Omax declares

[Scoop Snoop]

++ The potential for this scenario is why I didn't set specific expectations for next season yet. We don't know our team yet; how can anyone have specific expectations? Generally, I still expect us to be very good if the rest of the team returns.

Not just Marquette's season this Fall but the "way too early" rankings of all teams and the projected 2024 NCAA brackets. The morning after UCONN won the natty, the ridiculous predictions flooded the sites. No one knows who is transferring in or out, or going pro, but yet they have no problem with their forecasting. Covering their asses with "well, we DID say way too early" is disingenuous.

[Jay Bee]

Over/under adj def rank next season: 80?

[Uncle Rico]

Over/under adj def rank next season: 80?

Using T-Rank sortable tool, the defense gets less worse than the offense and the team goes from 4 to 10 overall, so I'll say well under.  Thanks for making me look!

[GoldenEagles03]

If he comes or goes MU will be fine, but now I believe he will need to add another forward or big just for depth.

I believe this too, but there is no player in the portal I'd rather have on this team than OMax. Not a single one.

Continuity yields positive results (especially in this era) as we saw this season. OMax is the perfect player for this roster.

[Jay Bee]

Using T-Rank sortable tool, the defense gets less worse than the offense and the team goes from 4 to 10 overall, so I'll say well under.  Thanks for making me look!

Is that the same too that says it was mathematically impossible for us to have the season we did before the year began?

[Uncle Rico]

Is that the same too that says it was mathematically impossible for us to have the season we did before the year began?

Nope

[Uncle Rico]

I believe this too, but there is no player in the portal I'd rather have on this team than OMax. Not a single one.

Continuity yields positive results (especially in this era) as we saw this season. OMax is the perfect player for this roster.

No one wants to lose OMax and while playing with the numbers is fun, realistically, he's a tough cog to replace on defense.  However, I think we should probably make note of how the defense got better as the season went on.

Now, can they replace OMax with the current roster defensively?  Doubtful.  Can the defense still figure out a way to be better?  Based on how this season progressed, the answer is yes. 

There are other variables to consider as well.  How will other rosters in the Big East look?  We don't know yet.  I want OMax back.  I also want more minutes for Gold & Ross.  Let the staff cook before we actually declare the defense being ruined by his departure

[79Warrior]

79warrior

Shaka was hired to get the job done. He has created a top ten style of play, Imo, and time to do some recruiting from the portal. If a kid does not want to play in a system that loves 3's and dunks, they are missing out. Recruiting is the least of my concern, current players, high school kids or portal guys.

I agree about Shaka. My point is the portal is the wild west. When recruiting high school kids, a coach develops a relationship that can last several years. The portal is a whole different animal.

[Uncle Rico]

I agree about Shaka. My point is the portal is the wild west. When recruiting high school kids, a coach develops a relationship that can last several years. The portal is a whole different animal.

It is, but a good coach doesn't burn bridges when initially recruiting a kid.  Some kids are chasing $$$.  Some legit want a different setting

[MU82]

Happens all the time and players return.

Hell last week Da'Sean Nelson posted a goodbye to DePaul and today he posted he's coming back.

Messages are very different.

Not just Marquette's season this Fall but the "way too early" rankings of all teams and the projected 2024 NCAA brackets. The morning after UCONN won the natty, the ridiculous predictions flooded the sites. No one knows who is transferring in or out, or going pro, but yet they have no problem with their forecasting. Covering their asses with "well, we DID say way too early" is disingenuous.

Well, those are just clickbait ... and they DID say "way too early." We certainly are allowed to do similar on Scoop, always inserting the caveat about "everybody returning," but I for one can't state my actual expectations until I know who's on the team.

Shaka was hired to get the job done. He has created a top ten style of play, Imo, and time to do some recruiting from the portal. If a kid does not want to play in a system that loves 3's and dunks, they are missing out. Recruiting is the least of my concern, current players, high school kids or portal guys.

Yep, he's got close to a great team. He is paid to get the job done. It will be disappointing if he either doesn't bring someone in or develop an outstanding replacement(s) for O-Max from within.

No one wants to lose OMax and while playing with the numbers is fun, realistically, he's a tough cog to replace on defense.  However, I think we should probably make note of how the defense got better as the season went on.

Now, can they replace OMax with the current roster defensively?  Doubtful.  Can the defense still figure out a way to be better?  Based on how this season progressed, the answer is yes. 

There are other variables to consider as well.  How will other rosters in the Big East look?  We don't know yet.  I want OMax back.  I also want more minutes for Gold & Ross.  Let the staff cook before we actually declare the defense being ruined by his departure

I like this take a lot, Unk. Both optimistic and realistic.

Let's see what we have after the whole process is over, and then let's see what Shaka and his team do.

[Uncle Rico]

Messages are very different.

Well, those are just clickbait ... and they DID say "way too early." We certainly are allowed to do similar on Scoop, always inserting the caveat about "everybody returning," but I for one can't state my actual expectations until I know who's on the team.

Yep, he's got close to a great team. He is paid to get the job done. It will be disappointing if he either doesn't bring someone in or develop an outstanding replacement(s) for O-Max from within.

I like this take a lot, Unk. Both optimistic and realistic.

Let's see what we have after the whole process is over, and then let's see what Shaka and his team do.

The staff deserves trust.

Goose has been the one hammering another important point since they hired Shaka and that's the culture he's building.  If OMax goes to the NBA, that's part of the culture.  That culture is also currently developing another OMax

[We R Final Four]

IMO, if they want to be a top five team next year Omax needs to be replaced by a portal player. There is no one the current roster that replace Omax and defense and they need size. Not replacing him with high end portal guy could very possibly be a missed opportunity for next season.

Goose-

What about Shaka have you seen to believe that he will do this? By "high end portal guy" Im assuming you mean starter/starter minutes. Shaka has said, as you know, that he isnt going to use the portal like others.
He has Jop.....he has Gold.....he has Al. He has Stevie and Tre. Are any of them OMax? No. But Shaka will push and pull to get each one ready and better next year.
I would be absolutely shocked if Shaka went completely away from his plan to do what you want.

[We R Final Four]

Shaka has know this all along.

He's planning accordingly.

Exactly. Scoopers implying that Shaka finding this out about the same time as the public........

[GoldenEagles03]

If OMax leaves Marquette should find some NIL donors for this guy.

https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1645422219898630144?t=sZPj5KFus0X9d0O-eCCgKA&s=19

[We R Final Four]

Over/under adj def rank next season: 80?

End of the year sub 60.

[BLWarrior91]

If OMax leaves Marquette should find some NIL donors for this guy.

https://twitter.com/CourtsideFilms/status/1645422219898630144?t=sZPj5KFus0X9d0O-eCCgKA&s=19

Yes!  That's our guy!  Impressive.

[GoldenEagles03]

Yes!  That's our guy!  Impressive.

Crazy how a guy that Big and talented is so under the radar. I don't even think he's in the portal but wouldn't be surprised to see him enter. In fact, if he doesn't declare, I'd bet on it.

He'd fit perfectly with this Marquette team...though I think just about every team could say that.

[MU82]

Frankly, for someone that tall and talented playing at that level, 18 ppg doesn't seem like enough.

[The Sultan]

Crazy how a guy that Big and talented is so under the radar. I don't even think he's in the portal but wouldn't be surprised to see him enter. In fact, if he doesn't declare, I'd bet on it.

He'd fit perfectly with this Marquette team...though I think just about every team could say that.

He's not really under the radar. He's been mentioned as a potential NBA pick for awhile.

[GoldenEagles03]

He's not really under the radar. He's been mentioned as a potential NBA pick for awhile.

I haven't seen a player from NDSU on any of the mocks that I've seen, but even if he were to get drafted I can't believe he wasn't advertised more in season.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I agree that he was always going to declare.  I don't necessarily agree that advice from those giving feedback is anywhere close to accurate. Otherwise Justin got some pretty garbage advice. Cost himself a large amount of money going undrafted.

Was my post about Justin? I also didn't say anything about anyone getting a guarentee that they would be drafted

[GoldenEagles03]

Was my post about Justin? I also didn't say anything about anyone getting a guarentee that they would be drafted

Not to my knowledge.

I am relating the two though. What I'm saying is if OMax thinks he's good enough then go.

The advice you get in the process clearly isn't always the best.  Justin is an example of many who declare thinking they'll get drafted and don't, costing themselves a lot of money.

I also understand that some people don't really care about the big money and just want to be professional basketball players earning some money.

[FartyEightHours]

It's Ben Gold's time baby!  All American here we come.

[Ben Golds Five]

You guys realize it doesn't change his eligibility if he hires an agent anymore right? That rule changed like 5 years ago. Let him do his research, find out what to improve on, and return for a Final 4 run!!

[StillAWarrior]

Hopefully Emarion Ellis removes himself from the portal now.  If he truly has grown 2 inches, then he could fit this 3/4 roll and get some of Omax's minutes assuming his knee will heal completely.

There are a couple of assumptions in this post and others discussing the return of MU's portal guys. First, that they didn't already know O-Max's plans when they entered the portal. Second, that entering the portal was entirely their decision. Entering the portal does not necessarily indicate that a player decided he wanted to move on. There are a lot of guys in the portal who were strongly "encouraged" to move on by a coach who told them that they didn't figure into future plans. It's possible that MU's staff wouldn't take any of our portal guys back even if they wanted to come back.