Agbaji/Next Year's Team



  • @Fightsongwriter “… as the 2nd half microwave.” Nice. Vinnie Johnson references always welcome.



  • kJ is engaged



  • https://twitter.com/franfraschilla/status/1096935574387200001?s=21

    I know some people get all bent out of shape about Fran for some reason, but he is really tight with Self and has connections inside the staff. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if this is what he is hearing right now about Ochai, Q, and Dotson.



  • @Woodrow because he’s jackass lol, which game was it where Dedric bumped a guy he was like “Lawson absolutely mauls him”. He has some knowledge for sure but he has been a major dick the last 2 years.



  • @Woodrow I doubt if self even knows what they are doing.



  • Self will absolutely encourage him to go pro when the time is right for him and his family. He does with all of them, which is something I appreciate. With that being said, I’d think he will be lucky to be a 1st rounder this season because it’s hard to see him be able to contribute for an NBA team in a year. I think one more year makes sense.



  • @Kcmatt7 *lucky to be drafted this year. No way he goes first round he’s predicted to go late second round and falling weekly.



  • I really like what this team could be next season. Dotson is already arguably the best PG in this conference, Doke if he returns is the best true 5 man in this conference and Ochai could be the best 3 man if he has a good offseason. I hope KJ stays with the way he has shown he can contribute. Grimes could be a solid player if he puts in the work.



  • Woodrow said:

    https://twitter.com/franfraschilla/status/1096935574387200001?s=21

    I know some people get all bent out of shape about Fran for some reason, but he is really tight with Self and has connections inside the staff. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if this is what he is hearing right now about Ochai, Q, and Dotson.

    It’s not from Fran but what he quoted but I must say the Ray Allen comp is insane.



  • If Fran puts something like that out there, he knows. KU fans can bitch all they want, but Self and Fran are tight. I think it’s why Fran is always so hard on KU. He and Self see how good KU can be and comment as such. Just remember last year when all Fran said was KU was going to play bully ball with Doke and Dedric. Fran knows as much about the program as anyone not employed by KUAD.



  • Fran also said today Vick would not be back …



  • HighEliteMajor said:

    Fran also said today Vick would not be back …

    He’s right. Vick isn’t coming back. It’s clear that we’re better off without him and Vick’s family needs him. It’s better for everyone this way.



  • @FarmerJayhawk you think self wanted him to announce it? Wouldn’t it be better for their family if he finished school and bb so he could make some kind of living to better help their family?



  • Crimsonorblue22 said:

    @FarmerJayhawk you think self wanted him to announce it? Wouldn’t it be better for their family if he finished school and bb so he could make some kind of living to better help their family?

    Explicitly? If things ended poorly I don’t think Self cares. We also don’t know if Vick graduated in December. It’s entirely possible he did. He can still be on scholarship and get his stipend if he graduated and is enrolled.



  • Ok, so at this moment we believe the narrative that his family needed him AND that was the real reason he left? I’m sure there is something that can be articulated there to support that narrative.

    But I believe Vick left because of his inability to be a positive member of the team and that the end of the rope was reached.

    Look at Self’s post-Vick comments about the positive team dynamic, playing together, etc. That’s no coincidence.

    Look at how Self handled his departure last spring and that he required him to sign an agreement to return.

    Look at the history with Vick. The benchings, the reasons he was benched (“He has a bad Thursday”, for example), his behavior related issues, etc.

    It’s quite obvious.

    Remember Tharpe? Leaving due to transfer to be closer to home due to “extenuating circumstances” related to his daughter. Only to sign with the Los Angeles D-League team a few months later.

    My topic last season asking whether Newman was a team cancer should have inserted Vick for Newman.

    We have all the evidence we need now on Vick.

    If Fran makes the comment about him not coming back, and makes no mention of a family situation, he’s relating this to the team dynamic.

    Come on. Not born yesterday. Self shields players from direct blame, and this is no different. In house stuff stays in house.



  • @HighEliteMajor when Fran was very complimentary of the team and it’s capacity to go very deep in the tourney, my assumption was that he had been spoken to about crapping on Kansas and this was his fake alter ego.

    But if Fran is as close to the team as people suggest, do you think that Fran has truly changed his mind about our fortunes based on the Vick departure?



  • @approxinfinity The best way to answer that is with a question — how do we all feel about the team now that Vick is gone?

    A classic case of addition by subtraction. Chemistry. Team first. Loss of negative energy.

    Vick can be really good, but the value of pulling the rope in the same direction outweighs Vick’s inconsistent positive performances. My outlook has totally changed.

    One hint was how bad Vick was off the bench. Not, hey, I’m going to prove myself and make up for my screw up. But more like the classic pouter.

    We don’t need Vick. I’ll take losing the Big 12 and a first round exit over accommodating me-first knuckleheads that blow the greatest second chance of a lifetime.



  • @HighEliteMajor He won us a couple games early. When the real Vick showed back up, he cost us a couple games later with selfish play. Net result: even in win/loss but would have rather had him help us win a couple conf. games. In the end, Ochai is filling his role and bringing WAY more game.

    Bye Vick. Hope you get it figured out. Go Bill Go!



  • FarmerJayhawk said:

    If Fran puts something like that out there, he knows. KU fans can bitch all they want, but Self and Fran are tight. I think it’s why Fran is always so hard on KU. He and Self see how good KU can be and comment as such. Just remember last year when all Fran said was KU was going to play bully ball with Doke and Dedric. Fran knows as much about the program as anyone not employed by KUAD.

    Exactly. This was my point. He doesn’t just say things like this without having heard it from someone inside the program.



  • HighEliteMajor said:

    Fran also said today Vick would not be back …

    Which there is no doubt he heard from Self. When mentioning Vick you could tell it was not a leave of absence for a family matter and or Vick’s decision. Which most people pretty much knew when this news came out.



  • Woodrow said:

    HighEliteMajor said:

    Fran also said today Vick would not be back …

    Which there is no doubt he heard from Self. When mentioning Vick you could tell it was not a leave of absence for a family matter and or Vick’s decision. Which most people pretty much knew when this news came out.

    Yep, Self just keeps it polite. Lala still cheering for KU indicates to me that she knows Lagerald is a knucklehead.



  • “I’m enjoying being around them and coaching more because there seems to be more positive energy,” Self said. “It’s starting to get fun and fun is imperative.”

    Translation: Vick is gone with the wind, and we’re better for it. Good luck, LV.



  • Amazing how much is known to so many people. I hope everyone can now start on discovering the end of a Moebius strip, or how far is up.

    Vick clearly had problems. Let’s kick him now he is gone.



  • @mayjay its an inference but is it much of a stretch?



  • @approxinfinity I have no problem with believing Vick didn’t fit in for some reason, or that the team seems more cohesive with him gone. It is the accusations of being disruptive, and the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”-type comments that bother me. Many seem to care about KU players only insofar as they please fans’ expectations.



  • mayjay said:

    @approxinfinity I have no problem with believing Vick didn’t fit in for some reason, or that the team seems more cohesive with him gone. It is the accusations of being disruptive, and the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”-type comments that bother me. Many seem to care about KU players only insofar as they please fans’ expectations.

    This is sports fans in general.

    There is a wild rumor going around about Vick, I won’t repeat it here.



  • mayjay said:

    @approxinfinity I have no problem with believing Vick didn’t fit in for some reason, or that the team seems more cohesive with him gone. It is the accusations of being disruptive, and the “don’t let the door hit you on the way out”-type comments that bother me. Many seem to care about KU players only in so far as they please fans’ expectations.

    ya pretty easy to throw shade at someone without knowing the Real reason - -or reasons about what truly is going on. - -How easy it is to talk say man so glad Vick came back - -so glad he is here - -then in a blink of the eye - - -goes to glad he is gone - -which he would of never came back - -disruptive - - cancer - -not a team player – almost funny how quick people turn - - I said ALMOST

    How quick so called fans turn - -honestly – about makes me sick - -you call that a FAN? -you don’t know Vick - - I don’t know Vick – pretty easy for people to speculate make assumptions - how good you feel about yourself being like that?

    Kind of runs along the lines of my wife - - she watch’s something on TV - - she doesn’t agree with some woman - or disagrees with the woman OR guy - -they then just automatically become a BITCH. - - same thing - -something Vick does or Did - -then he just automatically becomes a Cancer - - - loser - - not a team player – so he is not a team player - - Your not a true fan - - these kids - -ALL of them through good time AND bad times need our support - -not talking bullshit on them - -THERE KIDS believe it or not - -ya your right it bothers me too - - - who is the kid/player here - -and who is the adult? - -kinda have to wonder



  • @BShark please share. That’s a big tease!



  • Lala is still sharing the crap out of KU stuff on twitter, I’ll stick with what I said earlier. If he isn’t back this week, he ain’t coming back. It’s disappointing for me because Vick is capable of being a great player but it’s on him to do so.



  • I’ve always loved Vick’s potential, but he has always been fairly reclusive. I was worried about him assuming a leadership position as it doesn’t fit his personality. I have never liked Vick’s attitude nor his self destructive moments off the court, but I really hoped this second chance would bring him around.

    I’m of the opinion you can mostly control your own happiness. If you choose to look for the negative in all you see, you’ll be pretty miserable. If you choose to see the good in all you see, you’ll have a much easier time being happy. I know when I walk around with a big smile on my face (real or fake) I get much friendlier responses than otherwise. So you reap what you sew.

    As for Vick it seems (from my outside perspective) he struggles to find happiness within himself. I hope LeGerald finds what he needs.





  • @BShark If Bill and the boys win #15 because of a red shirt guard messiah, it should truly go down in KU hoops lore as one of the most remarkable occurrences ever. Thanks for posting the link.



  • Gary Bedore tweeted he thinks Azubuike will turn pro after the season.

    “Azubuike hasn’t announced anything regarding next year. If you are asking my opinion I would not count on him being back. Very good chance of turning pro IMO.”



  • @BeddieKU23 I recall Gary Bedore also thought Tyshawn Taylor would be an all-American and the best PG in KU history … so, you know. But it seems his opinion on Doke may be a bit more accurate.

    **Note, I can’t prove it regarding Bedore. He was on the radio after he did an article on Taylor learning from his mistakes. But it was etched in my memory given my great frustration with the TT.



  • @HighEliteMajor TT ended up a 3rd team AA his senior year if I recall correctly…

    But I also typically thing Gary is one of the least connected reporters that covers KU sports…



  • @Kcmatt7 TT had an epic second half of his senior season. I will give him that. Without it, no FF.



  • @HighEliteMajor

    I don’t think Bedore has any inside info on Azubuike. I think its too early to tell what he will do. Self just commented on him this week saying he’s out until June. Either way his NBA chances are extremely slim and he’ll miss at least some of the off-season player development if he stays. Not really a win-win for him regardless. Will be interesting to see how it shakes out



  • For anyone that did not read the article, Agbaji confirms he will be returning for next season.



  • @BeddieKU23 I really want Doke back. He can make money somewhere, though. Can’t begrudge that. He’s given this his best shot.



  • Did I mention, Agbagi is my favorite player? I haven’t said it for a few days.



  • @HighEliteMajor

    I was in the same boat about Doke coming back. Better to have a known commodity. Then we have started to see Dave develop without him here. We are getting 3 more years of Dave. Do we want his development stymied another year?

    The biggest issues is the injuries with Doke. Hasn’t had one season without a season/ending or season changing injury. Is it bad luck or is he a Greg Oden?

    I’ll support whatever he does with his future. Would love to see him end it here of course but we do have a big waiting in the wings if he leaves…



  • HighEliteMajor said:

    Did I mention, Agbagi is my favorite player? I haven’t said it for a few days.

    It’s a toss-up between Agbaji and Dotson for me.

    And I echo the sentiment on Doke. Kid has been injured every year. Go pro if that’s what he wants to do. Won’t be in the NBA but some league will take him I am sure.



  • Dotson is my favorite by quite a long way…



  • @ya he has been my favorite for a long long time - all the way back to when we were recruiting him - like others are saying National analysts - the kid is a absolute blur - dam he is so dam quick end to end



  • My guess right now on critical players.

    Back: Dotson, Grimes, Doke

    Gone: Dedric



  • BShark said:

    My guess right now on critical players.

    Back: Dotson, Grimes, Doke

    Gone: Dedric

    I agree with this very much. The staff’s recruiting approach has leaned this way.



  • BShark said:

    My guess right now on critical players.

    Back: Dotson, Grimes, Doke

    Gone: Dedric

    Concur. If Doke was definitely leaving we’d be chasing more than 2 bigs right now. Grimes is in the high 50’s-60’s on most draft boards so I can’t see him going anywhere. There just isn’t a 2019 first rounder on this team. Even Dedric is a mid-2nd kind of guy.



  • I agree with that assessment as well @BShark . It just doesn’t make much sense for Dedric to come back. I think Dotson and Grimes will both for sure be back. It is hard to get a read on Doke. One would think he should come back, but he could make a lot of money playing overseas.

    I also wouldn’t be surprised to see KJ and Charlie move on as well. I think they could both be grad transfer candidates.



  • BShark said:

    My guess right now on critical players.

    Back: Dotson, Grimes, Doke

    Gone: Dedric

    you could be very close. - -I’m thinking more and more Grimes will be back - -the only on out of the three that may not I think is Doke. If Doke DOES come back - - we gonna be pretty dam salty



  • So will we be back with run 2 bigs all the time next year? We are starting 2 right now but seem to be playing with 4 guards more. I think some of it may have to do with what Doke decides but unless SDS is given a lesser penalty I dont see us having a choice. I still would like for us to sign a big guy for next years class given Dedric is mostly done and not knowing about Doke.


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