I'm not interested in UK losing Hawthorne. Pope and the staff obviously know better than me when it comes to what kind of player Hawthorne can be. But I believe he is the guy UK should go with in the backup 3/4 role. I'm actually fine with UK going with K. Williams and Hawthorne at SF (with Noah 3rd string 3/2). I'd rather see UK focus and prioritize in order: (1) a dynamic scoring 2G; (2) a PF; (3) a solid CG. After that fill-in the pieces.
Justin McBride James Madison visits Tuesday
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Reminds me of Almonor, probably a similar level of pickup. Good guy to have to fill out the bench and can hit some shots in a pinch.
Actually he was just a candidate. He didn't receive the scholarship. Another whiff!
Yep, he is better than Almonor
Tell us why he's better than Knox. You a James Madison insider too? Bub, you're really starting to lose what little credibility you think you had (you had none with me and the smarter posters who see right through your act from the start).
Guy looks like a slower, less athletic Diabate. If this is what Pope is having to resort to. He gone.
What’s that got to do with anything? They have a loaded roster already. We have Kam Moreno and zoom. And at this point if I’m Moreno I enter portal just in case
If he slots in at the 4 (doesn’t look like a 3 at all) this looks to me like the same type of backup Ansley was to Carr. Not sure if that means the staff is having to choose between Rancik and Freeman, but obviously would have loved to have both guys.
First time posting on here. Nothing against the kid but if this what we are discussing for potential roster pieces, we’ve got a problem.
Freeman and Rancik means no Hawthorne and I’m fine with that. I don’t blame him he doesn’t want to be third on the depth chart. We still need to fill that role though.
We need wings who can shoot the ball. Like 2 or 3 of them. There's the top targets, but even if you get a few of those. We need some guys who can come in off the bench and make shots.
Hey guys, maybe being a football school will not be bad. Football needs to be our major and best sport to be able to support basketball and all things athletic.
MAY turn out to be a player for us. But why are we resorting to looking for these diamonds in the rough? There is a reason this young man is playing for James Madison. Now a recruit here and there from these lower level programs is fine. Some may be awesome players who just were late bloomers or had academic issues etc. But Pope seems to be focusing most of his efforts on these lower level program players. That's troubling. But hey, it's not my career on the line. (Shrug)
So if Trent Noah, Braydon Hawthorne, Reece potter, Mason Williams, Justin McBride, Devin Williams, Sebastian rancik, Jalen cox is our bench and the starters are
Zoom diallo
Alex Wilkins
Kam Williams
Donnie freeman
Malachi
Will that team have less than 10 losses?
If that's true - and I don't know if you're saying you have knowledge of this, or it's just us fans here giving out thoughts - then I it would appear that Hawthorne or the staff only view him as a PF (at that point 3rd PF you're saying). But Hawthorne looks much more 3/4 to me. He could play with K. Williams at SF; both would play plenty and let the cream rise to the top as to how the minutes shake out at that position. Plus both - and particulary Hawthorne I think - can play a stretch 4, and Hawthorne seems to have the skill to possibly do that very well.
Regardless, if getting Freeman and Rancik truly cause UK to lose Hawthorne - which I'm a little skeptical of - for a legitimate reason like pushing him out of the top 8 rotation, then I don't want one of them. Simple as that. Maybe get Freeman and pass on Rancik (a 4/5) and maybe get a more 5/4 type to back up Moreno. But if you're saying that Hawthorne expects the starting PF spot to just be handed to him, then that's another matter.
Jesus man you need 13 to 15 guys with different skill sets. Getting a big bodied improving 6 7 220 lb plus guy is invaluable. I’m amazed at the lack of understanding in building a complete team. Yes we need top line guys but also fill out the complete team when opportunities present them selves. We have plenty of room and spots.
I’m glad we’re recruiting him, he would be an excellent addition to the team, just hope he’s not the answer at PF, as a backup to Freeman, absolutely.
I think UK already has two 3s who fill that role very well in K. Williams and Hawthorne. If UK got Stokes (and I really don't care much either way) he would be in that 3/4 role too. But I agree that UK has a huge void at 2G right now?
Paul McNeil can shoot the heck out of it at 2G, and I think UK is reportedly recruiting him. But I think McNeil is more of shooter - Colin Chandler but with better ability to get his shot off - than dynamic scoring 2G (somebody who watched a lot of NCst. can correct me if this is wrong). But I like him a lot for us. I hate that Vanterpool and Cruz Davis are off the board, but Wilkins has a lot of upside as a CG who can score in different ways, and I think there are/will be other 2G options.
Agree, a healthy Knox is head and shoulders above this guy. Rainmaker missed badly on that take.
3 & D bench guy would be good. Him and Kam I feel would be awesome together
Fans suggesting we pass on players? Reality is Pope better start signing players that he can get or we won't even have enough to scrimmage. He cannot get the top 25 that's obvious they want nothing to do with him.We are screwed till he is gone.
I wouldn't count his first season as the sample size is too small with 6/21 on the season. Your point stands that it isn't certain whether or not he will be a great perimeter shooter if he chooses the Cats.
Considering his size/position are similar to Almonor, I understand the comparison. However, watching his tape, he is significantly more athletic than Ansley. His ballhandling/ability to attack off the bounce also appear better.
So, if he is being considered as the backup PF with Freeman as the target for starting PF, I see no problem with it.
I agree.. but Pope will be loyal to the guys on roster. Agents will be telling their clients this.Dude are you serious, we have two solid players, MM and KW, neither are nowhere near being elite level players, hilarious
Matt Jones said it’s Rancik OR Freeman, not both.
We are all-in on Wilkins and want one of the two PFs
Has there been any word on Desean Goode? Feel like that went really quiet
Give me Freeman in that situation.
I agree. But I’m not sure there’s a huge dropoff either way. Both serve slightly different role at the same position. Donnie has more slashing and less shooting.
I personally like Goode better than Freeman. I like Freeman as a PF option for sure, but he's never played a full season with multiple injuries to his same foot. I just think Goode makes a lot of winning plays in sneaky ways, and beats you with toughness and IQ.
I hear you, but you aren’t playing in reality. Pope disappointed last year with a roster full of role players who should be on the bench. Now we have signed basically no one. You keep telling people we will get Stokes, or whomever, but it hasn’t happened.
Ideally his guy would be a depth piece, but you are living in another reality if you think fans aren’t going to be worried. If we were recruiting him AFTER signing a starting lineup everyone would be supportive. As it is everyone is worried we will fail to get SEC level starters and he will have to play significant minutes and their concern is justified. If you can’t understand that I don’t know what to say.
Depth to our team of scrubs? Everyone being recruited right now is to likely start.
Matt Jones is clueless. If Rancik pulls first, do you really think UK is pulling Freeman’s offer? No way. Frankly I’ll have to see it to believe it that Pope can land either one of them.
Hope you are paying attention, I’m living in reality. The people acting like the sky is falling are the ones who aren’t. Creating false narratives over and over about other schools getting the guys we are looking for blah blah is so nauseating. We are getting the original top people we targeted. Keep watching and we will get more.
Then Freeman is the obvious choice to me. It’s too bad. We can’t get them both because I feel like their skillets are great compliments to each other.