Khristian Lander in portal
UM was in on him and he could go a long way toward easing the transition to the next class
https://theathletic.com/news/khristian-lander-becomes-latest-indiana-player-to-enter-transfer-portal/iPjy9Jh8DtSg
He did not look like a top 100 player. I know he's like 18 and was supposed to be h.s. still, but not impressed.
On a similar note, do you think these young kids will finally realize that rushing to play against a man like Chaundee Brown when you're still a boy isn't a great idea for your career? Derryck Thornton left early and his career was subpar. You wonder if a little more time could've changed his trajectory.
We don't know these kids' personal situations for leaving or staying. For every story of a guy who didn't pan out because he played/left too early, there is an equal story of a kid who found long-term success due to playing/leaving early or a kid who should have played/left sooner.
Maybe the coach sucks at coaching
Pass
Dude is a bigger project than Zeb and I like Zeb and Frankie Collins a lot more anyway.
There are over 900 basketball players in the portal. Yikes!
We're gonna need a bigger portal...
Whoops double post
Still laughing.
We're gonna need more wax!
That IS an awful lot, but also remember there are 350 D1 basketball programs.
With 350 programs and 13 scholarships each, there are 4550 total basketball scholarships possible. 900 players in the portal is 19.8% of all basketball scholarships.
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that is a lot.
Yes and the season isn’t over yet. You’ll have over 1000 and around 25% in the portal
Not all players in the portal leave...
Some players use it like an NBA Draft evaluation. See if anything better is out there and if not, come on back.
You can’t judge a freshman, especially playing the point, on how he looks after year one. Do you remember how Zavier Simpson looked as a freshman?
Pretty awesome doing The Robot as part of bench mob.
March 26th, 2021 at 11:46 PM ^
Think back to freshman Eli Brooks compared to now.
I don't really khare for him as a prospect.
I think we already have a dino-mite class.
I too am happy we didn't land him the first time around.
I don’t know what our needs or scholarship situation will be after the season but let’s say we have an open spot, I’d rather go after an established shooting guard with some size and outside shooting. I think we will be fine at the point between Zeb and Frankie. The shooting guard is the one spot so far that we haven’t really landed a plethora of high end talent.
You don't like Bufkin?
I have no problem with Bufkin but I don’t know what he will do at this level and that is just one player. We have potentially Zeb, Collins and Bufkin rotations at the 1 and 2. I just think we could use another good player at the 2. This isn’t a slight on anyone on the roster or coming in.
Gotta get used to having Freshmen like Bufkin to start right away. Most Top 25 type guys are gonna be day 1 starters.
I’m ok with Bufkin starting as a freshman as long as he’s good enough to do so. It’s the lack of bodies at the 1 and 2 I’m referring to. We could use one more body at the 2 or at least a combo guard.
I thought Bufkin was slotted in to play the 2, especially considering Houstan at the 3? Bufkin is a very good player. Plus we might have Brooks or Chaundee coming back.
If we have Chaundee and/or Brooks wanting to come back then I retract my statement. This is going on the premise they are moving on and we need a shooting guard to rotate with Zeb, Frankie and Kobe
Edit: look at this year. The one area where we are really thin is the 1 and 2. We basically play Smith, Brooks and Brown (when we don’t need him at the 3). That’s mostly why I would like one more good player either at the 2 or a decent sized combo guard. I feel as if we are good for next year in the post, barring any unexpected attrition or injury but we could possibly use a combo 4-5 as well. The deepest part of our team is the 3-4 positions.
March 27th, 2021 at 11:37 PM ^
Sam says good chance none of the seniors come back.
We won't take a transfer SG if Brooks or Chaundee come back. If they don't, I see 3 true freshmen covering the 2 and the 3 and we would need major contributions from all of them. That's asking a lot of freshmen, especially with Barnes playing so little in the last year.
I would rather have Mike Smith return for a 5th year. Same goes for Eli Brooks, Chaundee Brown, and Austin Davis.
Those 4 alongside Hunter Dickinson and Brandon Johns would set a very high floor for next year's team. And then the 2021 class can elevate it to National Championship caliber.
/For 2021 and 2022, I draw a parallel to 2012 and 2013.
2012 team with Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., Jon Horford, Jordan Morgan, etc. was the core for 2013 team.
2013 class (Stauskas, GR3, McGary, Spike, and LeVert) provided the boost and elevated the ceiling.
I would rather have Mike Smith return for a 5th year. Same goes for Eli Brooks, Chaundee Brown, and Austin Davis.
On the MGopod they indicated that the more likely outcome right now is that all the seniors leave
Hmmm...that would be surprising and kinda annoying.
If I was in Mike Smith's or Eli's position, I would definitely return for another season knowing that I would be on another great team that could/would contend for a National Championship.
Perhaps they have other priorities.
/shrug
But if they do leave, I fully expect Coach Juwan Howard to make extensive use of the Transfer Portal.
We have 6 guys coming in and you're only allowed 13 scholarships unless it changed for COVID. I'm assuming Livers and Wagner are gone to the NBA, but don't we need to lose 3-4 more people? If COVID lets you keep everybody, let's keep em all.
I think the scholarship number will be elevated for this season (just like it was in football for 1 covid season). Hence, I'm advocating for the players to return for another season (assuming they want to).
Including Franz we have 13 scholarships accounted for the 21-22 season. If Franz goes, which is expected, we can acquire one more player. If any of the seniors would come back, they don’t count against the limit but let’s say Davis, Chaundee, Smith and Brooks all want to come back, the University could take that 13th spot vacated by Wagner and use it on one of them. That would have the University paying for 16 scholarships next year. If Franz leaves, we could potentially only bring one back next year and use that 13th on him. Lots of unknown variables right now. We won’t know much until after the tournament.
Good info. Thank you. If we could have 16 scholarship players next year there is no reason not to other than playing time.
I think he is a solid player that was struggling early but looked pretty decent towards the end of the year. That said, if Smith is coming back, and will Collins and Zeb, I don't really think there is a slot anymore. If Smith does not return, might be an option.
I have been painting, so it may be the fumes, but wouldn't he have to sit a year? He was a Freshman this year, so unless he's Doogie Howser, I doubt he graduated.
Hasn't the NCAA all but given up on enforcing the redshirt requirement for transfers? Justin Fields comes to mind. I think that will especially be the case this year, with super-seniors potentially returning.
I very much doubt he ends up here, but aside from that, Indiana might not have a team left at this rate....
No please.
I think we can find PG's who can shoot better than 25% from the floor and assist to TO rate of 1.2 to 1 on this message board.
Plus ones with better looking hairstyles.
His brother Mars is way more interesting.
Khristian has been more like the Mars Climate Orbiter, amirite?
Nice!!
I wasn’t too crazy about him during the season. Expected wayy more from although Indiana has become the garbage disposal of top talent. Why anyone commits to IU is beyond me? Only successful coaches are either psychopaths or cheaters (knight and wilson). With that said if and only if Juwan confirms that Smith is not returning than I would go after Lander. If not than no thanks. I would take Smith over him in a heart beat especially with the incoming freshman Freddie Collins. Basketball is gonna be fun for years to come!!
I wasn’t too crazy about him during the season. Expected wayy more from ... if and only if Juwan confirms that Smith is not returning than I would go after Lander.
Mirrors my thoughts. Prior to listening to the pod I kind of expected Smith and maybe another to return. Now I'm a bit more pessimistic and Lander is a guy who Michigan was in on until the end and is a more likely get than most of the randoms thrown around. I like to hope that a lot of Lander's issues revolved around this being a weird season and him being the youngest player in the conference. His talent didn't disappear and wherever he goes he will likely be a multiyear guy
March 27th, 2021 at 12:20 AM ^
If...then. I like what you say, and agree mostly. I love Mike Smith and would take this season’s Mike Smith in a heartbeat. But to consider Mike Smith with a year of experience under his belt in this role? And another year of coaching from these coaches? Holy shit. Same with Chaundee or any of the other guys really. I’d take any of them as they are, but if they improved at all between this season and next, that would just be an even bigger boner
I know he was young because of reclassifying but he looked awful this year. I don't think he can be in a rotation on a good Big Ten team by next year.