OT: Fatts Russell in the transfer portal

[superjohn]

People on URI board and PC board seem to think he's coming here, it makes a ton of sense actually.

 

[Huskyforlife]

There's really no downside, if he's the Fatts from last year, he'll quickly see the bench. If he's the Fatts from the year before, he solves a big play making problem we have. We shouldn't be asking him to shoot 12 shots a game. Play great D on PGs, drive and dish, only shoot when open. If he's expecting a star role, I agree the fit isn't right.

 

[auror]

No.

He’s a 33% percent shooter - from the field - in the A10.

Do you know how that translates into the Big East? Poorly.

A pair of socks could enter the portal and 80% of this board would offer it a scholarship.

Shot 36% from 3 last year. 80% FT shooter 2 years in a row. Should be able to shoot in a supporting role with better shot selection.
Great passer, doesn't turn the ball over despite heavy defensive attention. Draws a load of fouls. Grabs a bunch of steals. All good things.

People on URI board and PC board seem to think he's coming here, it makes a ton of sense actually.

Hard to imagine why we wouldn't reach out to Myreon Jones but did reach out to Seth Lundy unless we knew a similar player would be interested...

 

[AntG168]

Martin was erratic and out of control in URI’s system too. This is identical to the reaction y’all gave in the Tyrese Martin transfer thread lol

 

[AntG168]

Yea he’ll be a husky

 

[Huskyforlife]

Yea he’ll be a husky

Is this info?

 

[TRest]

There won't be enough shots available to hurt the team is not a ringing endorsement.

 

[CTBasketball]

You know what I hate? Inefficient volume scorers who shoot 30% from the field.

 

[Kenny11]

Would hurley want him? If not, Would Hurley be able to tell fatts he doesn’t want him. If so, would gaffney be really really pissed?

 

[Leebo]

If they're as close as people say, then Hurley can be honest about there not being a good role for him if it's how it is. If Hurley thinks it won't work, he won't try to force it for no reason, that would just bite him later.

 

[djct1999]

If it's the Fatts Russell from his junior year I would take him in a heartbeat. The guy makes stuff happen all over the place and can put the ball in the hoop, I don't care how small he is.

In a vacuum, sure. This has very little to do with what Fatts could potentially do, but when you see the talent in the transfer portal and what this roster needs to improve, there are simply better ways to fill our scholarships.
I suppose people can bring up the size of our back court in 2014 which would be a fair comparison(Atleast in height). The difference there is how they played defense. Kenny Smith said it perfectly after either the Mich State game or Florida. Most players play defense on the player. Case in point is Cole. How many times did we see the other teams pg dribble by him with Cole backpedaling completely vertical? Most high major point guards can separate when defense is played like that. In 2014, Napier and boat played almost down to the floor and ‘in to’ the the guys they were guarding. That made it extremely difficult for the other team to separate and get into their offense. That’s a massive difference. One scenario wins titles, the other does not. A Fatts and Cole backcourt would be disastrous together. While individually both could play, I can’t see how this would work.

 

[Magic32]

Not like he would be coming here to be the key piece, as long as he is okay with being a role player it makes sense.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

You know what I hate? Inefficient volume scorers who shoot 30% from the field.

Same. As a fan and as a coach, I can't stand inefficient volume shooters.

If my school would have had a season this year, the one kid on my team who plays AAU is that exact type of player...literally can't do anything else besides shoot. He has a nice stroke, but can't play a lick of D, has no conditioning and can't see the floor (a black hole). One of those "I got fouled" kids who drive me nuts. At my level, give me a bunch of Colby Joneses and I'll be happy as a clam.

Anyways, back to Fatts. He's not getting 12 shots/game if he moves onto UConn.

Part of me is like: "I really like the player, seems like a great guy, I don't see it making sense, but I will be very cool with it if he plays here and I'd be curious how Hurley would make it work".

However, if he plays elsewhere, the larger part of me would be like "phew, I really like the player, seems like a great guy, I didn't see it making sense and I wish him well wherever he signs".

Where I see him fitting? San Diego State. Would fit great replacing Terrell Gomez as the pesky defending sparkplug scorer off the bench who ends up getting low-20s minutes/game. Terrell Gomez replaced KJ Feagin in a similar role.

 

[polycom]

You can put me down in the absolutely do not want him column. Tiny guard who is a volume shooter… what could go wrong.

 

[navery12]

First, I don’t know why people want to bring Fatts onto a team for 1 year in which we have THREE point guards on the roster

Sure the bond between Hurley and Fatts is something special... but Hurley knows what’s in the best interest of the team and knows with the situation it just won’t work out.

Third, this fits none of the desired needs from the transfer portal. What’s we think we need/want is a

• Big Guard
• Shooter
• Big man as a grad transfer

As good of a player Fatts is he doesn’t fit into any of the categories.

While I don't love the fit, I think the biggest disconnect between you and the people who want him is the 3 PG point. I'm not sure where I fall yet, I'd have to give it more thought once there's actual reported interest. But in theory adding Fatts as the actual 3rd PG (or 2nd ahead of Diggins) would allow you to shift Gaffney into his more natural position and fill the bigger guard hole.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

While I don't love the fit, I think the biggest disconnect between you and the people who want him is the 3 PG point. I'm not sure where I fall yet, I'd have to give it more thought once there's actual reported interest. But in theory adding Fatts as the actual 3rd PG (or 2nd ahead of Diggins) would allow you to shift Gaffney into his more natural position and fill the bigger guard hole.

Great point. As it stands I see next team as something like:

4: Martin, Akok, Johnson
3: Jackson, Adams
5: Sanogo, Springs
2: Gaffney, Hawkins
1: Cole, Diggins

I know it's not the sexy opinion, but a sturdy 5 bench big is our biggest need and a smart, usage of a grad-transfer. Think Kelvin Jones when he signed with Creighton or Arnaldo Toro with St. John's or Bryan Griffin with Xavier.

Or, Josh Carlton would be the perfect fit for that need if he chooses to return.

For example, would Kevin Marfo sign w/ UConn? A 6'8 247 Jersey kid who played 12.8 mpg at Texas A&M after having a monster year at Quinnipiac (10.2p, 13.3r, 1.2b). He's eligible for another year and is officially on the portal.

 

[Umami Zen]

I will Trust the Carpenter on this one. May have some splainin' to do to Sool if it happens since I think he's been sold on PT for next year.

Assuming Fatts has one year of eligibility left.

 

[Get a Job]

I am Peter and y'all are Rush and Lois.

 

[husky429]

Great point. As it stands I see next team as something like:

4: Martin, Akok, Johnson
3: Jackson, Adams
5: Sanogo, Springs
2: Gaffney, Hawkins
1: Cole, Diggins

I know it's not the sexy opinion, but a sturdy 5 bench big is our biggest need and a smart, usage of a grad-transfer. Think Kelvin Jones when he signed with Creighton or Arnaldo Toro with St. John's or Bryan Griffin with Xavier.

Or, Josh Carlton would be the perfect fit for that need if he chooses to return.

For example, would Kevin Marfo sign w/ UConn? A 6'8 247 Jersey kid who played 12.8 mpg at Texas A&M after having a monster year at Quinnipiac (10.2p, 13.3r, 1.2b). He's eligible for another year and is officially on the portal.

I hate it when people don't go 1-5 in their posts of positions--makes it too hard to read because I'm lazy. You get a pass though--you're a good poster.

I would expect Johnson is ahead of springs playing the backup 5. He'll split time next year depending on the matchup. He really doesn't have any 4 skills on offense but he can defend it well. I'd think he'll get a bunch of minutes when we play perimeter 5s that Sanogo can't cover on defense. (All assuming we don't pick up a transfer big... which I think it a priority for us, so we'll see)

 

[rollskies]

Martin was erratic and out of control in URI’s system too. This is identical to the reaction y’all gave in the Tyrese Martin transfer thread lol

100% agree. Individual stats/play can be a reflection of your team game as well. I didn’t watch much this year, but if Fatts was forced to be a primary scorer he was probably taking a lot of rushed/forced shots that were skewing his numbers. It’s a team game.

If he went from putting up great numbers junior year to bad numbers senior year I am 100% positive that the system he was in had something to do with it. I have to admit I was a little bit nervous about Tyrese’s game after seeing his URI highlights and now he’s pretty essential to the team

 

[the Q]

You know what I hate? Inefficient volume scorers who shoot 30% from the field.

Same. As a fan and as a coach, I can't stand inefficient volume shooters.

If my school would have had a season this year, the one kid on my team who plays AAU is that exact type of player...literally can't do anything else besides shoot. He has a nice stroke, but can't play a lick of D, has no conditioning and can't see the floor (a black hole). One of those "I got fouled" kids who drive me nuts. At my level, give me a bunch of Colby Joneses and I'll be happy as a clam.

Anyways, back to Fatts. He's not getting 12 shots/game if he moves onto UConn.

Part of me is like: "I really like the player, seems like a great guy, I don't see it making sense, but I will be very cool with it if he plays here and I'd be curious how Hurley would make it work".

However, if he plays elsewhere, the larger part of me would be like "phew, I really like the player, seems like a great guy, I didn't see it making sense and I wish him well wherever he signs".

Where I see him fitting? San Diego State. Would fit great replacing Terrell Gomez as the pesky defending sparkplug scorer off the bench who ends up getting low-20s minutes/game. Terrell Gomez replaced KJ Feagin in a similar role.

Honestly, I’m with both of you. I shouldn’t have been a jerk and fanned the flames for fun lol. It’s starting to look like his big year is the fluke.

I played with a guy who’s everyone thought was a good shooter because he had good form...but the ball never went in. And yet he always lead in attempts. Can’t tell you how many games he shot us out of.

Obviously UConn has made the 2 pg system work before, and if that’s Hurley’s move, so be it, no frosh left on the board will be better year 1. But I can also concede he isn’t the best overall fit for the current roster.

 

[aburks41]

He's got alterique gilbert numbers...we need 6'4"-6'7" shooters and another big. Not a 5'10" pg who can't score without volume shots. He wouldn't even get minutes over Gaff, Cole, Diggins, and Jackson (who Hurley said will be drafted as a PG)

 

[HuskyBoi]

We need to get some sizeable guards. We are at 6'1, 6'1, and 6'2 with Sool Cole and Gaffney.

Should be focusing on some shooters or bigger guards around the 6'4-6'6 mold. Russell I doubt would settle as a microwave scorer off of our bench.

If we can figure out a way to get AJ as a 2 next year with Tyrese, Sanogo, Whaley/Akok to fill out the rest while Cole is obviously the starting PG that would really be a good sign I think for our starting 5.

 

[the Q]

We need to get some sizeable guards. We are at 6'1, 6'1, and 6'2 with Sool Cole and Gaffney.

Should be focusing on some shooters or bigger guards around the 6'4-6'6 mold. Russell I doubt would settle as a microwave scorer off of our bench.

He's got alterique gilbert numbers...we need 6'4"-6'7" shooters and another big. Not a 5'10" pg who can't score without volume shots. He wouldn't even get minutes over Gaff, Cole, Diggins, and Jackson (who Hurley said will be drafted as a PG)

I agree in theory. That’s why I like the vmi kid and Landry for this team.

But do they or (any other transfer we have a shot at) have the upside of fatts in his jr year is the question.

 

[The Funster]

No.

He’s a 33% percent shooter - from the field - in the A10.

Do you know how that translates into the Big East? Poorly.

A pair of socks could enter the portal and 80% of this board would offer it a scholarship.

Tell me more about these socks...