Big Ten Basketball 2020-21 Discussion (Part 1)

I have been skeptical of all the Towns hype that started this off-season. I think heā€™s a solid player and I know he was a good recruit a few years back. But heā€™s still a huge jump up-transfer from the Ivy league and has been out for two years with injuries. I think most people have applied rational expectations for Langford and Bohannon based on their extensive injuries - but Towns was being touted as the best transfer player and an all-B10 candidate.

If he still canā€™t practice and weā€™re just 3 weeks from the season starting? Time to hedge those expectations for him and OSU a bit.

Is Towns being touted as an All-Big Ten guy?

Well, you rated him the #21 player in the conference so thatā€™s in the honorable mention section.

In this piece (link) from BTpowerhouse they rated him the #19 player and said ā€œif things go right, he should be in contention for an all big ten spot.ā€

And Lindyā€™s sports (link) has him projected as 3rd team ahead of every single player on Michiganā€™s roster.

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Yeah, his health is obviously a concern. I guess I just look at guys in that 20-40 range more as good players than potential All-Big Ten guys.

ā€œHe might be a third-teamerā€ isnā€™t really the criteria for me to say someone is a potential All-Big Ten guy as much as ā€œHe has a real shot to be a first-teamerā€

We are currently ranked at or below #7 for this year.

What would they be ranking us if we STILL HAD SIMPSON and TESKE PLAYING WITH US THIS YEAR?

When is next time Juwan will speak with media?

We donā€™t know, those things arenā€™t usually scheduled more than 24 hours in advance.

Lindyā€™s list may be the biggest joke Iā€™ve ever seen.

On that note Towns is one of 20 guys nationally on the Karl Malone watchlist (top PF).

Iā€™m also listening to Matt Norlander and Gary Parrishā€™s pod B1G preview (you can tell Iā€™m gearing up for basketball season) that was recorded Friday and they say Towns is expected to be out until at least January. If thatā€™s the case does he even play this year?

Wonder if he takes his extra year just so he can finally have a healthy season?

How old will he be by then? [edit: would be 24, turning 25 in the middle of the season]. Iā€™m not remotely passionate about it or anything and welcome counter arguments, but situations like him and Langford just feel kinda weird to me if theyā€™re going to be 25 years old playing 18-21 year olds. Does the NCAA eligibility just extend indefinitely until theyā€™ve gotten 4 years in? What grad programs are they in to even still be in school next season?

Oh it would be very weird. Thatā€™s basically a grown man at that point playing against kids. But yeah your eligibility has nothing to do with age. Chris Weinke was 28 when he won the Heisman

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Karl Malone has an award named after him? Thatā€™s a bad look.

I was somewhat young during that period and never realized Weinke was that old. Very interesting stuff, thanks for dropping that example.

Some years back there was a player, for George Mason IIRC, who was 29 I believe. Heā€™d been in the army prior to attending university.

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Then thereā€™s this guy. Not D-I, but still.

South Carolina St had a RB a few years ago who had a son on the team. It sounded like a publicity stunt for the team, but he did get to carry the ball at age 50+.

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