lillurk

Slow news week so I am daydreaming: about the ranked 2022-2023 Hoosiers putting PU in a shipping container in front of a sleepy Mackey. About TJD being the best player on the court in Phog Allen Fieldhouse in December. About a 9:15 tip on Thursday night during the ACC/B1G challenge with SSAH so lubricated I can’t hear Dickie V. About Race flushing a putback on Senior Night. About the chemistry JHS and Reneau have. About Jordan Geronimo handcuffing Malik Hall like he did Luka Garza. About Brad Underwood turning red because X makes every PNR read right. About a Trey Galloway pick six slam. About a late-game CMW ATO that puts the game out of reach. About Tamar Bates hitting four 3s on CBS in March. About shutting the door with X/JHS/Trey/Race/TJD preventing an opponent from even getting a shot off for three straight possessions

Not easy, but you already prescribed the solution: film and reps

The biggest part of defensive awareness development for JG is monitoring multiple simultaneous actions by the offense and anticipating actions/counters. Nearly as big: avoiding fouling. He needs a better barometer for what kind of body- and hand-contact is permissible in a given situation to stay on the court.

Yeah I don’t think I said it very well. I was trying to see there’s maybe some marginal advantage, not a massive one. They’re different players but compare JHS or Reneau to Booker in this regard; I assume they’ll make some $ as frosh, but name recognition to more casual fans, who aren’t following recruiting or checking message boards, may mean a few extra bucks for a local guy, is my theory. Like let’s say there’s some baseline $ amount any high-4 star or 5-star frosh should expect. Wouldn’t a local prospect have slightly more potential to earn, even before playing in the uniform, because NIL sources above and beyond the norm might step up for him?

By no means am I a “lock down the borders” guy, though of course the best chance you’ve got at great talent is the closest. But my hunch is NIL helps in that regard, a state champion who already built a bit of a name locally probably has a leg up in earnings potential from the day they step on campus. Not sure who’s making what, but as an example, Leal seems to have lots more opportunities than his PT so far would have you expect.

Does Arkansas have open spots? Anyway, I’m up for maximum goofiness, pulling for Eastern Michigan here

UM fans are confused and disappointed here. Llewellyn is not really a PG, and UM still has only three guards on the roster (him plus Bufkin and McDaniel). Their biggest roster issue last year was they had lots of 4s playing the 3, so it’s not like they have options who can slide down a position. Some combo of Llewellyn, Bufkin, Jett Howard, Diabate, Dickinson, Houstan, Tarris Reed, and Terrence Williams is quite a bit of talent, and McDaniel can give them spot minutes…but even w/JL at 2, Collins was the de facto PG.

Like it’s possible it’s a cost issue, but you’d think a UM booster could throw summer tuition at Shannon if that’s all he needed. And I don’t know if that’s the case, anyway, I don’t know that Adams can just prevent his scholarship from covering summer classes out of spite.

You are correct, Adams can’t reasonably be blamed for Shannon not taking summer courses. He can’t require that OR prevent it. We don’t know the whole story, of course, but that’s simply not how course registration works. I know, it’s my field.

I’m sure it’s possible, but I’m not sure he’s a great fit with the needs that remain with this roster. We have two years of proof he’s a college 4 and not a great 3 point shooter. Those things can change. But the frontcourt — and maybe the 4 specifically — are well-stocked with or w/o Tjd.

Yes. Phinisee, in particular, had a bunch of special moments as a Hoosier, and as far as we know was a tremendous program ambassador. At full health he is a truly elite defender against guards 6’3” and under …and yet I think it will be a surprise if JHS doesn’t have a significantly bigger overall impact next year. And that’s probably the closest comparison.

I’d agree with this, OSU would be in the next tier

You can buy those kind of dips with his track record, but it’s also the difference between expectations at IU any PU. Difference also works in an IU coach’s favor, though; one of the reasons expectations are higher is the recruiting capital.

Geronimo will either make an all-conference team, or win conference sixth man of the year, and maybe both.

I believe a reliable source around here framed it more like a soapbox-y monologue at Malibu Grill, I’m not sure it was (or wasn’t) an argument

I’m in favor of it for this reason; Knight and after, IU has largely avoided even the appearance of impropriety. As @Stuhoo outlined upthread, IU has positioned itself well to play seriously in a way the old status quo did not allow.

https://hoopvision.substack.com/p/does-the-bench-matter-in-march?s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=direct

Giddy at the thought of IU making Edey guard a pick ‘n’ roll every time down, or Painter taking him off the court to avoid that

Don’t tell Pack but he’d fit great at UM. Don’t think they have room unless/until they have more roster movement, though.

Wright’s 60, and I gotta be honest: I’m in the first half of my 30s, but if I had his earnings and professional success at 60 — especially in such a time-consuming career — I’d absolutely wrap up.

I want IU to shoot better than it has since the Miller era started just like everyone. But one reason I’m less concerned about personnel is I have some confidence shooting can be developed

Now on a team level, Kofi leaving is a huge blow for Illinois. Using Torvik’s rostercast, they dropped from #5 to #29 next year. Pending stay/go decisions, Torvik’s early predictor puts 5 B1G teams in the top 25: Michigan, IU, MSU, Purdue, Iowa.

Three players who made any all-conference team return, or could, pending further announcements: TJD, Hunter Dickinson, and Edey. Always possible someone has a Keita Bates-Diop put-of-nowhere year, but if the first two come back, player of the year has two heavy favorites. Outside chances: Nigel Pack, if he transfers into conference, Malik Hall or Max Christie if they take a leap…not seeing tons of other candidates.

For those who don’t know, Reed’s going to Michigan, so we can watch Malik work him in the Big Ten, too

Believe we won in those, actually!