Bear Down Wildcats

NYCat wrote:Kansas: fait accompli

JJ said he already knows where he is going [made that decision Thursday but didn't commit because he wanted his family & friends there] and no chance he'll change his mind [DFP article].

Rumored that he almost committed last Thursday and it would be Kansas [JJ confirmed the near Thursday commitment]. Rumors that he and his circle disagreed on the college choice (it was going to be Kansas) [JJ confirmed it in a Detroit Free Press article].

Miles Bridges is recruiting JJ really hard him despite the fact that he said he already knows where JJ is going, so begs the question why would he still recruit him if he was going to MSU. Azubuike said JJ told him it's between MSU & Kansas, maybe one of the two forgot to mention AZ or it was between the two.

Now you may say JJ keeps things close to the vest, but a couple things that leaked and were rumors turned out to be true.

JJ said recently that trust is a huge factor and to be able to be around people he can trust -- and where he feels like family/family atmosphere. Now the only school that matches up with those things said in the numerous recent interviews (Scout, rivals etc) was Kansas, in fact he almost said the same things word for word [speaking of KU]. Also said he wants a coach who'll push him [to make him better], he's said that about Bill Self & Sean Miller.

Furthermore he now has made it more clear that he would commit after the NIKE Hoop Summit & after Selden hired an agent. Did his role become more prominent at ADIDAS KU.

Lately it has been said [rumors] that it was between MSU/Kansas & Arizona/Kansas [A Michigan State beat writer said Sparty is out of it]. But the only name that has been prominent and a constant has been Kansas. Kansas.

Obviously I'm no insider and grasping at straws here, but I'm just not feeling it. I think he goes KU and willing to sit back and hopefully be pleasantly surprised he picks AZ.

Too much smoke = fire: things leaking out that turn out to true.

ASUHATER! wrote:

enfuego wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:

Chicat wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:If thats the case, then I guess JJ wants to get knocked out in the first weekend of the tourney rather then compete for a championship.

Wish him the best whatever he chooses, CATS will be fine either way.

The first week of the tourney is when we got knocked out, not Kansas.

I don't think that will be our expectation next season. Whereas kansas is heading for a relatively down year.

We lose Diallo and Selden and potentially Svi. We are adding Lightfoot, Azubuike and are in the hunt for JJ and Ferguson and Maker and Allen. We'll be okay.

And Ellis and possibly Mason gone. With the likely whiffs on JJ and Ferguson, KU will be in trouble next year. Very little talent on the roster.

enfuego wrote:

ASUHATER! wrote:

enfuego wrote:

CalStateTempe wrote:

Chicat wrote: The first week of the tourney is when we got knocked out, not Kansas.

I don't think that will be our expectation next season. Whereas kansas is heading for a relatively down year.

We lose Diallo and Selden and potentially Svi. We are adding Lightfoot, Azubuike and are in the hunt for JJ and Ferguson and Maker and Allen. We'll be okay.

And Ellis and possibly Mason gone. With the likely whiffs on JJ and Ferguson, KU will be in trouble next year. Very little talent on the roster.

Where is Mason going? And I guarantee you we'll get one of JJ or Ferguson and maybe both.

enfuego wrote:

Longhorned wrote:I doubt I'm the only one here who would take him, but have no trouble leaving him. Liking him wouldn't be hard because he's obviously elite. But I'm just not feeling it, and with Arizona's incoming class, it's more a matter of depth than taking next year's team to a higher level. I think Alkins would bulldoze him in practice. Love what Ferguson will bring.

Josh Jackson shut Alkins down and frustrated him this past summer when they went one on one three times in a row in that out door game in NY. Alkins couldn't get closer than 15 feet from the basket.

enfuego wrote:

Longhorned wrote:I doubt I'm the only one here who would take him, but have no trouble leaving him. Liking him wouldn't be hard because he's obviously elite. But I'm just not feeling it, and with Arizona's incoming class, it's more a matter of depth than taking next year's team to a higher level. I think Alkins would bulldoze him in practice. Love what Ferguson will bring.

Josh Jackson shut Alkins down and frustrated him this past summer when they went one on one three times in a row in that out door game in NY. Alkins couldn't get closer than 15 feet from the basket.

97cats wrote:lmao

Olsondogg wrote:I wish Josh Jackson would go to uCla, for Beachcat.

Beachcat97 wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:I wish Josh Jackson would go to uCla, for Beachcat.

Totally. Maybe we can also convince Kobi and Rawle to decommit and choose Alford. Let's send our best players to our Pac rivals.

Beachcat97 wrote:Fuegs sounds pretty confident that KU is getting one or both of the guys we're hoping for. But it's the opposite according to several here. My money would be on Kansas for all the reasons noted above.

Again, is this happening today or late April?

Alieberman wrote:

97cats wrote:lmao

Finally 97 chimes in!

But what are you laughing at?

At Kansas getting both?

At JJ going to MSU?

At JJ coming to AZ?

Why don't you tell us?

Why haven't you said "perfect fit" in so long?

Is it a perfect fit?

Why won't you tell us?

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!


Signed,

BeachCat.

Where is Mason going? And I guarantee you we'll get one of JJ or Ferguson and maybe both.

uacat540 wrote:

Where is Mason going? And I guarantee you we'll get one of JJ or Ferguson and maybe both.

And i bet if Arizona lands either one or both, first thing out of everyones mouth is Jim Click bought them cars or Miller is paying them!

Olsondogg wrote:

Longhorned wrote:The worst part about the internet and recruiting is how the internet trains you to follow recruiting, and to make asinine predictions about recruiting. In the case of Jackson, literally every justification of MSU, Arizona, or Kansas is either BS or based on shadows that could be construed in any number of ways. And unlike most things in life, you won't even understand the recruitment after it's done because the real reason for the decision is hardly ever shared. If Jackson commits to Arizona and says it's because of his relationship with Sean Miller, there's no real reason to believe that's actually the reason. It's fine if you're willing to accept that it doesn't matter anyway, but what a waste of time for everyone who follows it.

All of this plus one more thing. I chuckle when a camera is shoved in the recruits face, and he's asked "Are you sick of the hype or fans or whatever bugging you about where you are gonna go?" and the kid is like "yeah" when he, or those around him, have asked for all of that. It could be a simple as tweeting out a decision, or releasing a statement through someone...but meanwhile it's usually made on TV and with a bunch of hype.

So really, the question should be "Are you sick of the decision you and yours made to make this recruitment a spectacle, especially considering that you have already made up your mind and are now in just full troll mode?".

I mean, remember the Cliff Alexander saga and then Illinois fans losing their mind? Meanwhile, Cliff Alexander is in currently head manager of the Photo department at the local Walgreens ...

Merkin wrote:Udoka Azubuike says Jackson told him that it was between KU and MSU.

https://basketballrecruiting.n.rivals.c ... sh-jackson" target="_blank

dirtbags wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:

Longhorned wrote:The worst part about the internet and recruiting is how the internet trains you to follow recruiting, and to make asinine predictions about recruiting. In the case of Jackson, literally every justification of MSU, Arizona, or Kansas is either BS or based on shadows that could be construed in any number of ways. And unlike most things in life, you won't even understand the recruitment after it's done because the real reason for the decision is hardly ever shared. If Jackson commits to Arizona and says it's because of his relationship with Sean Miller, there's no real reason to believe that's actually the reason. It's fine if you're willing to accept that it doesn't matter anyway, but what a waste of time for everyone who follows it.

All of this plus one more thing. I chuckle when a camera is shoved in the recruits face, and he's asked "Are you sick of the hype or fans or whatever bugging you about where you are gonna go?" and the kid is like "yeah" when he, or those around him, have asked for all of that. It could be a simple as tweeting out a decision, or releasing a statement through someone...but meanwhile it's usually made on TV and with a bunch of hype.

So really, the question should be "Are you sick of the decision you and yours made to make this recruitment a spectacle, especially considering that you have already made up your mind and are now in just full troll mode?".

I mean, remember the Cliff Alexander saga and then Illinois fans losing their mind? Meanwhile, Cliff Alexander is in currently head manager of the Photo department at the local Walgreens ...

gold, all of this.

granted, much of the hype is fueled by idle hands in the offseason and in between games but the overparsing and untangling of prep level interviews has a definite resemblance to financial markets trying to decode the monetary policy observations from alan greenspan. what has become of us?

the best digression of the thread was when it briefly turned into a Recruiting Anonymous meeting, like, "i gave that shit up after hitting rock bottom with josh selby and made it all the way to step 9, but fell off the wagon hard during the tarc recruitment..."

i love college basketball.

Merkin wrote:Udoka Azubuike says Jackson told him that it was between KU and MSU.

https://basketballrecruiting.n.rivals.c ... sh-jackson" target="_blank

Longhorned wrote:

enfuego wrote:

Longhorned wrote:I doubt I'm the only one here who would take him, but have no trouble leaving him. Liking him wouldn't be hard because he's obviously elite. But I'm just not feeling it, and with Arizona's incoming class, it's more a matter of depth than taking next year's team to a higher level. I think Alkins would bulldoze him in practice. Love what Ferguson will bring.

Josh Jackson shut Alkins down and frustrated him this past summer when they went one on one three times in a row in that out door game in NY. Alkins couldn't get closer than 15 feet from the basket.

You mean that all-star game with Alkins's famous x-over that broke Jackson's ankles for an easy layup? I'd say he got closer than 15 feet.

Chicat wrote:

dirtbags wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:

Longhorned wrote:The worst part about the internet and recruiting is how the internet trains you to follow recruiting, and to make asinine predictions about recruiting. In the case of Jackson, literally every justification of MSU, Arizona, or Kansas is either BS or based on shadows that could be construed in any number of ways. And unlike most things in life, you won't even understand the recruitment after it's done because the real reason for the decision is hardly ever shared. If Jackson commits to Arizona and says it's because of his relationship with Sean Miller, there's no real reason to believe that's actually the reason. It's fine if you're willing to accept that it doesn't matter anyway, but what a waste of time for everyone who follows it.

All of this plus one more thing. I chuckle when a camera is shoved in the recruits face, and he's asked "Are you sick of the hype or fans or whatever bugging you about where you are gonna go?" and the kid is like "yeah" when he, or those around him, have asked for all of that. It could be a simple as tweeting out a decision, or releasing a statement through someone...but meanwhile it's usually made on TV and with a bunch of hype.

So really, the question should be "Are you sick of the decision you and yours made to make this recruitment a spectacle, especially considering that you have already made up your mind and are now in just full troll mode?".

I mean, remember the Cliff Alexander saga and then Illinois fans losing their mind? Meanwhile, Cliff Alexander is in currently head manager of the Photo department at the local Walgreens ...

gold, all of this.

granted, much of the hype is fueled by idle hands in the offseason and in between games but the overparsing and untangling of prep level interviews has a definite resemblance to financial markets trying to decode the monetary policy observations from alan greenspan. what has become of us?

the best digression of the thread was when it briefly turned into a Recruiting Anonymous meeting, like, "i gave that shit up after hitting rock bottom with josh selby and made it all the way to step 9, but fell off the wagon hard during the tarc recruitment..."

i love college basketball.

Why don't these kids just freakin' make their announcements as soon as they make their decision? It's got to be incredibly annoying to be asked the same dumb questions and to have to be minutely detailed as to what they do and don't say to everyone so they don't give anything away.

JJ will have known definitively for at least three weeks (if not MUCH longer) which program he is going to play for. That shit has to be tiring. Doesn't he want to tell everyone and be done with the badgering? What's the advantage to waiting?

ChooChooCat wrote:

Chicat wrote:

dirtbags wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:

Longhorned wrote:The worst part about the internet and recruiting is how the internet trains you to follow recruiting, and to make asinine predictions about recruiting. In the case of Jackson, literally every justification of MSU, Arizona, or Kansas is either BS or based on shadows that could be construed in any number of ways. And unlike most things in life, you won't even understand the recruitment after it's done because the real reason for the decision is hardly ever shared. If Jackson commits to Arizona and says it's because of his relationship with Sean Miller, there's no real reason to believe that's actually the reason. It's fine if you're willing to accept that it doesn't matter anyway, but what a waste of time for everyone who follows it.

All of this plus one more thing. I chuckle when a camera is shoved in the recruits face, and he's asked "Are you sick of the hype or fans or whatever bugging you about where you are gonna go?" and the kid is like "yeah" when he, or those around him, have asked for all of that. It could be a simple as tweeting out a decision, or releasing a statement through someone...but meanwhile it's usually made on TV and with a bunch of hype.

So really, the question should be "Are you sick of the decision you and yours made to make this recruitment a spectacle, especially considering that you have already made up your mind and are now in just full troll mode?".

I mean, remember the Cliff Alexander saga and then Illinois fans losing their mind? Meanwhile, Cliff Alexander is in currently head manager of the Photo department at the local Walgreens ...

gold, all of this.

granted, much of the hype is fueled by idle hands in the offseason and in between games but the overparsing and untangling of prep level interviews has a definite resemblance to financial markets trying to decode the monetary policy observations from alan greenspan. what has become of us?

the best digression of the thread was when it briefly turned into a Recruiting Anonymous meeting, like, "i gave that shit up after hitting rock bottom with josh selby and made it all the way to step 9, but fell off the wagon hard during the tarc recruitment..."

i love college basketball.

Why don't these kids just freakin' make their announcements as soon as they make their decision? It's got to be incredibly annoying to be asked the same dumb questions and to have to be minutely detailed as to what they do and don't say to everyone so they don't give anything away.

JJ will have known definitively for at least three weeks (if not MUCH longer) which program he is going to play for. That shit has to be tiring. Doesn't he want to tell everyone and be done with the badgering? What's the advantage to waiting?

The advantage in waiting: Branding/Marketing

Once a player commits he is talked about less and less by the recruiting media. The longer you wait the longer your name is in the lime light.

Spaceman Spiff wrote:

ChooChooCat wrote:

Chicat wrote:Why don't these kids just freakin' make their announcements as soon as they make their decision? It's got to be incredibly annoying to be asked the same dumb questions and to have to be minutely detailed as to what they do and don't say to everyone so they don't give anything away.

JJ will have known definitively for at least three weeks (if not MUCH longer) which program he is going to play for. That shit has to be tiring. Doesn't he want to tell everyone and be done with the badgering? What's the advantage to waiting?

The advantage in waiting: Branding/Marketing

Once a player commits he is talked about less and less by the recruiting media. The longer you wait the longer your name is in the lime light.

Also seeing who stays and who leaves. MSU has had a few leave, KU had Selden go, we lost Simon. This is the time period roster composition changes.

It may not really affect his decision, but JJ is calling the shots, and there's no reason not to see how rosters shake out prior to locking himself in. The players alongside him make a difference.

If I was a player, I would wait as long as I could. It gets you the best picture. That may not change things, but it always better to know.

Olsondogg wrote:All three programs will be fine with or without him. This isn't Simmons and LSU for christs sake.

He sat through nearly two hours of hordes of scouts and reporters recycling the same, dull recruiting questions over and over Tuesday at media day.

“The attention is cool sometimes, but I don’t like it most of the time,” Jackson said. “With my decision what it comes down to is who can I trust? Who can make me a better man? Whose office can I walk into and have real talks with. That’s the school that will get me.”

NYCat wrote: BTW nice article, JJ is competive, has attitude and a trash talker. We need his attitude because we've been pretty soft for a while (Dwill E8 team had the most but ultimately limited by less talent). Tyler Dorsey has more attitude in one finger than Trier's whole apathetic body.

CalStateTempe wrote:

Olsondogg wrote:All three programs will be fine with or without him. This isn't Simmons and LSU for christs sake.

+1

WildcatLouis wrote:

NYCat wrote: BTW nice article, JJ is competive, has attitude and a trash talker. We need his attitude because we've been pretty soft for a while (Dwill E8 team had the most but ultimately limited by less talent). Tyler Dorsey has more attitude in one finger than Trier's whole apathetic body.

I don't quite get that last bit about "Trier's whole apathetic body." The kid played for about ten minutes with a broken hand during a game. He often took it strong to the hole when he sensed the team needed someone to do something. There were a few bad games in there (unfortunately a couple towards the end), but I would not call him apathetic. As far as we know, he is still a member of this team - so no need to crap on him. This year he was only a freshman on a team that started multiple seniors - maybe it wasn't his place to step in and immediately be the alpha male.

JMarkJohns wrote:

WildcatLouis wrote:
I don't quite get that last bit about "Trier's whole apathetic body." The kid played for about ten minutes with a broken hand during a game. He often took it strong to the hole when he sensed the team needed someone to do something. There were a few bad games in there (unfortunately a couple towards the end), but I would not call him apathetic. As far as we know, he is still a member of this team - so no need to crap on him. This year he was only a freshman on a team that started multiple seniors - maybe it wasn't his place to step in and immediately be the alpha male.

It's the demonstrative (showing concern or expressing emotion) vs demonstrate-ive (to do or give example through action) aspects of leadership.

We got this with the Garnett vs Duncan argument, who was a better leader, who cared more.

Not sure there is a best way to lead. Some people are Ray Lewis. Some people some people are Larry Fitzgerald. Sure, Lewis has two rings, Fitz hasn't any, but you'll find Mary a soul questions Fitzgeralds leadership, despite not being demonstrative in nature. His playoff numbers and end-game heroics represent the will and ability needed to be a leader.

To me, I want to see decisiveness more than anything. Can they identify what's need and are they able/willing to do what's needed.

I see that with Trier. Maybe not always, but he's young and this team was flawed. It didn't happen vs Wichita, but by that game, too many issues were present to correct vs a good team.

NYCat wrote:

JMarkJohns wrote:

WildcatLouis wrote:
I don't quite get that last bit about "Trier's whole apathetic body." The kid played for about ten minutes with a broken hand during a game. He often took it strong to the hole when he sensed the team needed someone to do something. There were a few bad games in there (unfortunately a couple towards the end), but I would not call him apathetic. As far as we know, he is still a member of this team - so no need to crap on him. This year he was only a freshman on a team that started multiple seniors - maybe it wasn't his place to step in and immediately be the alpha male.

It's the demonstrative (showing concern or expressing emotion) vs demonstrate-ive (to do or give example through action) aspects of leadership.

We got this with the Garnett vs Duncan argument, who was a better leader, who cared more.

Not sure there is a best way to lead. Some people are Ray Lewis. Some people some people are Larry Fitzgerald. Sure, Lewis has two rings, Fitz hasn't any, but you'll find Mary a soul questions Fitzgeralds leadership, despite not being demonstrative in nature. His playoff numbers and end-game heroics represent the will and ability needed to be a leader.

To me, I want to see decisiveness more than anything. Can they identify what's need and are they able/willing to do what's needed.

I see that with Trier. Maybe not always, but he's young and this team was flawed. It didn't happen vs Wichita, but by that game, too many issues were present to correct vs a good team.

It's the difference of what Kobe/Jordan had and what Lebron lacks, if Lebron had that fire that both those guys had he would be even better and GOAT. Both MJ/Kobe are notorious assholes but they had thaf deep competitive drive (HATED to lose) that pushed their game to another level. Lebron doesn't have that and is almost too unselfish and lacks the killer instinct those guys had (didn't like taking last second shots/would pass too often).

TheGreatCatsby wrote:Anxiously awaiting game tonight, see if Jackson or Ferguson commits to AZ.

TheGreatCatsby wrote:Anxiously awaiting game tonight, see if Jackson or Ferguson commits to AZ.

TheGreatCatsby wrote:Anxiously awaiting game tonight, see if Jackson or Ferguson commits to AZ.

JMarkJohns wrote:

NYCat wrote:

JMarkJohns wrote:

WildcatLouis wrote:
I don't quite get that last bit about "Trier's whole apathetic body." The kid played for about ten minutes with a broken hand during a game. He often took it strong to the hole when he sensed the team needed someone to do something. There were a few bad games in there (unfortunately a couple towards the end), but I would not call him apathetic. As far as we know, he is still a member of this team - so no need to crap on him. This year he was only a freshman on a team that started multiple seniors - maybe it wasn't his place to step in and immediately be the alpha male.

It's the demonstrative (showing concern or expressing emotion) vs demonstrate-ive (to do or give example through action) aspects of leadership.

We got this with the Garnett vs Duncan argument, who was a better leader, who cared more.

Not sure there is a best way to lead. Some people are Ray Lewis. Some people some people are Larry Fitzgerald. Sure, Lewis has two rings, Fitz hasn't any, but you'll find Mary a soul questions Fitzgeralds leadership, despite not being demonstrative in nature. His playoff numbers and end-game heroics represent the will and ability needed to be a leader.

To me, I want to see decisiveness more than anything. Can they identify what's need and are they able/willing to do what's needed.

I see that with Trier. Maybe not always, but he's young and this team was flawed. It didn't happen vs Wichita, but by that game, too many issues were present to correct vs a good team.

It's the difference of what Kobe/Jordan had and what Lebron lacks, if Lebron had that fire that both those guys had he would be even better and GOAT. Both MJ/Kobe are notorious assholes but they had thaf deep competitive drive (HATED to lose) that pushed their game to another level. Lebron doesn't have that and is almost too unselfish and lacks the killer instinct those guys had (didn't like taking last second shots/would pass too often).

Eh... LeBron dominates. Or has. Not sure the tread on his tires can handle dominating to those levels again.

I understand what you're saying, but Trier was a freshman on a team stacked with seniors. Then he was injured. He never really had an ideal situation where he was looked to as a leader.

Plus, Miller's system is actually one that actively tries to remove the very tendencies you clamor for. It's not about one player. It's about team.

That said, I do think Trier has a closers mentality. Not sure he's gonna be an asshole about it, but you don't have to be an asshole to dominate and be a leader. Ray Allen wasn't an Asshole, and he's the one who lead the way for Garnett and James to get their rings in 2008 and 2013. Curry isn't an asshole. He's not demonstrative like Draymond Green. Yet he's the one burying daggers in you.

It's not always as cut/dry as Player A needs X and must be Y & Z.

gumby wrote:

JMarkJohns wrote:

Eh... LeBron dominates. Or has. Not sure the tread on his tires can handle dominating to those levels again.

I understand what you're saying, but Trier was a freshman on a team stacked with seniors. Then he was injured. He never really had an ideal situation where he was looked to as a leader.

Plus, Miller's system is actually one that actively tries to remove the very tendencies you clamor for. It's not about one player. It's about team.

That said, I do think Trier has a closers mentality. Not sure he's gonna be an asshole about it, but you don't have to be an asshole to dominate and be a leader. Ray Allen wasn't an Asshole, and he's the one who lead the way for Garnett and James to get their rings in 2008 and 2013. Curry isn't an asshole. He's not demonstrative like Draymond Green. Yet he's the one burying daggers in you.

It's not always as cut/dry as Player A needs X and must be Y & Z.

Plus Dorsey is not the leader of the Ducks. Too simplistic to base it on their outward emotions. Hassan emoted all over the place. Salim, too.

Leaders? Not really.

azpatnca wrote:Y'all see Josh Jackson with the OKAY sign in the bump when ESPN went to commercial? All he has to do is open that circle a bit and it's the Wildcat sign.

NYCat wrote:The guy has made some NBA moves already, going to be a NBA all star for sure. I want him to be associated with Arizona forever. He's clearly the best out there, passing scoring, defending (shut down Tatum) full package. He's great on both sides. Maybe a future Pippen- Wiggins hybrid.