Pot meet kettle.
We will see how this pans out. Am hopeful he is a BIG ready player but Pike’s track record with impact transfers isn’t the best.
if it doesn’t at least he will have that bball iq to fall back on.
Basketball Rutgers Basketball lands Virginia Tech transfer center Christian Gurdak
- Thread starter Alec Crouthamel
- Start date
Pot meet kettle.
We will see how this pans out. Am hopeful he is a BIG ready player but Pike’s track record with impact transfers isn’t the best.
if it doesn’t at least he will have that bball iq to fall back on.
Another big, preferably a 4 that could play backup center would be ideal. If we needed to go small, Buchanan could play the 4. I doubt there is enough money left to get a couple of quality bigs and a quality point guard. Possibly there is only enough left for a single quality big so I would focus on the big.
...You know that is basically a joke about every 18 year old outside of America. He could have been dribbling a basketball in his cradle and yet the story is that the recruit had never seen or heard of basketball until six months ago. I didn't believe the story when Olajuwon was pitching it.
Very different from Martini. Some just look for negative comparisons as a starting point. Tough way to be
Carino's take..."intrigued"
Rutgers basketball adds Christian Gurdak, transfer center
Rutgers basketball’s high-priority search for a center has brought an intriguing transfer aboard.
Christian Gurdak, a 6-foot-10, 260-pound freshman at Virginia Tech, finalized his commitment to the Scarlet Knights Friday. He’s the second of three postmen they will carry in 2026-27, joining returning freshman reserve Gevonte Ware and a player to be determined. Here are three things to know about Gurdak.
The Hokies finished 19-13 overall and 8-10 in the ACC.
In the big picture the reality is that, even with their significant roster-budget increase this spring, the Scarlet Knights are priced out of the market for top-level transfer centers. Guys like Seton Hall’s Najai Hines (who landed at UConn) are going to programs with war chests of $15 million and up. Even Gurdak wasn't easy to reel in. The days of developing a Myles Johnson or a Cliff Omoruyi over time and reaping the benefits in their upperclassmen years are over for all but the richest of programs.
Rutgers basketball adds Christian Gurdak, transfer center
Rutgers basketball’s high-priority search for a center has brought an intriguing transfer aboard.
Christian Gurdak, a 6-foot-10, 260-pound freshman at Virginia Tech, finalized his commitment to the Scarlet Knights Friday. He’s the second of three postmen they will carry in 2026-27, joining returning freshman reserve Gevonte Ware and a player to be determined. Here are three things to know about Gurdak.
1. He’s a former four-star recruit
A West Virginia native, Gurdak prepped at Washington, D.C. power Gonzaga. He also visited Notre Dame, Iowa, Maryland and Penn State as a high school prospect. Of course, it’s understandable for Rutgers fans to be wary of ratings and rankings after former McDonald’s All-American Baye Fall was a bust at the five for Rutgers this past season. Unlike Fall, though, Gurdak actually got on the court as a college freshman and did something.2. He was a part-time starter at Virginia Tech
Gurdak started 10 games. All told, he averaged 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds in 17 minutes per game while shooting 63 percent from the field. His most notable effort was a 17-point, 19-rebound eruption in an overtime upset of a very good Virginia squad. Gurdak knows what he is – he’s a strong offensive rebounder and finisher who doesn’t drift far from the paint (he didn’t attempt a 3-pointer all season). But he also didn’t do much in the way of standard rim protecting, recording just 12 blocks.The Hokies finished 19-13 overall and 8-10 in the ACC.
3. Part of a center by committee?
What will Gurdak’s role be? By various accounts, Virginia Tech had plans for him to start at the five in 2026-27. It seems all but certain that Rutgers will bring in one more center to compete for minutes there, probably someone with rim-protecting acumen given how important that's been to Steve Pikiell's best defenses in the past.In the big picture the reality is that, even with their significant roster-budget increase this spring, the Scarlet Knights are priced out of the market for top-level transfer centers. Guys like Seton Hall’s Najai Hines (who landed at UConn) are going to programs with war chests of $15 million and up. Even Gurdak wasn't easy to reel in. The days of developing a Myles Johnson or a Cliff Omoruyi over time and reaping the benefits in their upperclassmen years are over for all but the richest of programs.
You're trading a bad player for a better one. It's not like EO made the defense a top-tier unit. Rutgers was bad with him or without him. Might as well go in a different direction.
How about Godswill from Seton Hall as the next big man, back up center ? From Long Island Lutheran HS, Often hurt this last year. But showed some promise his freshman year. More of a shot blocker and lob threat than Gurdak. Evenot at just 6’9
Maker of DePaul Id think wants to drop down to a low major and actually play, given his zooms and schools that have shown interest
Maker of DePaul Id think wants to drop down to a low major and actually play, given his zooms and schools that have shown interest
How do you know not really? Did you watch the Maac? I’m giving benefit of the doubt to the pod that says he had 33 blocks as a freshman and going by their impression of his tape and people they talk to in the Maac
Huge difference playing basketball in the Big Ten. Manhattan opened their season when Sydnor was a freshman by playing Maryland. He matched up against Queen and Reese who were both clearly bigger and more talented them him. Only Big Ten game I’m aware of that he played so it was the only one I could watch on BTN+ to see him play. Looked overmatched by Queen, but still scored 7 points and had 5 rebounds. Like many freshman he looked like he could use bulking up and he did seem more like a forward than a center. Given that it was the first game he played in college and the level of competition he faced I don’t think his performance should be considered a real negative. Against lesser competition he was the teams leading scorer and did have 33 blocks and averaged 6.8 rebounds per game so he should be a good player just isn’t big enough to play center in the Big Ten unless he really bulked up and then he would only be undersized height wise. He did shoot the 3 at around 35% so that is a huge difference between him and Dortch offensively while defensively he might be similar to Dortch who would probably have been better defending forwards than centers.
I think he was solid defensively his freshman year, may have even been their best defender as a freshman, but they weren't a good defense. None of those blocks came against higher league comp, none against Maryland, none against Virgina, or even an Army. No steals against Maryland or Virginia. According to Evan Miya he wasn't a part of Manhattan's best twosome, threesome, foursome, or fivesome on the court together. We have to see how he translates to this level, maybe better positioned. Probably shouldn't have said not really, Grant wasn't a defender at all, so we are probably improved, just how noticeable is up for debate.
I don't give benefit of the doubt, I like to see it myself
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To be clear I think this is a good get. That being said, the point is that a rim protector is a need. While EO struggled on offense, as the year progressed he changed the game when he was in there re shot blocking in most minutes, and developed some experience as to when to leave his man. Go back and look at the D when he was out.
This VT addition is good but feel it needs to be a part of a rotation with at least some minutes of shot blocking threat as Ware is not that either. If that is added then the room has been clearly upgraded.
This VT addition is good but feel it needs to be a part of a rotation with at least some minutes of shot blocking threat as Ware is not that either. If that is added then the room has been clearly upgraded.
I don't think we'll have a "rim protector" or much rim protection in general, but the hope has to be that the overall defense will be better even without that. Better defensive rebounding from the 3 and 4, better PnR defense from the center position all can help.
Agree the D may be better overall and thats good. My point is it can only be so good without some shot blocking threat at least some portion of the game. And we all know there's quite a lot of room to be better than last year but still very under par.
To get B10 serviceable some rim protection needed -even if D better than last year.
To get B10 serviceable some rim protection needed -even if D better than last year.
