Starting 5

[ceeboe]

I know, I know its too early to tell, but what fun is it if we cant discuss it.

With Corey M. transferring, and Taylor's status up in the air at this point; who do you feel will be the starting five next year. **Remember Alex Thompson is definately in the mix**

 

[Cyclone62]

I'll go with... MT (or DD if he's gone), Wes, Jiri, Rhashon/Thompson, and... Garrett maybe. (Note: Basketball positions are basically greek to me; I have close to no idea how they work.)

 

[mj4cy]

1) Garret/Dodie
2) Taylor (assuming he stays)/Dodie
3) Clark/Thompson
4) Wesley/Cory Johnson
5) Jiri/Brackens

 

[joepublic]

Clark, Wesley, Jiri, Taylor and a guard to be named later.

I know that many have assigned Rahshon to the bench, but he's a 3 year starter at this point and I won't bench him.

 

[thakeepa14]

I agree, our team begins with Clark.....the team feeds/learns from our wiley veteran. And GMac has said on numerous occasions that our defense is completely different with him on the floor. I've got a feeling he is going to raise some eyebrows next year, perhaps even nationally. That said here are my early picks for starting 5 in the first game of the year.

Dodie
Taylor
Clark
WJ
Jiri
(Garrett, Brackins, Thompson, and CJ see plenty of early minutes with perhaps a starting role come mid-season)

 

[crawfy54]

Taylor, Clark, Garret, Jiri, and Wesley

Jiri is a pretty solid post player at this point but i think brackins will be seeing a lot of playing time

 

[ceeboe]

do you think Wesley stays at his position even after Clark is gone?

 

[thakeepa14]

do you think Wesley stays at his position even after Clark is gone?

That's a good question. I think when the time comes, WJ will transition to the 3 (where he really should be) beautifully and hopefully with 2 solid big guy starters behind him (Brackins and TBD), WJ will shine as one of the biggest stars in the mighty 12.

 

[Cloned4Life]

Wes will move to his natural 3 spot, which will inevitably kick Rahshon out of the starting lineup. Rahshon can be a very good player for us next year, but I don't see him starting.

Diante/Brister
Mike
Wes
Craig
Jiri (or possibly Alex)

That's a good starting five.

 

[ceeboe]

Thats a gutzy predictioin, but I respect that. Clark not starting, who would have seen the day.

I dont feel this would happen as he is a solid play composure wise on the floor. He might not be a dominant offensive threat, but you cant forget his deffensive abilities. When Clark is gone, Wesley should move back to his natural position. I meand it really only makes sense right? Then Brackins and/or Corey Johnson can shine.

 

[ripvdub]

The nice thing is that well have depth on out team next year, so it doesnt really matter who starts. Our best players wont have to play 38 minutes a game in order for us to win.

 

[twa5786]

1) garrett
2) taylor
3) johnson
4) thompson
5) hubalek

with all the good things that mac has said about thompson and the fact that he may be playing w/o a scholy, no way he hasn't been essentially promised a starting spot. is dunson quick enough/ enough of a creator to be the team's starting pg? i don't think so, i see him more as a spot-up shooter off the bench, a kantrail horton type.

 

[mike4cy]

Thats a gutzy predictioin, but I respect that. Clark not starting, who would have seen the day.

I dont feel this would happen as he is a solid play composure wise on the floor. He might not be a dominant offensive threat, but you cant forget his deffensive abilities. When Clark is gone, Wesley should move back to his natural position. I meand it really only makes sense right? Then Brackins and/or Corey Johnson can shine.

I don't see it happening, MAYBE if someone else really steps up.

 

[Wesley]

Thats a gutzy predictioin, but I respect that. Clark not starting, who would have seen the day.

I dont feel this would happen as he is a solid play composure wise on the floor. He might not be a dominant offensive threat, but you cant forget his deffensive abilities. When Clark is gone, Wesley should move back to his natural position. I meand it really only makes sense right? Then Brackins and/or Corey Johnson can shine.

Corey Johnson may not be quick enough or tall enough with his current jumpoing ability. If we end with just defenders on the court, it will be a long season. Sorry to say Rahshoin and Corey are only adequate backup players. Same for Dodie when you look at physical and aggressive Big 12 guards. No wonder McD receuited another guard.

 

[Cyclonepride]

McDermott came up with some nice signings later than this last year, so it would not surprise me to see another nice guard in the mix.

 

[ceeboe]

Listening to McD in his interview with Jon Miller he mentioned how Wesley got moved to the position that he is at now. Hey made the comment of staying at his natural postion and trying to compete with Clark for playing time and probably being a backup player, or moving to where he is now and probably get immediate playing time and make a bigger impact on the team

But with the new recruits coming in, some of you feel that Wesley has the ability to move back to his natural position and overtake Clark for the starting spot. Interesting.

Would this be smart?

 

[Drew21]

First time I have ever seen a team captain not start.

 

[Kyle]

The biggest wrench in the equation is clearly that the two players that just about have to start play the same possition, Rahshon and Wes. As was pointed out earlier, Wes only played the 4 this year out of necessity. The infusion of Thompson and Brackins should shore up our big men (Jiri played very well late, Marsden wont be recovering from mono all year, and Cory should continue to develop). I have little doubt Wes will move back outside for the most part, potentially playing a little 4 on occasion in a small lineup.

I also don't like the idea of starting either Rahshon or Wes at the 2 because we will need another ballhandler on the court, and neither qualifies. I hate to think it, but its possible we could see them battle for that starting spot all year. No matter what though they will both see the court. I think we will try to run more next year given our incredible depth, which should help Rahshon's offense.

It is next to impossible to predict the lineup exactly because we will be so deep (assuming Taylor is still on the team). Here are some guesses.

1: Garrett
2: Taylor (its a total crapshoot in his absence between Dunson, Brister, Staiger, or maybe even WJ. I could also see Brister playing point and Garrett moving here.)
3: Clark or WJ
4&5: Choose two of Jiri, Thompson, and Brackins

 

[Johnny8]

Here's my current depth chart for next year's team:

1: Garrett or Brister
2: Mike Taylor-----Lucca Staiger-----Dodie Dunson-----Charles Boozer
3: Rahshon Clark or Wesley Johnson-----Lucca Staiger
4: Craig Brackins-----Cory Johnson-----Ross Marsden
5: Jiri Hubalek-----Alex Thompson

I think Brister has the size to be a starting Big XII PG, so he will challenge Garrett for the starting spot. If Staiger can shoot like we've heard, we may be seeing a LOT of him on the floor, but if he can't handle the ball well he may be bumped to the 3 position. However, if he can shoot the ball, McDermott will find a way to get him on the floor.

Right now Clark and W. Johnson are a toss-up for me. I think Wesley will see a few select minutes at the 4 when we need him, but I believe he'll play mostly the 3 and rotate w/ Clark. However, when Clark and Wesley are both on the floor, they can make a good 3/4 combo with either one of them playing the post (whichever gets there first or in better position).

Brackins just seems too good to not start, that is, if he pans out. I mean, we're talkin about the 4th best PF in the nation, so he'll play.

Jiri is Jiri, enough said. Thompson should add a good 20-25 minutes per game, or more if he starts playing well, but that's where he sits right now (In my opinion of course).

 

[bferin]

The nice thing is that well have depth on out team next year, so it doesnt really matter who starts. Our best players wont have to play 38 minutes a game in order for us to win.

A few things.... (remember before the negative rep, this is simply my opinion)

First, what DEPTH are you talking about? Assuming that GMac is a stickler (which I believe he may be) MTaylor could be gone. Corey Mc is out. We do not have depth at the guard position.... I am hugely looking forward to Garrett, I think he could be very good with his drive and intensity. I don't consider Dunson to be depth, because he can be fun to watch, but I don't know if he can be considered a good Big XII guard (granted he was a frosh). So at the guard position (if Taylor is gone) we do not have any depth. If Taylor is allowed to play, he'll probably run the point a lot, with Garrett's assistance. Boozer most likely (unless something has changed) will redshirt. Staiger is obviously unproved. I'd say instead of people complaining about Mike Taylor, next year people will want him back.

The 3-4 spots are our deepest position. Wes and Rahshon are proven. Wes is amazing and Rahshon is solid. Not too much to complain about at those spots.

I think the center position is going to be another hassle. I believe that Jiri will have another good year. Everyone is hyping up Thompson: yes he's a big body in the middle but remember he's a career 1.8 ppg and 2.2 rpg player, while playing in the lowly Big 10. I'm most excited to see Brackins (most likely will back up Jiri at the center spot), and I hope that he stays healthy with his knees.

And that brings us to Cory Johnson. I hope he works hard this off season. As shown in most games last year, he doesn't really have a Big XII position. He's undersized to play the 4 spot (not bulky enough to muscle to the hoop or to guard bigger guys) and he doesn't have the developed ball handling skills and footwork to play the 3 position.

So here's it in a nutshell. I like watching Mike T playing and we'd be blessed to have him back. If he isn't, we don't have any proven threat at either guard spot. The 3 and 4 spots will be solid with the Rahshon/Wesley tandem. However, there won't be too many solid minutes coming from the bench. At center, Jiri will be solid along with high hopes from Brackins. To me, that doesn't seem very deep. And with no floor general running the point, it'll make our offense pretty hard to come by in conference games.

So before the negative rep, I believe McD is the right man for the job and I think he needs one more year under his belt and I expect another good learning year before a 2008-2009 filled with solid 3-4-5 star recruits. So here's how I see the starting lineup.

PG: Diante Garrett (Dunson)
SG: Lucca Staiger (Dunson)
SF: Wesley Johnson
PF: Rahshon Clark
C: Jiri Hubalek (Brackins)

We will see scatters of Cory Johnson and Alex Thompson, but I don't believe that either will be huge impact players.

Could be another year of our guards having never played with the rest of the team before.....

PS: Please no negative rep.....just expressing my humble opinions.....