Welcome AJ WIlson

[gmujim92]

So it took AJ 4 years to iron out and really, he isn't all the way there yet. But a P5 thinks he can contribute then have at it. Short sighted to think he can do very well at another program. He should stay b/c its what got him to where he currently is. He has come a long way from being a project. Athletic, but a basketball project indeed.

Obi’s success should be instructive for AJ and other A-10 players that you can build a national profile without playing for a P5 program.

He’s not gonna get more minutes or more touches somewhere other than Mason. He’ll be the leader of our team and we will play through him on both ends of the floor.

If his priority is playing in a higher profile league and being a rotation piece like Grayer, he’s certainly capable of doing that.

But with another offseason of development and improved consistency, AJ has a chance to be first team all-conference next season. It’s at least something to think about.

 

[mkaufman1]

He wasn’t on anyone’s radar before blowing up as a senior, so his offer list was thin.

From what I’ve heard there have been several coaches trying to get him to back out of his LOI.

that also supposedly happened with JDS too. It’s very common as you know, but that’s just the testament to having to get ahead of those guys.

We were 5-13 with AJ. Anyone/everyone leaving this program really isn't that good. If they were we'd be better than 5-13. If AJ goes, I wish him the best. If he stays is he really going to make us A10 champs? I think not. We suck. It's time people realized that as long as DP is in charge we will remain.....irrelevant.

I don’t think it’s a matter of making A10 champs. I think having a 5th year player like AJ who can play at a high level, several other seniors and experienced players, with the assumption they are healthy, means you have a chance to have a good team.

It’s the only glimmer of hope I have at this point under Paulsen, that he gets a veteran squad that’s healthy on the floor. At least then we’ll know if that’s all he’s needed.

 

[GMUgemini]

that also supposedly happened with JDS too. It’s very common as you know, but that’s just the testament to having to get ahead of those guys.



I don’t think it’s a matter of making A10 champs. I think having a 5th year player like AJ who can play at a high level, several other seniors and experienced players, with the assumption they are healthy, means you have a chance to have a good team.

It’s the only glimmer of hope I have at this point under Paulsen, that he gets a veteran squad that’s healthy on the floor. At least then we’ll know if that’s all he’s needed.

Its a good question...if you take last year’s version of AJ and stick him on a team with Marquise, Otis, Grayer, and Jalen do they finish better than 9-9 with 19 regular season wins? Probably. And you wouldn’t have to play Boyd, Kier or Grayer out of position.

Next year really hinges on AJ coming back and how much better will Oduro be (if at all).

 

[mkaufman1]

Its a good question...if you take last year’s version of AJ and stick him on a team with Marquise, Otis, Grayer, and Jalen do they finish better than 9-9 with 19 regular season wins? Probably. And you wouldn’t have to play Boyd, Kier or Grayer out of position.

Next year really hinges on AJ coming back and how much better will Oduro be (if at all).

Put current AJ on that team and they are a much better squad. That was a good team and they didnt have the depth (they had the experience and talent however, and stayed relatively healthy).

I think theres a lot of keys to the team next year, it goes beyond just AJ and Oduro. AJ is a key piece for sure.

 

[mkaufman1]

Guys- going forward any post regarding AJ graduating/not graduating/asking if hes graduating will be deleted. Thanks

 

[Jack Strop]

Guys- going forward any post regarding AJ graduating/not graduating/asking if hes graduating will be deleted. Thanks

Why?

 

[mkaufman1]

Why?

sent you a PM

 

[GMUYoda]

https://twitter.com/MasonMBB/status/1243325756085764099

 

[tblack33]

https://twitter.com/MasonMBB/status/1243325756085764099

I feel a lot more comfortable that he’s coming back for his senior year. Looking forward to see what he can do and what the coaching staff draws up for him to be successful this offseason. Hopefully they work on his passing and court vision because he’s going to see a lot of double teams next year.

 

[p8triotfan4life]

I feel a lot more comfortable that he’s coming back for his senior year. Looking forward to see what he can do and what the coaching staff draws up for him to be successful this offseason. Hopefully they work on his passing and court vision because he’s going to see a lot of double teams next year.

I agree. Now that we know AJ is returning (would be pretty embarrassing if GMU Men's BBall Twitter Handle would post something if it wasn't the case), let's get that waiver signed and ensure that Kier comes back.

If we get Kier to come back,with this incoming class of recruits + Daddy (basically 4 new freshmen), I would say we have a legit chance to finish in the Top 4 next year.

 

[mkaufman1]

I feel a lot more comfortable that he’s coming back for his senior year. Looking forward to see what he can do and what the coaching staff draws up for him to be successful this offseason. Hopefully they work on his passing and court vision because he’s going to see a lot of double teams next year.

Double teaming a big means swinging the ball to the perimeter and hopefully lots of made threes off of it.

 

[tblack33]

Double teaming a big means swinging the ball to the perimeter and hopefully lots of made threes off of it.

Miller needs to be working hard on the perimeter, he doesn’t have a bad shot and he shoots a high percentage but his attempts are low.

 

[sleeperpick]

I agree. Now that we know AJ is returning (would be pretty embarrassing if GMU Men's BBall Twitter Handle would post something if it wasn't the case), let's get that waiver signed and ensure that Kier comes back.

If we get Kier to come back,with this incoming class of recruits + Daddy (basically 4 new freshmen), I would say we have a legit chance to finish in the Top 4 next year.

Did Richmond, Bona, St Louis and Duquesne all suddenly drop out of the A10? All four much better than us and they lose nothing.. that isn't even bringing UMASS, GW (beat us twice) and the vcu's/Dayton's of the world into it.

 

[PoorManProfit]

Did Richmond, Bona, St Louis and Duquesne all suddenly drop out of the A10? All four much better than us and they lose nothing.. that isn't even bringing UMASS, GW (beat us twice) and the vcu's/Dayton's of the world into it.

Right? Some of these G Mas "fans"...

 

[Jack Strop]

Did Richmond, Bona, St Louis and Duquesne all suddenly drop out of the A10? All four much better than us and they lose nothing.. that isn't even bringing UMASS, GW (beat us twice) and the vcu's/Dayton's of the world into it.

Yes, I understand. However, vcu was in the same boat this past season and look how they finished. All prognostication aside, the games are yet to be played. The A10 is gonna be rough and tumble next year, that's for sure.

 

[gmujim92]

Did Richmond, Bona, St Louis and Duquesne all suddenly drop out of the A10? All four much better than us and they lose nothing.. that isn't even bringing UMASS, GW (beat us twice) and the vcu's/Dayton's of the world into it.

All 4 much better than us? If we get Kier back at 100%, no way.

 

[tblack33]

All 4 much better than us? If we get Kier back at 100%, no way.

I’ll have to disagree here, even with a fully healthy Kier and Boyd (imaginary situation here where the NCAA feels bad because we’ve sucked the last few years and granted us an extra scholarship) we are still not better than any of those 4 teams next season barring transfers out from any of their programs.

GW would have still beat us twice this year even with a healthy Kier, and they are only going to be better next season.

 

[GMUgemini]

I’ll have to disagree here, even with a fully healthy Kier and Boyd (imaginary situation here where the NCAA feels bad because we’ve sucked the last few years and granted us an extra scholarship) we are still not better than any of those 4 teams next season barring transfers out from any of their programs.

GW would have still beat us twice this year even with a healthy Kier, and they are only going to be better next season.

Why do you think GW would have beaten us twice with a fully healthy Kier?

Also, Duquesne barely beat us missing both Kier and Javon in that game, so projecting them into the top 4 next year way ahead of us is probably not a great idea if AJ, Kier, and Javon all come back.

 

[sleeperpick]

All 4 much better than us? If we get Kier back at 100%, no way.

I mean you make projections like this each year and then we do bad and you say “I was still right we just got a bad bit of luck with injuries”. #patterns

kier will most likely never be 100% if we get him back. He did not drive the ball barely at all this year and that is where he does his best work. Sometimes injuries linger ala Marcus Evans. This is going to be brutal recovery for Kier but I doubt we ever see his junior self again.

I didn’t think we were going to be good this year and the 22 win projections being thrown out because of one of the easiest non conference schedules were so stupid it hurt. Even I was surprised we finished 11th behind teams with new coaches or younger teams than we had.

I can see us being better next year but we shouldn’t be competitive with upper part of A10.

 

[sleeperpick]

Why do you think GW would have beaten us twice with a fully healthy Kier?

Also, Duquesne barely beat us missing both Kier and Javon in that game, so projecting them into the top 4 next year way ahead of us is probably not a great idea if AJ, Kier, and Javon all come back.

We probably beat GW at home with Kier.
St. Louis had almost just as many injuries as we did and they were largely better and return all of their good players
Bona has 3 headed monsters that are now juniors together and a much better coach
Richmond will be preseason top 25 next year even with a shit coach they should be top of class
Duquesne IMO is better than us by a greater margin than one game. I mean one game by them that they still won shouldn’t be all that you take into consideration. They were a lot better than us this year and we still don’t have the bigs to play with them. They only lose one guy that matters.