Anthony Harris decommits from Virginia Tech

[amsterdamjade]

Show me the quote. All I see are sports writers assuming he wants that because he played that way at URI. Since then he made very clear this season that he needs a bigger, stronger team than he thought to win in this league. You cannot play small at the 4 in this league. Here's what he said about Diarra.

Mamadou Diarra (Redshirt Sophomore)

“Mo is a guy who can really help us at that [power forward] spot. It’s a real problem area and Mo is a guy who can really fit that mold for us, an undersized butt-kicker but has got a little better skill than you probably think. He’s actually way ahead in his rehab [from knee surgery], you may see him in early December.”

why are we still talking about Diara and him contributing any meaningful min.? This injury he has to his knees is something that just doesn't heal all of a sudden and he is back playing like nothing has happened. It's a chronic injury and it is not fair to the team to keep him at the end of the bench hoping he might get a few min of run. Time to move on. This is the big time, he should know that.

 

[donyell34]

Let's get Diarra on the court first.

 

[mauconnfan]

I mean the reality on Diarra is he's never playing right? I mean I feel sorry for the kid but it's obvious he lives with an injury that will linger forever, chronic I guess? He came in one game, did a couple nice things and never saw the floor again. My thought is he woke up and it hurt like hell so he said "no thanks" and banned himself. I mean what else could it be, he'd be on the court unless he just will never be healed I assume.

 

[UconnU]

I mean the reality on Diarra is he's never playing right? I mean I feel sorry for the kid but it's obvious he lives with an injury that will linger forever, chronic I guess? He came in one game, did a couple nice things and never saw the floor again. My thought is he woke up and it hurt like hell so he said "no thanks" and banned himself. I mean what else could it be, he'd be on the court unless he just will never be healed I assume.

If he does have some sort of degenerative issue but can play limited, he has no reason to leave, no one will pick him up on the transfer market. Does this mean we just have to wait out his final 2 years already down a scholarship 1 year? If so that sucks. I hope there’s some sort of remedy like can we make him a team manager and give him an academic scholarship? Wish we had answers to this stuff.

 

[GHSWolverines]

Let's get Diarra on the court first.

it won't happen!

 

[JMick]

If he does have some sort of degenerative issue but can play limited, he has no reason to leave, no one will pick him up on the transfer market. Does this mean we just have to wait out his final 2 years already down a scholarship 1 year? If so that sucks. I hope there’s some sort of remedy like can we make him a team manager and give him an academic scholarship? Wish we had answers to this stuff.

The school can give anyone it wants a scholarship, it just means his college basketball career is done

 

[CL82]

If he does have some sort of degenerative issue but can play limited, he has no reason to leave, no one will pick him up on the transfer market. Does this mean we just have to wait out his final 2 years already down a scholarship 1 year? If so that sucks. I hope there’s some sort of remedy like can we make him a team manager and give him an academic scholarship? Wish we had answers to this stuff.

The school can give anyone it wants a scholarship, it just means his college basketball career is done

That's what Bizlaw said. Essentially he said so long at the athlete isn't going to play in the future, then the school can give him whatever it wants. Once his career is over, the NCAA has no say in the matter. I hadn't heard of that before, but I give BL the benefit of the doubt.

 

[navery12]

That's what Bizlaw said. Essentially he said so long at the athlete isn't going to play in the future, then the school can give him whatever it wants. Once his career is over, the NCAA has no say in the matter. I hadn't heard of that before, but I give BL the benefit of the doubt.

I assume it's the same premise as athletes being able to return and finish their degree for free even after they leave. Just in this case it's immediate and not 20 years later after a pro career

 

[UconnU]

That's what Bizlaw said. Essentially he said so long at the athlete isn't going to play in the future, then the school can give him whatever it wants. Once his career is over, the NCAA has no say in the matter. I hadn't heard of that before, but I give BL the benefit of the doubt.

What if the doctor says he can play but will be limited with discomfort and he wants to play? We wouldn’t pull his athletic scholarship and offer him an academic scholarship would we?

 

[CL82]

What if the doctor says he can play but will be limited with discomfort and he wants to play? We wouldn’t pull his athletic scholarship and offer him an academic scholarship would we?

Don't know. Kind of don't know if this is the equivalent of transfer speculation and we shouldn't post about it.

I'd guess that Hurley would have a heart to heart to heart with him about playing time and let him make the call. Remember Hurley could always pull the scholly if he wanted to.

 

[Bonk]

Pass, we need another forward.

"pass" on a top 50 recruit, yet mid season next year there will be a group of people in here saying "Hurley just needs more talent on his roster".

We need to STOP worrying too much about having a perfectly proportionate amount of positions on this team and just accumulate talent. If we were one big away from being a top 10 team or something obviously we'd need to recruit a big and maybe pass on this kid, but were too far away from having that kind of roster to keep nit picking at each position.

Im appalled at saying "pass" to a top 50 recruit with our current situation lol

 

[MDHuskFan]

"pass" on a top 50 recruit, yet mid season next year there will be a group of people in here saying "Hurley just needs more talent on his roster".

We need to STOP worrying too much about having a perfectly proportionate amount of positions on this team and just accumulate talent. If we were one big away from being a top 10 team or something obviously we'd need to recruit a big and maybe pass on this kid, but were too far away from having that kind of roster to keep nit picking at each position.

Im appalled at saying "pass" to a top 50 recruit with our current situation lol

I also don’t understand the argument that we need another ball handler, argument for Washington, but not wanting Harris.

 

[Austin316]

"pass" on a top 50 recruit, yet mid season next year there will be a group of people in here saying "Hurley just needs more talent on his roster".

We need to STOP worrying too much about having a perfectly proportionate amount of positions on this team and just accumulate talent. If we were one big away from being a top 10 team or something obviously we'd need to recruit a big and maybe pass on this kid, but were too far away from having that kind of roster to keep nit picking at each position.

Im appalled at saying "pass" to a top 50 recruit with our current situation lol

What am I supposed to say? Sorry? I’m not. I personally think the goal is to get a forward/center. Would I be happy if we got him? Ya sure. It’d be great. The fact of the matter is production the front court has been a clear issue. Yakwe, Cobb, Whaley and Williams were not productive this year. We need to replace 2 of the 4. Akok will help but we need another big. You don’t think BA, CV, AG, Gaff, and Bouk are enough for the guard position?

 

[MDHuskFan]

What am I supposed to say? Sorry? I’m not. I personally think the goal is to get a forward/center. Would I be happy if we got him? Ya sure. It’d be great. The fact of the matter is production the front court has been a clear issue. Yakwe, Cobb, Whaley and Williams were not productive this year. We need to replace 2 of the 4. Akok will help but we need another big. You don’t think BA, CV, AG, Gaff, and Bouk are enough for the guard position?

You look at it as 5 guys for 2 spots. I think it’s prob more BA, CV, AG,Gaff, bouk & MAYBE a little Sid for 1-3. In that case anothe ball handler may be nice....

 

[navery12]

I'm comfortable going with Carlton and Whaley at the 5 next year and just taking the best possible player regardless of position with the last spot. And if Carlton is our only option at the 5 in the above scenario then we won't have to worry about only choosing 1 player

 

[Fishy]

We have a scholarship crunch and a front court that somehow escaped from the Northeast Conference.

I’m not sure we need to add another guard this year.

 

[the Q]

"pass" on a top 50 recruit, yet mid season next year there will be a group of people in here saying "Hurley just needs more talent on his roster".

We need to STOP worrying too much about having a perfectly proportionate amount of positions on this team and just accumulate talent. If we were one big away from being a top 10 team or something obviously we'd need to recruit a big and maybe pass on this kid, but were too far away from having that kind of roster to keep nit picking at each position.

Im appalled at saying "pass" to a top 50 recruit with our current situation lol

Totally agree. There will be some growing pains with said roster construction. But long term it will be worth it

 

[Hoophound]

We will probably take every difference maker we can get and find him a spot even if we have to make one. You can't pass up great players when they want to join you and I think coach knows that. This is too big a job to patiently build. We have to get two more guys, maybe 3.

 

[superjohn]

We have a scholarship crunch and a front court that somehow escaped from the Northeast Conference.

I’m not sure we need to add another guard this year.

We need talent and to make those scholarships useful on the court.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Yeah feel like this should be an absolute no-brainer, if he’s interested, try to get him.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

"... you may see him in early December.”

Did he say what year?

 

[UconnU]

Yeah feel like this should be an absolute no-brainer, if he’s interested, try to get him.

Absolutely. Kid held a Duke offer. He’s a stud. I think he wants to play in the ACC though his final 4 were VT, Duke, Miami and Wake.

 

[HuskyHawk]

You look at it as 5 guys for 2 spots. I think it’s prob more BA, CV, AG,Gaff, bouk & MAYBE a little Sid for 1-3. In that case anothe ball handler may be nice....

Sid is never playing the 4 again. Not here or anywhere. He will likely start at the 3. Polley could even see time at the 3. At the 4-5 we have Carlton who is just a 5, Akok a 4 Polley and Whaley. That’s all. Whaley would possibly be fine at the 5 against Sacred Heart or something. Polley doesn’t rebound. We cannot keep rolling out these puny lineups.

 

[UconnU]

If we can get him on an OV I think we have a shot. Duke seemed to have backed off, Miami is the most likely landing spot for Harris but still some what of a s-show although they are graduating 2 starting guards and only bringing in Wong.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Playing Akok, Ntambwe, or even Whaley at C <10 minutes a game for a year isn't that big a deal imo