So I posted this elsewhere but IU now has the following:
Rice
Carlyle
Mgbako
Reneau
Ballo
Tucker
Galloway
Cupps
Leal
Newton
That’s 10 guys already and I would assume they’re looking to add at least one shooter and a big.
Besides the fact that Mbgako is slow and will have a tough time guarding the 3, is IU going to have to tell the 5 star Frosh they paid big money for, to come off the bench or one of the guards they just paid big money for to come off the bench. wonder if anyone will get upset over that?
Still don’t see how Ballo and Reneau fit unless Malik can develop a consistent outside jumper that’s worth going out to guard. Ballo has no such skill in that department and while athletic, is slow to guard the PnR. Good rebounder, due to being bigger than everyone (we ve benefited from that), but awful FT shooter. I feel he clogs the lane for Reneau and others.
So, if you play those first 6 I listed, you’re probably going to play Galloway, a big and a shooter next in the lineup. Which means Gallo is your 7th-9th guy off the bench with reduced mins. Cupps probably sees way less mins than last year being the 10th man and Leal will barely sniff the floor, barring injury. The 3 guys who showed loyalty and stayed at IU, get recruited over and pushed down in the lineup and minutes reduced. That’s pretty $hitty if you ask me.
That also doesn’t even include Newton…not sure how he fits into the lineup.
I guess from IU’s perspective it’s a good problem to have? But Not sure as a HS receuit, why you’d want to go there, stay and develop at IU if they are just going to recruit over you. But hey, this is the most talented team (star wise) IU has had for quite some time so (as you said) no excuses this year….if they don’t win the conference and make it out of the first weekend….id assume that be an epic fail with all the money shelled out to buy this team.