Recruiting as of 4/15/25

[tower912]

I thought Omax would be a first round draft pick, that Stevie would be a starter as a sophomore, that Oso would be a first round draft pick and that Kolek reminded me of Brunson.   Conversely, I thought Joey was a punk early in his freshman year but kept it to myself because I don't believe in tearing down kids and I alway trust they can improve.

Ben Gold has never been viewed as the project he is and I have never been able to figure out why.   Tremendous athlete growing up.  Projected as a rugby player or Olympic track and field athlete.   Then he kept growing.    Focuses on basketball.   At just about the time he would be looking to go to an American prep school to play basketball, COVID hits.    He spends time at the NBA international academy.    He doesn't travel.   He isn't challenged by D1 talent every day.    MU lands him.   Welcome to Milwaukee.   All of the adjustments.  Playing a game with more speed and physicality than he is used to.   Thrown into the deep end.   Then, this past offseason, he misses two months of conditioning and skill development with shin splints.   
  OMG, he sucks! wail certain subsets of the MU fanbase.   Forgetting Oso played 38 minutes as a freshman and came off the bench as a sophomore.    Or that Brian Butch redshirted.   Or Frank Kaminsky sucked his freshman year.
  I see a 6'11 kid figuring it out and getting better.  Which is all we can ask.  How did he look when he played 26 minutes in back to back games?    The defense was there.   His help defense was stellar, his post defense was good.   But, OMG, quick guards drove at him.   He isn't Oso.   I was disappointed when they got him the ball down low and he didn't attack the rim.   Definitely something to work on.

He will be fine. He won't be Oso.  He will be a decent, different Big East center. His biggest weakness right now is confidence.   Worry about the depth behind him.

[Its DJOver]

Not sure Amadeau will play much either, he is so skinny, plus in 10 months do you think he is going  to become a player?  Should have redshirted him this year.  I can see him  transferring like Itejere

Oh good we're starting these rumors already.  Keeyan spent 2+ years in the program and proved that he could not compete at a high major level even after spending a year with a non-medical redshirt just working on his game.  Further, he saw that Ben had already passed him on the depth chart as the back-up 5.  Not many college players stick around when someone younger than them moves past them.  Unless Hamilton is so clearly better than Al in practices this year tha Al knows that he'll be behind him his entire career, Al should be licking his chops at grabbing some of the 32 mpg that Oso is leaving behind.

[lawdog77]

I thought Omax would be a first round draft pick, that Stevie would be a starter as a sophomore, that Oso would be a first round draft pick and that Kolek reminded me of Brunson.   Conversely, I thought Joey was a punk early in his freshman year

[tower912]

BCHoopster, I simply cannot understand why you don't allow for or believe in development and improvement.   Considering that is a pillar of what Shaka is trying to do.   Few players enter college as a finished product.  Those who are usually leave after a year.

[nyg]

Tower, never stated he sucked. In my opinion, he is not a center.  He is a four who plays outside the paint and is a defensive liability against smaller, quicker players who blow by him.   That's it and as of now, my opinion not going to change.
If Shaka deems it appropriate next year and plays him there, that's his decision and most would accept that.  It would certainly take the opponents center outside the paint, but offense is only half the game. 

[tower912]

NYG, I see the doubles/hedges and the retreats/recoveries.  He has excelled at those.   I see the defensive rebounding.  I see him learning and improving. 

For funsies, how many 6'10+ players look really good defending a quick guard on the perimeter?  Besides Oso.   That is why teams run the pick and roll.   To get Luke, Theo, Jayce, Ben in space.   It was Wright's secret sauce.   Keep trying to force a switch until Theo is guarding Brunson.

Hopefully, MU has him two more years so we can watch him improve.

[PGsHeroes32]

Shaka will look to the portal for a point guard. Doesn't mean he will take one, but he will take a look.

That's a glaring opening. And I'm thinking he could have a lot of good interested options being able to sell any guard on what Kolek did here.

Will they ask for too much/not be a long term culture fit? Possibly.

But I guarantee he looks.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Please tell me which player is the center.

Player A

17.6% D-reb rate
4.3% blk

Player B
15.2% D-Reb rate
4.5% blk

[Uncle Rico]

Please tell me which player is the center.

Player A

17.6% D-reb rate
4.3% blk

Player B
15.2% D-Reb rate
4.5% blk

I know the answer but won't cheat.  I'd add the fouls committed per 40 but it's still interesting

[BCHoopster]

BCHoopster, I simply cannot understand why you don't allow for or believe in development and improvement.   Considering that is a pillar of what Shaka is trying to do.   Few players enter college as a finished product.  Those who are usually leave after a year.

Every player matures at a certain pace. Oso is a great example, his improvement is thru the charts.  I have  a good enough eye on seeing kids athletically to see if they have a chance to be a player in 4 years.  Tre not sold he will be a player in the future, not quick enough where as Lowery reminds me of Earl Tatum, very smooth and athletic.  A good freshman is somebody who can average 6-8 points a game, Butch Lee averaged 8.7 points a game, on a great team, knew he was going to be a great college player.  Now I can look at Frank Kaminsky and never expected what he did, hopefully Al can do that as well. One thing he never know is a players heart, some kids dig better and want it more than others! Time will tell.

[tower912]

Shaka answers questions about Parham and Owens in his media availability.     Offense far ahead of defense.   

[wadesworld]

I don't know why people think Ben is a 4, and then talk about his inability to guard on the perimeter.

Pay attention to who Ben is guarding and who Oso is guarding when they're both on the floor together.  Ben is guarding the 5, Oso is guarding the 4.

Ben is a 5.

[JTJ3]

I don't know why people think Ben is a 4, and then talk about his inability to guard on the perimeter.

Pay attention to who Ben is guarding and who Oso is guarding when they're both on the floor together.  Ben is guarding the 5, Oso is guarding the 4.

Ben is a 5.

100%.  And Im very comfortable going into next year with Ben starting at the 5.  Who gets the minutes off the bench is the big question, but there are plenty of options.

[tower912]

I don't know why people think Ben is a 4, and then talk about his inability to guard on the perimeter.

Pay attention to who Ben is guarding and who Oso is guarding when they're both on the floor together.  Ben is guarding the 5, Oso is guarding the 4.

Ben is a 5.

Phew.    I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one seeing that.   

[Spotcheck Billy]

Shaka will look to the portal for a point guard.

Hopefully he grabs one before Steve Forbes @ Wake strikes again.

[MU82]

Ben's definitely a 5. Just because he can pick-and-pop and hit some 3s doesn't mean he's a 4.

I mean, is Jokic a 4? Is Bam a 4? You get your position by who you defend, and as others have said, Ben's a 5.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

I know the answer but won't cheat.  I'd add the fouls committed per 40 but it's still interesting

That and O-Reb rate would be a dead giveaway.

Hopefully some of the Center experts can weigh in.

[Pakuni]

Ben's definitely a 5. Just because he can pick-and-pop and hit some 3s doesn't mean he's a 4.

I mean, is Jokic a 4? Is Bam a 4? You get your position by who you defend, and as others have said, Ben's a 5.

Ben can be a 5 offensively.
The question is can he guard anyone in the post, at least without constant foul trouble. Right now, only Tre (among the regulars) is committing more fouls per 40 than Ben. Those we can chalk up to overaggressiveness,inexperience and what he's being asked to do defensively. For Ben, he's committing fouls because stronger guys are bullying him in the post and his only answer is to foul.
Doesn't mean he can't get better/stronger. But if you have zero concerns about Ben being asked to play 30+ minutes a night as a 5, you're a very optimistic guy.

[Its DJOver]

Anyone know Ben's fouls/40 splits in conference vs non-con?  Looking at his game log I see one conference game where he had more than 2 fouls.  How much are his total season stats hurt by his 3 fouls in 6 min vs Madison, 4 fouls in 10 min vs Purdue and 3 fouls in 5 min vs Kansas? It's almost like he's improved as the season's gone on.

[Goose]

tower

You and I seem to have very similar thoughts on most players at MU. Not just because we have similar opinions, but I like how you break down your player evaluations. Since Shaka has arrived, I do not think you have missed the mark on one player.

[Don_Kojis]

I hope Ben gets stronger with his hands.  It seems every game he gets the ball taken away from him while rebounding. Hope he can become more than Mel Counts.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Anyone know Ben's fouls/40 splits in conference vs non-con?  Looking at his game log I see one conference game where he had more than 2 fouls.  How much are his total season stats hurt by his 3 fouls in 6 min vs Madison, 4 fouls in 10 min vs Purdue and 3 fouls in 5 min vs Kansas? It's almost like he's improved as the season's gone on.

Season 4.6 fouls/40

Conference only 3.7 fouls/40

Still not stellar, but an improvement.

[BCHoopster]

Hope he can become as good as Brad Lohaus!

[onepost]

I hope Ben gets stronger with his hands.  It seems every game he gets the ball taken away from him while rebounding. Hope he can become more than Mel Counts.

Totally agree.  I will say, I've been really encouraged by Ben's recent physicality on the boards (saw it in person against DePaul) and his defense (blocks against Seton Hall (one that he saved and led to a fastbreak for Jop) and Georgetown).  Between Ben and Jop's improvement on that end of the court, that's so huge for us down the stretch.

[tower912]

tower

You and I seem to have very similar thoughts on most players at MU. Not just because we have similar opinions, but I like how you break down your player evaluations. Since Shaka has arrived, I do not think you have missed the mark on one player.

Whiffed on Keeyan.