🏀 KuBuckets Archive

That was Graham in a Drake uniform.

Speaking of talent in various areas of the country... I was surprised that there was a KC native on the UCLA starting 5 at the FF. Riley.. What's the story on him? Never interested? Not a fit here with Doke and Silvio? Or did we go with Dave over him?

Tempting to get juiced for all these new toys in the toybox... but don't forget that history shows many fail to pick up the system quickly. It's not uncommon to have a shiny new toy sitting on the bench for extended periods in Nov, Dec and even Jan.

Sometimes, it takes a full year and the production only comes in the second year.

Not trying to be a downer... But trying to stay realistic.

With that in mind, don't sleep on the incumbents who know the system and have grown another year.

@approxinfinity said in Does Baylor's title make Self hungrier?:

To significantly develop a player they have to have a high ceiling. Doke, Frank, Devonte, Ochai have high ceilings, and they developed quite nicely under Self.

True. However -- and I have no data to back this up, just the eye-test -- I would say there has been less development the past 5 years as compared with the first 10+ years of Self's tenure. I think a little shakeup in the coaching staff could be helpful with regard to this.

That SUCKS. We are in the RED ZONE and weeks away from the end zone. This is the WORST the time to get covid.

This is when everyone should be digging in, together, making the final push to victory... leaving nothing to chance and doing everything in our power to protect lives until the vaccine reaches everyone.

Be safe @BShark and hang in there.

Look, it's always wise to gather more information. From that point of view, it's great for him to go through this process and use it as an information gathering process. Unless he finds that he's a lock in the first round, I sure hope he doesn't leave.

I don't believe he maxed out here at all. He can dramatically improve his position in the draft with another year.

Between last year (Covid) and this year (flawed team), he hasn't had the stage that others get with a deep run in the tournament, but he has been a big contributor and has grown every year. His athleticism is NBA level and his shot is getting more consistent. He's poised to do something great next year and I hope it's with us.

Worst case scenario, he goes through the draft process, pulls out and enters the transfer portal. That would be a nightmare. He should be a Jayhawk until he's a pro.

Good points. Both Self and Drew faced challenges that are massively different.

Self's challenge was to take over a blue blood program after Roy had virtually established himself in the HOF in 15 years at KU.

Drew's challenge was to take over a program virtually destroyed by scandal and sanctions. In a football state. In Waco.

Vastly different journeys to get to reach the pinnacle. Both worthy of admiration for different reasons.

Also agree with @BShark that injecting some fresh blood into the coaching staff is probably good.

Not sure of Howard's motivation, but this could be a consequence of Self getting a lifetime contract. Anyone on the staff may conclude that there is no upward mobility until Self retires. Candidates looking to join the staff will have to come to terms with this new wrinkle.

The lifetime contract giveth in recruiting athletes, and taketh away in recruiting coaches.

Any chance that Hudy would ever return?

@Fightsongwriter Interesting hot take.

Ochai will get drafted eventually. He has a great stroke and is athletic and pretty long. He has improved continuously and has not hit his ceiling.

The best thing about tonight's championship is that finally a Big12 team not called Kansas has won a natty. That's important if you ever want to make the statement that the Big12 is better than _____ (fill in the blank with any other power 5 conference) and be taken seriously.

The last time a Big12 team not called Kansas won the NCAA Title in basketball was 1946. The team was Oklahoma A&M.

And, yes, other than KU and Baylor, that's it since the tournament started in 1939.

No ISU. No OU. Heck, no Nebraska, Colorado, or Missouri. No titles for any other Big 7, Big 8 or Big 12 team. Not even Texas A&M.

@KirkIsMyHinrich said in Bill Self Emperor of Kansas:

Looking more closely at this contract now, it probably shuts down any possibility of Self leaving KU for the Spurs. It looks like he would have to pay Kansas if he left for the NBA.

If he moved to the NBA, he would probably be able to negotiate a contract that covers that $2 million buyout pretty easily.

One of the best things about this move (and there are many) is that all those OSU alumni watching the Beard to Texas move who were thinking "So there's a chance!" are today settling back to reality.

Royals looked good in spring training and then went out and took opening day. They've got me hoping!

So, I'm in the camp that Dave was pretty good as a back up to Doke in 20, and was much improved in 21 as a starter, but that improvement was masked by the circumstances. If he improves as much between 21 and 22 as he did from 20 to 21, then he will be excellent.

I love the stats that @KirkIsMyHinrich provided, but my guess is that those are either the final season (which would likely be their best) or their career stats (which would still include their final, best season).

My contention is that Dave's best season is ahead of him.

Self will have his name on something in or around the Fieldhouse in the near future.

I hope this helps him solidify the great class for next year.

Get the right AD. There is a template. It's called Bob Frederick.

@jayballer67 said in So- with all these players coming and going, what is next years team gonna look like?:

See I think this was part of fans problem, we got so spoiled because of the player Doke turned out to be, and SOME again SOME just thought that would automatically carry over to Dave. - Totally different type player.

Yes, and embellishing on two points:

1) we were spoiled and we never got our payout for the product. Doke + Dotson et. al was spectacular and then covid fizzled everything and the let down was immense. Without the tournament, the fanbase neither experienced the ultimate satisfaction (via a NC), nor had to come to grips with any limitations on our expectations (from a heart-breaking loss).

2) Dave is a completely different 5. He is built different and moves different and has totally different strengths (and weaknesses). Almost unfortunate to have such different types of bigs in succession. In fact, that was another reason why last years team was so good -- having Dave back up Doke is a big transition for the defense in the middle of games. This year, when Dave came out, the replacement was not stylistically different and required little to no adjustment for the defense.

This picture is quintessential rivalry stuff:

🐦 View Tweet/photo/1

Respect to Evie Mae's BBQ. Well done. Well done.

Promoting Steve Robinson would be like Bill Guthridge taking over after Dean Smith.

Just sayin' they've done it before.

So, this is how college basketball enters an era of free-agency and drafts. This is reality regardless of what the supreme court rules.

I think he got sick and/or was injured. Never was reported, but he was really inconsistent and definitely looked better earlier in the season. Maybe he got scouted... but that doesn't explain enough in my mind.

I really like his game. I think he is tough minded and has shown that he can score through contact. I think he will be great next year. I also think Ochai will be great next year.

So who are the candidates in the Roy coaching tree or otherwise indigenous to UNC?

Gotta believe Jared Haase is a candidate. But maybe they want a younger guy to take it over?

Lol. Funny

Surprised Hoiberg isn't in the conversation. He's fallen completely off the radar.

@wissox Good thought experiment and data to support it.

USC looked good last night. We'll see if they can knock off Goliath.

Mismatch.

If you’ve been in the SEC or ACC, you’ve had an abundance of championship memories.

@BigBad I agree. That weave was completely neutralized by USC. Every possession we would waste 10 seconds weaving and getting no where. It was like we set ourselves up to be disadvantaged every time.

Silver lining: we will never have to hear the words “worst tournament loss in school history” again in our lifetime.

USC was on a heroin high that will vaporize next week. Either that or they will be in the championship game.

Time to rebuild. This team was not able to compete against these kinds of teams. Texas and USC are not the only teams built like that.

Thank you @wrwlumpy

Yeah, Stanford was a pretty good team this year and didn’t get a sniff due to the “down” year of the Pac12

OU delivering the best defense Gonzaga has seen all season.

In case anyone is wondering about my basketball prowess... I'm in 2nd place (88th percentile overall) with the only bracket that I used "auto-pick". The rest of my brackets are abysmal.

Both Arkansas and Houston demonstrating how to not lose. Neither actually won. Their opponents just couldn’t execute basic plays.

@FarmerJayhawk said in Today's Games Thread:

@DanR said in Today's Games Thread:

@Texas-Hawk-10 Getting to the dance 30 straight is pretty incredible let alone winning 29!

To be fair he missed a couple. One at KU then I think an early year at UNC

The one he missed at KU was the very first year (because of NCAA sanctions). He went every other year he was here. That's why we have the longest streak of NCAA appearances (and still counting).

Duke's streak started in 96 over and has to start over. Michigan State's streak started 1997ish. They are now #2 and Gonzaga is #3 (started around 99).

@nwhawkfan touché

@BeddieKU23 god. The charge might as well be an artistic act. It is completely subjective and every crew has their own interpretation.

Oregon State vs Oklahoma State. I know OSU will win that game.

@BeddieKU23 seems like this happens every year. Makes me think the official deliberately try to keep games close so there is more opportunity for dramatic endings.

I am not an okie state fan but i have to say they are playing with some of the worst officiating I have seen in a long time.

The officials have just been terrible and helped keep the game close. OSU is way better than Liberty.

me too!

Wouldn't Chris Beard be good for IU?

@Kcmatt7 Re: Big 12.. Curious -- if someone from the future told you ONE B12 team made it to the FF, which do you think got there?

For me, I think it would be Texas. Of course there is the history of underperformance, but this team is really loaded with length and athleticism. I think Shaka is doing a good job with the group. I think their biggest obstacle is themselves... Provided they don't start fighting amongst each other, they look every bit as good as Baylor. And I would say their path is probably the best of the B12 teams.

10:15 am Pacific, right?

Finally eligible as of today and got an appointment for Weds. Hope they don't run out between then and now.

BTW- Watching 3 former Jayhawks on the floor right now in the Lakers vs Warriors game.