Goodbye Tyler Kolek

[mkaufman1]

Not bad for an underrecruited kid from Rhode Island and couldn't even get a URI offer.

 

[gmujim92]

Not bad for an underrecruited kid from Rhode Island and couldn't even get a URI offer.

Gotta suck for Providence fans to have a RI native leading the best team in their own conference, and they didn’t offer him either.

 

[The Great PATSby]

Gotta suck for Providence fans to have a RI native leading the best team in their own conference, and they didn’t offer him either.

Apparently Kolek grew up as a die hard Friars fan too.

 

[ephoops]

Cooley does not miss much, but he certainly missed on Kolek.

 

[MasonFanatic]

Kolek's highest scoring game of the season (29 points) was at Providence. Marquette lost in double OT after he fouled out.

 

[HoopsAdmin]

Congrats to Tyler!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1633528287027945473

View: https://twitter.com/marquettembb/status/1633528287027945473?s=46&t=0sFJ0k3TIq3wHH9Wv3bTug

 

[ephoops]

At this rate, he's playing in the NBA one day...

 

[TweederGMU]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zJkrxRUIKs

 

[jessej]

3rd Team AP All-American

THIRD TEAM

Kansas State's surge led to the Wildcats earning third-team selections in Markquis Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, their first AP All-Americans since Jacob Pullen in 2011.

Big East player of the year Tyler Kolek of Marquette, Iowa's Kris Murray and North Carolina's Armando Bacot rounded out the third team.

 

[jessej]

NABC Division I All-America Third Team

Max Abmas, Oral Roberts – G, Sr.

Keyontae Johnson, Kansas St. – F, Sr.

Tyler Kolek, Marquette – G, Jr.

Markquis Nowell, Kansas St. – G, Sr.

Isaiah Wong, Miami (Fla.) – G, Jr.

 

[ephoops]

Kolek Projected as 2nd-Round Pick in ESPN 2024 Mock Draft

ESPN has Kolek as the #53 pick in next year’s NBA draft.

 

[GMU79]

Kolek Projected as 2nd-Round Pick in ESPN 2024 Mock Draft

ESPN has Kolek as the #53 pick in next year’s NBA draft.

Wow!

Wow!

I'm happy for these guys, but dang!
They were OUR guys!!

 

[KAOriginal]

Say what? You mean Dave Paulsen may have recruited our only "modern" NBA draftees?

Well well well......

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

Say what? You mean Dave Paulsen may have recruited our only "modern" NBA draftees?

Well well well......

The irony is, if they stayed and continued to be coached by DP, they wouldn’t have even sniffed the NBA.

It’s like “The Gift of the Magi” situation here.

 

[Masonfan3]

The irony is, if they stayed and continued to be coached by DP, they wouldn’t have even sniffed the NBA.

It’s like “The Gift of the Magi” situation here.

I was one of the biggest DP critics there was but that is just non sense. Jordan was 3rd Team All A-10 and Tyler was A-10 rookie of the year in their final season at Mason. No reason to think they wouldn’t have progressed some over the next couple years. Not sure why we are still hating on a guy who gave all he had while at Mason and was a huge advocate for the university. If you want to hate on his WL record fine, but then let’s give him credit on being able to find a couple diamonds in the rough.

 

[gmujim92]

I was one of the biggest DP critics there was but that is just non sense. Jordan was 3rd Team All A-10 and Tyler was A-10 rookie of the year in their final season at Mason. No reason to think they wouldn’t have progressed some over the next couple years. Not sure why we are still hating on a guy who gave all he had while at Mason and was a huge advocate for the university. If you want to hate on his WL record fine, but then let’s give him credit on being able to find a couple diamonds in the rough.

In terms of NBA draft stock, both Jordan and Tyler have benefited tremendously from being surrounded by better talent, the increased exposure that comes with playing in elite basketball leagues, and playing in the NCAA tournament.

Can we say with a straight face that any of those things would’ve been the case if they had stayed at Mason under DP? I don’t think so.

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

I was one of the biggest DP critics there was but that is just non sense. Jordan was 3rd Team All A-10 and Tyler was A-10 rookie of the year in their final season at Mason. No reason to think they wouldn’t have progressed some over the next couple years. Not sure why we are still hating on a guy who gave all he had while at Mason and was a huge advocate for the university. If you want to hate on his WL record fine, but then let’s give him credit on being able to find a couple diamonds in the rough.

You either didn’t pay attention during DPs reign, or are clearly a moron. And if the truth sounds like hating, then that’s your problem.

I don’t hate DP. In fact I’m scared to death of him and his radius of mediocrity.

 

[mkaufman1]

If we want to praise Dave for Tyler Kolek and Jordan Miller, which we should, we can't go into the conversation without discussing the several failures or lack of quality talent that he brought in to try and compete at the A10 level especially towards the end of his tenure (TJ Gladsden, Daddy Haidara just to name a few).

Its not to say Dave didn't find diamonds in the rough, he did, and he did a decent or better job with guys like Kier, Miller, Livingston etc.

However, he didn't recruit enough guys at a high quality of talent, and was not able to coach up his existing talent enough to save his job. I know his defenders like to say "Well he was just getting going with Kolek and Miller", but anyone who watched 6 years of Paulsen's teams, know that it would have been led to another mediocre or disappointment year. I agree with @gmujim92 that Miller and Kolek have surrounded themselves with high level talent that is coached up, in high major leagues, to get the attention. Neither one of them would have gotten the same amount of attention at Mason, even if Mason started to win.

Paulsen did many good things for Mason, he came in, stabilized the program and raised the floor. However, he was unable to take the next step that most coaches need to take in years 4, years 5, years 6 of the program. In addition, when the landscape started changing, he refused to take any risks with transfers. I am glad that we moved on when we did, took our chance with English which has now led us to Tony Skinn.

I'm still a fan of Dave and I'm thankful for what he did for the Mason basketball program. However, it was time to move on. I have no doubt that he will do well at Holy Cross, which is more suited to his abilities as a coach and recruiter.

I hate the offseason.

 

[Masonfan3]

In terms of NBA draft stock, both Jordan and Tyler have benefited tremendously from being surrounded by better talent, the increased exposure that comes with playing in elite basketball leagues, and playing in the NCAA tournament.

Can we say with a straight face that any of those things would’ve been the case if they had stayed at Mason under DP? I don’t think so.

That is a great question and I honestly don't know the answer. What I do know is that both Jordan and Tyler are some of the most talented/hard working players that we have had in recent memory. What I can say with a straight face is that I don't care who the coach is, I believe that both of them have strong work ethics and would have continued to progress/improve. Would that have resulted in Jordan being drafted, I don't know. But to say they wouldn't have "sniffed" the NBA is a discredit to them as players.

If we want to praise Dave for Tyler Kolek and Jordan Miller, which we should, we can't go into the conversation without discussing the several failures or lack of quality talent that he brought in to try and compete at the A10 level especially towards the end of his tenure (TJ Gladsden, Daddy Haidara just to name a few).

Its not to say Dave didn't find diamonds in the rough, he did, and he did a decent or better job with guys like Kier, Miller, Livingston etc.

However, he didn't recruit enough guys at a high quality of talent, and was not able to coach up his existing talent enough to save his job. I know his defenders like to say "Well he was just getting going with Kolek and Miller", but anyone who watched 6 years of Paulsen's teams, know that it would have been led to another mediocre or disappointment year. I agree with @gmujim92 that Miller and Kolek have surrounded themselves with high level talent that is coached up, in high major leagues, to get the attention. Neither one of them would have gotten the same amount of attention at Mason, even if Mason started to win.

Paulsen did many good things for Mason, he came in, stabilized the program and raised the floor. However, he was unable to take the next step that most coaches need to take in years 4, years 5, years 6 of the program. In addition, when the landscape started changing, he refused to take any risks with transfers. I am glad that we moved on when we did, took our chance with English which has now led us to Tony Skinn.

I'm still a fan of Dave and I'm thankful for what he did for the Mason basketball program. However, it was time to move on. I have no doubt that he will do well at Holy Cross, which is more suited to his abilities as a coach and recruiter.

I hate the offseason.

I agree with everything you are saying here.

You either didn’t pay attention during DPs reign, or are clearly a moron. And if the truth sounds like hating, then that’s your problem.

I don’t hate DP. In fact I’m scared to death of him and his radius of mediocrity.

I am neither. And if you want to get technical, we have no idea what the "truth" is because DP got fired (rightfully so) and Jordan and Tyler transferred out. But if you want to start talking about "truth" then how abut this....DP has recruited more players at the low major/mid major level that have been drafted to the NBA than the OCM ever did.

 

[gmutom]

I hate the offseason.

Can we please get an admin to move this comment to the correct thread?