Let's talk '23

[Dave]

It sounds like Kentucky is planning on using him as a rotational defensive stopper. He would be a great addition for that roll. Just not sure I want him as our starting PF.

[Beachcat97]

Haven't heard anything about Nkamhoua lately? Has that ship sailed, Choo?

[ChooChooCat]

Haven't heard anything about Nkamhoua lately? Has that ship sailed, Choo?

Unless something changes he’s expected to just go pro.

[ChooChooCat]

Is Johnson a perfect fit to team up with Ballo? My answer would be no. Maybe I am missing something. He can’t hit a perimeter shot and is a liability at the free throw line.

He’s a perfect defensive fit to team up with Ballo.

[ChooChooCat]

With Caleb Love decommitting from Michigan, is this the transfer guard Choo might have been talking about?

Zero chance. We can’t afford him.

We don’t have the amount of shots available either. I don’t know if we even know who our guard target is yet to be honest.

[arizonawildcats]

Keshad Johnson to UA tomorrow

[Merkin]

“There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.”

[dmjcat]

Crystal balls dropping for AZ

[AzCatFan2]

Keshad makes us a much better defensive team. Both Mathurin and Terry were legit perimeter defenders, and we were missing that last year.

And for those worried about scoring, good defense leads to easy offense in Lloyd's system. That, and shooting is a skill that can be improved. Just look at Terry, who shot very well his last 10 games at Arizona versus his first year and a half. And continued to shoot so well at the combine that he got drafted in the first round.

[IndianaZonaFan]

I am happy to have Keshad, but will still feel a little let down not getting either Nembhard or Kaluma.

[SunnyAZ]

Kylan/Jaden/Pelle/Johnson/Ballo is pretty insane defensively. Completely different team than last year

[EastCoastCat]

So assuming Keshad to UA is correct does that mean no Kaluma?

[84Cat]

I am happy to have Keshad, but will still feel a little let down not getting either Nembhard or Kaluma.

Same

[RondaeShimmy]

Which of our 4 centers is the backup 4

Or is it going to be Paulius Murauskas

[Beachcat97]

So assuming Keshad to UA is correct does that mean no Kaluma?

Probably, but I wouldn't be too upset about this.

Adding Keshad would be a huge development for next season. Our roster is really starting to fill out.

[AzCatFan2]

Which of our 4 centers is the backup 4

Or is it going to be Paulius Murauskas

Good question. But nice to know we have a lot of options, and if we wanted to, go really big when we put in the 2nd line. Would create some match-up nightmares for opponents who are unlikely be able to match up with our size. And we know Tommy is comfortable playing with 2 bigs on the floor.

[U.P. Zona Fan]

This team will pass the airport test!

[ChooChooCat]

Which of our 4 centers is the backup 4

Or is it going to be Paulius Murauskas

Paulius will be the primary backup 4.

[IndianaZonaFan]

Who do we expect to be the main backup 5?

Veesaar? Anderson? Krivas?

Does Borovicanin touch the floor?

[Merkin]

Veesaar for sure, and look to Borovicanin to redshirt or transfer.

[84Cat]

Do we have a time for the Keshad Johnson decision?

[ChooChooCat]

Do we have a time for the Keshad Johnson decision?

Sometime this afternoon.

[Beachcat97]

Do we have a time for the Keshad Johnson decision?

Sometime this afternoon.

Tick tock tick tock...

[arizonawildcats]

[PHXCATS]

Do we have a time for the Keshad Johnson decision?

Sometime this afternoon.

Tick tock tick tock...

Is this serious

Oh wait....it is the parody account. My bad

[ProfessorFate]

Do we have a time for the Keshad Johnson decision?

Sometime this afternoon.

Tick tock tick tock...

Great post.

[PHXCATS]

Do we have a time for the Keshad Johnson decision?

Sometime this afternoon.

Tick tock tick tock...

Great post.

Agree. He is the perfect parody. Perfect non serious account

[HiCat]

Looks like he plays hard and brings some needed toughness to Tucson. Nice.

[arizonawildcats]

[dmjcat]

[Postmaster]

What happened with Michigan?

[ChooChooCat]

What happened with Michigan?

He didn't have the grades to get into Michigan via transfer. Wouldn't be a problem at Arizona.

[HiCat]

A 6'4" junior with two years of eligibility remaining, Love was a key member of UNC's run to the 2022 national championship game before they lost to Kansas. He averaged 18.8 points in six NCAA tournament games that year, including a 30-point performance against UCLA in the Sweet 16 and a 28-point outing in the Final Four against Duke.

This past season, Love started 32 of 33 games and averaged 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists for a Tar Heels team that failed to live up to its lofty preseason expectations and finished with a 20-13 record.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/100 ... m-michigan

[Postmaster]

I thought UNC made sure all athletes had a 4.0.

[EastCoastCat]

I thought UNC made sure all athletes had a 4.0.

Unless they don't make the tournament...

[Beachcat97]

What happened with Michigan?

He didn't have the grades to get into Michigan via transfer. Wouldn't be a problem at Arizona.

Choo, where would you set the current odds of Love coming to AZ?

I've assumed Love was looking for the highest bidder, and I sorta doubt we can outbid Texas.

[Merkin]

Someone on FB said that Love is working out in Arizona right now.

UM must be one of the few schools that requires athletes to go through the regular admissions process. Most schools let the AD do their own admissions if the athletes meet the minimum requirements.

Just off the top of my head, I think that only UCLA and Cal in the PAC require athletes to go through the normal admission process but that information is probably dated. Not sure about Stanford and USC being private schools.

[arizonawildcats]

I think we have a great chance to get him. Texas and Gonzaga already have three guards. Love and Johnson have the toughness and experience we need for a deep run.

[CardiacCats97]

If Love comes here, it isn’t to come off the bench. So who does? Boswell? Because I don’t think Bradley transferred to be a sub either.

[EastCoastCat]

Someone on FB said that Love is working out in Arizona right now.

UM must be one of the few schools that requires athletes to go through the regular admissions process. Most schools let the AD do their own admissions if the athletes meet the minimum requirements.

Just off the top of my head, I think that only UCLA and Cal in the PAC require athletes to go through the normal admission process but that information is probably dated. Not sure about Stanford and USC being private schools.

They are. Think Stanford and Notre Dame-esque.

My daughter attends Michigan and I talked to a few folks during visits and while you don’t need straight A’s you can’t be just passing either.

[EastCoastCat]

Well, Love better understand CTL does not guarantee anything if he wants to come to Arizona. That applies to everyone on the team as well.

If he wants to come here and help us win and be a better basketball team I’m all in.

If has his own agenda forget it. Go to Texas.

[GlobalCat]

I thought UNC made sure all athletes had a 4.0.

They do! Too bad "Underwater basketweaving 201" credits don't transfer externally.

[arizonawildcats]

12:28

[Beachcat97]

If Love comes here, it isn’t to come off the bench. So who does? Boswell? Because I don’t think Bradley transferred to be a sub either.

I think Bradley and Boswell would compete for the 2nd guard spot. Who knows, if those two are outperforming Larsson, maybe we start Bradley, Boswell and Love, and Larsson's the 6th man. There's no way this happens, right?

[U.P. Zona Fan]

He also took 96 shots per game to average 16.

He is fantastic when he is hot, but when he is not, ooh, can really negatively impact the team. I'm not hating on him, and he could have a great season and be awesome.

Maybe we could play him like Kansas played Remy Martin. That worked out for them pretty well.

[TheCat]

Someone on FB said that Love is working out in Arizona right now.

UM must be one of the few schools that requires athletes to go through the regular admissions process. Most schools let the AD do their own admissions if the athletes meet the minimum requirements.

Just off the top of my head, I think that only UCLA and Cal in the PAC require athletes to go through the normal admission process but that information is probably dated. Not sure about Stanford and USC being private schools.

Merk you have fallen under the spell of the UCLA propaganda that their student athletes admissions are any different than any other schools. UC schools use a process known as "admissions by exception," it gives campuses flexibility to admit up to 6% of each entering class from applicants who don't meet UC's minimum standards, but have a special talent. Last public record I saw at highly-selective UCLA, of the 132 students admitted by exception in 2018 according to documents obtained under CalMatters' public records request, all but about a dozen were athletes. More than a third had grade point averages below 3.5, well under the 4.25 median GPA for all admitted freshmen that year. The GPAs of another quarter of admits are listed as "missing." Most likely meaning well below that. UCLA officials wrote that "given UCLA's highly competitive academic reality for admitting first-year students in general, there is no real alternative...if UCLA is to compete athletically with any success."

Even though their fans won't admit it their university says it is the only way they can compete athletically.

This is what contributed to the admissions scandal where celebrity kids were posing as athletes.

So please spare me they couldn't have gotten in that is why they went to xxxxxx argument.

I will also tell you that it is harder to get in UC Riverside through the admission by exception policy than it is UCLA's.

[Merkin]

Thanks TheCat, I stand corrected.

I am quite familiar with some college admissions though, I was an admissions programmer for many years at a CSU school.

Besides the athletes, there was an admissions exception they called FOPs (Friends of the President). They were usually children of big donors.

Those celebrities who "bought" athletic scholarships would have not had to do that at Cal Poly, just be a big donor to the school, and your child will get in, and all 100% legal.

[PHXCATS]

Obviously Lloyd has a plan and has run it by everyone involved..my initial thought though would be Larson coming off the bench but still playing 30 minutes a game if Love commitment

[Postmaster]

He also took 96 shots per game to average 16.

He is fantastic when he is hot, but when he is not, ooh, can really negatively impact the team. I'm not hating on him, and he could have a great season and be awesome.

Maybe we could play him like Kansas played Remy Martin. That worked out for them pretty well.

A couple shots at a time?

[George Costanza]

He also took 96 shots per game to average 16.

Damn I thought I was a chucker.