ziggyiu

Just to help provide some additional information, as a former PR rep for professional athletes (including basketball players), I can confirm clients, other player and other reps have had the same experience. If a front office really likes someone they have said they'll take the player if the player is available.

For the people that talk about schools potentially using NIL money to get more players on the roster, there used to be NCAA rules for the type of support scholarship athletes received compared to walk-ons. For example, scholarship athletes receive access to different levels of tutoring, scheduling of classes, access to more gear, housing options, etc. If you take a player off scholarship, but want to keep him on the roster would that player not lose access to all of those perks? If so, a lot of kids won't want to be on the roster without the scholarship, even if NIL money pays for the tuition/room and board.

I hope not. I have really enjoyed watching him develop.

Are you thinking Calbert?

Exactly my point.

Rumor is he wanted to redshirt Duncomb last year. That kind of makes sense with Duncomb being 3rd string behind TJD and Durr. But what CMW wanted last summer and what he wants this summer will change. For example, there's no Durr this year. Another difference from this time last year is he landed Reneau, and has a beat on a few really good bigs for 2023. Also, although Duncomb didn't technically redshirt, he effectively used last year to weight train, get acclimated to the college game, etc. He doesn't need to do it again.

So, how about Xavier?

I'd be surprised if CMW wants to redshirt two players he didn't initially recruit to take up an extra year of scholarships when we believes in his ability to upgrade the talent year after year with his own high school and portal recruiting.

Is Andrej Stojakovic on Compton Magic too?

Exactly. All the way around I'd prefer a June visit. I think a lot people don't know how business-minded some of these young men are, especially with NIL.

It will mean more if he visits and bonds with his HS teammates, sees how they are getting coached, loving B-Town, etc. Think of the impact JHS had on Malik's visit.

He quit to set up his preferred replacement at Nova as he moves on to coach the 76ers. [winky face emoji]

Certain activities on social (by players and those who interact with them) make me think Kopp is a candidate to not return.

Cockburn was quoted earlier this month as saying he doesn't care if he goes undrafted. He believes in himself, etc, etc. He has tried the last two years to get out of Central Illinois. No surprise.

I have a difficult time believing it's true, but the rumor goes beyond that garbage account.

If the Emoni Bates chatter is legit, I trust CMW to handle whomever he brings on board. After all, this is a coach that benched half his team for an entire game in the midst of a slup. I think CMW would have no issues saying to Emoni or anyone else, "It's my way or the highway." and truly meaning it. Also, this IU squad has a few leaders that won't let a bad actor spoil the entire show. There is a culture in place at IU that I don't believe exists at Memphis -- one which won't tolerate any BS that erodes the on-court chemistry.

Never ceases to amaze me how some people on message boards think because they don't know what a player is doing the coaching staff must not know either.

Coach Woodson stated at the end of the season that the team's biggest need is shooting. From a distance it's difficult for fans to understand the interest the coaching staff has placed in some players that statistically don't fit the coach's stated biggest need. It's also difficult for some fans to trust the staff because the fans have been asked to trust a few staffs in the last 20 years that have proven to be incompetent. (Just to clarify, I think we all understand the desire to pursue Reneau and other bigs should TJD leave.)

I'm trying to keep an open mind, but I have a difficult time thinking this team will be improved enough offensively if we play TJD and Race together a lot like we did this past season. Race had a very hard time playing the stretch 4 spot. He can't create his own shot off the dribble and he isn't good jump shooter. (He is a really bad FT shooter.) In many cases, I thought JG out performed Race late in the season. JG may be a better stretch 4. Also, CMW said very plainly that shooting was our greatest need for next season, but so far we haven't done much to improve in that area. Perhaps Gallo and Bates really improve, or maybe Banks is a great surprise, but I'm skeptical that without a new stretch 4 and new talent on the wings that next season will be much better offensively. Players can improve, so I'm hopeful but not optimistic. Part of me thinks how can I expect different results with the same players in the same system.

He's got multiple years to play, so if he wanted to rotate with Trayce, Race or whomever returns for a year and then rotate with Duncomb, Reneau (fingers crossed), etc. in the following years he could.

Yep. The person talking was a former IU athlete who is close to the current team. Sounds like there may be more to the story that would potentially aid in understanding why X was driving so fast. (Still dangerous and X could have done things better.) Don't know if any of it's true, but this made it sound like X was trying to get away from trouble that presented itself in another car.

Does anyone saying there's no room for Pack know if he only wants to play pg? For those slotting in JHS as a sure-fire starter, what makes you think a kid who has never played college ball is definitely better than a kid who was an All-Big 12 player? JHS could he amazing, but we don't know yet. Reminds me of some people of the boards who thought Bates would start, or even be a one and done. There's too much unknown. Talent likes to play with talent. Teams have multiple players on the floor at once who can either initiate the offense or play off the ball. There really is a lot of flexibility here. Whether or not IU goes after Pack or Pack is interested, time will tell. It's just premature to slot in starters or determine that these kids won't want to play together.

It seems like many are speculating and reacting to the speculation without considering how often coaches are really in contact with recruits. They call and text daily or weekly with recruits they want to keep tabs on. It seems possible that although Woodson wasn't at the game, he or his staff communicated as much with Booker and his family (if IU sees him as a priority). The staff could set expectations for that evening and contunue to set the table for our the recruitment will unfold this spring and summer. The other possibility is that there's been enough communication between Booker and IU that the staff knows Booker isn't that interested in IU, so IU sends an assistant to a big game for PR reasons, make connections with other high school coaches that are in attendance, etc. Or that IU isn't terribly high on Booker, so the staff is keeping tabs, but won't become heavily invested until they see certain things in his game, attitude, etc. My point is that there are a lot of unknowns.

No need to fabricate arguments. I didn't say ot was going to happen. I said it's how the offense will improve.

I definitely never posted that they are the answer either. In fact, I've posted the opposite. IU needs a new 2 - 4 to improve on the worst offense in the B1G. If we're lucky enough to keep X and TJD, that's a great start. JG at the four and an improved Bates and a great freshman season from JHS would be nice, along with Trey developing an outside shoot. Though to be really competitive, IU needs to dip into the transfer portal for a 2 and/or 3 that can score at all three levels.