Darien Williams and Malik Ellison transferring

Good luck to both.

Figured either Ellison or Mussini would be gone.

Interesting that those who claim to be insiders on this site had no rumblings on this but we were focused on Lovett.


Won't miss either. Ellison was developing but I never saw him becoming a great player. Williams was fine but never played so what good is a fine player if the coach wont put him out there.

Hopefully this was the cause of more coming in that hasn't been announced yet.

Awful post.

I think Ellison's play down the stretch dug his grave. Needed to show some mental fortitude and didn't. Still think he has the physical tools to be a player and wish him all the best.

Darien living the college rock star dream and heading to another school. Wish him the best of luck too.

Both guys could have played a role next year but this should open the doors to better talent.

Main thing is that our legit D1 talent is staying in place.  Not we add better pieces hopefully.

Our two departees were division I talent as much as St John's is a division I school.  I hope it's not pie in the sky that Darien and Malik will be replaced by better players.  Face it, graduate replacements are screaming at you that they're not NBA material.  Nothing wrong with that, but it's time for a reality check.

I know I trashed Ellison as much as anyone, but this still doesn't feel good. His potential is clearly there...there is just some disconnect. I am just glad it wasn't Mussini, who seems like a much better complement to Simon and a more willing energy guy off the bench. If Lovett is back,
Ellison is expendable.

Williams actually hurts a bit. He's been with the program two years and has two years of eligibility left. His upside is way higher than AA's. Odd timing. He was the only guy who could
muscle up in the paint. At some point we need to start holding onto our rising upperclassmen.

(98% of the guys playing D1 basketball are not NBA material)

Thought that both Williams and Ellison were good teammates and represented SJ well.  I wish them both luck.  Their leaving gives us the opportunity to sign 3 talented players, including a grad student big man.  We need to get bigger and we need to get older.  (Nine of the teams that made the Sweet 16 this year have rosters that are older than the roster of the Phoenix Suns!) 

We tried to compete this year with 18 and 19 year old kids, and that's just not going to work.

Think that Ellison will clearly benefit with a redshirt year.  Wish he had taken it here, but you don't see guys do that two years in.  Yakwe would have benefitted from a redshirt year himself, but we were so thin we had to throw the kid to the wolves straight out of high school.  He will benefit from playing alongside Clark and a legitimate big next year, and Mussini will slide into the role of a specialist zone-breaking catch-and-shoot guy.  Freudenberg also would have benefitted from redshirting last year.

Hate to see guys leave, but getting better players in their place will make us better faster.  With a grad transfer big and all our existing pieces returning, we make a run to the NCAA's next year.

I will miss DWill, even though he was made of glass.

I will not miss Malik at all, but good luck to him and I hope he becomes great wherever he goes.

I was hoping to see Malik become the great player I thought he could be here.  I wish him the best. He's got three years to figure it out.

Malik has potential but he would be 5th guard, reserve SF next year.  Simon takes his spot and Mussini would play ahead of him for instant 3 offense (hopefully)  Williams will be missed as he gave some strength and scoring inside, still only a 12-15 guy.  Neither should be missed appreciably.

All the best to DWill, he always gave his best effort, with good enthusiasm. Hit some nice jumpers, got some good rebounds/blocks.

Ellison was too frustrating. He is better in a new environment and so are we.

And what of Amar Alibegovic? If Ellison and Williams see the writing on the wall, why is Alibegovic still scheduled to be a BE player? As it stands now, he's worse than any other player in the conference. He should transfer to a Northeast conference school sit out a year and get a grad degree.

And what of Amar Alibegovic? If Ellison and Williams see the writing on the wall, why is Alibegovic still scheduled to be a BE player? As it stands now, he's worse than any other player in the conference. He should transfer to a Northeast conference school sit out a year and get a grad degree.

LOL! Ironically, he was one of the few on the team with NCAA tournament experience. He and Muss are probably having a great time, why leave?

And what of Amar Alibegovic? If Ellison and Williams see the writing on the wall, why is Alibegovic still scheduled to be a BE player? As it stands now, he's worse than any other player in the conference. He should transfer to a Northeast conference school sit out a year and get a grad degree.

Maybe start a separate thread about what happens to the twelfth man on the roster. He deserves it.

Quote from: Poison on March 29, 2017, 06:15:10 PM

And what of Amar Alibegovic? If Ellison and Williams see the writing on the wall, why is Alibegovic still scheduled to be a BE player? As it stands now, he's worse than any other player in the conference. He should transfer to a Northeast conference school sit out a year and get a grad degree.

LOL! Ironically, he was one of the few on the team with NCAA tournament experience. He and Muss are probably having a great time, why leave?

Because it would be the right thing to do. He's not able to compete at this level. I don't think a senior year is going to all of the sudden create talent that wasn't there. Mussini may stick around, although I'd understand and be totally fine with him transferring to Wagner.

Zach says we have 4 open ships.  Who else is leaving?

Zach says we have 4 open ships.  Who else is leaving?

2 from losing Ellison and Williams
and 2 from losing Sima and Zach Brown?

Always something at SJU
Might as well change our mascot to a revolving door

10 filled 3 open
 Lovett
 Mussini   
 Simon
 Ponds
 Ahmed      
 Freudenberg
 Alibegovic
 Yakwe
 Clark Jr.
 Owens

10 filled 3 open
 Lovett
 Mussini   
 Simon
 Ponds
 Ahmed      
 Freudenberg
 Alibegovic
 Yakwe
 Clark Jr.
 Owens

It's probably not over