Gophers B-Ball: Friday Buzz
Posted on March 28th, 2008 – 1:56 PMBy Myron Medcalf
I was in the middle of writing this when news of the Louisville-Minnesota matchup broke. That’s a big game for the Gophers, who need quality nonconference wins next season.
-With some assistance from Tubby Smith, former Gophers Dan Coleman and Lawrence McKenzie will probably get an invitation from the Portsmouth Invitational, an NBA predraft camp for college seniors in Portsmouth, Va., April 9-12. I think McKenzie’s scoring ability and Coleman’s athleticism will help both players earn a decent living overseas.
-It’s no secret that the Gophers need some scholarships, especially if Tubby Smith brings in the seven-man recruiting class he desires for next season. Jamal Abu-Shamala and Travis Busch have one-year scholarships. And the three seniors give up three more free rides. Brandon Smith’s early exit gives them another one to use. But I’m hearing that other players might be in danger of losing their scholarships. It would seem that Kevin Payton, who started the season as the team’s starting point guard before spending most of the year on the bench, is vulnerable. And remember, the Gophers aren’t only thinking about next season. They’ll need at least two scholarships to give to local recruits Royce White and Rodney Williams in 2009. (More on them later.)
-Speaking of Abu-Shamala, the forward was named to the Academic All-Big Ten team earlier this week. Kudos.
-I watched Rodney Williams play in the state tournament earlier this week. His athleticism is amazing. And he can create shots whenever he wants them. He’s also a great shot blocker. He’s a very raw talent that has the ability to excel at the Division I level with the proper coaching. I’ve watched a lot of “athletic” guys fail to make the transition from high school to college. But Williams is young and seems like someone who is willing to learn.
-I’ve talked to Gophers insiders recently about Royce White. After the former De La Salle stud was expelled from school due to academic issues, a number of sources told me that it would be hard to offer him an opportunity to play at the University of Minnesota, a school that’s still recovering from an academic scandal in the late 1990s. But, talent often overcomes youthful errors. Just ask Caron Butler.
-Krys Faber, a 6-11 kid out of Cali, is leaning toward Minnesota, according to his high school coach Willie Middlebrooks. Faber was a late bloomer, but he has the size and talent that Tubby Smith covets. Imagine a lineup that features 6-11 Ralph Sampson III, 6-11 Krys Faber, 6-8 Paul Carter, 6-5 Devron Bostick and 6-3 Devoe Joseph?
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10 Responses to "Gophers B-Ball: Friday Buzz"
This site (http://tinyurl.com/2tpd5l) lays out the scholarships for 2008-09 and shows one vacant scholarship BEFORE pulling either Busch’s or Abu Shamala’s scholarships.
If the Gophers add two more recruits to the 08-09 class in addition to the five who have committed, there’s no reason to pull more than one.
I doubt Payton’s scholarship is in danger due to recruiting a 2008-09 class.
It doesn’t seem as though it would be a very classy move to take a kid off a scholarship after he makes the All Big Ten Academic team. I hope Tubby has more class than to do something like that. Be loyal to those who have been the true student-athletes unless, of course, you want to send the message that there is no room for scholarly student athletes on the University of Minnesota Men’s Basketball team. Sometimes a coach just has to do the RIGHT thing!
All this speculation about pulling scholarships is pure bull. Might as well go and read the National Enquirer.
Myron, don’t forget about the possiblity of 6-4 Verdell Jones in that line up!
According to GI, Paul Carter is actually only about 6-4.
Not true, Carter is listed on GI as 6-8. None of those players are D-1 talent and should not be getting an athletic scholarship, now if he has earned an academic scholarship I am all for giving that to him to finish out his degree. Having untalented players on scholarship is costing the Gophers a lot of money by not putting people in the seats. Like it or not college football and basketball is a business.
GOPHERZZZZ!!!!!!!
get Isaiah Dahlman to transfer to play for Tubby! He’s floundering in obscurity under the Iz-man in E. Lansing.
Snowman, thanks for that link. Much appreciated! But actually, if you look at that link, it assumes that Busch’s schollie will be pulled next year to create room for 1 more guy.
I guess I don’t mind Tubby pulling Busch’s schollie too much as he was only a sophomore this year plus he hasn’t contributed very much. He’s also a local kid so he’d only have to pay in-state tuition.
There has been a lot of buzz about Faber and Verdell Jones, though, and I was very much wondering how he was going to sign them both. Pulling Busch’s schollie makes sense, but the 2nd schollie is much tougher IMO. Yes, Abu-Shamala was initially a walk-on, but he’s 1. been on schollie for 2 or 3 years now 2. contributed a lot and 3. will be a senior next year. It would seem pretty ungrateful/tacky to pull it for him. And Payton is a guy who I imagine Tubby would like to pull, but if he can’t convince Payton to leave on his own, does he really want to go through the bad PR of publicly pulling it? Personally, I wouldn’t mind it too much as I understand it’s a business and I haven’t seen much on the court from Payton that I’d miss, but still. I guess I would mind if Tubby didn’t renew Abu-Shamala’s schollie because of above mentioned reasons.
Yep, alum & fan, you’re right — I thought Busch’s name was with the other juniors on the grid and it’s not.
As for Busch losing his scholarship, I suspect it was given this year with the understanding that it might not be renewed … there was one available this year and Tubby put it to use.
There’s plenty of rumors that Krys Faber may commit this week (Kevin Lynch said as much Sunday night on Rosen’s show). If so, I suspect it will be Busch’s scholarship that would go.
If another recruit is signed for the 2008-09 season, I still think it will be Abu Shamala’s scholarship … but I also think it would be with the idea of switching him to an academic scholarship. (I’ve understood that’s feasible under NCAA rules but it’s a complicated scenario)
