Another Aaron Durley thread

[🏀]

Also, please feel free to stop telling Kendrick Nunn to come to Marquette on Twitter as well.

[TallTitan34]

This talk always makes me go back to wondering what our team(s) would be like if we had a heart-healthy Liam McMorrow.  God he looked so good in warm-ups back in the day.

From the Tennessee Tech website:

Liam McMorrow 2010-11: Started three games and played in 32 in his first season at Tennessee Tech...averaged 2.8 points per game...scored in double-figures in two games, including a season-high 15 points against Hiwassee College on Dec. 16...grabbed double-figure rebounds in two games, notching 12 boards against Hiwassee on Dec. 16 and against Crowley's Ridge College on Dec. 30...averaged 3.0 rebounds and shot 60 percent from the field in 10.5 minutes per game.

[TallTitan34]

Also their logo is like they combined all three of ours:

[MerrittsMustache]

I would bet he will red-shirt next year as we will probably not get to much time next year with Gardner and Otule back.  Wisky redshirts players every year particularly bigs.  I am sure in 2014 he will see major time as he will be the only big available.  He has the size.  I am sure Todd will get him to his right playing weight as well.

Why do so many posters love the idea of reshirting? This isn't college football where you have 80 players on scholarship and most HS recruits aren't physically ready to play college football. Scholarships are limited and a lot of coaches don't want to have a player using a scholarship if he can't play and using a scholarship for 5 years. It also comes down to whether or not the player wants to spend 5 years in school.

If Mbao wasn't redshirted, why would we assume that ANY Marquette recruit would be redshirted?

[4everwarriors]

F*ckin' and BeeJay are here for ya to fill your every need.

[4everwarriors]

This talk always makes me go back to wondering what our team(s) would be like if we had a heart-healthy Liam McMorrow.  God he looked so good in warm-ups back in the day.

Roseboro talked pretty good smack too.

[GGGG]

Why do so many posters love the idea of reshirting? This isn't college football where you have 80 players on scholarship and most HS recruits aren't physically ready to play college football. Scholarships are limited and a lot of coaches don't want to have a player using a scholarship if he can't play and using a scholarship for 5 years. It also comes down to whether or not the player wants to spend 5 years in school.

If Mbao wasn't redshirted, why would we assume that ANY Marquette recruit would be redshirted?

This is pretty much how I think most people think about it.  UW is one of the few schools that will use redshirts in basketball, but Bo's rotations are pretty short anyway.  Barring injury, Durley will have two years to practice before we will really need something from him anyway.

[Henry Sugar]

Also thier logo is like they combined all three of ours:

I f*cking hate our mascot

[GOO]

Aaron Durley is a mystery to me.  He must project as having talent if he develops, but must be raw at this point, of course.  I'd like to know if he has good hands.  He has size.  If he has good hands, even if he is very raw, he should be able to develop ala Otule.

Now, my guess is that Buzz may want him to go JUCO or Prep for a year, but that is just a guess on my part.  If he went Prep, that would allow him 5 years at MU plus the additional year of playing time at Prep School.  So with his size, and if he wants it and is willing to earn it... if he has 5 years to develop, he should be able to do so as long as he has good hands.

When I look at raw big men, the hands are key.  Most big guys that have bricks for hands will never have soft hands.

Gardner has incredible hands, touch, and looks like he has stickum on his hands the way he handles the ball.  

[GGGG]

Now, my guess is that Buzz may want him to go JUCO or Prep for a year, but that is just a guess on my part.  If he went Prep, that would allow him 5 years at MU plus the additional year of playing time at Prep School. 

No that *might* allow him five years at MU.  He could go elsewhere.

He has already stated that he is coming to campus.  I would be surprised to see him elsewhere.

[MUfan12]

I f*cking hate our mascot

This.

[StillAWarrior]

I think he should go to a year of prep school, and then spend seven years working with elite private coaches and trainers - with equal emphasis on ball handling, post-moves and three point shooting.  Pick up 20-30 pounds of muscle and really develop his all around game.  Then he can enroll at Marquette as a 27-year old freshman, immediately redshirt so that he can fine-tune his game and pack on another 10 lbs of muscle.  Then, finally, my plan will come to fruition when we have finely tuned, chiseled 300 pound basketball machine -- a point-center with four years of eligibility remaining.  He'd probably win multiple Wooden awards...if he doesn't go one and done.

Or, I guess he could just come to Marquette next summer, play limited minutes in his Freshman year (and maybe even longer), and hopefully develop into a solid contributor over the next four years.

[Mobot]

I think we would be stupid not to take a chance on Durley.  The guy is 6'10", 270lbs and athletic.  

We have 13 scholarships and will likely have a walk on that could get some minutes as well.  We aren't going to have a 14 man rotation.  There will be 4-5 players that won't see regular minutes next year.  

Why not make one of those players a project big?  As long as he has the work ethic (and it sounds like Durley does), there is no doubt that the coaching staff and Todd Smith will turn him into a contributor by his Junior year.  Hell, if Durley had a twin brother, I would take him too.  I don't care how many minutes he played in high school.  Sign him up.

[JakeBarnes]

I think he should go to a year of prep school, and then spend seven years working with elite private coaches and trainers - with equal emphasis on ball handling, post-moves and three point shooting.  Pick up 20-30 pounds of muscle and really develop his all around game.  Then he can enroll at Marquette as a 27-year old freshman, immediately redshirt so that he can fine-tune his game and pack on another 10 lbs of muscle.  Then, finally, my plan will come to fruition when we have finely tuned, chiseled 300 pound basketball machine -- a point-center with four years of eligibility remaining.  He'd probably win multiple Wooden awards...if he doesn't go one and done.

Or, I guess he could just come to Marquette next summer, play limited minutes in his Freshman year (and maybe even longer), and hopefully develop into a solid contributor over the next four years.

You also forgot that he has to become McD AA.  Twice.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I think the original posters question is a valid one, it's just been talked about so much at this point. It worries me as well, but it is what it is now. I don't expect him to contribute for a few seasons.

[MerrittsMustache]

I think he should go to a year of prep school, and then spend seven years working with elite private coaches and trainers - with equal emphasis on ball handling, post-moves and three point shooting.  Pick up 20-30 pounds of muscle and really develop his all around game.

In some people's minds, that is the equivalent of a redshirt year.

[muwarrior69]

Buzz must have seen something in this kid. Let's give him a chance.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

#1 I don't think this is a new topic now that the season is over.

#2 I do think it's a legit question to wonder why the kid didn't play more in HS

#3 Buzz knows way more about hoops than I ever could, so I'll have to defer to his judgement.

#4 With #3 being said, Buzz isn't infallible and has some "misses" in his recruiting past, so see #2.

#5 Redshirting might be an option. I would never suggest it for a guard, but big men can be a little slow to develop, and they are a limited commodity.

#6 The best thing about sports is that all of these questions and speculation will be answered on the court. Proof will be in the pudding.

[BCHoopster]

Why do so many posters love the idea of reshirting? This isn't college football where you have 80 players on scholarship and most HS recruits aren't physically ready to play college football. Scholarships are limited and a lot of coaches don't want to have a player using a scholarship if he can't play and using a scholarship for 5 years. It also comes down to whether or not the player wants to spend 5 years in school.

If Mbao wasn't redshirted, why would we assume that ANY Marquette recruit would be redshirted?

First off, anytime during the year the redshirt can be taken off.  If he is better than Otule and Gardner, then for sure play him.  If he is not going to get any meaningful time that why waste a full year, if and that is a big if, has potential.  It has helped a great deal up in Madtown doing that and another blogger stated they are going to have 14 players next year with maybe a 9 or tops 10 man rotation.  At least 4 players are going to have a hard time getting on the court.  And lastly, name 1 kid who would not want to on campus for at least 5 years.
Like a paid vacation.

[Benny B]

Listen, I get the whole fan board mantra that "this is the appropriate forum to discuss these things."  But seriously, is the topic even appropriate?  I don't think we've discussed the WVU suspensions ad nauseum... maybe we should keep starting threads to discuss an issue that will never see resolution.  Or how about starting another thread on how Crean really "screwed us over."  Heck, while we're at it, let's just rehash every topic that still went in circles even after we started 47-1/2 threads on that very topic.

Or, we can look at what we do know thus far:

Aaron Durley is BIG.
Aaron Durley is ATHLETIC.
Aaron Durley is COMING TO MU NEXT YEAR.

If you want to discuss Aaron further without sounding like a complete headcase, it would be best to adhere to one of the above three themes.

Leave the JUCO, redshirt, prep school, etc. speculation to the rodents.  They'll jump on the topic soon enough (likely sometime following their imminent second round exit), and you can go to their board to discuss.  The rest of us... well, we'll just have to stick to better topics to discuss, e.g. the best bars in New Orleans, how awesome Steve Novak is, MU's seed ceiling, how much Louisville sucks, soup schedules, etc.

[Earl Tatum]

Durley would look great in a MU uniform. If Phil Nolan has his academics right,
sign him to. At 6-10 with an athletic body. The way previous blogs read, he would like to come to MU or is this BS.

[Silkk the Shaka]

We will have 7 top 100 players on our roster next year along with Gardner, Mayo, and Otule getting significant time.  That leaves three more scholarships.  I think giving one to a project big with Durley's measurables is not only appropriate, but the smart thing to do.

[Earl Tatum]

Hey Benny ---- It's Loserville Sucks!

[BCHoopster]

You can sign as many kids as you want but that means somebody has to leave, lets get thru the season before we discuss that.

[MerrittsMustache]

First off, anytime during the year the redshirt can be taken off.  If he is better than Otule and Gardner, then for sure play him.  If he is not going to get any meaningful time that why waste a full year, if and that is a big if, has potential.  It has helped a great deal up in Madtown doing that and another blogger stated they are going to have 14 players next year with maybe a 9 or tops 10 man rotation.  At least 4 players are going to have a hard time getting on the court.  And lastly, name 1 kid who would not want to on campus for at least 5 years.
Like a paid vacation.

If redshirting is so good for players, why isn't it used more frequently in college basketball? Why don't all teams play with 9-10 players and redshirt everyone on the end of the bench? Why do teams even get 13 scholarships if they only need 10? What is the harm in having another big body to send into the game for a few minutes? By what metrics has it helped in Madison?

If Durley would have been redshirting this season and had the RS taken off when Gardner got hurt, would it have been more beneficial if he had gotten some D1 minutes against the Norfolk States on the schedule or do you think he would have been fine making his D1 debut against Herb Pope then Jack Cooley?

Junior Cadougan is one kid who did not want to be on campus for 5 years. That's part of the reason why he didn't redshirt when injured as a frosh.

Redshirting is not some magical cure-all that automatically makes a player better. It also eats up a scholarship for 5 years instead of 4.