2024/2025 Lineup

[pdub]

All things equal, no, Sasha is in almost all circumstances not a better piece than Hunter to build a contender with.

For instance, say I get to pick 7 Bill Self recruit players for a dream team AND add either Sasha or Hunter to that. There aren't any circumstances where I pick Sasha.

[BiggDick]

So as much as everyone loves to bash DH for not having the play style of Frank or Devonte, he's had more postseason success than either of them.

Frank and Devonte more conference tournament wins too

[randylahey]

Petition: if dajuan gets us to the final 4, biggdick gets changed to smalldick

[BiggDick]

All things equal, no, Sasha is in almost all circumstances not a better piece than Hunter to build a contender with.

For instance, say I get to pick 7 Bill Self recruit players for a dream team AND add either Sasha or Hunter to that. There aren't any circumstances where I pick Sasha.

sure.

I guess I get caught up on DC's "Hunter as Dedric" theory, tho.

He can put up a lot of stats as a main piece on a decent-to-bad team, but otherwise never actually won much.

Sasha was more of a role player, but the teams he played a role on were all more successful.

If we can take this "for instance" tho, we're debating who would be the better backup big at best, cuz if I get to pick 7 other Self recruit players for a dream team, neither Hunter nor Sasha is gonna start.

[pdub]

No.
Hunter ain't starting.
Cole or Dok is.

[BiggDick]

yup.

once again, like pretty much every discussion on every bored here, we agree.

[BiggDick]

Fuck it...

Dok
Marcus
Rush
Chalmers
BIFM

Devonte
TRob

[BiggDick]

oh shit, it was supposed to be 7 guys AND either Hunter or Sasha?

Lemme change my bench to, like, Devon and Josh Jackson, then have Sasha be the 8th man/frontcourt depth.

For the sake of this lineup, there's already enough offensive weapons that I'd rather have Sasha (for defense and ability to finish a lob) over Hunter.

[BiggDick]

Would just as gladly leave Devonte as the backup guard tho too...just switched to Devon cuz I like the idea of the reserves checking in and the lineup getting even faster.

[pdub]

Mason
Chalmers
Jackson ( yep - Josh Jackson )
Morris
Dok

Rush
Vonte

+ Hunter ( not Sasha )

[BiggDick]

Damn dude, considering he’s a guard out of position who got kicked off the team before he even played a game, I dunno if I’d want my power forward to be Arterio.

[pdub]

For the sake of this lineup, there's already enough offensive weapons that I'd rather have Sasha (for defense and ability to finish a lob) over Hunter.

Silly - if you're simply looking at the best team you can field.
But you do you.

17.9 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 54.8% FG, 35.4% 3FG.
7.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, .3 APG, 1.2 BPG, 61.9% FG, 0% 3FG.

[BiggDick]

not necessarily silly.

Especially if, as you said, you're looking at the best team you can field.

Emphasis added.

cuz, like I said...

I guess I get caught up on DC's "Hunter as Dedric" theory, tho.

He can put up a lot of stats as a main piece on a decent-to-bad team, but otherwise never actually won much.

Sasha was more of a role player, but the teams he played a role on were all more successful.

If building a TEAM, I think your backup big is better off being a tougher more athletic defensive type, rather than a more offensive-oriented player who is softer and slower and more of a defensive liability.

the first 7 options will already afford enough weapons, and will already have a game plan established. This part of the roster just needs to be a well-rounded role player, not a stat stuffer focal point-type. It's just reserve minutes.

We've got to final fours (and better) with guys like Mitch Lightfoot and Silvio and KY Jelly in these roles. They don't need to be All Americans here.

Or, if you wanna argue for your 8th man as a dood you who checks in and changes the whole game plan, go for it, that sounds fun.

Also, look at pdub suddenly fanning out for Hunter!

[BiggDick]

17.9 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.4 BPG, 54.8% FG, 35.4% 3FG.
7.1 PPG, 3.9 RPG, .3 APG, 1.2 BPG, 61.9% FG, 0% 3FG.

32.2MPG
17.7MPG

If you wanted to argue Hunter cuz of rebounds or FT% (career 72% versus Sasha's 51%), I might go for that.

My concern with regard to building a team is, I'm afraid Hunter is the type who would check in and opponents would think, "oh hey their big slow backup 5 just checked in, let's see if we can get him on roller skates"

[pdub]

"the first 7 options will already afford enough weapons, and will already have a game plan established. This part of the roster just needs to be a well-rounded role player, not a stat stuffer focal point-type. It's just reserve minutes...They don't need to be All Americans here."

But why ( or why not )?
Sounds like looser talk to me.

"Hey would could have a better player on our team but since he's coming off the bench, it doesn't really matter anyways...so let's ditch the All American for a role player."

Hunter sure is a stat stuffer - but he's 7 foot 2 with a decent wingspan so he bothers players around the rim - and on a team with all those lockdown guards he'd be more than adequate. And it wasn't as if Sasha Kaun was some defensive monster ( of note, Dickinson made a conference defensive 1st team - just not in the B12 - Sasha never did ).

And then combine him at spots with Marcus? Both bigs can shoot the 3 or pound the rock? Hunter is also a good passer for a big.

Kaun was kinda useless on the offensive end - with bad hands. He scored points from put backs.

I cannot stand Hunter and i'd rather win without him but in a vacuum, if it's him or Kaun, he's a very easy choice.

[BiggDick]

Petition: if dajuan gets us to the final 4, biggdick gets changed to smalldick

I'd go for this!

But the operative term here is, "gets us."

If Dajuan suddenly balls out as an all-time great guard, puts himself on the same end of the list as BIFM and Devonte, and/or puts us on his back specifically in the tourney with like some Kemba Walker sorts of performances, I won't even make excuses like actually I was in the pool.

(fuck, if Dajuan drops 26+ again but in a tournament W, I'll gladly change my name to George Costanza!)

But, if we get there and Dajuan is still like a 4th or 5th option at best and the narrative is more so guys like Hunter and AJ and Rylan more being the ones who "gets us" there, well, nah.

And if we get there with Dajuan not only being only a 4th or 5th option at best but also despite Dajuan doing some completely dumb shit like stepping out of bounds with 4 seconds left, then you're just gonna have to accept that my Dick is so Bigg that I need more than one G to describe it.

[KUTradition]

I cannot stand Hunter and i'd rather win without him but in a vacuum, if it's him or Kaun, he's a very easy choice.

what’s sad is that this SHOULDN’T be a discussion…but Hunter’s shortcomings on the boards and defensive side of the floor make it so

[pdub]

He's frustrating on the boards, absolutely, he should be, to my eye-test, far more aggressive.
He's also just not good at recognizing when to help - or too slow to get there.

But this statement comes with a major asterisk - only two players under Bill Self have averaged more rebounds per game than Hunter did last season - so it's more, Hunter, you can be maybe the best rebounder ever at Kansas if you get after it!

[randylahey]

Hunter is huge, understands positioning, and plays a lot of minutes, so his stats look nice. He's a very good rebounder. He just doesn't do it with tenacity. He makes it look too easy. It's not like when trob would come athletically pursuing rebounds outside his area.

Hunter just has a big "rebounding area" because again he is huge and understands positioning. But I think what the people want is to see a few hustle rebounds

[jfish26]

He's frustrating on the boards, absolutely, he should be, to my eye-test, far more aggressive.
He's also just not good at recognizing when to help - or too slow to get there.

But this statement comes with a major asterisk - only two players under Bill Self have averaged more rebounds per game than Hunter did last season - so it's more, Hunter, you can be maybe the best rebounder ever at Kansas if you get after it!

It certainly did not hurt Hunter's numbers that he played a zillion minutes and (1) KJ rebounds like a big 2 and (2) McCullar missed the last however-many games.