That puts only being patient with the 5 stars in development and not the other guys. You stand to lose a lot of talent to lower programs who will always have the seniors and then we will have more final fours where the FAUs get there more often. Now we have to retain these kids with NIL and develop them. Not have them jump ship due to NIL and not being patient with them.
I mean, we are going to have 4 seniors starting next year thanks to the portal…
1 Like
Yes but i mean in the long term. Not every year where they may or may not understand or get the schemes down after seeing them year after year.
Oh, I agree that its less than ideal from a team-building perspective. But it is the world we live in now and we have to learn the best way to navigate it. Its good that we are on the right side of the tracks when this all went down. Great team, good conference. that helps establish our place in the minds of the players and probably gives us more leeway than most programs have while figuring this all out the next few years. Which is good because our NIL opportunities are probably less than average at this stage in the game, but lots of room to improve if the team stays strong.
Also, one of the good parts about getting players with a lot of experience is they understand the game better and pick up schemes more naturally. which is why they can switch teams in the pros and still be effective immediately. Harder transition from any high school/AAU team to college than one college to another or pro team
1 Like
not unexpected from our positioning so far but I keep hoping we go after a big big
I’ve been saying it, but this should really tell you all you need to know.
A big man that wouldn’t be demanding crazy NIL dollars. Who can come in and try to play in the Carlton role. But then what do you do with J’Wan? You cannot have 2 guys getting all their baskets 10 feet and in. Clogs the paint.
Not what the coaching staff wants. Unless they believe J’Wan can become a threat from outside.
2 Likes
but the dream! its a good dream!
1 Like
I still think someone like Olivier from Tennessee would put us in a great position next year.
1 Like
I understand your point. But J’wans post up game disappeared as the season went on
What if against Big 12 competition, hes more of a backup?
Against a very athletic team like Miami, he was contained on the glass
Javier averaged 10 minutes per game last season.
They took a gamble on Francis this yr. In my opinion, it didn’t work. He didn’t play down the stretch
Now they’re placing their bets that he can be a starting center.
It could bite them 2 years a row
2 Likes
its not up to Jo…
He’s not going to be a backup.
And his jump from last year to this year was staggering. He could do it again this offseason.
Francis starting at C is not the plan. It’s J’Wan’s spot.
2 Likes
And this is right.
I don’t put the team together.
Just know the direction we are going with roster spots.
1 Like
What if teams go small?
Like Baylor who could play Jalen Bridges at the 4. And a 7 footer at the 5
How would Jwan matchup? Couldn’t guard a true stretch 4. And he cant guard a 7footer
I agree that Jwan has made huge strides.
If we went small, then we put Javier at the 5? My issue is more with Francis. Being our sole big.
3 Likes
J’wan is an interesting subject. He could be so much more valuable to the team if he developed an outside shot. We saw him practice the shot during the pregame warmup at every home game. Yet he never took those shots in the game. Was it a lack of confidence or did he not have the green light from the coaching staff? Right now, J’Wan is limited in what he can do; not that he does only one thing because he hustles, gets off. & def. rebounds, sets picks and gets put-backs, but he is not a threat when facing the basket. J’Wan is the type of player currently that should be coming off the bench not starting.
1 Like
I don’t really worry about defense. J’Wan would never bang 1 n 1 with a 7 footer. Not how our defense is designed.
Whether he could score on a 7 footer is a different discussion. And then again, closing out the defensive possession with a rebound. But just straight up defense. Not all that concerned.
But then Bridges wouldn’t be able to guard the 4 we are linked to.
1 Like
Guys. I get that J’Wan shoots threes in practice. But I don’t even think I have ever seen him take a mid range shot. Now we think he will be bombs away from three? Lol
He’s much more comfortable in the paint. But he obviously struggles scoring against guys with size. But maybe some moves can help alleviate that in the offseason. He needs to start being a threat going over both shoulders.
3 Likes
Look at the teams in our league:
Baylor: Josh Ojianwuna (6ft 10)
Texas: Dylan Disu (6ft 9)
*Kansas: Urnest Udeh, Zuby Ejiofor, KJ Adams
*Cincinnati: Viktor Lahkin, Jamille Reynolds
And im sure Texas & Baylor will try and add more size
And our monster defense will be well scouted next yr. Especially Bill Self and Scott Drew. Who i feel are elite offensive coaches
I think we’ve hit homeruns so far in the portal. But i also want us to be more physical in the paint
Jwan is 6ft 7. Francis is 6ft 8. Long winspan i get it. But a Carlton type whos 240+ lbs would be great
6 Likes
So no Cisse…
i defineyly think a center and jwan can work
depending on the big… a big man like tchewa, we lose some court spacing, but potentially become extremely dominant as a rebounding team… im imagine tchewa as a boxout threat, and jwan as the board getter
then if the big that can score, there is potential for a 2 man game big game in the post…
our defense and rebounding is weaker with jwan at the 5…adding a stretch 4, likely doesnt improve that…
getting a center the offense might be less versatile but our defense and rebounding could go back to levels we we see +20 on good team on the board, and only 4 fgs in the post allowed…type of roster
i mean this in no offense to sampson but id rather double up on samspons strength entering the big 12, than trying to build an offensive roster when Sampson isnt exactly an offensive savant…
6 Likes