IUBB Players in the Portal/Draft Exploratory Status

[Alford Bailey 12,259]

I really hope our season doesn’t depend on Race Thompson coming back. We need to be upgrading if we ever want to get better.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,228]

10 hours ago, brumdog45 said:

I grew up ten minutes from where he lived.

There literally is nothing around where he grew up....Muncie is considered the big city.

I'd consider 68k population a big place as well. Paoli is about 3600. 

[Honkyman 1,670]

55 minutes ago, Alford Bailey said:

really hope our season doesn’t depend on Race Thompson coming back. We need to be upgrading if we ever want to get better.

Are there any players in the transfer portal Race Thompson's size who are better than Race Thompson? Not many, if any. IU is not likely to land a big who is better than Michael Durr much less better than Race Thompson. If TJD goes pro and Race moves on, IU has nobody to play the middle. Maybe we get a transfer but how good? The transfer portal is a mirage in most cases. If Race is thinking about transferring, Woodson should persuade him to stay.

[Hippopotamo 517]

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

[WayneFleekHoosier 46,830]

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

Idk. Look at Duke’s roster. Duke goes 7’, 6’10”, 6’6”, 6’5”, 6’4”. Roach at 6’2”. Michigans roster looked like this, this year too. But Michigan didn’t have good enough guard play but they were close. Purdue looked like this and they were close. Auburn too.

I also think going big is an advantage so long as you don’t sacrifice too much athleticism. (Durr for example).


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[Henryville Hoosier 940]

21 minutes ago, Hippopotamo said:

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

Baylor and Villanova also comes to my mind.

[HoosierHoopster 6,065]

32 minutes ago, Hippopotamo said:

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

This is what we were kind of expecting under Woodson, a 4 in 1 out, with mobility, p&r, outside shooting with Kopp - Stew. Didn’t materialize, but may see things more like this next season 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,228]

2 hours ago, WayneFleekHoosier said:

Idk. Look at Duke’s roster. Duke goes 7’, 6’10”, 6’6”, 6’5”, 6’4”. Roach at 6’2”. Michigans roster looked like this, this year too. But Michigan didn’t have good enough guard play but they were close. Purdue looked like this and they were close. Auburn too.

I also think going big is an advantage so long as you don’t sacrifice too much athleticism. (Durr for example).


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And Duke will be sitting at about the same next year or taller. 

[ray 1,560]

On 3/25/2022 at 10:25 AM, LamarCheeks said:

I know nothing more than anybody else -- but I just cannot see this happening.

My guess is he's ready for something different, or that when Woody laid out what he sees happening next year for Rob (probably an even more diminished role than this past season), he decided to move on. Last year was a little different, with Woody just coming aboard and so many in the transfer portal, but my guess is now that he's been around for a year, if you're in the portal, you're leaving. 

I just sorta hope that after all he's been through, Rob had the option to stay if he wanted -- and that he wasn't "forced" out. 

I hope he had the option too, and I would bet he did. It could be the number (and talent) of incoming/returning guards making him want to leave, but I can also see him eyeballing a great Masters Degree someplace with a strong program in his field of interest. There’s life after basketball. He seems like a smart kid, and with all the injuries he has dealt with, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s looking for a specific graduate program for academics. IU has great programs, and I’m not sure what his area of study is, but he seems to have his head on straight and could be looking for specific academic opportunities (and a chance at more playing time) elsewhere.

Dane is gone and he was the man building Rob up as the best defender in the conference, but Woody was also seemingly behind Rob 100%. So, I doubt it has as much to do with coaching relationships or decisions as it does with playing time…or like I said, academic opportunities (which people sometimes fail to consider). He could surely find more playing time at a smaller school with an exceptional Masters program in his area of interest. I think it’s a smart move by Rob and I hope he excels wherever he ends up.

[iu eyedoc 1,655]

2 hours ago, Hippopotamo said:

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

Problem is that the B1G wants the games reffed like this is just standard post play:

 

Teams will not be successful in the big ten playing small.  Hopefully the B1G sees the complete failure in the tournament this season and starts to shift to 21st century basketball.

[Ryno6284 2,518]

18 hours ago, Chris007 said:

I still think it’s 50/50

Damn, I like those odds!

[RaceToTheTop 23,799]

7 hours ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

I'd consider 68k population a big place as well. Paoli is about 3600. 

Similar size to where I grew up.  45 minutes from Muncie…the big town.

[Chris007 42,289]

5 hours ago, Hippopotamo said:

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

Put me in the Villanova category. I think they should be the blueprint. I like their style for IU.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,228]

36 minutes ago, brumdog45 said:

Similar size to where I grew up.  45 minutes from Muncie…the big town.

Pretty much how it is here. Bloomington is about an hour which Google says is 84k. But Louisville is also about an hour south which is 617k. 

[str8baller 4,782]

7 hours ago, Hippopotamo said:

Do we really want to look like a stereotypical big ten team with a 7 footer in the paint with limited mobility? We’re seeing how well that has fared in the ncaa tournament for the past 20+ years. I’d much rather have Geronimo/Kopp at the 4, TJD/whatever athletic big at the 5, and beef up on wings and guards. Under Beilein, Michigan did not look like a traditional big ten roster, and was able to have consistent success in the tournament. I would much rather look like them than like a Purdue or a Wisconsin. 

Michigan usually deployed a traditional big. But Beilien had an emphasis on them being to pass, shoot, or both. Whereas teams like Purdue put one out there emphasizing strength or athleticism for defense or bullying their way to the basket.  
 

Zeller wasn’t much of a shooter but he was a good passer. We’d be crazy to ignore recruits like him. But I’m definitely fine if we pass on the Edey’s or even Cockburn types. 

[HoosierTrav 7,619]

2 hours ago, Chris007 said:

Put me in the Villanova category. I think they should be the blueprint. I like their style for IU.

Same. 

[AKHoosier 6,592]

Style or makeup of roster doesn't matter when you can't hit shots.

That's been our problem for forever.  Shooting covers up a lot of other deficiencies.

[JSHoosier 19,580]

You don't need a 7 for bruiser in today's game, but I'd also prefer to not have some 6'7 or 6'8 playing the 5 either.  They're not mutually exclusive.  I'd love to have an Anthony Davis type at the 5, a difference maker (especially defensively) that opponents have to account for on every play.

[IU Scott 2,375]

Just now, JSHoosier said:

You don't need a 7 for bruiser in today's game, but I'd also prefer to not have some 6'7 or 6'8 playing the 5 either.  They're not mutually exclusive.  I'd love to have an Anthony Davis type at the 5, a difference maker (especially defensively) that opponents have to account for on every play.

Villanova tallest player is 6'7

[BGleas 7,880]

34 minutes ago, JSHoosier said:

You don't need a 7 for bruiser in today's game, but I'd also prefer to not have some 6'7 or 6'8 playing the 5 either.  They're not mutually exclusive.  I'd love to have an Anthony Davis type at the 5, a difference maker (especially defensively) that opponents have to account for on every play.

TJD really is a great 5 for college basketball. We just need better pieces around him so that he's not the focal point. 

TJD is a shot-blocking, rebounding big that generally can finish around the rim and is good in the PnR game. 

The problem is that he shouldn't be the focal point of an offense. Put him with guards and wings like UNC has, Duke has, Kansas, etc., and he'd be perfect. 

I would love to have TJD back surrounded by XJ, Bates, JHS and a couple other guards and wings from the portal. Guys that can create and make shots while TJD is a rim runner in the PnR game and a monster defensively. 

I say this all realizing there is a slim chance he returns.