Offense or Defense?

[MHettel]

We need to get at least 10 guys out of the portal. At least.

My sense is that the guys that score / put up offensive numbers tend to be considered the “best” players and command the most NIL.

I get that we could probably pay 1 or 2 guys top dollar. But what are we recruiting them INTO? What are we offering them other than the money?

I’m wondering if a defensive approach can stretch the dollars a little more.

We can build any roster we want right now. What about a bunch of length and disruptive defensive guys that won’t cost a fortune each but you can get 8 or 9 of them. Develop a scheme / strategy to win with defense.

Probably have to pay up to get an anchor inside. Maybe 2. Then a bunch of long wing guys. A BUNCH of them.

I dunno. I can’t see how to stretch out the dollars. We aren’t paying 1.5M for 1 guy. But somebody will. And they also have 12 other guys to pay.

[GoMuskies]

We could also nab a few high school recruits. I'm sure there are some guys decommtting with coaching changes. They don't ALL have to be portal guys.

[Xavier]

I made that argument mid year. Going to a defensive first mindset could help a number of things, but especially in NIL/recruiting. Everyone wants to go find explosive offensive players. Tough to compete year in year out with the top teams that way, IMO. Zig while others zag. I made this argument with Miller in mind and have him go back to his approach first time around at X.

Well with Pitino that seems to be his style anyways. It’s another reason I like the hire. Though the warning is- I’m not sure X will be bringing in a bunch of guys whose numbers look great. Going to have to trust that the system will allow them to shine.

[drudy23]

But what are we recruiting them INTO? What are we offering them other than the money?


Well, hate to say it, but it's the money.

Identity to program will fade away.

[MHettel]

We could also nab a few high school recruits. I'm sure there are some guys decommtting with coaching changes. They don't ALL have to be portal guys.

Also this. We can maybe find 2 guys that decommit (like all of our recruits have the last 2 years). Maybe promise a staring job to a guy. Why not?

[XUGRAD80]

I wouldn’t want someone that only would come if I promised them a starting position or came just for the paycheck. I’d much rather bet on someone that only wanted the opportunity and didn’t need the guarantee. I like guys who feel they have something to prove. Who have a chip on their shoulder. I’ll go to battle with that kind of person over someone who perhaps has more talent but doesn’t have the drive.

I saw way too many of the former fail, during my business career. I also saw a lot of them never reach their potential during my coaching career.

[LOLmickcronin]

Regardless of offensive or defensive identity I would go the exact opposite of the 9-10 man rotation. That’s just not going to happen anymore in this era.

If you spread the money thinly over 10 players you’re going to attract mid major talent that wants their best chance at a little extra pay. You’ll get killed in the big east doing that.

I’d rather go big on 3 big name guys than more niche players for your lower end starters and rotation guys. Rotation should be 8 max and I’d be fine with 6-7. Guys that end up as the 9th-10th men in our rotation transfer out anyway. Look at the last few years.

[bjf123]

I wouldn’t want someone that only would come if I promised them a starting position or came just for the paycheck. I’d much rather bet on someone that only wanted the opportunity and didn’t need the guarantee.

Good luck with that. Now that they can all have agents, it’s about nothing more than money and playing time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[xukeith]

Regardless of offensive or defensive identity I would go the exact opposite of the 9-10 man rotation. That’s just not going to happen anymore in this era.

If you spread the money thinly over 10 players you’re going to attract mid major talent that wants their best chance at a little extra pay. You’ll get killed in the big east doing that.

I’d rather go big on 3 big name guys than more niche players for your lower end starters and rotation guys. Rotation should be 8 max and I’d be fine with 6-7. Guys that end up as the 9th-10th men in our rotation transfer out anyway. Look at the last few years.

I think over 90% of players transfer.

[xukeith]

How to big donors keep donating to X? No matter how much money a big donor has, that $ goes down fast if you keep throwing $ into a basketball program.
Maybe donors can budget 10-15% of their cash to X basketball. If their portfolio dips because of NIL $, they likely would stop sending X money.

[MHettel]

How to big donors keep donating to X? No matter how much money a big donor has, that $ goes down fast if you keep throwing $ into a basketball program.
Maybe donors can budget 10-15% of their cash to X basketball. If their portfolio dips because of NIL $, they likely would stop sending X money.

10 to 15 percent is insane.

Let’s say you have 2M. Are you saying that person is giving 200-300k to the NIL fund? I’d highly doubt that. 2M may SEEM like a lot of money, but really it’s just not.

But 20M is a lot of money. And 10-15% of that is 2-3 MILLION. That about half of our total NIL right there. I’m sure there are dozens of Alumni with 20M. Just need 2 to fund the whole program if they are giving 10%.

My guess is it’s more like 1% at MOST for the average donor. So a 20M guy throwing in 200k. Now you need about 40-50 of those guys. Or a bunch of guys with 5M that will give 50K.

Just my opinion, obviously.

[MHettel]

I wouldn’t want someone that only would come if I promised them a starting position or came just for the paycheck. I’d much rather bet on someone that only wanted the opportunity and didn’t need the guarantee. I like guys who feel they have something to prove. Who have a chip on their shoulder. I’ll go to battle with that kind of person over someone who perhaps has more talent but doesn’t have the drive.

I saw way too many of the former fail, during my business career. I also saw a lot of them never reach their potential during my coaching career.

I generally would agree with this. Generally.

But we aren’t in a typical situation here. Sure we can offer money. But everyone can do that. And we have a finite amount. So what else can we offer? A promise of PT. That’s freaking free.

I don’t know the rules, but if it’s possible I’d find 2-3 freshmen that we can offer immediate PT to and LOCK UP into a multi year NIL deal. Pay ‘em a little bit as a freshmen, then increase it each year. But lock them in. If it’s even possible.

Next year might be tough, but hopefully you have a veteran team ready to compete in yrs 2-3.

[FishingXfan]

I may be way off base here. But I believe X has a REAL SHOT at being competitive next year. I understand we have two scholarship players on the roster rn that didnt even play here last year. Total rebuild. The difference is we just got played, AGAIN, by CONN MILLER, in front of the whole nation by losing our coach to a team we just beat in the first 4. #Scandalous…

But back to the point, having had our feelings hurt I believe X is gonna ante up a bit more this year in nil to make sure we are competitive. I believe we are sneaking inside the bubble again this time next year. We shall see. This time next week I’d expect 3 new players to be signed by X. So that is exciting, I find myself checking everyday en to see if we got anyone. It’s just like NFL free agency lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk