Looking to next season

[HoosierAloha 30,028]

At the Huber event, Newkirk told someone he was the starting PG. Interesting if true.

From what I read on ITH, Crean was asked about that and jokingly he asked JN.

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[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,140]

44 minutes ago, HoosierAloha said:

From what I read on ITH, Crean was asked about that and jokingly he asked JN.

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My understanding as well and I think it's far from settled who will be our PG and we may not know for certain until B1G play starts.  At the very least, props to Newkirk for having the confidence in his abilities to reply as he did.

[WayneFleekHoosier 48,064]

Vic says he thinks both Yogi and Troy get drafted. That would be great.

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[Chips&Dipo 1,464]

I dont know if this has been said, but on the IUBB snapchat they showed videos of the team starting summer workouts.

[MadAboutIndiana 402]

OG looks huge

[Hoosiers219 178]

OG looks huge

Is that Newkirk next to him?

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[MadAboutIndiana 402]

Is that Newkirk next to him?

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Yes....

[HoosierTrav 7,748]

Rothstein was doubting him yesterday. Saying he won't be Yogi and was just a change of pace guard at Pitt. Said we are a top 20 team still without Troy. I see us higher but we will see.

Rothstein has no business being an authority on college hoops. He misses on some of the most basic analysis. Newkirk was a uptempo guard playing in a slow tempo offense. His best games were games in which the panthers were forced to play at a fast pace. He will fit in nicely. Thankfully, he won't be relied upon being the primary ball handler. A healthy RoJo will be plenty good enough at the point. Newkirk, IMO will be another feather in the Tom Crean development cap. Oozing with physical ability and just needed to be in the right place. Not sure there is another school in the country that can develop individual skill better than Indiana. Now we just need to turn that into postseason success.

[HoosierTrav 7,748]

There is nothing wrong with RJ coming off the bench.

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He's not coming off of the bench bud. We are going to need to be able to shoot the ball from the perimeter and guard the perimeter. He provides for both of these things. Not to mention he is a veteran leader and seasoned/proven ball handler. I'd be surprised if Newkirk and RoJo wasn't our starting guards. Blackmon can sneak in if he can efficiently score the ball and defend at a respectable level.

[HoosierAloha 30,028]

He's not coming off of the bench bud. We are going to need to be able to shoot the ball from the perimeter and guard the perimeter. He provides for both of these things. Not to mention he is a veteran leader and seasoned/proven ball handler. I'd be surprised if Newkirk and RoJo wasn't our starting guards. Blackmon can sneak in if he can efficiently score the ball and defend at a respectable level.

If JN plays at the level you believe he will I would like to see JN and RoJo starting with Hartman, OG, and TB. I'm just not sure Crean will keep JBJ out of the starting lineup and fear we will see too much three guard lineups.

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[X-Hoosier 529]

If I were Crean I wouldn't start JBJ. You can go pro even if you come off the bench. Look at players from Kentucky. Dion Waiters went 4th. Efficiency will be key for JBJ. I'd rather see Newkirk, RJ, OG, Morgan and Bryant. RJ isn't someone to bring off the bench, compared to JBJ, because he isn't a solo scoring threat. RJ is best at spot up shooting. The less dribbling he has to do the better because he gets himself in trouble. JBJ can carry a scoring load for a bench squad single handed. He could still easily average 15 a game. I'd also rather see Morgan in over Hartman. Morgan may easily be where Hartman is now. He is literally the perfect player to bring off the bench. But putting Newkirk, RJ, OG, Morgan and Bryant might just give us our 5 best defenders on the floor and still has enough shooting.

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[HoosierRob 1,042]

Jbj is not coming off the bench. Won't happen.

[Stuhoo 79,863]

3 minutes ago, HoosierRob said:

Jbj is not coming off the bench. Won't happen.

 

True if he's healthy and practicing in full. CTC could try to rationalize JBj coming off the bench if he's not fully recovered at the start of the season.

 

[HoosierAloha 30,028]

I've said it before but when has a regular starter for almost a whole season, let alone 2, come off the bench the following season? Pritch when there was a significant upgrade?

Will Hartman go from basically two year starter to 6th man? I don't see JMor or DD as being huge upgrades.

Will JBJ or RoJo come off the bench, if healthy? Not likely.

Bryant? No so there's 4 starters if things hold serve.

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[Class of '66 Old Fart 84,140]

52 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

 

True if he's healthy and practicing in full. CTC could try to rationalize JBj coming off the bench if he's not fully recovered at the start of the season.

 

IMO that's a huge issue after 3 knee surgeries.  And then this today:  According to a report from CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Indiana guard James Blackmon, Jr. is still not participating in full-contact drills.   It's now 6 months into his recovery from the latest surgery so is this news to give us some concern? 

[Stuhoo 79,863]

1 minute ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

IMO that's a huge issue after 3 knee surgeries.  And then this today:  According to a report from CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein, Indiana guard James Blackmon, Jr. is still not participating in full-contact drills.   It's now 6 months into his recovery from the latest surgery so is this news to give us some concern? 

 

Three knee surgeries is certainly cause for concern, though there are plenty of people who come back healthy after similar issues (i.e; Mo Creek at George Washington U.)

Not fully participating six months after ACL surgery is completely normal. After nine months he should be good to go if all goes well.

 

[BGleas 7,880]

I've been pretty vocal about not liking the 3-guard lineup. But I would keep an open mind if we see it early next season due to the simple fact that we haven't seen it under Crean at IU when he's had the size/talent/length and defensive ability he'll have on the interior this season. 

It's one thing to do it when you have Troy and Perea/Holt at the 4 and 5, it's a completely other thing when you have Bryant, Davis, OG and Morgan at the 4/5. The latter are much more talented, have more size/length, are much more fundamental, and much better defenders. 

I still wouldn't love it, but I can see the reasoning behind a Newkirk, RoJo, JBJ, OG, Bryant.

[Hoosiers219 178]

I would expect this lineup at times. If JBJ is healthy, I think CTC is prone to gravitate to this lineup.

Also, swapping out either JBJ or OG and inserting Hartman.

Newkirk, Rojo, Hartman, OG and Bryant.

Newkirk, Rojo, JBJ, Hartman and Bryant.

I still expect BIG things from DD on the boards and defensively. Would be interesting to see DD and OG or DD and Bryant playing together against the likes of Purdont.

[X-Hoosier 529]

I've said it before but when has a regular starter for almost a whole season, let alone 2, come off the bench the following season? Pritch when there was a significant upgrade?

Will Hartman go from basically two year starter to 6th man? I don't see JMor or DD as being huge upgrades.

Will JBJ or RoJo come off the bench, if healthy? Not likely.

Bryant? No so there's 4 starters if things hold serve.

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Davis is a big upgrade over Hartman. Literally. Davis has 5 or 6 inches on Hartman and probably 8 inches on wingspan.

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[FortWayneHoosier 6,082]

I saw jbj two weeks ago and a buddy and I talked to him. I know three surgeries is a lot and I know this may be obvious but he had a tough time walking, I mean a really bad limp, I know the season is a ways away but either way he looked very uncomfortable