winning basket in regulation pleased me. And he's not a guy that I'd love if 'he's on your team'. He's a talented ass, his behavior should be considered an embarrassment, and not a kid I'd want to shell out season tickets fees plus $10 bucks for a black out T-shirt to watch. This is college.

Also, just because 4 seniors are leaving this year doesn't mean that next year Pitino has HIS team. Who will be the seniors leadership next year left to him from Smith? NO ONE - that's not an asset - that means he's had to recruit to fill a disaster year of recruiting by his predecessor. All our Juniors are fill-ins by Pitino that can't be seen as his style of player, not when they are transfers. He's utilizing what he could get.

Lastly, and this will be a disappointing reminder to many of you, the University is an academic institution, and Kentucky's program is a total pandering to the fanatical yokels, and nothing like that is ever going to remotely happen here. As bga alluded to, the Louisville model is what the U would like to see happen.

 

[cjbfbp]

Lastly, and this will be a disappointing reminder to many of you, the University is an academic institution, and Kentucky's program is a total pandering to the fanatical yokels, and nothing like that is ever going to remotely happen here.

Apparently, you are under the mistaken impression that most people here have Kentucky basketball aspirations. Talk about trying to create an argument where one doesn't exist.

 

[SelectionSunday]

Interesting post Moonlight. Russell definitely a talented guy, but somebody needed to put him on his backside the other night with all the smack talking he was doing. Had a good view of it when he was mouthing off to Andre, and I must say it says a lot about Andre's class that he just kept playing and didn't react.

If I was a teammate and saw a punk freshman mouthing off to one of my senior captians, next time Russell ventured into the lane I'd make sure he thought twice about coming in again. When Russell was going off & mouthing off in the first half would have been a good time for Konate to come in for a couple minutes and make his presence felt. You get 5 fouls and he hardly plays, would have been a good spot to use a couple.

Respectfully, not sure why the shot at Tubby was needed. Next year it's pretty much fully Pitino's program. The only holdover will be Buggs? Any references to Tubby's shortcomings (used as excuses for Pitino) should disappear next season. (full disclosure, Gophers didn't reach heights I thought they would under Tubby & his dismissal neither surprised nor outraged me).

Pitino fully sinks or swims on his own merits starting with the 2015-16 season. One thing that is fact is the Gophers went to the NCAA tourney in Tubby's 2nd and 3rd seasons. It's after that when things went south. Hopefully things start going north the rest of this season (NCAA bid, but starting with a road win over Michigan would be nice!) & then carries over into 2015-16.

 

[Moonlight]

I like the way you think on this, SS. I also had a pretty good view.
AND had Russell focused a fraction of the energy he spent in smack talk in celebrating with his team mates, I'd have less ire. But he hardly seemed to know they were there.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I like the way you think on this, SS. I also had a pretty good view.
AND had Russell focused a fraction of the energy he spent in smack talk in celebrating with his team mates, I'd have less ire. But he hardly seemed to know they were there.

Yep. Not talking fouls that get a guy kicked out of the game, I'm talking physical fouls that send a message. There's a difference. Russell needed to feel a couple of those when he was feeling way too comfortable.

 

[fryguy22]

Yep. Not talking fouls that get a guy kicked out of the game, I'm talking physical fouls that send a message. There's a difference. Russell needed to feel a couple of those when he was feeling way too comfortable.

wouldn't even need to be a foul necessarily. Just make sure next time he tries to cut through the lane, the PF is standing in his way, you know, in a good defensive stance with his whole weight behind it

 

[Moonlight]

J'son Stamper had a way with this. And then he would give a look that insured that the player lying on the floor had received that message.

 

[BOUNDOUTPASSDUNK]

Brick by brick mantra of j Kill applies to men's basketball as well. Having missed out on premium recruits for 2014 (late start yes), the not as elite '15 class is very respectable with Dorsey, McBrayer and Johnson. 2016 will be critical.

Can't say for sure, but Amir sure looks the real deal. Get Amir and Hurt another 4* and we're on our way to competing with anyone.