Pick your team ...

BeyondFedUp

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some excellent work by our guys today, including Boise St freshman Degenhart (who i recruited!) having an isolation play run for him with the championship game on the line ... and hitting the game-winner.
Great finish by Boise State! If you want to skip to 7:34 for Degenhart's game winner against SDS best Defensive player:
 

El Gringo

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some excellent work by our guys today, including Boise St freshman Degenhart (who i recruited!) having an isolation play run for him with the championship game on the line ... and hitting the game-winner.
Great call on Degenhart Jc!! I’m pumped about Boise states win tonight. Leon Rice is a very fair coach and his son Max played a great all around game in there win over San Diego St. Maxs stats do not represent the impact he had on the game tonight especially on defensive end . Rice usually has 2 to 3 whites on the floor and the Brothas are very high character guys. Leon recruits a lot like Chris Petersen and his predecessors Dan Hawkins and Dirk Koetter did football. Smart guys that want to win. Great night for BSU and especially Leon Rice who for 12 years has done things the right way.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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Iowa beats Purdue for the Big 10 Championship………..now it’s time to pick some brackets!
and another one of “my” young recruits played HUGE in the second half. freshman wing Sandfort scored 8 points in a pivotal stretch of the game, connecting on 3 consecutive shots when it looked as if Purdue was going to take control. his future is BRIGHT!
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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here we go again ...

i put together two teams again, using only players that were on my roster last year, AND only adding players that could reasonably be assembled by an actual coaching staff. i’ve purposefully avoided trying to compile an all-star-type roster in order to show (i hope!) that there are plenty of White athletes that could play on/for competitive teams. additionally, i’ve intentionally balanced my roster with freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, just like actual teams have to do, and you will see that my rosters turn over as players graduate, go pro, or “transfer out.”

as a preliminary pat on the back to myself, i will point out that my evaluation of players is AT LEAST as good as any collegiate staff and/or NBA scout, as many of the players i selected last year are playing for money this year.

finally, i’ve declined to copy/paste their current stats, because laziness.

i prioritize versatility and length on defense and good decision making and shooting on offense. my rosters will reflect this philosophy.

here we go!

Team 1:

i’ve imagined this team to come from a Power 5 conference, with all the consequent resources for recruiting, and the chance to occasionally snag a higher profile recruit/transfer.


Starters:

stretch 4 - Kyle Filipowski (freshman, 7’0” 230; Duke)

stretch 4 - Jack Nunge (senior; 7’0” 247; Xavier)

wing - Tyler Wahl (senior; 6’9” 221; Wisconsin)

wing - Matthew Mayer ( super senior; 6’9” 225; Illinois)

point guard - Tyler Kolek (sophomore; 6’3” 190; Marquette)

after losing two of my athletes (Walker Kessler and Christian Braun) as early-entrant draft picks in the NBA, my team’s reputation for developing players went through the roof. as such, i was able to nab Filipowski, a bigtime recruit. (i missed on wing Gradey Dick, however, though he was a priority target. we are high on Dusty Stromer who has already committed for next season, however!). with the loss of Grayson Murphy at the point, we make a transition to a faster tempo.

Filipowski is a long, bouncy athlete with skill, a beautiful jump shot, and a mean streak. i'll enjoy him while he’s on the team, because with his tremendous work ethic he’ll be going pro VERY soon.

Nunge is an agile, long, shot blocking stretch 4. he’s comfortable playing on the perimeter when we have the ball and can move his feet well enough with his length to guard multiple positions.

Wahl is an elite defender and athletic playmaker who plays much bigger than his size (and might crack my starting lineup). he can guard multiple positions, is a plus rebounder, and is a high percentage scorer/low volume shooter at all three levels. and dude will dunk on your head.

Mayer is a very long and versatile defender who can play and guard multiple positions. offensively, he’s capable of knocking down shots from all three levels and he doesn’t make many mistakes. he can be plugged into nearly any lineup i want/need to run for the situation.

Kolek is a pure point guard with tremendous vision and passing ability and quick feet. he’s used his year in my program wisely, packing on muscle and fixing the broken jump shot that kept him coming off the bench last year. now, he’s my little general who is strong enough to not get posted up and deadly enough from deep that defenses can’t sag off him.

Bench:

post - Harry Wessels (freshman; 7’1” 255; St. Mary’s)

forward - Ben Gregg (sophomore; 6’10” 225; Gonzaga)

wing - Lazar Stefanovic (sophomore; 6’7” 186; Utah)

guard - Payton Sandfort (sophomore; 6’7” 215; Iowa)

point guard - Braden Smith (freshman; 6’0” 180; Purdue)

guard - Connor Essegian (freshman; 6’4” 185; Wisconsin)

Wessels is a project with tremendous size and a good feel for the game. ideally, he’s a candidate for redshirting, as his skills need refinement. but he is a good defender and has a nasty streak, so he may earn minutes despite being so raw. the jury is still out on him, but we’ll take a flyer and see how he develops.

Gregg is a highly skilled stretch 4 with bigtime potential. after redshirting to let his body catch up to his game, he is now instant energy and offense off the bench. the fact that he tends to pick up fouls in bunches is the next step he’ll work on as he moves forward.

Stefanovic is a long, dynamic, and still spindly after a redshirt year in my weight room. the Serbian scoring machine will get as many minutes as his thin frame allows.

Sandfort is a long, sharp shooting assassin who can play and guard multiple positions, after a redshirt year, he is instant offense off the bench, and with his swagger and aggression, i expect him to become a legend in the program before his career wraps up.

Essegian is a nasty little ball of hate on the hardwood. he plays with a killer instinct and will score without mercy. he’s also unafraid to mix it up on the defensive end. players like him win you lots of college games, and we’re happy to have him, now we just need him to pass the ball instead of forcing bad shots. freshmen!

Smith is tiny ... like a lethal dose of poison. he feeds off the hate of opposing fans, and he inspires that hate with how hard (and effectively) he plays. dude will dunk on your head, slice up your defense off the dribble or with the pass, and will get in your space all day on defense. and he has a surprising knack for rebounding, especially considering his small stature.

Team 2:


i’ve imagined this team to play in a “mid-major” conference and unlikely to be able to lure highly rated players. instead, we’d have to find hidden gems and have a VERY good skill/strength development program. as such, redshirting would be a key cog in the machine. additionally, since we’d probably have a difficult time getting talented big men, i’d target sharp shooting, albeit undersized, post players rather than oversized stiffs. conversely, we’d target long wing players to make it possible to have a high-pressure defensive style with lots of switching and an up-tempo offense.


Starters:

forward - Grant Nelson (junior; 6’11” 235; North Dakota St)

wing - Tyson Degenhart (sophomore; 6’7” 232; Boise St)

wing - Brandin Podziemski (sophomore; 6’5” 205; Santa Clara)

point guard - Aidan Mahaney (freshman; 6’3” 180; St. Mary’s)

point guard - Connor McCaffrey (super senior; 6’5” 205; Iowa)

we lost two starters to graduation (Schofield and Bean) and another early to the NBA draft (Laravia), so we’ve had to recruit really hard and hit the transfer portal like mad. we may take our lumps this year, as we don’t have a lot of size. but then again, we should be able to run like deer and score with anyone. hopefully, our length and athleticism will allow us to press in order to offset our lack of size.

Nelson is a poor man’s Chet Holmgren. a super long but thin wing/forward (he doesn’t have Holmgren’s physicality), who can block a shot on one end, then cross you over and hit the three on the other. after redshirting last season in my weight program, i expect the NBA scouts to be all over him. it’s only a matter of time until he his strength catches up with his talent, and he explodes.

Degenhart is an awful lot like Laravia was, though perhaps a bit bouncier but with less touch from the outside. he is a threat to score at all three levels offensively, though he prefers to post up opposing guards, and he’s nasty and strong enough to guard multiple positions. he’s a handful.

Podziemski is a dynamic scorer and phenomenal rebounder on the wing who we picked up in the transfer portal. his game is already instinctive and productive, and i expect it to get even better in a supportive, hungry, high expectation culture like this team has.

Mahaney is a skinny assassin. i want to redshirt him, but he’s simply just too good. he’s got a silky smooth midrange game, and he will cut your heart out with his playmaking in crunch time. despite his unassuming appearance, he has the stuff legends are made of, sort of like the college basketball version of Clark Kent and Superman.

C. McCaffrey is a unique floor general. an elite passer (and THE best post entry passer in the nation) who rarely makes mistakes (he’s perennially among the nation’s elite in assists-to-turnover ratio), he is physically tough and can guard all 5 positions (which might account for part of his injury history). does this make him a defensive unicorn? he doesn’t look to score much, but will take and knock down open shots. a leader of men who inspires respect from teammates, he’s as close to a coach on the floor as i’ve seen at the collegiate level, and he plays with a whip-your-ass physicality and mentality.


Bench:

wing - Mason Miller (freshman; 6’9” 190; Creighton)

wing - Patrick McCaffrey (junior; 6’9” 200; Iowa)

guard - Elijah Pepper (junior; 6’4” 200, UC Davis)

forward - Caleb Lohner (junior; 6’8” 235; Baylor)

center - Ryan Young (senior; 6’10” 240; Northwestern)

point guard - Taran Armstrong (sophomore; 6’6” 190; Cal Baptist)

Miller is long, bouncy, and skilled, but he’s razor thin. i’ll plan to redshirt him unless he’s too good to keep off the floor. his upside, however, is enormous. he can score at all three levels, has a tremendous feel for the game, can guard multiple positions, and can jump out of the gym. if he gets serious about the weight room, he’ll become an all-American candidate before his days are done.

Young would be the big man off the bench. a highly skilled, active post scorer who can pass the ball. he has transformed his body with this team’s strength and conditioning program and is now a high energy contributor with size.

Lohner is a versatile forward who can guard multiple positions and stretch the floor. a high energy athlete, he’d bring offensive firepower without struggling to fit in with the ghetto culture like he does now.

P. McCaffrey (Connor’s brother) is a super long off guard who can jump out of the gym, run for days, and guard all over the court. the sky is the limit for this athlete, but weakness is his biggest weakness. ideally i would redshirt him and let his body catch up to his game, but he might be good enough to earn starter minutes despite his slight frame.

Pepper is a walking bucket. dude is instant offense from anywhere on the floor, and he wanted to prove it at a higher level which is why we got him in the transfer portal. he’s not just a shooter, however, which is essential in our program. he’s a solid physical, if not elite, defender, and he’s a willing passer. he should fit right in with our locker room and get plenty of opportunity to torch the nets.

Armstrong came in via the transfer portal looking to step up his game. he needs to get in our weight room, but he’ll find opportunity after Marciulionis left. his ability to get in the lane, his impressive court vision and passing acumen, and his ability to guard multiple positions is a perfect fit for our system.
 
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Jimmy Chitwood

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since he just entered the transfer portal (and i’d not seen Wofford play this year), i’m making a bid to lure freshman guard Jackson Paveletzke. hopefully, he’s attracted to the culture of excellence i've built.
 

Bucky

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since he just entered the transfer portal (and i’d not seen Wofford play this year), i’m making a bid to lure freshman guard Jackson Paveletzke. hopefully, he’s attracted to the culture of excellence i've built.
Solid pick! Dynamic scorer already as a true freshman and he’s skinny as a rail.

Wofford has Had quite the run on underrated Wisconsin Guards. Too bad, like Klesmit, they can’t keep them in current college Basketball free agency era!
 

Phall

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Solid team picks and insightful analysis as usual @Jimmy Chitwood. I especially like Harry Wessels from Saint Mary's, who isn't necessarily ready for a prime time role just yet but is going to be a very heavy hitter (literally) in the near future when Randy Bennett molds him into his offense. Your Degenhart selection stood the test of time again this year (in the regular season, anyway).

@Bucky, Jimmy didn't go light on his Big Ten player selections. Do you have a team to put up next? No rush at all - I'm still nursing a bit of a posting hangover this weekend. I know you weren't going to pick Tyler Wahl anyway because he wore a blue paper face diaper during a competitive game in 2021. Honestly, that sensory deprivation probably stunted his peak performance level during a key growth phase, perhaps even taking a few inches off his maximum standing jump. If Jimmy's team faces my team on its home court, my team's fans are going to ride the crap out of him.

@TwentyTwo apologies for missing you with a tag initially, as you posted a squad last season. Feel free to chime in with a lineup if you've been keeping tabs on some of our guys. Same goes for anyone else.

HOWEVER... please, no one just slam out names of white players without the context of a playable five. This isn't quite a fantasy draft, but if my team is going to beat Jimmy's team, I'm going to need speed and strength to counter his length. There can be only one!!

** side note, it's quite a bit depressing to look back over this thread and the see names of some superlative white seniors who were ubiquitous in the college game last year but instantly vanished upon graduating. some of our most prominent guys on the junior stage just disappeared from the public domain. if there's one particular net positive from the NIL fiasco (that will eventually destroy college sports), it's that the class of "accidentally great" white players are able to monetize their following from school into a sports-related career trajectory, if they want to.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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when are you guys gonna post your rosters?!? i’m eager to see what y’all come up with ...

ps., i surprised myself with how well my rosters from last season turned out, and the continuity into this season’s would be cool to see played out in real life. it’s a shame no “real” coach/recruiter would put together a team like this.
 

Phall

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when are you guys gonna post your rosters?!? i’m eager to see what y’all come up with ...

ps., i surprised myself with how well my rosters from last season turned out, and the continuity into this season’s would be cool to see played out in real life. it’s a shame no “real” coach/recruiter would put together a team like this.
Yes Jimmy, I was really impressed with your continuity. I might not be so disciplined this time around for my own team, but I think it's a good model to aspire to for next year.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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Yes Jimmy, I was really impressed with your continuity. I might not be so disciplined this time around for my own team, but I think it's a good model to aspire to for next year.
thanks. i’m making my early bid for my Power 5 team. i’m expecting to have a lot of departures from my starting lineup, as Nunge, Mayer and (potentially) Wahl will graduate (Wahl is potentially able to return for his “covid” year, but i don’t think Nunge is) and probably go play professionally overseas after getting screwed by the NBA. i also expect Filipowski to be an early draft pick by the Association. fortunately, my bench is young, but still i've got some big holes to fill.

my priority target is wing Dusty Stromer, and i’m also making a big move on Duke commit, forward TJ Power. i think he’s good enough to play big minutes as a freshman despite Duke recruiting a bunch of darker dudes at his position. if i could also get bouncy shooting guard, Andrej Stojakovic (Peja’s son), i’d be happy as a terrier with a tennis ball, but i don’t know if all three would commit, so i’m gonna have to look at some other less heralded talents (such as Owen Freeman, Nolan Winter, Joey Hart, and Alex Toohey) and the transfer portal, as well.

but get this, gentlemen: i’m all in on class of 2025 forward Cooper Flagg. y’all, that dude is a MONSTER.
 
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Bucky

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I was waiting for the others to share theirs! Team Bucky shall debut manana.
 

Bucky

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Gone is last seasons senior laden lineup! Time to reload!

PG Ben Johnson RFr. 6’3 185 Bellarmine
Another year, another Bellarmine PG running the show for Bucky U. Former Mr. Basketball in KY! Averaged 11ppg and shot 38 percent from 3!

SG Kerr Kriisa Jr. 6’3 190 He’s transferring from Arizona. Very much like the Estonian Guard. Cuts back on the turnovers and we’ll be just fine! Averaged 10ppg and 5ast.

SF Patrick Cartier Sr. 6’8 220 CSU. Cartier is a skilled scorer and former D2 standout. In his first season playing D1 had 12ppg and shot 44 percent from 3!

PF Grant Basile Sr. 6’9 230 Va Tech Stud at Wright State before Tech. 16ppg and 5reb.

C Tanner Groves 6’10 240 Similar to Basile. Transfer Forward has played well at Oklahoma and Eastern Washington. Averages 10 and 5.

Bench:
G Jackson Pavaletzke(6’3 175) Wofford

G Andrew Rohde (6’6 180)St. Thomas

F Matthew Mors (6’7 235)South DakotaSt

F Matt Veretto(6’8 220)
Vermont.

F Cade Meyer 6’8 220 Green Bay
 
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Jimmy Chitwood

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Bucky, you’ll have an exceptionally young team next season. how do you expect to replace all those departing seniors with size in your starting lineup? you’ll also be losing your most experienced size off the bench (Veretto).

hopefully, the transfer portal will be kind to you, else you’ll have to live with the inconsistency that comes with bringing in lots of talented freshmen.

still looking forward to seeing what the other guys come up with in this (i think) enjoyable thought exercise ...
 

Bucky

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Very true JC i could use a big or 2 with some size off the bench! Don’t forget the Gus Bus is on his way! Major minutes as a freshman next season.

Small ball lineup for sure.

*Also thanks to covaids, Matty V has another year of eligibility. I’ll take it!
 
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Jimmy Chitwood

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updates anyone? @Phall ? @TwentyTwo ?

additionally, i think it’ll be interesting to revisit this thread at the beginning of the 2024-25 season instead of waiting until the end of the season, because we could then evaluate how “our” teams and players perform throughout the year. create a little more interaction and give some “buy in” for all the folks involved, kind of like the fantasy sports stuff so many idiots lose their minds over. LOL
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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hello, gentlemen. if you’re up for the challenge, i’m going to try something a bit different this year with my roster. instead of waiting until late in the season to develop my roster, i’m going to put them together early. the drawback is that i’ve seen VERY little game action of the “under the radar” prospects for my mid-major squad.

if i were doing this for a living, i’d obviously spend a lot more time in scouting these players (and others) before signing them to play for me. but since this is just for fun and i don’t get paid for having fun on the intranets, i’m going to take a shot at it anyway and see what happens.

i’m confident that these teams would certainly be competitive in real life, but i don’t know if i'll continue my streak of picking players who will go early to the NBA.

are you guys ready to give it a go? i’m talking to you @Bucky, @Phall, @white lightning, @TwentyTwo, @BeyondFedUp, @El Gringo, and anyone else who is interested.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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Excellent! I’ll post my two teams (one imagined to be from a power conference and the other from a so-called mid-major) shortly. the most challenging part is finding White athletes who actually get the chance to compete. i’m absolutely convinced there are myriad good players who get cast(e) aside and rarely if ever see the court.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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here we go again ...

i put together two teams again, using only players that were on my roster last year, AND only adding players that could reasonably be assembled by an actual coaching staff. i’ve purposefully avoided trying to compile an all-star-type roster in order to show (i hope!) that there are plenty of White athletes that could play on/for competitive teams. additionally, i’ve intentionally balanced my roster with freshman, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, just like actual teams have to do, and you will see that my rosters turn over as players graduate, go pro, or “transfer out.”

as a preliminary pat on the back to myself, i will point out that my evaluation of players is AT LEAST as good as any collegiate staff and/or NBA scout, as many of the players i selected last year (and the year before) are playing for money this year.

finally, i’ve declined to copy/paste their current stats, because laziness.

i prioritize versatility and length on defense and good decision making and shooting on offense. my rosters will reflect this philosophy.

here we go!

Team 1:

i’ve imagined this team to come from a Power 5 conference, with all the consequent resources for recruiting, and the chance to occasionally snag a higher profile recruit/transfer.

Starters:

stretch 4 - Kyle Filipowski (sophomore, 7’0” 230; Duke)

stretch 4 - Ben Gregg (junior; 6’10” 230; Gonzaga)
wing - Tyler Wahl (super senior; 6’9” 221; Wisconsin)

two guard - Connor Essegian (sophomore; 6’4” 195; Wisconsin)
point guard - Tyler Kolek (junior; 6’3” 195; Marquette)

two of my athletes (Walker Kessler and Christian Braun) were early-entrant draft picks in the 2022 NBA, so my team’s reputation for developing players went through the roof. as such, i was able to convince Filipowski, a likely lottery pick and all-American candidate, to stick around for another year and a run for a National Championship. (i missed on some potential post players as a result of him sticking around, however). our transition to a faster tempo a season ago fared well, and our lead guard returns (and he’s poised to become a household name and all-American, as well). we lost two long, versatile, excellent defending seniors in Nunge and Mayer who will be difficult to replace (and we lost Stefanovich to transfer), but we may get even faster with our incoming players.

Filipowski is a long, bouncy athlete with skill, a beautiful jump shot, and a mean streak. i'll enjoy him while he’s on the team, because with his tremendous work ethic he’ll be going pro VERY soon. in fact, i’m SUPER surprised he didn’t chase the big money in the last Draft.

Gregg is a highly skilled stretch 4 with bigtime potential. instant energy and offense off the bench, the fact that he tends to pick up fouls in bunches is the only thing hindering his numbers. if he can play without fouling, he’ll get the starting nod; if not, we’ve got other guys chomping at the bit.

Wahl is an elite defender and athletic playmaker who plays much bigger than his size. he can guard multiple positions, is a plus rebounder, and is a high percentage scorer/low volume shooter at all three levels. and dude will dunk on your head. he could’ve gone pro last year, but i’m happy he felt like he had unfinished business left to do.

Essegian is a nasty little ball of hate on the hardwood. he plays with a killer instinct and will score without mercy. he’s also unafraid to mix it up on the defensive end. players like him win you lots of college games, and we’re especially happy that he’s now a sophomore. Lol. fewer freshman mistakes means nightmares for the opposition.

Kolek is a pure point guard with tremendous vision and passing ability and quick feet. after two years packing on muscle and fixing the broken jump shot that kept him coming off the bench early in his career, Kolek is likely the best point guard in the country. my little general is strong enough to not get posted up, deadly enough from deep that defenses can’t sag off him, and the undoubted leader of this team.

Bench:

post - Harry Wessels (redshirt freshman; 7’1” 255; St. Mary’s)

forward - Braden Huff (redshirt freshman; 6’10” 242; Gonzaga)

wing - Dusty Stromer (freshman; 6’6” 192; Gonzaga)

wing - Payton Sandfort (redshirt sophomore; 6’7” 215; Iowa)

point guard - Braden Smith (sophomore; 6’0” 180; Purdue)
wing - Andrej Stojakovic (freshman; 6’7” 190; Stanford)

Wessels is a project with tremendous size and a good feel for the game. we redshirted him last year as his skills needed refinement. now, although he’s still very raw, we’re hoping to see a big leap. he is a good defender and has a nasty streak. the jury is still out on him, but we’ll take a flyer and see how he develops.

Huff has quietly worked his butt off behind some talented veterans and in the weight room. now, he’s ready to blow up. a threat to score from all three levels and adept at playing in space or with his back to the basket, he’s gonna be a handful if/when he gets his minutes.

Stromer is a long, bouncy, skilled, elite scoring talent … but he’s super skinny. he’ll get a shot at playing time, but we’ll redshirt him if he can’t earn significant quality minutes. dude has a sky-high future, and we don’t want to waste one single minute of it.

Stojakovic is almost a carbon copy of Stromer, so see the above report.

Sandfort is a long, sharp shooting assassin who can play and guard multiple positions, after a redshirt year, he is instant offense off the bench, and with his swagger and aggression, i expect him to become a legend in the program before his career wraps up. it’ll be tough to keep him off the floor.

Smith is tiny ... like a lethal dose of poison. he feeds off the hate of opposing fans, and he inspires that hate with how hard (and effectively) he plays. dude will dunk on your head, slice up your defense off the dribble or with the pass, and will get in your space all day on defense. and he has a surprising knack for rebounding, especially considering his small stature. he’s the acknowledged leader-in-waiting of this team.



Team 2:

i’ve imagined this team to play in a “mid-major” conference and unlikely to be able to lure highly rated players. instead, we’d have to find hidden gems and have a VERY good skill/strength development program. as such, redshirting would be a key cog in the machine. additionally, since we’d probably have a difficult time getting talented big men, i’d target sharp shooting, albeit undersized, post players rather than oversized stiffs. conversely, we’d target long wing players to make it possible to have a high-pressure defensive style with lots of switching and an up-tempo offense.

Starters:

forward - Grant Nelson (senior; 6’11” 235; North Dakota St)

wing - Tyson Degenhart (junior; 6’7” 235; Boise St)

wing - Patrick McCaffrey (redshirt junior; 6’9” 212; Iowa)

point guard - Aidan Mahaney (sophomore; 6’3” 180; St. Mary’s)

two guard - Elijah Pepper (senior; 6’4” 200, UC Davis)

we lost one starter to graduation (McCaffrey) another early to the NBA draft (Podziemski), the second year in a row that’s happened, and also lost an Aussie (Armstrong) to big money in their pro league (the NBL). so our reputation for player development is gaining notice. still, we had to recruit really hard while looking for the right candidate(s) in the transfer portal. we may take our lumps, as we don’t have a lot of beef inside. but then again, we should be able to run like deer and score with anyone. hopefully, our length, versatility, and athleticism will allow us to offset our lack of girth.

Nelson is a poor man’s Chet Holmgren. a super long and lean wing/forward, he can block a shot on one end, then cross you over and hit the three on the other. after exploding last season, the NBA scouts were all over him. he’s a candidate for all-American honors, and we’re SUPER excited he returned for his senior year.

Degenhart is a bouncy wing who has a knack for knocking down clutch shots. he is a threat to score at all three levels, though he prefers to post up opposing guards. he’s nasty and strong enough to guard multiple positions. he’s a handful.

P. McCaffrey (Connor’s brother) is a super long point forward who can jump out of the gym, run for days, and guard all over the court. the sky is the limit for this athlete, but weakness has been his biggest weakness (he overcame cancer as a teen and has struggled with anxiety). after redshirting him to let his body and mind catch up to the demands of playing ball at this level, he’s poised to make a major impact.

Mahaney is a still-skinny assassin. i wanted to redshirt him last year, but he simply was just too good. he’s got a silky smooth midrange game, and he will cut your heart out with his playmaking in crunch time. despite his unassuming appearance, he has the stuff legends are made of, sort of like the college basketball version of Clark Kent and Superman.

Pepper is a walking bucket. dude is instant offense from anywhere on the floor, and he wanted to prove it at a higher level which is why we got him in the transfer portal a season ago. he’s not just a shooter, however, which is essential in our program. he’s a solid physical, if not elite, defender, and he’s a willing passer. this year, he’ll be expected to shoulder more responsibilities.

Bench:

wing - Mason Miller (redshirt freshman; 6’9” 190; Creighton)

forward - Jensen Bradtke (freshman; 6’10” 220; Saint Mary’s)

wing - Joseph Pinion (redshirt sophomore ; 6’5” 195; Arkansas)

forward - Caleb Lohner (senior; 6’8” 235; Baylor)

center - Ryan Young (super senior; 6’10” 238; Northwestern)

point guard - Luka Krajnovic (freshman; 6’5” 185; Gonzaga)

Miller is long, bouncy, and skilled, and he’s no longer razor thin after a redshirt year. his upside is enormous. he can score at all three levels, has a tremendous feel for the game, can guard multiple positions, and can jump out of the gym. if he remains serious about the weight room and nutrition, he’ll become an all-American candidate before his days are done.

Bradtke is a long, sharp-shooting big man with a real nose for the glass. we feel he has tremendous athleticism (both his parents were Olympic athletes) and potential (if he weren’t from way “Down Under” he’d likely have been a high major prospect) and think we found a real diamond that just needs some polish. as such, we’ll hopefully put him in our strength and conditioning program and see what happens.

Pinion is a superb long range shooter who is “surprisingly” bouncy. he’s struggled with injuries (knee) and playing-while-White for Arkansas head coach Eric Musselman, so we snagged him from his home-state team in the transfer portal and hope to see him rejuvenate his career.

“Old Man” Young would be the big man off the bench. a highly skilled, active post scorer who can pass the ball. he has transformed his body with this team’s strength and conditioning program and is now a high energy contributor with size who is also a leader in the locker room.

Lohner is a versatile forward who can guard multiple positions and stretch the floor. a high energy athlete, he brings offensive firepower without struggling to fit in with the ghetto culture (like he does at Baylor).

Krajnovic is a super long lead guard, who can create for himself or others. despite his super thin frame, he’s tough as nails. he plays with a poise beyond his years, and despite our desire to redshirt him he may earn starter minutes.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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uh … guys?
 

Bucky

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Year 3 of BuckyU. Quite a bit of turnover. But we’ll roll with the punches!

PG Ben Johnson RSo. 6’3 185 Bellarmine
Another year, another Bellarmine PG running the show for Bucky U. Former Mr. Basketball in KY! Averaged 11ppg and shot 38 percent from 3!

SG Kerr Kriisa Sr. 6’3 190 He’s transferring from Arizona to West Virginia. Very much like the Estonian Guard. Cuts back on the turnovers and we’ll be just fine! Averaged 10ppg and 5ast.

SF Andrew Rohde *Virginia 6’6 185 So. Sharpshooter moving up in competition. Won’t miss a beat.

PF Matthew Mors South Dakota 6’7 235 RSo. Does a little bit of everything. Expecting him to up his scoring and rebound numbers.

C Gus Yalden Freshman 6’9 245 Wisconsin Baby Jokic or The Gus Bus will be a force for years in the Big Ten.

Bench:
G Jackson Pavaletzke(6’3 175) Iowa State Athletic and can score. Moving up in competition.

G Reed Sheppard 6’3 187 true Freshman Phenom!

F Matt Veretto(6’8 220)
Vermont. Veteran Sharp shooter.

F Cade Meyer 6’8 220 Green Bay Another Big in the rotation.

F Liam McNeeley 6’7 190 Freshman Indiana

Silky Smooth Lefty. Highly touted and of course is a better athlete than given credit for.

We’ll play up tempo at times, team defense, and of course limit the turnovers.
 

Jimmy Chitwood

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i look forward to seeing the “Gus Bus,” because you’ve been talking about him for a while.

another athlete on your roster that i think has a VERY bright future is Reed Sheppard. that kid can play! i think you really snagged a good one there.

i’ve not seen Liam McNeeley play, but he certainly has an intriguing set physical tools. nice job, Bucky!
 
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