Markus

[Jockey]

I can't speak for our other players, but Markus plays PG and is therefore facing constant pressure and is also regularly sprinting through multiple screens when he doesn't have the ball and is chasing opponents guards on D.  I may be wrong, but it feels like he puts more miles on the odometer per minute than do our other players (and I imagine most players on other teams) when he is playing.  Watching live, I thought he looked banged up and was not fluid in his running/movements in the Big East Tournament.  Whether that is conditioning or a nagging injury, I don't know. 

Not making excuses, but cutting down his minutes so he's only playing 32 min in the major conference games because we have a bench that can play for him has to be a good thing.

One word.

KembaWalker

[JakeBarnes]

I heard at the 31 flavors that Markus has told teammates he is moving on. But again, treat this like the rumors that we hear in coaching. People may just be making rumors so they can hear those rumors back.

If it is true, I wish him the best. It has been a lot of fun to watch him play. He has been a wonderful representative of Marquette on and off the court.

Moreover, if true, I am really excited to see the Koby/Greg/Symir era begin.

[Jockey]

Markus lands at #86 in the Top 100 Prospects list on ESPN.  Just ahead of Cassius Winston and Ethan Happ.
Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz wrote an 'NBA Draft Stock Watch: Intel on Top 100 Prospects' article, but it's an ESPN+ article that I won't pay for.

So if anyone on here has ESPN+ and wants to share with us what it says related to Markus, that'd be great.
Unless the guy truly hates school (he doesn't) and the college experience (he doesn't) ala Vander, it seems obvious what his choice should be.

Markus was not mentioned in the article.

[Skip Intro]

Markus ran out of gas.  Not sure if he was worn out or banged up.  He just didn't have "it" the last 8 games or so.  He wasn't the only one.  Makes you wonder if our conditioning program is not as good as we were led to believe.

I thought this was a possibility, too, but I'm not sure it's provable unless the team comes out and admits they were all gassed by the end of the year. 

From what I've seen/heard, Wojo doesn't appear to push his teams to "Buzz's boot camp" levels.  Makes you wonder if Buzz's teams are just more physically equipped for the long season, even if the pre-season boot camps make them more tired early on and susceptible to non-conference bed-craps (e.g., Penn State this year).

[MU82]

More speculation by all of us ... cuz that's what we do. But anyhoo ...

I felt that Markus wasn't so much tired as he was playing hurt for quite awhile. Just my opinion watching our last month of games.

[JakeBarnes]

More speculation by all of us ... cuz that's what we do. But anyhoo ...

I felt that Markus wasn't so much tired as he was playing hurt for quite awhile. Just my opinion watching our last month of games.

Agreed. I think the groin was more of a factor than we ever knew.

[CTWarrior]

One word.

KembaWalker

Kemba Walker was bigger and stronger than Markus, and Kemba Walker's don't grow on trees.  They are hard to find.  Kemba also had freshmen Shabazz Napier to handle the ball for stretches so Walker could play off the ball.  Shabazz himself is another good comp.  He averaged 35 mpg as a PG over the whole season in 2014 when UConn won the NC again, and had Ryan Boatwright to take some of the ball handling duties.  Markus didn't have one of those guys.

[nyg]

Kemba Walker is 6ft 1 and 190 lbs. and has fantastic ball handling skills. Built like a rock.
Markus will probably be 5ft 10 and 175 and cannot dribble out of a double team.

Kemba had an outstanding BE and NCAA tournament runs.
Markus basically did nothing, if not hamper his outlook in both tournaments.

Kemba is a free agent, currently making 12M a year, coming off a four year contract.  Will probably get about 100M contract in few months.  The comparison has been brought up on numerous occasions, but just don't see it.  Maybe its just a close to the height thing. 

[Goose]

Sorry, Markus is no Kemba Walker. Not a rip on Howard, Kemba is the real deal in the NBA.

[GoldenEagle323]

Markus is a great player but he is no kemba walker, maybe eventually but not now

[avid1010]

markus played plenty of games at the beginning of the year that looked more like the way he played at the end of the year...i'm not interested in excuses for his play given that he still couldn't manage to pass to a wide-open sam while jacking from nba range.  if he was hurt, tired, not feeling it, etc... he should have stopped jacking shots and found an open teammate.  i get that he isn't a point guard, and i get that his size effects his ability to pass out of a double team, but there were plenty of plays where guys were wide-open and getting them the ball required no more talent than any high school point guard possesses.  markus chose not to pass the ball...if he was hurt and still pulling that sh1t it makes it even worse. 

[NickelDimer]

I heard at the 31 flavors that Markus has told teammates he is moving on. But again, treat this like the rumors that we hear in coaching. People may just be making rumors so they can hear those rumors back.

If it is true, I wish him the best. It has been a lot of fun to watch him play. He has been a wonderful representative of Marquette on and off the court.

Moreover, if true, I am really excited to see the Koby/Greg/Symir era begin.

31 flavors line gave me the Ferris sarcastic vibe but the rest of your post seemed genuine?

[onepost]

Can't a third reason to leave would be to make money professionally? The guy was BEast Player of the Year. I doubt his NBA stock gets any higher next year as he will be the same height but a year older. If you could get a job in your chosen field a year earlier, would you have stayed at Marquette? Sure I liked my time at MU, but if I could've gotten out a year early with a job lined up I would've been done in 3.

Absolutely it can be a reason.  Could be foolish of me, but I guess I peg Markus as a guy who doesn't want to just settle for getting paid to play basketball like Vander did.  With that, and knowing how vital draft spot equalling guaranteed money is, I do think he sees himself as a guy who can play his way into guaranteed money (like Carsen Edwards in this tourney, he's at #25 on that list) and not just 'maybe I'll get drafted'.  So while some see it as "he's reached his highest value: might as well leave now" I strongly disagree in that he could prove he's a legit PG prospect (improved assist rate, A/TO ratio, handle, decision-making) and another year could improve his stock to the point he gets guaranteed money and contract security.

[Jockey]

Kemba Walker is 6ft 1 and 190 lbs.

5-11 1/2"

[CTWarrior]

Absolutely it can be a reason.  Could be foolish of me, but I guess I peg Markus as a guy who doesn't want to just settle for getting paid to play basketball like Vander did.  With that, and knowing how vital draft spot equalling guaranteed money is, I do think he sees himself as a guy who can play his way into guaranteed money (like Carsen Edwards in this tourney, he's at #25 on that list) and not just 'maybe I'll get drafted'.  So while some see it as "he's reached his highest value: might as well leave now" I strongly disagree in that he could prove he's a legit PG prospect (improved assist rate, A/TO ratio, handle, decision-making) and another year could improve his stock to the point he gets guaranteed money and contract security.

To me, I always think if you are not going to get drafted get your degree.  A guy like Markus would have a great chance at coaching and there are going to be positions that require the college degree.  Maximize your options.  Going back to school and paying for it later is a pain in the neck.  He'll only be 21 if he stays another year anyway.  If you think you are going to get drafted in the second round it is a tougher choice and either option would be reasonable.  If you are going to be a first round choice, unless you REALLY love college, go.  If you are a lottery pick, if you REALLY love college, go anyway.

[nyg]

5-11 1/2"

Whatever, nick pit all you want. I'll go with this. 

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6479/kemba-walker

[BM1090]

Whatever, nick pit all you want. I'll go with this. 

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6479/kemba-walker

5'11 184 lbs at the combine. But I still don't see the Kemba/Markus comparison.

https://www.si.com/nba/2013/12/13/draft-measurements

[Jockey]

Whatever, nick pit all you want. I'll go with this. 

http://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6479/kemba-walker

I was simply stating his actual height. Players and teams exaggerate all of the time. Draymond Green is listed at 6'7" even though he is 6'-5.75". Jae Crowder is 6'-4.75"despite being listed at 6'6". It is what teams do.

If you want real heights, look at measurements from the Draft Combine.

[Jockey]

5'11 184 lbs at the combine. But I still don't see the Kemba/Markus comparison.

https://www.si.com/nba/2013/12/13/draft-measurements

Agreed. I made no comparison between the two players other than saying that playing a lot of minutes doesn't mean they get worn out by season's end.

I firmly believe Markus was still feeling the effects of his injury the last few weeks of the year.

[JakeBarnes]

31 flavors line gave me the Ferris sarcastic vibe but the rest of your post seemed genuine?

I wanted to keep my "source" (a friend [person 1], who knows a guy [person 2] who talked to a "player on the team") within perspective. I can't speak to the veracity of person 2, nor if a conversation happened at all. Again, all we know is that we don't know, but it isn't shocking if it is true and MH is gone.

[NickelDimer]

I wanted to keep my "source" (a friend [person 1], who knows a guy [person 2] who talked to a "player on the team") within perspective. I can't speak to the veracity of person 2, nor if a conversation happened at all. Again, all we know is that we don't know, but it isn't shocking if it is true and MH is gone.

Well I for one welcome all rumors. They keep things interesting and give us something to talk about other than Wojo sucking or walking on water. Thanks for the info

[GooooMarquette]

5'11 184 lbs at the combine. But I still don't see the Kemba/Markus comparison.

https://www.si.com/nba/2013/12/13/draft-measurements

Since he plays in shoes (barring the occasional wardrobe malfunction), the 6'1" seems more relevant....

[brewcity77]

Since he plays in shoes (barring the occasional wardrobe malfunction), the 6'1" seems more relevant....

Sure...but everybody plays in shoes. So it's not any more accurate.

[GooooMarquette]

Sure...but everybody plays in shoes. So it's not any more accurate.

I didn't say more accurate, I said more relevant.

[Jockey]

Since he plays in shoes (barring the occasional wardrobe malfunction), the 6'1" seems more relevant....

So Kemba could be a 6'11" center if he wore a stovepipe hat.