Scorecard

[etowncoug]

A rundown of Smith's first offseason:
1) lower than normal attrition: just two players (Skaggs and Wade) elected to transfer. Moore kinda counts but was doubtful to stay eligible due to grades. Pollard, Ali, Cannon and Elleby were all headed out the door under Kent but Smith convinced them to stay.
2) Kept the best Kent recruit and cut the other two loose. Johns is a project who hasn't been able to attract much interest. Murphy ended up at the Pitt dumpster fire.
3) Decent recruiting class. James and Bonton should contribute immediately. Noah Williams is highly rated. Rodman intrigues me. The international guys should develop too. Much better than you'd expect for a few months on the job.

Things are going well so far. I'm excited to see things unfold over the next year or so.

 

[Glad Cougar]

Good summary. There were a couple of predictions on here of massive attrition....that Kent players wouldn't want to play Smith-style basketball. I think once they got to meet with him and learn more, they wanted to be a part of the new direction...even after testing the waters in the transfer portal. I also like that Coach Smith kept the door open for Pollard, Cannon, and Ali (and probably the other guys) and invited them to be part of the foundational change that will give hope to the program after 5 forgettable years of Kent ball. When you add the recruits, even as late as it was in the recruiting season, Smith is off to an impressive start. If he can follow up next year with a strong recruiting class, the future should be bright.

Glad Cougar

 

[7ICoug]

Nice rundown on the off season. What is most impressive is that they hit the recruiting trail way behind, yet got it done in an impressive way. Also doing 2020 and 2021 offers as well.

Did they get all that they wanted? Probably not but with no track record clearly the best recruiting cycle in some time.

 

[avabob1]

This staff really seemed to hit the ground running. Regardless of success of current additions, just the number of players they were able to get involved with was impressive.

 

[etowncoug]

Forgot to add this earlier: both incoming recruits and returning players know the effort required on the defensive end. And the talk of how they have games resembling NBA All-stars is a thing of the past. Seems like Smith is installing a blue collar mentality in some kids with lots of potential.

 

[mikalalas]

Nice rundown on the off season. What is most impressive is that they hit the recruiting trail way behind, yet got it done in an impressive way. Also doing 2020 and 2021 offers as well.

Did they get all that they wanted? Probably not but with no track record clearly the best recruiting cycle in some time.

Also getting 2020,2021 3 star, 6 ft 7 an 1/2 in, 236 pound, 4, Big, 2 year early offer, commit, and probably sign as well, Nathan, is, will probably be a pretty huge get as well.

Mentioning that, because hasnt been mentioned here, and should be mentioned here, as well.

 

[mikalalas]

Forgot to add this earlier: both incoming recruits and returning players know the effort required on the defensive end. And the talk of how they have games resembling NBA All-stars is a thing of the past. Seems like Smith is installing a blue collar mentality in some kids with lots of potential.

Its ok to have PLAYERS, RECRUITS, resembling NBA All Stars. Its even ok if they were in fact to be miraculously as good as NBA players, and play in NBA someday.

AS LONG AS THEY DONT LET THAT GO TO THEIR HEAD, AND AS LONG AS THEY KEEP ON BLUE COLLAR WORKING HARD.

Also between a couple, few, some, lot, semi most NBA players in the NBA have SACRIFICED, WORKED their ASSES off, before NBA to GET TO THE NBA, and in the NBA so that they STAY in NBA, and EXCEL, succeed, win, become all stars, hall of famers, win NBA championships.

Nobody works, worked harder then Michael Jordan, Lebron, Shaq, Kobe, Miller, Klay, etc

And thats why they are who they are, and have achieved what they have achieved.

And if WSU players want MAXIMIZE ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL, whether thats making NBA or not, or NCAA Elite 8, etc, they have to WORK HARD or it probably wont happen.

Talent, skill, athleticism, DNA, etc, will provide the OPPORTUNITY, but only thru HARD WORK CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE of that OPPORTUNITY provided by Talent, skill, athleticism, DNA, HARD WORK, etc.

And Smith will probably help them realize that, and do that

 

[etowncoug]

If last year's team was full of players with NBA games we wouldn't have had a losing record.

Its ok to have games resembling NBA All Stars. Its even ok if they were in fact to be miraculously as good as NBA players, and play in NBA someday:

AS LONG AS THEY DONT LET THAT GO TO THEIR HEAD, AND AS LONG AS THEY KEEP ON BLUE COLLAR WORKING HARD.

Also between a couple, few, some, lot, semi most NBA players in the NBA have SACRIFICED, WORKED their ASSES off, before NBA to GET TO THE NBA, and in the NBA so that they STAY in NBA, and EXCEL, succeed, win, become all stars, hall of famers, win NBA championships.

Nobody works, worked harder then Michael Jordan, Lebron, Shaq, Kobe, Miller, Klay, etc

And thats why they are who they are, and have achieved what they have achieved.

And if WSU players want MAXIMIZE ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL, whether thats making NBA or not, or NCAA Elite 8, etc, they have to WORK HARD or it probably wont happen.

Talent, skill, athleticism, DNA, etc, will provide the OPPORTUNITY, but only thru HARD WORK CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE of that OPPORTUNITY provided by Talent, skill, athleticism, DNA, HARD WORK, etc.

And Smith will probably help them realize that, and do that

 

[mikalalas]

If last year's team was full of players with NBA games we wouldn't have had a losing record.

Oops mistype. Meant players resembling. Will edit fix comment.