Travis Diener to the Bucks?

[Mr. Nielsen]

Today's TMJ4 Lance Allen reported that a source close to him said that the Bucks would sign Diener if they don't re-sign Luke Ridnour.

[willie warrior]

Today's TMJ4 Lance Allen reported that a source close to him said that the Bucks would sign Diener if they don't re-sign Luke Ridnour.

I have heard from several sources that Diener will go in a package deal with Wade, Bosh, and James, and Diener will be allowed to carry their laundry.

[Avenue Commons]

Ridnour will resign with the Bucks. Where else would he go with a chance to play a lot? Bucks should sign TD as a backup. TD is cheap and will sell a handful of extra tickets that a random signing wouldn't. High character kid who will contribute and not cause problems.

[GOMU1104]

Ridnour will resign with the Bucks. Where else would he go with a chance to play a lot? Bucks should sign TD as a backup. TD is cheap and will sell a handful of extra tickets that a random signing wouldn't. High character kid who will contribute and not cause problems.

Nobody buys tickets to watch a 3rd sting PG sit at the end of the bench in street clothes.

[martyconlonontherun]

Ridnour will resign with the Bucks. Where else would he go with a chance to play a lot? Bucks should sign TD as a backup. TD is cheap and will sell a handful of extra tickets that a random signing wouldn't. High character kid who will contribute and not cause problems.

Well, considering the Bucks have Jennings at the point and suddenly are really deep at the 2/3 (Salmons, Maggette, Delfino, CDR), he wouldn't really get that many minutes. The Bucks may be willing to offer him the money, though. He reportedly accepted a 4/$12 backup offer from the Lakers if Blake didn't sign. If he wants playing time, look at the Knicks and others.

TD would cost $1 mil. Doubt he would bring that much in ticket sales. You only sign him if he helps the team.

[Avenue Commons]

Well, considering the Bucks have Jennings at the point and suddenly are really deep at the 2/3 (Salmons, Maggette, Delfino, CDR), he wouldn't really get that many minutes. The Bucks may be willing to offer him the money, though. He reportedly accepted a 4/$12 backup offer from the Lakers if Blake didn't sign. If he wants playing time, look at the Knicks and others.

TD would cost $1 mil. Doubt he would bring that much in ticket sales. You only sign him if he helps the team.

Wasn't saying TD would sell a lot of tickets, but if he sold 50 extra tickets at $50 each every home game, that's over a hundred grand in ticket sales.

[SacWarrior]

Nobody buys tickets to watch a 3rd sting PG sit at the end of the bench in street clothes.

I had a Mateen Cleaves Kings jersey...

[wadefan#1]

Awesome

[brewcity77]

I'd love to see Diener in a Bucks uniform, if only because it could certainly help recruiting. Granted, Buzz would have to familiarize himself with TD, but it'd be nice if TD could arrange to have himself and a few of his teammates playing shoot-around when we give prospective recruits tours of the BC.

Regardless, I just want Diener to be able to extend his career, but if I had a first choice location, it'd be Milwaukee.

[GOMU1104]

I'd love to see Diener in a Bucks uniform, if only because it could certainly help recruiting. Granted, Buzz would have to familiarize himself with TD, but it'd be nice if TD could arrange to have himself and a few of his teammates playing shoot-around when we give prospective recruits tours of the BC.

Regardless, I just want Diener to be able to extend his career, but if I had a first choice location, it'd be Milwaukee.

Do 16/17 year old recruits know (or care) who Travis Diener is?

[MUfan12]

Do 16/17 year old recruits know (or care) who Travis Diener is?

Well... if you can show them an NBA player from MU, right in our backyard... I can't see how that hurts.

[brewcity77]

Well... if you can show them an NBA player from MU, right in our backyard... I can't see how that hurts.

Exactly, he'll be wearing NBA workout gear, I think it'll be pretty obvious 

[GOMU1104]

Doesnt hurt...but does it really do anything to help?  I really dont think so.

[GGGG]

Wasn't saying TD would sell a lot of tickets, but if he sold 50 extra tickets at $50 each every home game, that's over a hundred grand in ticket sales.

OK...but why would he sell even 50 extra tickets???

[brewcity77]

Doesnt hurt...but does it really do anything to help?  I really dont think so.

Producing NBA players and being able to show them as evidence to recruits doesn't help? How many schools can take you to their arena and say "look, we share this with an NBA team and NBA players that went to our school"? If Diener came here, off the top of my head, I think we'd be the only one. Schools are always happy to march out former star players if they can. I'm sure schools like Valpo would still be happy to march out Bryce Drew on the basis of one shot that he hit that is replayed every March, and he never even made the NBA.

Having guys like Wade, Novak, Matthews, Hayward, and Diener in our recent past are resources that will no doubt make an impression on recruits, especially if you can keep them close to the university and actually use them for recruiting. And I have little doubt that if Diener were here in town, playing for the Bucks, Marquette would be able to do that. Prospective college basketball players want to play in the NBA, and if you can show them that your school has a pedigree for doing that, especially by putting them physically in front of an NBA player, it will certainly be an asset.

[GGGG]

Producing NBA players and being able to show them as evidence to recruits doesn't help? How many schools can take you to their arena and say "look, we share this with an NBA team and NBA players that went to our school"? If Diener came here, off the top of my head, I think we'd be the only one. Schools are always happy to march out former star players if they can. I'm sure schools like Valpo would still be happy to march out Bryce Drew on the basis of one shot that he hit that is replayed every March, and he never even made the NBA.

Bryce Drew is an assistant at Valpo...considered a so-so recruiter...and he played in the NBA six years.

Other than that, it was a great analogy.   

[GOMU1104]

Producing NBA players and being able to show them as evidence to recruits doesn't help? How many schools can take you to their arena and say "look, we share this with an NBA team and NBA players that went to our school"? If Diener came here, off the top of my head, I think we'd be the only one. Schools are always happy to march out former star players if they can. I'm sure schools like Valpo would still be happy to march out Bryce Drew on the basis of one shot that he hit that is replayed every March, and he never even made the NBA.

Having guys like Wade, Novak, Matthews, Hayward, and Diener in our recent past are resources that will no doubt make an impression on recruits, especially if you can keep them close to the university and actually use them for recruiting. And I have little doubt that if Diener were here in town, playing for the Bucks, Marquette would be able to do that. Prospective college basketball players want to play in the NBA, and if you can show them that your school has a pedigree for doing that, especially by putting them physically in front of an NBA player, it will certainly be an asset.

Bryce Drew hit that shot in 1998, when 16/17 year olds were 4/5 years old.

Travis Diener's best moment came in 2003, when 16/17 year olds were 9/10 years old.

In terms of “resources,” here is how MU NBA players sit:
Wade – Obviously
Matthews – Yes…speaks to Buzz’ ability to develop players. Wes’ success and appearing in the playoffs is fresh in people’s minds.
Hayward – Probably…again, Buzz’ ability to develop players. Hopefully he has an impact like Wes did.
Novak/Diener – I really don’t think so…they played under the previous regime, not Buzz.  They haven’t done anything in the NBA. Both are inactive more times than not.  As stated above, their best moments at MU came in 2003, when perspective recruits where 9/10 years old.  Yes, guys want to play in the NBA…but I highly doubt a player from Gary, Baltimore, Mississippi, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago really know/care who Steve Novak and Travis Diener are…even if they are in the NBA.

[brewcity77]

Bryce Drew hit that shot in 1998, when 16/17 year olds were 4/5 years old.

And is replayed over and over again in commercial breaks of pretty much every single NCAA game. I guarantee you that whatever Drew's recruiting abilities are, that shot is used with every recruit he courts.

Travis Diener's best moment came in 2003, when 16/17 year olds were 9/10 years old.

Yes, but that provides for fairly recent video packages that can be shown.

In terms of “resources,” here is how MU NBA players sit:
Wade – Obviously
Matthews – Yes…speaks to Buzz’ ability to develop players. Wes’ success and appearing in the playoffs is fresh in people’s minds.
Hayward – Probably…again, Buzz’ ability to develop players. Hopefully he has an impact like Wes did.
Novak/Diener – I really don’t think so…they played under the previous regime, not Buzz.  They haven’t done anything in the NBA. Both are inactive more times than not.  As stated above, their best moments at MU came in 2003, when perspective recruits where 9/10 years old.  Yes, guys want to play in the NBA…but I highly doubt a player from Gary, Baltimore, Mississippi, Houston, Los Angeles, Chicago really know/care who Steve Novak and Travis Diener are…even if they are in the NBA.

Do you think these kids are all stupid? They will realize that even if you are not a star like Wade in the NBA, you will still be pulling down hundreds of thousands of dollars a year at the minimum, and that most guys in the league earn a million or more a year. If Diener can get even a million dollar a year contract with the Bucks, and can stand in front of a prospective recruit and tell him how Marquette helped prepare him to play in the NBA, while in the background they see guys like Jennings, Bogut, and Ilyasova taking practice shots in the background, I can't possibly see how that wouldn't help and have an impact on potential recruits.

[GGGG]

And is replayed over and over again in commercial breaks of pretty much every single NCAA game. I guarantee you that whatever Drew's recruiting abilities are, that shot is used with every recruit he courts.

And it doesn't work very well. 

OTOH, his older brother never played college basketball, heads up a program with no history and tradition, and puts together great recruiting classes over and over again.

[brewcity77]

And it doesn't work very well. 

OTOH, his older brother never played college basketball, heads up a program with no history and tradition, and puts together great recruiting classes over and over again.

My guess is that's down to personal recruiting ability, however. Just like Buzz has proven to be a fantastic recruiter despite not having any personal moments to draw on. All I'm saying is that having those moments to use and having NBA players to march out are certainly more positive than they are negative, especially for a coach with the natural recruiting ability Buzz has.

[MUSF]

And it doesn't work very well. 

OTOH, his older brother never played college basketball, heads up a program with no history and tradition, and puts together great recruiting classes over and over again.

At the end of the day, it's still Valpo.

Being in a major conference gets your foot in alot more doors.  Once Buzz is in, he will use all of the assets at his disposal, including the number of players in the NBA.

[Avenue Commons]

OK...but why would he sell even 50 extra tickets???

You're right. No one in Wisconsin has ever gone to the Bradley Center to see Travis Diener play basketball. The Bucks would be better off getting another player that no one has ever heard of to fill their roster.

[GGGG]

You're right. No one in Wisconsin has ever gone to the Bradley Center to see Travis Diener play basketball. The Bucks would be better off getting another player that no one has ever heard of to fill their roster.

Avoidance noted.