KU Players Leaving/Staying Tracker



  • Here are my thought on player status…

    Josh, Frank and Landen are gone…duh…

    Svi comes back to finish his degree and improve his draft status.

    Devonte is back after the Oregon game knocked him way down second round to not-drafted.

    Vick will be back and probably start or at least get considerable playing time.

    Bragg will use the off-season to sync his mind and new body and with good coaching he might yet be the player we all thought he could be.

    Garret will be a very pleasant surprise.

    Preston will contribute greatly if he qualifies to play at all. 50-50 chance at this point

    Doke will progress nicely and be in beats mode buy Conference play.

    Lightfoot will continue to progress and we will see flashes of what he will do in his junior and senior years.

    I see Newman as a 50-50 chance of leaving.

    Cunlife will be a good contributor but not a game changer.

    Juiston, if he comes to KU ,will be a Jamari type of player. He has dominated in JuCo but Division I is a while different game.

    Coleby will see increased pay time but not starter minutes.

    As usual, Coach Self will gete a surprise recruit in the off-season.

    KU will win Conference Title #14.



  • Interesting news about players with whom we are somewhat familiar.

    Lonzo Ball, following on his father’s footsteps and family tradition stated that he is better than Markelle Fultz; way to to impress NBA GMs…negatively, of course.

    Michael Porter Jr., indicated that he wants to wear the number he had in HS, the problem is that Terrence Phillips, who stared for MU for 2 years, currently wears the same number. Porter indicated they should play one-on-one for the number… what a way to start your career by destroying team chemistry. I see MU being like Washington was this season, a team with a superstar but still a conference bottom feeder.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Bragg is not a lock to be back. Newman will play at Kansas next season. He wasn’t good enough to go to the NBA after his freshman year and he’s done nothing to prove those doubts wrong. Scouts and GM’s don’t care about how a player looks in practice, they care about game film and there is no game film of Newman that shows he’s fixed any of his problems.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    Keep in mind that Malik has been practicing all season long against the best guard pair ion college basketball and it is not unfeasible that his play has improved considerably. The combine would be the place where NBA team properly evaluate him.

    Bragg’s best chance to make it to the League is to shine at KU. If he is not good enough to earn playing time at KU, being the best player in a mid major program will not help much, particularly when he would have to sit one year. If he is not NBA material playing at KU, playing for mid-major will not change this.



  • @Hawk8086 said:

    @jayballer54 Gosh I hope Bragg comes back…I think he can be a good player. IMO whatever happened off court really affected his play.

    Plus I think him playing the 5 is out of position for his skill set and mindset. With others holding down that spot next year I think we’d see different results.



  • @Blown

    Good response. Naadir… BG moved forward with his game but not sure about his attitude.



  • @Crimsonorblue22 I didn’t know that about Maxwell. Wow…that was the shortest transfer ever.



  • @BeddieKU23 I will wait for the fat lady to sing. I may not like the song, but until she sings…



  • @Blown I’m not so worried about anyone leaving at this point. But it’s safe to say that IF anyone leaves, it would almost have to be a small benefit. I’m more curious about any incoming than outgoing.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Bragg leaving KU would not be his choice. It would be a Brannen Greene/Connor Frankamp/Naadir Tharpe type deal where he’s publicly allowed to leave on his own, but he’s really getting kicked off the team. Bragg not playing at all against Oregon when his skill set was exactly what KU needed should be sending out huge warning signs that Bragg may not be around KU next year.

    Newman was practicing against a pair of very good guards, that doesn’t change that there’s still no game film on him to show he’s fixed the deficiencies in his game and there’s no way he gets a combine invite. Graham is the only on the fence player who will likely get an invite. The NBA invited only 61 players last year and will probably be close to the same number and Newman won’t be among those players because he didn’t play this past season.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 I was just thinking through Newman’s situation. I can’t help to think practicing and cutting his teeth with FM was tremendous. If you add in DG, it’s really a great benefit to Newman. Something tells me after his initial pick and transfer, he has a little something for KU. He sees this as a great opportunity.

    I think it’s possible Malik Newman could aspire to following Frank’s example on the court. Let’s hope if we miss on any other guards, that Newman steps up and gives as much as Frank “the tank” Mason. Mason is an all out stud. It’s time for Newman to put up or shut-up.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    Completely on point.

    Newman will play for KU next year. Bragg probably will not.



  • Video of a Chicago recruit

    https://t.co/KQBxN60BB8?ssr=true



  • @Blown four more years





  • @nuleafjhawk I completely agree!!! 💯



  • @truehawk93

    We might be waiting a while too. Don’t expect Duval to decide before the underclassmen draft deadline. I expect this will go into May.



  • @JayHawkFanToo

    Yeah Newman’s practice year has been a big benefit to him, Coach talked about him a few weeks ago. They sound very optimistic about his role next season.



  • @drgnslayr IMO, Bragg did not seem to handle the added weight very well. He seemed to lose quickness and hop. This is not meant to be a shot at Hudy, her successes are many. It could be just the off court issues too!
    I would love to see him bounce back in a big way.



  • @BeddieKU23 When is that deadline?



  • @Big-Clyde52

    April 23rd is the underclassmen deadline



  • @BeddieKU23 OK thanks. Will be a long spring with lots of anticipation.



  • @Big-Clyde52

    Definitely, if Graham enters the draft its going to be even more tense



  • @BeddieKU23

    …and they have 10 days after the NBA Combine, which is is set for May 11–15 in Chicago, to withdraw, so May 25 will mark this year’s deadline; until then, we will not know for sure. I would expect Devonte, Svi and maybe Malik to give it a try, provided they are invited.



  • @JayHawkFanToo said:

    maybe Malik to give it a try, provided they are invited…

    Earlier I posted that Malik might not be able to do it because he has done it before. But apparently it was changed last year so kids now can enter the draft multiple times and attend combines again.



  • @BeddieKU23 He was saying last night at the game that he would like to make his decision in April. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @BShark Well, watching this , well I’m not sure you could actually say he LED them to the win. - -From what it showed us, ya he played OK. - -Seem on more then one occasion where he just kind of stuck a hand out against an opposing player driving to the basket - -made a couple of shots, looked like his team was getting it taken to them multiple times - -BUT ya did ok , looks like he hit a couple of three’s , got faked completely out of his strap on one drive. - -On a side note you see the number he is wearing? - - -ZERO - - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • Newman will play a year for KU. He promised Self.



  • @jayballer54

    Yeah kind of an odd highlight video. Markese is good though, probably gonna be a McDAA and top 25 before it’s all said and done. Esp if he gets taller.



  • @Barney

    Me, too. Your perspective on this is interesting. I can’t say I can recall enough of last year to compare. It would help to look at old video.



  • I don’t understand why Trevon is pausing IF he is all Dook and they are pulling away in the “crystal ball,” then just commit already. However, unlike the other highly touted pg in the nation we missed, think Trevon has a set of different circumstances. I think if the kid is all Dook, he would’ve committed already. Something is causing him to pause and don’t think he’s 100% sold on Dook. He may go to Dook at this point, but hopefully KU is giving him fits. I also think Billy Preston may be our best recruiter at this point too.



  • @jayballer54

    I’m sure if everything happens the way he’s talking maybe he decides in April. I wouldn’t hold my breathe for Duval, he’s an expert at what to say. Nike wants him at Duke, UA wants him to skip College so that UA doesn’t have competition for him after his 1 year. This is much more then just Colleges trying to convince him to go to school



  • @truehawk93 I read somewhere…maybe posted here…that he said, among other things, he was waiting to see what DG does…some interpreted that it might be to play with DG…I think one of the things…maybe many things…he is considering is that if DG leaves…Trevon would be the man…doesn’t totally make sense given Self’s system, but I could see where a kid could look at us as having a full backcourt if everyone returns.



  • @Hawk8086

    I think you interpreted that correctly, he’s most interested in what happens at Duke, then Kansas and Arizona as far as roster movements go.

    Duke has told him he can have the keys and I’m sure that both KU & Zona have had similar pitches. The problem for KU & Zona is they currently have PG’s so predictably his answer is going to be "waiting to see what Devonte Graham or a Kobi Simmons does at Arizona.



  • @BeddieKU23 said:

    @jayballer54

    I’m sure if everything happens the way he’s talking maybe he decides in April. I wouldn’t hold my breathe for Duval, he’s an expert at what to say. Nike wants him at Duke, UA wants him to skip College so that UA doesn’t have competition for him after his 1 year. This is much more then just Colleges trying to convince him to go to school

    How are conversations like this happening? How does this not affect amateur status?



  • @truehawk93 said:

    think if the kid is all Dook, he would’ve committed already.

    Maybe he wants to wait until after the final 4 so he can have the media attention all to himself.



  • @BeddieKU23 said:

    @Hawk8086

    The problem for KU & Zona is they currently have PG’s so predictably his answer is going to be "waiting to see what Devonte Graham or a Kobi Simmons does at Arizona.

    Frank just won national player of the year next to Devonte. I dont see how Devonte’s status affects a point guard. Devonte plays a role like Chalmers did and is better as the secondary ball handler.



  • @BigBad

    Honestly I don’t know how its happening but it does. Its the hush hush side of recruiting



  • @BigBad

    I believe its more difficult then that but if you think Duval is not affected by what Graham does that is your opinion to have. The Mason/Graham situation was unique especially because they were close friends and had such great chemistry on the court.



  • @BeddieKU23 very true, I hear what your saying. I will say that during his interview at the McDonalds the question was brought up about the whol over sea’s scenario - -he seemed pretty adamant saying NO he was not saying he had things to take care of here that over sea’s was not an option I dunno, but sounded pretty convincing that was not part of the equation. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @jayballer54

    Yes Duval wants to play in College. He’s also smart enough to deflect the question so that the schools recruiting him don’t start asking questions. Slater of 247 is in the know about this situation and he knows for a fact that UA has tried to convince Duval to skip College and take a deal now. They are scared that if he ends up at Duke (a premier Nike school) that this could affect their future endorsement deal with him. Crazy times!



  • @BeddieKU23 Ya I hear ya, You know for me anyways these shoe company getting this involved which in turn has an effect on how a recruitment may turn out. - - I think there has gotten to be so many factors anymore with the recruitments of these guys Seems to many outside factors playing into recruitment anymore - -it’s all about money in one sort or another. - 100% correct Totally Crazy times. - - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @BigBad What you said is so logical…doesn’t mean the kids these days think that way. Even though he and Graham are the only true point guards…kids these days see: Graham, Svi, Newman, Vick and see an already crowded backcourt.



  • @nuleafjhawk said:

    If they had his jersey hanging up there …tomorrow it would not be soon enough. And somebody needs to get to work on a statue - put him right out there next to Phog Allen with a plaque.

    “Welcome to the Mecca of College Basketball. Stay four years and you might have a jersey hanging in the rafters and a statue on the lawn too”.

    He should get his jersey in the rafters, get a statue and we should call the playing surface “#BIFM & Son Court”



  • @jayballer54

    Definitely. The top kids have too much behind the scenes around them and it starts at a young age. We have landed top kids in the past where shoe affiliation didn’t matter like Wiggins & Jackson but those kids were just different. They also had parents that were involved and kept a tight ship on things. It’s the families that invite the “other stuff” like Duval and his father that bring on a whole new ballgame when it comes to recruiting. Too many kids have handlers as well and most of them are not involved for the right reasons other then personal gain.



  • @BeddieKU23 said:

    Too many kids have handlers as well and most of them are not involved for the right reasons other then personal gain.

    Yeah I read a comment the other day from Slater about Brandon McCoy and I was suddenly a lot more okay with him losing interest in KU…



  • @BShark

    Yupp I saw that and felt the same



  • Summary for people here that don’t want to go find it: McCoy has a handler that is very involved. Said handler has basically made it clear that McCoy (a very raw offensive player) will be OAD. And no doubt money will be required to secure his services.



  • @mayjay I hate to say it, but if that’s the case…DON"T WANT HIM. KU is a team.



  • I think DG stays, he’s very close to Newman.


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