I love Spike, but he is not a great fit for the team’s needs in 2016. They need better defense (X), more athleticism (X) and size (mullins) than a potentially hobbled Spike can give.
That being said, if the option is an empty scholarship or Spike, I would take Spike every time, just like I would have taken Beifeldt this year.
Another way to spin it is Spike and his father do not agree with his projected playing time–that is, they feel that he is being underappreciated.
Agree. Nice to have the extra option and the extra depth, but it seems the new enthusiasm is largely because he seems reasonably likely to come to UM. He’s not challenging MAAR for a starting spot any more than Simpson is taking Walton’s spot. Nobody will be hugely disappointed if he doesn’t end up here, as long as they fill the open spot. Don’t know if there is a strong Shonn Miller type on the market this year who can defend and grab boards, but that would be my preference.
Kostas, on the other hand, is intriguing. I thought we had a special knack for attracting guys with NBA bloodlines.
Right, but whether or not he will be able to play effectively (or at all) might not be known for some time. Another poster recently mentioned that he hasn’t yet been cleared to play. It’s a huge risk to hold a scholarship open for him (although at this point, as has been pointed out, he seems to want a bigger role than what we’d offer him anyway).
Another thing to think about is that the coaching staff and training staff know too much about Spike’s injury and don’t think it’s feasible for him to get back to were he was before the surgery.
It’s a long process and I have a player that had the same thing done as Spike. He played all year, pain free, and did very well (everyone heals differently and 16 year olds generally heal faster than 23 year olds). Where I coach in MN isn’t the Big Ten. It’ll still be hard to project what Spike will look like next season but I year off from playing games is tough. It probably won’t be pretty initially but he could get back to “normal” midway through the year. I hope for the best for him.
I think you are blinded with MAAR love. Let MAAR become the focus of a team and see what happens when defenses adjust. He’d better come up with more than dribbling around in circles waiting for an opening. Again, I like MAAR but before UM came along he was barely sniffing any better than Ivy League.
The fact that he was not recruited does not speak to MAAR’s talent level. In high school people perceived MAAR as not having high division 1 talent. Who cares?
Just so we are clear, saying MAAR is far and away a better basketball player than Mullins, is not exactly a ringing endorsement of MAAR despite your best effort to make it one.
Let’s make this clear last year without Caris and next year the team was ran by Zak Irvin. The team went as far as he brought them. The games he played well we won and the poor games from him we lost. MAAR was a solid supporter but he did not carry the team.
My post is in response to mpbear’s claim that we need a major shot in the arm with this 2106 spot and insinuating that Mullins is not that good because of coming from the Ivy League. And stating MAAR would score close to 20 ppg in the same league. It’s unlikely we get a major shot in the arm to add to 2016. But we do need a stop gap to bridge over to 2017. Mullins possibly fits the bill. Who cares that he might come from the Ivy League.
My problem with Mullins is how does he fit with next years team. John Beilien teams play 8 deep almost always. The 3 guards 3 forwards and 2 centers. If you ask me We have the 3 guards and our 2 centers are who they are. If there is any need it is one more forward. So where does Mullins fit? He is a waste of a scholarship if you as me. I think the best option is look for a grad transfer who plays the 4. If not that, the scholarship will be wasted.
Dawkins is gone and it leaves us thin on the wing. Also do you really believe that Ibi Watson will be ready to step up and back up MAAR. As far as the 4 spot, we better hope that Chatman and Wilson progress or it will be Irvin again which thins out the wings spot. Now if we can get a sure fire stop gap at the 4 then I might be interested but whose out there and whose interested.
I was mainly speaking of his 31% in conference play shooting from 3.
It’s called depth. Someone gets hurt, foul trouble, illness and we’re down to two guards again. Do you really want to see Dakich again? Mullins could be an asset off the bench in any case - the way Zak was as a freshman, coming off the bench and knocking down threes.
That is my point. Ibi will play a minimal role or redshirt this year. JB doesn’t go 10 deep like u are inferring. Walton and MAAR are the starting guards they get 1 backup for each that is X. That is my point. We need someone to backup Duncan and Zak and that is where this scholarship must go hence my reasoning that Mullins has no role here
I agree. We need depth at 2-4 for this season, and a grad transfer seems like the most likely option to provide that. Though I would prefer a 6’8" 4 who has bounce, rebounds, and can guard traditional 4s, I havent read any articles linking us to that type. As it stands, Mullins appears to be the best option in terms of ability, need, and mutual interest. If anyone knows of a grad transfer 4, looking for a home (I dream of Alec Peters), then I’d be all ears.
For anyone that was holding out hope for Thornton (don’t think the fit was right, he wouldn’t want to come in alongside X). He’s down to 4:
http://www.scout.com/college/basketball/recruiting/story/1662848-duke-transfer-derryck-thornton-jr-cuts-list
Kansas, USC, Miami and Washington.
Do you think we even reached out. I wonder with x being here.
No as I said I don’t think it really makes sense for either party.
I could see that scaring of Jordan too.