2024/2025 Lineup

[TDub]

I think we will see more and more underdog teams win. The kids still fighting for a chance for a payday. The ones still trying hard.

Not the ones who have side jobs as "Hoops Analysts", not the ones skipping practices for advertising spots with Canes Chicken...not the ones driving Mercedes to practice.

[DeletedUser]

My panic level is rising. We need to figure something out soon.

We did NOT get better over break.

this team doesn't have it. they're soft. Im starting to belive the Michiganders that said Hunter is a cancer.

We've all got our narratives and theories.

I don't think our struggles have much to do with Hunter Zeke or DH.

We are not an athletic team. We are not a talented team. We are a good team with good college players. That's not going to keep fans happy at a place like KU.

[BiggDick]

It’s not Selfs fault Storr sucks so far.

Or DHs fault. Or KJs fault. Or Hunters fault.

For me, the difference here is that it’s Storr’s first season in the program. There was plenty to indicate he could be a solid portal get.

It’s a bummer he hasn’t been better here, but those are things you just don’t know til a recruit gets here. And the fact a first year in the program recruit hasn’t been better, is a slightly easier pill to swallow than the veteran program guys not being better.

With Hunter/KJ/Dajuan, this is the same core of doods who had been here 2-4-6 years now. It was already pretty obvious they had issues, both individually and as a core unit, that were and are significant enough that it wasn’t and isn’t likely to be resolved by the right supporting cast of new guys.

It would be like if Self gets stubborn again and insists on starter minutes for Storr for like the next 45 years anyway.

[Shirley]

Perhaps Self thought Furphy would stick longer than a year and Elmarko wouldn’t miss forever?

[DeletedUser]

Perhaps Self thought Furphy would stick longer than a year and Elmarko wouldn’t miss forever?

Absolutely part of it.

But, I think some of us (me included) thought Storr might be Och/CB/Jalen type good and that's simply not the case.

Missing shots is missing shots. But there are other ways to impact the game.

We lured away a volume shooter who has only played on losing teams (Storr) and a role player who left a team he just went to a final four with to chase money because he didn't want to battle for his position at Bama for less money (Griffen).

Zeke has been awesome. And yes, the hometown aspect of it plays a role. And should.

Coit has been a pleasant surprise.

We should have made Labaron Philon a bigger priotiry (either money wise or made him feel his spot in the rotation was safe regardless of transfer action). He would have been more impactful that either Storr Griffen Coit or Moore have been.

[TDub]

Perhaps Self thought Furphy would stick longer than a year and Elmarko wouldn’t miss forever?

Absolutely part of it.

But, I think some of us (me included) thought Storr might be Och/CB/Jalen type good and that's simply not the case.

Missing shots is missing shots. But there are other ways to impact the game.

We lured away a volume shooter who has only played on losing teams (Storr) and a role player who left a team he just went to a final four with to chase money because he didn't want to battle for his position at Bama for less money (Griffen).

Zeke has been awesome. And yes, the hometown aspect of it plays a role. And should.

Coit has been a pleasant surprise.

We should have made Labaron Philon a bigger priotiry (either money wise or made him feel his spot in the rotation was safe regardless of transfer action). He would have been more impactful that either Storr Griffen Coit or Moore have been.

Hunter is also a ball dominant player from losing teams

[DeletedUser]

Hunter is also a ball dominant player from losing teams

Yes, but i watched us look like a contender last year with him at the 5 for the short period of time early in the year when KM was on fire and Furphy was emerging.

HD is a 7'2 rebounding machine at worst, even if he's not someone I would want as my #1 offensive option due to some of his limitations and style of scoring. He can absolutely be a starting 5 on a contender. He's a top 10 center in CBB. And he's got 1 previous year of experience with us which is becoming rare.

The problem is that we replaced KM and Furphy with Zeke and Storr/Griffen which isn't a net gain even though Zeke has been awesome.

[BiggDick]

We should have made Labaron Philon a bigger priotiry (either money wise or made him feel his spot in the rotation was safe regardless of Dajuan

[TDub]

Hunter is also a ball dominant player from losing teams

Yes, but i watched us look like a contender last year with him at the 5 for the short period of time early in the year when KM was on fire and Furphy was emerging.

HD is a 7'2 rebounding machine at worst, even if he's not someone I would want as my #1 offensive option due to some of his limitations and style of scoring. He can absolutely be a starting 5 on a contender. He's a top 10 center in CBB. And he's got 1 previous year of experience with us which is becoming rare.

The problem is that we replaced KM and Furphy with Zeke and Storr/Griffen which isn't a net gain even though Zeke has been awesome.

hmm we mustve been watching different teams. At no point last year did I think we were a contender. Even early I the year we looked....fragile. Then, of course, we turned into a dumpster fire.

[TDub]

HD gets stats precisely because he is 7'2. He's not really a very good basketball player beyond that.

[DeletedUser]

Great rebounder. Good passer. Efficient scorer.

He's good at basketball.

[TDub]

Great rebounder. Good passer. Efficient scorer.

He's good at basketball.

Low motor, terrible attitude. If he doesn't get the ball he quits trying. He can't dominate people near his size. He can't defend well and he doesn't block many shots. His best attribute is probably his passing.

[DeletedUser]

Great rebounder. Good passer. Efficient scorer.

He's good at basketball.

Low motor, terrible attitude. If he doesn't get the ball he quits trying.



He can't dominate people near his size. He can't defend well and he doesn't block many shots. His best attribute is probably his passing.

I disagree with your first part up there. Totally subjective, so we can agree to disagree there.




I agree with your second part up there.

[pdub]

It’s not totally subjective.
There is some objectivity here as he does clearly give up on plays.

[jfish26]

To me, the vibes of this discussion are kinda representative of a great quote from a greater movie:

[pdub]

I know it sounds wild that a guy who prefers to follow stats might say this but there is value in learning and being a team and usually those teams are best when your best player is a leader.

Call me Mr body language, and I’ll wear that badge, but Hunter doesn’t seem like that player.

[randylahey]

Zuby and udeh are both playing good basketball and developing into good college players....

[randylahey]

Is it possible for one picture to describe our issues?

[jfish26]

I know it sounds wild that a guy who prefers to follow stats might say this but there is value in learning and being a team and usually those teams are best when your best player is a leader.

Call me Mr body language, and I’ll wear that badge, but Hunter doesn’t seem like that player.

That may be true. But I think if you were to break our issues down into tiers, that is something like a third- or fourth-tier issue.

[randylahey]

Our biggest issues are the same as last year. It's just better scouted and everyone we play is going to exploit it at this point. We are somewhat playing 4 on 5 on both sides of the basketball.

We play 4 on 5 on offense because KJ has zero shooting ability and everybody knows it. Whoever is guarding him can sag ridiculously far off him and play help defense. And since he's a PF, it's usually a big athletic body that's assigned to him and is inside clogging the lanes

And on defense we somewhat play at a disadvantage because hunter is too slow to defend pick and rolls and rotate and everyone knows it. Once they initiate that, our whole team ends up slightly put of position while helping him recover, which leads to dunks layups free throws and open shots with a little ball movement