Brandon Huffman

[DSouthr]

I'm not going to lie, the offers/non-offers Roy made were downright baffling compared to last year. It's not even that we didn't offer any bigs between the 40-70 range, but we didn't even offer anyone between the 40-70, perhaps with the exception of Randolph, based on what ranking you use. Never have I seen Roy reach so far down the barrel when there were plenty of potential picks in the middle (you named a few of them). Especially when this is our sweet spot when it comes to our teams.

Not to mention the guys we didn't offer (that's a discussion for another time though )

Granted, I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, and I'm sure someone's waiting to chime in with that tired "Roy can't force these kids to sign" song and dance, as if people actually think this is what he's trying to do. But there was clearly a different level of talent pursued last year compared to this year. So I sure do hope Roy has some aces left over like some are predicting.

Regarding Huffman and Others, perhaps I am trying to temper expectations a bit, especially since it's apparent that calling people out for being incorrect down the line is frowned upon. I'd prefer to keep expectations on a realistic level than the astronomical levels we've seen in the past + the ones being set now.

Hell, remember when Luke Maye was going to be averaging 20 and 10 soon? Or how Joel James was the most "underrated NBA prospect"? This is not downing/bashing these guys, but far too often do these sky-high expectations end up leading to others unfairly bashing our guys down the line. And for those who often complain about people constantly "bashing" our own players, this should speak volumes.

Then again, I'm getting backlash and threats to be ignored (lmao) because I keep calling them out for their ridiculousness, so perhaps I'll just let them wallow.

People keep saying you can't compare them to J. James on Maye. And you're right. James was #58 in high school. Maye just finished in the top 100 on ESPN. Neither of these guys have touched the top 100 yet.

So in summary I can buy that these 3 * guys have the potential to be underrated, obviously I haven't seen them play (though most people here haven't either). But you have a good number of people in this thread convinced they'll be able to start day 1 and contribute 20-30 mins a game, something that many of our higher rated prospects couldn't do, when we were originally pursuing 5 * guys to do this.

Call it negative if you want. Just don't complain when you see a bunch of fans upset that Manley or Huffman aren't looking like Tony Bradley or Sr. Brice Johnson (LOL!) at the start of their careers.

I understand tempering expects, not so sure it is needed, I don't see the general mindset being that we have Hansbourgh coming in next season, I don't see a thought train of these guys will come in and play at the level of Carter or Bamba. If you can't get what you want, 5 star bigs ready to play and produce right off the bat, then you have to get the next best thing and that is big men that can be serviceable early, that may produce some but at least have bodies ready to compete, even if the skill lags. That next best option is what I feel like we got.

Got to point to some irony in your post, Joel James ranked 58 and isn't the level player you wanted us to get yet you lament we did not offer the 40-70 ranked players? While I get what you saying the irony is there none the less.

Lets go back to the real point, I really don't think it is about Roy not offering players ranked 40-70, it is about Roy not getting any of the 5 star bigs he offered. If both Huffman and Manley ended up in the top 70, it really would not do much to help the concern you have, isn't that true? What you are upset over, what we are all very concerned over is the lack of really talented highly rated big men. We just spent a summer discussing why, a very testy summer at that, why it has been so hard has been discussed and discussed to the point of exhaustion. But at this point lamenting over what we did not get does not help us, we are now left no more than to try to see if these issues that have limited our recruiting for so long can pass finally and we see our recruiting get back to past levels.

Next season looks like it could be a challenge, my expects for it do not have to be tempered because they are not really high to begin with, not because we didn't get a big man ranked 40-70 but because we didn't get a day 1 ready to play 5 star big man that we really did need. Maybe we get Knox, maybe we don't, he would for sure help and for sure have all the PT he could ever want. But I am glad that we have a couple of big men on the way that have ready to play bodies, that can maybe add some rebounding and defend, to go along with Tony and maybe a lot of Theo at the 4. I do think both will offer more day 1 than Joel James, we wil have to see but I think they can both help us in the role they wil be most needed and that isn't to carry us as scorers as freshmen, it is more they should be able to help us on the boards and using their physical bodies to go to work in the paint.

 

[DSouthr]

Lmao, I love how you keep backtracking and glossing over the point. Not to mention skipping over the part where we actually need someone to start Day 1? The point I've been trying to make since the beginning.

But hey, tell me more about 2 or more years down the line. Even thought that's clearly not what I asked.

We have not even got in to conference play this season, I don't know who wil be on our roster come game 1 next season, none of us can? Will Joel or Justin be on our roster, don't know for a fact, assume but who really knows? Does Roy get either Knox or Vanderbilt, don't know, who does? Does Roy bring in a senior transfer, don't know, do know the last time we were in such dire need for a big man Roy brought Knox (not the current recruit) in. Does Roy look or work the international player angle harder this off season, we did get involved with Markenson this past summer but he wanted one & done and we already had 3 big men that would limit his PT, that should not be a problem next summer. Point is, lot can change between now and game 1 next season.

Roy has not worked the grad transfer or the international player angle a lot because he has not really needed to but in the one season he really had to make something happen he went out and got Knox and he is in a similar situation now it looks unless he hits on Kevin Knox or Vanderbilt and I am not expecting either..

 

[Butterbutt44]

I expects the worst but hopes for the bests. Now as far as expecting who knows, ? Not me. But expects-well now we will jes hafta agree to disagree . Ranked 250th on rivals I expects Antwan but who can be sure my opinion is my opinion question it critique it pet it say it's not fact but a man without an opinion is a man without a clue bout cruitin in general.

Now- when I come here and see the master baitor trying bait my rod into a strokin match well I turn the other cheek and say no thank you mr master baiter ole Dave smarter than that plus this ole girl got a few tricks up her sleeve- jes sayin. Now when others pry and twist and speak out of turn about heel ball I expects my cud gets a bit frothy after all when we look at it objectively with no expects-who knows?? Again not me but it doesn't stop this ole dawg from speculatin haters gonna hate hate hate I jes shake it off shake it off.

Blown assists-another topic I'd like to discuss. Now for those of you expects me to just wax philosophical about how many luke had the other night I won't do it it isn't fair to our student athletes to expects no blown assists but it's ball/ blowing assists happens jes so happens that how many assists does it take to get to the center of the tootsie pop? So many questions so little time but as I say that dog will hunt another day.

 

[RoseHeel]

I understand tempering expects, not so sure it is needed, I don't see the general mindset being that we have Hansbourgh coming in next season, I don't see a thought train of these guys will come in and play at the level of Carter or Bamba. If you can't get what you want, 5 star bigs ready to play and produce right off the bat, then you have to get the next best thing and that is big men that can be serviceable early, that may produce some but at least have bodies ready to compete, even if the skill lags. That next best option is what I feel like we got.

Got to point to some irony in your post, Joel James ranked 58 and isn't the level player you wanted us to get yet you lament we did not offer the 40-70 ranked players? While I get what you saying the irony is there none the less.

Lets go back to the real point, I really don't think it is about Roy not offering players ranked 40-70, it is about Roy not getting any of the 5 star bigs he offered. If both Huffman and Manley ended up in the top 70, it really would not do much to help the concern you have, isn't that true? What you are upset over, what we are all very concerned over is the lack of really talented highly rated big men. We just spent a summer discussing why, a very testy summer at that, why it has been so hard has been discussed and discussed to the point of exhaustion. But at this point lamenting over what we did not get does not help us, we are now left no more than to try to see if these issues that have limited our recruiting for so long can pass finally and we see our recruiting get back to past levels.

Next season looks like it could be a challenge, my expects for it do not have to be tempered because they are not really high to begin with, not because we didn't get a big man ranked 40-70 but because we didn't get a day 1 ready to play 5 star big man that we really did need. Maybe we get Knox, maybe we don't, he would for sure help and for sure have all the PT he could ever want. But I am glad that we have a couple of big men on the way that have ready to play bodies, that can maybe add some rebounding and defend, to go along with Tony and maybe a lot of Theo at the 4. I do think both will offer more day 1 than Joel James, we wil have to see but I think they can both help us in the role they wil be most needed and that isn't to carry us as scorers as freshmen, it is more they should be able to help us on the boards and using their physical bodies to go to work in the paint.

I'd like to point out and applaud that you are one of the only posters in this entire thread to say something like: "my expects for it do not have to be tempered because they are not really high to begin with". Based on what I've read from countless thread after thread is that some of these people would have us believe we're a Final Four favorite with these guys next year (and they know who they are.)

Me bringing up JJ is exactly where the point lies. Even with a #58 recruit, he never lived up to the hype some added to his name. So how can you put those same expectation on guys well below that, one at nearly #250 (and yes, this will be the case until he's moved up)? Because these same things were said about James as well. And it's even more pressing because we need at least one guy who can start day 1? Wouldn't you rather take your chance with a guy who's been entrenched in the top 70 since the beginning?

(I know the recruiting cycle isn't over yet, but it's not like we have Plan Es and Fs in our pocket.)

It's not so much about landing 5 * guys as much as it guys that can start day 1. I feel like this is the part that everyone keeps missing or avoiding, and I don't know how many different ways I can say it to make people focus on this.

There were quite a few guys in 40-70 who could've been considered as candidates to start on day 1. The talent pool doesn't run as dry like in 2018 (which is a completely different situation).

It's also about how many of these guys on the board seem to market every single player we get like a diamond in the rough. I swear, according to these guys you'd think the Class of 2017 looks something like this:

1. Jalek Felton
2. Brandon Huffman
3. Sterling Manley
4. Andrew Platek
5-500. Everyone else

We've pretty much established that neither of these guys are likely to be ready day 1, so I'd like to know where the optimism lies, so I can "stop thinking the sky is falling" and start to "have faith in Roy/be optmiistic" like everyone is saying. Because with the evidence provided, it sounds more like someone is trying to "pissing on our heads and tell us its rain".

 

[dadika13]

I swear, according to these guys you'd think the Class of 2017 looks something like this:

1. Jalek Felton
2. Brandon Huffman
3. Sterling Manley
4. Andrew Platek
5-500. Everyone else

I think it's also funny that the minute someone commits they are suddenly "underranked" "should be one star higher" and "have a ton of upside" according to most on this site. Then when someone chooses another school suddenly they suddenly have all these weaknesses.

Everyone always says how Roy turns these low ranked guys into stars, but let's be realistic, our top 4 players this year were all top 25 recruits. You need these guys to be where we are today as a team.

 

[RP12]

Starting is the most overrated idea in the world. Will Huffman, Manley, or Maye be ready day 1 to start, play 30 minutes, and dominate consistenly? Surely not, and nobody is doing that today as a big either. Will the three of them be able to give us 10-15 minutes each on average of contributions in different ways to support our wealth of wing talent? I say yes I could see that.

 

[dadika13]

Starting is the most overrated idea in the world. Will Huffman, Manley, or Maye be ready day 1 to start, play 30 minutes, and dominate consistenly? Surely not, and nobody is doing that today as a big either.

That's just not true.

Bridges - 32 mpg, 16ppg, 9rpg
Issac - 26mpg, 15ppg, 7.3rpg
Markkanen - 33mpg, 18ppg, 7.2rpg
TJ Leaf - 29mpg, 17ppg, 9rpg
Bam - 26mpg, 12ppg, 8rpg

That's just this season in their first like 10 games. This list will probably double by years end. And that's just this season.

Why do people say things that just aren't at all correct?

 

[RP12]

That's just not true.

Bridges - 32 mpg, 16ppg, 9rpg
Issac - 26mpg, 15ppg, 7.3rpg
Markkanen - 33mpg, 18ppg, 7.2rpg
TJ Leaf - 29mpg, 17ppg, 9rpg
Bam - 26mpg, 12ppg, 8rpg

That's just this season in their first like 10 games. This list will probably double by years end. And that's just this season.

Why do people say things that just aren't at all correct?

No one on our team was my point. And we're pretty good. And Bam is hardly dominating. And early competition is much weaker than later, except for Bam probably.

 

[dadika13]

No one on our team was my point. And we're pretty good. And Bam is hardly dominating. And early competition is much weaker than later, except for Bam probably.

So you're gonna ignore the other 4 who are clearly dominating? When you said nobody is doing that nowadays. You're backtracking because you said something completely false.

 

[RP12]

I just told you I was talking about our team! Read the words man. Point being we're just fine despite that. That's why I said "as a big" because Berry is doing that for us. I wasn't talking about other teams or freshmen in general.

 

[DSouthr]

Starting is the most overrated idea in the world. Will Huffman, Manley, or Maye be ready day 1 to start, play 30 minutes, and dominate consistenly? Surely not, and nobody is doing that today as a big either. Will the three of them be able to give us 10-15 minutes each on average of contributions in different ways to support our wealth of wing talent? I say yes I could see that.

RP, you were doing fine till ya went off in to the weeds with the with the no other big man is either part. You and I both know we see freshman mostly 5 star, big men come to the college game and dominate so I don't understand where you were going with that one.

Like every one else, I can't tell you what I know we will get from Huffman and Manley next season, I am absolutely not looking for either of them to be Tyler or Jamison. I am expecting more along the lines of Alec Steveson and a poor man's Tony Bradley. Don't start that junk of David just said Manley was Tony Bradley, I said a poor man's version and every one of you know what that means. If we can not snag one of the 5 star big men then what we got is a pretty darn good haul for a back up plan. Truth is, if we were to be able to add Knox to this class we already have I would think the general perception of how strong our class is would change drastically. How could it not when we would have added 2 5stars, 2 college ready bodied front court guys, and a knock down jump shooter?

 

[dadika13]

Truth is, if we were to be able to add Knox to this class we already have I would think the general perception of how strong our class is would change drastically. How could it not when we would have added 2 5stars, 2 college ready bodied front court guys, and a knock down jump shooter?

Yeah, 1 more 5 star would completely change the perception of this class.

Imagine our team this year with Markkanen backing up Hicks...insane.

 

[DSouthr]

I'd like to point out and applaud that you are one of the only posters in this entire thread to say something like: "my expects for it do not have to be tempered because they are not really high to begin with". Based on what I've read from countless thread after thread is that some of these people would have us believe we're a Final Four favorite with these guys next year (and they know who they are.)

Me bringing up JJ is exactly where the point lies. Even with a #58 recruit, he never lived up to the hype some added to his name. So how can you put those same expectation on guys well below that, one at nearly #250 (and yes, this will be the case until he's moved up)? Because these same things were said about James as well. And it's even more pressing because we need at least one guy who can start day 1? Wouldn't you rather take your chance with a guy who's been entrenched in the top 70 since the beginning?

(I know the recruiting cycle isn't over yet, but it's not like we have Plan Es and Fs in our pocket.)

It's not so much about landing 5 * guys as much as it guys that can start day 1. I feel like this is the part that everyone keeps missing or avoiding, and I don't know how many different ways I can say it to make people focus on this.

There were quite a few guys in 40-70 who could've been considered as candidates to start on day 1. The talent pool does
Rose, I can tell you this much, if anyone is projecting us as a final 4 team for next seasonn't run as dry like in 2018 (which is a completely different situation).

It's also about how many of these guys on the board seem to market every single player we get like a diamond in the rough. I swear, according to these guys you'd think the Class of 2017 looks something like this:

1. Jalek Felton
2. Brandon Huffman
3. Sterling Manley
4. Andrew Platek
5-500. Everyone else

We've pretty much established that neither of these guys are likely to be ready day 1, so I'd like to know where the optimism lies, so I can "stop thinking the sky is falling" and start to "have faith in Roy/be optmiistic" like everyone is saying. Because with the evidence provided, it sounds more like someone is trying to "pissing on our heads and tell us its rain".

Rose, I can tell ya this much, if anyone is projecting us as a final 4 team and especially if we add no one else, and doubly so if we lose either/or Justin or Joel, then I want some of what they are smokin! I hope I have NEVER indicated that to be my expectation, I think we can be competitive but you do not lose your 2 starting in your front court and not add a big time duo to replace them (meaning 5 star bigs) and be considered a final 4 contender.

I do think Roy can cobble together a NCAAT team out of that and maybe even find us in the sweet 16 but that would IMO be our ceiling. I think we can have a very good back court, especially if our current frosh really put in the work next off season. I do think Jalek can come in and start at the point, he is very dynamic. Tony should be our anchor inside and will need to play big minutes, how big depends on just how ready Manley is when he gets here.

The real problem spot is the 4, who starts there, Luke, Huffman, Manley, player to be added that is not already known? Our best option may end up to be Theo at the 4, I think between Huffman and Manley we can cover the spot but who knows what they freshman like?

 

[topps coach]

I understand tempering expects, not so sure it is needed, I don't see the general mindset being that we have Hansbourgh coming in next season, I don't see a thought train of these guys will come in and play at the level of Carter or Bamba. If you can't get what you want, 5 star bigs ready to play and produce right off the bat, then you have to get the next best thing and that is big men that can be serviceable early, that may produce some but at least have bodies ready to compete, even if the skill lags. That next best option is what I feel like we got.

Got to point to some irony in your post, Joel James ranked 58 and isn't the level player you wanted us to get yet you lament we did not offer the 40-70 ranked players? While I get what you saying the irony is there none the less.

Lets go back to the real point, I really don't think it is about Roy not offering players ranked 40-70, it is about Roy not getting any of the 5 star bigs he offered. If both Huffman and Manley ended up in the top 70, it really would not do much to help the concern you have, isn't that true? What you are upset over, what we are all very concerned over is the lack of really talented highly rated big men. We just spent a summer discussing why, a very testy summer at that, why it has been so hard has been discussed and discussed to the point of exhaustion. But at this point lamenting over what we did not get does not help us, we are now left no more than to try to see if these issues that have limited our recruiting for so long can pass finally and we see our recruiting get back to past levels.

Next season looks like it could be a challenge, my expects for it do not have to be tempered because they are not really high to begin with, not because we didn't get a big man ranked 40-70 but because we didn't get a day 1 ready to play 5 star big man that we really did need. Maybe we get Knox, maybe we don't, he would for sure help and for sure have all the PT he could ever want. But I am glad that we have a couple of big men on the way that have ready to play bodies, that can maybe add some rebounding and defend, to go along with Tony and maybe a lot of Theo at the 4. I do think both will offer more day 1 than Joel James, we wil have to see but I think they can both help us in the role they wil be most needed and that isn't to carry us as scorers as freshmen, it is more they should be able to help us on the boards and using their physical bodies to go to work in the paint.

 

[topps coach]

David you once predicted that Joel James was going to be the number 1 pick in the draft is this kid as good as him

 

[Butterbutt44]

David you once predicted that Joel James was going to be the number 1 pick in the draft.Does this kid as good as him

Holy hell. please tell me youre joking, was this really said?

 

[topps coach]

Holy hell. please tell me youre joking, was this really said?

yep

 

[Butterbutt44]

yep

UNBELIEVABLE