For those playing along at home, VU still has two remaining roster spots
Posted: Sat Apr 22, 2023 8:56 am
Assuming Tyrin Lawrence returns:
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I would assume that anyone hitting the portal is gone. But agree with Nashman - why would we want Thomas back? At best he is buried on the bench as a three point specialist. At worse he is taking up 20 mpg again ahead of the freshmen, while not really providing any more production than a freshman can provide. If CJS has a weakness, it is playing Thomas more than he would have played pretty much anywhere else in the country. To some extent he didn't have a whole lot of options but it is difficult to think that Paul Lewis or Noah Shelby were that far behind Thomas that consistent playing time wouldn't have helped to remedy.
I agree that there’s a better guard for us to pick up in the portal. Just didn’t know if you could come back after you entered the portal. I wouldn’t mind having QMB back along with another post player as long as Tyrin returns.Jason94 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 10:59 amI would assume that anyone hitting the portal is gone. But agree with Nashman - why would we want Thomas back? At best he is buried on the bench as a three point specialist. At worse he is taking up 20 mpg again ahead of the freshmen, while not really providing any more production than a freshman can provide. If CJS has a weakness, it is playing Thomas more than he would have played pretty much anywhere else in the country. To some extent he didn't have a whole lot of options but it is difficult to think that Paul Lewis or Noah Shelby were that far behind Thomas that consistent playing time wouldn't have helped to remedy.
Players can withdraw from the portal and return to their school, but that is contingent upon the school allowing them to return. That’s the process, anyway. I suspect it very rarely happens.Obvious wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:51 amI agree that there’s a better guard for us to pick up in the portal. Just didn’t know if you could come back after you entered the portal. I wouldn’t mind having QMB back along with another post player as long as Tyrin returns.Jason94 wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 10:59 amI would assume that anyone hitting the portal is gone. But agree with Nashman - why would we want Thomas back? At best he is buried on the bench as a three point specialist. At worse he is taking up 20 mpg again ahead of the freshmen, while not really providing any more production than a freshman can provide. If CJS has a weakness, it is playing Thomas more than he would have played pretty much anywhere else in the country. To some extent he didn't have a whole lot of options but it is difficult to think that Paul Lewis or Noah Shelby were that far behind Thomas that consistent playing time wouldn't have helped to remedy.
Unless any of us know QMB personally, it seems possible to me that he *has* found a school and that the grad school *is* more important to him than the basketball ... and we just haven't heard about it because maybe he isn't playing basketball. Or he's decided where he is going, but hasn't yet convinced the coach he's worth the scholarship. Or something of the sort.geeznotagain wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:02 am Regarding QMB -- haven't grad schools completed determining who's coming in the fall by now and so informed the applicants, both athletes and non-athletes?
Your post makes perfect sense, and that may very well be true. The 2 things that I question, though, are (1) the fact that he entered the portal just a short time after declaring he would return, and (2) it seems to me he really does have a passion for the game. He plays hard, as hard as anyone on the court, and looks to me that he enjoys what he's doing. So maybe transitioning to be "an adult now" will be postponed as long as possible, as long as it doesn't interfere with his career goals. I'm sure he will make a wise choice, and a well-informed choice, and he will be successful in whatever direction he chooses to go. I'd also be surprised if he doesn't know exactly where he will be and what he will be doing next year. How can that be kept a secret? Supreme Court rulings and DOD documents are leaked all the time. Why not QMB's plans?mathguy wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 3:42 pmUnless any of us know QMB personally, it seems possible to me that he *has* found a school and that the grad school *is* more important to him than the basketball ... and we just haven't heard about it because maybe he isn't playing basketball. Or he's decided where he is going, but hasn't yet convinced the coach he's worth the scholarship. Or something of the sort.geeznotagain wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:02 am Regarding QMB -- haven't grad schools completed determining who's coming in the fall by now and so informed the applicants, both athletes and non-athletes?
He definitely seems like the kind of guy that might say "hey, basketball has been fun, but it's time to go be an adult now"
Ideally, if they are used correctly, you are correct, especially with QMB, who did every hustle thing he could to make up for his lack of athleticism and scoring ability. But CJS played Thomas like a starter, not a 4th or 5th option. Remember that Thomas started 17 games last season, the same number of games that Jordan Wright started and he played almost the same number of minutes as Wright. Thomas basically started the first half of the SEC season over Manjon. Only at the end of the season did Thomas' PT go down, but that was due to his 3 pt shooting going from bad to horrible, hitting just 6 of his last 32 attempts.MemorialMagic wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 10:14 am Count me as one who is disappointed to see Trey and QMB leave. Fine if totally their decision. But I’m not okay with pushing them out. They’re not the most talented out there, but I think there is tremendous value in continuity and just good team guys. Would have rather seen them accept their roles as quality backups and stick with the team mentoring the frosh and transfers. Trey would have been a great 4th or 5th option at guard. Knows the system. QMB flat bangs and hustles. Bummed to see them go.
VU keeps secrets MUCH better than the DOD.geeznotagain wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:06 amYour post makes perfect sense, and that may very well be true. The 2 things that I question, though, are (1) the fact that he entered the portal just a short time after declaring he would return, and (2) it seems to me he really does have a passion for the game. He plays hard, as hard as anyone on the court, and looks to me that he enjoys what he's doing. So maybe transitioning to be "an adult now" will be postponed as long as possible, as long as it doesn't interfere with his career goals. I'm sure he will make a wise choice, and a well-informed choice, and he will be successful in whatever direction he chooses to go. I'd also be surprised if he doesn't know exactly where he will be and what he will be doing next year. How can that be kept a secret? Supreme Court rulings and DOD documents are leaked all the time. Why not QMB's plans?mathguy wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 3:42 pmUnless any of us know QMB personally, it seems possible to me that he *has* found a school and that the grad school *is* more important to him than the basketball ... and we just haven't heard about it because maybe he isn't playing basketball. Or he's decided where he is going, but hasn't yet convinced the coach he's worth the scholarship. Or something of the sort.geeznotagain wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:02 am Regarding QMB -- haven't grad schools completed determining who's coming in the fall by now and so informed the applicants, both athletes and non-athletes?
He definitely seems like the kind of guy that might say "hey, basketball has been fun, but it's time to go be an adult now"
Yeah, I can't really disagree with any of that. And I am most certainly NOT one of those people who knows QMB personally, so what do I know?geeznotagain wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:06 amYour post makes perfect sense, and that may very well be true. The 2 things that I question, though, are (1) the fact that he entered the portal just a short time after declaring he would return, and (2) it seems to me he really does have a passion for the game. He plays hard, as hard as anyone on the court, and looks to me that he enjoys what he's doing. So maybe transitioning to be "an adult now" will be postponed as long as possible, as long as it doesn't interfere with his career goals. I'm sure he will make a wise choice, and a well-informed choice, and he will be successful in whatever direction he chooses to go. I'd also be surprised if he doesn't know exactly where he will be and what he will be doing next year. How can that be kept a secret? Supreme Court rulings and DOD documents are leaked all the time. Why not QMB's plans?mathguy wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 3:42 pmUnless any of us know QMB personally, it seems possible to me that he *has* found a school and that the grad school *is* more important to him than the basketball ... and we just haven't heard about it because maybe he isn't playing basketball. Or he's decided where he is going, but hasn't yet convinced the coach he's worth the scholarship. Or something of the sort.geeznotagain wrote: ↑Sat Apr 22, 2023 11:02 am Regarding QMB -- haven't grad schools completed determining who's coming in the fall by now and so informed the applicants, both athletes and non-athletes?
He definitely seems like the kind of guy that might say "hey, basketball has been fun, but it's time to go be an adult now"
Three. Oh well, I no longer care.
First of all. I didn’t say that Thomas was forced out. I did hear from a good source that he was told that he likely wouldn’t get nearly as much PT as he did this year next year. Not sure about the scholarship. Again. If he decided on his own, to leave, I’m fine with that. If he was told that with a healthy ‘and it would be better for you to transfer’, I do have a problem with that. Bryce Drew tried to force Joe Toye to transfer and Joe went to David Williams who shut it down. But the damage was done. Joe was a popular player and the team didn’t appreciate the effort.Jason94 wrote: ↑Sun Apr 23, 2023 11:13 am
Ideally, if they are used correctly, you are correct, especially with QMB, who did every hustle thing he could to make up for his lack of athleticism and scoring ability. But CJS played Thomas like a starter, not a 4th or 5th option. Remember that Thomas started 17 games last season, the same number of games that Jordan Wright started and he played almost the same number of minutes as Wright. Thomas basically started the first half of the SEC season over Manjon. Only at the end of the season did Thomas' PT go down, but that was due to his 3 pt shooting going from bad to horrible, hitting just 6 of his last 32 attempts.
I guess I don't have any reason to believe that West, Taylor, Rivera-Torres or Presley will be any less of a team guy, but do have a lot of reason to believe they each will be a better defender, and better shooter than what Thomas showed last season.
Additionally, he wasn't pushed out - he has chosen to leave. Why are you standing up so hard for someone who doesn't want to play for us anymore? IMO CJS gave him more PT than he deserved, and to repay that Thomas put his name into the portal. If he goes to some school in Canada I'll understand somewhat, but only Ezra Manjon shot the three worse than Thomas did, nobody had a lower rebounding rate, and only Stute and Dia shot the ball worse from inside the arc. All of this and he still got the 5th most minutes of anyone on the team, ahead of Robbins, QMB and Smith, as well as Shelby, Dort, Lewis and Dia. Too me it seems rather ungrateful for all the faith CJS put in Thomas despite being in a two year slump that probably hurt the team overall. CJS gave Thomas more opportunity to break out of the slump than most any coach in the country would have.
Now, if CJS told Thomas he wasn't going to get a scholarship next season, I'll gladly apologize to Thomas, but I would be surprised if CJS would do this as he has displayed more integrity than that. But if CJS told Thomas that he would have to accept a smaller role and that caused Thomas to transfer (which feels much more likely), then I will shed zero tears as CJS showed Thomas plenty of faith through a ton of PT despite poor shooting.
Quite frankly, I think we lucked out that Thomas didn't see how well he was being treated by CJS and instead of accepting a smaller role more befitting of his talent level, he decided to transfer, and we don't have to worry that if one of the newcomers doesn't pick up the system immediately that CJS will just default to Thomas like he did this season. I just don't see how we can again afford to have a player play over 20 minutes per game and shoot 30% from three while bringing almost nothing else to the floor.