Ben Gold - Junior
Al - Sophomore
Caed Hamilton - Freshman
Josh Clark - Red Shirt
This is an absolute master class in roster construction
[insert the the Hannibal / A Team I love it when a plan comes together gif]
It’s definitely a planned construction, but I wouldn’t call it masterclass until
A) we see how Ben does with starters minutes.
B) we see Al, Caedin, and Josh play 10 minutes in a single game to see what Marquette has.
Masterclass would be Oso coming back for his Covid year- like Kalkbrenner, who is actually rated higher than him by the BE voting folks- and then Benny taking the spare minutes at the 5 along with minutes at the 4 and being the senior starter next year and then on down the line with the others to see who pops for for future.
When someone starts, if they are successful in Shaka’s system, they pretty much lock up that spot until they are gone.
So, if Ben plays well this year he’s got a starters role for 2 seasons- maybe he moves to the 4 next year to open a spot for one of the younger guys at the 5, but maybe not.
Without having seen either really play at all, I’d say that Al and Josh are very similar in Shaka’s roster construction, and by next spring Shaka will know which one will be better long term despite the redshirt.
The developmental efforts will then go into that one.
If they both show promise, you can’t really lose with two long and lanky dunkers who block shots and hopefully rebound in the Shaka system, as those are very necessary assets in that role.
We forgot to mention Royce in this btw, who at 6’8 and with a big frame would play the 5 on many ncaab squads, but will likely play the 4 at MU with all the other bigs
