Svi - quick update...



  • @dylans where you getting that information about 85-100? - I haven’t seen anything anywhere yet. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @jayballer54

    It’s in the tweet linked to in the first post.



  • If Svi is gone, I would guess the starting 5 will be Graham, Newman, Vick, Preston, Dok. How do you all think that lineup compares to last season? Certainly more of a typical Bill Self lineup with 2 bigs. My initial thought is that the backcourt isn’t quite is good, and not quite as dynamic. Losing Jackson and Mason means losing most of our driving ability. I think Graham will be a 1st team all Big 12 caliber player next season, but I don’t think he’ll be able to have the kind of production to warrant NPOY consideration the way that Mason did. And Graham isn’t Mason. Graham doesn’t have the ability to drive and finish at the rim as consistently as Mason did. And he doesn’t have a soft floater like Mason did. That’s not to say he won’t do those things occasionally, but probably not as frequently and consistently as Mason did. And nobody on the roster is replacing Jackson either. Probably don’t need to elaborate too much on that. And that’s not really a knock on next season’s roster, because I think they might be the best backcourt in the country next season. But not in the same way that this season’s backcourt was. I like the frontcourt more. Whether Dok and Preston can stay out of foul trouble remains to be seen. Probably will struggle with that early on. But I’m excited to see what Preston and especially Dok can give us next season.



  • @KirkIsMyHinrich Think it matches reasonably favorable. Not TO MANY little lone Devonte going to put up the type of season like frank did last season. Those just don’t come along on an every day bases. I think the back court gonna be pretty solid, I think Newman is going to surprise people -Devonte gonna be playing Pg then you got Vick & Newman then we gonna have Garrett which might be a little better then people think say by come time for Big 12 conference time, I think they gonna be ok.

    The front line? - -I think Udoka gonna be a beast, still gonna be interesting as to see how quickly he develops. My prediction even though I have said this multiple times This is my thought - -Udoka going to STILL be here for two years. I just think his injury has sit him back enough developmental wise it’s still going to take him these two yrs. I just don’t think he will explode that quickly, he gonna be good – really good as the season goes along but I think in the end run we got him for two years yet.

    I think Preston gonna be a typical freshman, he is going to be swamped - - over whelmed at first, gonna take time to settle in but think he will be a good player for us. Another key I think is going to be what kind of play we get out of our grad transfer. Can he contribute enough to lighten the load for the guys up front? - -I think he will be fine - probably back both - -Udoka and Preston.

    Think we are still gonna be a team to watch typical Coach Self team. Then I don’t even wanna talk about the following year lol. I think 2019 is when we have a chance to have a mother load with the Lawsons and Moore and then possibly Gimes and company maybe Hurt, or Leech - -step the F back if we get some of thes e others cause it will be time to rock. - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @KirkIsMyHinrich

    Yeah and Newman and Vick aren’t drivers either. Garrett could become one, but I don’t think that comes to fruition next year. Going to have to get open threes next year as much by feeding Doke as attempting to drive.

    The front court should be loads better. Though maybe not totally if you count Josh as a front court player. If we are only counting Landen and other actual post players it’s no contest. It will take Doke and Preston a bit to get going I think, and Preston will drive Self nuts when he loafs on the perimeter (watch playoff Lebron please Billy). The son of TJ Whatley looks like a capable back-up 4/5 which is far more than we can have said about anyone on last year’s roster. I really hope Mitch takes a RS.

    In general Preston intrigues me with how he will fit.



  • The best thing that our post players have going for them is that all summer they are going to have the luxury of playing against a solid grad transfer Jack Whitman and Lawson. Those 2 guys should prepare our young bigs for anyone they face on the court IMHO.



  • http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2017/

    Still no Svi in this mock draft put together on May 4. Time will tell.



  • ESPN article today has NBA exec’s rating the players to stay in school or go pro.

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  • @wrwlumpy about what I would have guessed him to be at.

    He has too much game film to be able to get drafted on workouts and potential . He has to develop his game this summer and come back next year as an efficient, aggressive scorer and an adequate defender. He has the tools and size, he just needs it all to click.



  • @Kcmatt7 The sad reality is that he could have benefited from a RS year since he is so young. Frank Mason had a prep year and it took him a full 4 years a KU to reach his so called ceiling. How old is Mason? I think Svi could be great but he may spend a couple of years over seas before he gets drafted? You never know Boston could pick him up in the draft and stash him over seas? I watched all of his U20 games this summer and he ran the show! He was driving, slashing, and chucking up 3s and didn’t look anything like the Svi we see playing under Self. His shot selection wasn’t good but he was a different guy all together. Maybe it would be best for his development to run the offense on a pro team over seas and be the secondary ball handler vs a catch and shoot guy under Self?



  • So we need some scholarship shenanigans to keep Svi on the roster? The only player who could get “cut” is Coleby. And would that happen now? Maybe. But that leaves us only with 4 bigs. I don’t know. This all seems to add up that Svi is gone, whether NBA or playing for a Russian team, or whatever. I saw Matt Tait’s scholarship scenarios, and I’m sure taking a guy like Justin Wesley off scholarship is no big deal, but the guys that are here now are big deals.



  • @Statmachine I watched a couple of those games too. There is a lot to think about. His two knocks are that he struggles defensively and he lacks in-game confidence.

    I think staying at KU provides him with the greater upside. If he can shake his constant deer in the headlights look that he gets playing in front of 12k people, he will be better for it. I also think he will be asked to guard much better athletes in D1 college BB than in Europe.

    On the other hand, maybe he does need a tune up year or two where he is forced into an alpha role and can play with a reckless abandon because he is the best or 2nd best player on a team in Europe.

    I think it is a greater financial risk to go play in Europe next season. European contracts are notoriously terrible for athletes that aren’t elite. And, what if he doesn’t get good minutes for a team in Europe? His value only plummets even further. The most likely rout for him to make the most money is most likely to stay one more year at KU. But that’s my opinion…



  • Hold on to your seat cushions, dentures, and wigs/toupees, when you see Newman play this coming season…His natural position is slashing-2, but has added improved 3pt shooting. McDonaldsAllAmerican alert, and a pent-up one, to boot…





  • @wrwlumpy

    I’m sorry but all KC Star articles should be banned



  • So 12 of the 14 players invited to the Combine that didn’t sign with an agent- 12 of them were polled to return to College.

    Svi was one of those that should return.

    So that naturally means he’s 100% gone. Book it



  • @BeddieKU23 who were the 2?



  • Crimsonorblue22 said:

    @BeddieKU23 who were the 2?

    Swanigan and Ojeyele.



  • @BeddieKU23

    Ojeleye was a split decision and the reason to go was because he is already 23 years old and has graduated.



  • @JayHawkFanToo Jimney, he’s old enough to be Svi’s Dad.



  • My money says he goes to the league…

    I hope my jinx works.



  • I heard that Svi has withdrawn from the combine due to an ankle injury. That’s a bummer, wish him the best.



  • This situation really has me questioning Billy Preston’s eligibility. Bringing in Whitman late to put KU at 13 scholarships before Svi’s decision is finalized.

    With all the talk of how to fit Svi in if he returns and who would walk on, I haven’t seen much, if any, mention of Billy Preston. This well could be a situation where Self is anticipating Preston not being eligible next year.

    That still seems like a plausible scenario at this point to me.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 this would be bad!



  • @Crimsonorblue22 It is, but with 13 scholarships accounted for and Svi undecided and being advised to return, there has to be room for him somehow.

    The other option is is Svi is graduating this weekend and could be a graduate transfer, but I think we would’ve heard that by now.

    Preston not being cleared is a realistic possibility based on what’s going on with the scholarships right now.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    Preston not being cleared?

    Dang!

    THAT’S depressing.

    But I should have known, right?

    Preston is over 6-7 and called by some an OAD and he signed with KU. He had to have baggage.

    I can almost hear Self putting in a call to Tractor Supply for bailing wire and duct tape for next year’s team now.

    I am getting incredibly tired of only being able to sign OADs over 6-7 that have some kind of baggage.

    How about starting a Top 100 Baggage Player Ranking for high school players that are going to be tough to get admitted, or keep eligible?



  • Sounds like svi’s staying for interviews, he really wants to go. Might be chancing it. Wouldn’t there be rumors about Preston? We are screwed if that’s true.



  • Svi will go pro. That ensures he will be back because my success rate with the stay/gos is around 10% right. " I guarantee Embiid will be back"!!! Wonder who said that?



  • @KUSTEVE I think your problem with the Embiid prediction was just your wording. Consider what you could have said, when he first declared and still had time to return: “No way does Embiid play in the NBA next year!” 100% true!

    We would have started asking you for lottery numbers and horses’ names.



  • @jaybate-1.0 Preston spent 3 years at API which used to be Prime Prep which has produced such NCAA superstars as Emanuel Mudiay amd Terrance Ferguson.

    Hopefully Preston has made up enough credits at Oak Hill this year to ve eligible, but we know how the NCAA is with KU and academic issue players.



  • @mayjay lol, theres that legal mind. Do you watch Better Call Saul? It’s a great show. The last episode had a courtroom scene that was satisfying.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10

    That’s good and bad.

    Good that a high grade OAD might play for us.

    Bad that he might not, because of failure to be cleared, or late clearing.

    Is this the more things change, the more they stay the same?

    Or is this a sign the apparent embargo is weakening?



  • @approxinfinity I watch it!



  • @approxinfinity No, never watched. Maybe we will look it up now that some of our favorite shows have gotten axed. (“Timeless”??? “Oh, no, Mr. Bill! Not the axe!”)



  • Preston hasn’t been hammered yet. No reason to worry about a situation that hasn’t happened yet.They’ll figure out a way to handle the scholarships.



  • @KUSTEVE Well, with a relaxed attitude like that I don’t know if you can be allowed to participate here on Panic Central…


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