Bear Down Wildcats

I thought Lavin made a great point suggesting that Miller take more advantage of Rawle's package (pause) by putting him in adventageous positions on the floor. His jumper has still not found any consistency and he can get those down and dirty Rondae buckets or get to the foul line against most defenders.

He closed out tonight's game well despite an off night. Hat tip

What are the chances Rawle pulls a Zo and comes back for his third year after he tested the waters after his frosh year, and then sat out a significant portion of his sophomore year? Especially if there are some chemistry issues currently that might be alleviated with roster turnover?

U.P. Zona Fan wrote:What are the chances Rawle pulls a Zo and comes back for his third year after he tested the waters after his frosh year, and then sat out a significant portion of his sophomore year? Especially if there are some chemistry issues currently that might be alleviated with roster turnover?

To be honest I think coming back is his only viable option. He's a good player but not NBA caliber by any stretch right now. He would get plenty of playing time next year and we'll need a court leader for sure. I'm also interested to see how he plays without Trier on the team if that happens. Overall he'd be the best player on the team next year unless we land another top recruit which at this point looks pretty doubtful.

If there is one thing I've learned, it's that if I think a UofA player should come back for another year (for whatever reason I think it) then said UofA player isn't coming back for another year.

Therefore, I don't think Rawle is coming back

PieceOfMeat wrote:If there is one thing I've learned, it's that if I think a UofA player should come back for another year (for whatever reason I think it) then said UofA player isn't coming back for another year.

Therefore, I don't think Rawle is coming back

I've seen it happen so many times I should have learned by now. I always say they should come back because I love Arizona basketball. That love tends to cloud my common sense sometimes.

Rawle coming back implies he plays poorly from now until the end of our run. Be careful what you wish for.

Guess we know where csm thinks he'll be next year.

Not much of a shooter, and really poor handles, but some kids just don't like school. $25k a year to play basketball full time, with no classes, is better than your upperclass years in college? Guess we are all different.

Merkin wrote:Not much of a shooter, and really poor handles, but some kids just don't like school. $25k a year to play basketball full time, with no classes, is better than your upperclass years in college? Guess we are all different.

His sophomore year has been a big disappointment. Blame the foot injury. I don't see how he gets drafted in the first round. Or maybe even the second round. Unless of course Elgin Baylor is making the pics for the Clips.

Sucks because with another year (or two), he could perhaps be a really dynamic player.

Merkin wrote:Not much of a shooter, and really poor handles, but some kids just don't like school. $25k a year to play basketball full time, with no classes, is better than your upperclass years in college? Guess we are all different.

Agreed...He should do what he wants to do but I’d think a college education would be helpful after his basketball career is over....Obviously it’s an opportunity cost balance decision for him but I don’t think he’s done himself any favors draft projection-wise with his recent play.

Hope he succeeds and will always root for him though. Bear Down SavageLife!

On the pre game Kelvin said that he felt Alkins would be best served going the G league.
Didn't think rawle would really improve in college and needs to play in G league for some time to make way to NBA.
Similar to Kadeem Allen

Merkin wrote:Not much of a shooter, and really poor handles, but some kids just don't like school. $25k a year to play basketball full time, with no classes, is better than your upperclass years in college? Guess we are all different.

All he would have to do to get drafted is be between a good and very good defender, but he is not. And I think that is the biggest thing holding his draft stock back. Guys like Devon Reed and Sterling Brown get drafted early in the 2nd simply because they might be accountable role players if they hit their ceiling. I don't think Rawle has shown enough defensively for someone to think that is a reasonable expectation.

SunnyAZ wrote:

Merkin wrote:Not much of a shooter, and really poor handles, but some kids just don't like school. $25k a year to play basketball full time, with no classes, is better than your upperclass years in college? Guess we are all different.

All he would have to do to get drafted is be between a good and very good defender, but he is not. And I think that is the biggest thing holding his draft stock back. Guys like Devon Reed and Sterling Brown get drafted early in the 2nd simply because they might be accountable role players if they hit their ceiling. I don't think Rawle has shown enough defensively for someone to think that is a reasonable expectation.

To be honest I'm not sure he's shown enough offensively either.

He's the fifth most important piece on the floor for Arizona, a role player who starts. He's been through the ringer this season. The hardest part is behind him. Here's to him putting it all together and executing his role brilliantly in the post-season.

For some reason (and it might be the foot injury) he's lost his consistent toughness which this team so desperately needs. We see spurts of the "old" Rawle but he needs to be that x-factor for us to make a deep run this year.

The problem is his resume right now shows too many turnovers, inconsistent shooting and defensive lapses.

Agree with LH that here's to him putting it all together now that every game for now on has no room for error.

Can he test the draft again or is that a one time deal? Hes not getting recruited over, people love him there, he'd probably be the go to guy, definitely the team leader, I'd have a hard time leaving if there was a question about my draft status, it's the season didn't quite turn out like I had hoped.

Anyone else noticed how he's struggled with his handles this season? Feel like he was a little crisper going to the basket last year. It's possible that foot's still bothering him.

Rawle has ZERO business going pro after this season:

No handles, No shot, could not stay healthy.

He would be better served coming back for his junior year, putting the team on his back, and showing that he can be the man. Miller, or whomever
is coaching the Cats, would surely showcase him.

I'm sure he looks at Kobi Simmons and thinks if he can make it I surely can.

Hope he likes bus rides to places like Sioux Falls.

Rawle could make a MSU Valentine type of jump if her stars.

Yins can educate me, but can somebody explain why coming back to college would be more valuable for his draft stock than just doing well during NBA team workouts?

Longhorned wrote:Yins can educate me, but can somebody explain why coming back to college would be more valuable for his draft stock than just doing well during NBA team workouts?

Well I would guess because he would only get 1, maybe two, workouts for about half the teams in the league. And usually those aren't even 5-on-5. I would guess they would put a lot less stock into those than the 35 or so games he gets in college. I've heard GMs say the workouts are more about getting close to a player to learn about their personality more so than their skillset.

Longhorned wrote:Yins can educate me, but can somebody explain why coming back to college would be more valuable for his draft stock than just doing well during NBA team workouts?

I doubt there’s an obvious preference for every player. Some guys have the kind of support system, interest in school, and favorable timeclock to stay in college. Other guys maybe aren’t so into school or need to start earning a paycheck sooner.

Would Rawle help himself by staying in school? Well, he’d be our captain next year, and he’d have a chance to be our standout player. Not sure how appealing that is if there are NBA teams showing interest, even if he’s currently more a D-league level player. I don’t think Rawle had/is having the kind of season that really helped his draft stock, so that’s a shame.

Whatever he decides, I’ll always think highly of him. He’s made a nice impact on the program. Really fun player to watch.

He might be worried about eligibility if Book hooked him up.

TatetheGreat wrote:He might be worried about eligibility if Book hooked him up.

Really? First I've heard of that.

I believe there was some SPECULATION that Alkins was the guy mentioned in FBI probe when one of the agent types said there was an active player that they had already paid.
Primarily because Book was his main recruiter

I'm not reporting anything, just speculating. I also think he should come back. Tankathon has him going at #23, though.

http://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft" target="_blank

TatetheGreat wrote:I'm not reporting anything, just speculating. I also think he should come back. Tankathon has him going at #23, though.

http://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft" target="_blank

I watched Rawle almost every game he played in this year. He's got talent, but presently, I don't see him as a first round pick.

Beachcat97 wrote:

TatetheGreat wrote:I'm not reporting anything, just speculating. I also think he should come back. Tankathon has him going at #23, though.

http://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft" target="_blank

I watched Rawle almost every game he played in this year. He's got talent, but presently, I don't see him as a first round pick.

Agreed. Unfortunately, five-star recruits usually stay 1-2 years these days.

Postmaster wrote:I believe there was some SPECULATION that Alkins was the guy mentioned in FBI probe when one of the agent types said there was an active player that they had already paid.
Primarily because Book was his main recruiter

Rawle is mentioned in the FBI wire as a player Book thought he could influence. The guy that the agent claimed he'd already taken care of...well, there's never been any info on that person beyond that statement.

Rumors on here have said Rawle or Trier, but there's really never been much else beyond speculation. Rawle is definitely in the FBI complaint, but not as receiving money, so I always thought it would be odd if he was the guy that allegation was about.

What about Randolph? if he's not here next year I guess we'll know.

Serious question, have we ever had 3 guys like Zo, Ray and Rawle in successive classes with such star crossed careers?

Ray: ACLs.
Zo: bone break as a freshman, PED as a soph and the return of PED this year.
Rawle: fracture limiting him in the Sweet 16, then the foot fracture this year.

Geez.

TatetheGreat wrote:I'm not reporting anything, just speculating. I also think he should come back. Tankathon has him going at #23, though.

http://www.tankathon.com/mock_draft" target="_blank

Goddamn that's a really dope site. I went to highlight a player name to google for more info, accidentally clicked and saw everything I wanted - great details.

Somebody can correct me, but I thought I saw Rawle complete the devastating play by stomp-dancing on his fallen defender until he turned into a McDonalds cheeseburger.

Ayton's reaction, including sprinting to the other end is priceless!

Somebody please find the zoomed in clip of the dunk they showed during the interview. Usually those kind of zoomed in slo-mos diminish the impact . . . but in this case it was all the more epic watching Rawle ward off the block with his off hand while smashing the dunk in Stewart’s face. One the best in-game dunks ever by a Wildcat.

Longhorned wrote:Somebody can correct me, but I thought I saw Rawle complete the devastating play by stomp-dancing on his fallen defender until he turned into a McDonalds cheeseburger.

Nah, I think he was avoiding landing on the Dude, happy that he finally got something right offensively, angry he didn’t get the and one call, as well as venting emotion.....I’ve watched it about 20 times now and that’s how I see it....I don’t see him as the Grayson Allen dirty type of player.....he was just doing the combo of what I stated above.

Anyone who didn’t know him and didn’t actually see the play multiple times might get the wrong impression...I was impressed and feel validated by the Ref not teeing him up.....he probably let him get away with that since he didn’t call the initial foul and the refs we swallowing the whistles a lot our last 2 games......IMHO.

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Somebody please find the zoomed in clip of the dunk they showed during the interview. Usually those kind of zoomed in slo-mos diminish the impact . . . but in this case it was all the more epic watching Rawle ward off the block with his off hand while smashing the dunk in Stewart’s face. One the best in-game dunks ever by a Wildcat.

SunnyAZ wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Somebody please find the zoomed in clip of the dunk they showed during the interview. Usually those kind of zoomed in slo-mos diminish the impact . . . but in this case it was all the more epic watching Rawle ward off the block with his off hand while smashing the dunk in Stewart’s face. One the best in-game dunks ever by a Wildcat.

Muehlebachs "OOHHHH" face at :13 is fantastic.

I’ve watched his posterizing dunk about 40 times since last night! He had some frustrating ups and downs especially early on in the game but that dunk was a game changer. Our cats were flowing better at that point on O, and then having Alkins and Ayton pipe on USC b2b positions to spark the final surge was amazing! Alkins is a warrior and I can’t wait to watch him battle in the tournament! Love that he’s a wildcat.

Maybe he did kill a man.

SunnyAZ wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Somebody please find the zoomed in clip of the dunk they showed during the interview. Usually those kind of zoomed in slo-mos diminish the impact . . . but in this case it was all the more epic watching Rawle ward off the block with his off hand while smashing the dunk in Stewart’s face. One the best in-game dunks ever by a Wildcat.

Yaaaaaaaaasssss! You’re the man! God that was vicious.

UAEebs86 wrote:

Rawle with the perfect Boyz N The Hood line / Kendrick rhyme on the tweet.

SunnyAZ wrote:

ByJoveByJingle wrote:Somebody please find the zoomed in clip of the dunk they showed during the interview. Usually those kind of zoomed in slo-mos diminish the impact . . . but in this case it was all the more epic watching Rawle ward off the block with his off hand while smashing the dunk in Stewart’s face. One the best in-game dunks ever by a Wildcat.

That's going to be in a lot of intro videos for Arizona basketball.

I think it was the 2H of the UCLA game when Trier and Alkins had a 2 on 1 and the obvious play was passing to Rawle. Nope, Trier took it all the way himself and got fouled. Rawle laughed and Miller chewed Allonzo out

lol 87 %.

landslide

Well he did kill a guy.