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Brass Cannon

Player and Recruit Retention News/Discussion & Potential Transfers

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RoJo is coming back, presumably.  
JBJ, I really have no idea.  I really like him, and almost hope that he gets his best opportunity to play professionally, be it NBA, D league, or overseas.  I don't think anyone else can match his production (duh), but I wouldn't hate to see some of the young guns get some time.  Remember, CuJo is one smooth operator out there, and was a very high recruit.  He lost his mojo after Kansas, but there's some untapped potential there.  I really hope that he plans on coming back, because I could see him having a great career at IU still.  Obviously RoJo can play SG well, too, and we'd all like to see AD headfake his way to the hoop a couple times.  So while I'd miss JBJ, I don't think losing him would be disastrous for the team.
Thomas is a different story.  He wants to play at the next level, and I'm assuming that he missed the banquet and other team events because he is off training with some specialist for the pre-draft stuff.  Huge chance we lose him, and he will leave a huge hole on the roster.  
Given CAM's full court press to keep all three recruits, I think the only logical conclusion is that TB and JBJ have indicated that they intend to leave.  Remember, prior to Clifton reaffirming his commitment, he said he just wanted to talk with Archie to make sure Archie didn't intend to red-shirt him.  We all recognize that even a redshirt takes a scholly, but given the subsequent affirmation of the commitment, Archie must have informed Clifton that there's a place on the team for Clifton next year.  
Using the best information available now, that's my guess.  On one hand, we are losing all of our current stars.  On the other hand, no one is leaving the team for a different NCAA team.  And the fan in me sees a team with no stars on it, and a new coach, with a decently balanced roster full of guys that want to play together.  And this is certainly not a team bereft of talent, either.  A top seven of Deron, Juwan, Collin, RoJo, Newkirk, Justin Smith, and whichever guard emerges will be good enough, and better than any roster Archie has had before.  

Great post!

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TB + added muscle + playing in the post + better footwork + better coach + better system = first round lock after junior year. I'm sure some team will take him in the second round but a year to excel could have him up to early to mid 20s. I would welcome him back in a heartbeat.

Better footwork would be a stretch. He just naturally does not have it. I'm all for a guy leaving for his dream if he wants. I honestly don't ever see him in the league though. D league or Europe is were he will end up.

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Draft Express (by most accounts, the most consistently accurate draft projection service) update:

OG - #14 (1st round)

TB - #42 (2nd round)

James, RoJo: Unranked in the top 100 draft prospects.

NBA pre-draft combine invites come out this Friday. The pre-draft combine will be on about May 10th. The early entrants who have not signed with an agent have until May 24 to pull their names from the draft pool. 

 

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Can't help but wonder if CAM's comments about DeRon Davis yesterday -- "“He’s going to be a major, major league player for us next year. The opportunity is there.” -- were, in part, a foreshadowing of TB's departure. 

I assumed the same and assumed he was probably gone when Archie made Moore a priority to get and even promising not to redshirt. That and his comments like you said make me believe he is likely definitely gone. I expect him to get a combine invite so hopefully he can help his stock and sneak in the latter part of the 1st.

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13 hours ago, recker222000 said:


Better footwork would be a stretch. He just naturally does not have it. I'm all for a guy leaving for his dream if he wants. I honestly don't ever see him in the league though. D league or Europe is were he will end up.

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I have to agree. Would love to see TB succeed professionally, but he's not athletic, not a good defender, not particularly tall and needs to develop a lot more skills to be a post presence. He'll get paid to play someplace next year, but I will be surprised if it's in the NBA. I think he should return to college, but shockingly, he hasn't asked for my input.

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19 minutes ago, Hardwood83 said:

I have to agree. Would love to see TB succeed professionally, but he's not athletic, not a good defender, not particularly tall and needs to develop a lot more skills to be a post presence. He'll get paid to play someplace next year, but I will be surprised if it's in the NBA. I think he should return to college, but shockingly, he hasn't asked for my input.

You might be right but about next year. But I am confident that a 6'10" kid with that length, who can make open shots, make free throws and plays as hard as that kid does can have a long career in the League as a rotational big. Look at Lavoy Allen. He's got 6 years in already and I would bet my house that TB has a better career than Allen.

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Can't help but wonder if CAM's comments about DeRon Davis yesterday -- "“He’s going to be a major, major league player for us next year. The opportunity is there.” -- were, in part, a foreshadowing of TB's departure. 

Didn't Archie also say that TB was really looking into the leaving stuff and that RoJo and Blackman would after some finals. He said something along those lines and got me wondering why TB did not seem to have those limitations

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You might be right but about next year. But I am confident that a 6'10" kid with that length, who can make open shots, make free throws and plays as hard as that kid does can have a long career in the League as a rotational big. Look at Lavoy Allen. He's got 6 years in already and I would bet my house that TB has a better career than Allen.

I guess I'll take your house then

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Just now, goonaha said:

People also spoke condescendly about Troy when he left early and he has done okay for himself one year in. I will support Thomas's decision and hope that he can find success in the league. I cringe when some on here are overly critical of IU players who have played hard for IU and are simply trying to make money playing basketball.

Troy was a different case. Bryant regressed in his second year which is a huge red flag. Troy was going to learn nothing from another year of Crean. Bryant has the opportunity to learn how to play basketball under Miller. 

Troy also fit the bill of an NBA player. Bryant doesn't fit I don't think he can be an effective 4 or 5 

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3 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

Troy was a different case. Bryant regressed in his second year which is a huge red flag. Troy was going to learn nothing from another year of Crean. Bryant has the opportunity to learn how to play basketball under Miller. 

Troy also fit the bill of an NBA player. Bryant doesn't fit I don't think he can be an effective 4 or 5 

Troy being a different case does not change my opinion that certain fans and posters talked about him and Thomas in a similar negative fashion. 

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Tom isn't quick enough to play on the perimeter and he's not strong enough to play in the post in the NBA. He has poor footwork. I don't think he can really guard any of the positions. We saw him get manhandled by no-name bigs many times last year. I remember him getting worked on the block by Fort Wayne's boys. I wish him well, but I'll be very surprised if he has an NBA career. 

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32 minutes ago, goonaha said:

Troy being a different case does not change my opinion that certain fans and posters talked about him and Thomas in a similar negative fashion. 

I haven't liked Troy since hearing about the incidents involving him and Luke Fischer when they were freshmen. I don't root for him to fail or anything, but I was happy that he left last year and I'm not interested in following his career. 

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Troy was a different case. Bryant regressed in his second year which is a huge red flag. Troy was going to learn nothing from another year of Crean. Bryant has the opportunity to learn how to play basketball under Miller. 
Troy also fit the bill of an NBA player. Bryant doesn't fit I don't think he can be an effective 4 or 5 

Exactly. Troy is very athletic and fit's the nba game well. I don't see that in bryant but I wish him all the best. I really do.

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I guess I'll take your house then

Lavoy Allen is quicker than TB as well and he sticks around because of his leadership. TB will get a shot no doubt, but how he handles himself on the court will go a long way in determining whether he has a long career or not.

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