Hoosier beat down

[WhiteTrash]

Dabo and Clemson had special, championship winning formula too.

Some people way underestimate Shaka. The idea that he has to abandon his personal commitments to add transfers is not grounded in facts.

[willie warrior]

This. Exactly this. Every year people seem to have the silver bullet reason why it's going to change, and every year he doubles down even further in that he's not interested in transfers. If he didn't do it when O-Max left, if he didn't do it last year, what on earth makes anyone think he's going to be less calcified on this topic?

And of course, the gap will widen

[tower912]

The idea that he has to abandon his personal commitments to add transfers is not grounded in facts.

Explain how that works.

[WhiteTrash]

Explain how that works.

He recruits and signs the best HS players he can and reserves a few spots for transfers. You can sign 3 HS per year and have 3 openings for transfers.

Unless Shaka is guaranteeing playing time (very doubtful), this is very manageable and fair to all.

[tower912]

RGV.  Unless I change my mind.

[brewcity77]

The idea that he has to abandon his personal commitments to add transfers is not grounded in facts.

Maybe if he replaces grads/transfers with transfers, but Shaka's comments have been pretty straight-forward. Every time he talks about it, it seems like he's closing the door even further on transfers. There just isn't much ambiguity in it.

Once you start bringing in a bunch of transfers, it doesn't happen in a vacuum. It impacts your roster and your program. We have made a decision and a commitment to the guys in our program. Yes, we could have gone in the transfer portal and recruited some guys, but we feel like it would have stunted their growth. We feel if we value growth, that would be a contradiction, and we believe that we can be a lot better than people think without taking transfers.

https://today.marquette.edu/2025/07/mens-basketball-coach-shaka-smart-talks-our-way-how-marquette-approaches-player-retention-development-differently/

Bringing in transfers "would have stunted the growth of our returning players," Smart says. "If we value growth, that's a contradiction."

https://today.marquette.edu/2025/10/unshakable/

[brewcity77]

I can't find it now, but he also recently effectively said "if parents and a family are looking for a place that will be loyal to them, stick with them, Marquette is the place to be." He was saying that in response to programs that recruit over people and bring transfers in with the expectation of playing immediately over returning players.

He's been unequivocal.

[Scoop Snoop]

I can't find it now, but he also recently effectively said "if parents and a family are looking for a place that will be loyal to them, stick with them, Marquette is the place to be." He was saying that in response to programs that recruit over people and bring transfers in with the expectation of playing immediately over returning players.

He's been unequivocal.

Yep.
This is never going to stop, all season long. Portal portal portal portal.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I can't find it now, but he also recently effectively said "if parents and a family are looking for a place that will be loyal to them, stick with them, Marquette is the place to be." He was saying that in response to programs that recruit over people and bring transfers in with the expectation of playing immediately over returning players.

He's been unequivocal.

Yep.
This is never going to stop, all season long. Portal portal portal portal.

100%. It's just kind of mind-boggling that people can't accept it for what it is.

[WhiteTrash]

100%. It's just kind of mind-boggling that people can't accept it for what it is.

It's like accepting that the jump shot and forward pass are fads.

I believe Shaka will adapt and thrive. He's not going down with the ship to prove a point.

[MU82]

It's like accepting that the jump shot and forward pass are fads.

I believe Shaka will adapt and thrive. He's not going down with the ship to prove a point.

Do I think Shaka would never ever ever bring in a stud from the portal? I kind of doubt he would, but I won't say never.

Do I think he would change his entire philosophy, on which he has publicly doubled- and tripled- and quadrupled-down, after one disappointing season? No I do not. Do you?

I also think there's a difference between him maybe bringing in a role player who can help fill out a lineup vs. an actual stud who would command big bucks. I could see him bringing in the former as soon as this coming offseason if the situation were right. I do not see him bringing in the latter unless something crazy - such as a complete change in philosophy - happens. And I don't see a complete change in philosophy after just one less-than-good year. Do you?

[DoctorV]

This. Exactly this. Every year people seem to have the silver bullet reason why it's going to change, and every year he doubles down even further in that he's not interested in transfers. If he didn't do it when O-Max left, if he didn't do it last year, what on earth makes anyone think he's going to be less calcified on this topic?

The only reason he would ever become less calcified on this topic is because the V is the most important part of the RGV triangle.

If the V doesn't come as planned, the R and G aspects will become less calcified and he will do what he thinks is necessary to win more the following season, imo.

If he wins enough to dance history has shown there is very low to no probability that he deviates, and you can't blame him

[WhiteTrash]

Do I think Shaka would never ever ever bring in a stud from the portal? I kind of doubt he would, but I won't say never.

Do I think he would change his entire philosophy, on which he has publicly doubled- and tripled- and quadrupled-down, after one disappointing season? No I do not. Do you?

I also think there's a difference between him maybe bringing in a role player who can help fill out a lineup vs. an actual stud who would command big bucks. I could see him bringing in the former as soon as this coming offseason if the situation were right. I do not see him bringing in the latter unless something crazy - such as a complete change in philosophy - happens. And I don't see a complete change in philosophy after just one less-than-good year. Do you?

I think we could have a thread 100 pages long discussing who is a stud and who is not.

I simply believe Shaka will go from zero transfers to adding some to the mix.

The ability of high majors to add experienced talent is the way forward.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

It's like accepting that the jump shot and forward pass are fads.

I believe Shaka will adapt and thrive. He's not going down with the ship to prove a point.

The ship is going down?

[MessWithAll]

RGV.  Unless I change my mind.

Retention.  Grieving.  Vitriol.  Rinse, repeat.

[MU82]

I think we could have a thread 100 pages long discussing who is a stud and who is not.

I simply believe Shaka will go from zero transfers to adding some to the mix.

The ability of high majors to add experienced talent is the way forward.

OK, set the bar really low. Now I at least get your argument.