What if....

[tower912]

If you could pick one MU player since 2000, NOT in the NBA, to add to this team, who would it be?    Would Jerel or DJames be the pick?    Would you rather have  Ooze, Burke, Fitz, Sanders, Townsend?    I would take DJames, because having a lock down defensive PG who is big in the clutch would be huge. 

[Goose]

I like DJ call. If we had a big time defender and quick PG we really could be 40minutes of hell.

[dwaderoy2004]

A healthy Chris Otule.

[PVMagic]

Mbakwe.

[lab_warrior]

Normally not big on the hypotheticals, but my pick is either DJames or Robert Jackson.  RJax would give us the big dude who can score (in ADDITION to Sheesh, of course), and yeah, James (especially his Sr. year) was an amazing defender, and great passer.  I guess as of right now, I'd go with Jackson.  Big guy, added depth, let's Jamil slide over to the 3/4, etc.  

[Les Nessman]

I second the RJax vote

[lab_warrior]

Also, on a team full of guys who can get into the paint off the dribble, Novak would slide into the roto QUITE WELL.

[RJax55]

Normally not big on the hypotheticals, but my pick is either DJames or Robert Jackson.  RJax would give us the big dude who can score (in ADDITION to Sheesh, of course), and yeah, James (especially his Sr. year) was an amazing defender, and great passer.  I guess as of right now, I'd go with Jackson.  Big guy, added depth, let's Jamil slide over to the 3/4, etc.  

I love RJax, but his game is too similar in style to Gardner. Both are back to the basket bigs that play below the rim.

I like Dom's defense, but I would go with Cordell Henry. People forget how good he was his senior year. He would fit in quite nicely on this year's squad.

[RJax55]

Also, on a team full of guys who can get into the paint off the dribble, Novak would slide into the roto QUITE WELL.

I agree, but Novak is in the NBA.

[StillAWarrior]

If you could pick one MU player since 2000, NOT in the NBA, to add to this team, who would it be?    Would Jerel or DJames be the pick?    Would you rather have  Ooze, Burke, Fitz, Sanders, Townsend?    I would take DJames, because having a lock down defensive PG who is big in the clutch would be huge. 

Would it be a mini DJames, or would he be regular size?

[SaintPaulWarrior]

A healthy Mbakwe.

[Benny B]

Fitz.  Imagine having two forwards who can shoot from the perimeter.  Such would have the potential to neutralize nearly every big man threat without having to sacrifice offense.

[dw3dw3dw3]

Are they taking away minutes from the current player at that position?

DJ would give us much greater D, but I'm not sure he would be as in tune as Junior's floor game...

On the other end McNeal would be quite the pop offensively over Vander, and would be a wash on the defensive side.

I'll say we have enough offense already and the upgrade the defense with DJ if we could reign in his offensive game a bit.

Mbakwe wouldn't get enough minutes in the rotation of Wilson, Gardner, and Jae to be effective.

[mosarsour]

Rob Jackson...no doubt!

[mu03eng]

Gotta be RJax, this team is a sheriff away from a title run.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Fitz.  Imagine having two forwards who can shoot from the perimeter.  Such would have the potential to neutralize nearly every big man threat without having to sacrifice offense.

I just puked in my mouth a little

[mumike22]

Greg Claussen

[Silkk the Shaka]

I love RJax, but his game is too similar in style to Gardner. Both are back to the basket bigs that play below the rim.

I like Dom's defense, but I would go with Cordell Henry. People forget how good he was his senior year. He would fit in quite nicely on this year's squad.

Sign me up for RJax.  40 minutes of a true 5 is the only thing this team is missing.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Mbakwe wouldn't get enough minutes in the rotation of Wilson, Gardner, and Jae to be effective.

I also just about puked in my mouth.

[MarquetteDano]

If you could pick one MU player since 2000, NOT in the NBA, to add to this team, who would it be?    Would Jerel or DJames be the pick?    Would you rather have  Ooze, Burke, Fitz, Sanders, Townsend?    I would take DJames, because having a lock down defensive PG who is big in the clutch would be huge. 

This a great question. When I think of this team's weaknesses it is outside shooting and defensive rebounding. Which is more important? Very tough call.

I'l go outside shooting. Oh to have Novak (yes, I know, against the rules). Have to go Jerel. I think DJO is better option but McNeal off bench would be incredible.

[dw3dw3dw3]

I also just about puked in my mouth.

Ok... well he's a dipsh_t... Is that a good enough reason not to want him?

[jficke13]

Robert Jackson. Cue up the NCAA Vault and watch the MU-Kentucky Elite 8 game in '03. Jackson was a dominant big man like we simply have not had since. Ooze on his best day was half as good as Jackson. Gardner is good, Jackson better. Otule good, Jackson is considerably better. He'd be that dominant 5 spot and we'd be the best team in basketball.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

Ok... well he's a dipsh_t... Is that a good enough reason not to want him?

I will agree with you there...but saying that Wilson and Gardner would be splitting time with a guy who averaged a double double last year and led the BI? in rebounding last year and was going to be a first team all BI? player this year is pretty funny.

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

I think I have to go McNeal. His senior numbers were pretty insane, and he could start instead of Vander.

Ooze would be pretty sweet too. He would look good filling the lane and crashing the boards on the break, but McNeal is just too good.

[wadesworld]

DJ would give us much greater D, but I'm not sure he would be as in tune as Junior's floor game...

I'm not sure I agree with this.  His freshman through junior years I would agree, but his senior year he transformed his game from a scoring point guard to a floor general.  Was very underrated in that aspect of his game in his senior year.

On the other end McNeal would be quite the pop offensively over Vander, and would be a wash on the defensive side.

Depending on which year you are taking him.  If it's his senior year when he really thrived on offense, his defense went completely out the door.  He was a fantastic defender his freshman and sophomore year, but as he focused more on offense he became worse defensively.  I can still picture him standing in no man's land against Villinova in the Big East Tournament Semifinals as his man is cutting backdoor with him having no idea on the last possession of the game.  Villinova won that game at the buzzer and went on to the Final Four.

Mbakwe wouldn't get enough minutes in the rotation of Wilson, Gardner, and Jae to be effective.

Could not disagree more.  If Mbakwe is healthy, he would do wonders for Marquette.  Could provide BOTH offense and defense at the 5 (rather than 1 or the other with Gardner and OTule) and could free up Jamil and Jae to play the 3/4 positions.  Also would not slow down our transition game.  This is a guy who (when he was healthy) scored 14 points and got 10 rebounds per game over the past 2 years.  Marquette does not have a big guy on the roster who can do that, and hasn't since Robert Jackson.

As for who I would want, I would choose Robert Jackson.  He was a beast on both ends of the floor.