let's talk '18

Frybry02 · Post by **Frybry02** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 6:45 am

Going to need to strike gold with grad transfers and JUCO recruits. Miller has before no reason he can't again.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:39 am

U.P. Zona Fan wrote:I wonder if vasa pucica from northeastern would want to play here?

ChooChooCat wrote:You guys want another grad transfer PG? I'm on my phone, but look up Vasa Pusica at Northeastern. Look at where he's from and the HS he went to along with his stats of course.

He already transferred from San Diego once, is he going to transfer twice? Any rules preventing him?

ChooChooCat wrote:This is the absolute dream grad transfer. I doubt he does, but good christ give him to us please.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... /mike-daum" target="_blank

Would be great. But has me thinking, recruits currently don't want to come here, why is it different with transfers?

prh · Post by **prh** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:57 am

A lot of grad transfers are actually the 2nd transfer. The first transfer gives them the 5th year of eligibility, and they are free to transfer as a grad student.

As for why transfers might want to come when recruits don't, this would be my guess:

A grad transfer like Daum might be looking to prove himself against top level competition, in order to get drafted. He's not currently in 2-round mock drafts, so if he wants to play in the league, a 1 year audition at Arizona would do wonders for him.

A grad transfer who isn't good enough for the league, from a small school, might just want the experience of playing at a blue blood power. Especially a PG who would definitely be playing a lot.

Any small school grad transfer might want a year at a big school to go play in the tourney, like TJ did (although he had more years, same concept).

In general, grad transfers just don't care about the same things as recruits. They know the NCAA won't move quickly enough to give a postseason ban next year, and they don't care about later years. They don't need a stable situation for 3 years like recruits do. They just want to ball and move on.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:58 am

Is Daum just a name we’re throwing out, or is there actually reason to think he’d have interest in AZ?

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:03 am

prh wrote:A lot of grad transfers are actually the 2nd transfer. The first transfer gives them the 5th year of eligibility, and they are free to transfer as a grad student.

As for why transfers might want to come when recruits don't, this would be my guess:

A grad transfer like Daum might be looking to prove himself against top level competition, in order to get drafted. He's not currently in 2-round mock drafts, so if he wants to play in the league, a 1 year audition at Arizona would do wonders for him.

A grad transfer who isn't good enough for the league, from a small school, might just want the experience of playing at a blue blood power. Especially a PG who would definitely be playing a lot.

Any small school grad transfer might want a year at a big school to go play in the tourney, like TJ did (although he had more years, same concept).

In general, grad transfers just don't care about the same things as recruits. They know the NCAA won't move quickly enough to give a postseason ban next year, and they don't care about later years. They don't need a stable situation for 3 years like recruits do. They just want to ball and move on.

That last paragraph is the big thing. Grad transfers are here for a year. If they can get playing time and exposure that year, that's what matters. They don't need to worry about being recruited over or whether a postseason ban drops in their sophomore year.

You can sell immediate playing time because it isn't a long term thing for either side. If we try to snag a big man grad transfer, the selling point is that we have Jeter and Lee and that's it. By default, he's in our 3 man rotation for post playing time. Come here, play in front of sellouts, have NBA scouts see you while they look at Akot, Randolph, etc.

Our roster is down a bit next year, but not so much we can't be a tourney team.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:25 am

Beachcat97 wrote:Is Daum just a name we’re throwing out, or is there actually reason to think he’d have interest in AZ?

Jesus Christ Beach.

Ok let me make this clear, every name I've thrown out are guys who COULD be Grad Transfers, meaning they are all Redshirt Juniors this season, which means as long as they kept up with their studies they should be graduating after this semester. These are just names that COULD be options for Arizona IF they decided to grad transfer, which they will likely be eligible to do.

When and IF any of these guys announce intentions to grad transfer then Arizona will likely be involved, because it's literally the ONE option we have now.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:29 am

NYCat wrote:
U.P. Zona Fan wrote:I wonder if vasa pucica from northeastern would want to play here?

ChooChooCat wrote:You guys want another grad transfer PG? I'm on my phone, but look up Vasa Pusica at Northeastern. Look at where he's from and the HS he went to along with his stats of course.
He already transferred from San Diego once, is he going to transfer twice? Any rules preventing him?

Nope. He's a Redshirt Junior currently because he already sat out due to transferring. As long as he graduates after this semester (he's a senior academically) then he'd be eligible to grad transfer and play immediately.

NYCat wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:This is the absolute dream grad transfer. I doubt he does, but good christ give him to us please.

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... /mike-daum" target="_blank
Would be great. But has me thinking, recruits currently don't want to come here, why is it different with transfers?

I mean if Daum wanted to grad transfer he would have every major program calling his name, so he's a longshot, but look at the schools these guys are playing at. Not many are going to turn down Arizona when they say "we can offer you a lot of minutes at Arizona." We may have Herpes via ESPN, but we're still a major god damn name in the world of this sport and that's an intriguing selling point for any guy who wants to see the limelight that comes with being on the big stage at Arizona.

Olsondogg · Post by **Olsondogg** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:30 am

Choo throwing out potential names and people freaking out. Things will be what they are, no amount of fretting on a message board will change that.

My guess? Brandon Williams comes to Arizona, and Miller picks up some pieces and throws a ton of time to the 4 stars that sat on this years bench. Next year will be a different type year, but hell all of you will be rooting anyway.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:31 am

prh wrote:A lot of grad transfers are actually the 2nd transfer. The first transfer gives them the 5th year of eligibility, and they are free to transfer as a grad student.

As for why transfers might want to come when recruits don't, this would be my guess:

A grad transfer like Daum might be looking to prove himself against top level competition, in order to get drafted. He's not currently in 2-round mock drafts, so if he wants to play in the league, a 1 year audition at Arizona would do wonders for him.

A grad transfer who isn't good enough for the league, from a small school, might just want the experience of playing at a blue blood power. Especially a PG who would definitely be playing a lot.

Any small school grad transfer might want a year at a big school to go play in the tourney, like TJ did (although he had more years, same concept).

In general, grad transfers just don't care about the same things as recruits. They know the NCAA won't move quickly enough to give a postseason ban next year, and they don't care about later years. They don't need a stable situation for 3 years like recruits do. They just want to ball and move on.

This.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:34 am

Doubt Williams ends up coming at this point

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:37 am

Here's a list that will be updated as more announcements come out if any of you want to keep up to date with options.

https://gradtransfertracker.com/potential-transfers-1/" target="_blank

This may be a good option at back up center & he has 2 years of eligibility remaining:

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basket ... att-walker" target="_blank

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 10:11 am

NYCat wrote:Doubt Williams ends up coming at this point

That's what people said about Rick Pitino, but anyone can come at any time. It isn't over until it's over.

We just need to accept that the 2018 class is going to be a 2009-10ish scramble to get things together as they happen and see where that leaves us when the dust settles.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:17 am

Yeah but that time we raided USCs recruits after they got sanctions. This time Arizona is the team being raided. Reef to UCLA & Williams flirting with Bol/Oregon. Whatever happens we shouldn't take kids who aren't good enough just to fill scholarship spots, because that's how you make a bad situation worse.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:28 am

NYCat wrote:Yeah but that time we raided USCs recruits after they got sanctions. This time Arizona is the team being raided. Reef to UCLA & Williams flirting with Bol/Oregon. Whatever happens we shouldn't take kids who aren't good enough just to fill scholarship spots, because that's how you make a bad situation worse.

That's why grad transfers are getting heavy play. They patch a hole and don't fill a spot for the long term if we get stability back.

I know this isn't likely to repeat the 2009 SC exodus, but this year is a similar scrambling mentality for what's out there. We don't have a ton of scholarship guys, but the upside is that if we do return Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Smith, Lee and Jeter, those guys are all legit options who you think can be rotation players on a 8 or 9 seed.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:35 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:I know this isn't likely to repeat the 2009 SC exodus, but this year is a similar scrambling mentality for what's out there. We don't have a ton of scholarship guys, but the upside is that if we do return Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Smith, Lee and Jeter, those guys are all legit options who you think can be rotation players on a 8 or 9 seed.

Call me crazy, but I’m sorta looking forward to being an underdog next year. I’m sure we’ll all miss Ayton, but those 8/9 seeds don’t have the same soaring expectations as we’re used to. It’ll be fun seeing our young guys develop and make a run for a bid.

MountainCat · Post by **MountainCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:53 am

Beachcat97 wrote: Call me crazy, but I’m sorta looking forward to being an underdog next year. I’m sure we’ll all miss Ayton, but those 8/9 seeds don’t have the same soaring expectations as we’re used to. It’ll be fun seeing our young guys develop and make a run for a bid.

...and we'll still beat ASU and watch Hurley have a conniption.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:59 am

Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:I know this isn't likely to repeat the 2009 SC exodus, but this year is a similar scrambling mentality for what's out there. We don't have a ton of scholarship guys, but the upside is that if we do return Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Smith, Lee and Jeter, those guys are all legit options who you think can be rotation players on a 8 or 9 seed.
Call me crazy, but I’m sorta looking forward to being an underdog next year. I’m sure we’ll all miss Ayton, but those 8/9 seeds don’t have the same soaring expectations as we’re used to. It’ll be fun seeing our young guys develop and make a run for a bid.

But we'll all be a year closer to own eternally extinguished consciousness, thanks to our inevitable deaths. And there will be no basketball for us then, and no basketball to remember. So I'm not looking forward to that.

btfd16 · Post by **btfd16** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:05 pm

Sheesh this gets me going...

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:07 pm

Longhorned wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:I know this isn't likely to repeat the 2009 SC exodus, but this year is a similar scrambling mentality for what's out there. We don't have a ton of scholarship guys, but the upside is that if we do return Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Smith, Lee and Jeter, those guys are all legit options who you think can be rotation players on a 8 or 9 seed.
Call me crazy, but I’m sorta looking forward to being an underdog next year. I’m sure we’ll all miss Ayton, but those 8/9 seeds don’t have the same soaring expectations as we’re used to. It’ll be fun seeing our young guys develop and make a run for a bid.
But we'll all be a year closer to own eternally extinguished consciousness, thanks to our inevitable deaths. And there will be no basketball for us then, and no basketball to remember. So I'm not looking forward to that.

I believe there's basketball in the afterlife. For good fans, heaven is watching your team pull UConn magical runs every year. Bad fans get an eternal loop of Arizona/Illinois and you're always rooting for Arizona.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:09 pm

Longhorned wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:I know this isn't likely to repeat the 2009 SC exodus, but this year is a similar scrambling mentality for what's out there. We don't have a ton of scholarship guys, but the upside is that if we do return Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Smith, Lee and Jeter, those guys are all legit options who you think can be rotation players on a 8 or 9 seed.
Call me crazy, but I’m sorta looking forward to being an underdog next year. I’m sure we’ll all miss Ayton, but those 8/9 seeds don’t have the same soaring expectations as we’re used to. It’ll be fun seeing our young guys develop and make a run for a bid.
But we'll all be a year closer to own eternally extinguished consciousness, thanks to our inevitable deaths. And there will be no basketball for us then, and no basketball to remember. So I'm not looking forward to that.

I will forever wake up in nightsweats thinking that this should've been our roster next year:

Jahvon Quinerly
Brandon Williams
Brandon Randolph
Emmanuel Akot
Nassir Little
Ira Lee
Shareef O'Neal
Chase Jeter
Bol Bol
Alex Barcello
Dylan Smith

NIGHT. TERRORS.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:16 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:
Longhorned wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:I know this isn't likely to repeat the 2009 SC exodus, but this year is a similar scrambling mentality for what's out there. We don't have a ton of scholarship guys, but the upside is that if we do return Barcello, Randolph, Akot, Smith, Lee and Jeter, those guys are all legit options who you think can be rotation players on a 8 or 9 seed.
Call me crazy, but I’m sorta looking forward to being an underdog next year. I’m sure we’ll all miss Ayton, but those 8/9 seeds don’t have the same soaring expectations as we’re used to. It’ll be fun seeing our young guys develop and make a run for a bid.
But we'll all be a year closer to own eternally extinguished consciousness, thanks to our inevitable deaths. And there will be no basketball for us then, and no basketball to remember. So I'm not looking forward to that.
I will forever wake up in nightsweats thinking that this should've been our roster next year:

Jahvon Quinerly
Brandon Williams
Brandon Randolph
Emmanuel Akot
Nassir Little
Ira Lee
Shareef O'Neal
Chase Jeter
Bol Bol
Alex Barcello
Dylan Smith

NIGHT. TERRORS.

If Book solicited a bribe from any other agent in the world, this would be our lineup. It just isn't fair.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:18 pm

If it makes people feel better. Coach K got the top 3 recruits who are all SFs and did it totally legit and 100% CLEAN.

MountainCat · Post by **MountainCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:20 pm

NYCat wrote:If it makes people feel better. Coach K got the top 3 recruits who are all SFs and did it totally legit and 100% CLEAN.

Define "legit and 100% CLEAN"?

I have a dream that they day after Arizona wins the NCAA Tourney this year, that the NBA Announces with doing away of the One-n-Done Rule and all currently signed One-n-Done's ditch college for the NBA, leaving teams like Duke with no signed players for next year.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:25 pm

Oh my God. That alternate universe 2018-19 lineup is ridiculous. It's actually more reflective of where our program was pre-ESPN and pre-Book scandal. It's also reflective of the hard work Sean's put in over the last several years.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:34 pm

NYCat wrote:If it makes people feel better. Coach K got the top 3 recruits who are all SFs and did it totally legit and 100% CLEAN.

This is why I pray every day that the recruit Miller mentioned a money offer for is Bagley and that somehow we get cleared and Duke gets implicated in one fell swoop. I don't dare dream that would be possible because it would be the single greatest moment of my sports fan life.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:37 pm

Think Duke is too big to fail.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 12:45 pm

Beachcat97 wrote:Think Duke is too big to fail.

Don't ruin my dreams. If my wife asks me if I'm in "the mood," even if I'm really not, I just have to think of the scenario where Miller gets exculpated as K goes down...and I'm in the mood.

EVCat · Post by **EVCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 1:36 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote: Don't ruin my dreams. If my wife asks me if I'm in "the mood," even if I'm really not, I just have to think of the scenario where Miller gets exculpated as K goes down...and I'm in the mood.

The wife asking is enough to put me in the mood.

It happens. But it never fails to be enough to put me in the mood.

I am 14 years old at my core.

RiseAndFire · Post by **RiseAndFire** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 2:25 pm

Spiff gets boners dreaming about Miller. Why is that not surprising?

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 2:28 pm

RiseAndFire wrote:Spiff gets boners dreaming about Miller. Why is that not surprising?

Your mother never complains.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 2:58 pm

Spaceman Spiff wrote:
RiseAndFire wrote:Spiff gets boners dreaming about Miller. Why is that not surprising?
Your mother never complains.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:21 pm

YoDeFoe wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:
RiseAndFire wrote:Spiff gets boners dreaming about Miller. Why is that not surprising?
Your mother never complains.

Your mother never minds when I want to go man to man with her, Trebek! It does encourage penetration, though, so you're right about that.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 3:34 pm

Now that RF got yo mama’d he has to leave the board, right?

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 7:12 pm

Longhorned wrote:Now that RF got yo mama’d he has to leave the board, right?

The Connery gif sealed the deal. Bye Bye RF.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:33 pm

2018 but whatevs

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 8:56 pm

NYCat wrote:2018 but whatevs

I could live with Williams goiing elsewhere, but ASU...I would turn on him fast even when I try to be classy about this stuff.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 9:46 pm

No way he goes to ASU. None.

AZCatGirl · Post by **AZCatGirl** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:38 pm

U.P. Zona Fan · Post by **U.P. Zona Fan** » Wed Mar 07, 2018 11:43 pm

AZCatGirl wrote:

Like details about how heavy the duffle bag is

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:11 am

AZCatGirl wrote:

Please, please, please.

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:17 am

Much better than a Hell No

IrishAzCat · Post by **IrishAzCat** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:36 am

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:41 am

This is selfish as anything, but furthering my 2009 class comparison, Brandon Williams could be another Derrick Williams or Solomon Hill. With the instability, having a really good multi year player to lay the groundwork to move beyond this FBI stuff would be huge.

Having that guy also be a PG would be equally huge.

Alieberman · Post by **Alieberman** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 8:57 am

I have no idea if he will come back, but the fact that Miller and his staff are still going after him makes me think Miller will really be back next year.

Fingers crossed

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:32 am

Alieberman wrote:I have no idea if he will come back, but the fact that Miller and his staff are still going after him makes me think Miller will really be back next year.

Fingers crossed

Great point, Alie. Miller is staying, thank God. Just need that PG. Come on, BW!

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 9:45 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:This is selfish as anything, but furthering my 2009 class comparison, Brandon Williams could be another Derrick Williams or Solomon Hill. With the instability, having a really good multi year player to lay the groundwork to move beyond this FBI stuff would be huge.

Having that guy also be a PG would be equally huge.

I'd like to nominate Williams as our DWill and Doutrive as our Solo.

Spaceman Spiff · Post by **Spaceman Spiff** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:10 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
Spaceman Spiff wrote:This is selfish as anything, but furthering my 2009 class comparison, Brandon Williams could be another Derrick Williams or Solomon Hill. With the instability, having a really good multi year player to lay the groundwork to move beyond this FBI stuff would be huge.

Having that guy also be a PG would be equally huge.
I'd like to nominate Williams as our DWill and Doutrive as our Solo.

I'm fine with that. If they wanted to both be DWill, I could like that too.

YoDeFoe · Post by **YoDeFoe** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:28 am

Spaceman Spiff wrote:This is selfish as anything, but furthering my 2009 class comparison, Brandon Williams could be another Derrick Williams or Solomon Hill. With the instability, having a really good multi year player to lay the groundwork to move beyond this FBI stuff would be huge.

Having that guy also be a PG would be equally huge.

If he doesn't come I die.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 12:40 pm

Rivals take on Williams:

RIVALS REACTION
Williams is by far the most coveted west coast recruit left on the board, so it's no surprise that he's being pursued by some top Pac-12 teams. The way he has come back after knee surgery is so impressive and his versatility on the offensive end makes him a good match for any team. Williams will ultimately stay in the Pac-12 and Oregon and Arizona State are the two teams to beat.

This quote was also in the article:

"Arizona came to practice earlier this week. Coach (Sean) Miller, coach (Mark) Phelps and coach (Lorenzo) Romar all came down," Williams told http://Rivals.com" target="_blank .

"They’re just showing me that they’re still here and they want me. You know it’s kind of an awkward vibe right now but I’m still family with them and I talk to them all the time. There’s something about them and the love is still there."

So we're pretty much the ex-girlfriend. Cool.

NYCat · Post by **NYCat** » Thu Mar 08, 2018 12:45 pm

Yeah none of the quotes make me feel any better. Feels like he's moved on mentally.

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