Stuhoo

Oh... you can be certain he is Hurt all of the time.

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.

MOD WARNING FOR DERAILING THE THREAD!! ;)

A direct, key quote from the presser, which is now on-line, regarding the four declarants efforts to seek out NBA feedback: Archie: "I know OG's on his way. I think Thomas has continued to really push toward, you know, finding answers out. And I know James and Rob, once they finish out the semester here, so to speak, ya know, with some finals, I think those guys are also gonna get their opportunity as well. Later, about DeRon: "He's gonna be a major, major player for us next year. The opportunity is there." Speculative takeaway? Rob and James are in Bloomington as student-athletes, and it seems as though TB is in the process of preparing to move on.

I'll try to pump a little sunshine for you: Let's compare apples to apples and go off of listed heights (even if they're not always accurate) because other schools do the same thing: Behind DeRon (6'10") we have Clifton (6'10"), Juwan (6'7"), Collin (6'7"), Justin (6'7"), and MSB (6'9") The height we have is plenty big enough to guard all backup centers and almost all starters. Period. For the teams with true bigs in the middle (like Haas) if DeRon was in foul trouble, it is usually not a huge deal because bigs that size usually play only 20-25 minutes per game. Haap? He's really tough to guard with DeRon, Juwan, or anyone else. When you're up against the top big in the conference, it's time to double-team and collapse on him no matter who is the primary defender. There's a primary defensive reason we hired Archie; the D!ck Bennett 'pack-line' style of defense that CAM favors is very, very good at denying inside touches. We darn well better be improved in our help defense awareness. It is what Archie's Dayton teams were good at, and they often accomplished this without much height at all.

In the entire article on ITH there is no mention of TB. It's notable that there's no mention of Curtis, but TB is such a major player that the lack of mention of him, to me is far, far more notable. On the other hand, if our front line is: DeRon, Juwan, Collin, Freddie, Justin, Clifton, MSB, and Zach, we are more than well covered. A healthy Juwan and an in-shape DeRon will be big-time pieces, Collin will be Collin, and Justin and Freddie should be key defensive pieces from the get-go this year.

Apparently Alex Bozich from Inside the Hall had a sit-down with Archie and the assistants today. No article yet, but kudos to Alex for some serious meat in his tweets: Alex Bozich @insidethehall Miller: "I think taking care of the basketball is a huge thing. Not just by your point guard or perimeter, everyone has to value the ball." Alex Bozich @insidethehall Miller also said that Collin Hartman will be in Bloomington all summer: "Everything I was told about Collin is true." #iubb Alex Bozich @insidethehall More from Archie Miller on Juwan Morgan: "He fits how we play." #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall One of the main reasons Flint wanted to get back into coaching: "The kids give you energy. I missed that last year." #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 2m2 minutes ago One thing Flint and John Calipari agree on when it comes to building a team: "Without a post presence, you're a little bit of a fraud." Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 2m2 minutes ago Keys to winning, according to Flint: Defense, rebounding and taking care of the ball. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 3m3 minutes ago Bruiser Flint says he came to Indiana because of Archie Miller and his belief that Miller will get things done in Bloomington. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 4m4 minutes ago Schilling on John Calipari, who he worked for at UMass and Memphis as well as New Jersey: "Not a more loyal guy in the business." #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 5m5 minutes ago Schilling said Arizona coach Sean Miller reached out to him to gauge interest in coming to work with Archie and things went from there. Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 5m5 minutes ago Ed Schilling on the chance to come back to the state: "It's been terrific. This is home for me." #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 6m6 minutes ago Miller said that if all of IU's perimeter guys are back, the backcourt should be talented and deep. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 7m7 minutes ago Tom Ostrom said one takeaway from visiting coaches around the state is that most of them want IU to do well. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 8m8 minutes ago In terms of future scheduling, Miller mentioned finding "perfect fits" the key. Also said IU needs to be on marquee stage. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 9m9 minutes ago Miller said he doesn't anticipate Indiana's scholarship situation being a big challenge. Expects situation to sort itself out. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 11m11 minutes ago Miller said one of the keys with De'Ron Davis is getting his body and motor right. "He has great hands and feet." #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 13m13 minutes ago Miller said Juwan Morgan "has a chance to be a special player" and is a "breakout candidate." #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 13m13 minutes ago Miller called James Blackmon Jr. "the best shooter I've been around." Also said Robert Johnson has shot it well this spring. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 14m14 minutes ago Miller said Devonte Green reminds him of some guys he coached at Dayton in that he's physical and can get the ball to the rim. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 14m14 minutes ago Miller said De'Ron Davis should be one of the most improved players in college basketball next season. Will stay in Bloomington all summer. Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 15m15 minutes ago Archie Miller said Collin Hartman has been available for workouts this spring, but they've kept him away from contact. #iubb Alex Bozich‏ @insidethehall 16m16 minutes ago Had a chance to meet with Archie Miller, Tom Ostrom, Ed Schilling and Brusier Flint today. A few takeaways to come ...

FWIW; Middle School Bob just posted a picture with the team at Showalter Fountain titled "Squad." All walk-ons and eleven of the current scholarship players in the picture. The only two missing? OG and Thomas

Hopefully not as "drunk and passed out on the side of the road" as Derek Willis.

And, a nice youtube highlight video from the weekend, complete with focused shots of Archie, Ewing, and Frank Martin at the 5-10 second mark, courtside and watching:

Holy crap...if you look at the ITH video of his weekend highlights, the kid went 12-16 from three against high-level competition, often with a hand in his face, and is 6'8" with a really quick release. Big time showing for Swider. http://www.insidethehall.com/2017/04/24/video-2018-forward-cole-swider-nike-eybl-hampton/

One of my all-time favorite Rupp Rafters/UK fan exchanges is below. Let me set the stage: 5 star "student athlete" Hamidou Diallo commits to UK and joins their team last December Diallo works out with the team, but apparently, even when offered by Calipari, says "no thank you" when asked to play in games Yesterday, "student athlete" Diallo, after four months with a jersey but not one second of playing time, declares for the NBA draft, and is unlikely to return to UK in the fall. And now, for the best part: the two UK fans with a point - counterpoint that only Kentucky logic could devise: _____________________________________________________________________________ Wildcat-in-STL said: Cal has stated he wanted to let Diallo play but Diallo said he didn't want to play this year. Whats Cal going to do??? Kick him off the team for not going in when asked? Dreklie Not even sign him. Lol. Now dude will get a completely free education anytime in his life he needs it, and for what?

There's a saying that I'll paraphrase: "When you feel like one other person is being an @$$ to you, it might be them, but when everyone thinks you're an @$$? It's you. (of course)

In my opinion: It is extraordinarily sad that you think that anyone who calls you out for being a complete, name calling, politics-inferring JERK... is somehow an indication that the world is super-sensitive. People have ALWAYS shunned the opinions of complete jerks. There is no element of "liberal money mongering", and there no "safe spaces" "snowflakes", "alt-right", "alt-left", "far right wackos" "bleeding hearts" or alt anythings in the equation. Just you... being a complete jerk.

McKinley Wright

Based in my barely knowledgeable, video only take on him, his game reminds me a whole lot of Joel Berry (if things go well for Robert's development).

Hoosier.

And was Keion Brooks Sr's college coach.

Not "a" priority, "the" priority.

It's funny though; I really don't think that Crean was a snake oil salesman. I believe that he genuinely believed in himself and his abilities. However, I think he was an overeager, odd duck that had an off-putting way about him, and that's what screwed the pooch for him in-state.

The Crean era tried hard enough in-state; it just seems to me that the more the in-state recruits and coaches got to know them, the less effective their efforts were.

Keion = Hoosier

Archie's credo: "Kiss trophies, not babies."

Olivia; You are a very good sport about all of this, and Duke will be really good next year. Kudos!