****Official Class Of 2023 Recruiting Thread****
- Thread starter Messi
- Start date
Spot on.
Priority #1: Shooting guard/wing
Looking for a shooting guard to start next to Grill here. Ideally a capable shooter and experienced player.
It's not this simple but we are essentially trying to fill the Gabe/Holmes hole with this pickup. Keep in mind some of that void will be filled via a healthy Jerimiah Williams and contributions from the freshmen wings. Tamin and Jerimiah Williams are great facilitators so we likely want to bring in a shooter/scorer here. Preferably with size.
Priority #2: Center
Looking for another Osun type here. A starting center who can anchor our defense and ideally provide some scoring in the post. Bring Rob back but keep him in the backup role. He's a very nice 15 minutes a game center but he still has some limitations.
A side note on the roster's future. I've been thoroughly impressed with Tre King so far. He's super versatile on defense. I was not expecting him to be this good at guarding on the perimeter and he's a beast inside. Offensively, he is doing a good job of letting the game come to him. Perhaps a blessing in disguise to have a fresh body to throw out there at the holiday break.
I would take back every one of our Covid eligible seniors but I would make it an offseason priority to get Grill, Jones, and Tre King back.
I would take back every one of our Covid eligible seniors but I would make it an offseason priority to get Grill, Jones, and Tre King back.
Honestly I don't see why King would leave. If Grill decides to play again I have a hard time believing he would play for anyone other than TJ unless he wanted to go to a school that has the masters program he needs and State don't have it. I have no idea on Big Energy
Yeah, I'm expecting all 3 back unless Tre King just wants to start his professional career because he's old.
Yea, I agree it's contrarian to say TJ might want to sit out the transfer market this spring.
In part I say that because I think we go bigger by playing Watson or Biliew at the 3 at least 50% of the time. So not sure there is anyone in the transfer market is willing to share 90mpg with Lipsey, Grill and Williams at the 1/2 and spot minutes at the 3.
Same goes for the post- can TJ find a guy who sees Jones, T King, Momcilovic and Ward and figures he can earn 20mpg?
I agree there could be some risk to that approach if Williams or Ward can't give TJ around 20-25 mpg. There's also risk if Biliew, Momcilovic or Hamilton aren't ready as frosh to provide 10-20mpg.
Sure if ISU can reel in a whale like Nigel Pack. Or if TJ can find a high-level culture-fit guy with 2-3 years of eligibility, you go for it. But not sure TJ needs to be signing 1 year guys- even if they are at a Holmes or Osunniyi level.
I’m just going to let TJ handle it. Seems like he’s a decent recruiter/transfer market player.
Optimistic about King. I don’t think people understand how hard it is to take that much time off and then step into the Big 12 like this. Hated to lose Jaz with the injury, but may be best in the long term as Tre is getting more minutes and accelerating through the expected learning curve.
King, Grill, Lipsey, and - assuming he’s ready - Bilew will be a nice nucleus next year.
Another shooter just opens the floor so much for Lipsey. It’s a must-have in my opinion.
King, Grill, Lipsey, and - assuming he’s ready - Bilew will be a nice nucleus next year.
Another shooter just opens the floor so much for Lipsey. It’s a must-have in my opinion.
Agree. If Grill goes, man we need a shooter. If Ward or Jones or Tre leaves, we need another rim runner.
I don’t think Tre’s leaving. Would be shocked if Ward does too. I think the only way Bob does is if he’s ready to move on or TJ wants him to move on (don’t see that though)
Here's my take:
For a transfer, if Grill or Jones don't come back (I fully expect they will), you NEED a "like-for-like" replacement.
Otherwise, TJ's focus will remain culture and defense. Getting a dog to replace Shoon is where I see us going. Even with Jones back - there's 20 minutes to play at the '5' and TJ has shown this year he doesn't want to play the 6'9" "power forwards" at the 5 very much - even Ward or King who are plus defenders and athletes.
Then you test the waters and if there's a stud guard who can defend at a high level and is a high character guy who wants to go to a final 4 - you get him. Otherwise you roll with who you've got.
Here's my reasons for optimism - and why I think we likely don't take a guard transfer unless blown away:
- the staff prioritized Williams, and they are rarely wrong on their first choice, so I think he's going to make a HUGE leap and could play in the backcourt alongside Lipsey (assuming their shots both improve)
- 4 star freshman usually play big minutes. I fully believe Milan and Omaha will start at the 3/4 from day 1 (tre comes off the bench) - but Hamilton has the shot and body to play right away. He's used to playing with the "big boys" (he's the third highest ranked recruit on his team) and I think he comes in and provides the firepower off the bench from Day 1.
College of Charleston is not a HBCU. Quite the opposite actually.
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I feel like Grill and Jones would play for TJ forever, and he'd have them on the team forever, if eligibility allowed. They seem to be very much "TJ guys"
while we're peaking into next year and needs... who will be the next defensive stopper assignment like Gabe? We've had Babb, we've had _________ (oops, forget), we have Gabe now, ....who's capable of that next season? Meaning staying with an elite guard?
me either...every team has room for a 'big rob energy' guy.
Agree, but at this time last year I didn't consider losing Grill=losing shooter. Things develope and trust TJ to know potential better than this forum.
Ward this year reminds me a bit of Jameel McKay his junior semester. Crazy athletic, long, shotblocker and dunker. Senior year McKay developed a serviceable back to the basket post game. Seeing Jones' progress from last year to now, I expect Ward has high potential to be an above average starting center for us next year. Then you're looking for a transfer backup post who can stay a couple years and bridge the gap between Jones/Ward and Rock
