The 2020-2021 Season Thread

[Merkin]

Someone needs to post all the players pics with their names in this thread.... I don't think I know what 90% of them look like.

https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/mens ... all/roster" target="_blank

This confirms our roster composition is 50% players whose names I'm scared I'm mispronouncing and 50% guys named Brown.

Can't wait for Bill Watson to try and pronounce those!

[pc in NM]

[UAEebs86]

[Spaceman Spiff]

Someone needs to post all the players pics with their names in this thread.... I don't think I know what 90% of them look like.

https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/mens ... all/roster" target="_blank

This confirms our roster composition is 50% players whose names I'm scared I'm mispronouncing and 50% guys named Brown.

Can't wait for Bill Watson to try and pronounce those!

At a minimum, I'm interested to learn if Walton has been to Vilnius, Tartu or Istanbul, and the related stories he has for each locale.

[Jefe]

Grant Weitman? Salpointe. Huh.

https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildca ... 2481f.html" target="_blank

His grandfather, Paul Weitman, was a former basketball player and high school basketball coach in Georgia who moved to Tucson in the 1970s to take over a Buick dealership, eventually creating the Royal Automotive Group. While doing so, Paul Weitman also became one of Lute Olson’s closest friends, named a Breeders’ Cup champion horse after the former UA coach — Midnight Lute — and is still a regular fixture around Arizona’s home and away games.

Grant’s father, Neal, was a two-sport star at Salpointe who went on to play football for the University of San Diego before returning to Tucson and eventually becoming the Royal Automotive Group’s general manager.

Grant’s cousin, Luc Rosenblatt, was a standout for Salpointe who served as a manager for the UA basketball team last season.

Then there was the gang at Salpointe last season. Grant’s coach, Jim Reynolds, is the father of UA basketball operations director Ryan Reynolds. And two of the Lancers’ standouts were sons of UA coaches — guard Jordan Gainey (son of assistant coach Justin Gainey, who is now on the Marquette staff) and Braden Miller (the youngest son of head coach Sean Miller).

[azgreg]

Someone needs to post all the players pics with their names in this thread.... I don't think I know what 90% of them look like.

https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/mens ... all/roster" target="_blank

This confirms our roster composition is 50% players whose names I'm scared I'm mispronouncing and 50% guys named Brown.

Can't wait for Bill Watson to try and pronounce those!

Always wanted to see Harry Caray call an Olympic hockey game.

[EastCoastCat]

I'm curious as to where this team will get most of their "reliable" scoring from? Do we think our top 4 scorers on a consistent basis will be Tubelis, Akinjo, Baker, and Brown?

This will be an interesting squad to watch with so many open questions.

[ChooChooCat]

[tweet] https://twitter.com/aplayersprogram/sta ... 2249529345" target="_blank[/tweet]

[84Cat]

[tweet] https://twitter.com/aplayersprogram/sta ... 2249529345" target="_blank[/tweet]

[Spaceman Spiff]

I'm curious as to where this team will get most of their "reliable" scoring from? Do we think our top 4 scorers on a consistent basis will be Tubelis, Akinjo, Baker, and Brown?

This will be an interesting squad to watch with so many open questions.

This is just my thoughts. If I need to shut up, someone tell me, but I'm happy to see this board not totally dead for basketball chat.

Brown, he didn't have very much of a defined offensive game or any go to moves in HS or at Nevada. I hope the year off helped with that, as well as making him a better shot blocker or rebounder. I'd defer to someone with insider knowledge, all I know is scoring punch wasn't really there pre-transfer, but he has the physical tools.

Tubelis, I'm very impressed with. He's mobile and has great touch. If he's strong enough, I wouldn't be shocked if he was close to Nnaji's offensive performance.

Akinjo, needs to get more efficient and shoot the 3 like he did as a freshman. I'd say he's clearly got the most scoring potential on the perimeter, you just want to see him getting there on better efficiency.

Baker, I see him as more a complimentary guy. I hope he continues to improve his shooting. It got better last year, but still needs to improve for him to really be a plus. I don't think he's a go to guy because he can't really create for himself or others much.

Perimeter creation would be one of my biggest current concerns. I think Baker and Kriisa can shoot, but n9t sure either is ready to create (more physical development is needed with Kriisa). Akinjo and Brown can create, but neither's done it at nearly the efficiency you want. Brown particularly has been low efficiency, where Akinjo shows some signs.

[EastCoastCat]

I'm curious as to where this team will get most of their "reliable" scoring from? Do we think our top 4 scorers on a consistent basis will be Tubelis, Akinjo, Baker, and Brown?

This will be an interesting squad to watch with so many open questions.

This is just my thoughts. If I need to shut up, someone tell me, but I'm happy to see this board not totally dead for basketball chat.

Brown, he didn't have very much of a defined offensive game or any go to moves in HS or at Nevada. I hope the year off helped with that, as well as making him a better shot blocker or rebounder. I'd defer to someone with insider knowledge, all I know is scoring punch wasn't really there pre-transfer, but he has the physical tools.

Tubelis, I'm very impressed with. He's mobile and has great touch. If he's strong enough, I wouldn't be shocked if he was close to Nnaji's offensive performance.

Akinjo, needs to get more efficient and shoot the 3 like he did as a freshman. I'd say he's clearly got the most scoring potential on the perimeter, you just want to see him getting there on better efficiency.

Baker, I see him as more a complimentary guy. I hope he continues to improve his shooting. It got better last year, but still needs to improve for him to really be a plus. I don't think he's a go to guy because he can't really create for himself or others much.

Perimeter creation would be one of my biggest current concerns. I think Baker and Kriisa can shoot, but n9t sure either is ready to create (more physical development is needed with Kriisa). Akinjo and Brown can create, but neither's done it at nearly the efficiency you want. Brown particularly has been low efficiency, where Akinjo shows some signs.

Thanks Spiff. So you think perimeter scoring is more of a concern?
I was worrying more about points in the paint. I mean does any of the current crop possess the inside moves and footwork that made Nnaji so successful? Just because we have some big bodies doesn't necessarily mean they know how to finish. Can Brown get some points in the paint? Big open question.

Maybe it's just me but I'm pretty high on Baker. He did struggle towards the end of last season but for a while he was probably our most consistent perimeter player.

With Akinjo, I'm afraid he's going to be one of those "on one night off another" type players. We will both love him and hate him. I hope I am wrong.

[Merkin]

Maybe it's just me but I'm pretty high on Baker. He did struggle towards the end of last season but for a while he was probably our most consistent perimeter player.

Same here. Didn't come until the end of the season that Baker was 80% due to a knee injury. Hopefully he is 100% healed up.


Kriisa was a 40% 3 pt shooter last season, hopefully he can keep that up especially since the NCAA moved the 3 point line to the international distance which he is used to.

[Spaceman Spiff]

ECC, maybe it's my bias, but if you have one good post guy and some guys who can convert dunks, layups and short J's, you're usually good to go. You can play 4 out, 1 in or station your other player short corner or at the elbow for a J or to dive to the rim. It's really hard to have 2 low post guys together.

For me, Tubelis looks to have the sort of mobility and finishing Nnaji did. Caveats are I've only seen highlight tapes and he won't be playing with a distributor like Nico. That said, when I watch him, his footwork, balance and abilty to finish 15 feet and in is very reminiscent of Zeke for me. They're highlight tapes, but I see him doing things you can't teach.

I definitely think Baker and Kriisa can be plus shooters and Baker should be a solid all around SG. Perimeter wise, my issue is that I think we have more finishers than creators, if that makes sense. We have guys who can take advantage of opportunities, but I wonder who creates those opportunities.

[ChooChooCat]

IMO Tubelis will at least be close to Nnaji’s production if not meeting it. I don’t know what to expect from Brown just yet, but I will know more about every body in a matter of weeks. I promise when I hear anything (good or bad) I’ll share it.

What I do know for sure is that this team goes as far as Akinjo and Tubelis takes them.

[EastCoastCat]

ECC, maybe it's my bias, but if you have one good post guy and some guys who can convert dunks, layups and short J's, you're usually good to go. You can play 4 out, 1 in or station your other player short corner or at the elbow for a J or to dive to the rim. It's really hard to have 2 low post guys together.

For me, Tubelis looks to have the sort of mobility and finishing Nnaji did. Caveats are I've only seen highlight tapes and he won't be playing with a distributor like Nico. That said, when I watch him, his footwork, balance and abilty to finish 15 feet and in is very reminiscent of Zeke for me. They're highlight tapes, but I see him doing things you can't teach.

I definitely think Baker and Kriisa can be plus shooters and Baker should be a solid all around SG. Perimeter wise, my issue is that I think we have more finishers than creators, if that makes sense. We have guys who can take advantage of opportunities, but I wonder who creates those opportunities.

Gotcha Spiff. Solid points and I think 4 out and 1 in is standard these days anyway (maybe it's now 5 out O in at times). Let's hope that Tubelis can replicate some of those great inside moves that Nnaji had. He was a force.

So what you are saying is I might again be throwing couch pillows at the TV when we run our half court sets.

[EastCoastCat]

IMO Tubelis will at least be close to Nnaji’s production if not meeting it. I don’t know what to expect from Brown just yet, but I will know more about every body in a matter of weeks. I promise when I hear anything (good or bad) I’ll share it.

What I do know for sure is that this team goes as far as Akinjo and Tubelis takes them.

Are you as high on Baker as I am?

[Spaceman Spiff]

ECC, maybe it's my bias, but if you have one good post guy and some guys who can convert dunks, layups and short J's, you're usually good to go. You can play 4 out, 1 in or station your other player short corner or at the elbow for a J or to dive to the rim. It's really hard to have 2 low post guys together.

For me, Tubelis looks to have the sort of mobility and finishing Nnaji did. Caveats are I've only seen highlight tapes and he won't be playing with a distributor like Nico. That said, when I watch him, his footwork, balance and abilty to finish 15 feet and in is very reminiscent of Zeke for me. They're highlight tapes, but I see him doing things you can't teach.

I definitely think Baker and Kriisa can be plus shooters and Baker should be a solid all around SG. Perimeter wise, my issue is that I think we have more finishers than creators, if that makes sense. We have guys who can take advantage of opportunities, but I wonder who creates those opportunities.

Gotcha Spiff. Solid points and I think 4 out and 1 in is standard these days anyway (maybe it's now 5 out O in at times). Let's hope that Tubelis can replicate some of those great inside moves that Nnaji had. He was a force.

So what you are saying is I might again be throwing couch pillows at the TV when we run our half court sets.

You want a few guys who you can just give the ball to and tell them to create a shot for themself or someone else. I like Tubelis in that role, and I think Akinjo can do it if his efficiency is up. I just struggle to see anyone else in that role.

It's one reason I think D matters a lot with this group. We don't have a Trier, Nick Johnson, Derrick Williams who can just go get it on offense. We also don't have a ton of high efficiency perimeter players unless the vets make a jump or Kriisa, Terry or Mathurin emerges.

I don't think we'll be terrible offensively, but I doubt we blow anyone's doors off on O. So, the D better be solid to balance off with.

[ChooChooCat]

IMO Tubelis will at least be close to Nnaji’s production if not meeting it. I don’t know what to expect from Brown just yet, but I will know more about every body in a matter of weeks. I promise when I hear anything (good or bad) I’ll share it.

What I do know for sure is that this team goes as far as Akinjo and Tubelis takes them.

Are you as high on Baker as I am?

As high on him as to what regard? I think he’ll shoot very well, will make good passes, but doubt his defensive ability greatly. I think he starts due to experience above all else.

[EastCoastCat]

IMO Tubelis will at least be close to Nnaji’s production if not meeting it. I don’t know what to expect from Brown just yet, but I will know more about every body in a matter of weeks. I promise when I hear anything (good or bad) I’ll share it.

What I do know for sure is that this team goes as far as Akinjo and Tubelis takes them.

Are you as high on Baker as I am?

As high on him as to what regard? I think he’ll shoot very well, will make good passes, but doubt his defensive ability greatly. I think he starts due to experience above all else.

I think he will be our backcourt leader in points and assists.

[Spaceman Spiff]

[tweet] https://twitter.com/aplayersprogram/sta ... 2249529345" target="_blank[/tweet]

So there are some very positive Miller quotes I saw in an article about Brown winning the gold jersey. Paraphrasing, Miller said he expects double figure scoring from Brown and that Brown is one of the 3 hardest workers in the program.

That plus the 30 lb weight gain gives me hope for Brown and Tubelis being formidable. Add in Koloko and Ira off the bench and that might be our strength right there.

[azcat49]

Hoping for a beast on the boards

[ChooChooCat]

IMO Tubelis will at least be close to Nnaji’s production if not meeting it. I don’t know what to expect from Brown just yet, but I will know more about every body in a matter of weeks. I promise when I hear anything (good or bad) I’ll share it.

What I do know for sure is that this team goes as far as Akinjo and Tubelis takes them.

Are you as high on Baker as I am?

As high on him as to what regard? I think he’ll shoot very well, will make good passes, but doubt his defensive ability greatly. I think he starts due to experience above all else.

I think he will be our backcourt leader in points and assists.

He absolutely wont be our backcourt leader in points.

[TheCatInTheHat]

All I can say is I want to see better footwork and defense. I walked past Baker and Kriisa the other day on their way to practice (I assume), and even at my age, I split the sidewalk double-team and was wide open for the scoring opportunity. This is unacceptable, COVID or no COVID.

[YoDeFoe]

I usually spend this time in the offseason taking prior season data along with AAU / camp data and projecting roles and production into the following season (sometimes effectively!). But man, this season is tough. So much turnover, not a big sample size of production from last season.

That said, here's some things I know:

* Jordan Brown is on the Chris Rounds diet and not the Chase Jeter diet. Also his back seems to work correctly. Seriously though - we got a bona fide burger boy this time (he had 26 and 8 in the McD's AA game! Remember??).
* Jemarl Baker is a veteran guard who makes the right plays on both ends of the floor. Through the first 20 games of last season, he shot 42% from three (on 66 attempts) and had 52 assists to 11 TOs... absurdly efficient.
* Christian Koloko had 3 TOs in 230 minutes last season along with elite rebounding and block percentages - he's about the best back-up center a college team could hope for.
* James Akinjo is a dog and a true team leader. Akinjo will be in his third season of collegiate play, he's had a half season of practice at Arizona, and I think he makes an All Pac-12 team.

All four of those guys are floor raisers for Arizona this season. I think we know pretty well what we're going to get from them at a minimum. I'll go further and say that if we only had those guys leading the team, we'd be in the middle of the Pac-12 and on the tourney bubble.

[Spaceman Spiff]

I usually spend this time in the offseason taking prior season data along with AAU / camp data and projecting roles and production into the following season (sometimes effectively!). But man, this season is tough. So much turnover, not a big sample size of production from last season.

That said, here's some things I know:

* Jordan Brown is on the Chris Rounds diet and not the Chase Jeter diet. Also his back seems to work correctly. Seriously though - we got a bona fide burger boy this time (he had 26 and 8 in the McD's AA game! Remember??).
* Jemarl Baker is a veteran guard who makes the right plays on both ends of the floor. Through the first 20 games of last season, he shot 42% from three (on 66 attempts) and had 52 assists to 11 TOs... absurdly efficient.
* Christian Koloko had 3 TOs in 230 minutes last season along with elite rebounding and block percentages - he's about the best back-up center a college team could hope for.
* James Akinjo is a dog and a true team leader. Akinjo will be in his third season of collegiate play, he's had a half season of practice at Arizona, and I think he makes an All Pac-12 team.

All four of those guys are floor raisers for Arizona this season. I think we know pretty well what we're going to get from them at a minimum. I'll go further and say that if we only had those guys leading the team, we'd be in the middle of the Pac-12 and on the tourney bubble.

I hope Koloko has put some weight on too. If he fills out his frame, he's going to be really good.

Koloko has so few TO's because he understands his offensive role. Catch lobs, get putbacks and do very little else except make safe passes. That's not a slam on him. He can be fantastically effective like that. If he can make the open 15 footer, that's all the tools he needs.

Koloko's thing is a 12.4% block rate. That's astronomical. Mo Bamba was the best shot blocker out of HS I've seen in many moons and he was 13.1%. Anything over 10% is elite and Koloko blew that away as a physically underdeveloped freshman learning the game.

I've said this before, but he does things you can't teach too. He is excellent at switching onto a perimeter player and sagging off just enough that the player can't drive, but never so far that Koloko can't contest a J with a real threat of blocking it. That's an innate skill you can't teach someone.

If/when he physically develops and gets comfortable out there, geez he could be good over the next 3 years.

[Spaceman Spiff]

For reference, here's why I think Tubelis is going to be very good. Not too many 6'10, 240 guys move like this.

https://youtu.be/dreAFGd2CZ0" target="_blank

[TucsonClip]

Koloko's offensive rebound percentage is impressive, but the defensive percentage is meh. I'm assuming by elite, were talking offensive percentage + block percentage.

[pc in NM]

For reference, here's why I think Tubelis is going to be very good. Not too many 6'10, 240 guys move like this.

https://youtu.be/dreAFGd2CZ0" target="_blank

Looks like he should be pretty good against matador defense!!!

[Spaceman Spiff]

Koloko's offensive rebound percentage is impressive, but the defensive percentage is meh. I'm assuming by elite, were talking offensive percentage + block percentage.

I think that's a function of his strength. He gets moved around too much. His defensive percentage is ok and he's above average overall, but if he gets to the point he isn't being knocked around any more, he can be more.

Sort of the same with overall D. He's a great shotblocker, but he loses position too often. Get a little stronger and he's the total package.

[ChooChooCat]

I usually spend this time in the offseason taking prior season data along with AAU / camp data and projecting roles and production into the following season (sometimes effectively!). But man, this season is tough. So much turnover, not a big sample size of production from last season.

That said, here's some things I know:

* Jordan Brown is on the Chris Rounds diet and not the Chase Jeter diet. Also his back seems to work correctly. Seriously though - we got a bona fide burger boy this time (he had 26 and 8 in the McD's AA game! Remember??).
* Jemarl Baker is a veteran guard who makes the right plays on both ends of the floor. Through the first 20 games of last season, he shot 42% from three (on 66 attempts) and had 52 assists to 11 TOs... absurdly efficient.
* Christian Koloko had 3 TOs in 230 minutes last season along with elite rebounding and block percentages - he's about the best back-up center a college team could hope for.
* James Akinjo is a dog and a true team leader. Akinjo will be in his third season of collegiate play, he's had a half season of practice at Arizona, and I think he makes an All Pac-12 team.

All four of those guys are floor raisers for Arizona this season. I think we know pretty well what we're going to get from them at a minimum. I'll go further and say that if we only had those guys leading the team, we'd be in the middle of the Pac-12 and on the tourney bubble.

I hope Koloko has put some weight on too. If he fills out his frame, he's going to be really good.

Koloko has so few TO's because he understands his offensive role. Catch lobs, get putbacks and do very little else except make safe passes. That's not a slam on him. He can be fantastically effective like that. If he can make the open 15 footer, that's all the tools he needs.

Koloko's thing is a 12.4% block rate. That's astronomical. Mo Bamba was the best shot blocker out of HS I've seen in many moons and he was 13.1%. Anything over 10% is elite and Koloko blew that away as a physically underdeveloped freshman learning the game.

I've said this before, but he does things you can't teach too. He is excellent at switching onto a perimeter player and sagging off just enough that the player can't drive, but never so far that Koloko can't contest a J with a real threat of blocking it. That's an innate skill you can't teach someone.

If/when he physically develops and gets comfortable out there, geez he could be good over the next 3 years.

Koloko has put on 10lbs. It could’ve been more if he had access to quality facilities, he was robbed of quite some development due to COVID. I expect us to see Koloko the man his Junior year.

[Merkin]

Wasn't Koloko working out with Brandon Williams in SoCal? Jefe posted a video of it.

[Spaceman Spiff]

For reference, here's why I think Tubelis is going to be very good. Not too many 6'10, 240 guys move like this.

https://youtu.be/dreAFGd2CZ0" target="_blank

Looks like he should be pretty good against matador defense!!!

My point is more that there's a REALLY short list of guys his size with that agility and body control. He's 6'10, 240 and has the agility of a 2 guard.

[azgreg]

[Spaceman Spiff]

I feel we got disrespected.

[Chicat]

That's just fucking dumb, but getting the most involved and passionate fanbase pissed off really drives those clicks.

[Jefe]

8th lol

For reference, here's why I think Tubelis is going to be very good. Not too many 6'10, 240 guys move like this.
https://youtu.be/dreAFGd2CZ0" target="_blank

He is going to be a matchup nightmare for other teams

[Merkin]

8th lol

For reference, here's why I think Tubelis is going to be very good. Not too many 6'10, 240 guys move like this.
https://youtu.be/dreAFGd2CZ0" target="_blank

He is going to be a matchup nightmare for other teams

Looks like Larry Frickin' Bird out there. Even against subpar competition you can't hide those handles and hops.

[Spaceman Spiff]

8th lol

For reference, here's why I think Tubelis is going to be very good. Not too many 6'10, 240 guys move like this.
https://youtu.be/dreAFGd2CZ0" target="_blank

He is going to be a matchup nightmare for other teams

Looks like Larry Frickin' Bird out there. Even against subpar competition you can't hide those handles and hops.

You just can't teach a 6'10 guy to be that mobile and fluid. Any level of competition, it jumps out at you.

[SCCats]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

[Chicat]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

[SCCats]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

We all get it. We’re being disrespected at 8.

We should be like, 5.

In this group of heavyweights.

Yes yes, it’s all good. And impressive.

And I don’t hate Sean Miller. I just hate his results.

[Spaceman Spiff]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

We all get it. We’re being disrespected at 8.

We should be like, 5.

In this group of heavyweights.

Yes yes, it’s all good. And impressive.

And I don’t hate Sean Miller. I just hate his results.

Results wise, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Miller have twice as many Elite Eight appearances as every other coach on that list combined?

[Chicat]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

We all get it. We’re being disrespected at 8.

We should be like, 5.

In this group of heavyweights.

Yes yes, it’s all good. And impressive.

And I don’t hate Sean Miller. I just hate his results.

So you want to go back to getting a bunch of one-&-dones that put us at the top of preseason rankings lists but then underachieve because their youth holds them back?

Personally I’m willing to have one or two transition years if it means that our highly ranked teams have talent and experience and can live up to the billing.

So, those results you’re looking for... how do you propose we get them? Stock the team with talented guys with one foot out the door who might carry us to where we want to be, or stock the team with guys who can develop and learn to play together over the course of years? Because you can’t have both. Bringing in freshmen phenoms and giving them starting roles will cause your upperclassmen to transfer and no McD All American is coming to ride the bench and learn his role over a few seasons.

[SCCats]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

We all get it. We’re being disrespected at 8.

We should be like, 5.

In this group of heavyweights.

Yes yes, it’s all good. And impressive.

And I don’t hate Sean Miller. I just hate his results.

So you want to go back to getting a bunch of one-&-dones that put us at the top of preseason rankings lists but then underachieve because their youth holds them back?.

There’s room for talented one and dones; generally there should probably be little room for one and dones (again, generally) ranked 15-40.

The type Miller fed on in years past. Is this year a conscious pivot? Does that mean it’s some sort of examination of some of those classes, some sort of nonverbal “perhaps I was doing it incorrectly before” type of thing?

I think those are legit questions to consider.

But, in the end, I’m not sure I care what answer floats to the surface. It’s been 11 years. No final fours. FBI and NCAA on our door and generally seemingly refusing to leave.

I’m willing to role the dice on someone new. I want to roll the dice on someone new. It’s time.

[SCCats]

We’re about the eighth best program and we got ranked 8th in the nation, so...

Oh, eighth in the conference.

Elite.

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

We all get it. We’re being disrespected at 8.

We should be like, 5.

In this group of heavyweights.

Yes yes, it’s all good. And impressive.

And I don’t hate Sean Miller. I just hate his results.

Results wise, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Miller have twice as many Elite Eight appearances as every other coach on that list combined?

I don’t know where to start on this.

Quick and dirty: When was our last elite 8? When did we start caring so much about E8s? When was K’s last elite8? How about other elite coaches of elite programs? Isn’t that who we should be wanting to compare Sean to? Or is our thing now comparing ourselves to subsets that include Washington State and Oregon State?

But let’s put those questions aside. Instead let’s ask this:

Are you personally happy we aren’t (basically, if not actually) on any top 25 lists?

That some people don’t have us in the post season field at all?

Does that make it sound like the guy at the helm of the 8th best program in the nation is a value add?

It’s been a long, long road to get here. But I’m just out of excuses and justifications for Sean.

If others want to continue down that path, that’s up to them.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Please don’t get it twisted, or twist it for your own purposes. This is one guy’s opinion. A guy who keeps getting demoted because he’s just not that good at his job.

We get it that you hate Sean Miller, but if you’re taking Andy Katz’s opinion as worthy of any kind of respect you’re doing your own quixotic crusade a disservice.

We all get it. We’re being disrespected at 8.

We should be like, 5.

In this group of heavyweights.

Yes yes, it’s all good. And impressive.

And I don’t hate Sean Miller. I just hate his results.

Results wise, correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Miller have twice as many Elite Eight appearances as every other coach on that list combined?

I don’t know where to start on this.

Quick and dirty: When was our last elite 8? When did we start caring so much about E8s? When was K’s last elite8? How about other elite coaches of elite programs? Isn’t that who we should be wanting to compare Sean to? Or is our thing now comparing ourselves to subsets that include Washington State and Oregon State?

But let’s put those questions aside. Instead let’s ask this:

Are you personally happy we aren’t (basically, if not actually) on any top 25 lists?

That some people don’t have us in the post season field at all?

Does that make it sound like the guy at the helm of the 8th best program in the nation is a value add?

It’s been a long, long road to get here. But I’m just out of excuses and justifications for Sean.

If others want to continue down that path, that’s up to them.

No one has a gun to your head making you watch.

The point of my post is Miller has 4 Elite Eight appearances and the other 11 Pac 12 coaches have 2 combined. You raise Coach K, well, UCLA has found out it's a lot easier to wind up with Steve Alford and Mick Cronin when you look down your nose at success.

You can criticize Elite Eights all you want, but one coach in Arizona's school history has gone further. One coach, and we act entitled to look down our nose at an Elite Eight?

I'd stayed away from posting here for quite a bit because people got pretty relentlessly negative about losses. We're past that point and are negative because of preseason predictions? Preseason predictions from one person.

I genuinely don't understand being a fan if you're done with a season a few months before we play a game because Andy Katz ranked us low in the Pac. Oh well.

[Chicat]

Are we going to act like we never went into a season under Lute unranked? Sometimes you have transition years while young talent develops and matures.

[AZCatGirl]

Forget where this guy has us ranked.

ASU... #1?!

They've never won the conference before, but yeah, sure, this is the year.

[RichardCranium]

Sometimes you have transition years while young talent develops and matures.

Interesting. What does that look like?

[ChooChooCat]

It’s been a long, long road to get here. But I’m just out of excuses and justifications for Sean.

I mean he has had the NCAA sanctions hanging over his head for the last 3 years with his program being the poster boy of that story thanks to the media. Now if you want to say it's Sean's fault for not paying hard enough attention to his dipshit assistant's personal dealings enough then fair enough, but other than that the cloud of NCAA sanctions was always going to make it difficult for Sean to put together the best team possible in its peak. It doesn't help from a preseason top 25 stance that our best newcomers are all foreigners and most have no idea how to pronounce their names let alone know what they're capable of on a basketball court. Hell I follow recruiting pretty emphatically compared to most here and I didn't know I was mispronouncing Mathurin's last name until I heard Sean Miller say his name a couple days ago.