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Verbal commits has Nuga in transfer portal. Big hit for KSU.

Still, it will be curious to see where he goes, considering he is still in the early part of rehabing from injury that takes 8-12 months to recover.

He can't physically visit anyplace. So wondering how potential teams check out an eval his progress? In this day and age, with all the winking and nodding done in D1 basketball, it's probably easier than I think. But who knows.

Time to recruit.

That’s it. I’m going to evaluate the Dixie St. and Bellarmine teams and decide who I want to root for.

You might need to pick a different sport, burden. Dixie and The Bell have the same transfer issues as everyone else.

(03-17-2021 09:54 AM)axeme Wrote:  You might need to pick a different sport, burden. Dixie and The Bell have the same transfer issues as everyone else.

C’mon their talent cannot be as good as ours. Can it??

By the way I have pretty much picked different sports to follow. Much more into Pro sports than in the past with exception of the NBA. Also a lot of Olympic Sports. College sports pretty much limited to the big events and mild interest in Kent State. I’m sure the later is exaggerated by COVID this year but I’m not sure I’ll get back into it next year with the same passion. The transfers annoy me but I can live with that. All the negative talk about the AD goes beyond annoyance. Personally I don’t know how much of it is true but since few if any leapt to his defense I have to believe most of it is. When coaches start getting negative publicity recruiting becomes pretty tough for that sport. I’ve got to believe all the bad publicity about our AD does the same across the board.

We're getting closer and closer to the eventuality of college athletes being able to switch schools every semester if the wish, with immediate eligibility.

Maybe they should pay them and sign them to contracts. With the cost of college I can see on-line schooling becoming a thing. Maybe a high % of college sports just disappear. The Olympics went from an amateur ideal to essentially pros pretty quickly. Maybe college sports will follow suit.

(03-17-2021 12:51 PM)burden Wrote:  By the way I have pretty much picked different sports to follow. Much more into Pro sports than in the past with exception of the NBA. Also a lot of Olympic Sports. College sports pretty much limited to the big events and mild interest in Kent State. I’m sure the later is exaggerated by COVID this year but I’m not sure I’ll get back into it next year with the same passion. The transfers annoy me but I can live with that. All the negative talk about the AD goes beyond annoyance. Personally I don’t know how much of it is true but since few if any leapt to his defense I have to believe most of it is. When coaches start getting negative publicity recruiting becomes pretty tough for that sport. I’ve got to believe all the bad publicity about our AD does the same across the board.

I'm with you - I like to follow the careers of our alums from whatever sport - but if Covid taught me anything - it's that I can usefully occupy my time away from spectator sports.

Sucks, but let's not overact. We potentially had 4 really good, proven guards, three of which are 6'2" or shorter. You weren't going to be playing all 4 of them at the same time and they knew it. So it always seemed likely that someone would leave. As long as Jacobs, Santiago, and Carry stick around our guard play is going to be REALLY good.

(03-17-2021 04:23 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  Sucks, but let's not overact. We potentially had 4 really good, proven guards, three of which are 6'2" or shorter. You weren't going to be playing all 4 of them at the same time and they knew it. So it always seemed likely that someone would leave. As long as Jacobs, Santiago, and Carry stick around our guard play is going to be REALLY good.

True ... they all weren't going to play at the same time, but three of the four can/could and probably will/would. More importantly, all four had different primary skill sets which complimented each other ... and as someone point out in another thread, the big key is having depth, particularly at guard.

Kent was a vastly different team w/o Nuga. Went from leading the league in scoring over 81 ppg to barely scoring 70. W/Nuga, Pippen had a lot less focus on him. Anybody notice Pippen had very few 20-point games after Nuga went down.

Here's hoping Nuga finds out the grass isn't necessarily greener.

(03-17-2021 07:08 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 04:23 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  Sucks, but let's not overact. We potentially had 4 really good, proven guards, three of which are 6'2" or shorter. You weren't going to be playing all 4 of them at the same time and they knew it. So it always seemed likely that someone would leave. As long as Jacobs, Santiago, and Carry stick around our guard play is going to be REALLY good.

True ... they all weren't going to play at the same time, but three of the four can/could and probably will/would. More importantly, all four had different primary skill sets which complimented each other ... and as someone point out in another thread, the big key is having depth, particularly at guard.

Kent was a vastly different team w/o Nuga. Went from leading the league in scoring over 81 ppg to barely scoring 70. W/Nuga, Pippen had a lot less focus on him. Anybody notice Pippen had very few 20-point games after Nuga went down.

Here's hoping Nuga finds out the grass isn't necessarily greener.

I think you're missing my point. Would we be better if all four are here? Absolutely. Could we find a rotation where they all still get heavy minutes? Of course. If you actually believed all four would be down for that though, that's on you. With such a crowded backcourt someone was bound to figure if I have to compete for minutes might as well do it in a bigger conference. And it makes sense that it's the guy with 1 year of eligibility remaining coming back from an injury. Personally, as soon as Carry transferred in, I figured someone was gone. But as long as the other three stay we're in great shape.

Nuga's a very complete player that fits well with anyone so it sucks to lose him. But you look at what we have left and, at least on paper, they fit together very nicely. All three defend, Jacobs at an elite level. All three are great distributors and ball handlers. Jacobs and Carry rebound very well for guards. Gio and Carry are good outside shooters.

If I was a post player that excels in pick and rolls and alley-oops and I was entering the portal, that guard trio would be incredibly enticing.

(03-17-2021 07:26 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 07:08 PM)cleveland Wrote:  

(03-17-2021 04:23 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  Sucks, but let's not overact. We potentially had 4 really good, proven guards, three of which are 6'2" or shorter. You weren't going to be playing all 4 of them at the same time and they knew it. So it always seemed likely that someone would leave. As long as Jacobs, Santiago, and Carry stick around our guard play is going to be REALLY good.

True ... they all weren't going to play at the same time, but three of the four can/could and probably will/would. More importantly, all four had different primary skill sets which complimented each other ... and as someone point out in another thread, the big key is having depth, particularly at guard.

Kent was a vastly different team w/o Nuga. Went from leading the league in scoring over 81 ppg to barely scoring 70. W/Nuga, Pippen had a lot less focus on him. Anybody notice Pippen had very few 20-point games after Nuga went down.

Here's hoping Nuga finds out the grass isn't necessarily greener.

I think you're missing my point. Would we be better if all four are here? Absolutely. Could we find a rotation where they all still get heavy minutes? Of course. If you actually believed all four would be down for that though, that's on you. With such a crowded backcourt someone was bound to figure if I have to compete for minutes might as well do it in a bigger conference. And it makes sense that it's the guy with 1 year of eligibility remaining coming back from an injury. Personally, as soon as Carry transferred in, I figured someone was gone. But as long as the other three stay we're in great shape.

Nuga's a very complete player that fits well with anyone so it sucks to lose him. But you look at what we have left and, at least on paper, they fit together very nicely. All three defend, Jacobs at an elite level. All three are great distributors and ball handlers. Jacobs and Carry rebound very well for guards. Gio and Carry are good outside shooters.

If I was a post player that excels in pick and rolls and alley-oops and I was entering the portal, that guard trio would be incredibly enticing.

All excellent points ... I'm just not as resigned to losing 18ppg so easily. Also, as happens quite often, injuries come into play as well. Carrey has a history of knee injuries and Nuga is coming off a knee injury. I'm sure KSU staff would rather have him than not ... even though as you say, the cupboard is not bare w/out him.

So, Nuga is quoted as saying that there is a good chance he will stay, but he wants to see what's out there. We're going to see more and more of that - players testing the waters. It's like free agency, or will be when the one-year sit-out is finally abolished, which is inevitable.

James Jordan in the portal too.

I'm telling you, dannyb73, down the road everyone will be in the portal. The best players will try to take their talents upward and the players who are disgruntled will look for greener pastures.

(03-18-2021 12:16 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  James Jordan in the portal too.

I don't know his HS history ... but I do know he has had two stops at juco, Kent, and now on to the next one.... I understand change. But these kids (or whoever is talking to them) have to understand that CHANGE and GROWTH are two different things.

You are now 'growing' if you are always 'changing.'

The bigger issue, as we all know, is ... "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME." Jordan was recruited as a 3-point scorer. He was in the 8-man rotation. Without checking, I don't think he scored 10 points in a game all season.

Clearly, he can do more things than score, otherwise he would not have been among the top 8. One would think a full off-season in familiar surroundings (and with the bonus of the extra year) might have unleashed his 3-point game again. He would grow.

Instead, he want's change. Checking the tranfer portal it's clear he is not alone with this line of thinking. But for me, it is still a puzzle.

(03-18-2021 12:16 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  James Jordan in the portal too.

Is there a weight room in the transfer portal?

(03-18-2021 12:16 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  James Jordan in the portal too.

Not a surprise. Getting minutes would be an uphill battle for next year.

(03-18-2021 10:58 AM)Muskrat Wrote:  So, Nuga is quoted as saying that there is a good chance he will stay, but he wants to see what's out there. We're going to see more and more of that - players testing the waters. It's like free agency, or will be when the one-year sit-out is finally abolished, which is inevitable.

That would be awesome if he stays. But I'll believe it when I see it. He's a two way player with elite athleticism that guards well, rebounds well, slashes well, and hits the outside shot at an efficient clip. I think the answer to "what's out there" will be "a lot".

(03-18-2021 05:24 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(03-18-2021 10:58 AM)Muskrat Wrote:  So, Nuga is quoted as saying that there is a good chance he will stay, but he wants to see what's out there. We're going to see more and more of that - players testing the waters. It's like free agency, or will be when the one-year sit-out is finally abolished, which is inevitable.

That would be awesome if he stays. But I'll believe it when I see it. He's a two way player with elite athleticism that guards well, rebounds well, slashes well, and hits the outside shot at an efficient clip. I think the answer to "what's out there" will be "a lot".

Yeah Francisco Lindor wanted to stay in Cleveland too.