OKHOOSIER

To me, it screams "I want to start, and I am in the portal to make that happen." But I would love to have him if he was willing to come off the bench here.

I think relationships still matter quite a bit, it is not solely money (although if we can buy a FF or NC I could not care less how it happens). KC and Rice are good friends and grew up playing AAU together, and had preexisting relationships with Coach Ya. That tells me they do not both commit here if money was the sole reason. It is the coaches job to make sure they are getting the guys with character and mindset they want for the team, and thus far I believe they are doing that. Woody for all his faults has made it clear that NIL demands are basically a non-starter for him when recruiting.

Yea this died for me a long time ago, guys can learn to love the university once they are here. Pay them and get them in the door. I don't love the current iteration of college sports, but it is here to stay so I want IU swimming in the deep end with the schools you mentioned.

Six?! Nate Oats is hoarding all the wings lol

The catch and shoot numbers for KC are certainly exciting since paired with Gallo and Rice he won't have to be creating his own shot as much as at Stanford. I watched some tape and their offense was horrendous (Silva transferred before the season so I think they were thin at PG). He was forced into the dribbling into long twos we all hate due to how stagnant it was. Hopefully surrounded by other ball handlers we can really see him blossom.

They both shot 32% on the season. 35 is simply an attainable target number. If I had said 40+ someone would have come in with a comment about ridiculous expectations. I am not parsing out game by game numbers, if the three of them average 35 or more on the season, we are going to win a bunch of basketball games.

I have baseline expectations every year and I think they apply here with all the unknowns. 23ish wins, in the hunt for the B1G, Saturday or Sunday in the BTT and a competent showing in the tournament. Personnel changes can alter that up or down, but that is my basic belief the standard should be based on my experience as a childhood IU fan, then student, and as alumni. Most of my life IU has been mediocre, I am used to it so it is hard for me to project or expect a SS or deeper run no matter who we have on the roster. That said, I do have a couple of 24-25 specific things I expect based on the current state of the program: 1. Exactly Zero losses of 20+ and I would prefer zero of 15+. Getting pantsed by every ranked team on the schedule is unacceptable to me. 2. MM, Rice and KC to push their 3pt averages closer to 35% as Sophomores. If that happens (or better) this team could be special-- additional shooter portal ads notwithstanding. 3. BTT champion. It has to happen sooner or later, and the B1G is as down as ever IMO we can get it done this year. 4. Woody has to make the second weekend. You cannot spend 6 Million on roster construction and lay an egg in March. His job depends on it. I have no interest in hearing excuses about new pieces and gelling and whatever other coach speak by the time B1G play starts. Everyone is turning over large numbers of their roster, yes we are on the high end, but I simply do not care. The staff is paid to construct the roster and get it to work, and that is what I expect them to do.

I think the number of guys transferring for the purpose of winning at all costs is pretty small. Landing someone like Goode is a really nice piece if we do. The portal is weird thing where money isn’t the only thing, so I think getting guys willing to take these roles is going to be touch and go.

Well that ON3 dude called Gillis to Duke. Hmmmm

Good for him, hopefully he can realize his potential and get back to the high major level.

Exactly my thoughts, Gallo is an excellent complimentary piece to a good/great team. He is not a guy we should be needing to rely on for nearly 34 minutes a game due to zero other good options at the 2/3 or as a primary ball handler. That problem seems to have been solved. I would venture a bet his 3pt and FT shooting improves back closer to 30 and 60+ respectively with better looks and simply getting more rest while having less pressure to carry the load when MR/MM were on the bench. Woody has already hit the homerun we had to have, now if we can find a serviceable backup big and good shooter to fill out the bench it will be a grand slam in my eyes.

Our ceiling with Gallo off the bench is much, much higher IMO. Gallo has been paid, and he has been here for a while, I would suspect he is more interested in a B1G title and deep March run versus who starts. He is going to get a boatload of minutes regardless. Our bench was the biggest issue last year even beyond the system. The drop off with even two bench pieces in was stark (AC talked about this via the numbers not too long ago), and what I envision here is much more 3 guard lineups. Whether Gallo or Tucker at the 3. Ballo probably doesnt project as a Ware level guy from a minutes perspective which leads me to think we will see way more small ball with MM at the 4 and either Ballo/MR at 5. Even without adding a couple more complimentary pieces, the current roster has so much more versatility on paper than last season.

This keeps up and the dreaded + Assessment of Former Posters tag is going to get added lmao

Well it’s all but official now. Immediate eligibility for multi year transfers as long as they actually went to class and are eligible to pursue a degree at the next stop. NCAA seems to be using academic standing as the new “penalty” not that it sounds like much of a penalty. It was official in all but name, but the NCAA is making unlimited transfers without penalty policy. 2+ schools is going to start to be the norm I would guess until some financial rules are in place. It is one more official step towards college sports as we all knew it being dead. (Yes, I know they haven’t been challenging multi transfer guys really at all since the last court ruling).

I wouldn’t say I am optimistic or pessimistic right now. Maybe just a little mistic

I mean is it that much of a stretch though? 24/7 has them as the 13 and 17th best players available. 5 and 7 at the guard position. And they would be in the same backcourt.

Preface with I prefer Conwell....buttttt Rice and Kanaan would probably be the best backcourt in the country, not just the B1G.

Remember when spring was for baseball season and the spring game? Yea, me neither. Portal season is nothing if not entertaining.

Soooooo we getting any work done today or just hammering F5 all day waiting for Ballo?

That stings being that he’s local, but I’d rather take a run at Conwell.

He will fit right in here with that percentage lol

Walsh following Ballo now on IG, if he was earlier I missed it.

That is why I believe it is not sustainable. Eventually the money people are not going to keep pumping funds in and the current rate. That is just simple math, when that happens there will have to be a shift in where the money comes from and how it is distributed. IMO this will be some sort of profit share based on the TV contracts for football, and to a lesser extent, March Madness. Then again, maybe not, but I just do not see how the current large donation based system can sustain itself. I do not think the crowd sourced small donation model can support this going forward. Who knows, Fire Mike Woodson

At some point there are going to have to be other models of profit share and contracts. Exactly what you are saying is why I don't think the current model is sustainable. Unlimited transfers, no collective bargaining, not caps on spending, etc. It is a pro model without the constraints of contracts and salary caps. I am all for players getting paper, but sooner than later in my opinion there are going to have to be rule changes. Step one is universities stopping with the farce of the student athlete and just call them employees with the rights of employees.

Money available aside, it would seem like there are plenty of minutes to be had in that situation. With Malik still playing out of position I would expect the foul issues to continue. Ballo was at 28 minutes a game. But I agree with you I do not think he is looking for backup money or role. Our track record with bigs has to be enticing though. If I could see any players taking less or a diminished role at IU it would be there, not at guard.