Shaka Smart 02/18/2026

[Jay Bee]

There's still time for Damarius Owens... He needs the game to slow down for him a little bit. There are so many flashes, despite the injuries. That lanky frame and athleticism alone are so useful. Watch him "transfer down" to a Dayton or SLU only to get huge money from an ACC school his senior year after he breaks out for real. I'd rather him bloom late for us.

Amen. I hope he stays - the ceiling is still high for DO.

But, yeah.. one 'good' path for him would be .. go to a mid major and get major run. Just go absolutely crazy. Then back to a HM for big $ as a senior.

[muwarrior69]

Pretty ideal offseason.

Return 3 starters, bring in 3 more capable of starting level minutes.  Owens, Sheek, Philips, etc. battle it out for the remaining minutes.

Thats a tournament team.

Well the 3 starters can't win games now what makes you think they will games next season or even be here?

We don't even know who these players are but they'll be capable of starting level minutes?

Sheek and the in coming class are unproven. Owens and Philips have not really shown much in limited play. 

As Doctor V noted our scoring has regressed over successive seasons. Unless that trend is reversed it could be another disaster season just as well.


The point is we just don't know as of now what next season will bring.

[Pakuni]

Amen. I hope he stays - the ceiling is still high for DO.

But, yeah.. one 'good' path for him would be .. go to a mid major and get major run. Just go absolutely crazy. Then back to a HM for big $ as a senior.

Jamal Cain would have done quite well for himself had he left MU a year earlier.

[DoctorV]

Well the 3 starters can't win games now what makes you think they will games next season or even be here?

We don't even know who these players are but they'll be capable of starting level minutes?

Sheek and the in coming class are unproven. Owens and Philips have not really shown much in limited play.

As Doctor V noted our scoring has regressed over successive seasons. Unless that trend is reversed it could be another disaster season just as well.


The point is we just don't know as of now what next season will bring.

It would be hard to see a shooting regression again next year, given how bad this year and last have been from 3.

If there is, I wouldn't suspect it comes from Nigel because his shot/form aren't all that great but it's been working this season.

Even if he does he will find other ways to score because he's a stud.
Hopefully some of the newcomers and returnees can shoot well in live action

[Elonsmusk]

Jamal Cain would have done quite well for himself had he left MU a year earlier.

Jamal is actually a good comp for Damarius.  Could very well follow same trajectory, although in 4 years versus the 5 it took Jamal.

[Zog from Margo]

Jamal is actually a good comp for Damarius.  Could very well follow same trajectory, although in 4 years versus the 5 it took Jamal.

I hope you're right but I'm not seeing it. As I recall, Cain always had a good shooting stroke. Owens can hit dunks without traffic and the occasional 3. I haven't seen him being able to convert anything else. Owens is a great athlete and hopefully it clicks next year.

[onepost]

High major schools have reached out about Damarius and I had heard we told them "thanks but he's staying". So I see him being here next season, which is great by me.

[Elonsmusk]

High major schools have reached out about Damarius and I had heard we told them "thanks but he's staying". So I see him being here next season, which is great by me.

So schools now have the power, not the athlete?  Didn't know in this day and age of the portal that a kid could only go into the portal with the school's approval.

[79Warrior]

High major schools have reached out about Damarius and I had heard we told them "thanks but he's staying". So I see him being here next season, which is great by me.

lol. Who did they reach out to? Who is "we" told them no thanks. Nobody makes a decision for DO but DO.
Sell that BS somewhere else.

[Johnny B]

What high major wants him. Doesn't make any sense. I'm struggling to hold onto a modicum of faith he can become a decent player. Tough to watch at times. Makes elementary level turnovers, instantly launches threes the moment he has an inch of space like he has the ultimate green light, and struggles to
Finish in traffic.

[muwarrior69]

It would be hard to see a shooting regression again next year, given how bad this year and last have been from 3.

If there is, I wouldn't suspect it comes from Nigel because his shot/form aren't all that great but it's been working this season.

Even if he does he will find other ways to score because he's a stud.
Hopefully some of the newcomers and returnees can shoot well in live action

Point taken, but with so much unknown I find it a stretch to say we will have a tourney team next season. 

[onepost]

lol. Who did they reach out to? Who is "we" told them no thanks. Nobody makes a decision for DO but DO.
Sell that BS somewhere else.

You can believe it or not, I don't care. I was told Syracuse had reached out to see if Damarius would be transferring and were told he was staying at MU. I took that as Damarius already letting it be known to the staff he's staying.

[MU82]

You can believe it or not, I don't care. I was told Syracuse had reached out to see if Damarius would be transferring and were told he was staying at MU. I took that as Damarius already letting it be known to the staff he's staying.

Not criticizing, just curious ...

So you're saying that Power 5 School A contacts P5 School B - in the middle of a season - to ask if Player X might want to transfer?

[WhiteTrash]

lol. Who did they reach out to? Who is "we" told them no thanks. Nobody makes a decision for DO but DO.
Sell that BS somewhere else.

Yes, that was a comically bad story, and we've all read some doosies here before.

[JTJ3]

Not criticizing, just curious ...

So you're saying that Power 5 School A contacts P5 School B - in the middle of a season - to ask if Player X might want to transfer?

Unfortunately it happens all the time now.  Marquette is already feeling out potential portal adds as well.

[onepost]

Not criticizing, just curious ...

So you're saying that Power 5 School A contacts P5 School B - in the middle of a season - to ask if Player X might want to transfer?

Yes

[MU82]

Yes

Unfortunately it happens all the time now.  Marquette is already feeling out potential portal adds as well.

Interesting. I knew schools were talking to agents/parents of kids they hoped to get as transfers. It didn't dawn on me that a representative of a school would call his counterpart at a rival school and basically ask, "Mind if we poach one of your players?"

[onepost]

Interesting. I knew schools were talking to agents/parents of kids they hoped to get as transfers. It didn't dawn on me that a representative of a school would call his counterpart at a rival school and basically ask, "Mind if we poach one of your players?"

I had the same initial thought, 82: "wow that seems incredibly brazen and stupid of them". But it was more presented as them asking if Marquette wanted Damarius back next season because they had interest in him if we didn't. We told them yes, we want him back.

[WhiteTrash]

I had the same initial thought, 82: "wow that seems incredibly brazen and stupid of them". But it was more presented as them asking if Marquette wanted Damarius back next season because they had interest in him if we didn't. We told them yes, we want him back.

 

You're making this even more ridiculous. If Syracuse wants him, they will offer him a package he can't refuse. End of story.

[Zog from Margo]

I just don't see Owens being in demand among Power 5 programs. He's not even a starter on a very poor MU team. If he's back, I'll be a bit concerned if MU views him as a starter going into next season. He hasn't really proven much to date.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

 

You're making this even more ridiculous. If Syracuse wants him, they will offer him a package he can't refuse. End of story.

That doesn't make sense.

[rocky_warrior]

Amen. I hope he stays - the ceiling is still high for DO.

But, yeah.. one 'good' path for him would be .. go to a mid major and get major run. Just go absolutely crazy. Then back to a HM for big $ as a senior.

Weirdest bold I've ever seen

[MU82]

I had the same initial thought, 82: "wow that seems incredibly brazen and stupid of them". But it was more presented as them asking if Marquette wanted Damarius back next season because they had interest in him if we didn't. We told them yes, we want him back.

Hmmm. Thanks for the response.

[rocky_warrior]

"thanks but he's staying". So I see him being here next season, which is great by me.

So, you, and he said nothing. Thanks attention whore.

Edit: You belong to the greatest group of mu boosters, and "great by me" is all you got?