Actions Shakas taken after a bad team

[Galway Eagle]

While at Marquette Shakas given a few interviews where he's mentioned he's had "one bad team" and that the lack of connectivity and buy in to the culture is what he felt cratered that season and why he's so invested in what has now become the RGV model.

I'm curious if anyone has taken a look at that team's issues and what pivots Shaka made after that 2017 season? Perhaps that could help inform us as to what to expect after this year.

[jfp61]

Shaka isn't wrong. The culture of this group is poor.

Now its poor because he allowed sophmores and juniors to fail upwards.

We have Gold and Ross and very little else

[Pakuni]

While at Marquette Shakas given a few interviews where he's mentioned he's had "one bad team" and that the lack of connectivity and buy in to the culture is what he felt cratered that season and why he's so invested in what has now become the RGV model.

I'm curious if anyone has taken a look at that team's issues and what pivots Shaka made after that 2017 season? Perhaps that could help inform us as to what to expect after this year.

He brought in a top 10 recruiting class highlighted by Mo Bamba, Matt Coleman and Jericho Sims. Two of them were immediate starters and the other was starting by the end of the season.
They grew and built relationships quickly.

[TheREALwrk]

Shaka isn't wrong. The culture of this group is poor.

Now its poor because he allowed sophmores and juniors to fail upwards.

We have Gold and Ross and very little else

You count having Ben Gold as having something?

[jfp61]

You count having Ben Gold as having something?

Somehow..... He is clearly the second best player on this team.

[Shooter McGavin]

He is the best big on the team on a team with no serviceable bigs. Because of that his importance is inflated. Nijel James is the second best player overall.

[Viper]

Somehow..... He is clearly the second best player on this team.

if I have Ross & James as 1 & 2, you'd place Gold ahead of...?

[Galway Eagle]

He brought in a top 10 recruiting class highlighted by Mo Bamba, Matt Coleman and Jericho Sims. Two of them were immediate starters and the other was starting by the end of the season.
They grew and built relationships quickly.

Didn't realize that class came after that year. Beyond recruiting he didn't make any adjustments? Staff, style, cut a bunch of returners?

[jfp61]

if I have Ross & James as 1 & 2, you'd place Gold ahead of...?

James.... because defense is fun

[Johnny B]

James.... because defense is fun

Forgot gold was some elite defender

[Shooter McGavin]

He's the only big who can defend.  So this will be a circular argument.

[jfp61]

Forgot gold was some elite defender

COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE ON THIS TEAM HE SOMEHOW IS

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

Ben Gold gets more hate than deserved. Through 8 games, Evan Miya has him ranked 31st in the Big East based on Bayesian Performance Rating. (For comparison, Chase is ranked 7th and our third highest rated player is Royce at 48th.)

If senior year Ben Gold swapped places with junior year David Joplin, Gold would be just fine as a 4th/5th starter.  If Gold could swap places with senior year Dwight Burke, he would have been a huge upgrade and thrived next to the Amigos and Hayward.

Unfortunately, this team needs a number 2 scoring option and Ben never developed into more than a complementary piece.  Yes, it's somewhat disappointing, but that disappointment is exacerbated by the overall futility of the rest of the roster.