Good get. If Gueye returns we are good with depth even if Crespín/Diongue need time to develop.
Last edited:
Mael Crespin commits
- Thread starter SaveFerris
- Start date
It's only highlights but like the way he finishes. Wonder if this has any bearing on Gueye's decision?
2022 French big man Mael Crespin one of best available in class
The 2022 class wasted no time in their recruitments. Only 19 of the 150 prospects in the 247Sports Rankings are available. To find more available prospects, college
247sports.com
Since they are still working on Gueye maybe it's more to do with Efe's decision to go to the G-League?
Good highlights but yeah, highlights. When he came up the thing that surprised me about a highlight package was early, he looked like a "5". Mostly inside plays around the rim. Then he showed he could hit 3s and make a number of different passes. If we can keep them around seems like a nice compliment to Diongue.
Last edited:
MO is probably not coming back, he reentered Portal after withdrawing from draft, not going G League.
That is a good enough replacement big, so WSU is set at Bigs with Jackson, Diongue, Jaki, Crespin.
While WSU has PG Rice, SG Bamba and Rodman/Jaki at the 3 spot, WSU needs 1 more good enough replacement at either combo PG/SG, or a Wing that can play the 3,2,4 spots.
While Jabe, Jaki, and maybe semi probably Crespin, do provide good 6,7th man, depth, and while Jabe will be a good back up SG to Bamba, WSU Smith needs 1 more either PG, or Wing that can play the 3,2 spots.
If WSU gets 1 more good enough replacement at either wing, PG, then WSU will be able to have the solid 7,8,9 man rotation needed to go-to NIT/NCAA, etc.
But even if WSU doesn't get 1 more good enough replacement.
WSU will probably win about 15,16,17 wins, 6,7,8 in conference, Maybe 1 Pac 12 tourny win, CBI/NIT bubble, likely postseason somewhere.
But if WSU gets 1 more good enough replacement, then 17,18,19,20,21 wins, 3,4,5,6 in conference, 1,2 Pac 12 tourny win, NIT/NCAA, etc.
At least only having 11,12,13,14 wins probably isn't going to happen, and is gone as a probability, etc.
Didn't see getting Crespin, as that came out of nowhere, surprised me, hadn't heard anything about that.
That is a good enough replacement big, so WSU is set at Bigs with Jackson, Diongue, Jaki, Crespin.
While WSU has PG Rice, SG Bamba and Rodman/Jaki at the 3 spot, WSU needs 1 more good enough replacement at either combo PG/SG, or a Wing that can play the 3,2,4 spots.
While Jabe, Jaki, and maybe semi probably Crespin, do provide good 6,7th man, depth, and while Jabe will be a good back up SG to Bamba, WSU Smith needs 1 more either PG, or Wing that can play the 3,2 spots.
If WSU gets 1 more good enough replacement at either wing, PG, then WSU will be able to have the solid 7,8,9 man rotation needed to go-to NIT/NCAA, etc.
But even if WSU doesn't get 1 more good enough replacement.
WSU will probably win about 15,16,17 wins, 6,7,8 in conference, Maybe 1 Pac 12 tourny win, CBI/NIT bubble, likely postseason somewhere.
But if WSU gets 1 more good enough replacement, then 17,18,19,20,21 wins, 3,4,5,6 in conference, 1,2 Pac 12 tourny win, NIT/NCAA, etc.
At least only having 11,12,13,14 wins probably isn't going to happen, and is gone as a probability, etc.
Didn't see getting Crespin, as that came out of nowhere, surprised me, hadn't heard anything about that.
Whether replacing Efe or MO, Jackson, Diongue, Jaki, Crespin, is a semi more then good enough frontcourt bigs Corp, even if Crespin is not a Efe, MO level replacement.
Don't need a Efe, MO level replacement. Crespin is a good enough replacement, and rounds out a good enough frontcourt, bigs Corp.
MO never reentered the portal. He never left the portal. That is an important distinction. If he reentered the portal then he is still shopping, other wise he is just taking his time making a decision or at least announcing his decision.
As far a Crespin goes he is probably more advanced skill wise than Efe just not as athletic or obviously as experienced at the college level. Projects to be better down the road but experience is a big factor between the two right now.
As far a Crespin goes he is probably more advanced skill wise than Efe just not as athletic or obviously as experienced at the college level. Projects to be better down the road but experience is a big factor between the two right now.
Jackson, Gueye, and Jakimovski would give us solid experience upfront. Diongue/Crespin are definitely young and no guarantee they stay longer than a season. A Billikens board believed Crespin was looking to sign with the top professional league in France as priority 1 then college.
Rich is correct on guards. I'm intrigued by Rice but would like a scorer between him and Bamba at minimum. It's been quiet on any guards we might pursue.
Rich is correct on guards. I'm intrigued by Rice but would like a scorer between him and Bamba at minimum. It's been quiet on any guards we might pursue.
Smith continues to get it done on the recruiting trail. He seems to always have a contingent plan for his contingent plan
Yeah I got to, and glad to give Smith credit. I knew he was a good recruiter, but with Flowers graduating, and losing Efe, probably MO, Tyrell, Noah, Rapp, etc, I thought that might probably be too much to replace for even a coach K level recruiter, let alone Smith, despite Smith being a awesome recruiter.
I thought that it would cause a snowball effect, that Jackson would also leave, that it would be too much to replace, and that WSU would probably only win about 11,12,13,14 games, etc.
But so far Smith has so far miraculously pulled the proverbial rabbit out of hat, recruited, replaced good enough so far.
WSU/Smith just needs a transfer Wing/PG now to have a solid 7,8,9 man rotation.
And I think there is about a 67%+ chance he will do so, and that even if don't do so, at least 11,12,13,14 win bad season probably averted, and probably at least get a CIT, CBI, postseason, etc, somewhere, and maybe even NIT/NCAA, etc.
Smith seems to be a coach that can recruit good enough replacements for half the roster, year in,year out, be able to deal with NIL, Transfer Portal, etc.
Truly a amazing coach, recruiter, etc.
Smith and staff are nothing short of excellent in the recruiting department! Not sold on his coaching over all but he definitely makes basketball interesting again. I imagine the roster will fill out in the next couple of weeks
Most of the time the European bigs pass better than other bigs. I hope that is the case with this guy too.
Grain of salt with highlights but I thought some of the passes he made were his best highlights. Seems to have good hands in general as well.
Guard is concerning but if we ended up with Jackson/Jakimovski starting with Diongue/Crespin upfront for depth that could become a pretty solid group in time (assuming we can stay healthy).
A Starting Line up of 5. Jackson, 4. Jaki, 3. Rodman, 2. Bamba, 1. Rice, is pretty darn good.
6th, 7th men off bench, in Jabe Mullins, backing up Bamba, and Rodman, and either Diongue or Crespin backing up Jackson and Jaki is also good.
But a 7 man rotation is not good enough.
Need a minimum of a 8 man rotation, and Dylan, and 1 of either Diongue, or Crespin, probably not a good 8th man, and Rosario is a HUGE UNKNOWN, semi might semi probably not a 8th man.
And even if either 1 of either Diongue, or Crespin a 8th man, or if Rosario a 8th man, then still need 1 more back up guard at the PG, that be a 8th man, maybe 9th man.
WSU needs a 1 more 7th man, 8th man level back up guard.
If WSU only has a good 6,7 man rotation, then WSU better be the best conditioned team, or WSU will get TIRED, WORN OUT, legs get tired, worn, shooting, rebounding, etc, declines, which would cause WSU to semi consistently to lose.
And even if WSU were to consistently win with 6,7 man rotation, injuries, and in the post season, WSU would consistently lose.
WSU just has to have, needs 1 more transfer 1,2,3 guard that can push the starters, co Start, be a 6,7,8th man, etc.
If WSU does that, WSU will probably be just fine.
And Smith has about a 67% chance to get 1 more transfer guard, etc.
Agree, we need at least another guard that can take the point. Backcourt scoring experience is thin as well.
Bamba, had better be THE SCORING MACHINE, at 2 guard, as he is the most likely to do so, because Rodman at the 3 spot, isn't likely to be a big huge scorer, and Rice is a semi unknown, questionable on whether would be a scorer.
I see the top 2 scorer's, being Jackson, and Bamba, with Jackson probably scoring about 9.5 to 11.5 to 13.5 ppg.
Bamba probably scores about 12 to 14 to 16 per game.
Jaki, probably scores about 9 per game.
Rodman probably scores 1,2 3 pointers, garbage, putbacks, etc, for about 7,8 per game.
Rice hopefully scores about 10,11,12 per game.
Diongue probably scores about 6.5 to 7 to 7.5 per game.
Crespin probably scores about 5.7 to 6 to 6.3 per game.
Jabe Mullins probably scores about 6,7,8,9,10 per game.
That would be about 69 to 71 to 73 ppg for the team.
If WSU gets another transfer guard, then the team would get about 74 to 76 to 78 to ppg.
70 ppg, for the team, to go along with great defense is, can be good enough to win a lot of games
I would think a slashing high scoring 2 guard or wing player would be high on the list right now plus some help at the point preferably a portal guy who could take some pressure off Rice being a freshmen
Love Kyle Smiths resilience. Exactly what you need from a guy leading WSU in this time of portal weirdness. Re-recruit your guys but assume every position on the court is open and recruit accordingly.
Bamba will be a good enough 2 guard that probably won't need another 2 guard, since Jabe Mullins can back up Bamba at the 2, and Rodman at the wing, 3 spot.
So unless WSU/Smith gets a combo,1,2,PG/SG, guard, then WSU probably doesn't need to, won't get another 2 guard.
Since Jabe Mullins, Jaki can also play the wing/3 spot, then that leaves only a Redshirt Freshman PG Rice, with no back up, since Dylan probably not ready to play PG/SG.
So WSU needs either a PG, or a Combo PG/SG transfer guard to can push Rice, challenge for the starting PG job, platoon as a situational co starter, be a 6th,7th,8th man in the rotation.
That's WSU's most pressing need.
Once, when, if that filled, THEN WSU needs a hybrid guard/wing, 6-4.5, that can play all 3 guard spots, the WING, SG, PG, guard/wing spots.
Similar threads
