Tre Norman

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

We also miss OMaxs ability to nuetrailze wings and forwards. Team defense has improved beyond my wildest dreams, but I miss having a guy who we could put on someone like Karaban and say "he doesnt score tonight".

Stevie, Chase, O-Max, and Oso would've been an absolute lockdown unit.

Incredible that the defense still made a 25 spot leap after losing O-Max.

[Zog from Margo]

Markus for Stevie is the wrong hypothetical trade.

Markus for Kam is the correct hypothetical trade. Offense goes nuclear and defense doesnt change,  may even improve

Kam is a better defender than Markus. Simply replacing a 6'4" defender with 5'10" defender creates its own issues with respect to defense and rebounding. Markus could draw charges but was a liability defending in the paint.

As for the offense, do you really think Markus and Kolek could coexist? IMO, that combination would be oil and water.

No question that Markus is a better shooter than Kam.

I think Norman will develop into a solid BE guard. He's strong and physical. His shot needs work, but he makes good decisions on his shots.

[IL Warrior]

Thinking about the roster for next year, and observing some of the comments about PG next year, we're in an interesting spot. Assuming Kolek and Oso are the only departures...

Kam, Stevie, and Jop likely retain their starting roles.
I'd assume Gold takes Oso's spot as the starting big.
The remaining starting spot has to go to Ross, right? There's no way he comes off the bench again next year.

Does that mean Kam slides to PG? Stevie? Some folks have noted that Chase has run point a few times recently.
Norman and Lowery fill the roles occupied by Sean and Chase this year, with Sean Jones taking a RS to rehab his knee?
Frontcourt depth is big on quantity (Amadou/Hamilton/Owens/Parham), but how is the quality?

With Kolek and Ighodaro leaving, the kneejerk reaction is to say we need a grad transfer or other high-level talent, but that would almost guarantee the departure of one of Kam/Stevie/Chase/Jop/Ben, would it not?

As it relates specifically to Tre, I'd expect a step up to the backup guard role next year, and a possible starting role the year after that. I think he can develop to be productive on that timeline.

[Jay Bee]

On defensive improvement.. one thing to look at is 2FG% defense. Last year, we were 50.3% for the season; so far this year, 49.1%. Block % up about a percent.

In Beast play, last year our 2FG% def was 53.3% and we had a blk% of 8.3%. This year, those figures are 49.0% and 11.8%, respectively.

OMax had a baby block rate. Startlingly low. 0.6%. Much of his minutes are covered by increases from Jop and Benny. Jop has a 5.3% blk% in conf play – wow – up from 2.0% last year. Really strong improvement. Ben down to 3.9% but on more minutes.

So, large improvements in blocking shots vs. OMax has helped the 2FG% defense.

[Hards Alumni]

Thinking about the roster for next year, and observing some of the comments about PG next year, we're in an interesting spot. Assuming Kolek and Oso are the only departures...

Kam, Stevie, and Jop likely retain their starting roles.
I'd assume Gold takes Oso's spot as the starting big.
The remaining starting spot has to go to Ross, right? There's no way he comes off the bench again next year.

Does that mean Kam slides to PG? Stevie? Some folks have noted that Chase has run point a few times recently.
Norman and Lowery fill the roles occupied by Sean and Chase this year, with Sean Jones taking a RS to rehab his knee?
Frontcourt depth is big on quantity (Amadou/Hamilton/Owens/Parham), but how is the quality?

With Kolek and Ighodaro leaving, the kneejerk reaction is to say we need a grad transfer or other high-level talent, but that would almost guarantee the departure of one of Kam/Stevie/Chase/Jop/Ben, would it not?

As it relates specifically to Tre, I'd expect a step up to the backup guard role next year, and a possible starting role the year after that. I think he can develop to be productive on that timeline.

Personally, I think Stevie could easily slide over to that PG spot, but most of the guards could easily bring the ball up.  None will be like Tyler of course.

[MU82]

Yep, there is absolutely no replacing Kolek with a Kolek-like player. That skill-set doesn't exist on the roster and isn't arriving with a 2024 recruit. And there's almost surely no TK-like player who will be available in the portal or as a grad transfer.

We've been lucky and spoiled. He is a generational talent.

So when he leaves, Marquette fans need to get the thought of "replacing Kolek" out of their heads, as difficult as that might be.

A Kam/Stevie/Ross/Norman/SJones (if healthy) combo would do fine IMHO. We've gotten used to way better than fine, of course, but again we've been so incredibly fortunate.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Thinking about the roster for next year, and observing some of the comments about PG next year, we're in an interesting spot. Assuming Kolek and Oso are the only departures...

Kam, Stevie, and Jop likely retain their starting roles.
I'd assume Gold takes Oso's spot as the starting big.
The remaining starting spot has to go to Ross, right? There's no way he comes off the bench again next year.

Does that mean Kam slides to PG? Stevie? Some folks have noted that Chase has run point a few times recently.
Norman and Lowery fill the roles occupied by Sean and Chase this year, with Sean Jones taking a RS to rehab his knee?
Frontcourt depth is big on quantity (Amadou/Hamilton/Owens/Parham), but how is the quality?

With Kolek and Ighodaro leaving, the kneejerk reaction is to say we need a grad transfer or other high-level talent, but that would almost guarantee the departure of one of Kam/Stevie/Chase/Jop/Ben, would it not?

As it relates specifically to Tre, I'd expect a step up to the backup guard role next year, and a possible starting role the year after that. I think he can develop to be productive on that timeline.

I can see both sides.  On the one hand, it wouldn't surprise me to see Shaka bet on his current guys being good enough.  Kam, Stevie, Chase, and Tre would be PG by committee.  Maybe Sean will be healthy enough to provide depth at somepoint.

On the other hand, I would hate to waste Stevie, Kam, and Jop's senior years on a failed PG experiment.  If Shaka adds a PG, it would have to be a player that fits the culture, and would require the buy in from Chase to be the super 6th man.

It's a tricky situation to navigate but that's why Shaka gets paid the big bucks.  The rest of us can speculate but we'll see how it plays out.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

A Kam/Stevie/Ross/Norman/SJones (if healthy) combo would do fine IMHO. We've gotten used to way better than fine, of course, but again we've been so incredibly fortunate.

As the saying goes, if you have to fill <insert any position here in any sport> by committee, its because you don't actually have anyone that can do the job.

Sean would be the best option of the group if healthy, but ideally he's more of a 10 minutes a game change of pace kind of guy.

[MU82]

Maybe Charcuterie has a younger brother.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Kam is a better defender than Markus. Simply replacing a 6'4" defender with 5'10" defender creates its own issues with respect to defense and rebounding. Markus could draw charges but was a liability defending in the paint.

As for the offense, do you really think Markus and Kolek could coexist? IMO, that combination would be oil and water.

No question that Markus is a better shooter than Kam.

I think Norman will develop into a solid BE guard. He's strong and physical. His shot needs work, but he makes good decisions on his shots.

Despite their heights, Markus was a better defender than Kam is.

I absolutely think that Markus and Kolek could coexist and would be positively lethal. Markus wouldn't put the volume he did under Wojo but we would see more of the guy who shot over 50% from three as a freshman.

[PGsHeroes32]

Anyone notion that Markus can't coexist with TK is simply bizarre

As if his freshman year role and shooting were just erased from history.

Markus for most of his career had the ball in his hands all the time by team decision, he doesn't require the ball in his hands at all times

Markus and TK would be unstoppable together

[tower912]

Markus on the wing when Tko runs pick and roll.  As soon as MH's man collapses, TKo hits him.

[Zog from Margo]

Markus was recruited as a PG. His ticket to the pros was as a PG. Did he have the skillset to play offense with TKO? Absolutely. Markus was one of the best shooters, if not the best shooter, ever at MU. Spending his career at MU as a catch and shoot player while someone else ran the show was not in the cards.

[Lennys Tap]

Could he have thrived had he been relieved of the main ball handling duties, especially had his replacement been a genius like TK? You bet.

Would he have come here (or anywhere) to be a mostly catch and shoot 2G? I very much doubt it. His only chance at the NBA was as a PG. I'm sure he was recruited with a promise that PG would become his position

(Zog - you beat me to it! - 100% agree)

[PGsHeroes32]

Markus was recruited as a PG. His ticket to the pros was as a PG. Did he have the skillset to play offense with TKO? Absolutely. Markus was one of the best shooters, if not the best shooter, ever at MU. Spending his career at MU as a catch and shoot player while someone else ran the show was not in the cards.

I guess when SJ was healthy playing with TK this year Mysterio came over from the McU and played optical illusions with Sean at PG and TK off the ball.

Again, this is insanity. Markus and TK could have eoxsited without a coach of Shakas caliber. With him? It's just all time stupidity to say they couldn't.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Despite their heights, Markus was a better defender than Kam is.

I absolutely think that Markus and Kolek could coexist and would be positively lethal. Markus wouldn't put the volume he did under Wojo but we would see more of the guy who shot over 50% from three as a freshman.

Absolutely. Markus has his two best eFG% seasons sharing the ball with Rowsey.

[Its DJOver]

Kam has the higher block %.

#K2N

[Zog from Margo]

I guess when SJ was healthy playing with TK this year Mysterio came over from the McU and played optical illusions with Sean at PG and TK off the ball.

Again, this is insanity. Markus and TK could have eoxsited without a coach of Shakas caliber. With him? It's just all time stupidity to say they couldn't.

Look, I loved watching Markus play, but he came to MU to play PG. As a PG, he was a shoot-first player. That's what you would want him to be. His assist to TO ratio was only 1 throughout his career at MU. How does that type of PG fit in a system like MU's that is predicated on moving the ball and creating for others? While playing TKO at the PG might create shooting opportunities for Howard, the reverse would not be the case. Add to that the fact that Oso often initiates the offense and the ball would be in Howard's hands even less. After watching Markus play, it surprises me that you think he'd have been content as a catch and shoot player. He averaged almost 18 shots a game during his junior year and almost 20 a game his senior year. I do not see Howard being content to let TKO run the show and to get, like Kam, about 12 shots a game.

[Viper]

Anyone notion that Markus can't coexist with TK is simply bizarre

As if his freshman year role and shooting were just erased from history.

Markus for most of his career had the ball in his hands all the time by team decision, he doesn't require the ball in his hands at all times

Markus and TK would be unstoppable together

TK to MH would have Markus near 30pt per, imo.

[MU82]

I do not see Howard being content to let TKO run the show and to get, like Kam, about 12 shots a game.

That makes sense based on what we know Markus became.

But if all Markus had known his entire time at Marquette was that the successful Shaka/Nevada system spreads the wealth around, he probably would have been fine with it.

Michael Jordan averaged fewer than 15 shots a game his last two years at UNC.

[Zog from Margo]

That makes sense based on what we know Markus became.

But if all Markus had known his entire time at Marquette was that the successful Shaka/Nevada system spreads the wealth around, he probably would have been fine with it.

Michael Jordan averaged fewer than 15 shots a game his last two years at UNC.

Would Markus have come to MU if he'd known he wouldn't play PG?

[PGsHeroes32]

Look, I loved watching Markus play, but he came to MU to play PG. As a PG, he was a shoot-first player. That's what you would want him to be. His assist to TO ratio was only 1 throughout his career at MU. How does that type of PG fit in a system like MU's that is predicated on moving the ball and creating for others? While playing TKO at the PG might create shooting opportunities for Howard, the reverse would not be the case. Add to that the fact that Oso often initiates the offense and the ball would be in Howard's hands even less. After watching Markus play, it surprises me that you think he'd have been content as a catch and shoot player. He averaged almost 18 shots a game during his junior year and almost 20 a game his senior year. I do not see Howard being content to let TKO run the show and to get, like Kam, about 12 shots a game.

Like MU82 said this is all assuming Markus thought process

And its also assuming 1 other huge thing, that in this hypotethical of imagining TK with Markus that we are imaging them playing together for four years. Youre right in that case, it would probably be hard to keep both happy.

But the originial notion was simply imagine Markus on a team like this years with Shaka and Tk.

Markus played a off the ball role for an entire year and was elite without a PG like TK. Even in his second year he shared ball duties with Rowsey and he was super efficient.

Its an extreme stretch to just assume that Markus would not play a year or even multiple years along side TK where he could at the very least run the show as much as sean does. When he spent an entire year here running the show much less than that as a secondary option surrounded by far less lead guard talent.

[wadesworld]

Would Markus have come to MU if he'd known he wouldn't play PG?

He didn't play point guard his freshman year, and split it his sophomore year.  So seems like he might've?

But nobody knows.  It's dumb to think Markus wouldn't have absolutely thrived with a true point guard like Kolek and an offensive system like MU has.  Wojo tried to get one with Chartouny but that didn't work.  Koby McEwen came in as a point guard and moved Markus off the ball some, but he wasn't BE level either.

[milwaukee ex-pat]

Despite their heights, Markus was a better defender than Kam is.

I absolutely think that Markus and Kolek could coexist and would be positively lethal. Markus wouldn't put the volume he did under Wojo but we would see more of the guy who shot over 50% from three as a freshman.

I would guess there ae some metrics to back this up because it absolutely contradicts my memory and eye test.  Kam has vastly improved at defense to my eye during his time at MU and he plays very tough defense now imo.  Markus as I recall improved and did well for someone his size but was generally a liability.

[Dr. Blackheart]

He didn't play point guard his freshman year, and split it his sophomore year.  So seems like he might've?

But nobody knows.  It's dumb to think Markus wouldn't have absolutely thrived with a true point guard like Kolek and an offensive system like MU has.  Wojo tried to get one with Chartouny but that didn't work.  Koby McEwen came in as a point guard and moved Markus off the ball some, but he wasn't BE level either.

Traci too