"Shaka Smart needs to enter the Transfer Portal era. He should have upgraded Mitchell, and maybe Joplin too."
From the Uconn boards(very complimentary of us overall)
Lets just ignore the Jop part for this exercise
Quote from: PGsHeroes32 on November 15, 2024, 10:06:15 PM"Shaka Smart needs to enter the Transfer Portal era. He should have upgraded Mitchell, and maybe Joplin too."
From the Uconn boards(very complimentary of us overall)
Lets just ignore the Jop part for this exercise
I would ignore everything
I wouldn't trade Stevie for anyone that was in the portal this year. Not a single player.
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 15, 2024, 10:18:24 PMI wouldn't trade Stevie for anyone that was in the portal this year. Not a single player.
I second that. He's one of my favorite dudes to come through the program.
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 15, 2024, 10:18:24 PMI wouldn't trade Stevie for anyone that was in the portal this year. Not a single player.
Don't know nearly as much as you do about the portal, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the season play out. Last year, I don't think the kid at UCONN was supposed to be all that, but he was great. And the guy at Tennessee was a 1st team AA. So we'll see.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 15, 2024, 10:28:08 PMDon't know nearly as much as you do about the portal, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the season play out. Last year, I don't think the kid at UCONN was supposed to be all that, but he was great. And the guy at Tennessee was a 1st team AA. So we'll see.
Nothing to see,really.
Evan Miya had him 52nd in the country before this game.
Quote from: Newsdreams on November 15, 2024, 10:30:19 PMNothing to see,really.
If you're not going to watch the rest of the season.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 15, 2024, 10:28:08 PMDon't know nearly as much as you do about the portal, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the season play out. Last year, I don't think the kid at UCONN was supposed to be all that, but he was great. And the guy at Tennessee was a 1st team AA. So we'll see.
If you can't identify that player in the portal today.
Than you would probably rather have stevie
Late in the game, my wife said: "Stevie's been kind of quiet tonight." Then he scored on a drive, hit a layup, and made all his FTs to clinch the win.
Stevie is probably her favorite player, and he's definitely one of mine. Just a great contributor who does all the little things ... and sometimes a few of the big things.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 15, 2024, 10:28:08 PMDon't know nearly as much as you do about the portal, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the season play out. Last year, I don't think the kid at UCONN was supposed to be all that, but he was great. And the guy at Tennessee was a 1st team AA. So we'll see.
Looks like the Badgers may have landed this year's version of the guy from Tennessee. A sixth year guy who will be 24 in April.
Quote from: MU82 on November 15, 2024, 10:45:15 PMLate in the game, my wife said: "Stevie's been kind of quiet tonight." Then he scored on a drive, hit a layup, and made all his FTs to clinch the win.
Stevie is probably her favorite player, and he's definitely one of mine. Just a great contributor who does all the little things ... and sometimes a few of the big things.
Kam and Stevie are definitely in my all time favorites.
What a duo. Hope it leads to something this year.
Over the last couple years people have speculated about Kam leaving MU whether it's transfer or pro. And I've remained firm. K1 and Stewie are seeing this out.
Said it a million times. Stevie can be a star at any number of things.
What do you need? He will deliver. Type of student that enhances my love of the university.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 15, 2024, 10:39:59 PMIf you're not going to watch the rest of the season.
Poor soul, so lost.
How underrated has Stevie been among MU fans?
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 15, 2024, 10:28:08 PMDon't know nearly as much as you do about the portal, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the season play out. Last year, I don't think the kid at UCONN was supposed to be all that, but he was great. And the guy at Tennessee was a 1st team AA. So we'll see.
He didn't say he wouldn't take a transfer. He said he wouldn't replace Stevie with one. And I 100% agree. If you can't figure out what he means to this team at this point, I don't know what to tell you.
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 16, 2024, 05:57:19 AMHe didn't say he wouldn't take a transfer. He said he wouldn't replace Stevie with one. And I 100% agree. If you can't figure out what he means to this team at this point, I don't know what to tell you.
What's to figure out? I love Stevie. Right now he's the second best player on the team. Nobody wants to replace him. I wouldn't have gone to the portal to recruit over him. Others, yes, but not him. But to say you wouldn't take a first team AA (if available) over him at his position is a stretch to me.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 16, 2024, 06:29:34 AMWhat's to figure out? I love Stevie. Right now he's the second best player on the team. Nobody wants to replace him. I wouldn't have gone to the portal to recruit over him. Others, yes, but not him. But to say you wouldn't take a first team AA (if available) over him at his position is a stretch to me.
Was there a first team AA in the transfer portal this year?
announcers said shaka said-stevie is the toughest player(or something along these lines) he has been associated with and nothing shakes him.
he did nothing last night to disprove any of that
dude takes a passing elbow shot to the head and rubs it off like is that the best ya got? doesn't miss a beat. his physical fitness has got to be ultra human.
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 16, 2024, 06:38:58 AMWas there a first team AA in the transfer portal this year?
Is there? I don't know, and said as much in my reply to Brew.
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 15, 2024, 10:18:24 PMI wouldn't trade Stevie for anyone that was in the portal this year. Not a single player.
100%
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 16, 2024, 07:11:14 AMIs there? I don't know, and said as much in my reply to Brew.
So you decided to make a point without figuring out if your point was even accurate?
OK then...
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 15, 2024, 10:28:08 PMDon't know nearly as much as you do about the portal, but I'll reserve judgement until I see the season play out. Last year, I don't think the kid at UCONN was supposed to be all that, but he was great. And the guy at Tennessee was a 1st team AA. So we'll see.
What Stevie does for Marquette goes beyond the box scores. His defense, his leadership, his deflections, and his character are all perfect for this program and culture. When Shaka got here four years ago and talked about "first two years, nothing but culture" he may not have realized it but Stevie Mitchell was the avatar of that for the program.
There's no one in the portal that would bring what Stevie brings to this program and the downstream impact he creates.
Well said brew.
From an outsider perspective, and likely from the eyes of those UConn fans, it might just seem like Marquette fans simply love Stevie because they are getting too "attached" to their own, and that an "upgrade" would've turned MU into a National Title Contender.
What they don't realize is that there really is no upgrade, and all the things that Stevie brings to the table for this team just cannot be matched by someone else.
Can you get a better scorer? Sure.
Can you get a better distributor? Sure.
That player would 100% have flaws that still make him not as good of a fit to this team and its culture as Stevie Mitchell.
The things Brew mentioned involve 3+ full years of completely bought in blood, sweat, and tears and embody what Coach Shaka wants his program to become, and that irreplaceable
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 16, 2024, 07:26:42 AMWhat Stevie does for Marquette goes beyond the box scores. His defense, his leadership, his deflections, and his character are all perfect for this program and culture. When Shaka got here four years ago and talked about "first two years, nothing but culture" he may not have realized it but Stevie Mitchell was the avatar of that for the program.
There's no one in the portal that would bring what Stevie brings to this program and the downstream impact he creates.
I'm sure he's got bigger and better things in mind, but I wouldn't object to Shaka adding Stevie to the staff next year. Love that kid. And I'd love to keep him contributing to the program.
Quote from: wisblue on November 15, 2024, 10:47:29 PMLooks like the Badgers may have landed this year's version of the guy from Tennessee. A sixth year guy who will be 24 in April.
Yeah. He is being mentored on college longevity by Otule.
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 16, 2024, 07:19:14 AMSo you decided to make a point without figuring out if your point was even accurate?
OK then...
I'm not paid to know if there are any players in the portal prior to the season better than Stevie so I don't pay much attention to it. Coaches are. Last year there were certainly guys in the portal who helped their teams more than Stevie helped ours. Time will tell about this year.
But as I also said, if you're looking for a transfer to make a difference for us I'd look at other positions than the one Stevie plays.
Always be recruiting.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 16, 2024, 08:49:03 AMI'm not paid to know if there are any players in the portal prior to the season better than Stevie so I don't pay much attention to it. Coaches are. Last year there were certainly guys in the portal who helped their teams more than Stevie helped ours. Time will tell about this year.
But as I also said, if you're looking for a transfer to make a difference for us I'd look at other positions than the one Stevie plays.
Always be recruiting.
You can't recruit guys on scholarship to other teams
Quote from: Uncle Rico on November 16, 2024, 08:52:10 AMYou can't recruit guys on scholarship to other teams
Now you're just going to confuse Lenny
Quote from: tower912 on November 16, 2024, 05:51:31 AMHow underrated has Stevie been among MU fans?
I believe he rose to Dung level
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 16, 2024, 08:49:03 AMI'm not paid to know if there are any players in the portal prior to the season better than Stevie so I don't pay much attention to it. Coaches are. Last year there were certainly guys in the portal who helped their teams more than Stevie helped ours. Time will tell about this year.
But as I also said, if you're looking for a transfer to make a difference for us I'd look at other positions than the one Stevie plays.
Always be recruiting.
There undoubtedly were "better" players than Stevie available in the portal. Would a few of them actually have been a better fit for Marquette? Would any of them? Not sure, but obviously we'll never know.
Look at the well-traveled AJ Storr. He was recruited ($) by St. John's, he transferred ($$) to Madison so he could be a team's alpha, and he transferred again ($$$$) to Kansas to chase money and a title.
He's taller than Stevie, he's been a better shooter than Stevie, he averaged nearly twice as many points as Stevie last season. But would you have rather had him than Stevie? Maybe Gard and Self would say yes, but I doubt Shaka would. Nor would I.
Storr is a basketball mercenary, as is the case with many in the portal who might be "better" than Stevie. They go to the highest bidder and then move on. I'm sure most of them play hard when during their short stay with each team, but they are basketball mercenaries. Being a Jayhawk or a Badger or a Johnny ... what's the diff? It's a uniform and a paycheck.
Stevie is a warrior. A Marquette freakin' warrior to the core. As last night illustrated (again!), thank goodness we have him.
Stevie only gets noticed when he scores 14-18 points, but it is his defense that gets shadowed by Kam, Chase or Jop when they score 20 pts or more. It's not Stevie that is underrated it is his defensive play that wins games, and no one notices. Sometimes the SOTG should go to the guy who plays outstanding defense.
Quote from: Uncle Rico on November 16, 2024, 08:52:10 AMYou can't recruit guys on scholarship to other teams
Missed the memo about the portal?
Quote from: Newsdreams on November 16, 2024, 09:41:33 AMNow you're just going to confuse Lenny
When Yogi speaks, Boo Boo won't be far behind.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 16, 2024, 10:27:18 AMMissed the memo about the portal?
You can't recruit guys if they're not in the portal, so you can't always be recruiting those guys. It's against the rules. Miss the memo?
They always refer to Stevie as the ultimate glue guy and we've already seen why this year. When the team needs a lift on offense, he suddenly comes up with a huge bucket. A huge rebound. Knocking down free throws with ice water in his veins. All while being our best defender game in and game out. Smart on and off the court. Not trying to score at the end of the game and possible turn it over was the mark of a smart, senior leader.
You would need two portal transfers to replace what he does
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 16, 2024, 07:26:42 AMWhat Stevie does for Marquette goes beyond the box scores. His defense, his leadership, his deflections, and his character are all perfect for this program and culture. When Shaka got here four years ago and talked about "first two years, nothing but culture" he may not have realized it but Stevie Mitchell was the avatar of that for the program.
There's no one in the portal that would bring what Stevie brings to this program and the downstream impact he creates.
Totally agree.
If you watched last year when he was hampered by a hamstring pull, how out of sorts the team looked and how the team defense deteriorated.
I think Stevie is the perfect guy for this team and program. He definitely is not underrated by anyone that follows MU basketball on a regular basis. IMO, I have no idea of Stevie is 30 minute guy at any other top ten program in the country and that is not a slight to him. I do not think many guys in MU has maxed their potential and impact as him and I think it is in large part because he is part of something bigger.
I do not think there is any way someone outside of a basketball nerd or MU fan can properly appreciate him. Again, not a slight to him, but everything about him is what makes what he is. He is smart, great guy and all of our wife's favorite player and that is unique. My wife had surgery yesterday on her wrist and only watched the game half-heartedly because of napping, but she definitely got her Gold digs in, Jop digs in, and Kam cannot make a FT when it counts dig in, and also high praise for Stevie. Amazing how she could do all of that analysis while 75% sleeping and on a pain pill, yet she did.
To me the question is will Stevie be remembered in the manner he should be after he leaves MU. IMO he will be one of those guys that his legacy will grow after his days at MU are over. His accomplishments will seem bigger and better than maybe the actual truth and that will be confirmation of the type he was while at MU.
Quote from: Lennys Tap on November 16, 2024, 10:27:18 AMMissed the memo about the portal?
Portal is not recruiting in they way you stated
Stevie reminds me of Darryl Morsell on steroids. Like Morsell, he'll take on the toughest defensive assignment, get his hands on everything, but also step up to make a key shot in the clutch moment. And I have no doubt that he learned many of those traits watching Morsell as a freshman.
The biggest difference is that what Morsell taught younger guys for one year Stevie has been passing on for three. You can see that impact on Chase & Zaide. To me, that is the culture of the program, and it's priceless.
Quote from: brewcity77 on November 16, 2024, 01:51:57 PMStevie reminds me of Darryl Morsell on steroids. Like Morsell, he'll take on the toughest defensive assignment, get his hands on everything, but also step up to make a key shot in the clutch moment. And I have no doubt that he learned many of those traits watching Morsell as a freshman.
The biggest difference is that what Morsell taught younger guys for one year Stevie has been passing on for three. You can see that impact on Chase & Zaide. To me, that is the culture of the program, and it's priceless.
I think Morsell was a better point scorer/creator with the ball in his hands, but Stevie's offensive efficiency offsets that point a bit. Really appreciated Morsell in his year here, but I'd likewise take Stevie any day of the week.
We have a trio of guards that stack up pretty well against anyone in the country. And our next three guards all have talent. It will be interesting if Sean comes back this year. I think he gives us a spark and can alleviate some pressure on Kam. The one thing JTY can do is pressure the ball and go into zoomability mode on the offensive end. When you have tier 1 blow by speed, that changes things for the better assuming he makes the right decisions. I love the kid and really hope he's back at 100%. Don't forget what he did in Honolulu. Self looked befuddled that he was blowing by guys like they were Moais.
I think brew's post 100% confirmed my thoughts on Stevie. I love Stevie but do think he is Morsell on steroids is way overinflating Stevie the basketball player. Morsell was Stevie on steroids, imo, minus the other intangibles Stevie brings to the table.
I like how Shaka describes Adrien Stevens as a bigger, stronger Stevie.
Tower
I said after the NC State game that I hope Shaka gets a Stevie 2.0 for the future. That version is bigger, stronger and a more complete scorer. Fingers crossed Shaka is correct.
Good teams need a Stevie. He would be wasted on a bad team.
Might be the best defender in college basketball.
Quote from: tower912 on November 16, 2024, 02:55:37 PMI like how Shaka describes Adrien Stevens as a bigger, stronger Stevie.
That quote definitely caught my attention.
Quote from: tower912 on November 16, 2024, 02:55:37 PMI like how Shaka describes Adrien Stevens as a bigger, stronger Stevie.
Stevie and who in a blender?
If a key player went down (not going to type a name and jinx us), I actually wouldn't put it past Stevie to heftily ramp up his usage & scoring. Just a stud
Quote from: wisblue on November 16, 2024, 04:16:55 PMStevie and who in a blender?
Stevie and steroids in a blender = Stewart.
Quote from: Jay Bee on November 16, 2024, 04:21:55 PMIf a key player went down (not going to type a name and jinx us), I actually wouldn't put it past Stevie to heftily ramp up his usage & scoring. Just a stud
S2N
regarding adrien stevens-cannot get wrapped up in the player "rankings" as they have no basis for "heart" and/or ability to "steve-ify. in other words, it takes a special coach to look deeper into a players eyes and see potential for growth and improvement
love hearing the comparison of any player to stevie
Quote from: Goose on November 16, 2024, 01:37:59 PM...
To me the question is will Stevie be remembered in the manner he should be after he leaves MU. IMO he will be one of those guys that his legacy will grow after his days at MU are over. His accomplishments will seem bigger and better than maybe the actual truth and that will be confirmation of the type he was while at MU.
Let's name some glue guys like Stevie from the past. Who truly meant more to their team(s) than the stats showed? Who, who did so, was a 4 year player?
Morsell is a good starting point, especially as her mentored Stevie. Maybe Juan Anderson, in hindsight offered such leadership? Trent Lockett who was pretty unheralded for most of his year at MU? Obviously, Travis was notable as a leader, but he was the statistical leader in a way that Stevie has never been. I've been following MU b-ball since the late 70s and I can't, off the top of my head, think of anyone else like Stevie.
Stevie's legacy MUST be remembered, not only for his leaderhip on the teams during his tenure but for his impact on the program.
Would be cool for Stevie to end up joining the 1,000 pt club
As of now if you just assume the minimum amount of games, 1 BET and 1 NCAA/NIT(I sure as heck hope its not the NIT) he needs to average 11 ppg for the rest of the year. He's at 11.3 through 4 games.
Mug644
Stevie should and will have an A+ legacy in my book. Like you, I've been watching MU basketball for quite some time and Stevie is a special individual in MU history. That said, it is based on the both on his playing and what he is as person.
On the original question in the thread, Mitchell is not the kind of player who is going to get a lot of national attention. That kind of attention goes to flashy players with gaudy point totals and/or highlight reel plays. Maybe he would get more attention if he played on one of the super powers that regularly appears in big national games. Dare I say that he could be compared to someone like Wojo at Duke who got a lot of attention for pounding the floor.
But he gets his due from the announcers who cover MU games and do their homework watching film and talking to coaches. He also gets recognition from fans of his team. He is going to get the biggest cheers on Senior Day.
I think if you dug deep you would find some players similar to him on teams with lower profiles than a successful power conference team. He would be a great fit on the better Ivy League teams like Yale or Princeton and for them he would likely score more.
It is hard to believe that, after three full years of outstanding performance, there are still a few out there who do not understand Stevie's importance to the team. This year, he is perhaps the heart and soul of the team, and in past years he has been a key contributor. He is the epitome of what you want a player to be - hard working, unselfish, willing to do the dirty work. You cannot say enough good things about Stevie. There are always guys who can shoot, score points, etc but there are very few players like Stevie.
If Stevie were 6'5 instead of 6'3 I think he'd have a real NBA shot as a end of roster defender and morale type guy.
Quote from: BM1090 on November 17, 2024, 02:08:01 PMIf Stevie were 6'5 instead of 6'3 I think he'd have a real NBA shot as a end of roster defender and morale type guy.
Yep. And he'd be able to hit enough from the outside to be respected.
Quote from: The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole on November 17, 2024, 02:10:24 PMYep. And he'd be able to hit enough from the outside to be respected.
Yep. Not fully ready to write off his chances but it'd take a perfect fit
Quote from: MU82 on November 16, 2024, 09:54:43 AMThere undoubtedly were "better" players than Stevie available in the portal. Would a few of them actually have been a better fit for Marquette? Would any of them? Not sure, but obviously we'll never know.
Look at the well-traveled AJ Storr. He was recruited ($) by St. John's, he transferred ($$) to Madison so he could be a team's alpha, and he transferred again ($$$$) to Kansas to chase money and a title.
He's taller than Stevie, he's been a better shooter than Stevie, he averaged nearly twice as many points as Stevie last season. But would you have rather had him than Stevie? Maybe Gard and Self would say yes, but I doubt Shaka would. Nor would I.
Storr is a basketball mercenary, as is the case with many in the portal who might be "better" than Stevie. They go to the highest bidder and then move on. I'm sure most of them play hard when during their short stay with each team, but they are basketball mercenaries. Being a Jayhawk or a Badger or a Johnny ... what's the diff? It's a uniform and a paycheck.
Stevie is a warrior. A Marquette freakin' warrior to the core. As last night illustrated (again!), thank goodness we have him.
Gard would have taken Stevie over AJ every day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Quote from: Jay Bee on November 16, 2024, 04:21:55 PMIf a key player went down (not going to type a name and jinx us), I actually wouldn't put it past Stevie to heftily ramp up his usage & scoring. Just a stud
I agree. He was a scorer in high school and is absolutely capable.
Quote from: Goose on November 17, 2024, 12:43:55 AMMug644
Stevie should and will have an A+ legacy in my book. Like you, I've been watching MU basketball for quite some time and Stevie is a special individual in MU history. That said, it is based on the both on his playing and what he is as person.
Couldn't agree more with this. Have heard great things about him from students who have been in classes with him, and his joy and selflessness on and around the basketball team are obvious from all the coverage of the team. I will be very interested to see what path he pursues next. No doubt he will have some great options and he has a very bright future no matter what path he pursues. He will also be a great representative of MU and the basketball program wherever he goes. In this age of college sports, it is a treat to have multi-year players like Kam, Stevie, Jop, Ben and hopefully many more going forward.
I really enjoy seeing the growth and it enables me to root for more than a jersey. It is easy to become invested in these kids and truly root for their success and futures. Thank you, Shaka and staff.
Quote from: StillWarriors on November 18, 2024, 09:21:34 AMIn this age of college sports, it is a treat to have multi-year players like Kam, Stevie, Jop, Ben and hopefully many more going forward.
I really enjoy seeing the growth and it enables me to root for more than a jersey. It is easy to become invested in these kids and truly root for their success and futures. Thank you, Shaka and staff.
Well said. Stevie is a special, special kid. One of my favorites to have worn the jersey.
Having these guys here and watching them grow up, there's a bond and a connection that does manifest itself at home games. It's really incredible how much the students and fans have embraced the team's culture.