Shaka article from CBS

[MuMark]

" Hell no.....we ain't doing that"

https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/court-report-how-marquette-became-one-of-college-basketballs-best-teams-despite-shunning-transfer-portal/

[Tha Hound]

This is a great article and provides answers to the transfer portal discussions I and many others took part in this past summer:

"When the news came out about [Pack] going from Kansas State to Miami, that was a watershed moment in transfer recruiting in our sport," Smart told CBS Sports. "It completely altered what other transfers wanted." Marquette was at different stages of recruiting four transfers. And practically overnight, the tone and expectations of those recruitments changed, Smart told me. He didn't like what he was hearing and quietly abandoned those recruitments — and stopped recruiting D-I transfers altogether last spring.

[brewcity77]

My guesses on those transfer targets are Emmanuel Akot at Western Kentucky, Mo Gueye at Wazzu, Manny Bates at Butler, and Clifton Moore at Providence.

[MuMark]

My guesses on those transfer targets are Emmanuel Akot at Western Kentucky, Mo Gueye at Wazzu, Manny Bates at Butler, and Clifton Moore at Providence.

Or possibly Warren Washington at ASU

[JakeBarnes]

Or possibly Warren Washington at ASU

I was going to guess that Washington was one of them. It felt like we were really close to getting him.

[PGsHeroes32]

I was going to guess that Washington was one of them. It felt like we were really close to getting him.

That also could be why he isnt one of them.

He went through quite a lengthy process with us it seems.

[GoldenEagles03]

Shaka is as perfect a fit for Marquette as you're gonna find.

He should be unanimous BE COY.  From 9th in the Big East projected, to almost 9th in the entire country is absurd.

[94Warrior]

The article stated we were pursuing 4 guys. 1 ended up in the PAC 12, 1 in Conf USA, and 2 in the Big East.  Either Gueye or Washington was the PAC 12 guy.

Hope all these schools got their money's worth.  F 'em (especially Providence.  But, thanks for taking out Creighton last night.)

[MU82]

This article was posted in the NCAA hoops thread before it got its own thread. It's real interesting, pretty much a must-read for any Marquette fan wondering what Shaka's philosophy is on both transfers and NIL.

[GoldenEagles03]

The article stated the 4 guys ended up in the PAC 12, Conf USA, and 2 in the Big East.  Either Gueye or Washington was the 4th.

Hope all these schools got their money's worth.  F 'em.

Who are the 2 Big East guys?

[Ellenson Guerrero]

Loved getting a look behind the curtain at Shaka's perspective on the portal. I'm all for focusing on team guys who want to be part of something larger than themselves. But I do hope the administration and alumni continue to build MU's NIL platform now that we have our program back to where it should be. I was a little worried about Shaka's comment that he "couldn't" match what other schools were offering.

[GoFastAndWin]

Loved getting a look behind the curtain at Shaka's perspective on the portal. I'm all for focusing on team guys who want to be part of something larger than themselves. But I do hope the administration and alumni continue to build MU's NIL platform now that we have our program back to where it should be. I was a little worried about Shaka's comment that he "couldn't" match what other schools were offering.

It's not that they couldn't match, it's that they wouldn't. Marquette NIL resources, it sounds to me, will go toward those who MU has invested in from the beginning. I like Shaka's MO. It  really bolsters the team concept, and perfectly fits the culture. We will get a transfer or two in the coming years, but NIL will focus on keeping kids here versus take from those giving MU their all and then putting it in the hand of mercenaries.

[CAGASS24]

"But if some guys try to come in here for a straight transaction, what can you do for me? What can I do for you? Yeah, we're good." 


Beautiful ....

[JakeBarnes]

"But if some guys try to come in here for a straight transaction, what can you do for me? What can I do for you? Yeah, we're good."


Beautiful ....

It's so good.

[PGsHeroes32]

Who are the 2 Big East guys?

Bates without question.

And most likely Moore like Brew said

[MuMark]

It's so good.

Yep.....he's said it a thousand times already.......relationships is what the program is about

https://twitter.com/coachshakasmart/status/1625921812075880448?s=61&t=NKWtuB0tsMpgV7ajccRAXA

[CountryRoads]

Love the way Shaka views NIL. If you take anyone with talent that has their hands out, eventually the program becomes a three ring circus.

[Scoop Snoop]

Lesson: Take Shaka at his word. What you see (and hear) is what you get.

What a rarity!

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Or possibly Warren Washington at ASU

Unlikely, he committed before the news of Pack's deal became public

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Loved getting a look behind the curtain at Shaka's perspective on the portal. I'm all for focusing on team guys who want to be part of something larger than themselves. But I do hope the administration and alumni continue to build MU's NIL platform now that we have our program back to where it should be. I was a little worried about Shaka's comment that he "couldn't" match what other schools were offering.

We certainly can't and won't match $800K and a new car. I don't think that kind of money will be the norm going forward.

I think the important part of this article is this line:

"we're not prioritizing some guy that hasn't worn a uniform over Tyler Kolek and Oso Ighodaro."

NIL will always be a retention tool at Marquette, not a recruiting tool. We are plenty competitive in NIL but were not going to overpay to bring in a shiny new player. We're going to invest in the talent that's here first, and then if a new player wants to join and make what the guys already on the team are making or less, than they can join up too.

[muwarrior69]

We certainly can't and won't match $800K and a new car. I don't think that kind of money will be the norm going forward.

I think the important part of this article is this line:

NIL will always be a retention tool at Marquette, not a recruiting tool. We are plenty competitive in NIL but were not going to overpay to bring in a shiny new player. We're going to invest in the talent that's here first, and then if a new player wants to join and make what the guys already on the team are making or less, than they can join up too.

Will it be enough to keep guys out of the G league or Euro League and stay another year? As Goose eluded to when Wade and the Strongs were rubbing Elbows.

[PointWarrior]

We certainly can't and won't match $800K and a new car. I don't think that kind of money will be the norm going forward.

I think the important part of this article is this line:

NIL will always be a retention tool at Marquette, not a recruiting tool. We are plenty competitive in NIL but were not going to overpay to bring in a shiny new player. We're going to invest in the talent that's here first, and then if a new player wants to join and make what the guys already on the team are making or less, than they can join up too.

do they get extra NIL money if they agree to re-tool their shot?

[The Equalizer]

Love the way Shaka views NIL. If you take anyone with talent that has their hands out, eventually the program becomes a three ring circus.

The problem is that people are conflating MU's current success using players recruited in the pre-NIL era and projecting that to continue.

The past two years of MU's success have arguably been built on transfers. Shaka was very fortunate to land Morsell, Kurath, Kolek, and Prosper in the pre-NIL era.  If these players were hitting the market today, they'd no doubt be entertaining the same type of NIL deals that Bates and Gueye and Washington got this year.  It's one thing for Shaka to say "we're not playing that game" when his roster was mostly built on with first recruiting class and 5-year COVID eligibility. 

Without those four transfers, we probably don't make the 2022 tournament, and probably not competitive for 1st in the Big East this year.  The thing that should raise concerns is that we're not in the market for the future Tyler Kolek, and our competitors are.

Plus, the "not playing the game" ignores the fact that the same changes are rapidly coming to HS recruiting.  19 states already allow HS players to sign NIL deals.  If 26th-ranked Mikey Williams can sign with Memphis and command a multi-million dollar NIL deal while still in HS, I'd really like to know if Shaka backed off #35 JP Estrella and #43 Milan Momocilovic because they really preferred campus life at Tennessee or Iowa State, or whether NIL considerations came into play and MU signaled that they're not a player and withdrew early.

[CountryRoads]

The problem is that people are conflating MU's current success using players recruited in the pre-NIL era and projecting that to continue.

That's a fair argument, so I guess we'll just see how it plays out. Winning a bidding war against other teams for a player is pretty much is the polar opposite of what Shaka has been building these last 2 years, so maybe we are f'd after all.

[Tha Hound]

The problem is that people are conflating MU's current success using players recruited in the pre-NIL era and projecting that to continue.

The past two years of MU's success have arguably been built on transfers. Shaka was very fortunate to land Morsell, Kurath, Kolek, and Prosper in the pre-NIL era.  If these players were hitting the market today, they'd no doubt be entertaining the same type of NIL deals that Bates and Gueye and Washington got this year.  It's one thing for Shaka to say "we're not playing that game" when his roster was mostly built on with first recruiting class and 5-year COVID eligibility. 

Without those four transfers, we probably don't make the 2022 tournament, and probably not competitive for 1st in the Big East this year.  The thing that should raise concerns is that we're not in the market for the future Tyler Kolek, and our competitors are.

Plus, the "not playing the game" ignores the fact that the same changes are rapidly coming to HS recruiting.  19 states already allow HS players to sign NIL deals.  If 26th-ranked Mikey Williams can sign with Memphis and command a multi-million dollar NIL deal while still in HS, I'd really like to know if Shaka backed off #35 JP Estrella and #43 Milan Momocilovic because they really preferred campus life at Tennessee or Iowa State, or whether NIL considerations came into play and MU signaled that they're not a player and withdrew early.

There's also a difference between using the portal to bring in grad transfer one-and-done's, and promising young players like Omax and Kolek.