Bill RE: Next Season



  • @BShark

    “I think if everything else is equal Self snaps back to 3 out 2 in.”

    That would be my guess. Kind of a kneejerk reaction to old habits.

    But we have the rest of this season to show him how much better a 4 out 1 in is.

    If we can continue to rebound okay then that would be a big help.



  • @JayHawkFanToo

    We probably won’t know honestly. Before he jumped on the KU offer there was talk he wanted to transfer closer to home and maybe even drop a level to avoid the sit-out year. I can understand any kid jumping quickly at a KU offer and forgetting why you were transferring in the first place.

    I think that probably had something to do with it, as well as him not being good enough to play here. There was plenty of talk about that when he committed. Self is a honest guy and might have told him he had no chance of becoming a rotation player. And to my knowledge there hasn’t been any official word of where he ended up since leaving.

    Even if we return all our scholarship big’s next year (Doke, Carlton, Mitch, Dwight) and Billy is eligible I still feel like KU needs to get one more big with some ability.

    You think after 2017-18 Mitch could be the only scholarship big left. Doke, Carlton & Billy could all be drafted and Dwight will have graduated. Self has to find a guy willing to compete for minutes as a freshman with a possible feature role after…



  • Ok, guess I’ve missed the boat – again. - -Read about a name from the 2018 class, that’s making his choice tomorrow I guess, I hadn’t hear anything on this kid - -but getting the impression we have been recruiting him, Someone saying he was 100% CB for KU - -but also said they wondered if he was going somewhere else by him making his announcement tomorrow.

    His Name is - - - Daniel, Oturu - - what can anyone tell me on him - - people say with him announcing tomorrow word is he is choosing Minnesota. - -My question is, is this a big loss for us IF we have been recruiting him for 2018 or is it more like an EH no big deal? - just hadn’t heard this name - -any help guys - -Gals? - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @jayballer54

    He verballed to Minny today.



  • @jayballer54

    It’s not a bad loss if KU has others it prefers that they can close on. The problem is the 18 class is weak top to bottom and has just a handful of elite type players. KU seems to be after man-child Zion Williamson who plays the same position. Oturu wasn’t an immediate contributor type but he’s a nice 4 year player for any D-1 program. He had some upside and was ranked right around where his ceiling is right now.

    KU offered by the way of Coach Townsend but Self had not seen him yet. It looks like the home-town school pushed for him to commit before the important AAU season came around and KU had a chance to recruit him and they succeeded. He’s a really good get for Minnesota who’s having a turnaround season.



  • Yeah can’t really do anything about it when a lower ranked player wants to commit this early. People would have been up in arms if it was KU. Not that Bill isn’t afraid to do so when he really likes the player like Markese but still. I hope the staff prioritizes Emmitt Williams. I think he is very obtainable if KU presses there, unlike say Naz Reid or Zion. At this point it’s LSU and Florida schools. I understand the temptation of trying to get a top 15 player so hopefully Naz and Zion don’t drag out their recruitments.

    I’d love for Zion to end up at KU but I just don’t see it. Duke and UK in deep, AZ lurking. We are talking about a basketball prodigy like Josh, Porter Jr, Ayton here too.



  • @BShark

    Just posted in the 18 recruiting about Williams. Oh my! And we were talking about Oturu. Williams is on a different level. I can see the kid jumping into the Top 10, I can’t imagine there is 10 kids better then him in that class. Having compared the 3 I would take Williams over Zion and Naz. Mean streak in that Williams kid, something Self would love to mold.



  • @BeddieKU23

    Yeah he would be a great fit with Self. The kind of kid that sees the floor early with Self. I hope he is the top post priority for 18 but I don’t know of course.





  • @BShark yet you see all the twitter response on this after he done this? Some people just don’t see the writing on the wall - - - I think like 100 - -plus that Trevon is all wrapped up nice and neat for Duke. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • Bill possibly involved with 2018 SF Sidney Wilson - 6’6-7 wing from Brewster Academy (Thomas Robinson, Tharpe, Devonte Graham) high school.

    Listed KU among his schools, although UCONN & Texas were the schools he’s visited so far and talked about.

    Re-classifying to 2017 is on the table. Seems like he will be a really late pickup (May) if he does decide to graduate early. Might be one to keep an eye on if we are still looking for a wing post Svi’s decision.



  • @BeddieKU23

    Definitely going to need another wing, especially with Cunliffe unable to play in the first semester. Not sure how involved KU is here though.



  • @BShark

    Seems likely he’ll be a 2018 recruit. 6’7, 170 needs to add significant weight to his frame.

    Will definitely need a wing if Svi leaves



  • @BeddieKU23 I’m just shy of 6ft. tall, when I got down to 170 this summer I thought I was getting skinny. I can’t imagine being 7" taller at that weight. -bean pole.



  • @BeddieKU23

    Yeah I think if he is reclassing then it’s probably not KU.

    I’m hoping that the wing we get will be Chris Smith.



  • @BShark

    Me too, I think Smith is definitely a Top 75 wing

    @dylans

    He looks like one from his highlights. At his size he should fill out to be 20-30 pounds more at the minimum.



  • @BeddieKU23

    The question is: does he have the frame to support more weight? Remember Manute Bol was 7’-7" but only 200 pounds and because of his very thin frame and bones, that was all the weight he could carry; any more than that would have resulted in serious injury to the joints or bones. Bragg was able to add 30 pound to his thin frame but I believe he is still having problems coming to terms with that weight; his weight says 240 pounds but his minds still thinks he is 210 pounds.



  • @JayHawkFanToo

    Definitely Bragg is still a work in progress playing with his new weight. I do think we are starting to see him put it together, 9 ppg 4 rebs last two games in only 15 minutes of action. That’s really solid production off the bench playing a position he wasn’t recruited to play. I’m cautiously getting optimistic about him for the remainder of the season. Would love to see him have another big week. Having said all those nice things he’ll probably play the opposite. We’ll see how he does.



  • Updated ESPN rankings.

    Young #15

    Preston #20

    Garrett #61

    Big 12 likely to have 10 Top 100 kids (assuming Young signs with the good guys)



  • Matt Scott said Cunliffe took MJ Walker’s spot. Soooo there is that.



  • Trevon Duval is visiting on Tuesday



  • @kraken

    Exciting.





  • @BShark

    Kid has some skill. Some athletic ability, can shoot the 3. Good vision on his passes. They say he’s now 6’5 220.

    I’m honestly shocked he’s not ranked

    Looks like Illinois probably in the lead but who cares they won’t have the same coach.



  • @BeddieKU23 Think Tillmon will be back up for grabs? As long as he doesn’t think he is a OAD, we could use another big body behind Doke.



  • @Kcmatt7

    Tilmon would be a great get. Let’s hope Groce gets fired.



  • @BShark Looks like it’s heading that way. Let’s hope for that team to just completely lose all heart and close out the season on a bad streak.

    We should be feeling the same way about Romar and UW. The actual Husky basketball fans want him gone.

    I’m definitely not saying we should hold our breath for either, but those are two situations to keep an eye on. I’m sure Bill is ready and waiting to pounce on both of those guys if the opportunity presents itself in April.



  • @Kcmatt7

    Well I have long thought groce would be out at Illinois so his signing didn’t make much sense.

    But I guess one of the assistants was key in getting him so it will all depend on whether that assistant is back next yr regardless of groce’s status. Have to think that guy will get a long look with any new coach based on that fact. A school like Illinois can’t afford to lose a talent like him.

    Tilmon is the perfect 4 year big that will be a good college player granted he stays healthy



  • Even if Romar is fired Porter JR will end up wherever his dad does and it’s not going to be KU.



  • @BShark Has to get hired first. Is it worth sacrificing the lockerroom, future recruiting and an assistant coach for? Experiment failed at UW.

    And the new nepotism rule, I believe, means you have to hire the guy as an assistant coach if it is within 2 years of the kid going to the school.



  • @Kcmatt7

    Someone will hire him. There is a good chance if fired that Romar (and Porter SR) end up in Columbia, MO.



  • @BShark Well, if that happens, it is going to be one dysfunctional program. Let’s hope that is what happens.



  • It would be very Missouri. They can’t get any worse though, I think…



  • Isn’t porters Brother going to reclassify so they can play together? I read where they are homeschooled. Quite the strenuous class schedule.





  • @BShark

    If the Porter kid follows his father one more time, the NCAA would be all over that…



  • @JayHawkFanToo

    Just like they put the hammer down on USC…



  • @BShark

    Are you talking about the OJ Mayo deal? They did get heavily penalized for that. I don’t seem to recall any coach-son deal at USC.



  • Why are we talking about Michael Porter?



  • Slater and Matt saying KU is a dark horse for MJ Walker.

    what that actually means is nothing. Involved but who knows how much. UCLA was the latest pushing for him. I still think its a FSU- Georgia Tech battle here as distance to home wins out.



  • and BTW Jerry Meyer still believes Young to KU. says 15 years experience and learning to interpret kids has him combining his intel and gut to that pick… For what its worth



  • @JayHawkFanToo

    I meant UNC lol



  • @BeddieKU23 said:

    Slater and Matt saying KU is a dark horse for MJ Walker.

    what that actually means is nothing. Involved but who knows how much. UCLA was the latest pushing for him. I still think its a FSU- Georgia Tech battle here as distance to home wins out.

    Weird recruitment for a 5 star.



  • @BShark

    Definitely, sometimes these 5-star players don’t want the attention. This one seems to be the case. If he holds out until NBA decisions that’s probably KU’s only hope.



  • @BShark

    Ok, that makes more sense. No sanctions yet because UNC has put a full court defense that has tied up the NCAA with legal paperwork. I am guessing that given Coach Williams health, he is not that far away from retirement and the school is hoping for one more NC before he retires and the program goes down the crapper because of the effect of the likely sanctions and the new coaching staff; a cosch like Roy Williams is not easy to replace…not many Bill Selfs around…



  • Matt Scott posted a VIP thread about a couple potential spring offers. Derrick Walker and Francesco Badocchi.

    Walker is a junkyard daawwwwwwg PF. Scott mentioned he might pop soon but if he waits KU would likely be a player.

    Badocchi sounds like a freak athlete that is learning to hoop. KU checked in on him while watching JRE last night.



  • @BShark

    Matt went a little overboard on use of freak athlete with Badocchi. Andrew Wiggins is a freak athlete, Badocchi is not.

    Honestly we can do better than both but if I was choosing, Walker and red-shirt



  • @BeddieKU23

    Agree. Walker could be a good 5 year guy like Lucas.

    And yeah I assume they are plan Z but we’ve been there before.



  • @BShark

    Certainly, Walker’s size alone would be a plus. Investing in a red-shirt these days is risky. Jerry Meyer just CB’s him to St Johns yesterday btw



  • @BeddieKU23

    Yeah if he commits soon it isn’t KU.


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