NC State made the final four without a single player in their rotation that started his college carrier at NCS. The time that the game was dominated by freshman is over. You know it I it know. Cal doesn't know it.
The only way Cal shows us he's seriously wanting to change is that he needs to load up on the portal.
- Thread starter Son_Of_Saul
- Start date
Time to put KY first not players. We need some men. A play through 5 a power 4 and pass first shoot second PG. plug every one else in.
Wheeler was never the problem, his usage was the issue. A coaching issue. An I he didn’t like that, then that’s also on Calipari for misleading him.
Likewise, we would’ve been far more successful starting TyTy and Cason those years.
I would argue that an overreliance on portal is just as big of a problem as OAD.
It's trying to fix a problem with the same problem.
The issue with OAD, is lack of development and chemistry. You're constantly trying to take 18-year-old kids playing high end AAU circuit ball and get them to half assed pretend to play college ball for 5 months. It's a totally different game.
The logic of the portal is solid. Get some experienced players to offset youth. In theory that should work, in practice and application it doesn't always pan out.
Just like the 18-year-old me/isolation ball trying to play against grown ass men who've developed in a college game, is a fish out of water. Taking one of those grown ass men, putting him back in what is essentially remedial basketball camp with kids playing a style he cannot relate to, is a clash of cultures. He's just as a fish out of water as they are.
You need mostly one with just a little bit of the other sprinkled in to compliment or fill a specific role.
The best Cal teams were sophomore "two and done" heavy. Young talent, going to the league, but stuck around another year to iron out some things developmentally. The same guys comfortable playing the same OAD type ball, but with a season under their belt.
The best Pitino/Tubby teams were the opposite. Guys who'd come up over the course of multiple seasons playing a certain way. Not a lot of new youth or older transfer guys. Just a unit that turned into a machine over time.
It's trying to fix a problem with the same problem.
The issue with OAD, is lack of development and chemistry. You're constantly trying to take 18-year-old kids playing high end AAU circuit ball and get them to half assed pretend to play college ball for 5 months. It's a totally different game.
The logic of the portal is solid. Get some experienced players to offset youth. In theory that should work, in practice and application it doesn't always pan out.
Just like the 18-year-old me/isolation ball trying to play against grown ass men who've developed in a college game, is a fish out of water. Taking one of those grown ass men, putting him back in what is essentially remedial basketball camp with kids playing a style he cannot relate to, is a clash of cultures. He's just as a fish out of water as they are.
You need mostly one with just a little bit of the other sprinkled in to compliment or fill a specific role.
The best Cal teams were sophomore "two and done" heavy. Young talent, going to the league, but stuck around another year to iron out some things developmentally. The same guys comfortable playing the same OAD type ball, but with a season under their belt.
The best Pitino/Tubby teams were the opposite. Guys who'd come up over the course of multiple seasons playing a certain way. Not a lot of new youth or older transfer guys. Just a unit that turned into a machine over time.
I’m not seeing the portal guy I really like this year yet. I like Zeke Mayo and Cade Tyson more than Freeman though.
Add an elite offense guy and an elite defense guy maybe? I don’t know if there’s a player that can do both.
Add an elite offense guy and an elite defense guy maybe? I don’t know if there’s a player that can do both.
Coach Oats worked that portal as well. Sears came from Ohio U. Estrada was at Hofstra. Grant Nelson came from ND State. One of their players came from Cal St Fullerton, I think?
My point is, you don’t even have to poach Power 5 guys. If you are willing to work the portal and have an eye for talent, there a hungry players out there.
My point is, you don’t even have to poach Power 5 guys. If you are willing to work the portal and have an eye for talent, there a hungry players out there.
Not seeing anyone I like either, except maybe Omoruyi. He’s the best big in there. Not seeing anyone else that jumps off the page really.
If Cal likes to make promises, promise Thiero the minutes he deserves for staying 2 years, at this point. I just worry that portal transfers will be an older version of less talented OAD players. IMO, Cal's model is so flawed, it can never really work over time. Roster building needs to START with a roster of mult-year players to which you can add HS OADs (1 or 2 per year) and portals players. Without a CORE of multi-years players, everything else is smoke and mirrors. JMO.
This.
Rosters built with Freshmen, and then sprinkle in a few transfers, that doesn’t work.
We just don’t get enough guys that will stay more than 1 or 2 years.
And it’s too late to fix it for next year.
Wheeler was a massive problem. He couldn’t shoot or defend. He sucked at Washington and UGA.
But you know what I mean. At 10-15 MPG, he would be a good backup PG on an elite team, especially if he had bought in on that role.
