HoosierHoopster

Nahh i got it lol

Crean was not a good defensive coach, lol, just wasn’t— but i think you’re reading in a bit here, his enthusiasm over deflections was always mocked, but active D and deflections go together and on that he wasn’t wrong

As they say it's up to Scoop and the proof is in the pudding. Kid has so much talent -- and fire -- he was a frosh and dealt with off-court things and the demands of Woodson on D, now he's coming in with that experience, a full summer, and Woodson says he thinks Bates is the guy who will have that big jump. The kid shot plus 40% his last two seasons in HS -- I think he finds his range this season. if he does, look out!

SIAP - Haven't gone back to see if these same TJD comments from the HT story were posted in one of the above linked stories. A number of interesting statements from TJD IU basketball: Trayce Jackson-Davis talks about return for senior year (heraldtimesonline.com) They include - "Last year, we had two teams, the starting five and the bench. We played against each other and we would never switch up the teams. The starting five and the bench players would play together. I think that's huge for us, to get our team chemistry better." - "I wouldn't consider the NIL to be a big reason why I stayed, even though there is probably going to be money there and opportunity there, which I'm blessed to be in that situation. Obviously I'm going to use it to my advantage, but I'm here to play basketball and finish my degree." - "This is the way coach Woodson explained it to me: He said last year, I was so dominant on the low block I didn't really need to do that [shoot from outside]. I'm still going to have dominance. I'm not going to just utterly forget about that. The biggest thing for me is just adding just a few jump shots here and there to my game. He said I have to shoot four or five jump shots a game and I'm still going to have 10 to 12 under the rim." "When I was out in California, I was getting trained like a guard. Ball-handling, shooting, reading movements off the dribble. Catch-and-shoot. It was a lot of 2-on-2, 3-on-3. Things of that nature to really help work on your outside game. It's all of those components that are really going to help me in the future." "The feedback I got from the GMs, they said I was going to get drafted. They said anywhere from the beginning to late second round. The way that I would boost my stock is to show out at the combine, show I could shoot the ball, things of that nature. Defensive matchups, showing I could guard big guys but switching out and guarding the perimeter...." 'I think this is the best team that I've been on since I've been here. It's not even the sense that — it's the talent that we have. We have talent all across the board from the guards all the way down to the centers. We have dudes that care about the program, are here for the right things. I think the big thing that we didn't have last year that we have this year is our team chemistry. Last year we had three guys come in and start for us that we didn't know, like we never played with them. We had to build our chemistry over the summer. Having a full year of experience with them and then adding two, three, or four freshmen in, I think it's going to be huge for us. I think the ceiling for our team is anywhere from Big Ten championship to national championship, if I'm going to be honest with you. I set my standards high." "Yeah, so even with the G League, the only way — there's players in the G League now that are still on guaranteed contracts. So if I had to go develop in the G League, I wouldn't mind doing that as long as I was guaranteed a contract. So that was my big thing. If I was guaranteed a contract in the second round, then I would have stayed in the draft, but that's not what happened. I didn't think that's what was going to happen. So I felt like coming back to school was the best option. We didn't really talk about NIL or any of those types of deals. I know the money's out there, but we're just going to play it by ear and see what happens. So it was really more of a — it was a guaranteed contract. I could have played in the G League. I would have been fine with that if it was for my development purposes."

I'm betting we see a big time jump from Bates, he is a legit 3-level scorer, needed to bring his D up to Woodson's standards, then had personal and family issues to address, but the talent, athleticism, competitive edge and underlying skill are all there. Frosh to soph jump coming. And I think JG is going to be a beast.

Lol I know everyone likes to poke fun at CTC for his repeated references to deflections, but hey, he was right. Deflections are part of good D, and Vic has it in spades. The fun pointing kind of misses the point, no?

JG on the ... wing ... WHAT?? WHAAATTT?? hahahaha (all in fun) I can't wait to see how all of this pans out, a lot of potential for lineup moves, first time in a while. I'm sure TJD, Race and X start, but then JHS, Bates, JG, Kopp, imo, are the 4 who seem most likely to complete for the guard/wing starting spots, though JG also could continue off the bench for Race -- but that leaves competition for backup 4 between JG and Ren and I just don't see JG playing less than 18-20 and think his summer growth is going to be something, the way he finished the season. If Bates has made that jump to start over JHS coming in that will be something -- in all of the discussion of how both JHS and Ren are expected to start, Bates' talent coming in, adjustment to the college game, and expected soph jump is relevant imo. 3-level scorer coming in, bordeline 5 star. All deserved.

Good, lol. I’m sure he’ll compete for minutes, i’m sure he’ll play, but I don’t see him coming in as a frosh and stepping over Race and JG

Ren is more likely to be in the area of 14 min or so, he’s a frosh 4 coming in to play for time against a sr Race and junior Geronimo (with the poss of JG playing some wing) in the B1G, banging against vet PF’s. Ren is coming in used to playing around that with a loaded HS team. It’s a different animal with JHS coming in as a point/combo and Rob gone.

Stoked to see how it pans out, def a high ceiling coming into this season

The Wat-Hulls-Yogi-Cody et al team was special, this is the first time we’ve looked like a team like that since to me

Exactly. Race as a soph averaged under 4 PPG. But the development into his junior season was there to see. JG as a soph averaged over 4 PPG, just over 12 MPG. But the development heading into his junior season couldn’t be more clear. He played plus 20 in MM and was easily one of the top 5. Denying that I simply don’t get. The kid is clearly the best or second best rebounder, and shot blocker, and his outside shot, which ended up at 31 percent, is smooth. Can see it getting to 35 maybe better - and of course that depends on his continuing development, but that development is on the path right now. And this isn’t about whether he plays the wing or 4 (imo Bates can take over the key minutes on the wing if he continues along with his growth and improves his D). It’s about what JG’s upside is for the team. Race is almost certain to start imo, he is at or about his ceiling (maybe he’ll raise his outside shot), he’s a savvy vet, a workhorse, and a good defender. JG will probably start the year coming in either for Race, or at the 4 with Race sliding to a small ball 5 (lots of potential there), but if he develops the handle he will be able to play wing as well, that’s his real future just as it was for OG. Regardless, he’s going to play a hell of a lot more than 12 MPG, probably 18-22, his numbers are going to jump across the board, just as Race’s did junior-senior seasons. And we will be better for it

Well said. It's hard to see college amateurism going away and it's also true as you say that the NCAA is stupid and corrupt and players have value. I don't like the move to what is basically free agency. At the same time we all know colleges/the NCAA have been taking advantage of athletes and making millions off them. No easy answers, but I also don't like the change to what is defacto pro ball.

No Gleas you're being totally misleading man. You left out his 15 and 7 in the tourney. You compare him to Race by saying he had one game where he did 11 and 7 and it was against Merrimack (which is wrong, not a technicality). You're disregarding that he didn't get into 20 min games until towards the end of this past season. The Merrimack reference is completely misleading. Here's a thought, take a look at Race's soph year (2019-20) PPG - 3.7 Boards - 3.9 And now you refer to him as having a spotty season? You again disregard that on a per 40 and per 100 poss basis he is one of the top 2-4 players on the team. Woodson during the tourney said he "discovered' him. Then he played him heavily, because he was playing as one of the best on team. Yes, you're being misleading.

No problem with your second paragraph, but how in the world can you say you love JG and then be completely dismissive and misleading by referring to one game against Merrimack?? I mean, Gleas, that is such a totally misleading statement man. The guy who you assess by pointing out one game against Merrimack with 11 and 7.5rpg, is the same guy whose minutes jumped to plus 20 at the end of last season in MM where he was clearly one of the best players on the team, right? The same guy who, on a per 40 min and 100 possession basis for this season was: - 4th in PPG at 13.8 / 20.3 - 1st per 40 at 11.3 - 16.6 per 100 (not counting Childress, Duncomb) -- and 4th on a total rebound basis at 121 - 2nd in blocks - 2.3 and 3.3 Why go out of your way to be dismissive about how impactful he is? If you think that Merrimack reference is how he'll do this season, I'm happy to set up a real money bet with you my friend. And you left out 15 and 7 against Wyoming in the tourney...

On the plus side of this question, we’re deep with top veterans, TJD, Race and X, with strong returning soph-junior potential star level players, Bates, Geronimo and 6th-man type in Galloway, and 5-star incomers at point/combo guard and the front court, JHS and Ren, along with a consistent vet 3-point shooter (but who should shoot more) in Kopp. On the other we’re not deep on the wing / outside shooting, may still be a weakness unless Bates has a soph jump (i think he will), JG expands his outside shooting, and Kopp shoots more with more movement added with JHS. I hope Woodson pushes the perimeter game. What I don’t want to see is just running the same starters every game as vets, we have genuine elite depth, it’s real, need to use it and the versatility that guys like JG and Bates bring has so much more potential

I think we’ll be seeing this lineup regardless of starters. I love the upside of TJD, JG, X and JHS, and can see Kopp having more impact with that 2 on ball group. It’s up to Bates to take that real frosh to soph step, i think he will, if he does that lineup with him is so explosive

We’re definitely going into the season with expectations. Fun season coming

I mean SERIOUSLY TJD Race X JG Bates Galloway Hood-Schifino Reneau Banks Gunn Kopp Leal Duncan We ARE loaded.

Yeah, who says bad news drops on Fridays? :)

OK, we're going to be good :)

Yeah completely agree, but as of now he has to self-quarantine and the interviews were cancelled. I'm unclear if he'll still be able to set up individual/team workouts before the deadline, hope he can.

There's maybe something of a silver lining in this for TJD. Having to miss the 5v5 and the individual workouts/interviews because he has to isolate, while missing out on feedback, may mean he gets some more attention from teams during/after next season (highly likely he'll be back now imo) who didn't get to evaluate him now.

Seriously, if both Bates and JG take that real step up we’re going to be very good

He was selected but can’t participate