One-n-done/4 year Hybrid

[axaguy]

Interesting, varying thoughts here......... Do not like the one and dones at all. I don't believe HE improved at all while here. He got the adulation and special handling he was used to at club level and in high school as well as exposure in the media. But skill wise don't think I saw improvement in him. Left as the same player he was when he arrived only a year or so older.....maybe heavier. He used us and we him. Be honest.

Agree with Warriorchick on one and dones but think her thoughts on "students" and "board of trustee" candidates is far fetched as well. If we were Ivy League, maybe, but not as a high D1 program looking at repeated tournament appearances year after year as a goal. Guys don't have to be academic casualties but won't be phi-beta-kapa either..... Hopefully not like North Carolina...... Not that I wouldn't LIKE her premise but think it's unrealistic expectations.

HE was here because he was a Wisconsin kid and many here would have thought us as a loser if Bucky got him or he went out of state. I don't consider him an alum any more than any kid who came here a year and moved on elsewhere to another school or career. Attended here but alum...no. Made no mark and that opinion would not be swayed if a "supporting cast" was better or we made the tournament. His jersey will never be in the rafters but we DID invite him here.... Have to examine if we want to do that again and how often as further debated here... What are the costs and benefits to MU? Personally don't think it's worth it... Others disagree. That's fine.... Just my thoughts.

[muwarrior69]

Hmm....might be one and done for one of the frosh or Harry if we sign QG as well.

[warriorchick]

Interesting, varying thoughts here......... Do not like the one and dones at all. I don't believe HE improved at all while here. He got the adulation and special handling he was used to at club level and in high school as well as exposure in the media. But skill wise don't think I saw improvement in him. Left as the same player he was when he arrived only a year or so older.....maybe heavier. He used us and we him. Be honest.

Agree with Warriorchick on one and dones but think her thoughts on "students" and "board of trustee" candidates is far fetched as well. If we were Ivy League, maybe, but not as a high D1 program looking at repeated tournament appearances year after year as a goal. Guys don't have to be academic casualties but won't be phi-beta-kapa either..... Hopefully not like North Carolina...... Not that I wouldn't LIKE her premise but think it's unrealistic expectations.

HE was here because he was a Wisconsin kid and many here would have thought us as a loser if Bucky got him or he went out of state. I don't consider him an alum any more than any kid who came here a year and moved on elsewhere to another school or career. Attended here but alum...no. Made no mark and that opinion would not be swayed if a "supporting cast" was better or we made the tournament. His jersey will never be in the rafters but we DID invite him here.... Have to examine if we want to do that again and how often as further debated here... What are the costs and benefits to MU? Personally don't think it's worth it... Others disagree. That's fine.... Just my thoughts.

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.  I know that a large number of one and dones take the minimum amount of easy classes first semester and then drop out second semester as soon as the tournament is over.  I don't expect all of our players to be titans of industry - but I like the fact that most of them take their studies seriously and graduate with real degrees.  And my Board of Trustees comment (and we have had multiple ex-players on ours) was just an example of having affinity towards our school that goes beyond basketball.   How many Kentucky players have any non-basketball interaction with their school after they leave?

[brewcity77]

I don't believe HE improved at all while here. He got the adulation and special handling he was used to at club level and in high school as well as exposure in the media. But skill wise don't think I saw improvement in him. Left as the same player he was when he arrived only a year or so older.....maybe heavier. He used us and we him. Be honest.

To be honest, I think you are completely wrong about this. Henry turned a corner starting with the Stetson game. I'm not sure why that was the point, but I remember being very frustrated with his shot selection. I felt he just bombed away. But starting with that game, his shooting percentages across the board improved. His final 13 games were better than his first 20.

Code: [Select]

                 FTs      FT%       2Ps      2P%      3Ps      3P%     eFG%    RPG   BPG

First 20 Games  72/98    73.5%    97/199    48.7%    16/67    24.8%    45.5%   9.8   1.6
Last 13 Games   71/93    76.3%    67/132    50.8%    14/37    37.8%    52.1%   9.5   1.3
His shooting numbers improved across the board, he got to the line more, he significantly improved his three point percentage and eFG percentage. His rebounding and blocks took minor hits, but this was against the toughest competition he faced all season. Of the first 20 games, over half (11) were against sub-100 Pomeroy teams but few of the final 13 games (3) were against sub-100 opponents. In the first 20 games, we had 2 wins over tournament teams, in the last 13 we had 3. FWIW, Henry was SOTG in all 5 of those games.

That means he faced more top-100 opponents and beat more tournament teams in the final 13 games, when his numbers were at their best, than he did in the first 20 games when his numbers were not as good. Henry definitely improved through the season and the numbers bear it out.

[Marcus92]

Great post, Brew.

I think it comes down to bringing in the best talent that fits your system. Whether they're a 1-and-done or not shouldn't really enter the discussion. For starters, what program would say no to a commitment from a 5-star Top 10 player? I've yet to hear of one. Henry generated a lot of excitement coming in — so much so that expectations were frankly too high. But that doesn't mean we should have passed on him. To me, this entire question is pretty much irrelevant on that basis alone.

I guess you could argue it's about where you put your recruiting priority. But again, you're always looking to bring in the best possible players. Wojo and his staff seem to have a good feel for understanding which recruits have genuine interest in MU. If those recruits happen to be in the Top 10, you bet Wojo is going to go after them. As he should.

Finally, you just never know. Plenty of top 10 high school players don't make quite the splash expected — and when the draft rolls around, fall outside the lottery. Many of those players decide to return for a second season. (As just one example, former Top 10 recruit and McDonald's All-American Marcus Lee came back to Kentucky in 2014.)

I'm with everyone who likes to watch players grow and develop over the course of four years. That's part of what makes college basketball special. But I hold nothing against players who leave early to pursue their professional careers. What's the difference between leaving after 1 season (Henry Ellenson), 2 seasons (Dwyane Wade) or 3 seasons (Vander Blue)? They all left early. Or what about someone like Robert Jackson, a transfer who only played here for 1 season? I enjoyed watching each of them as long as they wore a Marquette uniform.

The NBA introduced the 1-and-done rule after drafting a bunch of 18-year-olds who didn't pan out. Now the commissioner has indicated the league isn't entirely happy with the 1-and-done rule. We'll see what happens.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Interesting, varying thoughts here......... Do not like the one and dones at all. I don't believe HE improved at all while here. He got the adulation and special handling he was used to at club level and in high school as well as exposure in the media. But skill wise don't think I saw improvement in him. Left as the same player he was when he arrived only a year or so older.....maybe heavier. He used us and we him. Be honest.

Agree with Warriorchick on one and dones but think her thoughts on "students" and "board of trustee" candidates is far fetched as well. If we were Ivy League, maybe, but not as a high D1 program looking at repeated tournament appearances year after year as a goal. Guys don't have to be academic casualties but won't be phi-beta-kapa either..... Hopefully not like North Carolina...... Not that I wouldn't LIKE her premise but think it's unrealistic expectations.

HE was here because he was a Wisconsin kid and many here would have thought us as a loser if Bucky got him or he went out of state. I don't consider him an alum any more than any kid who came here a year and moved on elsewhere to another school or career. Attended here but alum...no. Made no mark and that opinion would not be swayed if a "supporting cast" was better or we made the tournament. His jersey will never be in the rafters but we DID invite him here.... Have to examine if we want to do that again and how often as further debated here... What are the costs and benefits to MU? Personally don't think it's worth it... Others disagree. That's fine.... Just my thoughts.

Agree 100%.  One and drones are not worth the effort.