Agree. Saunders only bad game was in Tournament, unfortunately. It wasn’t the shooting I was upset about it was the 4 awful passes right to dusquene players.
He was very upset that he basically cost byu the game. I think he will come back with a vengeance! Agree with Pope/Knell blindspot.
Couldn’t understand it either. Made zero sense.
Hopper, Again, stop with Knell just needs to go straight up or get his elbow straight nonsense. The athleticism of the opposing players is killing him. He can’t get open. Just too ssslloooowwwww .
If he could shot 44+% on 3s he could be of some, but limited value given his liabilities. Maybe there’s a Hopper/Knell thing going on. Pen pals? Hard to explain your Knell defense that is void of facts.
I’m sure knell is a great guy and teammate and will be very successful in life but last year showed he can’t play at this level. Just tell me whose minutes he should be taking???
I think coach Y should ask him to step aside and actually offer him a position on his staff at some level and that is the best way to help the team succeed
KY is going to pull in some talent now that he has the Stan. point guard that we haven’t heard about yet going to be a big difference maker.
KY already has a team that can compete at the big 12. I kind of hope to see Robinson come back once he sees who he can play with this time around.
Remember when Pope was whining about the lack of NL it seems like we’ve gone the opposite direction. Somebody with the pockets has made sure that we are getting the guys we target so who knows we might get one other monster out of the portal
I have no reason to doubt you, but I don’t see the evidence of what you say either.
KY has three transfer signees
Kozlowski - deep byu ties
Crawford - deep ties to the new assistant coach
Keita - deep ties to the other new assistant coach and to Foos from Wasatch
losses Khalifa and Waterman to Louisville
doesn’t look at all like the kind of collection deep pockets buy ala Pope at BBN, or several others, even Kansas that Crawford apparently turned down without even a visit.
BYU needs to win in the NCAA tournament and they will get more of the top players. Losing Waterman isn’t the worst thing either. Khalifa won’t play this year as he’s red shirting to get his knee well. Getting Hall and Saunders back was all Young. Keeping Foose was all Young. Please.
7th highest rated player in BYU history…THUD!
my quote cut was not done well apologies…I just don’t see the evidence that BYU NIL has improved much if at all, let alone competitive with the blue bloods…all three KY signees could well have been signeees pre-NIL because of their ties to BYU and staff.
Khalifa and Waterman, and increasingly more likely Robinson, fled to Louisville with Fedex money to burn. Robinson seems likely to get BBN or Kansas money instead of the NIL from BYU.
Players still have to realize playing time is still the number one factor for their future income. And, are they going to be able to showcase their skills well enough. Robinson came off the bench but played starter minutes at BYU. If he goes somewhere else, will he get more minutes? Why did he quit the NBA combine? Was it that there were other players that could showcase better? He needs Young to coach him. The long term NBA money could easily the first year be way more that the NIL money.
Russian Star Egor Demin Commits to BYU (msn.com)
KABOOOOOOOOM!
Gotta think about this for a minute.
KY signs
1 Keba, rim rocker, defender
2 Crawford, 4 star point guard.
3 Demin forget stars, this kid is a top 10 NBA talent.
Two Woj bombs inside to 2 weeks and 3 more schollies to fill. Oh My?!?!!!
Happened!
Retaining two four-star players, landing two more, and securing a top 10 projected pick all point to one thing: Jaxson Robinson, you are a BYU Cougar.
I read in an article that during recruitment Keba, he stated that he was reluctant to come to BYU because he did not want to limit the time Foose had on the floor.
Apparently, they are good friends, Foose told Young have him come to me and I will get him here.
The rest is history.
Thought it was interesting dynamic.
If anyone would of told me before the season that we would lose Pope, Chandler. Adams Jr, Issac and Robinson. I would of said the same thing the Tom threw out there…This will set BYU back decades.
Fast forward, when Hall and Saunders came back, I thought, "we have a core of Hall Saunders, Foos, Baker and Waterman…we can compete.
Then KY, Keba and Crawford, now I’m thinking. We are about as good as last season minus Robinson but far better with Crawford as another big time Point.
Add Egor, BYU becomes a contender because we have a true finisher that hit that jumper. get fouled. Granted, we are heaping tons of expectations on the russian but he is proven. With Robinson or Adams Jr, yes I said it. Both of these guys BEST options are to come back. BYU would be a final 4 type team.
Someone you continue to leave out of the conversation is Baker. 100% healthy Baker would make this team the best possible. Young is saying they are wanting to get Keba and Foose in at the same time and be physical down low. With Hall, Saunders Egor and Crawford, this is a really powerhouse team. And that word, team, is the key. Can they gel together like last year?
Thanks for all the info Fish. Please keep 'em coming.
RandomThoughts:
- I’ve had a saying for years - “Never trust a Ruskie”. Based on some limited interactions with Ruskie car mechanics and a King of Queens episode (now there’s some irrefutable evidence).
I’m going to make an exception! - Egor might be able to kick the ball to 3 point shooters but Knell would have to hit 44%+ to overcome lack of athletism, meaning costing points on defense.
- My prior notion of KY moving Knell to his staff where he has more value on this now very talented team is becoming more of a possibility.
- Robinson will come back (why would Kentucky be better for an aspiring NBA player)
5 Early prediction. Chandler will come back to Provo after a “meh” stint at UK.
Bonus thought: - I been having thoughts of going back to Disney World having not done so in the last 6 years after going about 20 years in a row including France and Hong Kong. HOWEVER, when I think about getting park tickets, the idea of adding a “Hopper” Pass somehow makes me a lot less interested in going
Knell with 3 other gunners is a disaster. Knell with shot creators and great defenders could work. There is always a weak link on college teams, he can cover THAT guy. BYU last year was lacking drivers outside of Hall and Johnson. Robinson could drive but loved his 3s more. Waterman was a corner bomber all day long as was Knell.
Now we get 3 new guys Crawford, Egor and Baker, all can get by their guy, frees up that corner or the high pic. If you are running an NBA type offense. the corner option becomes an open shot much of the time. Knell can pic and run to an open spot or just stand in the corner ready for that 3. He does not have take a hurried shot. should be back to the 40%.
granted, both Crawford and Benin are 18 yr olds so just how much time they get??? I think Benin is a starter ADL. and Big 12 Fr of the year.
KY is bringing in big time players, I loved the recruits that Pope brought in from Barcellos to Harrms and last year’s Khalifa, Baker and Adam Jr. were big time recruits. BYU was easy a sweet 16 if Baker and Adam Jr had not been injured and Khalifa’s bum knee coupled with Ramadan.
But this KY group so far are all up grades, as you say.
Now that we are set a Center (sort of) and Point (big sigh of relief) BYU needs a power 4 that can shoot and or a lock down guy like Mag out of Rutgers
. BYU Basketball Makes the Top Five for Rutgers Transfer Mawot Mag (si.com)
Everything points to Robinson coming back. He wants the NBA bad, who better could get him ready but KY???
Did you mean Denin instead of Benin? I don’t know if you’ve missed it but by all accounts he’s a one and done. He will start and play a lot. I’m hoping for a second year too. But, doesn’t sound like it.
And where would Egor rank?
#2 or #3
The talking heads say #2 behind Shawn Bradly.
I’ll trust your perspective on Knell could get back to 40% in a KY system.
Is Hall now the 4th driver in the team now? After Baker, Stanford kid and Denim? Not a critic of Hall. Just who can do it at a high rate of success of score or assist