Two takes on Smart after non-con

[The Equalizer]

You are all forgetting these scholarships are only for one year, not four. Hate to say it but kids sometimes are asked to leave, or the coach says, you probably will not play much the following year, you might as well look for a new opportunity.  I can see it happening after the season.

I"m not seeing anyone falling into the category.

Other than the walk-ons, who on the roster is going to be told they won't play much?  Certainly not Kolek, Lewis, Mitchell, Jones, Oso, or OMP--they're already in the main rotation.  And I don't think Shaka asked Itejere to redshirt if he planned on asking him to transfer at the end of the year.

Prior to UCLA, I might have expected a "time to move on" message delivered to Elliott, but he seems to have picked up his play--we'll see what happens.

That leaves Joplin and Ellis, and I doubt either of them being told they won't play much the following year--I suspect they're being told exactly the opposite--increasing roles with more minutes available after Morsell departs.

if you think that we'll have transfers because Shaka telling that playere they aren't going to get minutes, who is he having that conversation with? Last year, I could easily see that conversation being held with Jose, Dexter, or Symir.  This year I just don't see it.

[BCHoopster]

It will happen.  Your points are well accepted on each player but times have changed.

[MU82]

There almost surely will be transfers out, whether initiated by the player, the coach or some of each.

That was the case in most programs even before players finally got the freedom they deserve. It figures to happen more now.

It will be a great test of Shaka's recruiting ability, and that of every other coach.

[dgies9156]

Going forward, a major part of recruiting will be recruiting one's own players -- the guys a coach really wants to keep, anyway.

Brother MU:

Absolutely. In the future, the teams most likely to be contenders for Nattys will be those teams that have recruited well, coached-up the players they have and held them together for three or four years. You may not like Greg Gard but his is one strong model for the future, albeit with a bit more talent and better recruiting.

While I know it is nice to say that "we have __ five-star recruits," I'm not really thrilled at that concept. The Henry Ellensons of the world come in to a program thinking it is the AAA team for some NBA franchise. As we saw with Ellenson, this group expects the entire focus of the team to be on them. They aren't team-oriented and the idea of a college degree is kind of a joke. Joey Hauser had the same problem. As much as I want to win a National Championship again someday, I could do without the primidones.

Like others have said here, it appears Coach Shaka is a relationship builder. The young core of what we have on the floor right now, Kam, Stevie, Justin, Omax and Oso, I truly am expecting to be with us for all four years of eligibility. If Coach Shaka coaches these guys up and we begin to show signs of "getting there," we'll get a lot more of the talent we need to be special again.

In this vein, Santa, bring me a Marquette NCAA bid for Christmas!

[MU82]

Brother MU:

Absolutely. In the future, the teams most likely to be contenders for Nattys will be those teams that have recruited well, coached-up the players they have and held them together for three or four years. You may not like Greg Gard but his is one strong model for the future, albeit with a bit more talent and better recruiting.

While I know it is nice to say that "we have __ five-star recruits," I'm not really thrilled at that concept. The Henry Ellensons of the world come in to a program thinking it is the AAA team for some NBA franchise. As we saw with Ellenson, this group expects the entire focus of the team to be on them. They aren't team-oriented and the idea of a college degree is kind of a joke. Joey Hauser had the same problem. As much as I want to win a National Championship again someday, I could do without the primidones.

Like others have said here, it appears Coach Shaka is a relationship builder. The young core of what we have on the floor right now, Kam, Stevie, Justin, Omax and Oso, I truly am expecting to be with us for all four years of eligibility. If Coach Shaka coaches these guys up and we begin to show signs of "getting there," we'll get a lot more of the talent we need to be special again.

In this vein, Santa, bring me a Marquette NCAA bid for Christmas!

Given that Lewis already is showing up in the second round of some mock drafts, time will tell if he'll be around for 3 more years ... but your point is well-taken and I agree.

If unable to field numerous 1-and-dones -- which applies to just about everybody except Duke and Kentucky -- the next best route to excellence has always been getting good players, developing them into very good players, keeping them together, and managing their egos effectively so they work as a team.

Many coaches will tell you the ideal situation is like the one Virginia had a couple years ago, or Illinois back in the mid-aughts -- teams loaded with very good, very coachable players who aren't quite superstarry enough to go pro after only a year or two.

Of course, that was before athletes won the right to be free agents at the end of any season, so we'll see if that's still rewarded going forward.

[BCHoopster]

Lewis needs al least one more year in college, UCLA player just backed him down with real ease last game. Offensively he still has be become more consistent.

[MU82]

Lewis needs al least one more year in college, UCLA player just backed him down with real ease last game. Offensively he still has be become more consistent.

Well, sure. And Carton needed more time, too. And so did Henry. And so did Vander. And so did (insert name here). We've learned repeatedly that "needing more time" doesn't mean a kid will stay.

Selfishly, I like watching JL play, I've enjoyed watching him improve, and I hope he's around for at least one more season after this one.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Brother MU:

As much as I want to win a National Championship again someday, I could do without the primidones.

You might need those anticonvulsants if that happens.