Another one bites the dust (sort of)
- Thread starter Observer11
- Start date
We will probably also see DJ declare for the draft. As this should be a fairly normal occurance with all upper class athletes so that they can get info on what to work on to further there career's.
Powell is not in the portal at this point so that's a plus.
Powell is not in the portal at this point so that's a plus.
Following all of this, but it’s likely going to take until sometime in June for the roster to settle in again.
I like Powell as a player. Does a lot of nice things. But, no, NBA is not in his future.
People don't understand or refuse to understand the elite level of talent and athleticism fighting for 400 jobs.
These NBA declarations and entering the portal has made the job of head coach damn near impossible when it comes to managing a roster. If coaches won't know until the summer who all is coming back, it's practically too late to get a decent replacement. And this goes on now year after year. Forget projecting your team down the road, a coach can't even do that year by year now.
Glad Cougar
Glad Cougar
Bill Walton says kids should get evaluated by the NBA. It lets them know
Portal for BBALL...should start 12/1 end 1/31. They should be able to transfer without penalty. That way the school knows how to manage the roster and the kids can transfer without a penalty.
Starting 2/1 they have to sit a year. Unless there is a coaching change.
What it forces coaches to do is to EVALUATE the NBA readyness or lack thereof of underclassmen entering draft, and how likely they are to be drafted or signed as undrafted free agent or if they wil likely make a D League roster. And if they are not ready yet, won't be drafted, etc, whether they are likely smart enough to withdraw from the draft, return to team.
Some of that will be guesswork, etc. But good evaluation, and coaches talking to players, experts, NBA, etc, can help in that process.
If the coach thinks that the player might semi probably get drafted, not return, etc, then the coach needs to leave the door open, but recruit a replacement.
If recruit a worse replacement, and the player returns, then you revoke the scholly of the recruit, offer them a preferred walk on, guaranteed scholly next season, if they are good enough, and recruit 1 less next recruiting cycle.
If replacement recruit is equal to returning player, that's where it could get complicated, tough.
If replacement recruit is better then returning player, then you have to let the worst scholly player on team know that your temporarily taking their scholly, but that they can get it back eventually, so that you can keep both the new recruit and the returning player.
The other thing you have to do is that there is almost always some 3.5 star recruits, JC transfers, transfer portal, etc, that are available.
A good coach/staff, has to be aware of who they are, stay in touch, maintain good communication, friendships, relationships, etc, so that if a player enters draft, doesn't return, etc, that you can maybe get one of those, these 3.5 star recruits, JC, transfers, portal players that are still available even that late, and beat out everyone else for that kind of player.
This process is not easy, but it is doable, and it has been done good so far by Smith/Staff.
As to Powell, DJ, they are either not NBA material, or not NBA ready yet, this season, and even after, end of next season, they are likely overseas semi pros, last pick of 2nd round, signed undrafted free agent, NBA D League, etc, at extreme ultimate best.
As such they are, will likely return, withdraw from NBA draft.
Gueye is the only player with shot to get drafted 2nd Round.
Bamba might get taken as a FLYER as LAST PICK of 2nd round and LAST PICK of draft, and has shot at NBA D League. But it's probably that Bamba withdraws from draft and enters transfer portal in order to have a better chance to get drafted at the end of next season.
It's HARD, but Smith will probably come up with good enough replacements for an or 1 of the 3 of either Gueye, Jackson, Bamba to return via his DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN policy, to field a competitive CBI/NIT team.
But the Frontcourt will probably not be as good as it could have been, and might even struggle, and the NCAA tournament is probably a no go, which is hard, since WSU could have been semi likely to win 21,22,23,24 games in the regular season, 12-8, 13-7, 14-6, 2nd, 3rd in conference, 2,3,4 PAC 12 tourny wins, 2nd Round/Sweet 16, 24,25,26,27 total wins after tournaments, season done, IF IF, Gueye, Bamba, Jackson were to all return, play next season.
So it's probably going to be another 15,16,17,18,19 win CBI/NIT, IF team is healthy, and IF team is not Healthy, then 14,15,16 wins, CBI at best.
Fans will need to realize that IF 13,14,15,16 wins, CBI at best happens because of injuries, and Gueye, Jackson, Bamba leaving, that it will, would NOT be Smith's fault, that it would be the fault, or rather the result of injuries, and the transfer portal, and players leaving EARLY, NIL, etc.
In such a environment, etc, it's extremely hard, almost impossible for WSU, Smith, a good coach, etc, to do well, make NCAA tournament, etc.
Heck even coach K of Duke had a 14 win season back in the 80's, 90's.
And even Kentucky was in the NIT, and even North Carolina just barely by skin of their teeth, just barely sneaked into NCAA tourny.
In light of all the above, it won't necessarily be bad coaching by Smith, if Smith/WSU loses Gueye, Bamba, Jackson, has injuries, only wins 12,13,14,15,16 wins, CBI at best, has a down year, a REBUILD year, because of this, that happening.
Reality and expectations need to be put into context, perspective, actual reality, etc.
Bamba will end up at Auburn after Pearl tampered.
Hell, if I'm Drew Timme, I say the heck with the NBA dreams for another year, put my name out there as a mercenary and go with the highest bidder. He's still got a COVID year left.
Double dip and still do the Northern Quest commercials. His podcast is pretty damned funny, too. I'd guess he could pull 7 figures easy with the right marketing agents.
Hell, if I'm Drew Timme, I say the heck with the NBA dreams for another year, put my name out there as a mercenary and go with the highest bidder. He's still got a COVID year left.
Double dip and still do the Northern Quest commercials. His podcast is pretty damned funny, too. I'd guess he could pull 7 figures easy with the right marketing agents.
There needs to be investigations into, and sanctions against coaches, programs that tampering instead of players after the end of season announcing that they are thinking about entering transfer portal, and then getting legally approached by a coach like Pearl.
There should be a set in stone date, period, at which time coaches like Pearl can legally contact a player like Bamba. Any contact before then would be tampering, illegal, open to investigation, sanctions, etc.
If Pearl really did illegally tamper, contact Bamba, he should be investigated, fined, sanctioned, and Auburn if they had any knowledge, if Pearl guilty, Auburn then should be fined, sanctioned, lose scholly's, be banned from NCAA, etc.
That's the only way to control the illegal tampering aspect of NIL + Transfer Portal.
I doubt very seriously if Pearl would actively recruit Bamba a good but not great player off an average PAC12 team. Way bigger fish out there. Now if somebody asked Pearl if he would be possibly interested in a player like Bamba and he said yes that’s different. Bamba is not worth the effort for Pearl.
