lillurk

I don’t really see anyone assuming CJ Gunn will even start next year, and that aside, CJ played 150 minutes total last year. Jordan has played almost 1000 minutes across three years at IU and is 25 months older than CJ. So…yes, seems reasonable to be more optimistic about the younger player than the one who is basically still the same player he was when he stepped on campus.

It’s easy to overrate depth but there’s something to be said for having guys who you can rely on when you need to. I think of this most recent Michigan team: capable frosh PG, big minute guys in Bufkin, Jett, Dickinson, and a massive hole at PF much of the year. Walker could’ve been the sort of guy who was the difference in a couple games and got them to the tournament.

Athletic 4, can bounce it and get to the tin. Willing jump shooter but not a good one. Very good in transition and a strong finisher (75% at the rim per Torvik’s play-by-play data). Capable defender, with the quickness to guard on the perimeter. Upped his block% to over 5% last year (Race Thompson territory). Two recent Rutgers PFs show up in player comps: Montez Mathis and Mawot Mag. He’s better than them off the dribble but I think those are fair for type.

Much like Sparks, clearly A Dude, as far as backups go. So: starting caliber dudes: X, Ware, Reneau, Trey reserve caliber dudes: Sparks, Walker probably dudes of some variety in ‘23-24: Gunn, Banks …and two spots to fill, with some strong prospects.

Relevant in re: Gunn’s shooting: https://johngasaway.com/2019/11/01/one-shooting-forecast-for-tre-jones-and-his-statistical-cohorts/

I think his “Indiana.gif” tweet was about this. Someone else was saying UL was a mess, and where did that come from. Not sure the source is Trilly but he said the same.

Trillydonovan said as much on Twitter, not sure if that’s @Ngw7183’s source too. (Truly has emerged this transfer/coaching carousel season as maybe the most truly plugged in of the various pseudonymous sources around.)

Mgbako seems a very likely one and done. UL’s situation is less attractive if you’re good enough to expect to play big minutes anywhere.

If he wants money and to win, Kansas and IU are clearly his best bets. Bates, then Reneau, then Mgbako would make a nice little spring recruiting pattern, going up the list each time

Yes, this right here is the fit. Thanks Demo

I like it more than DeLoach, who I like as a player but doesn’t fit IU’s roster very well. He can also credibly guard on the wing. The shot hasn’t been good but if he’d hit ~3 more 3s per year he’d be a ~30% shooter and suddenly he looks like a decent option at the 3.

@ PU this year, Smith started hot and was peacocking at the first timeout. He was basically done producing, though. JHS was terrific, no doubt, but the game turned when Trey put Smith in a vice after halftime. X and Trey together…Loyer won’t get a clean catch or handoff. Far be it from me to help PU but if Painter is going to play Loyer and Smith big minutes at guard they need JHS/Ivey/Carsten Edwards/Terrence Shannon-type production at the 3 IMO

X, Trey, and Ware is a great defensive foundation. Banks, Reneau, and Gunn have good athletic tools and want-to on that end… My hunch is CMW is licking his chops about the level that sets the floor any given night.

I recommend the latest Moving Screen pod here, where Dylan and Brendan run down the off-seasons of every B1G team so far. Both are good analysts and B1G ball knowers. I don’t agree with them about everything, not least of which everything IU, but it’s nice to get out of the IU-centric filter sometimes and get outsiders’ or non-fan’s perspectives. Their tl;dr take on IU at the moment: first two adds are good, both frosh are interesting, the nucleus is a good start. They think IU needs at least a 3-and-D wing, perhaps ideally a guy with more shot creation/volume than that, but there’s some optimism that will happen. There’s also some good discussion near the top about the fact that some fringe draft players will get feedback and opt to return to college, and either they’ll transfer OR their returns will cause domino transfers. https://twitter.com/movingscreenpod/status/1650829816197783552?s=20

Best quality footage I’ve seen of him — really strong frame

Ant played at Michigan and then Toledo about 12-13 years ago

I like Barnes a lot as a program stabilizer, though of course the offensive style and tournament failures are clear issues. But for a hopeful one-and-done below the “can’t fail” range he’s not who I’d recommend.

They’re going to add guys AND the sky isn’t falling. Torvik’s way-too-early projections have IU 31st: https://barttorvik.com/trankpre.php IU finished last year 35th. The sky isn’t falling, momentum is tomorrow’s staring pitcher.

I agree, they’ve got other guys too and I should’ve mentioned that. Mashack, Dillione, Edwards, and Phillips and JJJ could all come back. I like Galloway, Banks, Gunn, etc. but it’s undeniably more crowded at UT

It’s not a perfect market but there are only so many high-major places with the resources IU has who are looking for a wing or two or three. Everyone wants more wings. Not everyone can offer a vet PG, former NBA HC, strong NIL program, two guys in the top ~40 draft picks out the door, etc. I’m not toooooooooo stressed yet because I don’t really think someone who wants all those things has tons of other landing spots as the other seats fill up.

Right, agree. Theoretically athletes have additional layers of complication vs. a non-athlete even before you get to coaching changes, being recruited over, lied to, etc. In general I would expect transfers to make more sensible decisions than frosh on where to go. It doesn’t always play out like that, athlete or non-, though.

Thanks. I work with folks in this age bracket and see students, athletes and otherwise, who make life-changing choices for weird/bad reasons all the time. As a result I find it tough to be overly critical of staffs absent other info — it’s pretty normal for 16-25 year olds to make even huge decisions for reasons that won’t make sense to them even months later.

No ill will toward Knecht, nor really UT — I’m in favor of their success as long as it’s not at UT’s expense. That said, I find this a surprising choice on the merits. As discussed after the Ledlum commitment, UT plays a pretty stifled, set-based offense; if you wanted to really cook IU’s a better choice. UT also returns a multi-year starter at the same spot in Vescovi, and once Ziegler’s healthy, he’ll be their full-time point guard. Barnes tends to play fewer 3 guard lineups and more two-big ones. Even knowing Ziegler will miss substantial time, there’s clearly less PT at UT at the moment than IU. We never know all the details but was he only gonna pick a Nike school or something?

Hey, they were right this time.

Do you mean is not?