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

[Hards Alumni]

Lol Cords and Lovell really did both whisper in my ear but David and I were talking loud in a parking lot.

I'm excited to hear if the Ying Yang Twins whispered in your ear.

[nyg]

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

This....Like I said in another thread.  The players, recruits, and those in the portal all know him.  AKA, he has street creds..

Keep the core and recruits, load up with a couple of portal transfer and let's go. 

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

[Goose]

TAMU

The first thing I would do if I were Shaka is decide if I want any of the current guys or incoming recruits. This is the time to start over. If he wants everyone to stay, I agree with your list. I hope he is bringing a shopping list with names of transfers on it and going from there.

[TallTitan34]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

I would visit Aidoo myself if I was Shaka.

[Tha Hound]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

I would love to retain exactly 3 of our players from last year. The others, like Greg and Jamal and Osa, if Shaka doesn't see them fitting in with his gameplan, I wouldn't be too upset. Especially with the unique opportunities the portal presents this year.

Am I convinced Shaka is the right guy? As of today, not really. But he is absolutely a well-known guy nationally, and still has a ton of pull. For that reason I think he can be extremely succesfull in bringing in top transfers immediately, especially on a team that has minutes to burn. So I would expect he finds the exact players he needs for his system in the portal and brings them in over players like greg and jamal who may or may not fit the system, but certainly aren't "must-keep" guys

[MarquetteMike1977]

I'm excited to hear if the Ying Yang Twins whispered in your ear.

Lol Probably not with covid

[Dr. Blackheart]

I would visit Aidoo myself if I was Shaka.

I'd stop by the Baldwin house too.

[Galway Eagle]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

Whats up with Kordell Charles? Who is he? How's he connected to us?

[JakeBarnes]

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?

Ding ding ding. Sounds like a positive clubhouse meeting. Dawson will probably stay. Lewis played at USA BBall camps and likely had experience with Shaka too. Really amped.

[MarquetteMike1977]

I'm excited to hear if the Ying Yang Twins whispered in your ear.

CMH BC football game. Covid we were 6 feet apart.

[Galway Eagle]

Ding ding ding. Sounds like a positive clubhouse meeting. Dawson will probably stay. Lewis played at USA BBall camps and likely had experience with Shaka too. Really amped.

Don't speak with such certainty.

[nyg]

Nice list, but new regime, go big on the transfers.  Just get one of the below.  Lets Go.....

Xavier Johnson from PITT
Nimari Burnett
Christian Landet
Noah Locke (friend of Lewis)
Earl Timberlake
J. Brakefield
Walter Kessler

[brewcity77]

shaka is very close with the phenom u directors

Someone should probably tell Antonio Curro that, he's not exactly being positive about the hire on Twitter.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Someone should probably tell Antonio Curro that, he's not exactly being positive about the hire on Twitter.

Who tf is Antonio Curro?

[brewcity77]

Who tf is Antonio Curro?

The founder of Phenom U.

[JakeBarnes]

The founder of Phenom U.

Patrick Baldwin to Marquette confirmed.

[MarquetteMike1977]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

Shaka should visit some of these with Gainey too but Seriously You should be on the staff.

[PhillyWarrior]

Nope no other reason.

I wonder how many of the current key players now realize that Wojo said a lot but did not coach these players as well as they may have thought when being recruited.
WHY would a top player want to play for a mediocre coach whose biggest asset is his bear hugs to players?  These days, many players need a hug and a safe space.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

TAMU

The first thing I would do if I were Shaka is decide if I want any of the current guys or incoming recruits. This is the time to start over. If he wants everyone to stay, I agree with your list. I hope he is bringing a shopping list with names of transfers on it and going from there.

100% agree. This was just my list based on the view from my armchair. Coach should absolutely focus on the players he needs to make his vision work and let the other ones go.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Whats up with Kordell Charles? Who is he? How's he connected to us?

3-star wing who has us in his final 3. I like him personally but very low priority on Coach's food chain I'm sure.

[dajudge]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

Call Baldwin the young one
I can dream

[JakeBarnes]

3-star wing who has us in his final 3. I like him personally but very low priority on Coach's food chain I'm sure.

I think right now it looks more likely that we see Joplin in that role now than Charles. I too like Kordell though.

[drewm88]

I would guess that Gainey has been told that the new coach will be encouraged to retain him as an AC. This allows Gainey to tell the players and recruits to hold steady. I would imagine the players were at least consulted about their thoughts on the new coach.

My checklist if I were Shaka:

Announce Gainey as his Associate Head Coach
Meet with the team
Meet one on one with the Big 3
Send Gainey on the first plane to Charlotte to shore up the Aidoo commit
Get in touch with Stevie
Pick other assistants but don't hire them yet
Send other assistants to do some back channeling with transfers, possible decommitts, etc
On his way back from Charlotte have Gainey stop in Philly and chat with Stevie
Make sure Joplin has his new address
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
Meet with Oso
Send Tyrese Hunter a "you up?" text
Get in touch with Kam
Meet one on one with Greg/Jamal
Meet one on one with the rest of the team
Get in touch with Kordell Charles (depending on how your feeling about the rest of the roster)
Grab a bowl of Real Chili
And that's just by Monday.

Just the two bowls? I want someone who's truly committed to Marquette and understands the culture.

[Galway Eagle]

Just the two bowls? I want someone who's truly committed to Marquette and understands the culture.

Give him a break he's still gotta eat the frozen Marquette Gyros and Angelos they keep below the AMU as a test for all incoming coaches.