Recruiting as of 3/15/24

[BCHoopster]

Sure he is graduating but the door is open to comeback, if he wants to go to grad school now it is free.

[bilsu]

Sure he is graduating but the door is open to comeback, if he wants to go to grad school now it is free.

I have to assume Wojo is telling Etienne that John is not coming back. In the end John might come back, but I do not think that is the current plan.

[BCHoopster]

I have to assume Wojo is telling Etienne that John is not coming back. In the end John might come back, but I do not think that is the current plan.

Theo is just a big body player, with some height.  Plays a little D until he fouls to much trying to block shots, offensively his game does not fit the new offenses teams
want to play, 5 interchangeable positions no matter what there height is.  Hopefully, he has developed more now that is hand is better after his surgery.  Need more
than a few dunks from him, hope it happens.  It will interesting to see what Wojo does when he is not in the game.

[Its DJOver]

Theo is just a big body player, with some height.  Plays a little D until he fouls to much trying to block shots, offensively his game does not fit the new offenses teams
want to play, 5 interchangeable positions no matter what there height is.  Hopefully, he has developed more now that is hand is better after his surgery.  Need more
than a few dunks from him, hope it happens.  It will interesting to see what Wojo does when he is not in the game.

Theo's foul problems continue to be greatly exaggerated based on his Freshman and Sophomore years when they were a bigger issue.  A fouls/40 rate of 5.2, which Theo had last year, was better than any year that Jayce had, and better than any year that Matt had.  Plus, while I believe that there's no recorded stat for this, you get the sense that when Theo did foul, he was a lot less likely to give up an and-1, just because he has a tendency to foul hard. 

I also see no reason why Theo would have too much influence on Mac.  At worst they would overlap for one year, and it's not like Mac is seen as a one-and-done that would want the spotlight from day one i.e. Henry.  Being told as a top 50 recruit that you would be splitting time your Freshman year before taking over the role completely as a Sophomore should not really dissuade you from coming, should he want to.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Mac E shouldn't be too scared of Theo.  He's not going to play 40 minutes a game as a freshman. 

[Galway Eagle]

Mac E shouldn't be too scared of Theo.  He's not going to play 40 minutes a game as a freshman.

True but IIRC Oso is supposed to slot into the 5 behind Theo. Maybe Mac sees himself splitting time already?

[Its DJOver]

True but IIRC Oso is supposed to slot into the 5 behind Theo. Maybe Mac sees himself splitting time already?

Oso is listed at 6'-9" 205 lbs.  I doubt that he'll see any time at center.  If I had to guess, when Theo is out this year, it'll either be 6'-11" 235 lbs Dawson, or 6'-7" 245 lbs Lewis.  The general consensus is that Dawson's best position would be at the 4 given his handles and shooting ability, and I'm still not convinced that you can effectively run with a 6-7 C for an extended period of time, no matter how strong or how large his wingspan is.  If Theo stays and Mac comes it would likely be the two of them getting 90% of the minutes at C.  If Theo leaves and Mac comes, I would wager he slides into the starting spot with Dawson at the 4.  Either way, we can offer plenty of minutes to Mac as a Freshman.

[Its DJOver]

Let's also keep in mind that the extra Covid year is available to all Seniors, not just Theo.  I'm not super familiar with their rosters, but unless Miami and UCLA are playing without a true bigman, they're likely in the same boat as us with uncertainty as to how many minutes may be returning.  Illinois is slightly different as Kofi is gone at the end of the year regardless, but there's got to be at least one other big on that roster, to provide competition.

[BCHoopster]

At most Mac will play 25 minutes wherever he goes.

[Galway Eagle]

Oso is listed at 6'-9" 205 lbs.  I doubt that he'll see any time at center.  If I had to guess, when Theo is out this year, it'll either be 6'-11" 235 lbs Dawson, or 6'-7" 245 lbs Lewis.  The general consensus is that Dawson's best position would be at the 4 given his handles and shooting ability, and I'm still not convinced that you can effectively run with a 6-7 C for an extended period of time, no matter how strong or how large his wingspan is.  If Theo stays and Mac comes it would likely be the two of them getting 90% of the minutes at C.  If Theo leaves and Mac comes, I would wager he slides into the starting spot with Dawson at the 4.  Either way, we can offer plenty of minutes to Mac as a Freshman.

Thought Wojo said Oso's game right now is pretty much only back to basket. He might not be ready now in terms of weight but the other two seem to have the abilities that'd stretch the floor and fit at 3 or 4 plus 6-9 is Theo's height.

I can't see Dawson sliding to 5. Maybe if we play 5 out on O and he guards the 5 on D but from what I saw on his videos I just don't see it.

[Its DJOver]

Thought Wojo said Oso's game right now is pretty much only back to basket. He might not be ready now in terms of weight but the other two seem to have the abilities that'd stretch the floor and fit at 3 or 4 plus 6-9 is Theo's height.

I can't see Dawson sliding to 5. Maybe if we play 5 out on O and he guards the 5 on D but from what I saw on his videos I just don't see it.

Theo also currently has 40 lbs on Oso.  If Oso can't contribute at the 3-4 spots he should red-shirt, because he is not a 5, and would get absolutely eaten alive there.

Only one mix, but I see a lot more facing up, than back to the basket here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWfoPqP_24o

[Galway Eagle]

Theo also currently has 40 lbs on Oso.  If Oso can't contribute at the 3-4 spots he should red-shirt, because he is not a 5, and would get absolutely eaten alive there.

Only one mix, but I see a lot more facing up, than back to the basket here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWfoPqP_24o

You're right about the mix. Maybe I misheard Wojo and he said he only had a facing the basket game? Idk

[bilsu]

Theo also currently has 40 lbs on Oso.  If Oso can't contribute at the 3-4 spots he should red-shirt, because he is not a 5, and would get absolutely eaten alive there.

Only one mix, but I see a lot more facing up, than back to the basket here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWfoPqP_24o

It is a free year. There is no way anybody should redshirt.

[Its DJOver]

It is a free year. There is no way anybody should redshirt.

If you're not going to play there is.  Even with the season the way that it is, had BB stuck around, an Oso redshirt would not have surprised me in the slightest.  I think it'll be irrelevant, as BB left, and I think that Oso will be able to contribute at the 3-4 spots, but let's not pretend that there are zero scenarios where anyone redshirts.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

If you're not going to play there is.  Even with the season the way that it is, had BB stuck around, an Oso redshirt would not have surprised me in the slightest.  I think it'll be irrelevant, as BB left, and I think that Oso will be able to contribute at the 3-4 spots, but let's not pretend that there are zero scenarios where anyone redshirts.

Everyone is going to play.  Hard not to when you only have 10 guys.  Marquette is a couple injuries away from playing walk ons this season. 

It is a free year. There is no way anybody should redshirt.

Perez appears to be redshirting, though I do agree with what you're saying.  He's basically punting a year of eligbility by red shirting with the COVID rules, assuming Wojo would want him back for a third season of play.

[Galway Eagle]

Everyone is going to play.  Hard not to when you only have 10 guys.  Marquette is a couple injuries away from playing walk ons this season. 

Perez appears to be redshirting, though I do agree with what you're saying.  He's basically punting a year of eligbility by red shirting with the COVID rules, assuming Wojo would want him back for a third season of play.

Well one injury happens (I'd bet it's Greg) then Perez can jump in since red shirts happen post season is my understanding. After that hopefully Gardner is as good as he was billed to be (low to mid major D1 talent)

[Its DJOver]

Everyone is going to play.  Hard not to when you only have 10 guys.  Marquette is a couple injuries away from playing walk ons this season. 

Perez appears to be redshirting, though I do agree with what you're saying.  He's basically punting a year of eligbility by red shirting with the COVID rules, assuming Wojo would want him back for a third season of play.

Not the point I was making.  If you're not ready to contribute, you redshirt.  It should be that simple.  As you point out with Jose, he, or the staff, must feel that he is not yet ready to contribute. 

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Well one injury happens (I'd bet it's Greg) then Perez can jump in since red shirts happen post season is my understanding. After that hopefully Gardner is as good as he was billed to be (low to mid major D1 talent)

Perez can't play due to transfer.

[Galway Eagle]

Perez can't play due to transfer.

Thought they removed that with covid? Or some other reason that he could have played

[We R Final Four]

Perez transferred, not redshirt.

[Its DJOver]

Perez transferred, not redshirt.

Widely believed that had he applied for a waiver that he could have gotten one, i.e. DJ and just about everyone else, due to Covid.  Chose to not even apply IIRC, so the assumption is that he wanted the year to work on his game regardless.  Makes sense IMO, as Big South to Big East is a huge jump.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

While many waivers have been approved, it's not all of them. My understanding is that the COVID waivers have been approved only if you were transferring closer to home with the definition of closer being pretty loose. I'm not sure that any definition of closer puts Wisconsin closer to NYC (Jose's hometown) than North Carolina.

[zcg2013]

While many waivers have been approved, it's not all of them. My understanding is that the COVID waivers have been approved only if you were transferring closer to home with the definition of closer being pretty loose. I'm not sure that any definition of closer puts Wisconsin closer to NYC (Jose's hometown) than North Carolina.

Per Ben Steele (I tweeted this question to him 2 weeks ago) the plan was for Jose to always redshirt this year, so not sure they ever applied for his waiver.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Per Ben Steele (I tweeted this question to him 2 weeks ago) the plan was for Jose to always redshirt this year, so not sure they ever applied for his waiver.

That's my understanding too. Just putting it out there that he may not have been eligible for a waiver even if he had applied for one. Not as simple as apply for a waiver, get a waiver.

[Its DJOver]

Didn't finish last season, and when he left GW early, he specifically cited mental health issues. Now granting waivers is where the NCAA is really a crapshoot so you never know for sure, but he would have had a solid case even without Covid.

Edit: I'm also not at all convinced of the whole "closer to home" thing is being considered at all, because while we don't know what happened behind closed doors, Virginia native Mac McClung transferring from Georgetown to Texas Tech and getting a waiver kind of spits in the face of that.