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2018-19 Player Preview: Race Thompson


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I've been waiting for you to get to Race, so that I could make my prediction.  I predict that "The Forgotten Man", will be the surprise player of the year. And I mean that in a good way.  Kind of like the way McRoberts surprised last year.  Going from an afterthought, so to speak.... to an essential cog in the machine. 

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18 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

I'm a little disappointed that Archie used words like ;hopefully' and 'niche'.  To me, that choice of words has a 6-8 minutes a game ring to them.

The way I look at it, is this.  Archie has so much talent this year, he may feel he will have trouble finding time for all of it.  That's a good problem to have.  Unlike last season, and others under Crean, guys are going to have to work to get time. Race is one of those guys in the past who would have gotten minutes simply for being on the team.  I still think Race is going to surprise by the end of the season, which will earn him minutes, much the way McRoberts did last season.

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10 minutes ago, milehiiu said:

The way I look at it, is this.  Archie has so much talent this year, he may feel he will have trouble finding time for all of it.  That's a good problem to have.  Unlike last season, and others under Crean, guys are going to have to work to get time. Race is one of those guys in the past who would have gotten minutes simply for being on the team.  I still think Race is going to surprise by the end of the season, which will earn him minutes, much the way McRoberts did last season.

You may very well be right.  We had heard so many good things about Race over the past year, I just expected Archie to be more enthusiastic.  Those types of comments are something I would have expected if this had been Race's first year on campus, but with last year under his belt, I had visions of Race being a 15 minute a night guy this season.   

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56 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

I'm a little disappointed that Archie used words like ;hopefully' and 'niche'.  To me, that choice of words has a 6-8 minutes a game ring to them.

Guys are motivated in different ways. Maybe this public expression is a way Archie knows will light a fire under Race’s rear end. 

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Maybe Archie knows exactly what Race is going to give and wants to hold it closer to the vest?  Remember Dakich talking about don't sleep on this Race Thompson guy and by mid season everyone is going to know him.  Those quotes came in the same week he was bragging about having a long conversation with Archie.  

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1 hour ago, 5fouls said:

You may very well be right.  We had heard so many good things about Race over the past year, I just expected Archie to be more enthusiastic.  Those types of comments are something I would have expected if this had been Race's first year on campus, but with last year under his belt, I had visions of Race being a 15 minute a night guy this season.   

Don't forget he is still a freshman.  Even if he has to wait his turn a bit behind J-Mo, the future is bright for Race.

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There are simply no Prillers on this team.  People talk about Clifton Moore being squeezed out and what little I saw of Hoosier hysteria, he looked pretty damned good too.  There are going to be players on this year's team that are going to feel like they got shorted on minutes and they'll have a strong argument.

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These are all good points -- the competition at forward is seriously strong this season, and the comments I've read by CAM on Race are positive. He's a scrapper, a fighter who brings it and mixes it up in practice, per CAM, and that will get him floor time --

I see the comments on continuing to grow his outside game as motivation to have a bigger impact. The more offense he can bring to add to his tenacity, the more minutes he'll earn. 

Also think we're going to see a number of these guys have impact this season, with a lot of shared forward time. We are not short on talent. 

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52 minutes ago, FKIM01 said:

There are simply no Prillers on this team.  People talk about Clifton Moore being squeezed out and what little I saw of Hoosier hysteria, he looked pretty damned good too.  There are going to be players on this year's team that are going to feel like they got shorted on minutes and they'll have a strong argument.

Pretty incredible quotes from Morgan on Moore yesterday.  I'll have those in today's Daily Hoosier Report if you didn't hear them.  Suffice to say he has made big strides.

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Competition for playing time and in practice 1-13 is what raises these kids skill level over a season. If guys are pushing each other in practice and working hard the games will feel like a chance to shine! When you have 4 and 5 stars at every position top to bottom highly skilled kids it will improve each and every one of those kids over the long haul. Instead of not getting pushed in practice by a Priller or Newkirk or some others these guys will know I have to beat out this guy and that...step up my game to get playing time. That is the mark of a program on the rise. The tone that sets...the standard that get's raised...that is what then get's passed on from season to next and is where real improvement lies. Not only will it improve these kids it will get them ready for the NBA where every year someone is coming in to take your job..and fight for your minutes each night...so you can get paid. The depth is the most exciting thing about IU basketball right now for me....plus I'll be genuinely excited to see some of these guys come in off the bench to see what they can add...not worried we are about to lose a lead or get run out of the gym if Juwan or Romeo sits down.

The battles that Smith and McRoberts and Hunter have this year will then become battles that maybe Smith, Hunter, and Keion have next year for playing time....and those that make gains this year won't want to give up to next years class....and thus force them to work hard to earn minutes....and it just continues on and on. Those that don't want to fight will leave...that would be sad but in the long run we will be better off for it.

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4 minutes ago, The Daily Hoosier said:

Pretty incredible quotes from Morgan on Moore yesterday.  I'll have those in today's Daily Hoosier Report if you didn't hear them.  Suffice to say he has made big strides.

Sure looked like it to me.  Also, Durham looked a lot like I remember Calbert Cheany looking...just silky smooth (and a lefty of course).

What I see this year from the players is why I do NOT want a 4-man class next year.  Call me greedy, but I want to see all of these young men stay.  I think they'll do some really special things together.

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45 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Competition for playing time and in practice 1-13 is what raises these kids skill level over a season. If guys are pushing each other in practice and working hard the games will feel like a chance to shine! When you have 4 and 5 stars at every position top to bottom highly skilled kids it will improve each and every one of those kids over the long haul. Instead of not getting pushed in practice by a Priller or Newkirk or some others these guys will know I have to beat out this guy and that...step up my game to get playing time. That is the mark of a program on the rise. The tone that sets...the standard that get's raised...that is what then get's passed on from season to next and is where real improvement lies. Not only will it improve these kids it will get them ready for the NBA where every year someone is coming in to take your job..and fight for your minutes each night...so you can get paid. The depth is the most exciting thing about IU basketball right now for me....plus I'll be genuinely excited to see some of these guys come in off the bench to see what they can add...not worried we are about to lose a lead or get run out of the gym if Juwan or Romeo sits down.

The battles that Smith and McRoberts and Hunter have this year will then become battles that maybe Smith, Hunter, and Keion have next year for playing time....and those that make gains this year won't want to give up to next years class....and thus force them to work hard to earn minutes....and it just continues on and on. Those that don't want to fight will leave...that would be sad but in the long run we will be better off for it.

This post reminded me of an old quote :

quote-a-rising-tide-lifts-all-the-boats-

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47 minutes ago, The Daily Hoosier said:

Pretty incredible quotes from Morgan on Moore yesterday.  I'll have those in today's Daily Hoosier Report if you didn't hear them.  Suffice to say he has made big strides.

Moore should have been redshirted last season.  And, 1 or 2 players on this year's roster should be as well.  I realize it's a different time, and it's difficult to get kids nowadays to buy into the concept (so glad Race took this route), but redshirting can be a huge benefit for both player and program.  

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23 minutes ago, 5fouls said:

Moore should have been redshirted last season.  And, 1 or 2 players on this year's roster should be as well.  I realize it's a different time, and it's difficult to get kids nowadays to buy into the concept (so glad Race took this route), but redshirting can be a huge benefit for both player and program.  

Do you think the fact that we had a Priller on the bench and Race was already redshirting and a lack of bigs caused Archie to think he might need him? Obviously Davis went down increasing the need for more bigs to play and that still didn't see him get to the floor so maybe not...but you are right...there are kids on a 1 year, 2 year, 3 year and full 4 year trajectory. Moore was going to need time to develop regardless and I agree we shouldn't have been in any hurry to get him to the court. Guess that was his call ultimately though.

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1 hour ago, dgambill said:

The battles that Smith and McRoberts and Hunter have this year will then become battles that maybe Smith, Hunter, and Keion have next year for playing time....and those that make gains this year won't want to give up to next years class....and thus force them to work hard to earn minutes....and it just continues on and on. Those that don't want to fight will leave...that would be sad but in the long run we will be better off for it.

 

I also think guys like Smith and Hunter will really improve long-term from having to go against McRoberts in practice all offseason and during this season. 

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5 minutes ago, BGleas said:

I also think guys like Smith and Hunter will really improve long-term from having to go against McRoberts in practice all offseason and during this season. 

No doubt! I've played with and against guys like Zach....that go 110% all the time....every practice etc is at full intense. The only guy diving on the floor during a walk thru lol....at least that is what I imagine Zack playing like. Definitely make those guys toughen up and force them to elevate their game! Got to be frustrating this "unathletic walk-on" getting the best of them in practice or out hustling them for minutes. Show them if they work just as hard...with their talent....sky is the limit!

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18 minutes ago, The Daily Hoosier said:

The Morgan comments on Moore are in the Kent Sterling interview embedded here.

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/the-daily-hoosier-report-the-latest-in-iu-news-and-recruiting-notes-10-12/

I don't want to further derail Race's thread but I found it hilarious that they called Moore "Bambi".  Sounds like he needed more of a kickstart than Al and Justin.

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5 hours ago, FKIM01 said:

I don't want to further derail Race's thread but I found it hilarious that they called Moore "Bambi".  Sounds like he needed more of a kickstart than Al and Justin.

I was really surprised Morgan said that publicly.  I can just see Moore getting into a game at Purdue and the crowd chanting Bambi.

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53 minutes ago, The Daily Hoosier said:

 

I was really surprised Morgan said that publicly.  I can just see Moore getting into a game at Purdue and the crowd chanting Bambi.

It took them over 50 years to learn the "IU Sucks" chant. They won't be able to learn a Bambi chant while Moore is still at IU. 

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18 hours ago, 5fouls said:

Moore should have been redshirted last season.  And, 1 or 2 players on this year's roster should be as well.  I realize it's a different time, and it's difficult to get kids nowadays to buy into the concept (so glad Race took this route), but redshirting can be a huge benefit for both player and program.  

Had forgotten that Bird redshirted at ISU before his dominant title run. Prob the best example 

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