D
Derek Young
Guest
1) This team was still really bad for most of the season and that can't just be shaken off or ignored. There was a time it was tracking to be the worst team in school history. Because they finished so well, that isn't the case anymore and they did provide some hope for the future, without a doubt. However, you don't get better or keep improving unless you recognize and reflect on your flaws, too, and there was still some ugly freakin' basketball for about 85 percent of the season.
2) With that being said, they figured out what it took and how hard they had to play to compete. It took a long time to figure it out, but they did. When that was discovered, they competed with Baylor, upset Oklahoma, finished off an Iowa State sweep and knocked off Jamie Dixon and TCU two more times. It is probably good enough for 6 wins or so next year, so they still need to build off of it if they want more.
3) Can that be done without an impact transfer? No in my eyes. Better get that or you're not making the NCAA Tournament, in my opinion. Need a point guard impact transfer, preferably. Someone that can handle the ball. That allows Nijel to get breathers and also allows him to play off the ball some, where he's actually even better, and if Mike comes back, it allows him to play off the ball where he is better. It also takes some of the onus off of DaJuan and Selton to improve their shooting, dramatically.
4) Last sentence could have been its own point. Love DaJuan and Selton. DaJuan Gordon isn't who we thought he was going to be, but what he has turned into and the role he has embraced and figured out is still perfectly fine for this team, especially since he has some comrades like Nijel and Selton. He's important. If he can knock some shots down, he's dangerous. Lets work on that. Same with Selton. Best defender in the Big 12 is in his future at some point, great at attacking the rim. A little better shooter and he's probably a first-team all-conference player at some point.
5) I didn't get to talk about the game in here yesterday so I want to point this out. The refs were awful both of those games. Davion Bradford probably was fouled every time he touched the ball and college officials still don't know what a charge is or isn't. Hard to watch.
6) The Bruce Weber press conference. Rightly, he was asked about his future and he made emphatic statements that suggest he is definitely planning on returning. I don't think he was lying. I think he is if they don't have a great replacement plan in place, and there is probably only one that anyone, including Weber, would see as worth it and those chances are still pretty slim, in my opinion. I don't think it's a 100 percent chance that Bruce is returning, but I think it is close to it, and the only reason he wouldn't be back is if K-State had a home run hire waiting in the wings.
7) This year sucked for a long time. No doubt about it. I don't want to tell people how to feel, but I think the worst of the worst is behind them at this point, and whatever direction they have to go in, I think includes significant hope and promise. The fact that it took so long to get here is problematic, but they should be through the worst assuming that the core sticks together. And I think they will.
2) With that being said, they figured out what it took and how hard they had to play to compete. It took a long time to figure it out, but they did. When that was discovered, they competed with Baylor, upset Oklahoma, finished off an Iowa State sweep and knocked off Jamie Dixon and TCU two more times. It is probably good enough for 6 wins or so next year, so they still need to build off of it if they want more.
3) Can that be done without an impact transfer? No in my eyes. Better get that or you're not making the NCAA Tournament, in my opinion. Need a point guard impact transfer, preferably. Someone that can handle the ball. That allows Nijel to get breathers and also allows him to play off the ball some, where he's actually even better, and if Mike comes back, it allows him to play off the ball where he is better. It also takes some of the onus off of DaJuan and Selton to improve their shooting, dramatically.
4) Last sentence could have been its own point. Love DaJuan and Selton. DaJuan Gordon isn't who we thought he was going to be, but what he has turned into and the role he has embraced and figured out is still perfectly fine for this team, especially since he has some comrades like Nijel and Selton. He's important. If he can knock some shots down, he's dangerous. Lets work on that. Same with Selton. Best defender in the Big 12 is in his future at some point, great at attacking the rim. A little better shooter and he's probably a first-team all-conference player at some point.
5) I didn't get to talk about the game in here yesterday so I want to point this out. The refs were awful both of those games. Davion Bradford probably was fouled every time he touched the ball and college officials still don't know what a charge is or isn't. Hard to watch.
6) The Bruce Weber press conference. Rightly, he was asked about his future and he made emphatic statements that suggest he is definitely planning on returning. I don't think he was lying. I think he is if they don't have a great replacement plan in place, and there is probably only one that anyone, including Weber, would see as worth it and those chances are still pretty slim, in my opinion. I don't think it's a 100 percent chance that Bruce is returning, but I think it is close to it, and the only reason he wouldn't be back is if K-State had a home run hire waiting in the wings.
7) This year sucked for a long time. No doubt about it. I don't want to tell people how to feel, but I think the worst of the worst is behind them at this point, and whatever direction they have to go in, I think includes significant hope and promise. The fact that it took so long to get here is problematic, but they should be through the worst assuming that the core sticks together. And I think they will.
