Any updates on BBall Recruiting/Roster for 21-22?
Now we are on pause and I have to watch the ACC, is there anyone Juwan is still recruiting for this 2021? We have a big incoming class, but everyone could potentially come back next fall (Austin Davis would be a Wisconsin-esque super senior). Any speculation about how this could go down?
January 25th, 2021 at 8:46 PM ^
Holmgren is still being recruited.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:47 PM ^
Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga lean), Efton Reid (contact may have lessened after Diabate committed), Charles Bediako (Bama lean)
January 25th, 2021 at 8:51 PM ^
Would love to see Eli and/or Smith return as opposed to another freshman.
If Chaundee and Franz wanna come back, I'd be super happy about that.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:03 PM ^
I’d say it’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that Franz is gone. Chaundee I would say 50-50.
Both Brooks and Smith should be welcomed back. I know Simpson made a leap from a real bad freshman year to leading us to the championship game, but I’m not willing to bank on that happening as quickly with Zeb. Bufkin is a good prospect but it’s tough to not want Brooks back for the all around game he brings.
January 26th, 2021 at 6:29 AM ^
I'll co-sign the sentiment re: Brooks and/or Smith.
With a first-round grade, Franz is gone. It would be nice to have Brown come back but I think he's replaceable.
On the other hand, a steady, experienced hand at PG or combo guard would be a difference-maker on what's looking like a very young team.
Add next year's #1 class to this year's freshman class...and mix in Smith/Brooks, Johns and Dickinson for steady veteran leadership...and you're in pretty good shape!
January 25th, 2021 at 8:58 PM ^
I hope they are saving a spot for a transfer guard (unless we can get someone to return that we currently think is leaving).
January 25th, 2021 at 8:59 PM ^
If everyone came back, or we picked up another high-level recruit, what would the roster look like? How scary of a team would this be?
January 26th, 2021 at 6:48 AM ^
If everyone came back it would be a very large roster. Duplicate jersey numbers would have to be issued to offensive and defensive players.
January 25th, 2021 at 8:59 PM ^
If everyone came back, or we picked up another high-level recruit, what would the roster look like? How scary of a team would this be?
January 25th, 2021 at 9:05 PM ^
I think we'll mostly see the transfer portal mined to finish off the 21-22 roster.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:13 PM ^
Hard to guess ahead on attrition but I'd have to think Michigan will be in great shape for grad transfers if they want/need them.
People love Juwan, team is on a roll, they're having fun, and there are two proof of concept transfers playing every game.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:19 PM ^
Chet Holmgren is a solid name.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:19 PM ^
Think we really need another big. In 2022 Dickinson and Diabate will both be gone and nobody inside. Whomever we land for 2022 will be freshmen.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:44 PM ^
This is why I would not mind seeing "Reid" land here...especially since Dickinson, Diabate and Reid all know each other-or maybe that's an impediment??? I'm hoping Juwan can make Tschetter into a Wagner type player. I love Collins and Bufkin but they could use an elder to run alongside-here, Brooks would be perfect. This would all require some imaginative "roster management". There are a lot of options from right here within the friendly confines.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:37 PM ^
Would not be surprised to see Diabate become a 2 year man, especially after reading about Bamba and his struggles. Put all our highly ranked bigs on the 2 year plan.
January 26th, 2021 at 6:50 AM ^
Diabate looks raw and needs college to refine his game. That being said the NBA drafts on potential.
January 25th, 2021 at 9:34 PM ^
Gonzaga plays in a cupcake conference
January 25th, 2021 at 9:51 PM ^
They're damn good-and well coached. I've only seen them play once- when they ran Virginia out of the building early in the year...that was no contest. I believe they and Michigan are 1/2-interchangabley-am very bullish on Michigan's trajectory.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:19 PM ^
Agreed but I hope playing in the weaker conference could hurt Gonzaga in the tournament. Blowing out everyone in the Big 10 has been nice, but I’m sure Michigan will benefit from the other experience of a few close games against good teams.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:31 PM ^
Gonzaga blew out P5 schools(with the exception of WVU) this season so far. It won't hurt them in the tournament.
January 26th, 2021 at 8:58 AM ^
I like that your bullish on UM, but don't count out Baylor. I've seen them only once this year - they blew Kansas out of the gym. It was only a ~10 point game, but looked more like our game against Purdue - we were in complete control, and it looked like it, just couldn't pull away. Baylor controlled every facet of that game against Kansas, there were times when Kansas looked like they just didn't belong - like the proverbial slow white guys from the suburbs thinking they're hot shit and heading downtown, only to get their asses handed to them because they were hot shit.
Baylor is every bit as good as Gonzaga and Michigan.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:31 PM ^
They face a tough non-conference schedule. They beat Kansas, Auburn, WVU, Iowa and Virginia.
Last year, they faced A&M, Oregon, Michigan, Washington, Arizona, and UNC. Two years ago, they played Illini, Arizona, Duke, Washington, Creighton, Tennessee, and UNC. They won majority of their games so they don't shy away from P5 schools. Gonzaga is a blue chip program regardless of the conference.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:41 PM ^
Co-signed. Regardless of conference, they attract and develop talent.
January 25th, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^
Assume they'd definitely lose Franz and probably lose Chaundee. (And don't expect Davis to get a 17th season, but who knows.) Smith has no reason to not come back. Same for Eli.
January 26th, 2021 at 6:53 AM ^
Guys with no NBA future might like another year of playing and school.
January 26th, 2021 at 8:04 AM ^
Normally I would agree with you on this but with covid I don’t see many kids coming back. Who wants to get tested all the time and not really be able to do anything. When this decision needs to be made, which will be spring, there won’t be all the info available that it’s getting better and school will mostly return to normal. If the vaccine was already available to the athletes and it was proven to be effective then I think some might come back.
January 26th, 2021 at 9:06 AM ^
"If the vaccine was already available to the athletes and it was proven to be effective..."
They've been proven effective beyond reasonable doubt. Both have successfully undergone large scale clinical studies with an efficacy of >95%. Granted, long term data takes a long time to sort out, but otherwise it has been a success to date. I don't know why this would still be questioned.
January 26th, 2021 at 8:37 AM ^
How would scholarships work out?
Even if Jace Howard goes back to non-scholarship wouldn't we be in a bind, given the current recruiting class?
Even if you figure Franz, Livers, and Davis leaves and Brooks/Smith come back, I think we still might be short on scholarships, right?
January 26th, 2021 at 12:50 PM ^
That depends on how many additional scholarships the NCAA grants. They can't say everyone can redshirt without some kind of scholarship additions. Between Brooks and Smith, I think I'd rather see Brooks back since I think Frankie Collins will be fine at the point. Eli's defense/experience/scoring ability cannot be replaced at the 2.
January 26th, 2021 at 8:39 AM ^
At this point (Holmgren aside), I hope we are only recruiting 2022 and farther kids.
If this year has taught us anything it's that recruiting classes that bring in 6 or more freshman is just a recipe for a down year. Let's use the transfer portal/5th year of playing eligibility to round off the 2021 class.
Otherwise, we need to use this COVID down time to work on those youngsters while the other power 5 coaches are sweating out their next game. One and dones are great if you have experienced players to surround them.
I look forward to Juwan routinely bringing in only 3 highly-rated freshman each year and surrounding them with program players and late-developing portal additions.
January 27th, 2021 at 3:10 PM ^
Wouldn't mind trying to get a big in the transfer portal. Have him sit out a year then be ready for after Diabate and/or Dickinson leave