Interesting piece here on Grimes. Clearly he's getting more of a spotlight treatment at his new school and thriving there.
Interested to see Sampson call him the team's "best defender" and complement his "good feet." Crazy that we didn't see the same player here.
Maybe Grimes found a chip @drgnslayr would be proud of!
I've watched him at Houston. I can't even recognize his game from what he was here. He's hustling and using that body everyone always boasted about.
I think he just wanted to be a star. He doesn't want to share the spotlight with anyone, and if pushed, he backs down. My guess anyways. He backed down at Kansas.
It just goes to show that you can't always tell about players. They are all unique individuals and some fit well on a team and others don't. It speaks volumes for team chemistry and when you get a team where everyone is on the same page, it shows up on the final score and in March.
I know one thing... I like our current team, a lot! I'm not seeing the problem player that weighs down on everyone. I'm seeing a team of guys that all want to just be a part of making the team better. If we go far in March, this will be the reason why, much more than just having the guns. We've had plenty of teams full of guns.
@drgnslayr So true. And I think Garrett is a huge part of that chemistry. That write up on KUsports talking about how he gives all the guys a heads up on what coach is going to tell them before he gets on them was great. Plus seeing an upperclassman get big playing time for 3 years by putting team first makes the young guns want to buy in I think.
OK, apparently I'm not as nice of a guy as I think I am. When athletes (football or basketball mainly) leave KU, 99% of the time I'm like "Don't let the door hit you in the butt".
Most others on this site seem to have the warm and fuzzies for them whether they leave or not. I don't get it. I guess if they transfer to the St Francis Xavier's Green Herald International School in Bangladesh - ok, I'll get over it.
But what if they transfer to a school that we may face later in the year? In the Final Four maybe? Or what if they tranfer to K-State?
Convince me not to be scorned.
nuleafjhawk said:
OK, apparently I'm not as nice of a guy as I think I am. When athletes (football or basketball mainly) leave KU, 99% of the time I'm like "Don't let the door hit you in the butt".
Most others on this site seem to have the warm and fuzzies for them whether they leave or not. I don't get it. I guess if they transfer to the St Francis Xavier's Green Herald International School in Bangladesh - ok, I'll get over it.
But what if they transfer to a school that we may face later in the year? In the Final Four maybe? Or what if they tranfer to K-State?
Convince me not to be scorned.
If they transfer to KSU, they won't be meeting us in the FF. And certainly wouldn't have ever started here.
I don't mind guys leaving who did their time and either were never going to see the floor or it just wasn't the right fit. Guys like Anrio Adams or BG who were knuckleheads, sure good riddance.
But Grimes, Cunliffe, Bragg, etc. Guys who came here and put in good work and it just wasn't a great fit, I wish no ill will. If they contributed to the team and are a part of KU basketball history in a positive way I see no reason to hate on them when they're gone.
@nuleafjhawk If he goes for 30 against us in the tourney I will change the name of this thread to something not so nice! I try to wish everyone well because especially with people we mostly watch on TV, we just don't really know as much about them as we think so I give everyone the benefit of the doubt as much as possible. I will say I did chuckle a bit as I read the article on ESPN thinking about U of H having a segment of practice designed specifically for Grimes. I'm a little jealous they are getting the Grimes we thought and hoped we would.
For anyone who has kids (and this is a reminder to myself as well), just try to imagine the kid you're talking about is your own kid, going from a team where he doesn't quite fit to one where he does. My sons have struggled on some teams with certain coaches and thrived on others, and there was often no real fault anywhere. What's the point in finding blame? Looking forward is much more productive, unless you want to identify what type of player to avoid recruiting in the future?
@Kcmatt7 This is a blanket response to all who chimed in - after some consideration, I guess I really don't have any qualms with those guys who, for whatever reason never seem to get on the court and they want to transfer. Walk ons, whatever - I get that.
I was thinking more of the high profile guys who transfer. The guys that KU has invested a lot of time and money into recruiting them. They pronounce their undying love for KU - oh, the history, the tradition, Allen Fieldhouse, blah blah blah. Oh, by the way - screw you guys, I'm transferring.
I feel the same way about OAD's. You sign with KU, I want you here for 4 years. LOL.
Hey, we are Jayhawks! We have no time to go backwards second guessing ex-players and bashing them. Let's just look forward to our great season!
We see a kid like Grimes, and that body, and we think "man"... he was young, he is still young. Something didn't rub him right and he was a kid. I tend to give kids quite a bit of slack. I was a kid once... back when dinosaurs roamed the great plains.
Anyways, Q... good luck and go make yourself a career!
Here's my personal story. Maybe this is part of it for why I don't hate guys for leaving. It's not a direct comparison, but it helps me feel some empathy.
I was on try-out teams growing up. Always a starter. I started for our 7th grade basketball team and was the top scorer. Then in 8th grade, somehow I ended up being on the B team/A team bench rider. I didn't get it. The 8th grade coach didn't like me for some reason. I can tell you, if I had to do 4 more years with him, I wouldn't have made it. We were a bad fit for each other. That's it. Nothing more than that. I went on to start for our Freshman team and then again as a Senior on Varsity. I don't know my 8th grade coach was the only coach that I ever road the bench for. Or what I did or didn't do that caused me not to start. I simply just didn't.
I'd imagine this is how a lot of transfers feel. They get here, and for whatever reason they don't click with the coach. They shouldn't suck it up for 4-years just because. It's not quitting either. If Grimes just quit basketball, sure maybe he is a wuss. But these guys transfer to go play elsewhere. It's no different than leaving a company because they have either no advancement opportunities, your boss is a royal dick, you can get a promotion, etc. I mean that company put money into training you. But you should be looking out for yourself. So should these guys.
You only get one life. I'd hate to ask someone be miserable for even 4 years of it just for my enjoyment.
@Kcmatt7 I agree it was a bad fit but I don't really like the passive aggressive narrative being essentially put out there through Grimes family.
That article mentioning Grimes family never operated like he was OAD is a huge joke. It's damage control now that it didn't work out when I know 100% he wasn't attending classes second semester.
Seems like it's worked out pretty well for both Kansas and Grimes. I like our team this season.
BShark said:
@Kcmatt7 I agree it was a bad fit but I don't really like the passive aggressive narrative being essentially put out there through Grimes family.
That article mentioning Grimes family never operated like he was OAD is a huge joke. It's damage control now that it didn't work out when I know 100% he wasn't attending classes second semester.
Fair enough. You shouldn't be putting out negative narratives and burning bridges anytime you leave a place. His mindset coming in was definitely not where it needed to be.
Not sure if people read the link, but apparently Self did a lot to get Grimes eligible for this season. According to KU, Grimes left in good standing simply because there wasn't a spot for him. Made it even seem like it wasn't his decision but Self's. I'm sure that's just saying what needs to be said for the rules folks, but Self certainly didn't have to do that so makes me think he's wishing him well too.
@benshawks08 Coach Self is a class guy. I admire him for helping Q land somewhere he seems to fit and helping him to avoid having to sit out a year.
benshawks08 said:
Not sure if people read the link, but apparently Self did a lot to get Grimes eligible for this season. According to KU, Grimes left in good standing simply because there wasn't a spot for him. Made it even seem like it wasn't his decision but Self's. I'm sure that's just saying what needs to be said for the rules folks, but Self certainly didn't have to do that so makes me think he's wishing him well too.
Self is playing nice because, well, it's the right thing to do and it looks good for him as well. Plus it just wasn't going to work. There wasn't a spot for Grimes because he told the staff he was leaving. It's best for all parties involved this way but these articles are going to get tiring if they keep getting pumped out to try and inflate Q's draft stock.
His game logs tell the story.
https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/quentin-grimes-1/gamelog/2020 ↗
Played two good teams in Oregon and BYU, the two games where his numbers are a lot lower. I watched the Oregon game and parts of the South Carolina game and he definitely still has his moments good and bad. More bad than good defensively which is probably part of the clash with Bill.
If he left in good standing, and with Self's help, he must have fulfilled his academic requirements. Players who don't do that before they leave can screw up a school's APR, and I don't think they can get a waiver for immediate eligibility. I always have suspected it is a form of mutual extortion.
BShark said:
Played two good teams in Oregon and BYU, the two games where his numbers are a lot lower. I watched the Oregon game and parts of the South Carolina game and he definitely still has his moments good and bad. More bad than good defensively which is probably part of the clash with Bill.
Defensive liability who turns the ball over a lot and has a flat inconsistent shot.
He has nothing to offer a Bill Self coached team.
Self is good to his players because he really feels it deep inside. Self was a real player himself... not some bench warmer who later took up coaching.
He has done a lot more for players than will ever be exposed in media. I know this to be fact. He isn't doing it just because it makes him look good.
By the time these players make it to college... and especially 4 and 5-star players.. they have been "played" by so many coaches and wannabees. Self has a solid rep with recruits.
I imagined big things for Grimes... in year three. He imagined big things for himself in year one. His big head got popped like a pimple and he ended up at Houston. Best of luck to him and them.
Grimes will be a 1st team All-AAC player by his senior year at Houston. He'll never be an NBA player because he simply isn't skilled enough, but he should be able to carve out a career overseas if he wants to.
... because he knows “for sure.”
Most of Grimes issues here last year were him not putting forth any effort whatsoever. He maybe the laziest player to wear a KU uniform. Maybe he was home sick or something but Self surprising still started him all year and I think tried to get him going in anyway. He just wasn’t a good fit and his Daddy complaining constantly behind the scenes didn’t help him any. He’ll be a solid player for Houston playing against mediocre teams in half full venues most the time where there is minimal pressure. I don’t think he’s a bad kid or anything but you get out what you put in and after watching him in Houston, he’s putting more in. I think we all agree regardless of his daddies screams, he ain’t no NBA player.
Grimes has the physical tools. How that shows up going forward is anyone's guess.
I hope success for him because I have no reason to harbor ill will against him. KU was a bad fit for him. It was pretty clear about halfway through the season last year that Grimes was not a good fit at KU. Why try and force that to work when it just wasn't clicking? Let him move on. Let KU move on. Hope for the best for both.
Grimes back to his usual self against B12 competition - 10 minutes to go against OSU and he is 0-4 from the field, 0-1 FTs, 1 RB, 0 assists and 1 TO...
DCHawker said:
Grimes back to his usual self against B12 competition - 10 minutes to go against OSU and he is 0-4 from the field, 0-1 FTs, 1 RB, 0 assists and 1 TO...
there is the Quentin we all grew to know
DCHawker said:
Grimes back to his usual self against B12 competition - 10 minutes to go against OSU and he is 0-4 from the field, 0-1 FTs, 1 RB, 0 assists and 1 TO...
Every game against good competition he has been bad. Should dispel any myths one would think...