Pro Am Updates

[NersEllenson]

Baxter's comments don't sound much different than Wes Matthews comments on Singleton last year.  And by the time he left, many here piled on Singleton as just an ordinary walk-on who wouldn't have played much anyway.

I hope he does well and will be pleasantly surprised if he does--but I don't expect him to play much more than Frozena unless Wilson and Taylor are busts.

Well - Once again you'll be wrong 84.  Thomas aint Frozena and it isn't even close. Thomas can be every bit the player Scott Christopherson has evolved into - more range, more height, and a better athlete than Christopherson.  Granted, Christopherson saw he'd be outclassed at MU with DJO and Buycks coming in, and decided to transfer to a bottom of the barrel high major school so he could get some PT.  Thomas may not play 20+ minutes ever in his MU career, but I'd be very surprised if he didn't see 10-15 minutes per game during his time here.

Lastly, we never got to see what Singleton could do on the floor - so we really don't know what he'd have been.  The nice thing under Buzz is that we are getting WALK ON D-1 players at MU now, as opposed to handing out hope and prayer scholarships to guys like Niv Berkowitz, Kevin Menard, Trend Blackeledge, etc.

[TedBaxter]

http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/mbball/bio.asp?PLAYER_ID=2987

I didn't react the same way after seeing David Singleton at the Pro-Am last year.

Above is Jake Thomas' bio.  He averaged over 13 points in his two year career in a Division 1 conference and was an honorable mention all-conference choice last year.  

Some kids are ballplayers and it's not a knock on who Buzz has recruited.  Jake Thomas is better than some people believe and there are high major programs who have started walk-ons in the past and Clayton Hanson comes to mind.  Gave up a scholarship to follow Bo Ryan to Wisconsin.  

[GGGG]

Well - Once again you'll be wrong 84.  Thomas aint Frozena and it isn't even close. Thomas can be every bit the player Scott Christopherson has evolved into - more range, more height, and a better athlete than Christopherson.  Granted, Christopherson saw he'd be outclassed at MU with DJO and Buycks coming in, and decided to transfer to a bottom of the barrel high major school so he could get some PT.  Thomas may not play 20+ minutes ever in his MU career, but I'd be very surprised if he didn't see 10-15 minutes per game during his time here.

Good lord.  C'mon...  You are talking *ONE* game in a summer tournament.  Check out his stats.  Not a great shooter against top level D1 defenses.  He will never come close to 10-15 mpg at MU.  He won't even get half that.

Yes, he is "free" in that we don't need to use a scholarship.  And that's great.  But let's not turn him into something he's not.

[GGGG]

http://www.usdcoyotes.com/sports/mbball/bio.asp?PLAYER_ID=2987

Yeah, that 36.7 FG% and 34.7% from 3 is real impressive.

[avid1010]

Good lord.  C'mon...  You are talking *ONE* game in a summer tournament.  Check out his stats.  Not a great shooter against top level D1 defenses.  He will never come close to 10-15 mpg at MU.  He won't even get half that.

Yes, he is "free" in that we don't need to use a scholarship.  And that's great.  But let's not turn him into something he's not.

He may fill a need in the roster.  I don't base that off of *ONE* game.  I base it off his two years of play.  UW is full of players of his talent level.  Only time will tell, but to write him off as never being able to play for MU doesn't seem fair to me. I think there is a chance he becomes a role player that MU needs. 

[brewcity77]

I don't know what he'll do on the court, but Thomas will definitely help in 2011-12. No, not a typo. You can see he's a hard worker who has a great motor. Even if he never delivers on the court, he'll be a great practice player who forces guys like Junior and Blue to work harder to get better.

I have no doubt Thomas will help us, even if it's just between gamedays.

[NersEllenson]

Good lord.  C'mon...  You are talking *ONE* game in a summer tournament.  Check out his stats.  Not a great shooter against top level D1 defenses.  He will never come close to 10-15 mpg at MU.  He won't even get half that.

Yes, he is "free" in that we don't need to use a scholarship.  And that's great.  But let's not turn him into something he's not.

I know you aren't bullish on his chances Sultan...we'll just have to agree to disagree.  The kid can shoot the ball, and will only become a better shooter.  His ability to stretch the defense to 25 feet will create huge driving opportunities for MU's switchables.  He'll be a nice option to have off the bench to change things up, be a zone buster etc.  If you read almost every report from people at the ProAm - Thomas really stood out.  And yes, I realize it is only 1 game and the ProAm...but Thomas probably is far and away the best pure shooter on the MU roster - if you put the whole team in a 3 point shooting contest...

[MUMac]

Yeah, that 36.7 FG% and 34.7% from 3 is real impressive.

Is 42.1 FG% and 44.1% from 3 impressive?

[brewcity77]

if you put the whole team in a 3 point shooting contest...

...he'd have a lot of competition. Jones nailed at least 5 threes, and I only saw half
his game. He can shoot. Jamil also hit a number of threes, and Gardner hit at least 2. We also know DJO and Crowder can shoot from deep.

Thomas has a great stroke and did hit one set three from Novak vs UConn distance (really don't think I'm exaggerating that either) but regardless, we look like we'll have a lot more deep options the next couple years than we might have thought.

[GGGG]

Is 42.1 FG% and 44.1% from 3 impressive?

It's more impressive.

[GGGG]

Ners....let's remember that you get a little excited about our walk-ons.  From last year...

"Seriously.  I saw some clips of Singleton, and he looked pretty darn good to me - especially considering he will be walk on status.  I doubt he came to MU to ride the bench for the rest of his college career..when he was a starter as a freshman at High Point.."

And now he's gone...

[MUMac]

It's more impressive.

Those are his freshman year stats.  Based on 285 total shots, 202 from 3.  More than 2/3 of his shots at North Dakota were from 3.

I don't believe anyone, Ted Baxter included, believe he will be the star, stud or key player.  Most have said, such as Ted, that he will contribute or help in 2012/2013.

As Ners stated, many people here have been clamoring for a similar type of player.  Spot up 3 shooter.  With the players we have that get to the hoop at will, he will have value.

[NersEllenson]

Ners....let's remember that you get a little excited about our walk-ons.  From last year...

"Seriously.  I saw some clips of Singleton, and he looked pretty darn good to me - especially considering he will be walk on status.  I doubt he came to MU to ride the bench for the rest of his college career..when he was a starter as a freshman at High Point.."

And now he's gone...

Fair enough - but we never saw Singleton play for MU.  I do trust that Wes Matthews has a decent feel for assessing talent..and he was impressed with Singleton.  And we also know that from all inferences, Singleton is no longer at MU not due to his basketball talent, but for "other" reasons.

[Skatastrophy]

Ners....let's remember that you get a little excited about our walk-ons.  From last year...

"Seriously.  I saw some clips of Singleton, and he looked pretty darn good to me - especially considering he will be walk on status.  I doubt he came to MU to ride the bench for the rest of his college career..when he was a starter as a freshman at High Point.."

And now he's gone...

Just because he's gone doesn't mean he wasn't good enough to play at MU.

[avid1010]

And now he's gone...

Weak...

[GGGG]

Weak...

How is that weak?  Just pointed out that Ners got all excited about someone else of similar caliber last year.  It's hard to take him seriously.

[Blackhat]

Singleton sucks.    

Sure he made a couple buckets in a no defense summer league, but in organized ball he struggles to play even against extremely weak DI competition.  The feel good fantasy some wanted of Singleton being good and scholarship worthy just isn't true as our coaches and most somewhat objective observers saw.

[Skatastrophy]

How is that weak?  Just pointed out that Ners got all excited about someone else of similar caliber last year.  It's hard to take him seriously.

WesMat said that he was the most excited about Singleton after last year's ProAm.  Is it hard to take WesMat seriously?

[Marquette84]

Well - Once again you'll be wrong 84.  Thomas aint Frozena and it isn't even close. Thomas can be every bit the player Scott Christopherson has evolved into - more range, more height, and a better athlete than Christopherson.  Granted, Christopherson saw he'd be outclassed at MU with DJO and Buycks coming in, and decided to transfer to a bottom of the barrel high major school so he could get some PT.  Thomas may not play 20+ minutes ever in his MU career, but I'd be very surprised if he didn't see 10-15 minutes per game during his time here.

I would be very surprised if Thomas sees even 10-15 minutes/year in Big East games during his time here.  He's not going to beat out Cadougan in 2013, and I cannot believe that he'll get minutes ahead of TJ Thomas or Derrick Wilson in 2013 or 2014.  And thats assuming that Buzz strikes out on landing a top 50 PG like a James or a Diener in each of the next two classes.

The only chance Thomas gets 10-15 minutes/game is either a) Derrick Wilson and/or TJ Taylor are major-league busts or b) one of them is injured and the other is so out of shape that Buzz can't play him Acker-type minutes. 

The nice thing under Buzz is that we are getting WALK ON D-1 players at MU now, as opposed to handing out hope and prayer scholarships to guys like Niv Berkowitz, Kevin Menard, Trend Blackeledge, etc.

Wow, there's a false comparison for you!

The flip response is that its too bad Buzz didn't use one of his available scholarships on a proven stud like Robert Jackson rather than wasting his recruiting time traipsing about trying to convince low major transfers from South Dakota and High Point to walk on at MU. 

But more directly, your attempted slam on Crean notwithstanding, did you forget that Buzz handed out hope-and-a-prayer scholarships to guys like Yousopha Mbao and Brett Roseboro?

Unfortunately, you're wrong once again--we ARE still handing out such "hope-and-a-prayer" scholarships.

[GGGG]

WesMat said that he was the most excited about Singleton after last year's ProAm.  Is it hard to take WesMat seriously?

Ners record of overhype >>>>>>>>>>>>>> WesMat's

[Mr. Nielsen]

Anyone at the last game of the Saturday games?

Lot's of trash talking and the N word was flying. Buycks rebound dunk in that game was off the charts. Vander Blue, look much better with his jump shot. The other players was in his head.

[National Champs]

Anyone at the last game of the Saturday games?

Lot's of trash talking and the N word was flying. Buycks rebound dunk in that game was off the charts. Vander Blue, look much better with his jump shot. The other players was in his head.

Were Marquette players involved in the trash talking?

[GoMarquette32]

Is jamil going to be ok for the season?

[muball]

some talking from a few guys, not players in the bleachers, they appear to have known the players and got on Blue and Melo and also on a few other players. I know they were sitting in front of a few UWM players and they seemed to like Dwight.  Especially one guy who was to fat to have played any sport but he did get under Blue's skin  the most and then tried to with Melo. Nothing serious all about bragging rights.

[avid1010]

How is that weak?  Just pointed out that Ners got all excited about someone else of similar caliber last year.  It's hard to take him seriously.

What's weak is making the assumption that Singleton is gone because he wasn't good enough to play a role on next years team.  I doubt anyone know how much Singleton would have played next year, including Buzz, because it would have been so depenedent on many other players/outcomes, but there are plenty of players that have left MU knowing they could have had big minutes here.  Singleton leaving MU, especially with the rumors flying, doesn't seem to show any evidence that he couldn't benefit the team next year.