Och

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think Russ just turned into something we weren't expecting but valuable, nonetheless.

[jfish26]

I think Russ just turned into something we weren't expecting but valuable, nonetheless.

Right. He's sort of like...Moustakas I guess? With the pedigree you're expecting a star, but what you get is a piece you definitely wouldn't have won without?

[NewtonHawk11]

Yeah. He wasn't what most fans expected. But he was damn well needed his junior and senior seasons. He could score his first few years. But the team didn't need him to score in last couple of years. Just to be the primary ballhandler on top of playing really good defense.

But of note that during the end of the Memphis game and into Overtime, he was on the bench. That is something that is always there.

But he was always a top guy in assists and steals in the conference. Which is what you want from your PG.

[CrimsonNBlue]

And my pick for the best on-ball defender out of the non-wing guards of the Self era.

[NewtonHawk11]

And my pick for the best on-ball defender out of the non-wing guards of the Self era.

Don't think it's debatable either.

[twocoach]

I honestly think he is so lost on the offensive sets that he doesnt know what else to do but throw up some junk. Hes so used to being the guy that gets by in accumulation of stats by pure volume of shots, hes never had to be just a cog in the wheel. Some of his decisions are mind boggling poor. Perhaps the biggest miss of the self era. Perhaps I'm being overly critical. Im open to commentary to the contrary.

He's not even close to the biggest miss as we really didnt need him to be great for us.

Would be nice if he was capable as a rotation player...which was expected.

Who was a bigger miss? Saying no isnt an argument its just a statement. I said i was open to being convinced otherwise but would need alternate options.

He isnt even the biggest miss on this year's team. That is easily Grimes. And I say that only as a "miss" as what we needed them to be for this year. Moore could spend the offseason training and be great at his role next year just as Grimes could.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Well if Grimes finishes this season as poorly as most of it has gone, and then bolts for the NBA, yes, that's a miss that rivals about anyone in the Self era.

But, there could be a lot more to the Grimes story. Plays like he did Monday for the rest of the season, then comes back and is a first team all league guy as a sophomore, suddenly Grimes lives up to expectations, just a year late.

The miss with Moore is that the staff had the evaluation all wrong. For chrissakes, Bill redshirted Ochai because of Moore. With Grimes, it's in there somewhere, it's just going to take time.

[pdub]

Can we put Micah Downs in here?
Top 30 at his position, All American.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Downs was pissed b/c we recruited Rush over him, which sucks for him, but it's the Brandon frickin' Rush.

Things would have gone differently if we didn't do that, so I think the staff evaluated that whole situation correctly by making Downs collateral damage.

[pdub]

True.
He never amounted to much in a weaker conference with the Zags.

[Deleted User 183]

Can we put Micah Downs in here?
Top 30 at his position, All American.

What about Frankamp?
I honestly don't know - was he a projected stud comparable to Downs?

[CrimsonNBlue]

Frankamp a miss in that we offered too early. The staff was not convinced he would play PG, but they thought he would grow to about 6'4" so it wouldn't matter and he could play off the ball.

When the offer was out, the staff told Wichita North (Marty was on the HS staff) to have him play PG, so Connor plays a ton on the ball and seemed to handle it OK. The overlook here is that the AAU staff knew Connor was way better off the ball and always had Travis Jorgenson play PG. That should have been the sign.

Connor comes here and it's clear his PG skills weren't going to ever be Big 12 level, and Frank was just so much better. Connor actually played well over the summer between frosh and soph year, so he got the nod to start the first exhibition game, but the staff told he and Marty that he was going to play limited minutes b/c Frank or Devonte' had to be on the court for the majority of the games. Marty knew Connor's only shot at European pro leagues was as a PG, so he dropped him down a level to where he could play PG. And yet, he still didn't play PG at WSU.

[DrPepper]

We needed and expected Grimes to be serviceable this year.
We have started seeding the B12 tournament, but Grimes isn’t looking like a B12 player worthy of 20+ minutes yet.

[Deleted User 75]

Grimes isn't worthy of 20min+? LOL

WRONG.


And on any big 12 team other than ours he might (probably would) look a lot better.

[DCHawk1]

And my pick for the best on-ball defender out of the non-wing guards of the Self era.

This.

Hands. Such fast hands.

[Deleted User 183]

Heart and soul too.

[Deleted User 75]

But those things aren't shown in a box score!

[ousdahl]

aww Russ!

I was also thinking about him in that other thread about the k state rivalry stuff.

that 9/11 alien thing might be the most k state thing of all time.

[punkrockhawk]

aww Russ!

I was also thinking about him in that other thread about the k state rivalry stuff.

that 9/11 alien thing might be the most k state thing of all time.

This one too!

[pdub]

don't forget your power towel.
:24 seconds in just takes it to another level.
also god what a lazy mascot.