bierce

I wonder who we might be chasing now other than Garrison. We have 10 projected counters. Pryor and Onyema contributed too little last year for us to think they will help much this year, so that means we have maybe 8 reliable contributors. That is as many as we had in 2023-24, but it assumes Codie is rehabbed and ready to contribute at this level and Shedrick stays healthy. So obviously we still need another big man or for Onyema to give us a lot more and considerably better minutes. Until I see Codie play for us, I'm reluctant to anoint him as a plus factor at either end, so another forward with some length, mobility, rebounding chops, and shooting prowess would also be nice, but I don't know who is left who fits that description. I heard noise when the portal first opened about Xavier Amos. He's a very good shooter but not particularly great at rebounding. If there are others we are chasing, I'd love to hear about it. I doubt Jaylen Wells is about to call, but I'd love it if he did.

Still wishing we could have landed Keanu Dawes.

He would have been extremely useful in a spread out offense with lots of moving parts, but who would he cover on defense?

I think he would rather start than play a more limited role on a team with tournament aspirations. Or maybe he was promised opportunities to pilot the team plane on a bunch of those coast to coast flights.

How much of Arkansas's money will A.J. Hoggard get? Huge name to enter the portal a few days before it closes.

Is this the draft that tells the world that the only function of defense in the NFL is not to get penalized? Offense is everything, and defense is just a supporting role that needs to not interfere with offense? I mean, damn. Six Qbs in the top 12. Fourteen offensive players before any defensive players. F it. Maybe the NFL should just run plays against non-existent defenses for style points.

And I read something today about him being very close to the family of a UW assistant coach who is expected to take a job at a different school.

I wonder if Braxton Meah will be the fall back at center. He's from Fresno, so Terry was familiar with him in high school, and Terry offered him a spot at UTEP. 7'1" foul prone rebounder and high percentage finisher in the paint. Liability at the free throw line but not as bad as Cisse or Payne. Played starter minutes at U Dub in 2022-23 and split time with a transfer from Nebraska this year.

Payne committed to A&M. Do we have anybody in mind if Garrison falls through? I see we aren't included in the list of teams that reached out to Sean Stewart right after he entered the portal. We aren't on Omoruyi's list of schools of interest. Okpara is probably off to Tennessee. I had hoped we could have added Cisse a couple of years ago, but I don't feel that way anymore.

My only reservation about Pope is on the defensive end. 0.7 steals per 40 minutes. Steal totals aren't the sole or best measure of a defender, but that is a ridiculously low number. Five blocks in his career in 2200+ minutes. Almost non-existent as a rebounder. I want Pope. He'll be a great addition to the offense. But when a guy is less than Abmas when it comes to all stats other than points, one has to temper one's expectations at least somewhat.

You have to like his expressions while wearing each jersey.

Sounds like Kentucky knows it is adding someone to go with Amari Williams. Uganna Onyenso hit the portal today. 66 blocks in 450 minutes in 2023-24.

In case anyone in interested in what Okpara is doing, he's visiting Tennessee today. I haven't read anything about other schools of interest or planned visits.

Portal doesn't close for another week. Okpara hit in the last 24 hours. At the very least, he creates a bigger pool of talented bigs to soak up the Tysonbucks, but I hope we at least put in a call.

Are you telling us that inside every 6'11" C is a 6'2" point guard trying to come out?

And Sean Stewart is a work in progress but a monster rebounder.

Is he laughing yet?

Payne can rebound. He is a pretty good shot blocker for a guy who isn't a tree. But do you still like Payne if you are aware that he has 0 offensive range and takes 95% of his shots from point blank range? That he shoots 47% from the line over 2 seasons? Is 44 blocks in 746 minutes worth that? Please tell me there is a plan B and Payne is plan C. Or tell me Terry and Haith know how to fix his offensive game.

I don't know who might be saying Texas wanted to lose Scott, and such a statement would be abject nonsense, but I can see how the staff and Scott's handlers might have such a difference of opinion about Scott's current skills, strengths, and weaknesses that the union was going to lead to problems. I really wish Scott would have been willing to come in, play a supporting role as a freshman, and grow into a starring role down the road, but I just don't think he's willing to do that. Sucks to see him go, but if he doesn't want to stay in college beyond one year and accept a lesser role as a freshman, then what choice is there?

Brandon Garrison, come on down.

I'm starting to feel less bothered by Scott wanting out. While I thought of him as a longer term player for us, I now see him on 2025 mock drafts, and it takes just one guy putting him in the middle of the first round to make him think he is a one and done or would be if he were given a starring role right away. And here is a mock draft, putting him not just in the first round but in the lottery. https://www.nbadraft.net/nba-mock-drafts/?year-mock=2025 I don't see that at all, but if Scott does, then he is a only a one year rental, and a guy who will pout if he isn't given a featured role, no matter whether he deserves that role or not.

This is what I hate more than anything about portal life--losing good multi-year contributors in the chase for the immediate fix for next season. I don't know if Scott doesn't like seeing us recruiting experienced guards or especially experienced point guards, minimizing his chance to become a primary ball handler, or has heard about NIL figures bandied about for transfers and wants to put himself back on the market. But I would have much preferred to keep Scott for two or thre years in lieu of bringing in someone who will play one year, keep us on the right side of the bubble but not much better in that one year and then leave.

Kent is someone to view with a bit of caution. He put up insanely good numbers as a fourth year junior after having a very pedestrian career for three years. It looks like he thrived in an offense that was littered with excellent three point shooters and passers, giving him endless opportunities for layups. To his credit, he made of those, was a great ft shooter, shot from the perimeter well (30/80 .375), and doubled his rebounding rate. I think he can contribute and doesn't have to be in the paint to score, but I won't be surprised to see him fall far short of 2023-24 numbers.

Not quite yet retired lawyer here with a different opinion. The prosecution did not want to get a conviction. It wanted to lose the criminal trial with an eye to making sure L.A. wasn't burned to the ground by rioters, so it embarked on a ridiculously long trial to punish Simpson by destroying his reputation and financial standing. I thought it was a brilliant strategy, and the prosecution got everything it wanted.

We have the roster spots. They have useful skills, even if neither is an ideal forward or PG. They could find their minutes reduced if we pick up better players, but unless and until we do, I really hope both return.