Arizona Basketball 2018-2019

Russ Smith

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As horribly as the Wildcats are playing tonight, I don't think it matters who USC has available.


To me it's the principle of the thing, I hate when coaches suspend players because they want to act like they're being tough, and then the minute it becomes apparent they need the kid or they might wina few, the kid is reinstated. I pointed it out when Altman has done it at Oregon, when UCLA did it with Jerime Anderson, I pointed it out when Miller suspended Comanche etc. If you're going to do a short suspension don't say indefinitely, it's just disingenuous. Even Coach K did it multiple times with everyone's favorite tripper.

I have no idea what Porter Jr did but if it was bad enough to nearly be kicked off the tea, it's highly unlikely he's made amends this fast.
 
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TJ

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This team has hit a wall. Without Jeter, it’s a mess. Not even NIT material. Coleman and Luther are not good transfers, Randolph is completely useless, and Williams is too young to be the alpha. Only Williams and Jeter will be significant contributors on next season’s team. Everyone else will be run off by Miller or stuck on the bench.
 

Timm Rosenbach

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This team has hit a wall. Without Jeter, it’s a mess. Not even NIT material. Coleman and Luther are not good transfers, Randolph is completely useless, and Williams is too young to be the alpha. Only Williams and Jeter will be significant contributors on next season’s team. Everyone else will be run off by Miller or stuck on the bench.

Miller will start from scratch next November. The program has been under a hurricane since well before the battle for Atlantis debacle. Amazed that it didn’t get even worse.
 

Timm Rosenbach

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I was wondering what ESPN would do after the Book stuff was over. Turns out nothing different. Still trying their best to shade positive headlines.

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I cut my cable coveragee last month. If a game is on ESPN I go to a sports bar. Pitino’s crew at ESPN won’t ever let this go
 

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Miller will start from scratch next November. The program has been under a hurricane since well before the battle for Atlantis debacle. Amazed that it didn’t get even worse.

I’m down on Miller as well. Nico better be otherworldly and Green/Armstrong need to be the anti-Randolph/Akot. I’m done penciling in highly rated recruits as sure things.
 

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I’m down on Miller as well. Nico better be otherworldly and Green/Armstrong need to be the anti-Randolph/Akot. I’m done penciling in highly rated recruits as sure things.

Miller has a strange look in his eyes and the profuse sweating concerned me. But he has survived the ESPN onslaught and lived to fight another season.
 
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I’m down on Miller as well. Nico better be otherworldly and Green/Armstrong need to be the anti-Randolph/Akot. I’m done penciling in highly rated recruits as sure things.

Put it this way: if we’re not a title contender come this time next year, Miller will be feeling an awful lot of heat from the fans and the athletic department.
 
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Miller has a strange look in his eyes and the profuse sweating concerned me. But he has survived the ESPN onslaught and lived to fight another season.

He’s actually been a lot calmer this season compared to last. Helps that he’s not being bombarded with questions about the FBI investigation everyday and having to deal with the other outside factors involved.
 

Russ Smith

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I actually think MIller was doing one of his better coaching jobs ever until Akot left and Jeter got hurt and you have no size. Mixing in transfers and kids who barely played last year is just not that easy.

It also didn't help that the one time in the last 10 or so games UCLA shot well was against Arizona although it was largely due to the defense sagging so deep that Wilkes was getting open 3's.

I watched more of the Warriors game than this one it's just not good basketball the way UCLA plays this year.
 

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This team has hit a wall. Without Jeter, it’s a mess. Not even NIT material. Coleman and Luther are not good transfers, Randolph is completely useless, and Williams is too young to be the alpha. Only Williams and Jeter will be significant contributors on next season’s team. Everyone else will be run off by Miller or stuck on the bench.

I think the loss of Akot is hurting more than Miller would like to admit. The impact of losing Jeter is obvious, but don't sleep on the impact Akot had. I think Randolph and Lee will still have roles off the bench on next season's team, as will Williams. Jeter will start if he is still here and not in the NBA draft. My guess is that everyone else currently on the roster will be gone.

Next year's starters:

Mannion
Green
Armstrong
Nnaji
Jeter

Next year's bench:

Williams
Randolph
Lee
Koloko

Especially if Jeter leaves, we still need some help up front. As highly rated as Mannion and Green are, and as fast rising as Armstrong is, I really do believe that Nnaji was our most important get.
 
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TJ

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I think the loss of Akot is hurting more than Miller would like to admit. The impact of losing Jeter is obvious, but don't sleep on the impact Akot had. I think Randolph and Lee will still have roles off the bench on next season's team, as will Williams. Jeter will start if he is still here and not in the NBA draft. My guess is that everyone else currently on the roster will be gone.

Next year's starters:

Mannion
Green
Armstrong
Nnaji
Jeter

Next year's bench:

Williams
Randolph
Lee
Koloko

Especially if Jeter leaves, we still need some help up front. As highly rated as Mannion and Green are, and as fast rising as Armstrong is, I really do believe that Nnaji was our most important get.

In no world is Williams coming off the bench. And I doubt Randolph will be on the team next season
 

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In no world is Williams coming off the bench. And I doubt Randolph will be on the team next season

Would you bench Mannion or Green? Or are you thinking a starting line-up of Mannion at the point, Williams at shooting guard, Green at Small Forward and Armstrong at Power Forward surrounding just a single big man? I don't want Armstrong going the way of Akot.
 

Russ Smith

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I think the loss of Akot is hurting more than Miller would like to admit. The impact of losing Jeter is obvious, but don't sleep on the impact Akot had. I think Randolph and Lee will still have roles off the bench on next season's team, as will Williams. Jeter will start if he is still here and not in the NBA draft. My guess is that everyone else currently on the roster will be gone.

Next year's starters:

Mannion
Green
Armstrong
Nnaji
Jeter

Next year's bench:

Williams
Randolph
Lee
Koloko

Especially if Jeter leaves, we still need some help up front. As highly rated as Mannion and Green are, and as fast rising as Armstrong is, I really do believe that Nnaji was our most important get.


IMO you're highly overrating Armstrong and Nnaji and highly underrating Williams. Nnaji is not going to be physically ready to start as a freshman unless he really gets strong quick, if Lee sticks around he'll probably be ahead of Nnaji at first just on experience and strength.
 

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IMO you're highly overrating Armstrong and Nnaji and highly underrating Williams. Nnaji is not going to be physically ready to start as a freshman unless he really gets strong quick, if Lee sticks around he'll probably be ahead of Nnaji at first just on experience and strength.

If Lee starts, this team is screwed, no matter who the other four starters are. I put Nnaji in the starting line-up by default, as he is basically the only legitimate power forward on the roster. I forgot about Stone Gettings, but in terms of talent/ability, even factoring in everything you say about Nnaji, which is all 100% legitimate, it still goes Nnaji, followed by Lee at a very distant second, followed by Gettings. Frankly, I don't anticipate Gettings being able to contribute any more than Jake Desjardins does.

Meanwhile, Armstrong is among the fastest rising seniors in the country, but I agree that Williams would start over him on ability alone, except that a team that is already undersized at power forward (and at Center, if Jeter doesn't return) would then also be undersized at shooting guard and small forward.

The reality is that even with our monster recruiting class, we still need help in the front court if we are going to have any hope of contending for anything next year. The losses of Thielemans followed by Akot are being underestimated I am afraid.
 

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IMO you're highly overrating Armstrong and Nnaji and highly underrating Williams. Nnaji is not going to be physically ready to start as a freshman unless he really gets strong quick, if Lee sticks around he'll probably be ahead of Nnaji at first just on experience and strength.

Not to contradict myself about highly rated kids being sure contributors but I’m excited about Armstrong’s potential as a bench scorer. It’s pretty clear who he patterns his game after with his jump shot form and jersey#.

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Lefty

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I think the loss of Akot is hurting more than Miller would like to admit. The impact of losing Jeter is obvious, but don't sleep on the impact Akot had. I think Randolph and Lee will still have roles off the bench on next season's team, as will Williams. Jeter will start if he is still here and not in the NBA draft. My guess is that everyone else currently on the roster will be gone.

Next year's starters:

Mannion
Green
Armstrong
Nnaji
Jeter

Next year's bench:

Williams
Randolph
Lee
Koloko

Especially if Jeter leaves, we still need some help up front. As highly rated as Mannion and Green are, and as fast rising as Armstrong is, I really do believe that Nnaji was our most important get.

One guy you are missing is Stone Gettings. I have heard really good things about him. I think he will play an important role next year coming off the bench.
 

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One guy you are missing is Stone Gettings. I have heard really good things about him. I think he will play an important role next year coming off the bench.

And I think he has no more ability than Jake Desjardins.
 
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Would you bench Mannion or Green? Or are you thinking a starting line-up of Mannion at the point, Williams at shooting guard, Green at Small Forward and Armstrong at Power Forward surrounding just a single big man? I don't want Armstrong going the way of Akot.

Starting lineup next season:

Nico
Williams
Green
Gettings
Jeter

Armstrong will be in the rotation for sure, but he needs a little development to be considered a significant contributor
 

Russ Smith

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One guy you are missing is Stone Gettings. I have heard really good things about him. I think he will play an important role next year coming off the bench.


YEah I like Armstrong I'm just saying I don't see him being a starter ready player as a freshman, same with Nnaji. He's more physically put together than Nnaji and I think both are great gets.
 

Lefty

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And I think he has no more ability than Jake Desjardins.

You are definitely in the minority with your opinion. He has more talent than Jake and will play solid minutes next year.
 

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You are definitely in the minority with your opinion. He has more talent than Jake and will play solid minutes next year.

Look at it this way: Heading into college, Desjardins had a recruiting profile at Scout/247Sports and Rivals. Gettings did not.
 

Lefty

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Look at it this way: Heading into college, Desjardins had a recruiting profile at Scout/247Sports and Rivals. Gettings did not.

Gettings has proven he can play division 1 ball. Btw, luckily Lute gave Steve Kerr a shot, he didn't turn out too bad even though he was only recruited by one other school.
 
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