Scholarship table
You say that now but if Koby did transfer and we found ourselves without a top tier PG the year after Mannion left I have a suspicion your narrative would place the blame on wojo for not being prepared for the long term.
The idea behind the "Hank set the rebuild back a year" is centered around the idea that he cost us other players who would have stayed longer. It is a fact that Steve Taylor and Gabe Levin transferred mainly because of Henry's commitment. It has been speculated that Henry's presence scared off other potential additions such as Kyle Washington. Personally, if I had a choice between 1 year of Henry or 1 year of Teve/2 years of Levin/2 years of Washington, I would take the latter all day every day. But it's all speculation. There is no way to know that we would have picked up Washington or a comparable player. There is also no reason why you can't land Henry and also convince players like Teve, Levin, and Washingon to sign up, Wojo just couldn't get it done.There's also no way to quantify the other benefits of landing a 5-star recruit and getting him into the NBA. Without that, maybe the Hausers or Markus don't come here. Maybe we're not even on Mannion's radar because Wojo hadn't put anyone from Marquette into the NBA. Who knows? It's all message board fodder. Personally, I'd rather have the coach who goes for the 5 star recruit then the one who doesn't because he might scare off other players.
You worry about that when it comes along. Plenty of ways to fill that gap. You do not get many opportunities to add arguably the best HS PG in the country and 1 and done candidate to a team that already has the experience and talent to make the final 4. With Nico you are a true NC contender, and I take that all day/every day.
Is dis even a question? Ya take da best playas ya kan get and let da peaceasses fall wear dey fall. Of course, dat's assumin' y'all wanna win, hey?
I would take the Rick SLU program right now.
I think you have to consider the risk/reward factors.Henry risks: Potential Transfers: Levin (18/7 as a senior) & Taylor (15/12 as a senior) left. Potential Transfers In Missed: Kyle Washington went to Cincinnati. Potential 2016 Freshmen Missed: Lamar Stevens to Penn State & Kalif Young to Providence. Henry rewards: Draft Recognition: Could be first lottery pick for Wojo. Wins: Could get below average team to NCAA bubble. Who knows what would've happened had Henry not come. Levin almost certainly stays, Taylor may have left regardless. I do think Henry impacted Washington's decision. Stevens I suspect still goes to Penn State, but I think Young likely would've come here. At the other end, Wojo didn't get a lottery pick but did get a first rounder. Even Henry couldn't turn that team into a NIT team, much less NCAA.I'd say Henry was high risk, moderate reward. Had we made the tourney it would be remembered differently, but his presence likely adversely affected the roster without paying off as much as we hoped or maybe expected.Nico risks: Potential Transfers: Greg seems like the only risk. If McEwen were to look at a transfer, it would likely only be as a grad because Mannion was staying a second year. Potential Transfers in Missed: This seems unlikely because McEwen is already here. Any 2019/20 transfers would likely come in expecting Mannion to be one-and-done. Potential Recruits Missed: With 2 scholarships, landing Mannion & not Bishop or Watts would be fine. Seems unlikely he'd impact the decision of Beekman or other 2020s.Nico rewards: Draft Recognition: Another potential lottery & at least seemingly likely first round pick. Wins: The hope would be turning a certain NCAA team into a Final Four & National Championship contender. To me, this seems low risk, high reward. You may have a transfer out, but Elliott could play at the 2 or 3 with Mannion and, having sat a year in residence, McEwen likely only leaves as a grad transfer if Mannion stays. Either way you're covered. Future recruits likely wouldn't be impacted as much because any 2019 transfers would be eligible after he leaves, the same for 2020 freshmen. As far as the reward, bringing someone in to get you to the Final Four or NC is a much bigger payoff than a mere bid. It's worth risking more for that.Most likely, even with Mannion we don't make a Final Four or NC. The odds for even the best team are against winning those 6 straight games. But in my opinion, it's worth the gamble of losing a player or two because if it does pay off, there's no bigger reward in the sport.
I’m not quite sure where the narrative that Hank “set us back many years” comes from. Would we have been better without Hank the year Hank was here had we been able to fill his spot with another Matt Heldt? Heldt no.
This is well done.
Here's the argument.2015-16 The year Hank was here, we would've had Gabe Levin & Steve Taylor instead of Hank. They were both productive players that year at the mid-major level. MU was 97 in kenpom. Levin & Long Beach were 107, Taylor & Toledo were 123. Obviously the competition was tougher for us, but it's reasonable to think we wouldn't have had a big step down since we didn't even make the NIT.2016-17 The reasonable assumption is we could've had Levin, Kyle Washington, & freshman Kalif Young. Now it's possible Washington's presence could've had the same effect on Levin & Young's decisions, but Levin likely would've stayed this year and left as a grad transfer rather that how he left almost immediately after Henry committed. Having Washington at the 4 next to Luke would've radically changed our defense and overall team ceiling.2017-18 I assume Levin would've grad transferred, but Washington doing here what he did at Cincy would've made us a comfortable tourney team. Again, a higher team ceiling.2018-19 & 2019-20 Potentially an upperclassman Kalif Young. He's been decent for Providence, could certainly be a contributor here.I know this is all revisionist history & am not sure how much I believe would've changed, but Kyle Washington would've been massive had he come here.Obviously there are other potential consequences. Maybe Theo or Ike don't come, but Theo & Washington do share the same hometown. It's all just a thought exercise, but I think the "set us back many years" narrative is far more logical for Henry than for Nico.
This seems ridiculous to me. We have a chance to add a top 3 PG in the country to a team that includes senior Howard and Hauser. You're telling me you would consider, even for a second, passing on him? And because you're worried someone like Koby McEwan would transfer?
The most pressing concern with one and dones is not their talent, but who are they playing for? Are they playing for themselves only to improve draft position or playing for the school on the front of the jersey? Henry was a mix of good and bad because guys stood and watched him at times, but that was also partially because he was clearly the best player. In this situation, Mannion he would not be head and shoulders above. How would the seniors and other accept him? Doesn’t Wojo let the players vote on team chemistry possibilities?
People are always complaining about MU not being a major force in CBB any longer. How will be back to be a major force if we just worry that current players are going to run away because we bring in the best players we can recruit. I bet Al really worried about it . We can always recruit down right? As long as the best player fits what you want to do with the team you take him.
I don't think Hank cost us any years of a rebuild.
I think there's a fair argument about Hank's impact on the program. I find it a fun thought exercise. But I'll admit I'm far more excited thinking about the next few years of Marquette basketball than any of the Hank debate.
I agree with the last.To use Boolean logic:IF [last few years] > [next few years] = TRUETHEN [Wojo as Head Coach] = FALSE