Let's talk about the roster/recruits w/Shaka

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Hmm you may need to look up what a certainty is...

Dude you've been blasting that Dawson is leaving for MN in every thread for a week. 

He may very well do just that, but you're going off homer gopher fans wishful thinking.  Let's let it play it before we consider him gone. 

[PGsHeroes32]

I should also add that all the Dawson chatter came off a Ryan James tweet(with vague follow up responses by James afterwords)

The tweet was something like this "Hearing a player may enter the portal in the next day or two who is considering coming home to MN for 1 year before the NBA"

Race Thompson literally hit the portal the next day. Hes played 3 years in college.

Now, NBA in 1 year for him is generous to say the least, but honestly it is for Dawson too.

Fact is Dawson hasnt transfered yet. And the other fact is, no one knows what hes gonna do. HOpe he stays, he may go.

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

I should also add that all the Dawson chatter came off a Ryan James tweet(with vague follow up responses by James afterwords)

The tweet was something like this "Hearing a player may enter the portal in the next day or two who is considering coming home to MN for 1 year before the NBA"

Race Thompson literally hit the portal the next day. Hes played 3 years in college.

Now, NBA in 1 year for him is generous to say the least, but honestly it is for Dawson too.

Fact is Dawson hasnt transfered yet. And the other fact is, no one knows what hes gonna do. HOpe he stays, he may go.

Precisely my point - don't even know that James was talking about Dawson.  To continue to repeat it is silly.  Maybe some homer Gopher fans ran with that tweet and it being Dawson, but like c'mon. 

[MUCam]

We will have better players on the court come the opening tip next season. The big three have not left yet and I believe they knew Shaka was coming.

Pure speculation, but I agree. I wrote earlier in the week that the quietness of the current team members boded well. I speculate that they knew who MU was talking to, and they were willing to wait and listen to that coach, whichever should be chosen.

Fingers crossed we keep them....

[Galway Eagle]

Dude you've been blasting that Dawson is leaving for MN in every thread for a week. 

He may very well do just that, but you're going off homer gopher fans wishful thinking.  Let's let it play it before we consider him gone.

Just took a gander at my posts going back a week to the 19th. I mentioned Dawson the following times:

here where I qualified it with likely.

Here where I was replying to you:

No idea. I'm not on social media anymore. I checked Lewis Garcia and Carton a few days ago on Twitter and there wasn't a mention.

Here where I was saying it was expected due to expected roster turnover from a coaching change

Shame. But expected

Here where I was replying to you and again was not the one who brought him up.

Must seriously not want to be far from home. But he'd instantly help get MN to be competitive if the top B1G programs lose Ayo Livers and Garza... and Hauser

So unless you can find where I've been blasting Dawson leaving on every thread with certainty for a week I'll be expecting an apology.

[SaveOD238]

ha, i think you know one of the big ones in 2021

That's what I thought, but I wasn't certain.  I would love to see this.

For what it's worth, if Shaka is bringing back the press he used at VCU he could do worse than Hunter's back court running mate at St Cats, Kam McGee.  He was always the defensive stopper.  They were 2/5 of the all state first team together.  Currently committed to GB.

[Tums Festival]

Priorities:

Dawson: likely gone given U of MN's new coach

DJ: Who knows

Lewis: possible given Shaka's connections to that area

Aidoo: was a long shot he was going to live up to the commitment

Mitchell: potentially sticks with it

Osa: who knows

Who's Osa?

[nyg]

I actually believe Garcia, Lewis and Carton stay.  This a major hire with national credentials and the players know who he is, not hiring a mid major coach.

Don't know of incoming recruits, but sure they know and their high school coaches/mentors know of Smart.  Now if it was Proser, don't think they stay.

[PGsHeroes32]

I actually believe Garcia, Lewis and Carton stay.  This a major hire with national credentials and the players know who he is, not hiring a mid major coach.

Don't know of incoming recruits, but sure they know and their high school coaches/mentors know of Smart.  Now if it was Proser, don't think they stay.

Pretty sure Cartons decision is still mostly what he believes his pro options are.

But yeah, getting Shaka I think increases the odds he doesnt gamble on what I believe are currently very murky pro chances next year.

[GoldenDieners32]

Hopefully top 50 signee for Texas Tamar Bates flips to MU

[marquette20]

First question is what group of assistants that Shaka builds at Marquette. Retaining Gainey as part of the staff could go a long way towards keeping the team together. Gainey could potentially be a new voice.

As far as recruits go, Shaka doesn't appear to recruited Aidoo at all but based on some of the way his bigs made it to 1st round picks at Texas, I think he could go along way towards retaining him. Wouldn't be shocked though if North Carolina or Duke come looking at him.

[MuggsyB]

Pretty sure Cartons decision is still mostly what he believes his pro options are.

But yeah, getting Shaka I think increases the odds he doesnt gamble on what I believe are currently very murky pro chances next year.

If pro means NBA chances I would say "murky" is a euphemism for not happening.  He needs to dramatically improve his jumper and decision making with the rock.  Phenomenal athlete that realistically could get there but has a ways to go.

[nyg]

If Carton goes pro, probably not to NBA, so be it and good luck to him.  No one will know if it is a mistake.

This hire will enhance the recruiting of MU, whether it's this year or next.  Like I said previously, the players know his name and he has the contacts in the AAU circuit.  The players currently in the transfer portal also know of him and he is not an unknown commodity in the recruiting community, as a mid level program coach.  The transfer portal will be loaded in a week. 

He has probably discussed the hiring of his staff and salary projections of each, as it is usually conducted in negotiations.  I presume those assistant coaches will have the necessary AAU circuit ties and hopefully the coaching abilities to help the players. 

[Mu8891]

I agree with Goose

The players were VERY quiet.  No one
has left yet ...

I think most will stay. 

[LAZER]

Hopefully top 50 signee for Texas Tamar Bates flips to MU

Texas signee 6'5 CG Emarion Ellis #105 is from Davenport, IA.  Right next to Carton's hometown...if that's worth anything (probably not much)

[MarquetteMike1977]

Spoke with David Joplin in October no idea if he follows. Hope he does.

[Jockey]

Lol, this keeps getting repeated.  Do you have any reason to believe this other than some gopher fans insinuating on their fan message board that a former MN top recruit is entering the portal?  That was like 5 days ago.  Dawson may very well leave, but to say he is "likely gone", especially to MN just seems silly.  I am sure he is considering options, but hiring Shaka cannot hurt our chances of keeping Dawson/DJ/Lewis together.

I agree. This is all speculation - which is what makes it fun on Scoop.

In reality, I don't think that even one person who is making definitive statements actually has any knowledge as to who stays and who goes.

[MarquetteMike1977]

Spoke with David Joplin in October and pretty much said Texas is Great but Marquette is awesome too. Hope he follows.

[withoutbias]

Spoke with David Joplin in October and pretty much said Texas is Great but Marquette is awesome too. Hope he follows.

You've posted this like 16 times.

[StillAWarrior]

Spoke with David Joplin in October and pretty much said Texas is Great but Marquette is awesome too. Hope he follows.

But did he whisper it in your ear?

[Pakuni]

Seems encouraging ...

Karley Marotta @Karley_Marotta
Marquette has a meeting soon where they will likely make the hiring of Shaka Smart official. One player telling me "It's been a really positive reaction. Shaka has a really good reputation and recruited a couple of us at Texas. The teams been super excited so far." #MUBB

[MarquetteMike1977]

You've posted this like 16 times.

3 Times but this is the first time I said what we talked about. Wow You really follow Scoop hard. I like it!

[onepost]

I'm too lazy to embed the tweet, but Karley Marotta tweeted the following:

"Marquette has a meeting soon where they will likely make the hiring of Shaka Smart official.  One player telling me "It's been a really positive reaction.  Shaka has a really good reputation and recruited a couple of us at Texas.  The team's been super excited so far."

"recruited a couple of us at Texas" = Dawson Garcia.  UT was his very first college offer.
So can all of you Ryan James-truthers pump the brakes for two seconds?

[Hards Alumni]

Seems encouraging ...

Karley Marotta @Karley_Marotta
Marquette has a meeting soon where they will likely make the hiring of Shaka Smart official. One player telling me "It's been a really positive reaction. Shaka has a really good reputation and recruited a couple of us at Texas. The teams been super excited so far." #MUBB

What happens if some of them get Sha-kut?  Sorry, best I could do.

[MarquetteMike1977]

But did he whisper it in your ear?

Lol Cords and Lovell really did both whisper in my ear but David and I were talking loud in a parking lot at the CMH BC football game. Covid we were 6 feet apart.