Be like Matt.

[JTJ3]

So just add 4 NBA players.  Sounds easy enough.

[MuggsyB]

So just add 4 NBA players.  Sounds easy enough.

I overshot a bit, but I think people get my point.  At the end of the day you need weapons at various positions. 

[dgies9156]

This team is clearly bereft of high D-1 talent and that's on Shaka.  And as many have pointed out, if you whiff on recruits, and they can't develop into solid rotational players, you're essentially fked if you don't use the portal.  I mean there's no way to sugarcoat this fact.  And I'm a big Shaka guy. I think he should be given the opportunity to turn things around next season.  However, if we go into 2026-7 as we are presently constructed it's going to be super ugly. 

First of all, I'm a big Shaka guy too. I think the world of him and I give him credit for what he's done in his first four years. That alone warrants a mulligan for this year. Period.

The broader concern I have is that almost nobody saw coming what we have so far this year. Yeah, nobody thought this team would be 1977 v2.0 but did anyone really think we'd be 0 for the BIG and barely get by Valpo? I know I didn't. I expected that Parham and Owens would step up and Hamilton would at least be serviceable. Maybe that will happen in the Big East season, but I'm not holding my breath.

When you add to the failure so far this year the apparent smugness the university appears to have in the RGV program, you begin to see some of the anger in here and at other sites.

For the rest of this year, the equation is really simple: figure out what Marquette has. Can Owens somehow revive his career? Are Stevens, Phillips, Parham and James the anchors around which next year's team is built? Most importantly, who needs to find a new home and what does Marquette seek in the portal?

It's possible that a light goes on and we go about 15-5 in the Big East. I think I'd be in cardiac arrest if that happened. I'll support this team and Coach Shaka as much if not more than ever, but barring a miracle, it's exam time and everyone is on the clock!

[MuggsyB]

First of all, I'm a big Shaka guy too. I think the world of him and I give him credit for what he's done in his first four years. That alone warrants a mulligan for this year. Period.

The broader concern I have is that almost nobody saw coming what we have so far this year. Yeah, nobody thought this team would be 1977 v2.0 but did anyone really think we'd be 0 for the BIG and barely get by Valpo? I know I didn't. I expected that Parham and Owens would step up and Hamilton would at least be serviceable. Maybe that will happen in the Big East season, but I'm not holding my breath.

When you add to the failure so far this year the apparent smugness the university appears to have in the RGV program, you begin to see some of the anger in here and at other sites.

For the rest of this year, the equation is really simple: figure out what Marquette has. Can Owens somehow revive his career? Are Stevens, Phillips, Parham and James the anchors around which next year's team is built? Most importantly, who needs to find a new home and what does Marquette seek in the portal?

It's possible that a light goes on and we go about 15-5 in the Big East. I think I'd be in cardiac arrest if that happened. I'll support this team and Coach Shaka as much if not more than ever, but barring a miracle, it's exam time and everyone is on the clock!

Well said Brother Dgies.  I didn't see it coming either.  I thought all of our guys would improve and that Caedin was a legitimate 5.  I figured we'd probably be a 9-11 NCAA seed.  Sadly not only have our players not improved, many have regressed.  Even with how bad the BEast is, I'd be shocked if we do better than 5-15.  And don't forget in a normal year for the BEast we probably go 2-18.   Yes.  See what we have moving forward.  Play the youngsters. 

[MuggsyB]

Nm

[Daniel]

Players have to compete for playing time within a team.   So, you produce or you don't play a lot.   So, the goal can still be recruiting high school kids, and then get a portal or two players.   

Basketball is competing.   Against other teams and against each other.     That's how life is, as someone said about workers getting hired and have to produce.  Excellence should be expected.   

[muwarrior69]

First of all, I'm a big Shaka guy too. I think the world of him and I give him credit for what he's done in his first four years. That alone warrants a mulligan for this year. Period.

The broader concern I have is that almost nobody saw coming what we have so far this year. Yeah, nobody thought this team would be 1977 v2.0 but did anyone really think we'd be 0 for the BIG and barely get by Valpo? I know I didn't. I expected that Parham and Owens would step up and Hamilton would at least be serviceable. Maybe that will happen in the Big East season, but I'm not holding my breath.

When you add to the failure so far this year the apparent smugness the university appears to have in the RGV program, you begin to see some of the anger in here and at other sites.

For the rest of this year, the equation is really simple: figure out what Marquette has. Can Owens somehow revive his career? Are Stevens, Phillips, Parham and James the anchors around which next year's team is built? Most importantly, who needs to find a new home and what does Marquette seek in the portal?

It's possible that a light goes on and we go about 15-5 in the Big East. I think I'd be in cardiac arrest if that happened. I'll support this team and Coach Shaka as much if not more than ever, but barring a miracle, it's exam time and everyone is on the clock!

I'd rather the light go on and win 4 straight in the BET, but like the UCONN women beating our men's team it's just all hyperbole and a reaction that this team like the Emperor has no clothes.

[rgoode57]

Truth is that college basketball and football is now big business and players are now paid employees - sometimes very highly paid employees. The old culture schtick and RGV simply may not be applicable in this new environment. RGV is a nice sentiment, but, in the meantime other coaches are using the transfer portal effectively to build better teams. As a matter of fact, the best player Shaka has brought to MU (TK) was a transfer.

So, what do you do in business with under-performing or non-performing employees? You get rid of them and replace them with someone else. Hamilton, Jones, Lowery, and Norman are not going to leave voluntarily. Shaka is going to have to show them the door. Owens is a question mark. He is not showing much so far but you probably can't replace more than two or three guys at a time.

I hate the whole transfer portal system and particularly hate to see players moving to different teams every year. But, that's the system we have now. I admire Shaka's principles, but I also think his stubbornness is jeopardizing the program. Programs like Purdue seem to be able to marry the RGV concept with limited use of the portal, so Shaka could do that too if he wanted. But, the holier than thou RGV stuff is wearing thin.

[WhiteTrash]

Players have to compete for playing time within a team.  So, you produce or you don't play a lot.  So, the goal can still be recruiting high school kids, and then get a portal or two players.   

Basketball is competing.  Against other teams and against each other.    That's how life is, as someone said about workers getting hired and have to produce.  Excellence should be expected. 

The concept put forward here that the current players will be negatively affected by transfers assumes one of two things:
1. Shaka has assembled a group that has no stomach for competition. or
2. Shaka promised he would never accept transfers and he would cause problems by not standing by his word.

1. seems impossible to believe and 2. while highly doubtful, but if true, would be a major red flag concerning Shaka's decision making and leadership. But, a good leader, which I still believe Shaka is, can and will admit errors and course correct. Assuming MU players still believe in Shaka (99% sure they do) they will accept and probably respect Shaka for admitting an error and resetting the strategy  for the betterment of the team.

I think if certain promises were made relating to NIL, we may have to allow time for the budget to sort itself out. If Shaka is committed to giving MU and himself transfer player flexibility, I think it would be reasonable for MU to suffer another bad year in 2026 to clear the books and move forward.

Anyways, maybe I'm wrong but that's the way I see it.   

[muwarrior69]

https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?q=nil%20deals%20pros%20and%20cons&mid=1DA2935403685D761A1B1DA2935403685D761A1B&ajaxhist=0

Insight into how NIL works.

[mileskishnish72]

Truth is that college basketball and football is now big business and players are now paid employees - sometimes very highly paid employees. The old culture schtick and RGV simply may not be applicable in this new environment. RGV is a nice sentiment, but, in the meantime other coaches are using the transfer portal effectively to build better teams. As a matter of fact, the best player Shaka has brought to MU (TK) was a transfer.

So, what do you do in business with under-performing or non-performing employees? You get rid of them and replace them with someone else. Hamilton, Jones, Lowery, and Norman are not going to leave voluntarily. Shaka is going to have to show them the door. Owens is a question mark. He is not showing much so far but you probably can't replace more than two or three guys at a time.

I hate the whole transfer portal system and particularly hate to see players moving to different teams every year. But, that's the system we have now. I admire Shaka's principles, but I also think his stubbornness is jeopardizing the program. Programs like Purdue seem to be able to marry the RGV concept with limited use of the portal, so Shaka could do that too if he wanted. But, the holier than thou RGV stuff is wearing thin.

Another topic related to Shaka's stubbornness is player agents. I'll admit, I don't know if
he absolutely will not deal with an agent or not, but it is an issue that has been mentioned on the board. There was an intimation that things cooled with Morillo because he had an agent.

To repeat, or as the politicians say, "to be clear," I don't know if this is a true black and white issue with Shaka. If it is, it's likely to hurt his and MU's chances of building good teams. Since NIL, the money has increased significantly, and will likely continue to do so. The more money that's out there, the more agents there will be, and even kids outside the top 50 will be showing up with them.

I am totally with those who say that Shaka has shown me enough the first four years that his seat shouldn't be warm at this point. Failure to change, failure to adjust, and bringing out
another version of a team like this next year would completely change my mind as to his tenure.

[Mu8891]

Trash - I think Shaka has assembled a team lacking ( somewhat ) in a true stomach for competition.

Where's the Alpha ?   It's not Ross.
Where's the fire ?  There's sure as hell no TKO on this team.  Just another in the long list of problems w / this roster.

[WhiteTrash]

Trash - I think Shaka has assembled a team lacking ( somewhat ) in a true stomach for competition.

Where's the Alpha ?  It's not Ross.
Where's the fire ?  There's sure as hell no TKO on this team.  Just another in the long list of problems w / this roster.

I guess anything is possible and I can see why you might draw that conclusion. It just seems hard to believe that A) these players could get to a Big East program without a passion for competition and B) Shaka and his assistant could be so unaware of the character of the players they recruit. I thought he was all about relationships?

[BM1090]

Marquette cant defend anyone. Caitlin Clarke would rip them to shreds. Imagine pick and roll with Caedin Hamilton getting switched onto her. She would put him in the shadow realm

Double, recover. The others aren't beating you 4 on 3.

What are we doing here?

[panda]

Double, recover. The others aren't beating you 4 on 3.

What are we doing here?

I don't think you've watched enough women's basketball. This marquette team somehow significantly worse defensively than Wojo's worst teams. Caitlin Clark would absolutely shred them to bits. If a woman can't defend her you think these clowns can?

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Another topic related to Shaka's stubbornness is player agents. I'll admit, I don't know if
he absolutely will not deal with an agent or not, but it is an issue that has been mentioned on the board. There was an intimation that things cooled with Morillo because he had an agent.

To repeat, or as the politicians say, "to be clear," I don't know if this is a true black and white issue with Shaka. If it is, it's likely to hurt his and MU's chances of building good teams. Since NIL, the money has increased significantly, and will likely continue to do so. The more money that's out there, the more agents there will be, and even kids outside the top 50 will be showing up with them.

I am totally with those who say that Shaka has shown me enough the first four years that his seat shouldn't be warm at this point. Failure to change, failure to adjust, and bringing out
another version of a team like this next year would completely change my mind as to his tenure.

Egbuonu has an agent. 

My understanding is he doesn't care if the player has an agent.  The issue is he will not negotiate NIL with an agent because of how Marquette structures the compensation. 

The payment structure is what is and there is no negotiation. 

If that above is incorrect, happy to be corrected.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

I don't think you've watched enough women's basketball. This marquette team somehow significantly worse defensively than Wojo's worst teams. Caitlin Clark would absolutely shred them to bits. If a woman can't defend her you think these clowns can?

Yes.

[panda]

Yes.

ya but have you ever seen caitlin clark miss a shot? hard to defend that