I don't care what Race does after IU from a fan standpoint. But to act like IU is better off without Race Thompson next year than with is astoundingly stupid. It makes no sense.
I am more concerned with a few seasons down the road. If we bring most everyone back and get a couple of portal players I can see us being perhaps a little better next year. But, how does that help us in the future?
That's not good for getting new talent and letting them play and build. It would be his 6th year!, unless he's dragging his feet on a Masters or wants a PhD, I don't imagine how he has eligibility, there still has to be some sort of academic pursuit. I think the best thing to do is move on, delaying the inevitable for a return trip to the NIT is not good for anybody
Why trot out guys that a prospective recruit knows he will sit behind?
That's the point again, you're correct, there are none. Him coming back and taking minutes in year 6 just hinders recruiting towards a PF that might start right away and at best, just delays the inevitable
I'm replying to myself because I realized my thoughts weren't finished with that. The big elephant in the room is that maintaining mediocrity through the portal, which rules are probably going away soon, is only going to attract more mediocre portal talent. I don't want it to become the Pacers and refuse a rebuilding year ... look where they are for that philosophy. They need to be recruiting talent! If we actually recruited players that fit and forego the temptation to remain mediocre through the portal rules (as long as they last), we got PT and tradition to offer the better talent, it will be a long year again, but better for long term and that's what we all want to see
If you think trotting out Logan Duncomb or Michael Durr is better optics for a winning formula then I can't help you. It'd be one thing if IU had a Cody Zeller or a Noah Vonleh type prospect coming in but that isn't the case. There's nobody on the current roster who has a remote prayer of replicating what Race Thompson can do and you're incredibly gullible if you think IU is going to find someone like that in the Portal.
IDGAF about optics. How about no NCAA since 2016 for your optics?
We already have out PF next class in Banks and he is likely the backup if Race returns or not. Brining Race back doesn’t stop from recruiting another PF in 23 or 24 because he is gone anyway. Silly not to bring him back. No downside at all and potentially big upside in bringing him back another year.
So they have a better chance of winning with Logan and Durr as the two frontcourt pieces?
Absolutely correct. If we have X and Race return and get improved guard/wing play we have a chance to be a better team next year. Perhaps 3-5 games better I would guess is a possibility.
Race isn't playing PF in the event he comes back. He's slides into TJD's role and IU is able to pair him with a more versatile 4. How is this lost on so many people? Play Geronimo at the 4 who has a solid mid-range game and hope he develops range out to the 3 point line.
Geronimo absolutely has more than a prayer of replicating Race's numbers with more minutes. He needs PT to calm down and reduce TOs and fouls. Race is a really good rebounder. Geronimo is better. JG has the same total number of blocks as Race (21), with 1/3 the PT.
I'm fine with Race/XJ/Galloway being the cornerstone of next years team and then you basically have another guard position available for JHS/Bates/transfer and then a forward spot available for Geronimo/transfer.
Then why wouldn't you advocate Race and Geronimo at the 4 and 5? Two completely different types of players who can play together. Race Thompson can absolutely play TJD's role as he basically did this year, and he's more versatile.
Completely agree. I would add that in addition to what you said I believe Geronimo also has more potential (unrealized to this point) to be better offensively on the perimeter from both a shooting and ball handling perspective.
Throw in more Durr and Duncomb and it's a deal. We have to stop trying to ride under-sized 5s in the B10. Going back to Morgan, we just wear them out.
Durr and Duncomb don't give you anything offensively right now and are no better suited at guarding a bigger post than Thompson. Plenty of good basketball teams roll out frontcourts without players taller than 6'9 and have a good deal of success. It works both ways.
Not sure I agree. Who knows on Duncomb, but my clearest memory is him knocking down a 15 foot turnaround jumper in pre-con. Big Mike can at least go to either hand and also has a shooting touch (including FTs). I'm fine with both of them on-board next year. But my main point is playing Race 30+ minutes in the B10 at the 5 is a bad idea.
And playing Durr and Duncomb isn't?? I understand the need for wanting size but the size actually has to be good. Playing Duncomb 25 minutes just because he's 2 inches taller than Race is ridiculous. Same with Durr. IU will finish near the bottom the of the B10 next year if Durr or Duncomb are playing 25 minutes a night. They either aren't ready or aren't capable.
Durr had decent numbers at South Florida against teams like Houston, Temple, Cincinnati and Memphis. Not sure why he didn't see the court more, but our reliance on TJD had something to do with it. Plus moving Race to the 5 and playing Geronimo when TJD was out. We'll find out on Duncomb, I guess. But if Durr was 4th on the depth charts then that didn't leave much time for Logan.
Glue guy and a leader. Need him next year big time. Six years with a grad degree is not unusual esp when they are playing ball.
Whether or not Race is here next year, we will be developing a good core of young players. But it helps to have upperclassmen who can lead by example. And I sense Race is one who can help there as a hard worker who lays it on the line on both sides of the ball. Maybe the same can be said for X?
Prepare to be in the NIT for the next 5 years if you want to give PT and emphasis on getting back to the NIT on keeping an OK player for 6 years and not recruiting and developing new players
Yes, it is unusual now, most of these guys come in with 1/3 their stuff completed in high school and on track to graduate IU in 3, so yeah, either he's dragged his feet or I hope there is a doctoral program he can get admitted to. This is maybe more egregious than Jess Settles
All that we have coming in need to be thrown to fire immediately. They'll learn to win by hating losing. The coddling, need a mentor/leadership shit mentality on here needs to end. Are new guys supposed to get mentored on how to not make the NCAA or having a losing record in the B10 for their entire career at IU. I think that's about all our upperclassmen can offer advice on
Yes, I'm perfectly in the know on all of that, I'm also perfectly in the know that players that spend 4, let alone 6! years practicing in college are going to be role players in Ukraine, if that. We should play what we got and develop it, not hope to make the NIT next year, maybe make nothing, but stop patching holes to be sub-par continually
I rarely agree with you and I couldn’t disagree with you more on this. Race returning would be 100 percent positive for IU next year.
He has his undergrad degree, might have his postgraduate and could at least start on another. Why would players not take advantage of this situation unless they’re a surefire first round NBA pick? They have lives after basketball.
Exactly. It's only 9 cr hrs of grad work to be eligible - that's three classes. You could take 18 hrs of 500 level classes across disciplines and be just fine if you don't care about a formal grad degree--this would be like six 100 level undergrad classes over the year for a grad student.
