2023 Team Outlook

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I think looking ahead can be a fun exercise but it's pure Scoop that so many of these prognostications are completely negative.

What about Lewis staying, the other returnees continuing to get better, one of the freshman being in the rotation and contributing, and Shaka adding an impact transfer or two?

That optimistic take is just as likely as all these negative ones. 

The reality will likely be somewhere in the middle, of course. 

[tower912]

Honestly, if all 9 of the non super seniors return, I think this is a top 25 team next year.  Get one more transfer 4/5 that can defend.

[MU82]

I think looking ahead can be a fun exercise but it's pure Scoop that so many of these prognostications are completely negative.

What about Lewis staying, the other returnees continuing to get better, one of the freshman being in the rotation and contributing, and Shaka adding an impact transfer or two?

That optimistic take is just as likely as all these negative ones. 

The reality will likely be somewhere in the middle, of course.

No! Bad VBMG! Bad! Logic Bad!

We are doomed, doomed I say!

[Vander Blue Man Group]

No! Bad VBMG! Bad! Logic Bad!

We are doomed, doomed I say!

You're right.  My fault. 

Fire Shaka!  Rehire Wojo!!

[bilsu]

"Seems like ever since...you know...let's just say 2014, we've been stuck in an endless cycle of rebuilding"

This is where I get a little disillusioned with this year's team and the possibility for next year. We will probably finish in the bottom half of the Big East this year, and the incoming recruits are not difference makers, at least according to their recruiting rankings. Unless we find some shooters from the transfer portal, we could struggle again next year. Then we are essentially still rebuilding in year 3 and 4 - how long is this rebuild going to take???

The difference is that I always thought we would be better next year. I do not think we will be better next year.

[BCHoopster]

Honestly, if all 9 of the non super seniors return, I think this is a top 25 team next year.  Get one more transfer 4/5 that can defend.

.

I like your confidence, do not see all 9 back, but Elliott comes back and a decent center who has some offensive skill would be nice, ie. A center who can shoot from at least the free throw line

[Vander Blue Man Group]

The difference is that I always thought we would be better next year. I do not think we will be better next year.

[panda]

The difference is that I always thought we would be better next year. I do not think we will be better next year.

What does the roster look like? Knowing the future, can you place some bets for me ? I'll give you 20 percent of our winnings !

[GoldenEagles03]

One thing I think we can all be confident in is the PG position.

Kolek and Sean Jones are going to be an Elite 1/2 punch at handling the ball and distributing. Playing fast is obviously our new identity and protecting the ball while playing fast isn't always easy. We are set up very nicely in that department. Can never have too many on-court quarterbacks.

https://twitter.com/JakeSpegal270/status/1472032560037384193?t=Na1aCJHhBhc94czAXejB9Q&s=19

[tower912]

Apparently, Chase Ross was the MVP of the Cushing Holiday Invitational Tournament.   

[GoldenEagles03]

Apparently, Chase Ross was the MVP of the Cushing Holiday Invitational Tournament.   

He strikes me as a very traditional Big East guard.  He loves attacking the rim and is elite at playing above it.

[JTJ3]

Chase Ross looks like a Shaka dude for sure.  Very excited for him next year as a 2/3 type.  Big, athletic, defends and the form on his jumper is really fluid.

[tower912]

It comes down to how well Shaka is able to hold this group together.

[4everwarriors]

Nah, ya no da door swings both weys. Shaka may wanna OutSmart sum dudes, hey?

[willie warrior]

Not to worried about next season.  Assuming Lewis stays, Omax  and Joplin need to grow up this season to be 3/4 combination forwards.  When I look at Joplin I see a Kerry trotter type 3.  That makes Kam and Kolek the guards.  Smart just needs to get two bigs to go with Igadoro w2ho I think is making good progress as a 4/5.  No worries, enjoy this season.

Please...Joplin may turn out to be a nice player but he is not a Kerry Trotter type. Trotter was a top 25 player out of HS.

[Lennys Tap]

The difference is that I always thought we would be better next year. I do not think we will be better next year.

So you've been fairly consistently wrong - hope your streak continues.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

1. It would help if Lewis returns and continues to improve. But after Vander Blue, Brendan Bailey, and DJ Carton, I gave up trying to predict when players would turn pro.

2. If Lewis leaves, O-Max needs to step up. Right now he's more athlete than basketball player.  The defense and rebounding are ok but his offense is very raw. O-Max needs to find a way to take his O to the max.

3. Kolek is the PG.  I don't think he has a huge upside (he turns 21 in March) but 10-12 ppg, 5 apg, 36% on 3's and TO rate under 18% would be a very solid starter.

4. Sean Jones has a legit chance to backup the PG. If he's good enough to play 20 mpg, Kolek can slide to SG for 10 mpg.

5. Kam Jones and Greg Elliott (assuming he returns) are the best wings but I really want to add a top notch transfer that can score.  Emarion Ellis and Chase Ross both have potential.  Hopefully at least one of them will be good enough to make our team better.

6. Stevie Mitchell looks like Derrick Wilson 2.0 so far. But let's see how he progresses the rest of this season and into next season.

7. I really like Oso at the 5 but I want a grad transfer just as good to have two capable players at that spot. Itejere might be 2 years away, but I like his athleticism for this system and I think he ends up being a solid player in the long run.

8. Still like Joplin longterm. Need him to challenge O-Max.

[mileskishnish72]

Kolek is a natural 2

Yet Kolek is our point, who happens to lead the BE in assists. It could be he's a natural 1, and it wasn't recognized. He'd be a better 1 if he had a better handle, but writing a guy off as a point when he's the assist leader seems presumptuous. I think of a 2 guard as a shooter and we've had no end of posts about Kolek's shooting problems.

Definitely agree, our big need is bigs. Big bigs, wings, rebounders. Perhaps we have to trust Shaka to formulate a roster he thinks can win.

[bilsu]

So you've been fairly consistently wrong - hope your streak continues.

Sometimes we were better.

[GoldenEagles03]

Yet Kolek is our point, who happens to lead the BE in assists. It could be he's a natural 1, and it wasn't recognized. He'd be a better 1 if he had a better handle, but writing a guy off as a point when he's the assist leader seems presumptuous. I think of a 2 guard as a shooter and we've had no end of posts about Kolek's shooting problems.

Definitely agree, our big need is bigs. Big bigs, wings, rebounders. Perhaps we have to trust Shaka to formulate a roster he thinks can win.

Kolek isn't a 2.  To be an effective 2 in the Big East you need to be able to shoot and/or slash and play a little bit above the rim. Kolek does neither of those things and he has a set shot making it very difficult for him to shoot off the dribble. He is a true PG. If he can get that 3P% up to 35% he could be a darn good PG too.

To your point about the BIGS...I expect Shaka to recruit a bunch of them. That's what he was known for at Texas and I expect him to try and do the same here.

[Viper]

You're right.  My fault. 

Fire Shaka!  Rehire Wojo!!

watching yesterdays game, Wojo was no doubt proud.
If everyone that can return does return, add a transfer, sprinkle in the two recruits, should be a tourney team. Should beat RED. Hopefully can beat ND.

[DoctorV]

If they return...

Justin will play a ton
Kolek, Oso, and Kam will play a lot.

I still have high hopes for Stevie and Joplin, I think they find a significant role. There could be a logjam at the 1 and that might affect Stevie's progression however.

I don't expect GE to return, he's been on campus far too long.

I just don't see a way that Omax works at this level, but I'd love to be proven wrong. After all, Shaka saw something in the early stages to have him in the starting five. I can see Ellis taking a step up but him and Itijere are likely backup role players until further along in their careers.

No idea about the incoming freshmen, but I think Shaka makes it a yearly trend to try to bring in 2-3 impact transfers to complement his younger core. Likely upperclassmen, including one that will be expected to score in bunches and another that will be an impact athletic big.

For next season he might need more than 2-3.

If Justin doesn't return that would be a very bad thing.

[Milkshakes]

In my opinion, we need a really good three point shooter. That is the offense and we don't have anyone who shoots it all that great.  Cam has potential but needs to pick his shots better.

[DoctorV]

Good point.

I'd say MU is pretty good in the ball handling and game managing department for a few years.

I think I'm comfortable in the big man department with Oso, but either another bigger body or effective shot changer/rebounder is needed.

Not at all comfortable in the shooting department, as should be obvious to everyone by now. That said, Kam and Joplin will definitely improve and hit a lot more 3s. Kolek has to get better there's really no getting worse, only alternative is to just stop taking them except for completely unguarded and set but I don't see that happening.
I know many have been disappointed with Justin's 3P attempts, but I like Justin's shot and think he will improve with another years work too.

Next years sneaky difficult task for the staff will be finding a way to stay competitive in the "bruiser" category and improving the rebounding.
With the loss of Morsell and Kuath it will be easy for the team to become soft.
Oso is effective in his own right but a bruiser he is not.
Our 3/4s outside of Lewis are relatively soft as well.

IMO Shaka needs a Villanova type 4 along with another 5- a player that can hold his own in the paint and score just enough to go along with his plus defense and elite rebounding. If he accomplishes that then Justin would be freed of having to carry too much of that defensive load and could step over to the 3 in a nice 3 big lineup.

[rocky_warrior]

If Greg returns he'll eclipse Otule's tenure, no?  Perhaps he's going for the years at MU record (as an eligible hoops player...).