2022 Transfer Portal Thread

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

I think we can all be honest and admit if the staff thought a combo of Polite and freshman-version Dinkins was good enough, they wouldn’t have been publicly connected to so many older PGs who obviously are being offered starter-level minutes.

Whether we land one of them remains an open question, but Plan A for 22-23 in no way relies on the development of Polite/Dinkins.

Obviously we're looking for anothrr point guard after losing XJ and obviously you want three point guards on the roster and obviously you take a stud PG if you can get him.

The point is, you better develop somebody because

A) It is a tremendous advantage for the guy running your team to have multiple years running the same system

B) Relying on one, maybe two, year transfers year in and year out at PG is foolish

C) We were never going to be able to count on landing anyone significantly better than XJ in the portal because we have massive competition for those guys

There were those on here that wanted to run off Polite too....boy, that would have been super, relying on a freshman and a random transfer who has never played for Kim...the panic level right now would be through the roof...(if it isnt already)

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Like I said, we'll get someone. "Plan A" is of course not to have just Polite and Dinkins.

Shit, shouldnt do that based purely on Polite's injury history...

 

[gmujim92]

Obviously we're looking for anothrr point guard after losing XJ and obviously you want three point guards on the roster and obviously you take a stud PG if you can get him.

The point is, you better develop somebody because

A) It is a tremendous advantage for the guy running your team to have multiple years running the same system

B) Relying on one, maybe two, year transfers year in and year out at PG is foolish

C) We were never going to be able to count on landing anyone significantly better than XJ in the portal because we have massive competition for those guys

There were those on here that wanted to run off Polite too....boy, that would have been super, relying on a freshman and a random transfer who has never played for Kim...the panic level right now would be through the roof...(if it isnt already)

If they weren’t counting on landing someone significantly better than XJ in the portal, he’d still be here instead of Western Montana Tech or wherever the hell he transferred to.

Pretty clear the “plan” is to add a veteran to keep the seat warm for 1-2 years until Dinkins is ready to go. If he pushes for starter minutes before then, great. Any significant improvement from Polite at this point would be a bonus.

 

[GSII]

I am a middle aged male, and I have many friends that are still developing breasts...

Development is a very tricky subject

Which middle school do you ball at? Lol

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

If they weren’t counting on landing someone significantly better than XJ in the portal, he’d still be here instead of Western Montana Tech or wherever the hell he transferred to.

Come on.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Pretty clear the “plan” is to add a veteran to keep the seat warm for 1-2 years until Dinkins is ready to go. If he pushes for starter minutes before then, great. Any significant improvement from Polite at this point would be a bonus.

Kim English, like Dave Paulsen, thinks Polite can be good.

If you have an issue with that, take it up with Kim.

Now it would be stupid to COUNT on him being good, so OBVIOUSLY we want to bring in an upperclassman. Again, just having two point guards we'd want to, also...

He really doesnt need to be "better" than XJ, just a better shooter, really.

If he is better, fine. But I wouldn't count on that.

 

[dr. gunnie]

If they weren’t counting on landing someone significantly better than XJ in the portal, he’d still be here instead of Western Montana Tech or wherever the hell he transferred to.

Don’t be that guy. Nothing wrong with Southern Illinois. I remember watching the Salukis come kick our buts in 2001 and 2002. Illinois is a fine state… really… I’m serious.

 

[gmujim92]

Kim English, like Dave Paulsen, thinks Polite can be good.

If you have an issue with that, take it up with Kim.

Now it would be stupid to COUNT on him being good, so OBVIOUSLY we want to bring in an upperclassman. Again, just having two point guards we'd want to, also...

He really doesnt need to be "better" than XJ, just a better shooter, really.

If he is better, fine. But I wouldn't count on that.

Kim didn’t sound that convinced about Polite during his final coaches show. When one of the things you need to work on with a guard going into his third year is developing his jump shot, that’s a major problem … unless he becomes Marquise 2.0 and can get to the rim at will. I think we’d all be thrilled if that happens.

 

[CHRISTOPHER JAMES JOLLAY]

Kim didn’t sound that convinced about Polite during his final coaches show. When one of the things you need to work on with a guard going into his third year is developing his jump shot, that’s a major problem … unless he becomes Marquise 2.0 and can get to the rim at will. I think we’d all be thrilled if that happens.

Of course he's not convinced but he is convinced the potential is there.

I have heard this firsthand and secondhand from too many people on and around the staff to not treat this as fact.

In fact this year the sentiment was Polite should have claimed the spot by now. Last chance, but he'll have a good chance to do the same next year.

I hope we do upgrade from XJ, cause that would also probably help develop Polite/Dinkins as well.

Win/win.

 

[MasonSAE4]

Don’t be that guy. Nothing wrong with Southern Illinois. I remember watching the Salukis come kick our buts in 2001 and 2002. Illinois is a fine state… really… I’m serious.

If the criteria for being a good program is "programs who have beaten us", particularly in the last decade, all of D-1 would be good.

 

[dr. gunnie]

If the criteria for being a good program is "programs who have beaten us", particularly in the last decade, all of D-1 would be good.

Except we were decent back then.

 

[FreeGunston12]

Except we were decent back then.

20 years is a long time in college basketball.

Anyways, we could still end up landing Offurum, Nnaji, and a solid pg. No need to panic or talk about plan B yet.

 

[GMUgemini]

20 years is a long time in college basketball.

Anyways, we could still end up landing Offurum, Nnaji, and a solid pg. No need to panic or talk about plan B yet.

SIU had a really good run around the same time we did with 6 straight tournament appearances leading to a sweet 16 in 2007. But they’ve been very meh since then.

The MVC will be wide open now with Drake and Northern Iowa being the standard bearers. XJ has two years to make a tournament.

 

[gmujim92]

Now that I’ve had more time to think about it, I’m really surprised this staff hasn’t sealed the deal yet with a PG they like. They’re offering a starting job and 25-30 mpg playing with the best big man in the A-10 … even with as insane as the portal is, that’s objectively an attractive opportunity and you’d think one of these guys would’ve jumped on it rather than wait and be left without a chair once the music stops.

Guess that’s what happens when you haven’t danced or really even been close in 11 years.

 

[dr. gunnie]

Any chance @Patriot8 can give us an updated list on who we are targeting? I just did a deep dive into Saquan Singleton and before I start looking at some others, it might be a good idea to make sure we are still recruiting them.

 

[tblack33]

Now that I’ve had more time to think about it, I’m really surprised this staff hasn’t sealed the deal yet with a PG they like. They’re offering a starting job and 25-30 mpg playing with the best big man in the A-10 … even with as insane as the portal is, that’s objectively an attractive opportunity and you’d think one of these guys would’ve jumped on it rather than wait and be left without a chair once the music stops.

Guess that’s what happens when you haven’t danced or really even been close in 11 years.

I’m with you Jim. Again, still not panicking, but we’ve got a pretty solid situation to sell here, not saying we should have our pick of the litter, but it’s not like we’re offering someone 15 mins a game to dump the ball to Jared Reuter. It’s a little bit concerning we don’t seem super close to locking this down given it was very clearly our #1 need going into the off-season.

Sales pitch is easy, we play an uptempo offense, 25+ mins a game dumping the ball to Oduro or with a solid spot up shooter. Someone could come in and have some crazy assist numbers. Hell, XJ was over 5APG last season, and that was XJ.

 

[bravesfan]

Are we sure Victor Bailey wasn't brought in to give us at least 20 mpg at point? He was a PG coming out of high school and it's possible CKE's pitch was that he'd be able to play the 1 here.

Victor Bailey, McNeil , Point Guard

Victor Bailey is a 6-3, 165-pound Point Guard from Austin, TX.

247sports.com

 

[Junkees9]

Good point -- another site supporting the idea.

https://www.verbalcommits.com/players/victor-bailey-jr-tx

 

[FreeGunston12]

Are we sure Victor Bailey wasn't brought in to give us at least 20 mpg at point? He was a PG coming out of high school and it's possible CKE's pitch was that he'd be able to play the 1 here.

Victor Bailey, McNeil , Point Guard

Victor Bailey is a 6-3, 165-pound Point Guard from Austin, TX.

247sports.com

Had that thought, but considering the number of pgs we have been linked to still - I'd say it is unlikely. Maybe plan B.

 

[dr. gunnie]

If you watched Kim’s last coaches show (it was after VBJ committed), his first comment on recruiting was “we are targeting the point guard position very aggressively” - not sure he would say that if the plan was to use VBJ at the point.