Sheek in the Portal?

[Shooter McGavin]

Can't imagine taking less than the millions being paid to others on the same team.  Don't blame Sheek. 

Shaka's value will hopefully be in retaining more people than he loses when situations are essentially equal or maybe even slightly unequal going forward.  I think that has been the case this offseason. 

[94Warrior]

Eh Purdue and MSU seemed to have avoided the negative fallout while reaping the benefits. I think that's what the fanbase was imagining portal life would be like. But yes it always much more likely this would happen

Purdue has lost Heide and Colvin, MSU has lost Holloman and Booker.

All 4 were solid pieces, with Booker being a 5 star. 

As I said, everyone has lost players to the portal.  And, unfortunately the portal is necessary to compete.

[Zog from Margo]

What gets me is that I'd have to pay decent amount for MU tuition for a year, a personal trainer, a gym membership, room and board, and court-side MU seats. Sheek got paid a nice amount for all of those things and doesn't even say "Thanks!" Some poor manners if you ask me.

[SchnitzelBoy]

It's a bummer because I thought MU was getting set up for an offseason where they could retain everyone and not need the portal. Sheek would have been the heir-apparent at starting center with (potentially) Josh Clark developing into the backup.

[Juan Anderson's Mixtape]

It's a bummer because I thought MU was getting set up for an offseason where they could retain everyone and not need the portal. Sheek would have been the heir-apparent at starting center with (potentially) Josh Clark developing into the backup.

But the good news is that MU can use the portal again to get another starting center next year.  Maybe even Sheek! Doubtful, but these days you never know.

Or the NCAA grants 5 years of eligibility, Fru gets grandfathered in for a 5th year, and MU finds a way to retain him.  You never know what the NCAA is going to do, especially since the NCAA doesn't even know what they're going to do.

[hawk]

Good Riddance to Pearson.  He never played so he's not really a loss.  Shaka can go and get a backup power forward for Parhame and the team is better off.  You people really have to get over your distain for Hamilton.  What has ever done to you??

It might be a better idea to recruit guys like him, people who will stay and honor commitments and fill in gaps with portal people instead of going after top 40 or 50 guys who will always leave early for more opprotunity.

[The Sultan]

Good Riddance to Pearson.  He never played so he's not really a loss.  Shaka can go and get a backup power forward for Parhame and the team is better off.  You people really have to get over your distain for Hamilton.  What has ever done to you??

It might be a better idea to recruit guys like him, people who will stay and honor commitments and fill in gaps with portal people instead of going after top 40 or 50 guys who will always leave early for more opprotunity.

This post is amazing on a number of levels.

[MUbiz]

Per a source I know - Sheek was tampered with heavily in the portal. As much as I loathe 18, it had nothing to do with 18 or playing time - it is a pure money play. Sheek is giving MUBB an opportunity to match the cash he is getting elsewhere.

My opinion - got to cut Sheek loose - MUBB cannot be getting into bidding wars with kids that never played before. Also - if we do pony up cash to keep Sheek - what are the big 3 going to do next off season?  The same?

[brewcity77]

Already explained. He was waiting to see if 18 would transfer out.

#fakenews #lies

Just stop with this. It's total made up BS.

[Billy Hoyle]

Good Riddance to Pearson.  He never played so he's not really a loss.  Shaka can go and get a backup power forward for Parhame and the team is better off.  You people really have to get over your distain for Hamilton.  What has ever done to you??

It might be a better idea to recruit guys like him, people who will stay and honor commitments and fill in gaps with portal people instead of going after top 40 or 50 guys who will always leave early for more opprotunity.

So drop to the Horizon League?

[Viper]

Good Riddance to Pearson.  He never played so he's not really a loss.  Shaka can go and get a backup power forward for Parhame and the team is better off.  You people really have to get over your distain for Hamilton.  What has ever done to you??

It might be a better idea to recruit guys like him, people who will stay and honor commitments and fill in gaps with portal people instead of going after top 40 or 50 guys who will always leave early for more opprotunity.

Hawk, Hamilton is probably a fine young man. But, this is pro ball now. The group consensus is that he's not high D-1 basketball talent...hence the frustration that MU should be recruiting better post players. It's not personal. I mean, Hamilton even did a RS!  Fill a roster with Hamilton's and enjoy 5 wins per. Hopefully it clicks for him on court next season.

[GoldenEagles03]

#fakenews #lies

Just stop with this. It's total made up BS.

If you had to guess, do you think this changes Shaka's mentality at all regarding the portal? Will he just be all in now?

This is the second player of the season that "quit"/left on him with Zaide and now Pearson presumably for more money.

[panda]

#fakenews #lies

Just stop with this. It's total made up BS.

I'm not being pedantic - but what's the story if this isn't true?

[Zog from Margo]

Per a source I know - Sheek was tampered with heavily in the portal. As much as I loathe 18, it had nothing to do with 18 or playing time - it is a pure money play. Sheek is giving MUBB an opportunity to match the cash he is getting elsewhere.

My opinion - got to cut Sheek loose - MUBB cannot be getting into bidding wars with kids that never played before. Also - if we do pony up cash to keep Sheek - what are the big 3 going to do next off season?  The same?

If true and he's not a bad teammate, get close enough on $ so Sheek stays. If you have to bump others, so be it. That said, I'm guessing his agent has something lined up with another program.

[MU82]

#fakenews #lies

Just stop with this. It's total made up BS.

It's getting obvious that it's schtick. Say what you want about JB, he's usually not as ignorant about basketball-related stuff as this silliness suggests. Ipso fatso ... schtick.

[Wade-A-Minute]

I agree with Hawk. Lots of hand wringing over the loss of someone who hasn't played a minute. 6'11" 215lbs. I saw a practice before the 2nd Nova game. One on one drill and Sheek could not back Militic down to get a decent look at the basket. I don't think he would have gotten substantial minutes...early on at least.

[panda]

I agree with Hawk. Lots of hand wringing over the loss of someone who hasn't played a minute. 6'11" 215lbs. I saw a practice before the 2nd Nova game. One on one drill and Sheek could not back Militic down to get a decent look at the basket. I don't think he would have gotten substantial minutes...early on at least.

The issue is we have zero depth, zero margin for error going into next year and already lost an important piece all while carrying two guys who have zero business sniffing this level of basketball and redshirting a player who almost definitely could have contributed more than those two last season.

Massive failure yet again from the roster standpoint

[Jay Bee]

A Wolf In Sheek's Clothing.

[Jockey]

He is. But Schertz is no slouch. Look how he used Robbie Avila - and Sheek is way more talented than him.

Ah, NO.

Sheek is more athletic - not more talented.

[The Sultan]

Ah, NO.

Sheek is more athletic - not more talented.

Point taken.

[Rimrocker]

Per a source I know - Sheek was tampered with heavily in the portal. As much as I loathe 18, it had nothing to do with 18 or playing time - it is a pure money play. Sheek is giving MUBB an opportunity to match the cash he is getting elsewhere.

My opinion - got to cut Sheek loose - MUBB cannot be getting into bidding wars with kids that never played before. Also - if we do pony up cash to keep Sheek - what are the big 3 going to do next off season?  The same?

My answer to that question is YES!!

Pay Sheek a commensurate number to what his other offers are!!  Would that, might that mean we are going to have to pony up even more for the the other 3, and most likely others?  YES!!!
Im sick of this BS that MU wants to be a big time program and compete with the top teams in the country, blah, blah, blah.
Either put up or shut up. It is what the top teams in our conference and the country are doing!

[MU82]

And ... yes, for the doubters, do you not think Sheek thought WTF ?!  You're playing Hamilton and not me ?

Please provide the dollar figure that Hamilton will get paid for the 2026-27 season and also what Sheek would have received from Marquette for the 2026-27 season. Also, please provide your source for those figures, preferably with a link to substantiate it.

Thanks!

[wadesworld]

My answer to that question is YES!!

Pay Sheek a commensurate number to what his other offers are!!  Would that, might that mean we are going to have to pony up even more for the the other 3, and most likely others?  YES!!!
Im sick of this BS that MU wants to be a big time program and compete with the top teams in the country, blah, blah, blah.
Either put up or shut up. It is what the top teams in our conference and the country are doing!

They've put up this offseason.  You have to have your head in the sand not to see that.  Paying a guy way more than he's worth is just bad business.

[Jay Bee]

Point taken.

Lol.

Avila: 127 ORtg with 22% usage; >60% eFG%, >25% assist rate, 43.7% ft rate, 62 made triples on 40.0% 3FG%

Sultan: Sheek is "way more" talented!

[brewcity77]

My answer to that question is YES!!

Pay Sheek a commensurate number to what his other offers are!!  Would that, might that mean we are going to have to pony up even more for the the other 3, and most likely others?  YES!!!
Im sick of this BS that MU wants to be a big time program and compete with the top teams in the country, blah, blah, blah.
Either put up or shut up. It is what the top teams in our conference and the country are doing!

It's not that simple.

Let's say that Marquette was paying the following:

Sheek $500k
Adrien $1M
Royce $1.5M
NJ $2.8M
Fru $3.2M

We've established Adrien, Royce, & NJ are the core three. So while you might pay an in demand proven big like Fru more than your core, you aren't doing than for the redshirt who's never played a minute of D1.

Then back in Sheek's hometown, the local team goes into a panic when their top transfer target goes from likely commit to a Duke Blue Devil a day before the portal entry window closes. They call Sheek and promise a starting job and the $2M they planned to give Scharnowski. If you're Sheek, quadrupling your money while getting a starting job and being close to family is a no brainer.

You say yes, but I have to give MU the chance to match because they took a shot on me reclassing and already invested time and coaching into my development. Now the question is does Marquette match?

In order to do so, it's not as simple as raising Sheek from $500k to $2M. If you do that, you pretty much have to bring Adrien and Royce up to that same level. They're the core you committed to and if you are paying them less than the 7tb or 8th man on the bench, wherever Sheek lands, they might not enter the portal now but you can bet they'll be making plans all season long and the locker room won't be as healthy a place.

So now you have to bring three guys to $2M. Here's the actual cost of keeping Sheek in this scenario and not destroying your locker room in the process:

• $500k - Original Sheek cost
• $1.5M - Additional needed to keep Sheek
• $500k - Additional needed to get Royce matching Sheek
• $1M - Additional needed to get Adrien matching Sheek
• $3.5M - Total expenditures to keep Sheek on the roster

Is it really worth spending more money to keep Sheek than you spent on NJ or Fru? Of course not, that's insane for the 7th or 8th guy. It also sets a precedent that you will cave to exorbitant demands and weaken your negotiating position in the future.

FBOW the reality is it's best for all parties that Sheek leave. Better for him, better for Marquette. Now the staff needs to pivot to find a replacement.