Transfer Portal w IU Interest

[ap2345 7,920]

Leland Walker as at the Blue Bird last night with Leal and Galloway fwiw

[IUrocker 2,203]

2 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

Leland Walker as at the Blue Bird last night with Leal and Galloway fwiw

If staff is trying to get him, would he be an “instead of” Essegian, or an “along with”? 

[Papacap 475]

8 minutes ago, IH8PU said:

I have not watched his videos yet ... do you think he would be better than Sparks was last year, as a backup center?

Well, he can’t be much worse, I suppose. But it looks to me, and again, he isn’t playing great competition in these video but he has a much more well rounded game than Sparks. Actually hit some 3s, not that I expect him to be a stretch 5 or anything. 

[Chris007 44,211]

6 minutes ago, IU Prof said:

Man, some of you really ought to be charging NGW rent given the degree to which he's living in your heads...

Some would say as much as he talks about us on X we're living rent-free in his. HA

[ap2345 7,920]

Just now, IUrocker said:

If staff is trying to get him, would he be an “instead of” Essegian, or an “along with”? 

His visit isn't until the 22nd 

[ap2345 7,920]

6 minutes ago, IH8PU said:

I have not watched his videos yet ... do you think he would be better than Sparks was last year, as a backup center?

Yes and it's not even close because of his size and overall skill set

[IH8PU 220]

1 minute ago, IUrocker said:

If staff is trying to get him, would he be an “instead of” Essegian, or an “along with”? 

I am thinking "along with" ... Walker shot 35% from 3 last year hitting 36 of them.

[Go_Hoosiers 191]

8 minutes ago, IH8PU said:

I have not watched his videos yet ... do you think he would be better than Sparks was last year, as a backup center?

Regardless of the competition he was playing with - he is clearly a much more skilled basketball player than Sparks. 37% from three on 100+ attempts and and 81.4% free throw shooter. He also has great size. Ideal backup big man if you ask me.

Also, Malone was certainly well coached at Grace. They have an excellent program. Many people think of Indiana Wesleyan as having a great NAIA program - Grace beat them by double digits three times this year.

Edited April 18, 2024 by Go_Hoosiers

[ap2345 7,920]

1 minute ago, Go_Hoosiers said:

Regardless of the competition he was playing with - he is clearly a much more skilled basketball player than Sparks. 37% from three on 100+ attempts and and 81.4% free throw shooter. He also has great size. Ideal backup big man if you ask me.

Not to mention he's 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan and will dunk everything he can

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 9,216]

8 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

Leland Walker as at the Blue Bird last night with Leal and Galloway fwiw

realllllllyyyyy... wow. 

I mean, I don't blame Leland for wanting to party, that's wild, though. 

[ap2345 7,920]

3 minutes ago, btownqb said:

realllllllyyyyy... wow. 

I mean, I don't blame Leland for wanting to party, that's wild, though. 

I know. He's not visiting until next week but I thought that was some funny timing lol

[IUc2016 7,121]

10 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

Not to mention he's 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan and will dunk everything he can

The fact that he only has one year of eligibility left does scare me a bit. Usually takes guys a year to adjust to competition when they make a huge jump.

But since he will be in a reserve role prob not a huge deal.

[Demo 20,332]

5 minutes ago, ap2345 said:

Not to mention he's 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan and will dunk everything he can

Yup. And 4 months with Marshall would certainly impact his strength and explosiveness. My concern would be, and there’s no way to know this from highlight reels, does he mentally process at the speed you need? A lot of otherwise good players don’t. Banks didn’t. If they think he does then he makes a lot of sense. If you’re not sure,  that’s a tougher call.

[IUCrazy2 2,450]

18 minutes ago, btownqb said:

realllllllyyyyy... wow. 

I mean, I don't blame Leland for wanting to party, that's wild, though. 

Ok, so old guy yelling at clouds now and also someone that handed a former player in the late 90's a vodka bottle at my apartment the night after they beat Kentucky (IIRC), our recruiting visits are a little more "bar centric" than I would want if I was the staff.

I know the guys go out and do stuff and have some fun and they can't be basketball and school 100% all the time, but....I don't know, just seems like not the type of message I want to send out to attract real winners.  That's just me and I know I am going to get raked over the coals because college kids should have fun and all that.  And I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I would worry that the bait I am using isn't catching the exact fish I want.

[RaceToTheTop 26,155]

34 minutes ago, IH8PU said:

I am thinking "along with" ... Walker shot 35% from 3 last year hitting 36 of them.

I would not think that it is 'along with'.  Also, is there even anything saying that Walker was on an official visit?  With the little 5 this weekend, he could simply be there for the show.

Assumption is that Carlyle is committing this weekend.  Assuming that is the case, I can't see that both Essegian AND Walker would be on the roster.  That would mean that IU would have Rice, Carlyle, Galloway, Leal, Cupps, Newton, Essegian or Walker.  Obviously you can play some three guard lineups but if you have both Essegian and Walker, that's 8 guards.

[eddy4iu 633]

1 hour ago, Chris007 said:

I went through it a few times. Went to Edinburgh, then back through to Salt Creek.

Timbergate?

[ap2345 7,920]

1 minute ago, RaceToTheTop said:

I would not think that it is 'along with'.  Also, is there even anything saying that Walker was on an official visit?  With the little 5 this weekend, he could simply be there for the show.

Assumption is that Carlyle is committing this weekend.  Assuming that is the case, I can't see that both Essegian AND Walker would be on the roster.  That would mean that IU would have Rice, Carlyle, Galloway, Leal, Cupps, Newton, Essegian or Walker.  Obviously you can play some three guard lineups but if you have both Essegian and Walker, that's 8 guards.

He's not on a visit. He does have one scheduled for the 22nd

[RaceToTheTop 26,155]

26 minutes ago, IUc2016 said:

The fact that he only has one year of eligibility left does scare me a bit. Usually takes guys a year to adjust to competition when they make a huge jump.

But since he will be in a reserve role prob not a huge deal.

True, but Riley Monix of Morehead State was an NAIA player of the year I believe in 23 and he was a stud at Morehead State last year.  I think it's a bigger issue if a player is simply more athletic than his NAIA counterparts which is how they score.  Malone certainly was bigger, but the fact that he can shoot it as well IMO says he also did it with some skills.

[Certified Sunshine Pumper 9,216]

13 minutes ago, IUCrazy2 said:

Ok, so old guy yelling at clouds now and also someone that handed a former player in the late 90's a vodka bottle at my apartment the night after they beat Kentucky (IIRC), our recruiting visits are a little more "bar centric" than I would want if I was the staff.

I know the guys go out and do stuff and have some fun and they can't be basketball and school 100% all the time, but....I don't know, just seems like not the type of message I want to send out to attract real winners.  That's just me and I know I am going to get raked over the coals because college kids should have fun and all that.  And I don't necessarily disagree with that, but I would worry that the bait I am using isn't catching the exact fish I want.

I'm not here to judge them. It's also NOT a visit and it's LITTLE 5. 

But, I'll be honest--- I wouldn't want to go to battle with a bunch of teetotalers. 

[Hoosierfanyuh 2,296]

Connor >>>>