Bagley for Whitman



  • @SkinnyKansasDude Probably, Whitman wasn’t going to start and was probably behind Lightfoot at this point as well. If he was the 4th big, he wasn’t playing much which PT at a bigger program was his reason for leaving W&M.

    If you bring in Bagley at this point, you risk alienating Preston as well which wouldn’t be good for KU.



  • It really would have been nice to have four bigs. We saw how valuable quality post depth is. If Self is willing to take Bagley, then it would be a good problem to have, but I doubt he is coming. Most likely he is going to Duke. Any word on other quality, experienced post men?



  • Are there any footers out there available? You cant have too many footers.



  • @Texas-Hawk-10 eh, I dont know about alienating Preston. Bill hasnt turned down talent that Im aware of, especially at a position that is thin. We need more than just Dok and Billy, not sure if Mitch is able to contribute adequately against the upper echelon teams. We need someone with more size. If, and yes its a big if, Marvin Bagley is interested, no way should we ever turn him down. Ever.



  • What the crap!? Why the hell is Whitman leaving!? I don’t buy the playing time excuse because he would have had a ton of it. Especially early in the season.



  • @Lulufulu Not if Lightfoot is ahead of him. The 4th big under Self doesn’t tend to more than a few minutes per game.



  • @Lulufulu I agree, kind of strange. Youd think he knew the situation before committing. In foul situations, he would have played a bit, especially with our front court already being a little green as it is. We would be absolutely loaded if Bagley comes. One can dream right?



  • @SkinnyKansasDude

    How can we hope to compete with U.K., Duke and UNC without a William and Mary transfer?

    It’s hopeless!



  • Im hearing from certain folks that there was some sort of attitude issue with Whitman. Honestly wish he hadnt left as we need more size and girth than what Mitch offers. I like the guy and he will be a great four year player, but he doesnt have the size to compete against taller, more athletic and more talented teams. Maybe someone else will come around, but it will be a challenge to play more traditional Self ball, which is better and more effective than last years style, given that the personell is still similar. On top of that, Dok will need to learn how to stag out of foul trouble, and there will be games when he gets fouls early. Billy, talented but still a freshman, and undersized Mitch do not sound like a tremendous pair for long periods. I can only wonder why we cant get a slew of tall and athletic bigs like in the past. Just going to have to hope Self will find someone quickly.



  • Well that really sucks.

    Bagley to Duke is a done deal. He has family that lives in the Durham area.

    I really have no clue what’s available at this point to just have a body. They have to get someone



  • Wasn’t he the one who Mitch made come back to finish the blown layup in practice? Maybe he didn’t like being told what to do by a youngster with no facial hair that could compete with the 'stache?



  • One name that maybe pops up is Deontae Hawkins. Illinois St’s leading scorer averaged 14 and 6 on 44% 3 point shooting. Was supposedly headed to Boston College for his final year, then was looking into professional avenues. Now Gonzaga and New Mexico are receiving visits. He’s better then Whitman so maybe we try and get involved late.



  • @BeddieKU23 44% from 3. looks like he can score down low as well.



  • jaybate 1.0 said:

    @SkinnyKansasDude

    How can we hope to compete with U.K., Duke and UNC without a William and Mary transfer?

    It’s hopeless!

    It is a known fact that there have been a number of NCAA champions that included players who have heard of William and Mary.



  • ☕

    Moving on then.



  • BeddieKU23 said:

    One name that maybe pops up is Deontae Hawkins. Illinois St’s leading scorer averaged 14 and 6 on 44% 3 point shooting. Was supposedly headed to Boston College for his final year, then was looking into professional avenues. Now Gonzaga and New Mexico are receiving visits. He’s better then Whitman so maybe we try and get involved late.

    Jamarko Pickett is also available. Don’t know all the details here but he would be a fantastic addition. Late bloomer that committed early in his prep year and went to the same military school as Frank.



  • Looks like Pickett wants to stay in the DC area.



  • @BeddieKU23 He’s a grad transfer I assume? Hawkins.



  • Kcmatt7 said:

    @BeddieKU23 He’s a grad transfer I assume? Hawkins.

    yes he is.



  • @jaybate-1.0 As you say…“howling”



  • @BeddieKU23 I agree for sure, I don’t care what personal opinion of him was- - myself I thought he would be a nice quality player for us -he will be missed unless they get a quality replacement - - - Believe that. - - I was totally caught of guard by this like WOW, where did that come from?

    People saying there is a Bagley/Whitman connection? - - - -Come on let’s be real here if people think there is a factor with the two on this - -I got some swamp land in Florida I can sell you real cheap. Bagley has Duke, Duke, Duke written all over him. It would just as much of a Shock for him to land here as Whitman leaving. - -Need to get this fixed really thin up front now for sure. - - ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY



  • @jayballer54

    The timing of it all sucks. We have no idea exactly why he’s leaving but at this point he can go find that swamp land your talking about because its ridiculous that a kid would already be leaving for whatever reason. Where does the madness stop with this transfer stuff



  • I would hope that we hound Bagley for a visit at least now that we have PT and and open spot. Preston isn’t going anywhere else at this point. He signed an LOI and would have to sit out this season if he did. Get Bagley on campus at least. I don’t care if we land him or not, but no excuse for not getting him on campus.



  • Kcmatt7 said:

    I would hope that we hound Bagley for a visit at least now that we have PT and and open spot. Preston isn’t going anywhere else at this point. He signed an LOI and would have to sit out this season if he did. Get Bagley on campus at least. I don’t care if we land him or not, but no excuse for not getting him on campus.

    To this point he doesn’t seem interested in doing that. We can hope he notices Whitman gone and reconsiders…

    He may not take any visits past Duke. Lots of inside chatter about how he will make the transition to 2017 to play for Duke. And with him having family in the area this is becoming the Duval situation all over again



  • Hard to tell why a player like Whitman would leave.

    Realistically, his chance of playing at the next level are extremely limited at best, so, one would think he came to KU with the idea of being a role payer at best and collecting a ring or two in his one year, the othre option being playing a much bigger role at a smaller program such a mid-major. Thinking that he would start of play substantial minutes at KU seems unrealistic.

    Maybe he has come to terms with his limitations and has decided that investing his one year getting a degree at a higher level academic school better serves his future and I can understand this. If he has no future in pro ball getting a degree from, say an Ivy League school, compared to one from KU would be a no brainer. Where he lands will probably be a good indicator why he left.



  • @mayjay didn’t jack also miss some camp scrimmages due to an elbow to head from, lt👟?



  • @jaybate-1.0 I was never thrilled about him



  • Well, if Jack was destined not to gel smoothly, now is probably the best time for him to sign off. Whether we sign another player before the international trip or not, is best not to waste playing minutes with a recruit who would return to Lawrence, then depart. With so many new players at the current 2, 4, 5 slots, the coaching staff must get a handle on future lineups pronto.



  • Bagley is good at basketball. Really good. When you’re trying to win national titles, finding people that are really good at basketball helps you do that. If Bagley wants to come to KU, come on down. We can figure out minutes and rotations later. He’s good at basketball, and that helps win games.

    Additionally, Bagley is versatile, as is Preston. They could play together with Azuibuke because they can both handle and shoot from the perimeter (that front line would be HUGE). Playing them with Newman and Vick would be a pretty scary lineup. You could also go semi-small with those two, Svi, Vick and Graham together, or smaller with either Bagley or Preston, plus Svi, Vick, Newman and Graham. That’s a fun lineup that would probably be very explosive without giving up much in the rebounding department if Bagley were in there as the only big.

    Whitman was going to be a backup. Bagley could potentially start. That’s an upgrade (if Bagley comes). If not, KU is still okay because Whitman was depth, not someone they were relying on.



  • @justanotherfan

    Who’s the backup for Azubuike’s minutes though?

    Preston is more of a SF then a 5, Lightfoot the same.

    He had a role here, especially one that could be fluctuating by opponent, foul trouble, etc.

    This is a crushing blow to the rotation.



  • @Kcmatt7 An LOI is not a legally binding agreement. Preston could still leave and play elsewhere without sitting out because fall classes haven’t started yet. That’s why Frankamp had to sit out at WSU, he left KU in September after classes had started.



  • Bagley isn’t coming to KU. It’s as likely that I suit up for KU this season.

    And Whitman was going to play a bit, how much we can’t really say. It’s unfortunate, especially during the first semester as KU will only have 8 scholarship players.



  • @BShark Well, I for one welcome you to the team, and I am looking forward to you taking it in to the rim for a last-second victory at the Octagonnorhea of Doom!



  • @BeddieKU23

    There are so few true 5’s in CBB now that you don’t have to have a true backup to the position. It’s more important to have versatility than having a true 5, even as a starter, let alone as a backup.



  • @mayjay

    I’M READY COACH, PUT ME IN.



  • @BShark

    All righty then…how tall are you and how much eligibility you have left?

    P.S. Can you play defense?



  • @JayHawkFanToo 6’1’’, fat and old. Defense would be a problem. 😀



  • @JayHawkFanToo He defends his position on here pretty well usually.



  • justanotherfan said:

    @BeddieKU23

    There are so few true 5’s in CBB now that you don’t have to have a true backup to the position. It’s more important to have versatility than having a true 5, even as a starter, let alone as a backup.

    Line-ups without Doke will be trickier now. Lightfoot definitely isn’t beefy enough to pull it off against most opponents. So it will be Preston by default I guess. Certainly Doke is going to get every last minute he can handle.



  • BShark said:

    @JayHawkFanToo 6’1’’, fat and old. Defense would be a problem. 😀

    So you sound more effective as a thoroughly offensive player?



  • BShark said:

    @JayHawkFanToo 6’1’’, fat and old. Defense would be a problem. 😀

    OK…never mind then.



  • Hopefully we hear something soon about potential replacements. If only we had non-goober insiders.



  • I think Whitman came to KU expecting to be the #3 option up front, but has discovered that Mitch’s improvement has bumped him to #4. Without a history of excitement about KU, the uncertain possibility of getting a ring while not playing much might not be as attractive to him as playing a lot somewhere else.

    As mentioned before, he may not go pro anywhere. Therefore, if he loves to play he would do well to go where he maximizes that opportunity. Unlike an underclassman, he is not able to project into the future knowing if he pays his dues now he might get more time later. This is it for him.

    People who are scholarship players at places like W&M are likely not hugely motivated by dreams of Final Fours. Especially if they end up being merely an afterthought to 7 or 8 other guys.



  • meanwhile Evan Maxwell has surfaced at some place I’ve never heard.

    Said KU was the worst year of his life. Apparently the KU life ain’t for the weak

    http://www.news-sentinel.com/sports/indiana_wesleyan_hoops_embracing_high_expectations_20170719



  • @BeddieKU23 Wow, I thought my phone was a crystal ball like Tolkien’s palantír or something. I read your post, wished you had included the link, and then blue letters magically appeared on the page.

    To test this, I will try to wish the winning numbers in Powerball to appear…

    Thx for the link.



  • justanotherfan said:

    @BeddieKU23

    There are so few true 5’s in CBB now that you don’t have to have a true backup to the position. It’s more important to have versatility than having a true 5, even as a starter, let alone as a backup.

    Agree. But look at the Big-12’s big’s this season and I think KU has to get another body with size.

    The Big-12 is going to have much improved post play this season. Acuil Jr, Lattin, Brodziansky, Smith, Wade, Maston, Williams are all experienced bigs with skill. Throw in Bamba at Texas who will be the highest drafted player of the bunch.

    I think its better to have a 4th big then nothing at all



  • mayjay said:

    @BeddieKU23 Wow, I thought my phone was a crystal ball like Tolkien’s palantír or something. I read your post, wished you had included the link, and then blue letters magically appeared on the page.

    To test this, I will try to wish the winning numbers in Powerball to appear…

    Thx for the link.

    Forgot that people usually like to see for their eyes so went back and edited it real quick.

    if those winning numbers come through please help out a fellow bucketeer!



  • @BeddieKU23 “Said KU was the worst year of his life. Apparently the KU life ain’t for the weak.”

    I don’t think it was the toughness, but the fact that he was suddenly in a public school (secular) environment after 2 years in a rigorously evangelical school, Liberty. The coach said he felt lost at Kansas, and I suspect the off-court shenanigans first semester soured him on his teammates if he wanted prayer-group instead of party buddies. Indiana Wesleyan is also an evangelical school, so he probably feels right at home.



  • mayjay said:

    @BeddieKU23 “Said KU was the worst year of his life. Apparently the KU life ain’t for the weak.”

    I don’t think it was the toughness, but the fact that he was suddenly in a public school (secular) environment after 2 years in a rigorously evangelical school, Liberty. The coach said he felt lost at Kansas, and I suspect the off-court shenanigans first semester soured him on his teammates if he wanted prayer-group instead of party buddies. Indiana Wesleyan is also an evangelical school, so he probably feels right at home.

    Then don’t we have to question why he ended up at KU in the first place? If the evangelical side of things was so important why did he choose the “big stage” KU scene…



  • @BeddieKU23 Why did any of us choose things we changed our minds about later? Perhaps because you expect things will be different? Maybe he connected well on a visit with someone who turned out to be different. Maybe someone threw up on his bed and everyone just laughed. More likely in my mind, he simply didn’t realize how important a structured religious environment was to him until it was gone.


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