Shaka's team

[brewcity77]

Like you, I definitely believe Shaka can recruit. He recruited very well for Texas, and he recruited well to VCU given that it wasn't a major. He has a great personality that athletes like, he has been a winner, he has developed pros, he has great facilities and fans to sell. Has he recruited well so far for Marquette? We'll see!

The thing is, whether he misses on recruits/transfers or chooses to stop signing guys because he's happy with what he's got is immaterial to me when I form my expectations.

I expect us to progress as a program. I expected it when Wojo was the coach, I expected it when Buzz was the coach, I expected it when Crean was the coach, etc.

For the short-term, I see no reason not to expect at least as good a season in 2022-23 as we had in 2021-22; in the longer-term, I see no reason to think our very highly regarded coach can't at least deliver Buzz-level success to our alma mater.

I definitely wasn't referencing you with that comment (though I suspect you knew that) but the biggest thing is I do believe this is the team he wants to go forward with. He's talked repeatedly about building with high school and longer-term players. They aren't going after every big name transfer and once Wrightsil committed, weren't aggressively trying to fill Justin's spot. I'm guessing they would've liked one more high level guy (Justin, Ramey, Gueye, Abogidi) but saw it more as a luxury than a necessity or they would've been reaching out to more of the top guys in the portal that weren't in the Draft pool.

I'm optimistic both for this year and for the long-term. I haven't crunched the numbers myself, but a friend that does a lot of number crunching mentioned the other day that even with all the roster consistency (returning everyone eligible except Justin and Elliott) Marquette will still be the youngest team in the Big East next year. I think that continuity bodes well not just for next year, but the years after.

The question is if Shaka can coach. If he can coach his guys up, develop talent, and get buy-in to a system that works, we should be competing at the top of the league in the next couple years. If not, well, we've moved on before. I'm hoping for the success, though.

[#UnleashSean]

Shaka took a team that had no business winning 14 games let alone 19, and made the NCAA Tournament in year 1.

You're already ready to question his job after year 2 solely on what you expect to happen? My goodness.

Which is super weird, because I believe 82 was a huge Projo even into the last days. Or I'm thinking of someone else.

[MU82]

I definitely wasn't referencing you with that comment (though I suspect you knew that) but the biggest thing is I do believe this is the team he wants to go forward with. He's talked repeatedly about building with high school and longer-term players. They aren't going after every big name transfer and once Wrightsil committed, weren't aggressively trying to fill Justin's spot. I'm guessing they would've liked one more high level guy (Justin, Ramey, Gueye, Abogidi) but saw it more as a luxury than a necessity or they would've been reaching out to more of the top guys in the portal that weren't in the Draft pool.

I'm optimistic both for this year and for the long-term. I haven't crunched the numbers myself, but a friend that does a lot of number crunching mentioned the other day that even with all the roster consistency (returning everyone eligible except Justin and Elliott) Marquette will still be the youngest team in the Big East next year. I think that continuity bodes well not just for next year, but the years after.

The question is if Shaka can coach. If he can coach his guys up, develop talent, and get buy-in to a system that works, we should be competing at the top of the league in the next couple years. If not, well, we've moved on before. I'm hoping for the success, though.

We are in agreement, brew. I knew your comment wasn't directed at me, I just wanted to amplify the points that you, I and a few others had made. Your last paragraph is spot-on. All we want is success for our alma mater's basketball program.

Which is super weird, because I believe 82 was a huge Projo even into the last days. Or I'm thinking of someone else.

You must be thinking of someone else.

[Newsdreams]

So much COLE

[muwarrior69]

I really enjoyed last season. It was a lot of fun especially during the January high. My expectations are very low that we can compete for an NC in the near future but looking forward to winning a few tournament games in the coming seasons.

Some are complaining about recruiting. I think the days of getting high valued players here at MU are over. The key is getting the best players that will stay at least 3 years and play to Shaka's system and perhaps lightning will strike and we'll have a good run in the tournament. Let's see what happens.

[Viper]

They obviously aren't "fairly compensated" if the market is determining additional compensation is warranted.

do you agree with that?...that players on a full scholarship are due 'additional compensation'? And if so, do you plan on contributing $ ?

[MU82]

I really enjoyed last season. It was a lot of fun especially during the January high. My expectations are very low that we can compete for an NC in the near future but looking forward to winning a few tournament games in the coming seasons.

Some are complaining about recruiting. I think the days of getting high valued players here at MU are over. The key is getting the best players that will stay at least 3 years and play to Shaka's system and perhaps lightning will strike and we'll have a good run in the tournament. Let's see what happens.

Agree about enjoying last season. Agree that it's unlikely we "compete for an NC," as that is true of every school. Disagree that we can no longer bring "high valued players" to Marquette -- I mean, Wojo did it, and I think Shaka is at least as good a recruiter if not better. But yes, we'll see!

[MU82]

do you agree with that?...that players on a full scholarship are due 'additional compensation'? And if so, do you plan on contributing $ ?

Schools aren't compensating players beyond scholarships. NIL $$ does not come from schools.

Do you disagree that athletes should have the ability to control and profit off of their own names, images and likenesses, as every other American does?

[#UnleashSean]

Schools aren't compensating players beyond scholarships. NIL $$ does not come from schools.

Fixed

[The Sultan]

do you agree with that?...that players on a full scholarship are due 'additional compensation'? And if so, do you plan on contributing $ ?

I wish all sorts of professions paid more than others. But does it matter if I agree with it?  It is what it is.

And no I will not be donating to the NIL collective.

[Lennys Tap]

You can believe what you want, but brew's account is much more in-line with what I have heard from others close to the program.  That he most definitely did not cast a wide net in the transfer market, that he basically shut it down after Wrightsil committed, and that he thinks he has the horses to compete already.

I think the evidence bears you out. I think some people expected multiple transfers and Shaka "upgrading" those holes with transfers. When the transfers never happened it looked (to me anyway) like he was pretty much OK going into next season with what he had.

[tower912]

Other than the one remaining scholarship,  as well as Wrightsil's matriculation, MU's roster is set for the next two years.  Unless there are transfers out or early departures to the NBA.    Let us hope the development theme works.

[Newsdreams]

Other than the one remaining scholarship,  as well as Wrightsil's matriculation, MU's roster is set for the next two years.  Unless there are transfers out or early departures to the NBA.    Let us hope the development theme works.

If there are no departures to NBA within 2 years I would be surprised and probably disappointed.

[MU82]

If there are no departures to NBA within 2 years I would be surprised and probably disappointed.

I understand what you're saying, but I probably wouldn't be disappointed if that's the way it is.

1. There are a lot of very good college players who aren't quite NBA players. Drew Timme is a darn good college player. So is Ramey. So are plenty of others who have chosen to stay in college partly because they know the NBA isn't knocking their doors down.

2. Maybe a real good player staying will mean we have some serious NIL money available to kids in the program. I'd view that as a good thing.

[Newsdreams]

I understand what you're saying, but I probably wouldn't be disappointed if that's the way it is.

1. There are a lot of very good college players who aren't quite NBA players. Drew Timme is a darn good college player. So is Ramey. So are plenty of others who have chosen to stay in college partly because they know the NBA isn't knocking their doors down.

2. Maybe a real good player staying will mean we have some serious NIL money available to kids in the program. I'd view that as a good thing.

I'm saying it in a good way because I expect OMax at least to get there. I expect good development and OMax and at least one more to have NBA potential.

[Herman Cain]

Other than the one remaining scholarship,  as well as Wrightsil's matriculation, MU's roster is set for the next two years.  Unless there are transfers out or early departures to the NBA.    Let us hope the development theme works.

Development theme is working. We have a very solid team this year that will only get better as the season goes on.

[MU82]

I'm saying it in a good way because I expect OMax at least to get there. I expect good development and OMax and at least one more to have NBA potential.

Reasonable take. I hope you're right! I also hope that if O-Max isn't quite ready to go, he can land a nice NIL deal.

[bilsu]

Development theme is working. We have a very solid team this year that will only get better as the season goes on.

Most teams get better as the season goes on.

[Pakuni]

Most teams get better as the season goes on.

Marquette hasn't been most teams for a while now.

[Shooter McGavin]

Most teams get better as the season goes on.

Most well coached teams.

[The Sultan]

Most teams get better as the season goes on.

That's statistically impossible.

[bilsu]

That's statistically impossible.

No it is not. Basically every team in March would beat the same team at start of season. Some teams improve more than others, but they all get better unless they implode.

[The Sultan]

No it is not. Basically every team in March would beat the same team at start of season. Some teams improve more than others, but they all get better unless they implode.

It only matters if you improve vis-a-vis your competition.

[PointWarrior]

What does Kenpom say?

That's statistically impossible.

[Uncle Rico]

What does Kenpom say?

KenPom does a remarkably good job showing a teams improvements and struggles through the course of a season.  In 2019, Texas Tech entered Big XII play as a very mediocre offensive team, so bad, that they didn't profile as a Final 4 team.  By the end of the season, they had improved over a 100 spots in offensive efficiency.  Coupled with the nations top defense, making the title game shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone