Recruiting as of 4/15/25

[Elonsmusk]

Lol, damn near 3-0, yet we're 0-3?  Pass the joint, please.  Could we have won the X and Creighton games?  Yeah, sure.  But they didn't.  Because they failed to execute multiple times when it mattered. 

No, I didn't think this team would be a top 3-4 team in the BE.  I thought they would suck.  And they do.  I was encouraged with the results in Charleston and regained some hope for this season, but its been really ugly since. 

I have repeatedly said I like Shaka and I think he'll get there.  Definitely not this season, probably not next season.  It'll happen.  I think he's a good coach.  I did, however, have higher hopes for Shaka in year 1 after he was hired, and I am discouraged by this roster. 

I also think this overarching philosophy peddled here constantly that Shaka is building this great culture, all these guys have bought in and they're all just going to ignore the open transfer market and sing Kumbaya for 4 seasons is a bunch of BS.  He built a roster that can't compete against high major teams, and is highly reliant on retaining the lionshare of these young players for 3-4 seasons in a new environment in cbb that makes that statistically improbable.  A large share of this "culture" he building is high likely to be out the door in 24 months.  Build a roster to win each season.  He got too cute, IMO. 

Nearly everything here speculating about the future is....well....speculation.  Just like your comical statement that 10 or 11 of these guys are here for the "long haul".  Again, pass the joint, bruh.  Take a look around the NCAA - very few guys are going to be staying in one place for 4 seasons moving forward. 

I've largely been a very optimistic fan and poster over the years.  I am sick of sucking balls.  Its gotten old.  I expect better.  I didn't expect a team ranked in the top 25 this year, but I did expect Shaka to build a team that could compete in the BE.  This one can't.

I'd say being in 1 possession games under a minute against 2 of the Top 3 teams in the Big East is competing.

I take back the 10 of 11...hyperbole  Here is who I think will be here for the long haul and a great nucleus to build from:

Kolek
Oso
Joplin
Kam
OMax
Emarion

I think Justin stays for 1 more year along with Stevie.  Me belief is that Sean Jones will come in and impact PT for Stevie.  Stevie is a high character kid - maybe he stays - yet I can see hime being odd man out.  Emarion has more upside and less "competition" at his position.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I mean, it's not BS, it's clearly what he's doing (unless his talent evaluation is spectacularly bad). Will it work? We will see.

You quite literally just admitted that having 4-5 of the 9 "freshman" still on this roster in 24 months would be a win. I don't think his talent evaluation is poor.  I think his strategy on building this roster was poor considering the times. 

I think by then (23-24 season(, we'll be good even if the only guys still on this current roster are Kam Jones, Stevie Mitchell, Tyler Kolek and Oso.  But that also supports the notion he didn't need to come close to punting this season by not bringing in any true impact upper classmen besides Morsell who is clearly much better suited for a supporting role.  Just hoped for a quicker path to relevancy when Shaka was hired.  I think that is fair. 

[Elonsmusk]

Ners, I appreciate the optimism, but if someone used this line on Wojo, you would have gone medieval on them.

That's comparing apples to oranges.  One coach has a Final Four under his belt, and the other came in and proved 10 games in he was dense AF.   

Further I don't recall many Wojo teams battling back after big deficits at the half.  This team has battled back a ton to win some games, and darn near snatch a few others. 

[LAZER]

That's comparing apples to oranges.  One coach has a Final Four under his belt, and the other came in and proved 10 games in he was dense AF.   

Further I don't recall many Wojo teams battling back after big deficits at the half.  This team has battled back a ton to win some games, and darn near snatch a few others.

Selective memory

[Uncle Rico]

Focus

[JakeBarnes]

I mean, it's not BS, it's clearly what he's doing (unless his talent evaluation is spectacularly bad). Will it work? We will see.

But what is Scoop if not broad declarations about future (and past) outcomes as being certain?

[jfp61]

Selective memory

Yes and no. They battled back in one game all 2021 (@ Georgetown), and 3 times in 2020 ( vs. Purdue, vs. Depaul, and the one point lose at Nova).

I think the 2018 team did it often, but that was 1. wojo's best team, and 2. wojo's luckiest team until the last few games of the year.

Shaka is a much more of a live dog than wojo was.

[Herman Cain]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YPEJZICCaE

Sean Jones will help next year.  #5 in blue.

Thanks for sharing, this video gives provides an excellent in game view to Mr. Jones skills.

He is also quite a physical specimen, with a neck like a linebacker.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Kolek
Oso
Joplin
Kam
OMax
Emarion

Kolek has proven to be a very good passer, but needs to regain his shooting touch and become a scoring threat.  Closer to Cadougan than Diener right now.

Oso will be at the very least a productive starter.  But will he be a star or more like Scott Merritt?

Joplin...I really have no idea.  A total wait and see how he develops.

Kam Jones has flashed but is very inconsistent.  My fear is he's Hannif Cheatham 2.0 but hopefully he becomes much better than that.

O-Max is intriguing.  The UConn game gave us a taste of his potential. But another guy that still needs lots of development.

Ellis is a total lottery ticket. Has the athleticism of an NBA player but so far he's  just Boo Christian 2.0.

So I see four role players for sure. Hopefully 1-2 develop into good starters. Still need more talent IMO.  Maybe Sean Jones and Chase Ross will help, but they're more wait-and-see prospects.

[BM1090]

Yes and no. They battled back in one game all 2021 (@ Georgetown), and 3 times in 2020 ( vs. Purdue, vs. Depaul, and the one point lose at Nova).

I think the 2018 team did it often, but that was 1. wojo's best team, and 2. wojo's luckiest team until the last few games of the year.

Shaka is a much more of a live dog than wojo was.

Selective memory.

They battled back from double digits and won @ Creighton in 2018, 2019, and 2021. Nova in 2017, obviously. That's just from memory. I'm sure there were others.

I do agree with your last sentence.

[brewcity77]

In a couple years, this freshman class (eligibility wise) is much more likely to be dispersed across the country at other D1 programs and/or playing professionally, than the lionshare of them being physically mature studs playing for Shaka.  Its the reality of CBB today, and why Shaka's year 1 philosophy kind of sucked and is blowing up in his face.

You keep saying this even though Shaka's track record of retaining players says you are incorrect. I know you like the whole "reality of CBB today" argument, but you haven't seen how it plays out here and until there is proof of Shaka losing more recruits than he retains, the historical track which has been shared with you in the past is the only indicator we have, which shows Shaka is better at retaining players than our past coaches have been.

[Elonsmusk]

Selective memory

Well I'd hope over a 7 year coaching tenure a coach would have some teams that battle back from deficits.  On the whole, Wojo's teams were busts when facing double digit deficits, and imploded down the stretch run of seasons.

This aside, really no point in rehashing so was unnecessary for TAMU to introduce Wojo into this conversation.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I mean I didn't really say anything about Wojo one way or the other, just you.  Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying optimistic Ners, I hope he stays

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

You keep saying this even though Shaka's track record of retaining players says you are incorrect. I know you like the whole "reality of CBB today" argument, but you haven't seen how it plays out here and until there is proof of Shaka losing more recruits than he retains, the historical track which has been shared with you in the past is the only indicator we have, which shows Shaka is better at retaining players than our past coaches have been.

Historical track record on transfers is meaningless to me when he's never dealt with retaining a roster with immediate transfers.  I also don't think Shaka's ability to retain talent at VCU or Texas is at all relevant to retaining talent at Marquette.  Three extremely different schools in just about every way.

I hope Shaka can retain most of these guys.  But I am not naïve enough to believe he's going to buck the trend and keep this core together when the vast majority of college basketball players that use up their eligibility will have transferred at some point. He could of built a solid roster this year - instead he loaded up on freshman and projects in hopes he can retain them when the rules of transfers were just loosened...immensely.  It just seems like a poor thing to bet on, and its certainly not a strategy that is leading to good basketball in season 1.

[BM1090]

Historical track record on transfers is meaningless to me when he's never dealt with retaining a roster with immediate transfers.  I also don't think Shaka's ability to retain talent at VCU or Texas is at all relevant to retaining talent at Marquette.  Three extremely different schools in just about every way.

I hope Shaka can retain most of these guys.  But I am not naïve enough to believe he's going to buck the trend and keep this core together when the vast majority of college basketball players that use up their eligibility will have transferred at some point. He could of built a solid roster this year - instead he loaded up on freshman and projects in hopes he can retain them when the rules of transfers were just loosened...immensely.  It just seems like a poor thing to bet on, and its certainly not a strategy that is leading to good basketball in season 1.

If he fared better than his peers under the old transfer rules, it is reasonable to assume he'll fare better than his peers with the new transfer rules. What does that look like for MU and across the country? I don't think any of us know. But I do expect MU to have a better retention rate than most programs and I think there's legitimate reason for that expectation.

[Elonsmusk]

I mean I didn't really say anything about Wojo one way or the other, just you.  Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying optimistic Ners, I hope he stays

All good.  You did post this, which is how Wojo came up.     Ners, I appreciate the optimism, but if someone used this line on Wojo, you would have gone medieval on them.

But I'm enjoying the new regime and being excited and harmonious with you and others.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

All good.  You did post this, which is how Wojo came up.     Ners, I appreciate the optimism, but if someone used this line on Wojo, you would have gone medieval on them.

But I'm enjoying the new regime and being excited and harmonious with you and others.

Oh I know what I said.  I was just saying that while Wojos name was in the sentence,  it wasn't really about him

[The Equalizer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YPEJZICCaE

Sean Jones will help next year.  #5 in blue.

A serious question for those who see significant help coming next year in the form of Sean Jones--is he really going to be significantly more ready in his freshman year than Mitchell, Joplin, Ellis or Kam were this year? I'd like to believe that the cavalry is coming, but I fear that for all the excitement over Sean Jones and Chase Ross, they seem like the type of players who will help us more in '25 and '26 as opposed to next year.

[The Sultan]

Some people are really excited about Sean Jones.  And hey he might be way better than his rankings indicate.  But IMO, I think we get more improvement from our guys coming back with one year additional experience than the freshman at this point.

[Stretchdeltsig]

A serious question for those who see significant help coming next year in the form of Sean Jones--is he really going to be significantly more ready in his freshman year than Mitchell, Joplin, Ellis or Kam were this year? I'd like to believe that the cavalry is coming, but I fear that for all the excitement over Sean Jones and Chase Ross, they seem like the type of players who will help us more in '25 and '26 as opposed to next year.

Sad but true. Too bad we don't have a freshman or JV team for kids to mature.

[BrewCity83]

"The best thing about Freshmen is that they become Sophomores."  ~ Al

[tower912]

"The best thing about Freshmen is that they become Sophomores."  ~ Al

Of course, these days, what is a freshman and what is a sophomore?

[Spotcheck Billy]

"The best thing about Freshmen is that they become Sophomores Transfers."  ~ Al

just poking the bear

[BrewCity83]

just poking the bear

Grrrrr....ouch!  LOL

[brewcity77]

Historical track record on transfers is meaningless to me

So historical track record is meaningless when you selectively decide it is?

We're less than a year into immediate eligibility and all we can go by is history. Transfers have been skyrocketing across the NCAA for the past decade as we've already seen, but that hasn't happened to Smart's programs. You act like increased transfers is something new, it's not. Which is why the only thing we can go by is historical track record and dismissing that makes it sound like you are just trying to create a new narrative out of whole cloth with nothing to back it up but your own negativity.