Izzo and the portal

Bronny James has announced he's in the transfer portal.  
I'm guessing he goes to another school sponsored by Nike.

Izzo was on the Dan Patrick Show this morning.  We know he's not an NIL/Portal fan.

He brought up an interesting point.  He thinks incoming freshmen are losing out on scholarship opportunities because a lot of schools are turning to the portal top recruit two or more portal players.

Reminded me of The Athletic piece last year that told about how 3* and sometimes 4* HS QB's are being passed on by Power 5 schools because the coaches are more interested in offering a scholarship slot to an unhappy 4*/5* QB than taking a chance on an 18 - 19 year old.

gomersbro wrote:Seems strange that he is talking about a big wing that can shoot. Is he worried about Gehrig Normand not being ready next year? Isn't the incoming Teng kid also a knockdown shooter at 6'6"? In my mind, another PG is almost a necessity with Holloman and Fears, who will still be working his way back, and Jase who will have that freshman learning curve.

Ok I should note that my hope has been burned so often by incoming freshmen shooters. Is Chris Hill the last one that exceeded expectations? I won't name names, but yikes, I need to see it in games first. Maybe that is where Izzo is coming from.

You can never really have too many big wings that can shoot.

gomersbro wrote:Seems strange that he is talking about a big wing that can shoot. Is he worried about Gehrig Normand not being ready next year? Isn't the incoming Teng kid also a knockdown shooter at 6'6"? In my mind, another PG is almost a necessity with Holloman and Fears, who will still be working his way back, and Jase who will have that freshman learning curve.

Ok I should note that my hope has been burned so often by incoming freshmen shooters. Is Chris Hill the last one that exceeded expectations? I won't name names, but yikes, I need to see it in games first. Maybe that is where Izzo is coming from.

At the end of his career McQuaid was rocking it in the BTT and NCAA. Of course his biggest miss was against Texas tech in the semi’s.

gomersbro wrote:Seems strange that he is talking about a big wing that can shoot. Is he worried about Gehrig Normand not being ready next year? Isn't the incoming Teng kid also a knockdown shooter at 6'6"? In my mind, another PG is almost a necessity with Holloman and Fears, who will still be working his way back, and Jase who will have that freshman learning curve.

Ok I should note that my hope has been burned so often by incoming freshmen shooters. Is Chris Hill the last one that exceeded expectations? I won't name names, but yikes, I need to see it in games first. Maybe that is where Izzo is coming from.

I think Fears is going to be fine and will get 30 minutes. That leaves 10 to split between Trey and Jrich jr. As for the other guys ( Normand, Teng), I have no clue.

Anybody watching this Bama UConn game and thinks Izzo can magically pick up a 5 and a decent shooting wing and we got a shot, I don’t think is paying close attention.

They’re playing a game I’m not familiar with.

NigelUno wrote:

DWags wrote:Anybody watching this Bama UConn game and thinks Izzo can magically pick up a 5 and a decent shooting wing and we got a shot, I don’t think is paying close attention.

They’re playing a game I’m not familiar with.

Fears and Akins will need to step up. Add 2 guys in the portal who are immediately in the playing group, and have one of the freshmen step right in. Sounds easy.

Those teams I saw last night I’ve seen at MSU, don’t get me wrong. 2000, DayDays team 2019.

But each of those teams Izzo had for a bit and was able to mold them. I guess the question is, can he grab portal help and turn them into Izzo players in an eight month moving window?

Took Walker more then a year.

No center as athletic and together as uconn's will be anywhere near available unless Daddy Ishbia swoops in and poaches one with his stacks and stacks of cash. (Ew)

DWags wrote:

NigelUno wrote:

Fears and Akins will need to step up. Add 2 guys in the portal who are immediately in the playing group, and have one of the freshmen step right in. Sounds easy.

Those teams I saw last night I’ve seen at MSU, don’t get me wrong. 2000, DayDays team 2019.

But each of those teams Izzo had for a bit and was able to mold them. I guess the question is, can he grab portal help and turn them into Izzo players in an eight month moving window?

IMO the 2020 team was close, too bad the NCAA was cancelled

Aikens is a role player. That’s it. A streaking shooting guard with flashes of freakish athleticism and above average defense. He is what he is by now. He’s not a guy who will ever carry a team.

Thoughts?

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DWags wrote:Thoughts?  

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I heard he was the bestest defensive mind in the country, But then didn’t for the last few years. /s

I have no idea. I don’t care if he coached at UofM. If he can help, do it. But it does seem like we need a big man coach.

DWags wrote:Anybody watching this Bama UConn game and thinks Izzo can magically pick up a 5 and a decent shooting wing and we got a shot, I don’t think is paying close attention.

They’re playing a game I’m not familiar with.

UConn absolutely smothered anyone not named Edey tonight. Their 1-4 was >>> than Purdue’s.

tGreenWay wrote:

DWags wrote:Thoughts?

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Thoughts? Here it is nearly 4:30 in the morning and the one thought that keeps coming back to me is how I had an early dinner and now I’m hungry.

Saadi's daughter is a gymnast for Ohio State and so I don't think he has any particular loyalty to M. IRRC, he was the only holdover Juwan kept from the Beilein era and Saadi has a strong Greg Kampe connection.

I think it would be a good pickup and likely to annoy Michigan fans. A win-win!

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It’s two minutes 18 seconds. Listen to the last 14 seconds. I think he knows he has to change some things as far as filling his rosters. I also think he’s going to try to do it in a way that doesn’t completely throw his model of team building out. This isn’t going to be easy

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No wiggle room in Izzo’s announcement.

Looking at 2024-25 roster it’s looking like Izzo is banking on upside of Fears, incoming combo guard Richardson with Akins and Holloman returning.

Wisconsin has had 5 players enter the portal. They will be forced to play a true freshman as a guard. Chuck Hepburn entered today.

Damn, say it isn't so.  

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Ask yourself if Izzo would want this guy in the locker room
Seems a guy with this much movement, though very good, goes against everything Izzo loves in a program


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Looks like a team player

Nordic wrote:Looks like a team player

Proof that there is an I in team after all.

DWags wrote:Damn, say it isn't so.  

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As of a couple of weeks ago TAMU team site had Marble had not been with the team since October ‘23 due to personal issues. Now we know why they were being vague.

Fiddler on the roof!

Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo made waves on the recruiting trail when he landed Omaha transfer Franke Fidler via the transfer portal on Tuesday. Fidler announced his commitment via social media.

PG: Fears, Holloman, Richardson

SG: Akins, Holloman, Teng

SF: Fidler, Booker, Normand

PF: Booker, Carr


C:Cooper, Kholer


Who am I missing? Seems Izzo has some toys to play with. Final four? Maybe not. But the team won’t suck.

Fears and Holloman have to be leaders.

NigelUno wrote:

DWags wrote:PG: Fears, Holloman, Richardson

SG: Akins, Holloman, Teng

SF: Fidler, Booker, Normand

PF: Booker, Carr


C:Cooper, Kholer


Who am I missing? Seems Izzo has some toys to play with. Final four? Maybe not. But the team won’t suck.

Fears and Holloman have to be leaders.

We have one more scholarship to use on a portal player.

There aren’t any 5’s out there that are left that are going to be so much better than our two that Izzo would go after imo. So who is out there? He has to be able to rebound and guard a 4&5. I think we have our points out there. I’m hoping for a big jump in Holliman and Fears Where are our rebounds coming from?

Fidler sounds like getting Hall back for an extra year (with less D?)...