FightFor6

Keion would basically be Race without the physicality. Seems like most on here have arrived at the opinion that Race is likely the odd man out. I'm not sure I see the fit. I would rather go after a guy like DJ Jeffries from Memphis.

Some formal confirmation of interest.

I really want Armaan back even if we get Johnson. A backcourt rotation of Johnson, Armaan, and Stewart with Lander as a developmental guy off the bench has the potential to be pretty stacked. Then go find the best stretch 4 you can.

No detail really. JMV asked if Trayce was doing some portal recruiting of his own. He said yes and that he'll keep some names under wraps but he's actively talking to Xavier and Wendell.

Trayce just dropped Xavier's name on JMV live. Pour some fuel on that fire. Edit: Also mentioned Wendell Green who is a talented freshman out of Eastern Kentucky.

Xavier Johnson has started following and interacting with a handful of IU players on social media..

Illinois @ Indiana with fans back in the building will be wild next year if true.

I'm really hoping we're not in a position where we feel one of Lander or Phinisee has to start next season. Let them compete for minutes from the bench. This team has been hamstrung for 4 years now by a hopeless backcourt that may or may not show up each game. You either have to retain Franklin and find a starter in the portal or find 2 starters from the portal that are clear upgrades.

I won't pretend to answer for Trish, but it's him or Phinisee. I personally have more faith in talent development than someone fixing their mental make-up.

I am just imagining Ted Valentine practicing this in front of a mirror on gameday.

It is so on-brand for the media to now latch onto a Stevens-UNC candidacy with zero information justifying it after being in denial during actual discussions with IU. You could write the script for them.

I'm fine agreeing to disagree here. Woody will take in the necessary information and make a decision that is best for the program. I just don't want us to be hasty in how we label prospective players around here. The full picture is important. For example, one of the other technicals referenced in that original article is one I believe you mentioned you would be ok with (coming to a teammates defense). Apologies to everyone else for the derailment. I won't comment again on the topic.

So is it about the behavior or how the referee interprets the behavior? You're not even arguing in good faith at this point.

I'm not going to get into a back and forth about someone's character based on one comment from a coach whose comments don't align with his actions, but might as well share the play in question. Starts at 4:33

I hear you, but I wouldn't necessarily shut the door on a talented kid that plays with passion because of an off-the-cuff comment from a coach that hasn't coached a winning team in 6 years. He was still playing 30mpg and had a 30% usage rate (1st in ACC). Capels actions don't match his words in this instance. Woody needs to do some vetting here to be fair, but more evidence points to Johnson being a big positive to this team than the opposite.

I take it you weren't a Will Sheehey fan? Different strokes I guess. I miss our guys having that kind of fire. Sure you might get burned here and there, but it's better than the alternative.

One of the responses to a recent Jeff Goodman tweet mentioned Kenya Hunter was close with Xavier Johnson. He would certainly bring a dimension in the backcourt we haven't had in a while.

Of all the wings mentioned so far, this guy intrigues me the most. Seems like the poster boy for what Woody will want. Great size and length at 6'7", premier athleticism vertically and side to side, can shoot, rebound, and handle the ball. He was even running the break off rebounds in some of the videos I saw. From Mississippi though so no idea what he's looking for.

That sounds like a healthy work environment. Also, who signs that kind of contract?

It's like 20 minutes longer to Nashville.

Yes. Race is up there with Armaan for me. He's one shooting coach away from being an All-B10 player in a 4-1 offense.

A thought that has probably been mentioned but also hit me this morning. With the impending opportunity for players to start getting paid for their likeness, I'm wondering if the Associate AD role for Matta will be heavily involved in helping to find these opportunities. I would think that is a pretty appealing recruiting pitch for recruits knowing you have a HOF Coach whose purpose is to start making you as much money as quickly as possible in college.

Do we know if Matta will be joining this press conference in the morning or is it a Woodson intro only?

I'm not completely in love with it but the pairing with Matta is intriguing for me. Let's see what an NBA guy and a former elite recruiter can do with a once-in-a-lifetime transfer market to kickstart this thing.

Hope for the best. If this fails, I don't want to hear from the "IU Guy" crowd for the rest of time.