Demo

Never seen a second of him, but a friend coaches 15U for Bradley Beal Elite and coached Mitchell, who played up last year. Loves, loves, LOVES him. Apparently right now he’s something like 6’7”, but Terry thinks he has a chance to end up as a 6’9” primary facilitator. His vision and instincts are that good.

ESPN doesn’t get nearly as in the weeds with the kids who aren’t at the factories or playing all the big camp events as some of the specialty sites. So they tend to really lag on some kids. Keep this rating as a baseline and then look at where they have kids like Sisley and Mullins in July. The rating on Moreno is so bad it almost looks like trolling.

Would be pretty surprising if both of those kids don’t get more substantial roles than are available behind Ballo.

I thought shouting was all caps? My knowledge of keyboard etiquette has always been subpar. lol

Welcome aboard. And that is some strong tea leaf reading. We love that. Adding to your Ya speculation, he played at McEachern, which is in the same conference as both of our new guards. Spooky.

Maybe Walsh following him is a tell. Watching this little bit he shows a big body, physicality, ok post footwork and finishing with both hands. But, man, watch his lateral movement and tell me who he defends. Would like to see some games to see how exploitable he was. I’m with Btownqb in wanting a defensive presence at the rim and he doesn’t look like that at all. But a physical, skilled, experienced big who understands his role would always find a way to help. If this turns out to be the kid they want there’s logic to it.

Official

Interesting. That’s his 2nd de-commitment. Was previously committed to Auburn, I believe. He’s from Alabama and given all the kids Bama has lost it’s hard not to think that might be the move. Would certainly suit his game.

From his basketball perspective I'm not sure I see the fit for him. Would assume the kid's last year he'd be looking for an expanded role and that doesn't look likely here. But if the kid sees the value going forward he's probably an easy take. The kid I've talked myself into for that role, and this is evidence-free wish casting, is Baye Fall from Arkansas. MCDAA in '23 who got nicked up in the preseason and then barely played. I mean, at all. Not sure what happened there. But he's 6'11", though thin, and a great athlete. A back of the rotation/niche role would be an increase in minutes. And selling a kid like him along the lines of, "Hey, you'll be backing up the 3rd NBA center we've produced in 3 years" and pitching the physical and development piece with the probability of taking on a spotlight role in '25 feels to me like potentially a big win/win. I really like the idea of buying low, so to speak, on talent like that. If it doesn't work you move on. But if they're looking for a surer thing for that role I get it.

Not sure how much actual IU interest there was, but fwiw.

Officially on board.

Agree on both counts. Will root against Philly for no other reason than Daryl Morey. He has world class self-regard and nobody I can think of has gotten more credit for accomplishing less. Too bad, I really like Maxey and Embid would have been an all-timer with even decent health.

He’s got the Nick Zeisloft stat line. Played over 900 minutes and took 45 2pt looks and 16 free throws. Actually, that’s probably harsh on Nick.

Shot lights out at the Chipotle Nationals. Hair trigger release and NBA range. Kind of a 1 trick pony on offense, but if you're gonna have 1 trick he's got the right one. Should be able to defend and competed hard.

The reason every decent player jumps in the portal. A catch and shoot guy from the A-10 is about to cash a big check.

Maybe, but that kid’s built like a stick figure. If he’s gonna have any chance to defend size in the B1G he needs to add probably 25lbs.

Unsurprising

So, basically, OSU has traded Gayle and Okpara for Bradshaw and Meechie Johnson. Unless Bradshaw blows up I’m struggling to see how they’ve gotten better. I’d take Gayle over Johnson straight up without a thought.

I agree. I don't see how a kid like him looks at our 6 scholarship guards, out MCDAA freshman wing and our MCDAA combo forward and sees an obvious path to sustained rotation minutes. They may be there and that may not be there at all. I imagine they'll be able to fill the backup 4-5 fairly easily because they can sell that as 20 minute rotational role, though barring injury I doubt that's how that will actually go, but for a wing shooter that's gonna be tough.

I’m sure that’s right. The Max Bielfeldt’s and Anthony Walker’s of the world, experienced guys willing to take undefined roles that could be very small, are tough pulls.

I like him as a piece over the course of a season because on the 2nd night of some back to back in January he’s gonna be the hardest playin’ dude on the floor and probably steal you a couple of games. But playoff basketball mitigates every single thing he brings you. And when he’s shot hunting, man.

I know NBA coaches are slavishly devoted to their rotations, particularly early in games, and Carlisle’s fantastic, but the fact that Ben Sheppard just played 4 mins in the 1st qtr of the Pacers’ 1st playoff game in forever is, frankly, insane.

Like the fit with Ron Hunter. Best of success to Kaleb.

It’s always a hoot where some of those end up. I’m 6’4” and the number of kids listed as 6’5”, because that’s the magic number for college wings, that I’ve looked down on has always made me laugh. Happened just a couple of weeks ago with VJ Edgecombe. Listed at 6’5” and I’m taller than he is.

So if they’d brought on Essegian or Hickman they’d look at this team significantly differently? These guys wear their hot take stupidity like a freaking merit badge.