Matt A
- Thread starter paultzman
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Also have to take into consideration w year sitting out, players will be 1 year older, stronger and an extra year to work on things. I would welcome a transfer big in the mold of Simon and Clark.
I think Simon coming in and playing even vaguley like the the #30 recruit in the class of 2015 would go further than whatever improvement I could imagine from Ahmed and Owens, Yakwe I agree with but then again if he loses minutes to Clark that point's moot too.
And to the main point being discussed here's Paultz's first post on the subject that got everyone's panties into a twist:
Just thinking out loud, Matt A is close with Will Wade and other coaches who could be up for high major jobs this coming spring. I assume Chris and SJU Administration will make sure to keep him here. He is the only AC with recruiting relationships and transfer prowess. Hopefully someone else on staff will be out there soon to give him a hand. One guy can't do it all IMO.
We would be in some serious trouble if he moved on, considering he has already recruited the entire team and has the short term future of the program directly tied to him. Maybe I worry too much.
Like he said it was just him thinking out loud. Matt's got a lead recruiter job at his alma mater and seems to be given free reign to jump on any plane he wants to see any player he wants to recommend while sitting on a bench with two HOFers. That seems like a pretty cushy position. Just make sure he's appropriately remunerated would be my only worry.
Clark is a 3-star forward who averaged less than 10 mins per game at MSU and has not played D1 b'ball in a year. Hope he'll be a contributor, but our frontcourt potential -and hence the fate of the team over the next couple of seasons--rest on the guys who are already here.
Owens was a 3-star center who averaged less than 10 minutes per game at Tennessee and hadn't played D1 ball in a year and look how much he's helping us. On top of that we might only have 2-3 guys currently eligible that would play for MSU at all.
I agree with you the development of guys currently eligible is key, but on paper Clark and Simon project to be two of our best players next year. Case could be made that, since we're not getting on court production from them this year, their addition could have a bigger proportional impact that the collective improvement of everyone on the current active roster.
Transfer game is all relative in my view. You can get a good player anywhere, but transfers from two of the Top 10 year in year out programs in the country don't come around all the time. The delta between "didn't completely work out at Arizona and MSU" and "can have a significant impact at SJU" is a very big one. With expectations still in check and accounting for a potential adjustment period over the first few months of the season, I think both of these players are closer to the level Arizona and MSU typically get (even if not at the higher end) which should be a very good thing for SJU.
Also have to take into consideration w year sitting out, players will be 1 year older, stronger and an extra year to work on things. I would welcome a transfer big in the mold of Simon and Clark.
I think Simon coming in and playing even vaguley like the the #30 recruit in the class of 2015 would go further than whatever improvement I could imagine from Ahmed and Owens, Yakwe I agree with but then again if he loses minutes to Clark that point's moot too.
And to the main point being discussed here's Paultz's first post on the subject that got everyone's panties into a twist:
Just thinking out loud, Matt A is close with Will Wade and other coaches who could be up for high major jobs this coming spring. I assume Chris and SJU Administration will make sure to keep him here. He is the only AC with recruiting relationships and transfer prowess. Hopefully someone else on staff will be out there soon to give him a hand. One guy can't do it all IMO.
We would be in some serious trouble if he moved on, considering he has already recruited the entire team and has the short term future of the program directly tied to him. Maybe I worry too much.
Like he said it was just him thinking out loud. Matt's got a lead recruiter job at his alma mater and seems to be given free reign to jump on any plane he wants to see any player he wants to recommend while sitting on a bench with two HOFers. That seems like a pretty cushy position. Just make sure he's appropriately remunerated would be my only worry.
Clark is a 3-star forward who averaged less than 10 mins per game at MSU and has not played D1 b'ball in a year. Hope he'll be a contributor, but our frontcourt potential -and hence the fate of the team over the next couple of seasons--rest on the guys who are already here.
Owens was a 3-star center who averaged less than 10 minutes per game at Tennessee and hadn't played D1 ball in a year and look how much he's helping us. On top of that we might only have 2-3 guys currently eligible that would play for MSU at all.
I agree with you the development of guys currently eligible is key, but on paper Clark and Simon project to be two of our best players next year. Case could be made that, since we're not getting on court production from them this year, their addition could have a bigger proportional impact that the collective improvement of everyone on the current active roster.
Transfer game is all relative in my view. You can get a good player anywhere, but transfers from two of the Top 10 year in year out programs in the country don't come around all the time. The delta between "didn't completely work out at Arizona and MSU" and "can have a significant impact at SJU" is a very big one. With expectations still in check and accounting for a potential adjustment period over the first few months of the season, I think both of these players are closer to the level Arizona and MSU typically get (even if not at the higher end) which should be a very good thing for SJU.
I would think a grad transfer big is primary on staff's list & would not be surprised if one or two "sit out a year" transfer candidates visit in April/May. Obviously so much depends on roster movement.
Also have to take into consideration w year sitting out, players will be 1 year older, stronger and an extra year to work on things. I would welcome a transfer big in the mold of Simon and Clark.
I think Simon coming in and playing even vaguley like the the #30 recruit in the class of 2015 would go further than whatever improvement I could imagine from Ahmed and Owens, Yakwe I agree with but then again if he loses minutes to Clark that point's moot too.
And to the main point being discussed here's Paultz's first post on the subject that got everyone's panties into a twist:
Just thinking out loud, Matt A is close with Will Wade and other coaches who could be up for high major jobs this coming spring. I assume Chris and SJU Administration will make sure to keep him here. He is the only AC with recruiting relationships and transfer prowess. Hopefully someone else on staff will be out there soon to give him a hand. One guy can't do it all IMO.
We would be in some serious trouble if he moved on, considering he has already recruited the entire team and has the short term future of the program directly tied to him. Maybe I worry too much.
Like he said it was just him thinking out loud. Matt's got a lead recruiter job at his alma mater and seems to be given free reign to jump on any plane he wants to see any player he wants to recommend while sitting on a bench with two HOFers. That seems like a pretty cushy position. Just make sure he's appropriately remunerated would be my only worry.
Clark is a 3-star forward who averaged less than 10 mins per game at MSU and has not played D1 b'ball in a year. Hope he'll be a contributor, but our frontcourt potential -and hence the fate of the team over the next couple of seasons--rest on the guys who are already here.
Owens was a 3-star center who averaged less than 10 minutes per game at Tennessee and hadn't played D1 ball in a year and look how much he's helping us. On top of that we might only have 2-3 guys currently eligible that would play for MSU at all.
I agree with you the development of guys currently eligible is key, but on paper Clark and Simon project to be two of our best players next year. Case could be made that, since we're not getting on court production from them this year, their addition could have a bigger proportional impact that the collective improvement of everyone on the current active roster.
Transfer game is all relative in my view. You can get a good player anywhere, but transfers from two of the Top 10 year in year out programs in the country don't come around all the time. The delta between "didn't completely work out at Arizona and MSU" and "can have a significant impact at SJU" is a very big one. With expectations still in check and accounting for a potential adjustment period over the first few months of the season, I think both of these players are closer to the level Arizona and MSU typically get (even if not at the higher end) which should be a very good thing for SJU.
I would think a grad transfer big is primary on staff's list & would not be surprised if one or two "sit out a year" transfer candidates visit in April/May. Obviously so much depends on roster movement.
Do transfers sitting out a year count as a roster spot?
I think Simon coming in and playing even vaguley like the the #30 recruit in the class of 2015 would go further than whatever improvement I could imagine from Ahmed and Owens, Yakwe I agree with but then again if he loses minutes to Clark that point's moot too.
And to the main point being discussed here's Paultz's first post on the subject that got everyone's panties into a twist:
Just thinking out loud, Matt A is close with Will Wade and other coaches who could be up for high major jobs this coming spring. I assume Chris and SJU Administration will make sure to keep him here. He is the only AC with recruiting relationships and transfer prowess. Hopefully someone else on staff will be out there soon to give him a hand. One guy can't do it all IMO.
We would be in some serious trouble if he moved on, considering he has already recruited the entire team and has the short term future of the program directly tied to him. Maybe I worry too much.
Like he said it was just him thinking out loud. Matt's got a lead recruiter job at his alma mater and seems to be given free reign to jump on any plane he wants to see any player he wants to recommend while sitting on a bench with two HOFers. That seems like a pretty cushy position. Just make sure he's appropriately remunerated would be my only worry.
Clark is a 3-star forward who averaged less than 10 mins per game at MSU and has not played D1 b'ball in a year. Hope he'll be a contributor, but our frontcourt potential -and hence the fate of the team over the next couple of seasons--rest on the guys who are already here.
Agreed to an extent but I don't see a lot of major improvement possible for Ahmed and Owens, just polishing. Yakwe can grow by leaps and bounds if his game ever catches up with his body of course.
So I'm just looking for another body, and let's be fair Clark played less than 10 mins/game on two 27+ win teams, one of which went to the final four, and behind two guys who were second round draft picks and play(ed) in the NBA (Dawson and Davis - I'm not even counting Valentine who MSU listed as a SG), not quite what he'll be competing against in Jamaica. FWIW Tariq played less than 8 minutes a game at TN as a frosh.
They may for some as he is a fairly good looking guy.
Maybe Tarmatella or whatever the Women's team coaches name is should bring him out with him.
And sorry for the previous post. Didn't realize everyone else had already made the points I was trying to make.
I hope as much as anyone else that Clark can make a significant impact in moving the program ahead next year. But it's a lot to expect from a 6'7" forward who won't have played against top-caliber competition in 18 months. Big difference between practicing with our guys and playing Xavier. Perhaps I'm at a point where I just refuse to get my hopes up too high though.
we are sju
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He has good hands, will rebound and knock down some shots. Played under Izzo so he will also play D. He will be fine.
we are sju
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In fact if the two guards come back, they along with Clark and Owens are the sure things. Meaning that you pretty much know what to expect. Simon, Ahmed and Yakwe are the wild cards that will determine what we will be next year.
Ahmed needs to really get smarter on the court. He is not a terrible three point shooter and could probably even improve a little. What shocks me is his shooting percentage from two which results from wild drives instead of more set plays. The coaches have to get him to want to be a team player and learn how to take it to the basket.
The 13.4 points and 5.5 rebounds on the face of it aren't bad. The shooting percentage and turnovers are not good. If he averages 13.4 points next year but shoots better and turns the ball over less and yes passes the ball some then he will be a much improved player. There are so many rebounds to be had on a poor rebounding team that Ponds has 4.6 a game.
The wild drives can be a problem sometimes. I think that will improve if Owens or Clark or a grad transfer big man can become constant scorers which will pull guys away from him on drives. I'm pretty sure either last game or the game before he had 1 on 4 drives to the basket. He does have to kick it out more. His 3 point shooting is pretty good. He is probably top 20 in the conference. Still an adjustment from Juco but it's on the staff and him to modify his approach a little but I seem to be a lot higher on the kid than others.
I think next year he is going to be a breakout player
we are sju
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He does shoot some shots that would get him into fist fights on the playground. I mean shots that would make World B Free blush. Cut down on those and maybe reduce the bull charges to the hoop or at least try to pick his spots with them and I would be happy.
People might focus on him a little unfairly but he could go 7-10 in a game and people would remember the three misses because of degree of difficulty and sometimes timing of the three misses. For instance that lefty one on three shot he took last game.