How underrated is Stevie nationally???

[willie warrior]

Looks like the Badgers may have landed this year's version of the guy from Tennessee. A sixth year guy who will be 24 in April.

Yeah. He is being mentored on college longevity by Otule.

[Lennys Tap]

So you decided to make a point without figuring out if your point was even accurate?

OK then...

I'm not paid to know if there are any players in the portal prior to the season better than Stevie so I don't pay much attention to it. Coaches are. Last year there were certainly guys in the portal who helped their teams more than Stevie helped ours. Time will tell about this year.

But as I also said, if you're looking for a transfer to make a difference for us I'd look at other positions than the one Stevie plays.

Always be recruiting.

[Uncle Rico]

I'm not paid to know if there are any players in the portal prior to the season better than Stevie so I don't pay much attention to it. Coaches are. Last year there were certainly guys in the portal who helped their teams more than Stevie helped ours. Time will tell about this year.

But as I also said, if you're looking for a transfer to make a difference for us I'd look at other positions than the one Stevie plays.

Always be recruiting.

You can't recruit guys on scholarship to other teams

[Newsdreams]

You can't recruit guys on scholarship to other teams

Now you're just going to confuse Lenny

[Newsdreams]

How underrated has Stevie been among MU fans?

I believe he rose to Dung level

[MU82]

I'm not paid to know if there are any players in the portal prior to the season better than Stevie so I don't pay much attention to it. Coaches are. Last year there were certainly guys in the portal who helped their teams more than Stevie helped ours. Time will tell about this year.

But as I also said, if you're looking for a transfer to make a difference for us I'd look at other positions than the one Stevie plays.

Always be recruiting.

There undoubtedly were "better" players than Stevie available in the portal. Would a few of them actually have been a better fit for Marquette? Would any of them? Not sure, but obviously we'll never know.

Look at the well-traveled AJ Storr. He was recruited ($) by St. John's, he transferred ($$) to Madison so he could be a team's alpha, and he transferred again ($$$$) to Kansas to chase money and a title.

He's taller than Stevie, he's been a better shooter than Stevie, he averaged nearly twice as many points as Stevie last season. But would you have rather had him than Stevie? Maybe Gard and Self would say yes, but I doubt Shaka would. Nor would I.

Storr is a basketball mercenary, as is the case with many in the portal who might be "better" than Stevie. They go to the highest bidder and then move on. I'm sure most of them play hard when during their short stay with each team, but they are basketball mercenaries. Being a Jayhawk or a Badger or a Johnny ... what's the diff? It's a uniform and a paycheck.

Stevie is a warrior. A Marquette freakin' warrior to the core. As last night illustrated (again!), thank goodness we have him.

[muwarrior69]

Stevie only gets noticed when he scores 14-18 points, but it is his defense that gets shadowed by Kam, Chase or Jop when they score 20 pts or more. It's not Stevie that is underrated it is his defensive play that wins games, and no one notices. Sometimes the SOTG should go to the guy who plays outstanding defense.

[Lennys Tap]

You can't recruit guys on scholarship to other teams

Missed the memo about the portal?

[Lennys Tap]

Now you're just going to confuse Lenny

When Yogi speaks, Boo Boo won't be far behind.

[Uncle Rico]

Missed the memo about the portal?

You can't recruit guys if they're not in the portal, so you can't always be recruiting those guys.  It's against the rules.  Miss the memo?

[BLWarrior91]

They always refer to Stevie as the ultimate glue guy and we've already seen why this year.  When the team needs a lift on offense, he suddenly comes up with a huge bucket.  A huge rebound.  Knocking down free throws with ice water in his veins.  All while being our best defender game in and game out.  Smart on and off the court.  Not trying to score at the end of the game and possible turn it over was the mark of a smart, senior leader.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

You would need two portal transfers to replace what he does

[jpvegas]

What Stevie does for Marquette goes beyond the box scores. His defense, his leadership, his deflections, and his character are all perfect for this program and culture. When Shaka got here four years ago and talked about "first two years, nothing but culture" he may not have realized it but Stevie Mitchell was the avatar of that for the program.

There's no one in the portal that would bring what Stevie brings to this program and the downstream impact he creates.

Totally agree. 

If you watched last year when he was hampered by a hamstring pull, how out of sorts the team looked and how the team defense deteriorated.

[Goose]

I think Stevie is the perfect guy for this team and program. He definitely is not underrated by anyone that follows MU basketball on a regular basis. IMO, I have no idea of Stevie is 30 minute guy at any other top ten program in the country and that is not a slight to him. I do not think many guys in MU has maxed their potential and impact as him and I think it is in large part because he is part of something bigger.

I do not think there is any way someone outside of a basketball nerd or MU fan can properly appreciate him. Again, not a slight to him, but everything about him is what makes what he is. He is smart, great guy and all of our wife's favorite player and that is unique. My wife had surgery yesterday on her wrist and only watched the game half-heartedly because of napping, but she definitely got her Gold digs in, Jop digs in, and Kam cannot make a FT when it counts dig in, and also high praise for Stevie. Amazing how she could do all of that analysis while 75% sleeping and on a pain pill, yet she did.

To me the question is will Stevie be remembered in the manner he should be after he leaves MU. IMO he will be one of those guys that his legacy will grow after his days at MU are over. His accomplishments will seem bigger and better than maybe the actual truth and that will be confirmation of the type he was while at MU.

[Newsdreams]

Missed the memo about the portal?

Portal is not recruiting in they way you stated

[Newsdreams]

When Yogi speaks, Boo Boo won't be far behind.

Hi

[brewcity77]

Stevie reminds me of Darryl Morsell on steroids. Like Morsell, he'll take on the toughest defensive assignment, get his hands on everything, but also step up to make a key shot in the clutch moment. And I have no doubt that he learned many of those traits watching Morsell as a freshman.

The biggest difference is that what Morsell taught younger guys for one year Stevie has been passing on for three. You can see that impact on Chase & Zaide. To me, that is the culture of the program, and it's priceless.

[Tyler COLEk]

Stevie reminds me of Darryl Morsell on steroids. Like Morsell, he'll take on the toughest defensive assignment, get his hands on everything, but also step up to make a key shot in the clutch moment. And I have no doubt that he learned many of those traits watching Morsell as a freshman.

The biggest difference is that what Morsell taught younger guys for one year Stevie has been passing on for three. You can see that impact on Chase & Zaide. To me, that is the culture of the program, and it's priceless.

I think Morsell was a better point scorer/creator with the ball in his hands, but Stevie's offensive efficiency offsets that point a bit. Really appreciated Morsell in his year here, but I'd likewise take Stevie any day of the week.

[MuggsyB]

We have a trio of guards that stack up pretty well against anyone in the country.  And our next three guards all have talent.  It will be interesting if Sean comes back this year.  I think he gives us a spark and can alleviate some pressure on Kam.  The one thing JTY can do is pressure the ball and go into zoomability mode on the offensive end.  When you have tier 1 blow by speed, that changes things for the better assuming he makes the right decisions.  I love the kid and really hope he's back at 100%.  Don't forget what he did in Honolulu.   Self looked befuddled that he was blowing by guys like they were Moais. 

[Goose]

I think brew's post 100% confirmed my thoughts on Stevie. I love Stevie but do think he is Morsell on steroids is way overinflating Stevie the basketball player. Morsell was Stevie on steroids, imo, minus the other intangibles Stevie brings to the table.

[tower912]

I like how Shaka describes Adrien Stevens as a bigger, stronger Stevie.

[Goose]

Tower

I said after the NC State game that I hope Shaka gets a Stevie 2.0 for the future. That version is bigger, stronger and a more complete scorer. Fingers crossed Shaka is correct.

[tower912]

Good teams need a Stevie.   He would be wasted on a bad team.

[wadesworld]

Might be the best defender in college basketball.

[Tyler COLEk]

I like how Shaka describes Adrien Stevens as a bigger, stronger Stevie.

That quote definitely caught my attention.