The 2020-2021 Season Thread

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 3:10 pm

TheCat wrote:My prediction is one of the 3 freshman (besides Koloko) will be back.

Think that's a decent prediction. More Nnaji, please.

dovecanyoncat · Post by **dovecanyoncat** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:16 pm

gronk4heisman wrote:Anyone seen these Wichita St guys we are looking at?

Stevenson looks like the better player, but appears to have an entitlement mentality that may not clash well with Sean Miller.

Simply on principle I will clash with anybody from Wichita State.

Captain Obvious · Post by **Captain Obvious** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:21 pm

TheCat wrote:My prediction is one of the 3 freshman (besides Koloko) will be back.

My prediction is none of them will be back. Neither will Williams IMHO. His knee issues are too extensive and persistent to risk returning. At this point next year is looking pretty dismal. It will only get worse when the NCAA drops the hammer.

NickyBCats · Post by **NickyBCats** » Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:40 pm

Any word on Zaire? Kerr Kriisa are we still on him?

Merkin · Post by **Merkin** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 7:14 am

Captain Obvious wrote:
TheCat wrote:My prediction is one of the 3 freshman (besides Koloko) will be back.
My prediction is none of them will be back. Neither will Williams IMHO. His knee issues are too extensive and persistent to risk returning. At this point next year is looking pretty dismal. It will only get worse when the NCAA drops the hammer.

Same here. All 3 are predicted to go first round, which is guaranteed money. And unlike Ndudi Ebi, there is now a G/D league for them to still develop.

Even the 30th pick is guaranteed $1.6M+ per year for 2 years. Especially someone like Mannion, who is really getting exposed the longer he plays.

gronk4heisman · Post by **gronk4heisman** » Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:28 am

Merkin wrote:
Captain Obvious wrote:
TheCat wrote:My prediction is one of the 3 freshman (besides Koloko) will be back.
My prediction is none of them will be back. Neither will Williams IMHO. His knee issues are too extensive and persistent to risk returning. At this point next year is looking pretty dismal. It will only get worse when the NCAA drops the hammer.
Same here. All 3 are predicted to go first round, which is guaranteed money. And unlike Ndudi Ebi, there is now a G/D league for them to still develop.

Even the 30th pick is guaranteed $1.6M+ per year for 2 years. Especially someone like Mannion, who is really getting exposed the longer he plays.

Over half of the newest mock drafts I have seen have Nnaji slipping out of the 1st round FWIW.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Wed Mar 18, 2020 2:43 pm

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Thu Mar 19, 2020 2:41 pm

https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndicatio ... s.amp.html" target="_blank

This article doesn’t have Zeke in the first round. It has Green at 19 I think and Mannion at 22.Just don’t think a player should go unless he gets first round guarantees

midnightx · Post by **midnightx** » Thu Mar 19, 2020 4:32 pm

azcat49 wrote:https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndicatio ... s.amp.html

This article doesn’t have Zeke in the first round. It has Green at 19 I think and Mannion at 22.Just don’t think a player should go unless he gets first round guarantees

Absolutely. Mannion was slotted in as a lottery pick for several months, but his play during conference play was very underwhelming and it is no surprise he dropped. The money isn't big enough at the end of the first round to jump to the NBA. He could greatly improve his draft stock returning and developing his game and physical tools, thereby not only potentially improving his draft stock and earning potential, but the possibility of not spending his first year in the NBA mostly riding the bench. If Zeke isn't trending as a first rounder, he should come back. But in this era of Arizona basketball, guys that shouldn't leave do it all the time.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Thu Mar 19, 2020 5:09 pm

Well it will be interesting how the NBA handles its draft along with the college entry time line? These guys need feedback and if a player can’t get a try out then both parties are working at a deficit

TheCat · Post by **TheCat** » Thu Mar 19, 2020 5:12 pm

Merkin wrote:
Captain Obvious wrote:
TheCat wrote:My prediction is one of the 3 freshman (besides Koloko) will be back.
My prediction is none of them will be back. Neither will Williams IMHO. His knee issues are too extensive and persistent to risk returning. At this point next year is looking pretty dismal. It will only get worse when the NCAA drops the hammer.
Same here. All 3 are predicted to go first round, which is guaranteed money. And unlike Ndudi Ebi, there is now a G/D league for them to still develop.

Even the 30th pick is guaranteed $1.6M+ per year for 2 years. Especially someone like Mannion, who is really getting exposed the longer he plays.

The NBA draft projections I looked at had Nico going next to last and Josh Green going last. That is a hell of a gamble. I especially think Green is going to be vulnerable because he is tweener in size at SF and can't shoot well enough to be a two guard yet. Nico may get drafted on potential but he isn't in the lottery on any prediction I saw.

azgreg · Post by **azgreg** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:42 pm

zonagrad · Post by **zonagrad** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 8:45 pm

azgreg wrote:

I hope his jump shot is better than his spelling.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 8:53 pm

Who is that?

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 8:58 pm

azcat49 wrote:Who is that?

On the left? When he was a child???

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 8:58 pm

Dalen Terry. See his Twitter handle.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:47 pm

OK thx. Thought maybe we received a new commitment

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 10:56 pm

all three (Mannion, Green, Nnaji) would benefit greatly long term from a spring and summer to naturally mature and develop followed by a second full season in college and then think about turning pro. It won’t happen, and that’s a shame, but that would be the best thing for all three players.

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Sun Mar 22, 2020 11:14 pm

97cats wrote:all three (Mannion, Green, Nnaji) would benefit greatly long term from a spring and summer to naturally mature and develop followed by a second full season in college and then think about turning pro. It won’t happen, and that’s a shame, but that would be the best thing for all three players.

Isn’t it also a bad time to enter the draft with the first ongoing situation? It should really be a special year in college basketball next year because so many talented players should return.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:03 pm

Longhorned wrote:
97cats wrote:all three (Mannion, Green, Nnaji) would benefit greatly long term from a spring and summer to naturally mature and develop followed by a second full season in college and then think about turning pro. It won’t happen, and that’s a shame, but that would be the best thing for all three players.
Isn’t it also a bad time to enter the draft with the first ongoing situation? It should really be a special year in college basketball next year because so many talented players should return.

This is a bad time to do anything stupid period, but that hasn't stopped most of this country from doing so this very week. Why should these 3 knuckleheads be any different?

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:00 pm

High level players are already declaring (Edwards, Okoro, Jones). Until some of the '20 projected lotto (or just first round) picks start choosing to stay in school, there's no reason to expect our three to be back in Tucson.

I do think, though, that the strangeness of this year and the uncertainty about how long the crisis may go on for will at least give some guys pause.

NickyBCats · Post by **NickyBCats** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:31 pm

Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.

97cats · Post by **97cats** » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:34 pm

my comment was independent of the pandemic - all three, IMO should take advantage of another full calendar year to mature both mentally and physically and use the opportunity to learn and grow naturally from an additional college offseason and season.

for these three specifically, as one year players, i would say that any year.

there is no Gordon or Ayton in this bunch...

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:28 am

NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.

They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:50 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.
They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.

Any transfers that we've offered you're interested in? I wouldn't mind Joshua Morgan from LBSU (only a freshman), seems like he's a high upside kid, although I worry he's very similar to Koloko. Out on that Mike Smith kid from Columbia, seems like a bad fit. Nate Johnson feels meh. I would like Justin Turner though.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 9:34 am

goslingswagg wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.
They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.
Any transfers that we've offered you're interested in? I wouldn't mind Joshua Morgan from LBSU (only a freshman), seems like he's a high upside kid, although I worry he's very similar to Koloko. Out on that Mike Smith kid from Columbia, seems like a bad fit. Nate Johnson feels meh. I would like Justin Turner though.

None of them are going to save Sean Miller's job. I couldn't care less who we land, none of them impress me, they're all bandaids. Our aspirations now are to become Iowa State under Hoiberg.

gronk4heisman · Post by **gronk4heisman** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:01 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.
They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.

Even if all of the freshman come back I still only count 11 scholarship players (including B Will and the two recruits) so we have 2 open spots regardless. I am not sure us going after every transfer in the world reflects on them coming back, but you would know better then I.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:23 am

gronk4heisman wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.
They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.
Even if all of the freshman come back I still only count 11 scholarship players (including B Will and the two recruits) so we have 2 open spots regardless. I am not sure us going after ever transfer in the world reflects on them coming back, but you would know better then I.

The entire starting lineup is gone.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:27 am

https://www.espn.com/nba/draft/bestavai ... ovr/page/2" target="_blank

Hadn't seen this posted yet. It's crazy to me that they don't project Zeke as a first round pick. I'm also still surprised to see Nico projected so high.

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:27 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
gronk4heisman wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.
They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.
Even if all of the freshman come back I still only count 11 scholarship players (including B Will and the two recruits) so we have 2 open spots regardless. I am not sure us going after ever transfer in the world reflects on them coming back, but you would know better then I.
The entire starting lineup is gone.

NM, JG, and ZN gone even without a first round guarantee?

gronk4heisman · Post by **gronk4heisman** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:32 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
gronk4heisman wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:Is there any chance at all that any of the 3 would come back? I imagine not having the ability to have work outs for any teams right now is not a good thing for some of these guys.
They're all gone. There's a reason we're offering every grad transfer that comes available.
Even if all of the freshman come back I still only count 11 scholarship players (including B Will and the two recruits) so we have 2 open spots regardless. I am not sure us going after ever transfer in the world reflects on them coming back, but you would know better then I.
The entire starting lineup is gone.

If that is a for sure thing why not just announce it? Stupid choices being made if that is the case, but not surprising.

84Cat · Post by **84Cat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:47 am

Why not announce, go work out for teams, get feedback and then make an informed decision? Do they really want to play in Europe at 19?

UAEebs86 · Post by **UAEebs86** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:50 am

84Cat wrote:Why not announce, go work out for teams, get feedback and then make an informed decision? Do they really want to play in Europe at 19?

I would imagine Covid-19 has screwed up all those draft timelines and travel plans.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:14 am

UAEebs86 wrote:
84Cat wrote:Why not announce, go work out for teams, get feedback and then make an informed decision? Do they really want to play in Europe at 19?

I would imagine Covid-19 has screwed up all those draft timelines and travel plans.

Yup.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:16 am

I think there's now a pretty deeply rooted "culture" of OAD in place in college hoops. That is, the practice of using college as a glorified pro tryout has gone on for years, and it's genuinely surprising when a high-level player deviates from this practice. Guys who arrive as McD'sAAs or just as projected lotto picks seem to almost be going through the motions. Does anyone really think Nico (not picking on Nico; he's just a convenient example) has had a single conversation about playing a second year at AZ? I don't think that's me being cynical. Think it's reality. This is why even in a fucking pandemic, the culture of OAD holds sway. If you're a projected lotto pick, you do your six months of college and then you declare for the draft. Period. Anyone who stays in school is not only an outlier but is somehow perceived as not being good enough to be OAD. It's very fucked up.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:18 am

Beachcat97 wrote:I think there's now a pretty deeply rooted "culture" of OAD in place in college hoops. That is, the practice of using college as a glorified pro tryout has gone on for years, and it's genuinely surprising when a high-level player deviates from this practice. Guys who arrive as McD'sAAs or just as projected lotto picks seem to almost be going through the motions. Does anyone really think Nico (not picking on Nico; he's just a convenient example) has had a single conversation about playing a second year at AZ? I don't think that's me being cynical. Think it's reality. This is why even in a fucking pandemic, the culture of OAD holds sway. If you're a projected lotto pick, you do your six months of college and then you declare for the draft. Period. Anyone who stays in school is not only an outlier but is somehow perceived as not being good enough to be OAD. It's very fucked up.

I mean the only reason we landed Akinjo was because it was agreed upon from the start that Nico was not staying for a second year.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:35 am

ChooChooCat wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:I think there's now a pretty deeply rooted "culture" of OAD in place in college hoops. That is, the practice of using college as a glorified pro tryout has gone on for years, and it's genuinely surprising when a high-level player deviates from this practice. Guys who arrive as McD'sAAs or just as projected lotto picks seem to almost be going through the motions. Does anyone really think Nico (not picking on Nico; he's just a convenient example) has had a single conversation about playing a second year at AZ? I don't think that's me being cynical. Think it's reality. This is why even in a fucking pandemic, the culture of OAD holds sway. If you're a projected lotto pick, you do your six months of college and then you declare for the draft. Period. Anyone who stays in school is not only an outlier but is somehow perceived as not being good enough to be OAD. It's very fucked up.
I mean the only reason we landed Akinjo was because it was agreed upon from the start that Nico was not staying for a second year.

We need to get out of the OnD business. It's not Miller's forte. Some coaches are good with those kids, some aren't, I think we've found that Miller does not succeed with high roster turnover.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:37 am

goslingswagg wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:I think there's now a pretty deeply rooted "culture" of OAD in place in college hoops. That is, the practice of using college as a glorified pro tryout has gone on for years, and it's genuinely surprising when a high-level player deviates from this practice. Guys who arrive as McD'sAAs or just as projected lotto picks seem to almost be going through the motions. Does anyone really think Nico (not picking on Nico; he's just a convenient example) has had a single conversation about playing a second year at AZ? I don't think that's me being cynical. Think it's reality. This is why even in a fucking pandemic, the culture of OAD holds sway. If you're a projected lotto pick, you do your six months of college and then you declare for the draft. Period. Anyone who stays in school is not only an outlier but is somehow perceived as not being good enough to be OAD. It's very fucked up.
I mean the only reason we landed Akinjo was because it was agreed upon from the start that Nico was not staying for a second year.
We need to get out of the OnD business. It's not Miller's forte. Some coaches are good with those kids, some aren't, I think we've found that Miller does not succeed with high roster turnover.

Miller didn't create OAD culture. He's just assimilated to it.

SCCats · Post by **SCCats** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:39 am

goslingswagg wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:I think there's now a pretty deeply rooted "culture" of OAD in place in college hoops. That is, the practice of using college as a glorified pro tryout has gone on for years, and it's genuinely surprising when a high-level player deviates from this practice. Guys who arrive as McD'sAAs or just as projected lotto picks seem to almost be going through the motions. Does anyone really think Nico (not picking on Nico; he's just a convenient example) has had a single conversation about playing a second year at AZ? I don't think that's me being cynical. Think it's reality. This is why even in a fucking pandemic, the culture of OAD holds sway. If you're a projected lotto pick, you do your six months of college and then you declare for the draft. Period. Anyone who stays in school is not only an outlier but is somehow perceived as not being good enough to be OAD. It's very fucked up.
I mean the only reason we landed Akinjo was because it was agreed upon from the start that Nico was not staying for a second year.
We need to get out of the OnD business. It's not Miller's forte. Some coaches are good with those kids, some aren't, I think we've found that Miller does not succeed with high roster turnover.

Generally top ten type guys seem to be worth it for one year.

Other than that, build a long term roster largely ignoring many of those 15-35 rated type guys who tell you in recruiting they’re one and done.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 12:09 pm

Beachcat97 wrote:
goslingswagg wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
Beachcat97 wrote:I think there's now a pretty deeply rooted "culture" of OAD in place in college hoops. That is, the practice of using college as a glorified pro tryout has gone on for years, and it's genuinely surprising when a high-level player deviates from this practice. Guys who arrive as McD'sAAs or just as projected lotto picks seem to almost be going through the motions. Does anyone really think Nico (not picking on Nico; he's just a convenient example) has had a single conversation about playing a second year at AZ? I don't think that's me being cynical. Think it's reality. This is why even in a fucking pandemic, the culture of OAD holds sway. If you're a projected lotto pick, you do your six months of college and then you declare for the draft. Period. Anyone who stays in school is not only an outlier but is somehow perceived as not being good enough to be OAD. It's very fucked up.
I mean the only reason we landed Akinjo was because it was agreed upon from the start that Nico was not staying for a second year.
We need to get out of the OnD business. It's not Miller's forte. Some coaches are good with those kids, some aren't, I think we've found that Miller does not succeed with high roster turnover.
Miller didn't create OAD culture. He's just assimilated to it.

Right, and he's assimilated very poorly to it. There are very few OnDs that are play style/personality fits for Miller (AG and Nnaji? Might be it), it's just not worth the risk.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 1:24 pm

There are coaches that do a very good job recruiting short timers (transfers and/or OADs) and assimilate those players into their system very quickly or assimilate their system to the players.

Sean Miller is not one of those coaches.

NickyBCats · Post by **NickyBCats** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 5:27 pm

How we looking with Zaire?

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 6:26 pm

NickyBCats wrote:How we looking with Zaire?

Sounding more and more like he's not leaving California.

goslingswagg · Post by **goslingswagg** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:09 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:How we looking with Zaire?
Sounding more and more like he's not leaving California.

Gonna need to pull a rabbit out of the hat for next year to be a decent season I’m afraid...yikes for the Miller fans out there.

Beachcat97 · Post by **Beachcat97** » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:12 pm

ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:How we looking with Zaire?
Sounding more and more like he's not leaving California.

I'm hearing USC.

SCCats · Post by **SCCats** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:23 am

goslingswagg wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:How we looking with Zaire?
Sounding more and more like he's not leaving California.
Gonna need to pull a rabbit out of the hat for next year to be a decent season I’m afraid...yikes for the Miller fans out there.

Top 25 and 1 for next year.

We aren’t on it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... -25-and-1/" target="_blank

Next year probably looks fairly similar to this year record/results wise. I assume that will cause us to part ways with Sean. So we wait.

ByJoveByJingle · Post by **ByJoveByJingle** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:24 am

goslingswagg wrote:
ChooChooCat wrote:
NickyBCats wrote:How we looking with Zaire?
Sounding more and more like he's not leaving California.
Gonna need to pull a rabbit out of the hat for next year to be a decent season I’m afraid...yikes for the Miller fans out there.

But the non-Miller fans will be happy? Weird. But ok.

ChooChooCat · Post by **ChooChooCat** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:14 am

SCCats wrote:
Next year probably looks fairly similar to this year record/results wise. I assume that will cause us to part ways with Sean. So we wait.

Well with the caveat that we don't know exactly who will be on the roster next year with the 392473294763294723472374e27 transfers we're pursuing to fill the holes, next year being fairly similar to this recent year is probably best case scenario.

azcat49 · Post by **azcat49** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:37 am

Maybe we luck out and Zeke stays so the loss of Zaire wouldn’t be so tough? Beginning to wonder if any of these pro sports will have a draft

Longhorned · Post by **Longhorned** » Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:47 am

azcat49 wrote:Maybe we luck out and Zeke stays so the loss of Zaire wouldn’t be so tough? Beginning to wonder if any of these pro sports will have a draft

Ever since Grant Jarret, to me it just seems more like promising players are so desperate to leave behind screaming support of a sold-out McKale, they'll happily loll on the couch watching reruns of That 70s Show, immediate NBA prospects or not.

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