Agreed he and McCullar are huge losses. But we have people step up every year the last few. No gamers like Jalen but a bunch of really good college players imo.
Ernest Udeh
- Thread starter Wildcats389
- Start date
True but everyone has been operating under the assumption he is, and quite frankly if he’s back it’s a logjam problem and one of the freshmen likely decommit. Too many guys with real college experience coming in for anyone to be happy probably. A transfer portal + no sitting out drawback most likely. Neither players nor coaches have to be loyal, but it’ll be near impossible for teams with great 1-8s anymore to round out their roster with high level/potential players anymore. Nobody wants to wait, and they wouldn’t be the ones getting NIL.
Y’all have 7 players from what I read right now and have to worry about Oscar and Reeves stepping on toes possibly (but obviously you take them back and try to damage control).
KU self imposed a scholarship reduction and now we have 3 open scholarships still after that (2 if mgbako commits tomorrow).
Really fun 1-8…. But no KU/UK caliber player wants to come ride pine
Absolutely hope Oscar and Reeves come back... they do, and we're set as well as anyone.
The scholarship limit is not as important as the NCAA roster limit.... a kid making 2mil in NIL doesn't need the scholarship... could play as a walk-on to allow the scholarship to go to someone else.
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As I see it... this off season Kansas has sold its soul. We know too well what that looks like.
We sold ours when we hired Cal and he went all in on simply getting the #1 class of freshmen each year. You guys are now doing the same, only with transfers... which is even more of a craps-shoot... it is lazy... and you will regret it.
As a college basketball fan... there were reasons to admire Kansas... your history and tradition. But more importantly, that you built kids up through your system... just starting with your 2012 team we beat in NO... guys like Withey, Ellis, Selden, Mykhailiuk (had to look that one up), Azubuike, Graham, NDPOY Garrett, NPOY Mason, Dotson, Agbaji, McCormack, Braun, Wilson, Harris, (with a sprinkling of good transfers [Black, Lawson(s), Newman, Martin] and one and done's [Embid, Wiggins, Oubre, Dick]).
Point being, you got to see players develop within the system and then star later. That ended with us when Cal came, and it's over for you now too. No freshman is going to want to sign with KU knowing they are going to get recruited over by transfers... and at some point, the transfers won't be there. Enjoy this year, your struggles are about to begin.
Actually, the rule is, if a kid is recruited he cannot elect to play as a walk on and pay for school from his NIL money. If he's recruited, he must be on scholarship. So, the scholarship limit is absolutely in play here.
I can't find that (https://web3.ncaa.org/lsdbi/reports/getReport/90008)... help me out.
Tryouts may be the most common path, but both preferred and recruited walk ons happen. Walk ons by definition are not on scholarship (no matter how they got there)... but they can certainly participate in NIL deals.
Also, if what you wrote has any truth... surely it only applies to freshmen with LOIs... and not transfers. I say that, because all this is too new for the NCAA to be ahead of it.
On paper, better roster than the one Calipari currently has assembled. Truth.
Definitely talent at Kansas. The catch is a lot of guys who have never played together. Transfers usually work best if you sprinkle in a few with returning guys. But maybe Self is up to the challenge.
One thing Ive always noticed that Coach Self does, which ours doesnt, is to not dish out playing time just because of the number of stars by their name. He actually seems to play the ones who deserve PT, not ones who are promised it, whether deserved or not. Just my two cents worth.
A lot of fair points but a few things to point out:
1) I wouldn’t fully commit to this being a KU problem, but more of an MCAA problem for allowing kids to just jump around. There will be so few of the “stay and grow” players. There is over >1700 players in the portal and not near that many spots.
2) We have been big in the transfer portal every year so far. Self hasn’t had a problem building competitive rosters and every year we have 2-3 returning guys that know the system and were built in it (Braun, Agbaji, Wilson, Harris, Adams).
3) Despite the transfer chaos, we did sign 3 4 stars, one 5 star, and potentially another 5 star today pending Mgbako decision. It’s likely 1-3 of those will leave after this year.
So yes, I hope the transfer rule changes. And yes it’s risky business building a new team to your point, although I take veterans over freshman to make it work most times. But so far I have been glad to see all but 1-2 of the players that transferred go. Losing guys like Wilson/Dick/McCullar has happened every year and we survive. Losing Yesefu/Pettiford/Clemence etc feels “who cares” because I didn’t see them ever becoming starting caliber players, and in 2 years they had shown no bench value
How do you feel about losing Udeh? How good is he? I see you said it was a big loss. How big an upgrade is Hunter over a soph. Udeh? He seems like a guy who could really improve in year two.
I actually wish Cal would take a look at him.He looks pretty good.
Udeh is a former 5 star. A lot of teams will want him. Looks a little raw but can really finish and seems to move well.
1) I didn't say it was specifically a KU problem, only that it had been our burden... and now it's yours too. It's an impossible cycle to break free of (without a down period).
2) You haven't been big (to nearly the degree you are now) in the transfer portal. You used it sparingly, but generally choose well... from Black to McCullar... you don't win the NC in 2022 w/o the kid from ASU. But... your stars have been self grown... from Graham, Mason, McCormack, Obagee (sp?), and Wilson... all blossomed through the system.
3) Your freshman class is locked in w/ LOIs. They would have to request a release... or perhaps they are so young to be actually think they'll be able to compete for time against the older guys transferring.
Kansas is going to have an incredible year... if their transfers and returnees can just duplicate their stats from last year they should be the favorite.... but, you're going to find it very difficult to find stability under this new recruiting system.
Agree with all. I think itll be a problem with every big program. All the boarderline top 50-100 recruits that typically have stayed to develop will transfer to the second tier schools to be in the spotlight and have a chance to put up minutes and numbers. Unfortunately nobody wants to wait, so I agree the consistency across the country will be more volatile.
Still would rather be KU/UK building rosters each year than teams like TCU/Missouri/Auburn just because we will always contend for the best portal players and recruits. If there is going to be turnover no matter what, it helps to have the best players wanting to come to you first.
It's a problem for KU if Udeh ends up at K-State. It's a problem for every ESPN subscriber who can't stand Vitale and/or Bilas if Udeh ends up at Duke.
Count me among those who would drive several hours to Lexington to help Calipari pack the moving truck. But with Bradshaw coming in [and Oscar not officially gone yet] I'm not sure there realistically is a spot on the UK roster for Udeh. To me, Bradshaw and Udeh are both traditional 5's and I'm not sure that you can have two 5-star 5's on a Calipari roster - much less two 5-star 5's along with Oscar. And yes, by that I'm saying that Calipari and his staff do not have the ability to implement and run a twin-towers system - but I'm not going to bash Calipari for not attempting to bring in a guy who isn't a fit for next season's roster. I suspect Udeh hasn't shown any real interest in UK since entering the portal at least partly for the same rationale.
Bradshaw is playing the 4.Cal has already promised him that to get him to stay.
Heard he his been watching that kid at Rockfish a lot hope he can sign him up.
Why would he play behind Filipowski? when he would be brought in to replace Lively?
Proctor
Roach
Mitchell
Filipowski
Udeh
UK fans may not like Duke or Kansas, but you have to be impressed with the job they are doing in getting talent and improving their teams with out asking players for permission