Milan Rumors - Hand Injury

I'm fine with whatever the coaching staff thinks we need, but it's not like it's a no brainer here. Watson has more experience in games like this and has way more experience in our defensive system. Do people forget he was MVP for a Big XII game last year? We could very well have lost to OU if he doesn't step up.
DWat played out of necessity last season and had a couple big moments - again, out of necessity. He didn’t look like he belonged even with the walk-ons earlier this season. Granted some of that may be coming back from injury.

He was recruited over imo. Staff will elect to play Nojus because there’s greater talent and potential there. If we need to give time to somebody over the next month to maximize the potential of this team at the end of the year, it’s clearly Nojus over Watson.
 
Have Diante suit up. Pretty sure he has a year or two left. :)
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I love Milan but he has been really inconsistent. Heise seems to be in the floor during crunch time every game, TJ trust him more defensively. We'll miss Milans shooting or at least that threat. I think we'll ask Tamin to carry a bit more of the offensive load but like we normally do the last 10 minutes of games. We play without Milan enough in important minutes that I'm not that worried. I don't expect the rotation to grow much, maybe some spot minutes for someone else but otherwise it'll just be more small ball.
 
Crazy to think, downgrade offensively this year, yes without a doubt. He will probably be the 4th or 5th option on the court most of the time. But if on the 22-23 roster, he’s probably the best offensive player on the team.

He was on the 2022-2023 roster as a freshman.

He wasn't ahead of these guys then and I doubt he would be now...

Grill (when healthy)
Holmes
Kalscheur
Kunc
T. King
Lipsey
Osunniyi (when healthy)

...and probably Rob Jones and junior Hason Ward, too.

Heck, he was probably behind just about everybody but Eli King.
 
I love Milan but he has been really inconsistent. Heise seems to be in the floor during crunch time every game, TJ trust him more defensively. We'll miss Milans shooting or at least that threat. I think we'll ask Tamin to carry a bit more of the offensive load but like we normally do the last 10 minutes of games. We play without Milan enough in important minutes that I'm not that worried. I don't expect the rotation to grow much, maybe some spot minutes for someone else but otherwise it'll just be more small ball.
what this really does it screw with depth and chemistry. it takes a while for guys to get used to substitution patterns and playing together. that will change for the next 4-6 weeks. Then you have to acclimate him back in so there is a chemistry period there. We should be ok, but it just narrows the margin for error.
 
If a big gets in foul trouble or if Dishon isn't fully back from the flu then we might see some D-Wat. If a guard gets in foul trouble we might see Nojas. Otherwise I doubt too much changes. My guess would be that Heise starts to maintain the "Jones off the bench" role, but Jones could easily start as well.
 
Milan being a threat to score from about anywhere and go off for 25 is still very effective to stretch out a defense even if he's not hitting or getting good looks.
That is what you're losing - a guy that you can probably lose defensively but offensively Milan has the ability to hit a lot of different shots and make KU guard the perimeter more.
 
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That’s an interesting thought.
My guess is we see more Watson than Nojus. Being a true freshman going out there against Kansas for your first real mins is asking a lot
Nojus played 7, 12, and 11 minutes in the three Maui games
 
He was on the 2022-2023 roster as a freshman.

He wasn't ahead of these guys then and I doubt he would be now...

Grill (when healthy)
Holmes
Kalscheur
Kunc
T. King
Lipsey
Osunniyi (when healthy)

...and probably Rob Jones and junior Hason Ward, too.

Heck, he was probably behind just about everybody but Eli King.
I remember the Kansas game last year when Tre hit the 4th 3 and Self looked down at TJ in disbelief.
 
When Lipsey went down last year, it allowed Curtis Jones to really get a chance to grow and become what he is today.
Maybe we can get that same kind of good fortune from someone taking Milan's place. We'll be all the better for it comes March.