Gift May Red Shirt

Definitely, cr.  I choose my words carefully. Right now, I don't see Gift as an NBA player but he will make money as a pro---if he so chooses.  More development will only expand his options.

Even here, I say "right now."  I try not to predict the future.

Are most future pros (of any league) asked to redshirt their senior year because they still aren't good enough to crack the rotation? 

I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction - God's Gift will NOT make a good living as a professional basketball player.
And do you know what leads me to that conclusion?  He's undersized for his position, a poor shooter, and overall just not a very valuable player at the college level. 

Not everyone who puts on a St Johns uniform has some immense hidden potential that is eventually going to burst through, if only they have a little longer to develop.  Sometimes what you see is what you get. 
Can we just accept GG for what he is?  A nice guy, good student, and 8th man in high major basketball.   

Are most future pros (of any league) asked to redshirt their senior year because they still aren't good enough to crack the rotation? 

I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction - God's Gift will NOT make a good living as a professional basketball player.
And do you know what leads me to that conclusion?  He's undersized for his position, a poor shooter, and overall just not a very valuable player at the college level. 

Not everyone who puts on a St Johns uniform has some immense hidden potential that is eventually going to burst through, if only they have a little longer to develop.  Sometimes what you see is what you get. 
Can we just accept GG for what he is?  A nice guy, good student, and 8th man in high major basketball.   

Agreed, GG was a guy we needed to get. But at this point, with our team having so many more talent players than we did last year---he simply won't see the floor this year or next. The only bad thing from him red shirting is that we don't get the free scholarship for another season.

Are most future pros (of any league) asked to redshirt their senior year because they still aren't good enough to crack the rotation? 

I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction - God's Gift will NOT make a good living as a professional basketball player.
And do you know what leads me to that conclusion?  He's undersized for his position, a poor shooter, and overall just not a very valuable player at the college level. 

Not everyone who puts on a St Johns uniform has some immense hidden potential that is eventually going to burst through, if only they have a little longer to develop.  Sometimes what you see is what you get. 
Can we just accept GG for what he is?  A nice guy, good student, and 8th man in high major basketball.   

Agree Totally with your assessment of Gift Desco.

Quote from: desco80 on November 15, 2012, 12:06:51 PM

Are most future pros (of any league) asked to redshirt their senior year because they still aren't good enough to crack the rotation? 

I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction - God's Gift will NOT make a good living as a professional basketball player.
And do you know what leads me to that conclusion?  He's undersized for his position, a poor shooter, and overall just not a very valuable player at the college level. 

Not everyone who puts on a St Johns uniform has some immense hidden potential that is eventually going to burst through, if only they have a little longer to develop.  Sometimes what you see is what you get. 
Can we just accept GG for what he is?  A nice guy, good student, and 8th man in high major basketball.   

Agree Totally with your assessment of Gift Desco.

Agree with one exception - he's an outstanding student.

I think Double G can play.  It was only his 1st year of big time ball and he had his moments.  Just because we got Oblockpa and maybe a 24 year old Dominican I've never seen doesn't make him a stiff.  I think he could contribute this year or next.  He certainly compares favorably to Spears and Tomas.

I think Double G can play.  It was only his 1st year of big time ball and he had his moments.  Just because we got Oblockpa and maybe a 24 year old Dominican I've never seen doesn't make him a stiff.  I think he could contribute this year or next.  He certainly compares favorably to Spears and Tomas.

I agree, he was certainly better than Tomas and Spears. Poor Tomas had no talent. Spears, however, had a lot of talent, but he was lazy, and he was a punk.

I think he could contribute this year or next.  He certainly compares favorably to Spears and Tomas.

Comparing favorably to two guys who'd never see the court for a Lavin team isn't very high praise.

He can run.  Hustles and has a good motor.  He can dunk from under the basket with out a running start.  Has some post moves and scores around the basket.  Positively kills it when we play teams like Holy Cross, Florida Southern and NJIT.

I go back with this team just a little before the Hollywood era.  We've had way worse big men than he. 

Plus, he might improve in his second or third season after they coach and weight room him up a bit.

Are most future pros (of any league) asked to redshirt their senior year because they still aren't good enough to crack the rotation? 

I'm going to go out on a limb and make a prediction - God's Gift will NOT make a good living as a professional basketball player.
And do you know what leads me to that conclusion?  He's undersized for his position, a poor shooter, and overall just not a very valuable player at the college level. 

Not everyone who puts on a St Johns uniform has some immense hidden potential that is eventually going to burst through, if only they have a little longer to develop.  Sometimes what you see is what you get. 
Can we just accept GG for what he is?  A nice guy, good student, and 8th man in high major basketball.   

Great post.  A lot of our fans have a problem accepting solid role players as just that.  The truth is you need those guys to win. 

I think Gift should be playing this year.   If anything Felix should have red-shirted, not Gift. 

We don't need another 2/3 but we do no need size up front especially without Sanchez.

The Baylor game alone could have worked out differently with another solid big.

If Sanchez qualifies I suppose it could be moot but until then we are lacking size and Gift is more than serviceable.

If Sanchez does not qualify it becomes essential, especially with BE play.

I argued the same thing. Unless Lavin knows Sanchez will be reeinstated, he should not have redshirted gift. Bigs get into foul trouble or could get injured. We played well but fizzled out at the end. Why comprimise our depth.

I argued the same thing. Unless Lavin knows Sanchez will be reeinstated, he should not have redshirted gift. Bigs get into foul trouble or could get injured. We played well but fizzled out at the end. Why comprimise our depth.

Maybe TGAPL knows that this isn't his year but next year might be and wants to have five giant african fouls around then to protect Obekpa from himself.

As much as I'd like Gift to redshirt and secure a Master's degree, the Baylor game made it pretty clear we need another big body.  Even with Sanchez back that may be the case.  When Obekpa fouled out it was like a death knell for us.

Incidentally, it absolutely grates on my ears when the announcers call him "O-bep-ka"!

We can find another juco post player next year- gift needs to dress- hopefully we dint need him to play that much- will need him vs cuse and other by east teams