UConn in Pitt transfer Femi Odukale’s top 5

[shizzle787]

He has 8 usable players and has apparently given up hope on adding anyone worth playing to the roster.

We just need one more stud guard and we are set whether Castle comes this year or not.

 

[navery12]

He has 8 usable players and has apparently given up hope on adding anyone worth playing to the roster.

How many more times do you need to see the quote from him about still adding another ball handler that will be in the rotation?

 

[RipCity]

How many more times do you need to see the quote from him about still adding another ball handler that will be in the rotation?

Lmao relax buddy, how about you show me who that last ball handler is once they come? If it’s another Gaffney or worse, not moving the needle.

I know you pay attention to the numbers, so let’s just appreciate the fact that we’re not recruiting anyone with any proven track record anymore. Not to say there can’t be stuff going on behind closed doors that we aren’t privy to, but odds are the last additions won’t be pretty.

 

[navery12]

Lmao relax buddy, how about you show me who that last ball handler is once they come? If it’s another Gaffney or worse, not moving the needle.

I'll be happy to. Better not be someone worse than Gaffney though, we're in for a long season if that's the case

 

[superjohn]

How many more times do you need to see the quote from him about still adding another ball handler that will be in the rotation?

We need two more ballhandlers though, one can be a depth steady hand piece but the other needs to be a very good player.

 

[RipCity]

I'll be happy to. Better not be someone worse than Gaffney though, we're in for a long season if that's the case

Yeah I’m hoping for better too, but maybe a replica would be fine. He was a minutes eater at least. My original point was that the “two more impact guards” thing Hurley said pre-Alleyne is probably not happening. I’d love to be wrong and now expect you to slam me if I am.

We need two more ballhandlers though, one can be a depth steady hand piece but the other needs to be a very good player.

Agreed but we all know that’s not happening

 

[superjohn]

Yeah I’m hoping for better too, but maybe a replica would be fine. He was a minutes eater at least. My original point was that the “two more impact guards” thing Hurley said pre-Alleyne is probably not happening. I’d love to be wrong and now expect you to slam me if I am.

Diarra and Castle seems most likely, at least I hope so.

 

[HooperScooper]

He has 8 usable players and has apparently given up hope on adding anyone worth playing to the roster.

Patience is a virtue.

 

[runner11]

We need two more ballhandlers though, one can be a depth steady hand piece but the other needs to be a very good player.

We need 2 ballhandlers, including one very good player to do what? No snark, just curious. Be a legit contender for a deep run? I think that is absolutely true.

But even right now we have more ball handling than last year where we were a top 25 team. A Cole injury away from catastrophe, for sure, but still. Newton is a combo but sounds like more of natural distributor than Cole. Jackson and Hawkins will be be better with the ball in their hands, perhaps far better. Alleyne should be a wash with Gaff, at worst and possible a sizable upgrade. We will land at least one more depth guard. Some smart poster (heyadrien?) claimed that Diarra would have been the 2nd best handler on our team last year. He seems likely to be the depth add. This team is living on the edge again but I think we'll be fine either way. Likely a Castle reclass away from having a top level ceiling but I don't see that happening, or signing another stud. Maybe get lucky with a Euro or 3 star?

 

[bendm]

We need 2 ballhandlers, including one very good player to do what? No snark, just curious. Be a legit contender for a deep run? I think that is absolutely true.

But even right now we have more ball handling than last year where we were a top 25 team. A Cole injury away from catastrophe, for sure, but still. Newton is a combo but sounds like more of natural distributor than Cole. Jackson and Hawkins will be be better with the ball in their hands, perhaps far better. Alleyne should be a wash with Gaff, at worst and possible a sizable upgrade. We will land at least one more depth guard. Some smart poster (heyadrien?) claimed that Diarra would have been the 2nd best handler on our team last year. He seems likely to be the depth add. This team is living on the edge again but I think we'll be fine either way. Likely a Castle reclass away from having a top level ceiling but I don't see that happening, or signing another stud. Maybe get lucky with a Euro or 3 star?

You had me until you said alleyne should be a wash with Gaff. One of those two guys is at FAU now and it ain’t alleyne.

 

[McLovin]

You had me until you said alleyne should be a wash with Gaff. One of those two guys is at FAU now and it ain’t alleyne.

That confused me too. I guess maybe he means as a pure PG / ball handler (which naturally neither are). But even still, I’ve never seen a guy who was running point, dribble with his butt to the basket 30 feet from the hoop, more than Gaffney lmao. Doubt Alleyne has handle that bad…

 

[runner11]

You had me until you said alleyne should be a wash with Gaff. One of those two guys is at FAU now and it ain’t alleyne.

I am referring to their ability to handle the ball. Alleyne is supposed to be more of a 3 and D player. And I am trying to be as conservative with my assumptions as possible because I think that my argument stands even with the most mild expectations.

 

[Magic32]

The fact that Clemson transfer Al-Amir Dawes has just committed to Seton Hall and Femi is still visiting Hall tomorrow seems odd. I'll admit I have no idea what their roster looks like now. Hope this helps us even though there has been no news about a Storrs visit.

 

[aburks41]

Okay sooo I guess that means Hassan Diarra is the likely option here...Not sure how I feel about that

 

[Storrs South]

Okay sooo I guess that means Hassan Diarra is the likely option here...Not sure how I feel about that

Any highlights you find on him are hitting buzzer beating shots to tie or win games in the closing seconds of the game (like 3 or 4 times in only 2 seasons already). Seems to have a decent handle and the FT percentage and improved outside shot in the second half of the season while playing in a top 3 basketball conference all seem like good things to me. For a bench option you probably can't do much better.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Any highlights you find on him are hitting buzzer beating shots to tie or win games in the closing seconds of the game (like 3 or 4 times in only 2 seasons already). Seems to have a decent handle and the FT percentage and improved outside shot in the second half of the season while playing in a top 3 basketball conference all seem like good things to me. For a bench option you probably can't do much better.

Agreed - he'd be a great depth piece/injury insurance player as he seems to step up in crunch time and with a steal a game average can help with spot defensive matchups, etc. With his brother on the staff, if he commits you know you'll get a solid citizen even if he doesn't get all the PT he might wish for. Definitely an upgrade over Gaffney. I'm in.

 

[aburks41]

Any highlights you find on him are hitting buzzer beating shots to tie or win games in the closing seconds of the game (like 3 or 4 times in only 2 seasons already). Seems to have a decent handle and the FT percentage and improved outside shot in the second half of the season while playing in a top 3 basketball conference all seem like good things to me. For a bench option you probably can't do much better.

Well that makes me feel better. I was genuinely saying I'm not sure how I feel about it because I know nothing about him, it wasn't meant as a slight. Still would prefer Castle and then Diarra which is what @superjohn said earlier.

Also his shot in that video looks remarkably similar to Boatright

 

[superjohn]

We need 2 ballhandlers, including one very good player to do what? No snark, just curious. Be a legit contender for a deep run? I think that is absolutely true.

But even right now we have more ball handling than last year where we were a top 25 team. A Cole injury away from catastrophe, for sure, but still. Newton is a combo but sounds like more of natural distributor than Cole. Jackson and Hawkins will be be better with the ball in their hands, perhaps far better. Alleyne should be a wash with Gaff, at worst and possible a sizable upgrade. We will land at least one more depth guard. Some smart poster (heyadrien?) claimed that Diarra would have been the 2nd best handler on our team last year. He seems likely to be the depth add. This team is living on the edge again but I think we'll be fine either way. Likely a Castle reclass away from having a top level ceiling but I don't see that happening, or signing another stud. Maybe get lucky with a Euro or 3 star?

Yes, we were the most ballhandling deficient team around last season and it's time for Hurley to make a run, another first round exit would be a failure and make his seat hot. What we have now on paper simply isn't enough in terms of ballhandling/breakdown players and I don't think Diarra moves the needle all that much. If Alleyne is a wash with Gaffney we're in trouble again.

We need to get Castle on campus.

 

[Storrs South]

Well that makes me feel better. I was genuinely saying I'm not sure how I feel about it because I know nothing about him, it wasn't meant as a slight. Still would prefer Castle and then Diarra which is what @superjohn said earlier.

Also his shot in that video looks remarkably similar to Boatright

Ideally you get both honestly but doubt both would be happy with the run they'd get in that scenario year 1. It's pretty funny about Diarra how 2 years later the scouting report by Jerry Meyer out of HS seems to be pretty bang on after his first two seasons:

Solid size with long arms for a point guard. Plays with strength. Not overly athletic and has a herky-jerky style. Show good change of pace and a burst. Good penetrator and distributor. Can make difficult and unorthodox shots but doesn't shoot a high percentage. Has good overall instincts. Rebounds his position well and gets steals.

But i did just verify someone else's observation that he did shoot 44% from 3 the final 13 games of the season playing an average of 19 minutes a game with about 2 assists and 2 rebounds. a game against 1.5 TOs. That's probably even more than what you could ask for from a rotational guard honestly. Evan Miya's advanced projections slate him as a better defensive player than on offense and has Diarra ahead of Okudale in terms of an impact player.

No idea if this comes together but makes a lot of sense and think he would be a pretty good get.

 

[CTFAN4LIFE]

Yes, we were the most ballhandling deficient team around last season and it's time for Hurley to make a run, another first round exit would be a failure and make his seat hot. What we have now on paper simply isn't enough in terms of ballhandling/breakdown players and I don't think Diarra moves the needle all that much. If Alleyne is a wash with Gaffney we're in trouble again.

We need to get Castle on campus.

I doubt Alleyne will be a wash with Gaffney - tell us why you think that's possible, please because Gaffney didn't do much at all for us right and just leveled down a couple of rungs to FAU.

I love Castle and think he'll be a great add to the program but am realistic thinking he'll be adding more value at the end of his first year and beyond, but will need seasoning as opposed to being a huge add day one. Agreed?

 

[bendm]

We need to get Castle on campus.

We all want this to happen but are you also worried the longer he stays in high school the greater the risk of him beig lured away with a million dollar NIL deal? we can’t be worried about every borderline 5* commit we land getting poached during his senior year because most of them won’t be in a position to reclass anyways. we have enough to worry about as it is.

if he's going to be a one and done i'd rather give him another year to grow in highschool before getting him. i'd settle for a mid-year reclass tho.

 

[rip7774]

Again we knew one of the stars on A&M very well been in our house a ton. Diarra is tough as nails way better than Gaffney hit bigshots and his outside shot is big time improved. We were in Nashville for Vandy game, Tampa for SEC tourney and NYC for NIT finals - we know A&M intimately. If it’s him we’re good. If we only have one ballhandler again it’s f in awful Hurley!

 

[EASTFLA]

Minutes tend to sort themselves out. If you think no one on the team will average more than 25 minutes a game, you are kidding yourself. We need capable bodies. There is no doubt we will lose players because of injury at some point. Minor injuries costing a couple games or major injuries costing the season. Some players won’t elevate their game from the year before, others will regress, and others will elevate their game substantially. We know we have players in Hawkins, and Jackson, and Sanogo that are prime candidates to rise, but it isn’t guaranteed, and injury is always possible. Projecting minutes assumes the status quo. The status quo never happens, there will be surprises good and bad, and injuries great and small.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Hurley has hit that perfect balance of having enough depth to play one basketball game, but not enough to convince anyone in the planet to play for you.

Very fair. That's why we've hit a lull with transfers.

All across the D1 CBB landscape, there's a general feeling of roster tenuousness, so that fact has helped me keep everything in perspective.

I still think we'll add another transfer, but not until more chips fall. As more days pass, less teams have glaring needs to fill, thus leveling the playing field for us compared to other teams.

No matter who we add, it will be someone who will have to accept that they aren't guaranteed starter-like minutes.

Right now, players like Khalil Shabazz (CG, San Francisco) are exactly the type of grad-transfer players that fit our mix of need and fit without being pie-in-the-sky options like Tyrese Hunter or Isiaih Mosley. Hassan Diarra is a fair expectation for a transfer who has multiple years available.

Our roster isn't complete, but considering it's May, I like it so far.

We'll see.

 

[runner11]

I doubt Alleyne will be a wash with Gaffney - tell us why you think that's possible, please because Gaffney didn't do much at all for us right and just leveled down a couple of rungs to FAU.

I love Castle and think he'll be a great add to the program but am realistic thinking he'll be adding more value at the end of his first year and beyond, but will need seasoning as opposed to being a huge add day one. Agreed?

Reading comprehension is lacking. For many of you.

 

[Fishy]

Again we knew one of the stars on A&M very well been in our house a ton. Diarra is tough as nails way better than Gaffney hit bigshots and his outside shot is big time improved. We were in Nashville for Vandy game, Tampa for SEC tourney and NYC for NIT finals - we know A&M intimately. If it’s him we’re good. If we only have one ballhandler again it’s f in awful Hurley!

Not a good ballhandler, not a good shooter, basically 1:1 assist to turnover, isn’t anything close to resembling a “star“ and isn’t ‘way better’ than Gaffney at anything - if anything, his ball handling is demonstrably worse. He’s the ‘any port in a storm’ option.

Other than that, entirely accurate.

 

[EASTFLA]

For those that buy into the we will not have a player average more than 25 minutes a game. I went back 20 years and all 20 years we had at least 2 players average 30+ Minutes, and in 19 of them we had 4-7 players average 25+. I’m sorry but those breakdowns of minutes are a pipe dream. If you think a guy like Sanogo is getting 25 minutes or fewer, it’s insanity. If Hawkins and Jackson take off they are playing 30+. The idea of having too much quality depth that need 15-20 minutes a game is not reality or history based. Like I said in my other post, minutes will sort themselves out. The one thing for sure is those playing on a high level will be on the court a lot! We have an idea who that will be, but it may not turn out that way.

 

[superjohn]

We all want this to happen but are you also worried the longer he stays in high school the greater the risk of him beig lured away with a million dollar NIL deal? we can’t be worried about every borderline 5* commit we land getting poached during his senior year because most of them won’t be in a position to reclass anyways. we have enough to worry about as it is.

if he's going to be a one and done i'd rather give him another year to grow in highschool before getting him. i'd settle for a mid-year reclass tho.

My biggest thing is I want him for next year. The program and Hurley need a big season with tournament success. This roster needs more than it currently has at the guard position to achieve that, IMO and next year is crucial. Jackson, Hawkins, Sanogo aren't all coming back the following year and the other guys we do currently have don't really look to be stars for the following year. If he has the credits to enroll early we need to get him up here. Having him play another year in SEC country is a secondary concern.

 

[EASTFLA]

This transfer stuff and guaranteed minutes. Do you think a coach says ok you will play at least 25 minutes a game? That’s absurd. Sometimes you think you are getting a certain amount of points, rebounds, and assists from a player, but it doesn’t happen. A certain 3point-FG percentage, but it doesn’t happen. Polley averaged over 40% from 3 his first 3 years, but never topped 35% in his las 2. His minutes dropped those last 2 years by 6-7 a game. Yes, there is a certain expectation based on what a given player did previously, but that doesn’t always verify. It also could go the other way, and one of these transfers is playing at a high level. Productivity determines minutes, Individually that could mean more or less.

 

[PlayItLeo]

^ Exactly. People said the same things last year (that there were too few minutes to go around to deserving players). We were a "deep" team in name-only, because ultimately 3 of those players couldn't play at this level and dropped down (ex-CFJr. since he redshirted). Analyzing minutes and depth for us in May for a season that begins in November is about as useful as HS rankings. Production is everything.