How to rebuild- roster construction and strategy

[Officer Obie]

If I were to build a college team from scratch, I'd start with Trey Galloway, Kel’el Ware, Malik Reneau, Mackenzie Mgbako, and Gabe Cupps. And MAYBE Larry Bird. Of course Larry Bird. We have the pieces. It's a good team. Just find somebody who can knock down 3's.

[NCHoosier32]

1 Fire Woodson

2 Go hard after:

Brandon Garrison – OK St.                             

Andrej Stojakovic-Stanford                            

Kanaan Carlyle-Stanford                             

Michael Ajayi – Pepperdine                    

Amari Williams – Drexel                     

Frankie Fidler – Nebraska Omaha    

Dakota Leffew- Mt. St. Mary’s

Clark Slajchert-Penn

When the tourney ends go after the top 10 guys available at that point.                     

[NCHoosier32]

So... if I were building it from the guys we have currently contacted, I'd go:

PG-Carlyle

SG-Slajchert

F - Fidler

F - Ajayi

C - Amari Williams

I don't know much about these guys though.  Maybe Leffew over someone?  Maybe Gillespie over someone?  How many guys do we take before we know who else will be available after the tourney?  I think like recruiting high school kids you have a tier of guys you'll take any time they'll give a commitment and a tier you wait and see if you can get better right?  Any thoughts on ranking our current targets and where that cut off currently is? 

 

[IU Scott]

3 minutes ago, NCHoosier32 said:

So... if I were building it from the guys we have currently contacted, I'd go:

PG-Carlyle

SG-Slajchert

F - Fidler

F - Ajayi

C - Amari Williams

I don't know much about these guys though.  Maybe Leffew over someone?  Maybe Gillespie over someone?  How many guys do we take before we know who else will be available after the tourney?  I think like recruiting high school kids you have a tier of guys you'll take any time they'll give a commitment and a tier you wait and see if you can get better right?  Any thoughts on ranking our current targets and where that cut off currently is? 

 

I am still hoping PG Thornton from OSU enters the portal but with them bring back Diebler Thornton probably will stay.

[ledies22]

34 minutes ago, NCHoosier32 said:

So... if I were building it from the guys we have currently contacted, I'd go:

PG-Carlyle

SG-Slajchert

F - Fidler

F - Ajayi

C - Amari Williams

I don't know much about these guys though.  Maybe Leffew over someone?  Maybe Gillespie over someone?  How many guys do we take before we know who else will be available after the tourney?  I think like recruiting high school kids you have a tier of guys you'll take any time they'll give a commitment and a tier you wait and see if you can get better right?  Any thoughts on ranking our current targets and where that cut off currently is? 

 

2 posts, 3 wings and 2 guards is where my head is at. as far as who? dont know. get 4-5 now, then the 2 or 3 best available in April/ May. Hopefully we are in the Tennessee/Ledlum position in April/May and try to recruit over everyone. 

[Joe_Hoopsier]

WE are going to be so deep next year !! Skillz at every position.

[BobSaccamanno]

2 hours ago, ledies22 said:

2 posts, 3 wings and 2 guards is where my head is at. as far as who? dont know. get 4-5 now, then the 2 or 3 best available in April/ May. Hopefully we are in the Tennessee/Ledlum position in April/May and try to recruit over everyone. 

I think this is right.  I might emphasize one rim protector and one stretch four and then agree with you on wings and guards.  

Frankie Fidler is really impressive.  Leffew with Fidler would be even better.   Need a high end point guard.  Ryan Nemhardt from Gonzaga would be amazing but he may not go portaling.  Maybe Gillespie from Belmont as a PG.  

I also like Ryan Conwell from ISU if he declares.  Good all around player, including rebounding from the guard position.  

Fidler, Leffew, Conwell and Gillespie would be a heck of an improvement.  But who knows if we can get traction with them.  

I would not step off the gas. Get as many as we can get.  Look at what Cignetti did.  We somehow have 7 rb and a ton of receivers and it didn’t scare anyone away.  

[IUDan93]

I've heard that we are going hard for a pg from Pitt named Xavier Newkirk.....or is it Josh Johnson.

[13th&Jackson]

13 hours ago, BobSaccamanno said:

I think this is right.  I might emphasize one rim protector and one stretch four and then agree with you on wings and guards.  

Frankie Fidler is really impressive.  Leffew with Fidler would be even better.   Need a high end point guard.  Ryan Nemhardt from Gonzaga would be amazing but he may not go portaling.  Maybe Gillespie from Belmont as a PG.  

I also like Ryan Conwell from ISU if he declares.  Good all around player, including rebounding from the guard position.  

Fidler, Leffew, Conwell and Gillespie would be a heck of an improvement.  But who knows if we can get traction with them.  

I would not step off the gas. Get as many as we can get.  Look at what Cignetti did.  We somehow have 7 rb and a ton of receivers and it didn’t scare anyone away.  

I’ll be shocked if IU gets Fidler away from Hoiberg. He’s from suburban Omaha. NEB had 6 players average more than 3 three point attempts/game. What wing wouldn’t want to play in that offense? NEB has contacted him. If they offer, he’s probably going there. 

[Sea Turtle]

We need to start recruiting more 3 and 4 year guys going forward. Build a team, a program, a culture.

Stop chasing 5 star one and done players. If one wants to come fine. 

 

[Zlinedavid]

56 minutes ago, Sea Turtle said:

We need to start recruiting more 3 and 4 year guys going forward. Build a team, a program, a culture.

Stop chasing 5 star one and done players. If one wants to come fine. 

 

In today's game, just because you recruit and sign a "4 year player" doesn't mean you're going to have him for all 4 of those years. 

[Euroclydon]

This is perhaps the most important question a coaching staff has to answer and it is continuous. It never stops due to the portal and early entries.

For IU specifically there's another question. After the season ended I suggested an autopsy is needed for the program. After decades of struggling to right the ship, it is clear there's more to it than what we see. What is the real problem?

My suggestion is to put together a group of trusted former players and coaches (not just IU alums) to dig into everything. Coach hiring process; recruiting; facilities; NIL; academics; and everything else tied to the program. Where are they at a top level and where do they fall short?

As fans, we want to assume they are a top program in most categories. Results say that's not true. It's also possible leadership is making the same assumptions. Group think is real and it can be death to any organization.

 

 

Edited April 1 by Euroclydon

[13th&Jackson]

27 minutes ago, Euroclydon said:

This is perhaps the most important question a coaching staff has to answer and it is continuous. It never stops due ti the portal and early entries.

For IU specifically there's another question. After the season ended I suggested an autopsy is needed for the program. After decades of struggling to right the ship, it is clear there's more to it than what we see.

My suggestion is to put together a group of trusted former players and coaches (not just IU alums) to dig into everything. Coach hiring process; recruiting; facilities; NIL; academics; and everything else tied to the program. Where are they at a top level and where do they fall short?

As fans, we want to assume they are a top program in most categories. Results say that's not true. It's also possible leadership is making the same assumptions. Group think is real and it can be death to any organization.

 

 

Technically not a business (arguable), but still applicable:

[13th&Jackson]

It was reported during the PU (gag) - Gonzaga game that Painter attended a coaching clinic last summer. In it Baylor's staff (Baylor being one of the best shooting teams in CBB) gave a presentation on a 3 point practice drill they use. Painter reportedly incorporated it into their practices. They went from 291st in 3 pt shooting last year to 1st this season, with largely the same roster (just adding Jones). Granted their freshmen matured, but still. 

Does Woodson and the other coaches attend these? Asking because I honestly don't know. How intellectually curious are they about adopting things being done at other programs?

[kyhoosier29]

5 hours ago, 13th&Jackson said:

It was reported during the PU (gag) - Gonzaga game that Painter attended a coaching clinic last summer. In it Baylor's staff (Baylor being one of the best shooting teams in CBB) gave a presentation on a 3 point practice drill they use. Painter reportedly incorporated it into their practices. They went from 291st in 3 pt shooting last year to 1st this season, with largely the same roster (just adding Jones). Granted their freshmen matured, but still. 

Does Woodson and the other coaches attend these? Asking because I honestly don't know. How intellectually curious are they about adopting things being done at other programs?

Mike Woodson says, “Mike Woodson already knows everything about the game of basketball. I just need to get my kids over the hump.”

[Purdue7]

On 4/1/2024 at 8:06 AM, 13th&Jackson said:

It was reported during the PU (gag) - Gonzaga game that Painter attended a coaching clinic last summer. In it Baylor's staff (Baylor being one of the best shooting teams in CBB) gave a presentation on a 3 point practice drill they use. Painter reportedly incorporated it into their practices. They went from 291st in 3 pt shooting last year to 1st this season, with largely the same roster (just adding Jones). Granted their freshmen matured, but still. 

Does Woodson and the other coaches attend these? Asking because I honestly don't know. How intellectually curious are they about adopting things being done at other programs?

Sure 👍