Aaron Durley

[wadesworld]

Whether he's coming to campus or not, I still want Nolan.  Even better if they're both on the roster.  Either way, seems like it would be best to give Durley a redshirt year with the other players on the roster, assuming everyone stays healthy.

Nolan is a poor man's Steve Taylor.  Both will play the 4 in the college game and right now are more comfortable in a face-up game than they are with their back to the basket and would rather be at the 3 point line than in the paint.  Both are tall and long but need to find the weight room.  They are as close to the same players as you will find.  No need to have both of them on the roster unless you have an open scholarship.  Would much rather have Taylor and Durley than Taylor and Nolan, even though Nolan may be more ready to have an immediate impact than Durley is.

[GGGG]

Lets here what he has to say.  His best move would be JC or prep school.  A bunch of people still thinks he might not make it to campus. We
shall see.

His best move should be what Buzz and his family want for him.  And no, if it doesn't pan out, we are not "stuck" with him for five years.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

i honestly wonder if he would be seeing more PT playing at MU this year than on his high school team....5 fouls at the 5-spot would be nice to have against poor free-throw shooting centers right now.  i can't believe there is a player anywhere in the states with his size and athleticism that sees the court less than he does.  has to be more to it than just skill/ability level and who plays in front of him.  no way there hasn't been blow-outs, and ridley isn't playing the entire game.  no clue why he doesn't play, but it's the weirdest thing i've seen regarding an incoming recruit. 

Couldn't agree more, although some posters here can't seem to understand that. I hope like hell he is a quality player for MU some day, and I like his height and size, but man it is strange.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Buzz must have saw something as I have never seen in 50 years a scholarship player play as little as he does.  Now is saying that, Amal MaCaskell did not start for his team
and probably averaged nothing in high school became a pretty good player, good enough to play about 10 years in the NBA.  The kid has to have some coordination since he
pitched at a very young age in Little Leagues.  I watch Yancy Gates, he does not do to much either, but with his size he clogs the lane.

He was also a top-30 player, but I see what you're sayin'.

[We R Final Four]

Whether he's coming to campus or not, I still want Nolan.  Even better if they're both on the roster.  Either way, seems like it would be best to give Durley a redshirt year with the other players on the roster, assuming everyone stays healthy.

I don't think that we can assume that.

[Benny B]

Why is everyone so quick to put the DNP blame on Durley?  Has anyone considered even for a moment that the coach might be being "motivated" to play Ridley as much as he can?  This is Texas, after all... the land where coaches pay off teachers and cheerleader moms off the competition.

[GGGG]

Let's not disparage the coach.  Durley's HS coach is the same as Otule's.  My guess is that the coach spoke very highly of Buzz and MU given Otule's progress. 

[chapman]

that's a big assumption.  if we're in the same situation next year as we are this year, we'll need him to be suiting up.

Tough to say...if we had a project on the roster now with the redshirt still on, would we have taken it off in February if it was likely a 3-4 game injury?  I'm thinking Buzz wouldn't be too quick to give a kid his first minutes of the season-and probably no more than 30 early February minutes total, in exchange for a year of eligibility.  Now, if we had a third big who had made enough progress to have the redshirt pulled around the time we knew Otule was done for the year, that would have been some nice insurance.

[We R Final Four]

See Junior.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Something doesn't smell right.

hairy wet cats.   

[QuetteHoops]

I want whoever buzz wants here. Durley seems like a great kid, I can't wait until he gets here something tell me he's going to be a good player for us. Some of you guys are ridiculous. Ripping on this kids before he even sets foot on campus.

[mr.MUskie]

hairy wet cats.  

+1  Something definitely fishy here.

[Boone]

nm

[MUBurrow]

His best move should be what Buzz and his family want for him.  And no, if it doesn't pan out, we are not "stuck" with him for five years.

How is what Buzz wants for him automatically his best move?

[MU82]

Been watching basketball at all levels (as a sportswriter, fan, coach, referee and father of a Division III player) for more decades than I choose to say ... and I have to admit this one has me perplexed.

A 6-10 center can't get a minute of playing time for his high school team -- not in a 2-minute relief role to give the starter a breather, not in garbage time at the end of blowouts, etc. - yet lands a scholarship with a perennial NCAA tournament team.

Weird doesn't even begin to describe it.

[Dawson Rental]

He was also a top-30 player, but I see what you're sayin'.

What does Gates HS ranking have to do with how he's playing as a senior in college?????

[Dawson Rental]

How is what Buzz wants for him automatically his best move?

Good point.  Oftentimes telling the coach who put you on scholarship how he should run his program is the way to go.  It sure worked like a charm for Jeronne Maymon.

[MUBurrow]

Good point.  Oftentimes telling the coach who put you on scholarship how he should run his program is the way to go.  It sure worked like a charm for Jeronne Maymon.

That was referring to suggestions that JC or prep school are in Durley's future. I don't see what Maymon has to do with anything. I'm saying that if Buzz thinks its best for Durley to do anything but enroll at MU in the fall, that doesn't automatically mean that prep school, JUCO, etc is what Durley should do.

[john31]

In this case don't you defer to Buzz and his staff? They must have seen something that warranted bringing Aaron to MU? Look at the path that other current MU players have taken, the  pattern is less than orthodox. I have also noticed that our head coach is a bit out of the ordinary, and correct me if I'm wrong our basketball program has met with a bit of success. If Buzz wants him that is good enough for me additionally Aaron seems like a great kid. Good luck Aaron, go Warriors.

[mu89]

In this case don't you defer to Buzz and his staff? They must have seen something that warranted bringing Aaron to MU? Look at the path that other current MU players have taken, the  pattern is less than orthodox. I have also noticed that our head coach is a bit out of the ordinary, and correct me if I'm wrong our basketball program has met with a bit of success. If Buzz wants him that is good enough for me additionally Aaron seems like a great kid. Good luck Aaron, go Warriors.

we've also had a few busts the past few years. i certainly hope this is not the case. i remember thinking, "oh, maybe buzz found some gems with roseboro, mcmorrow, & mbao."

[brewcity77]

Been watching basketball at all levels (as a sportswriter, fan, coach, referee and father of a Division III player) for more decades than I choose to say ... and I have to admit this one has me perplexed.

A 6-10 center can't get a minute of playing time for his high school team -- not in a 2-minute relief role to give the starter a breather, not in garbage time at the end of blowouts, etc. - yet lands a scholarship with a perennial NCAA tournament team.

Weird doesn't even begin to describe it.

But he does get PT for his AAU team, which also has the same starter (Ridley) at center. I think Buzz has had a pretty good track record with project bigs, so it's well worth giving the kid a chance.

[MUMac]

Been watching basketball at all levels (as a sportswriter, fan, coach, referee and father of a Division III player) for more decades than I choose to say ... and I have to admit this one has me perplexed.

A 6-10 center can't get a minute of playing time for his high school team -- not in a 2-minute relief role to give the starter a breather, not in garbage time at the end of blowouts, etc. - yet lands a scholarship with a perennial NCAA tournament team.

Weird doesn't even begin to describe it.

While I find it curious as well, I know Durley had played significant minutes on his AAU team (which included Ridley, I believe).  I don't know what to make of it, but without having seen him play or having knowledge as to why he does not play, I can only sit and wait to see what the plan is.  I can't bust on the guy like some others because of that (not saying your comment is busing on him).  I admit, he is intriguing - big bodied, tall and athletic.  Hasn't been playing basketball all that long, either.  That is potentially good and bad.

[StillAWarrior]

But he does get PT for his AAU team, which also has the same starter (Ridley) at center. I think Buzz has had a pretty good track record with project bigs, so it's well worth giving the kid a chance.

I'm excited about Durley's potential and I'm glad Buzz signed him.

That said, two things:

1) his HS situation is unquestionably odd - a 6-10 healthy (I assume) high major commit who is getting DNPs on a fairly regular basis.  It doesn't mean that he's not a great recruit or that he won't be a huge success at Marquette -- but anyone who disputes that it is an unusual situation is either blinded by loyalty or is just trying to be argumentative.  I don't care who he's behind, I would certainly expect him to get some time.  At this point, I simply have given up trying to figure out why he's not playing.  I am not forming any opinion on him based upon his lack of playing time.  I'm just saying it's very strange.

2)  I think Buzz's track record with "project bigs" is not that great.  He's had a couple of really good hits, but he's had a couple of really bad misses.  I honestly believe that Durley is going to be one of the hits.  Just from a gut feel, he seems a lot more like Otule/Gardner to me than Roseboro/Mbao.  I'm excited to have him here, and I think he's going to do well.

[GGGG]

In this case don't you defer to Buzz and his staff? They must have seen something that warranted bringing Aaron to MU? Look at the path that other current MU players have taken, the  pattern is less than orthodox. I have also noticed that our head coach is a bit out of the ordinary, and correct me if I'm wrong our basketball program has met with a bit of success. If Buzz wants him that is good enough for me additionally Aaron seems like a great kid. Good luck Aaron, go Warriors.

That is what I am trying to say here.  Buzz knows better than we do about what he wants for this team and I tend to trust him more than the posters on this board in that respect.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Has anyone watched him in practice or warmups?  Can anyone tell us how he looks.  It is really odd to have a scholarship player coming in who doesn't play for his high school team.  If he can't help his highschool team, can we expect him to help us?