6th Man of St. John's Basketball
St. John's Red Storm => Recruiting Archives => Recruiting => 2017 Class => Topic started by: redmenfan on April 04, 2017, 01:03:07 PM
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Per Corey Evans, St. John's has offered 2017 @PSAhoops big man Alex Yetna
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Pretty late in the game to start courting 2017 guys out of nowhere like this, no?
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6-8'' 205 PF.
Goes to Putnam Science Academy. Originally from Paris, FR.
87 on 247Sports.
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rebounds well from some of the stats. Well rated player too. Had/has offers from Pitt, Georgia, uri, New Mexico amongst others. It seems we could do much worse than this at this stage of the game. I'm surprised he's still on the board.
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Pretty late in the game to start courting 2017 guys out of nowhere like this, no?
Whats the harm? Seems like a solid player and we can obviously use a big
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Assuming we get a grad transfer who is a big Yetna may be a good redshirt candidate
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Pretty late in the game to start courting 2017 guys out of nowhere like this, no?
Whats the harm? Seems like a solid player and we can obviously use a big
And judging by recent history he will be gone in 2 years anyway ;)
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Matt's not following him yet...
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Matt's not following him yet...
(http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/2a/2aeeae6aac32ad71b368cbee26a3d779bc9243fb44c1e5f759cf7e510f0a84b4.jpg)
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Pretty late in the game to start courting 2017 guys out of nowhere like this, no?
Not for us. We are .............
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Hey, if he's available it's never too late. He was first team all league, and has been called a double-double machine. Looks like he averaged a double-double actually, and played against top prep teams, not garbage. Getting a freshman rebounder like that would be tremendous for us, regardless of what juncture.
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Hey, if he's available it's never too late. He was first team all league, and has been called a double-double machine. Looks like he averaged a double-double actually, and played against top prep teams, not garbage. Getting a freshman rebounder like that would be tremendous for us, regardless of what juncture.
If there is really a SJU offer
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Hey, if he's available it's never too late. He was first team all league, and has been called a double-double machine. Looks like he averaged a double-double actually, and played against top prep teams, not garbage. Getting a freshman rebounder like that would be tremendous for us, regardless of what juncture.
If there is really a SJU offer
True. I'd assume because he said it there was one. Corey Evans tweeted it and Yetna retweeted. The math would work because we need players.
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He looks pretty good to me. Seems really active. He gets inside, but he can also face the basket with the ball in his hands. This is the kind of player we need to bring in and coach into a star.
Yetna reminds me of Eric King.
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Iowa State was on him per 247
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hes visiting ODU this weekend
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Academics and eligibility were a concern. Has things cleared up and schools moving in. I haven't seen him.
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Academics and eligibility were a concern. Has things cleared up and schools moving in. I haven't seen him.
Hopefully we gain some traction here. A 2017 freshman signee who's a real good rebounder would be a nice way to balance our classes a bit as well.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yx_yj99iX4
I like him. Out works everyone in this video. Lefty worth +2.
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Not sure how good the overall competition is in that video.
That sad, Yetna looked extremely active down low and that is exactly what this team needs. Not the biggest guy in the world but big enough at 6'8. We need two of him.
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Reminds me a little bit of Lamar Odom. Another lefty but also appears to be abbey dexter ous.
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Putnam Science Acad. @PSAhoops
Alexis Yetna has landed latest high major offer from St. John's !! 6'8 PF is still wide open in his process
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FWIW - crystal ball has him 100% ODU
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FWIW - crystal ball has him 100% ODU
Was that changed since he straightened out academics etc? I'd be surprised if a kid chose ODU over resurgent major program offers.
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Can we jump in late and steal one from ODU?
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Can we jump in late and steal one from ODU?
Lol
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Oregon State not ODU
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We should wait two years then pounce when he decides to transfer from ODU.
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Oregon State not ODU
No he meant ODU... Oregon state also had interest.
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Matt's not following him yet...
(http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/2a/2aeeae6aac32ad71b368cbee26a3d779bc9243fb44c1e5f759cf7e510f0a84b4.jpg)
(http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/96/9651e121dac222fdac699ca6d962b84f288c75e6ec120f4a06e3c04f139ee8ec.jpg)
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Story on recent offer to Yetna and that he is looking to visit SJU soon.
https://stjohns.rivals.com/news/st-john-s-targets-french-forward
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Mississippi State has offered 6'8" Alexis Yetna of @PSAhoops #Bulldogs 247sports.com/Player/Alexis-…
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Is it Yetna or Kante or are both in play?
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http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7274804/5721e06019a53e2a18835fe3
Looks like he'd run the floor just fine alongside Kassoum and Tariq.
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http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7274804/5721e06019a53e2a18835fe3
Looks like he'd run the floor just fine alongside Kassoum and Tariq.
Better. Can handle and better scorer. I like this kid. Have seen some other vids-impressive.
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http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7274804/5721e06019a53e2a18835fe3
Looks like he'd run the floor just fine alongside Kassoum and Tariq.
Better. Can handle and better scorer. I like this kid. Have seen some other vids-impressive.
He's not better than Tariq. This kid worries me because he shows signs of wanting to be a SF. I'd rather take a less talented PF that is willing to play his role.
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http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7274804/5721e06019a53e2a18835fe3
Looks like he'd run the floor just fine alongside Kassoum and Tariq.
Better. Can handle and better scorer. I like this kid. Have seen some other vids-impressive.
He's not better than Tariq. This kid worries me because he shows signs of wanting to be a SF. I'd rather take a less talented PF that is willing to play his role.
Was talking about his ability to run the floor, referencing the previous post. But know that you mention it you are comparing a 3 yr vet of college ball to a HSer but overall talent wise still like this kid.
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http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7274804/5721e06019a53e2a18835fe3
Looks like he'd run the floor just fine alongside Kassoum and Tariq.
Better. Can handle and better scorer. I like this kid. Have seen some other vids-impressive.
He's not better than Tariq. This kid worries me because he shows signs of wanting to be a SF. I'd rather take a less talented PF that is willing to play his role.
This guy was going after every loose ball and rebound in an all star game!
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http://www.hudl.com/video/3/7274804/5721e06019a53e2a18835fe3
Looks like he'd run the floor just fine alongside Kassoum and Tariq.
Better. Can handle and better scorer. I like this kid. Have seen some other vids-impressive.
He's not better than Tariq. This kid worries me because he shows signs of wanting to be a SF. I'd rather take a less talented PF that is willing to play his role.
This guy was going after every loose ball and rebound in an all star game!
He averaged a double-double for a top 5 team. He's definitely an excellent rebounder.
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IK and Yetna both look like they would be fine additions to the roster next year.
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IK and Yetna both look like they would be fine additions to the roster next year.
Likely get one.
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Any sense which one we have better shot with? I think Kante is more traditional PF
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Well, of the two, Kante is the only one that can really play in the post as a center at times. Yetna purely a PF.
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Any sense which one we have better shot with? I think Kante is more traditional PF
Kante apparently
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Well, of the two, Kante is the only one that can really play in the post as a center at times. Yetna purely a PF.
I don't think there is such a thing as purely a PF in college. If Yetna comes here, he'll play some center. He'll probably play a lot of center.
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We need bangers who can rebound and score around the hoop. Doesn't matter what their official position is listed as.
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He won't be too much of a banger at 205lbs....another guy who needs pizza and the weight room
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He won't be too much of a banger at 205lbs....another guy who needs pizza and the weight room
Kante will be answering that. Don't forget another summer of Kassoum hitting the weights and Marv patrolling the paint next year. In addition we're rumored for two grad transfer bigs. The nation needs to have some patience.
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He won't be too much of a banger at 205lbs....another guy who needs pizza and the weight room
205 is not big but I wouldn't get too caught up in what his weight is. Tariq scraps and mixes it up on both ends and he's barely 200 lbs. Girth definitely helps but Yetna looks wiry strong enough. My question is does he actually have the instinct and determination to be a good rebounder and post scorer.
I'd rather have a 230 lb'er every day of the week but we're not in a position to be choosy this late in the game. As long as the guy we get is active underneath that's all that matters.
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He won't be too much of a banger at 205lbs....another guy who needs pizza and the weight room
Kante will be answering that. Don't forget another summer of Kassoum hitting the weights and Marv patrolling the paint next year. In addition we're rumored for two grad transfer bigs. The nation needs to have some patience.
Patience?
Ha
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Per Corey Evans Yetna ,has committed to South Florida
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He won't be too much of a banger at 205lbs....another guy who needs pizza and the weight room
Kante will be answering that. Don't forget another summer of Kassoum hitting the weights and Marv patrolling the paint next year. In addition we're rumored for two grad transfer bigs. The nation needs to have some patience.
Yakwe has troubling lifting since his hands are exponentially harder than iron.
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Per Corey Evans Yetna ,has committed to South Florida
Once again, the magic eight ball says "ALL SIGNS POINT TO YES" when it comes to Jasilionustien II. Come to me you seven foot two slab o' euro beef.
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Yakwe has troubling lifting since his hands are exponentially harder than iron.
Yakwe's hand were fine as a freshman. Last year he spent too much time thinking. BY next fall he will have had enough time to think about thinking. Prediction: Yakwe turns it around.
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Yakwe has troubling lifting since his hands are exponentially harder than iron.
Yakwe's hand were fine as a freshman. Last year he spent too much time thinking. BY next fall he will have had enough time to think about thinking. Prediction: Yakwe turns it around.
Were Yakwe's hands fine as a frosh? We didn't have anyone driving and dishing to him like Lovett and Ponds. I remember his short stint being lobs and putback drinks with some short drives mixed in.
I don't think we can rely on anything more than 10 minutes and five fouls from him.
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Yakwe has troubling lifting since his hands are exponentially harder than iron.
Yakwe's hand were fine as a freshman. Last year he spent too much time thinking. BY next fall he will have had enough time to think about thinking. Prediction: Yakwe turns it around.
Were Yakwe's hands fine as a frosh? We didn't have anyone driving and dishing to him like Lovett and Ponds. I remember his short stint being lobs and putback drinks with some short drives mixed in.
I don't think we can rely on anything more than 10 minutes and five fouls from him.
Last year he averaged 20 minutes and less than three fouls, which was a 20 percent reduction in fouls from the year before in as many minutes in what should have been his freshmen year in college. Ten minutes and five fouls would be a regression for the ages.
He regressed last year, no question. Visually he regressed a lot. Statistically he regressed not that much. Again, to me he looks like he's doing too much thinking. He needs to stop thinking. And he needs to rebound better, no question. He also needs not to be asked to guard Angel Delgado and Justin Patton and Sean O'Mara and Luke Fischer and all the other things he was asked to do because the roster was deficient.
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
IMO he shows no signs of being a quality BE player, or developing. There's no excuse for his rebounding totals. I'd love to be wrong.
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
Absolutely right. But who the f is the 4/5 coach? The 24 year old?
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
Absolutely right. But who the f is the 4/5 coach? The 24 year old?
Who is Coach K's 4/5 coach?? Jeff Capel? Jon Scheyer? The idea that you need a big man or big man coach to specifically coach big men is a myth. That doesn't mean SJU couldn't use a staff shakeup, maybe it does. I did hear things could be moving in that direction. But what you need is a staff of competent people who know basketball, period.
But either way, Chris and his staff get paid handsomely and it's their job. There is plenty of basketball knowledge on that staff to get it done. Not to mention it is their job.
On a larger note the biggest gripe I have is not that they did not bring in a grad transfer big man, people are acting like it is as simple as that. There were only a handful of real worthy grad transfers, most of them were guards and swing men and most were probably out of reach for SJU. The gripe was taking a chance on Zach Brown instead of locking up French. But even then French wasn't going to be the type of impact that Brown could be so it may have been worth the risk because that leads me to my larger point, 2018 and beyond.
It is clear that SJU is going to be all over the country this summer trying to lock up a 2018 class that is balanced and strong. They believe, I actually believe it to, that the next season will be good and that the type of recruiting class they are lining up for 2018 and beyond will push SJU onto Villanova's level.
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
Absolutely right. But who the f is the 4/5 coach? The 24 year old?
Who is Coach K's 4/5 coach?? Jeff Capel? Jon Scheyer? The idea that you need a big man or big man coach to specifically coach big men is a myth. That doesn't mean SJU couldn't use a staff shakeup, maybe it does. I did hear things could be moving in that direction. But what you need is a staff of competent people who know basketball, period.
But either way, Chris and his staff get paid handsomely and it's their job. There is plenty of basketball knowledge on that staff to get it done. Not to mention it is their job.
On a larger note the biggest gripe I have is not that they did not bring in a grad transfer big man, people are acting like it is as simple as that. There were only a handful of real worthy grad transfers, most of them were guards and swing men and most were probably out of reach for SJU. The gripe was taking a chance on Zach Brown instead of locking up French. But even then French wasn't going to be the type of impact that Brown could be so it may have been worth the risk because that leads me to my larger point, 2018 and beyond.
It is clear that SJU is going to be all over the country this summer trying to lock up a 2018 class that is balanced and strong. They believe, I actually believe it to, that the next season will be good and that the type of recruiting class they are lining up for 2018 and beyond will push SJU onto Villanova's level.
Coach K needs a big man coach?
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
Absolutely right. But who the f is the 4/5 coach? The 24 year old?
Who is Coach K's 4/5 coach?? Jeff Capel? Jon Scheyer? The idea that you need a big man or big man coach to specifically coach big men is a myth. That doesn't mean SJU couldn't use a staff shakeup, maybe it does. I did hear things could be moving in that direction. But what you need is a staff of competent people who know basketball, period.
But either way, Chris and his staff get paid handsomely and it's their job. There is plenty of basketball knowledge on that staff to get it done. Not to mention it is their job.
On a larger note the biggest gripe I have is not that they did not bring in a grad transfer big man, people are acting like it is as simple as that. There were only a handful of real worthy grad transfers, most of them were guards and swing men and most were probably out of reach for SJU. The gripe was taking a chance on Zach Brown instead of locking up French. But even then French wasn't going to be the type of impact that Brown could be so it may have been worth the risk because that leads me to my larger point, 2018 and beyond.
It is clear that SJU is going to be all over the country this summer trying to lock up a 2018 class that is balanced and strong. They believe, I actually believe it to, that the next season will be good and that the type of recruiting class they are lining up for 2018 and beyond will push SJU onto Villanova's level.
Coach K needs a big man coach?
This has reached scheppy levels
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
Absolutely right. But who the f is the 4/5 coach? The 24 year old?
Who is Coach K's 4/5 coach?? Jeff Capel? Jon Scheyer? The idea that you need a big man or big man coach to specifically coach big men is a myth. That doesn't mean SJU couldn't use a staff shakeup, maybe it does. I did hear things could be moving in that direction. But what you need is a staff of competent people who know basketball, period.
But either way, Chris and his staff get paid handsomely and it's their job. There is plenty of basketball knowledge on that staff to get it done. Not to mention it is their job.
On a larger note the biggest gripe I have is not that they did not bring in a grad transfer big man, people are acting like it is as simple as that. There were only a handful of real worthy grad transfers, most of them were guards and swing men and most were probably out of reach for SJU. The gripe was taking a chance on Zach Brown instead of locking up French. But even then French wasn't going to be the type of impact that Brown could be so it may have been worth the risk because that leads me to my larger point, 2018 and beyond.
It is clear that SJU is going to be all over the country this summer trying to lock up a 2018 class that is balanced and strong. They believe, I actually believe it to, that the next season will be good and that the type of recruiting class they are lining up for 2018 and beyond will push SJU onto Villanova's level.
Coach K needs a big man coach?
This has reached scheppy levels
LOL ... so true
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Yawke was one of the fastest climbers of the class of 2016 before he reclassified. Was the MVP of the prestigious Peach Jam. He's a stud. No doubt he regressed some last year. But it is not too much to ask that he gets back on the upward plane his physical talents and freshman year promised.
If this staff does their job he should be a legitimate high level BE forward.
Absolutely right. But who the f is the 4/5 coach? The 24 year old?
Who is Coach K's 4/5 coach?? Jeff Capel? Jon Scheyer? The idea that you need a big man or big man coach to specifically coach big men is a myth. That doesn't mean SJU couldn't use a staff shakeup, maybe it does. I did hear things could be moving in that direction. But what you need is a staff of competent people who know basketball, period.
But either way, Chris and his staff get paid handsomely and it's their job. There is plenty of basketball knowledge on that staff to get it done. Not to mention it is their job.
On a larger note the biggest gripe I have is not that they did not bring in a grad transfer big man, people are acting like it is as simple as that. There were only a handful of real worthy grad transfers, most of them were guards and swing men and most were probably out of reach for SJU. The gripe was taking a chance on Zach Brown instead of locking up French. But even then French wasn't going to be the type of impact that Brown could be so it may have been worth the risk because that leads me to my larger point, 2018 and beyond.
It is clear that SJU is going to be all over the country this summer trying to lock up a 2018 class that is balanced and strong. They believe, I actually believe it to, that the next season will be good and that the type of recruiting class they are lining up for 2018 and beyond will push SJU onto Villanova's level.
Coach K needs a big man coach?
This has reached scheppy levels
LOL ... so true
High five
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Yakwe has troubling lifting since his hands are exponentially harder than iron.
Yakwe's hand were fine as a freshman. Last year he spent too much time thinking. BY next fall he will have had enough time to think about thinking. Prediction: Yakwe turns it around.
Were Yakwe's hands fine as a frosh? We didn't have anyone driving and dishing to him like Lovett and Ponds. I remember his short stint being lobs and putback drinks with some short drives mixed in.
I don't think we can rely on anything more than 10 minutes and five fouls from him.
Last year he averaged 20 minutes and less than three fouls, which was a 20 percent reduction in fouls from the year before in as many minutes in what should have been his freshmen year in college. Ten minutes and five fouls would be a regression for the ages.
He regressed last year, no question. Visually he regressed a lot. Statistically he regressed not that much. Again, to me he looks like he's doing too much thinking. He needs to stop thinking. And he needs to rebound better, no question. He also needs not to be asked to guard Angel Delgado and Justin Patton and Sean O'Mara and Luke Fischer and all the other things he was asked to do because the roster was deficient.
I actually thought he looked better against the centers over well-built and more versatile 6'6-6'8 PF's like Wideman and Bullock (which isn't saying much). Don't forget he went for something like 16 and 15 against Delgado as a frosh.
I'm not giving up on the kid and I'm very glad he's on the roster, but I don't think it's prudent to rely on him for anything more than 10-15 minutes and some fouls. If our stength and conditioning team actually stepped up, it could be a different story. How that kid with his frame didn't enter this past season at 220, I'll never know. You can't consistently compete at this level as a PF/C weighing 200-205 absent NBA ability. I thought the staff made a huge error wasting a year of his eligibility for 2 1/2 months of meaningless games in a lost season.
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Per Corey Evans Yetna ,has committed to South Florida
I'm presuming staff was not that high on this kid and banking on Kante and someone else. Otherwise how can we lose to that trainwreck of a program at South Florida.
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I'm a little late to this conversation, but I agree that it's reasonable to expect Yakwe to have a bounce-back season.
The physical tools are there, he's got better players around him. And he was very young when he came to St Johns.
Junior year could be a breakout season for him. It could not be too.
But whereas some players have relatively modest ceilings, I think most of us can agree Yakwe has the tools to be a pretty good player.
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Yakwe making a big progression next year is a huge if.
I don't see it happening but if this team is going to even sniff the NCAA bubble then he needs to be much better.
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I just don't believe KY has the basketball skills and smarts to play at this level. If he could dribble the ball, make a shot, knew where he was supposed to be on the floor....his size, which is good, would not matter. I certainly hope he snaps out of his sophomore funk, but I just don't see it, I'm sad to say.
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I just don't believe KY has the basketball skills and smarts to play at this level. If he could dribble the ball, make a shot, knew where he was supposed to be on the floor....his size, which is good, would not matter. I certainly hope he snaps out of his sophomore funk, but I just don't see it, I'm sad to say.
Nobody's going to see anything until the season starts. Until then it's just guess work by the myriad talking heads on this board. ;)
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Yakwe making a big progression next year is a huge if.
I don't see it happening but if this team is going to even sniff the NCAA bubble then he needs to be much better.
He doesn't need to make a huge progression or be much better. He has to grab two or three more rebounds a game and stop dropping the ball on the pick and roll. It's hardly an insurmountable task.
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Yakwe making a big progression next year is a huge if.
I don't see it happening but if this team is going to even sniff the NCAA bubble then he needs to be much better.
He doesn't need to make a huge progression or be much better. He has to grab two or three more rebounds a game and stop dropping the ball on the pick and roll. It's hardly an insurmountable task.
Easier said than done. His awful hands, lack of court awareness, and offensive struggles will need to improve a lot.
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I actually thought he looked better against the centers over well-built and more versatile 6'6-6'8 PF's like Wideman and Bullock (which isn't saying much). Don't forget he went for something like 16 and 15 against Delgado as a frosh.
I thought he did as well. And I think he did because when he played against players who over-matched him physically he didn't have time to think about what he was supposed to be doing. He just did it. Whereas when he was playing against players he was more athletic than he had time to think about it. I think his problems last year were all mental.
We tend to think that improvement is linear, that it goes up this way / . But really learning is a series of plateaus: you go up and then you have a flat period and then a flat period and then you go up again, like stairs. Hopefully last year was a tread.
'm not giving up on the kid and I'm very glad he's on the roster, but I don't think it's prudent to rely on him for anything more than 10-15 minutes and some fouls. If our stength and conditioning team actually stepped up, it could be a different story. How that kid with his frame didn't enter this past season at 220, I'll never know. You can't consistently compete at this level as a PF/C weighing 200-205 absent NBA ability. I thought the staff made a huge error wasting a year of his eligibility for 2 1/2 months of meaningless games in a lost season.
If you look at pictures of him as a freshman and as a soph he's grown quite a bit through his shoulders and biceps. He's pretty jacked up top. If he has Tyra Banks ass he'd be a specimen.
Weight is a funny thing. Maurice Lucas was terrifying at 6'9" 215. Xavier McDaniel was frightening at 6'7" 215. Julius Erving was 6'7" 215. Mel Daniels was 6'9" 220. Yawke is listed at 6'7" 210. Unless you're a golem like that guy on Gonzaga it's not just the weight, it's where the weight is and how you use it.
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Yakwe making a big progression next year is a huge if.
I don't see it happening but if this team is going to even sniff the NCAA bubble then he needs to be much better.
He doesn't need to make a huge progression or be much better. He has to grab two or three more rebounds a game and stop dropping the ball on the pick and roll. It's hardly an insurmountable task.
I don't disagree. The Jarvii actually ran some great hands drills when they were here and I witnessed some players come a very long way over the course of one season during those drills. (I guess if you can't coach, you can't afford to lose loose balls and rebkunds). It's definitely possible. The bigger issue to me is rebounding. How is a kid with that length and athletic ability not hitting the glass on either side of the ball? He was barely over one offensive board per game less than half what he averaged last year. That is just mentality and effort.
This is a kid Calhoun would have recruited to Uconn and either stashed at a prep, redshirted, or buried on the bench intil he was 225-230 lbs.
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Easier said than done. His awful hands, lack of court awareness, and offensive struggles will need to improve a lot.
Everything is easier said than done. KY seems like a good kid and he seems to be a hard worker with a good attitude and there's no reason to think he will not improve as people who practice a thing do in the normal course of practicing a thing. I know it happens - Reggie Jessie, Willie Shaw - but few players get worse over the long term. If he takes a step forward and Owens does and Ahmed does the front court won't be as bad as the sky is falling crowd think. I'm not saying that they don't need help or that the fact that there are no reinforcements on the horizon isn't disappointing, but even without any appreciable influx of talent this is still going to be an interesting basketball team assuming a normal progression.
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Yakwe making a big progression next year is a huge if.
I don't see it happening but if this team is going to even sniff the NCAA bubble then he needs to be much better.
He doesn't need to make a huge progression or be much better. He has to grab two or three more rebounds a game and stop dropping the ball on the pick and roll. It's hardly an insurmountable task.
I don't disagree. The Jarvii actually ran some great hands drills when they were here and I witnessed some players come a very long way over the course of one season during those drills. (I guess if you can't coach, you can't afford to lose loose balls and rebkunds). It's definitely possible. The bigger issue to me is rebounding. How is a kid with that length and athletic ability not hitting the glass on either side of the ball? He was barely over one offensive board per game less than half what he averaged last year. That is just mentality and effort.
This is a kid Calhoun would have recruited to Uconn and either stashed at a prep, redshirted, or buried on the bench intil he was 225-230 lbs.
The rebounding is troubling. He has the physical tools to average 8 or 10 a game and those aren't numbers I throw around lightly. Part of it is I think his late entry to the game - he lacks the instinct that other more seasoned players have - but part of it is desire. That's the only thing that troubles me about him: he's a bit lackadaisical. He needs to want the ball as opposed to be satisfied when the ball happens to come his way. Hopefully that comes as he matures.
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I actually thought he looked better against the centers over well-built and more versatile 6'6-6'8 PF's like Wideman and Bullock (which isn't saying much). Don't forget he went for something like 16 and 15 against Delgado as a frosh.
I thought he did as well. And I think he did because when he played against players who over-matched him physically he didn't have time to think about what he was supposed to be doing. He just did it. Whereas when he was playing against players he was more athletic than he had time to think about it. I think his problems last year were all mental.
We tend to think that improvement is linear, that it goes up this way / . But really learning is a series of plateaus: you go up and then you have a flat period and then a flat period and then you go up again, like stairs. Hopefully last year was a tread.
'm not giving up on the kid and I'm very glad he's on the roster, but I don't think it's prudent to rely on him for anything more than 10-15 minutes and some fouls. If our stength and conditioning team actually stepped up, it could be a different story. How that kid with his frame didn't enter this past season at 220, I'll never know. You can't consistently compete at this level as a PF/C weighing 200-205 absent NBA ability. I thought the staff made a huge error wasting a year of his eligibility for 2 1/2 months of meaningless games in a lost season.
If you look at pictures of him as a freshman and as a soph he's grown quite a bit through his shoulders and biceps. He's pretty jacked up top. If he has Tyra Banks ass he'd be a specimen.
Weight is a funny thing. Maurice Lucas was terrifying at 6'9" 215. Xavier McDaniel was frightening at 6'7" 215. Julius Erving was 6'7" 215. Mel Daniels was 6'9" 220. Yawke is listed at 6'7" 210. Unless you're a golem like that guy on Gonzaga it's not just the weight, it's where the weight is and how you use it.
How big was Justin Brownlee? He did a very nice job as a 5.
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Don't recall JB playing much 5. Burrell and Evans did.
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I actually thought he looked better against the centers over well-built and more versatile 6'6-6'8 PF's like Wideman and Bullock (which isn't saying much). Don't forget he went for something like 16 and 15 against Delgado as a frosh.
I thought he did as well. And I think he did because when he played against players who over-matched him physically he didn't have time to think about what he was supposed to be doing. He just did it. Whereas when he was playing against players he was more athletic than he had time to think about it. I think his problems last year were all mental.
We tend to think that improvement is linear, that it goes up this way / . But really learning is a series of plateaus: you go up and then you have a flat period and then a flat period and then you go up again, like stairs. Hopefully last year was a tread.
'm not giving up on the kid and I'm very glad he's on the roster, but I don't think it's prudent to rely on him for anything more than 10-15 minutes and some fouls. If our stength and conditioning team actually stepped up, it could be a different story. How that kid with his frame didn't enter this past season at 220, I'll never know. You can't consistently compete at this level as a PF/C weighing 200-205 absent NBA ability. I thought the staff made a huge error wasting a year of his eligibility for 2 1/2 months of meaningless games in a lost season.
If you look at pictures of him as a freshman and as a soph he's grown quite a bit through his shoulders and biceps. He's pretty jacked up top. If he has Tyra Banks ass he'd be a specimen.
Weight is a funny thing. Maurice Lucas was terrifying at 6'9" 215. Xavier McDaniel was frightening at 6'7" 215. Julius Erving was 6'7" 215. Mel Daniels was 6'9" 220. Yawke is listed at 6'7" 210. Unless you're a golem like that guy on Gonzaga it's not just the weight, it's where the weight is and how you use it.
Vince Lombardi's 5 time NFL champion Green Bay Packers offensive line averaged 230 lbs. I'm sure they were plenty big enough to win a championship today.
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Easier said than done. His awful hands, lack of court awareness, and offensive struggles will need to improve a lot.
Everything is easier said than done. KY seems like a good kid and he seems to be a hard worker with a good attitude and there's no reason to think he will not improve as people who practice a thing do in the normal course of practicing a thing. I know it happens - Reggie Jessie, Willie Shaw - but few players get worse over the long term. If he takes a step forward and Owens does and Ahmed does the front court won't be as bad as the sky is falling crowd think. I'm not saying that they don't need help or that the fact that there are no reinforcements on the horizon isn't disappointing, but even without any appreciable influx of talent this is still going to be an interesting basketball team assuming a normal progression.
What makes you think that Yakwe is a hard worker? I think a lack of effort in addition to a lack of understanding is why he was so awful this season. Thing is, he played aggressively as a freshman. We know he's capable. We don't know if that matters to him.
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Vince Lombardi's 5 time NFL champion Green Bay Packers offensive line averaged 230 lbs. I'm sure they were plenty big enough to win a championship today.
Are the attributes that lead to success in football the same as those that lead to success at basketball? No. Have basketball players increased in size commensurately to linemen in football over the past 50 years? No. Are there players who thrive at basketball weighing 220 pounds? Yes. Could a player who weighed 120 more pounds than Maurice Lucas - that's the difference between Lombardi's linemen and those of today - say a player 6'9" 350 pounds play basketball? Probably not. Would Maurice Lucas thrive as a Division One basketball player today at the same size he thrived 40 years ago? Probably yes.
So to recap: everyone who read your post is stupider for having done so. How about you put on this dunce cap and go sit in the corner and think about what you've done and when you've resolved to never do it again you can rejoin the rest of the class.
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Vince Lombardi's 5 time NFL champion Green Bay Packers offensive line averaged 230 lbs. I'm sure they were plenty big enough to win a championship today.
Are the attributes that lead to success in football the same as those that lead to success at basketball? No. Have basketball players increased in size commensurately to linemen in football over the past 50 years? No. Are there players who thrive at basketball weighing 220 pounds? Yes. Could a player who weighed 120 more pounds than Maurice Lucas - that's the difference between Lombardi's linemen and those of today - say a player 6'9" 350 pounds play basketball? Probably not. Would Maurice Lucas thrive as a Division One basketball player today at the same size he thrived 40 years ago? Probably yes.
So to recap: everyone who read your post is stupider for having done so. How about you put on this dunce cap and go sit in the corner and think about what you've done and when you've resolved to never do it again you can rejoin the rest of the class.
Not everyone at St.John's is a rocket scientist. This ain't Hofstra.
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What makes you think that Yakwe is a hard worker?
He was born in Africa, moved to a new country, learned its language, assimilated its culture and earned a division one scholarship to one of the most storied basketball programs in history. I suppose that might have all happened randomly but I think it must have taken some small effort on his part.
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This ain't Hofstra.
Too bad. If it were Jay Wright might be the head coach. Winky.
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Don't recall JB playing much 5. Burrell and Evans did.
Started at and played plenty 5.
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Vince Lombardi's 5 time NFL champion Green Bay Packers offensive line averaged 230 lbs. I'm sure they were plenty big enough to win a championship today.
Are the attributes that lead to success in football the same as those that lead to success at basketball? No. Have basketball players increased in size commensurately to linemen in football over the past 50 years? No. Are there players who thrive at basketball weighing 220 pounds? Yes. Could a player who weighed 120 more pounds than Maurice Lucas - that's the difference between Lombardi's linemen and those of today - say a player 6'9" 350 pounds play basketball? Probably not. Would Maurice Lucas thrive as a Division One basketball player today at the same size he thrived 40 years ago? Probably yes.
So to recap: everyone who read your post is stupider for having done so. How about you put on this dunce cap and go sit in the corner and think about what you've done and when you've resolved to never do it again you can rejoin the rest of the class.
hey Mr. Sensitive you referenced players from a long time ago which is what I did. the numbers don't have to be in direct proportion to make my point. I used to think guys like Unseld and McGuiness were monsters but when I see them on tape today they almost look skinny. Would love to have a drink with you so I could smash the bottle over your smug head. And Poison why don't you drink some?
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hey Mr. Sensitive you referenced players from a long time ago which is what I did.
Hey stupid, I referenced basketball players. You referenced football players. Andre the Giant was seven foot six. Babe Ruth was six foot two. Manny Pacquiao is five six. Who cares.
the numbers don't have to be in direct proportion to make my point.
You didn't have a point. You compared professional football players from 1965 to amateur basketball players from 2017. How tall was Benjamin Franklin? How much did Ethelred the Unready weigh? Beguile me with more germane facts about basketball.
I used to think guys like Unseld and McGuiness were monsters but when I see them on tape today they almost look skinny.
Wes Unseld was 6-7, 245 lb. McGiness was 6'8" 240. That's fvcking enormous. Rick Mahorn was 6 10 240. Bob Lanier was 6 11 250. Maybe you need glasses.
Would love to have a drink with you so I could smash the bottle over your smug head
I'm sure you would but I'm very particular about who I drink with, which is why mostly I drink alone. Are you buying? Because I make exceptions.
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I'm sure you would but I'm very particular about who I drink with, which is why mostly I drink alone. Are you buying? Because I make exceptions.
Don't worry, I'll buy. I seem to think this verbal abuse would be more amusing in person.