RJ Luis

I see more disappointment w him leaving than “faulting” him. The idea of RJ, Sanon and Zuby as a nucleus in the coming season was appealing to me, issues or not.
Exactly…he elected to explore pro opportunities and needs to protect himself by portaling…Pitino said that he expects to fill roster by the time final decisions are made re: NBA…what should the kid do?
 
TWICE THIS YEAR?

That's just absurd. Every single college player has the authority to bust a play based on what he sees hapoening on the court, as in a direct path to the basket in a way the play wasn't designed. If RJ made that short jumper vs Creighton no one would have said boo. In basketball everything is contingent on the ball going in.

RJ obviously had a horrible game and forced many shots. He obviously was lost offensively and out of synch. To presuppose you know what was in his head and why is just crap and grossly unfair to a kid that by all accounts of people who know him is an amazing kid.

If he was the worst player on our team I'd want him back because he is that nice a kid.

He is likely gone and I wish him well.
The best of RJ was spectacular. Everyone knows his decision making needs refinement. Still and all he was the top player in the league.

Hope he puts it all together and has a spectacular senior year and is a first round pick. As they say, it couldn't happen to a nicer kid.
The short jumper against Creighton came after one of his patented charges toward the basket into many defenders which was not the play called by the coach. Get your facts straight. Go back and look at the tape and read coach's remarks about the play. Get off your high horse and stop preaching . I did not presuppose anything about what was in his head. He was a player out of control which everyone watching the game objectively could see including his teammates and coach. You want to defend him so be it. I choose to criticize his play. End of conversation.
 
Wow, I guess a second round loss was enough to bring the vulture in posters out again. I think we went 3 months with very few negative posts. Now the sky is falling and viciousness reins again because RJ put his name in the portal, just like other NBA hopefuls have done in the portal error. I know some of you have been just ITCHING to start bashing the coach, RJ and whoever else. It's troll season.
 
It is the state of college basketball now. Sad to see. RJ could have his name and number hanging in CA with another year and tournament run. I'm not sure school legacy matters to these kids though. Don't blame them for chasing $$$ while they can.
i believe money from NIL deal would be much greater than rookie contract.
 
The short jumper against Creighton came after one of his patented charges toward the basket into many defenders which was not the play called by the coach. Get your facts straight. Go back and look at the tape and read coach's remarks about the play. Get off your high horse and stop preaching . I did not presuppose anything about what was in his head. He was a player out of control which everyone watching the game objectively could see including his teammates and coach. You want to defend him so be it. I choose to criticize his play. End of conversation.
I guess you want the final word. I won't let you have it. You choose to criticize our very best player, ostensibly because we lost. Note thst he shot 4-18 in our blowout of Marquette in the Big East semis, and you were likely silent then. Note he had 2 points at halftime of the BET finals, before torching Creighton for 29 points. Yet you chose after the fact to single out one last play in a regular season loss in an 18-2 season (21-2 if you include the BET) as evidence that he continually disregards the coach.

You wrote this: Would any coach, let, alone a HOF coach, want a player who thinks he is smarter than his coach and can blithely disregard his coach's instructions and just do what he wants. That is what he did on at least two occasions this year...

It's a pretty dumb thing to say considering that there will be enough demand for Luis from coaches who would love to have him.

And yes, by saying you know that Luis thinks he is smarter than the coach is ridiculous. For the record, blithely means in a way that shows a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper. You may have been watching on TV and gotten a better look at his face than I did in attendance throughout. I saw a young man serious as heck, even if his play was at times imperfect.

You choose to be critical of our best player, in process indicting his entire body of work. I choose to support him while acknowledging his imperfections. I'm comfortable where I stand, high horse in your words, but in strong support of Luis as a person and player.
 
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I guess you want the final word. I won't let you have it. You choose to criticize our very best player, ostensibly because we lost. Note thst he shot 4-18 in our blowout of Marquette in the Big East semis, and you were likely silent then. Note he had 2 points at halftime of the BET finals, before torching Creighton for 29 points. Yet you chose after the fact to single out one last play in a regular season loss in an 18-2 season (21-2 if you include the BET) as evidence that he continually disregards the coach.

You wrote this: Would any coach, let, alone a HOF coach, want a player who thinks he is smarter than his coach and can blithely disregard his coach's instructions and just do what he wants. That is what he did on at least two occasions this year...

It's a pretty dumb thing to say considering that there will be enough demand for Luis from coaches who would love to have him.

And yes, by saying you know that Luis thinks he is smarter than the coach is ridiculous. For the record, blithely means in a way that shows a casual and cheerful indifference considered to be callous or improper. You may have been watching on TV and gotten a better look at his face than I did in attendance throughout. I saw a young man serious as heck, even if his play was at times imperfect.

You choose to be critical of our best player, in process indicting his entire body of work. I choose to support him while acknowledging his imperfections. I'm comfortable where I stand, high horse in your words, but in strong support of Luis as a person and player.
 
Pitino said that he expects to fill roster by the time final decisions are made re: NBA…what should the kid do?
Alex Karaban declared for the NBA draft last year- he was projected to be mid second round- and did not decide to return to college until the end of May. Hurley kept his spot open for him. And it’s not like UConn didn’t have a lot of holes to fill in the roster.

Point being, if Pitino wanted to hold a spot for RJ, he would.
 
Alex Karaban declared for the NBA draft last year- he was projected to be mid second round- and did not decide to return to college until the end of May. Hurley kept his spot open for him. And it’s not like UConn didn’t have a lot of holes to fill in the roster.

Point being, if Pitino wanted to hold a spot for RJ, he would.
I think it would be more about holding budget for him than holding a spot. 15 ships to give. By the way, does anyone know if walk-ons can receive NIL money?
 
Alex Karaban declared for the NBA draft last year- he was projected to be mid second round- and did not decide to return to college until the end of May. Hurley kept his spot open for him. And it’s not like UConn didn’t have a lot of holes to fill in the roster.

Point being, if Pitino wanted to hold a spot for RJ, he would.
Coach can’t hold a spot We won’t have money in the budget for it. Besides, perhaps The U, what college could hold aside enough money for RJ? That’s why Coach told RJ to go pro, which might mean Europe where Coach has connections. I imagine we made an offer to RJ which wasn’t enough for him. So, we will replace that monetary spot with another player, or players. It’s a business. We should all move on. RJ did, and so did Coach.
 
Coach can’t hold a spot We won’t have money in the budget for it. Besides, perhaps The U, what college could hold aside enough money for RJ? That’s why Coach told RJ to go pro, which might mean Europe where Coach has connections. I imagine we made an offer to RJ which wasn’t enough for him. So, we will replace that monetary spot with another player, or players. It’s a business. We should all move on. RJ did, and so did Coach.
Then our budget must be well below UConn’s, because Karaban last year was reportedly making north of $1.5 million and Hurley held the spot until late May.
 
I hope he leaves the Big East, particularly Nova, Georgetown and of course UCONN. Those are the only schools who have that kind of money. UCONN scares me the most as they have some solid Freshman coming in and unfortunately a good coach.
 
Outside of playing us, I hope he does well for himself, as I am very appreciative for what he has helped this team accomplish.

With that said, he isn't on the Johnnies anymore. Time to move on
 
Then our budget must be well below UConn’s, because Karaban last year was reportedly making north of $1.5 million and Hurley held the spot until late May.
We would not hold 2.5 million dollars until May. Imagine what Coach could do with that money now.
I surmise that Coach, Mike R and Matt met with ROC and had a discussion and made an offer.
ROC probably said no, but hold that offer until the completion of the draft evaluation. Our team probably said no, and best of luck. Coach then said to RJ it’s now in your best interest to shoot for the NBA/G league or Europe. That’s your long game, and I’ll help you.
Just my thoughts.
Ps. If any NBA team watches the RJ isolation video from the Arkansas game they would pass on him. RJ will need to really show out and dominate the pre draft camp and then in the G league. And remember that the NBA prefers the 18-19 year olds, not the 22 year olds with an injury history and a bad tape.
 
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