Bigs for next year?

[cyfan92]

N.J. Benson from Missouri St might be worth a look at the Hasan Ward role.

He's playing against Indiana St right now and guarding Avilia VERY well. Good rebounder, good shot blocker, and shoots nearly 70% from in close.

Reminds me of the Houston big guys

 

[rosshm16]

Watson can be a big matchup problem if he develops a corner three.

 

[Pat]

Watson can be a big matchup problem if he develops a corner three.

And also a lottery pick.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

He has shoulders as wide as someone like Burton though, and he looked like a junior with his body already as a freshman. Omaha is definitely a 4 next year (assuming he returns), and he will have some versatility in that spot too IMO.

Is our confidence to the level of assuming he returns now? I guess mine was still assuming the opposite. Feel like he'd go develop in the G-League before returning. Hoping I'm wrong. Could really carve out a meaningful role on next year's roster.

That said, TJ definitely needs to go portalling for a big. 100% chance he realizes that, and I have faith he'll find 1 or 2 good options. Excited about where things stand in the back court. Fun times right now.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Is our confidence to the level of assuming he returns now? I guess mine was still assuming the opposite. Feel like he'd go develop in the G-League before returning. Hoping I'm wrong. Could really carve out a meaningful role on next year's roster.

That said, TJ definitely needs to go portalling for a big. 100% chance he realizes that, and I have faith he'll find 1 or 2 good options. Excited about where things stand in the back court. Fun times right now.

I really don't know, so I'm just being hopeful at this point. All I can tell is that he's maintained a great attitude on the bench in every game from all appearances, and I'm sure that he is getting great coaching and communication from the staff. Seeing the development of the other bigs under Coach Green has to help. Hopefully that combination will be enough to keep him around for another year.

Either way, I think we need 1 experienced big guy, and 2 if Omaha leaves.

 

[ISUTex]

And also a lottery pick.

Maybe if he develops point guard level handles. Which, I don't see happening. Would love to see it though.

 

[VeloClone]

I didn’t realize until tonight that Ward is also a senior. Yikes! So we lose BRE, King, and Ward.

Right now we have JT Rock and 6’6” Kayden Fish for bigs next year? No, I don’t count Omaha as a big.

And as of now, just 2 guards coming in next season. Any ideas on who we might be able to go get to bring in??

Sorry if this already has a thread on this topic.

So we are counting 6-6 Kayden Fish as a big but we aren't counting 6-8 Omaha Biliew? I would get it if you are just discounting that he will be ready, but you flat out said you don't count him as a big.

I would think between Fish, Biliew, Momcilovich and Watson we have some coverage at the 4 but it would be really nice to have another (beefier hopefully) 5 to help out Rock.

I am also curious who the "enforcer" of daily effort will be. We have the CEO, but we still need someone to fill BRE's role.

 

[Cyclonepride]

So we are counting 6-6 Kayden Fish as a big but we aren't counting 6-8 Omaha Biliew? I would get it if you are just discounting that he will be ready, but you flat out said you don't count him as a big.

I would think between Fish, Biliew, and Watson we have some coverage at the 4 but it would be really nice to have another (beefier hopefully) 5 to help out Rock.

I am also curious who the "enforcer" of daily effort will be. We have the CEO, but we still need someone to fill BRE's role.

I think some of that leadership will be passed down to our returning guys, and they'll have to step up in their roles and in their communication.

 

[VeloClone]

I said at the beginning of the year people were crazy to not easily be optimistic. In an age of turnover and uncertainty we had every positive indicator you could ask for. Great coach, great point guard, a top freshman class, a top transfer class, an elite home court.

"Age of turnover" Is that a reference to the Otz/Green defense?

 

[Aclone]

Nobody knows how Fish will turn out or what his career will hold (here or elsewhere). He came in knowing he needed to develop and has been a hard worker in practice. He has a total of 18 minutes played this year so anybody making any outside assessment on those 18 minutes is full of it. He's engaged on the bench and can develop into a good role player. I don't think he's an All Big 12 Team kind of guy, but that never should have been the expectation either.

Pav is in a difficult position. He's used his transfer (possible that doesn't matter given some current legal events with the NCAA) and I think has shown to really struggle adjusting to the size and physicality of the Big 12. He has some skill, but how much higher the ceiling is for him is really hard to tell. The makeup of the other 4 guys playing with him at any given time makes a huge difference in his ability to create any space to score.

We’ve played with less skilled, shorter and less athletic point guards over the last forty years. However, that was in distinctly different eras of Cyclone hoops.

If he wants to stick around, I think there is a role for him. The question would seem to be whether he wants a spot on a highly ranked team and a chance at a ring—or a bigger role somewhere else.

Or maybe…he improves over the next couple of years the same way BRE did.

 

[TheDudeAbides]

Lipsey
Gilbert
Milan
Watson
Dawson Garcia

Jones
Nojus
Biliew
Transfer 5 like Ward

That's your 2025 Final Four Cyclones

I'm sorry, but Watson is not a starting option at the 4 ha. Love his energy, and he plays great defense, but if he's the starting PF they're not making a final four. Also, Jones has certainly earned a spot in the starting lineup. Has quickly become my favorite ball handling option late in games. I always have a slight level of stress when Lipsey and Gilbert get that tunnel vision, and you just know a wild drive into traffic is imminent. Followed by going 1 for 2 at the line if fouled.

Have all the confidence in TJ to find 1 or 2 good portal options in the post.

Was just trying to think of the last 5 that could consistently back guys down, and finish. Would be nice to have a skilled offensive option on the block. That's how you truly drought proof an offense imo. When struggling, dump it in, and let the big man go to work. TJ hasn't had one yet, and I'm not sure Fred ever did either. The theme has been more rim protectors, and rebounders over two way guys that you can actually draw plays up for. Niang obviously fits the offensive mold, but he was more at the 4. Probably Royce White? Before that all the way back to Homan? Interesting thoughts.

Whatever happens - the fun times are back in Ames. Love it!

 

[VeloClone]

He's listed at 6'5", so he'd be pretty undersized for a Big 12 frontcourt, although so was Burton.

Can't find a lot of Pierce highlight reels on YouTube. He looks like a strong dude but seems to be playing more of a guard position at the high school level.

Stevie Johnson - listed at 6'4" and almost assuredly wasn't even all of that.

 

[cayin]

Dawson Garcia and Sy Chatman (provided he gets a waiver)

I know Dawson's dad. They love Ben Johnson.

 

[jcyclonee]

And also a lottery pick.

He needs better ball-handling skills too but those both could happen.

 

[jcyclonee]

"Age of turnover" Is that a reference to the Otz/Green defense?

I think it refers to the Terry Woods years.

 

[RagingCloner]

N.J. Benson from Missouri St might be worth a look at the Hasan Ward role.

He's playing against Indiana St right now and guarding Avilia VERY well. Good rebounder, good shot blocker, and shoots nearly 70% from in close.

Reminds me of the Houston big guys

I was thinking this as I was watching this game as well!

 

[VeloClone]

I think it refers to the Terry Woods years.

I remember Terry regularly coming in for pizza while I was working and skin-and-bones me thinking, "I'm even bigger than this guy."

 

[MJ271]

I'm sorry, but Watson is not a starting option at the 4 ha. Love his energy, and he plays great defense, but if he's the starting PF they're not making a final four. Also, Jones has certainly earned a spot in the starting lineup. Has quickly become my favorite ball handling option late in games.

I agree on Jones, but a point on Watson: Baylor won the title in 2021 with a starting 4 who averaged 6 points per game, 7 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block, while shooting 50% from the free throw line and only attempting 6 three-point shots the entire season.

Mark Vital College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Mark Vital - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

Edit: Oddly enough, Watson's win shares per 40 minutes this season and Vital's WS/40 that season are identical at 0.175.

 

[cyfan92]

I'm sorry, but Watson is not a starting option at the 4 ha. Love his energy, and he plays great defense, but if he's the starting PF they're not making a final four. Also, Jones has certainly earned a spot in the starting lineup. Has quickly become my favorite ball handling option late in games. I always have a slight level of stress when Lipsey and Gilbert get that tunnel vision, and you just know a wild drive into traffic is imminent. Followed by going 1 for 2 at the line if fouled.

Have all the confidence in TJ to find 1 or 2 good portal options in the post.

Was just trying to think of the last 5 that could consistently back guys down, and finish. Would be nice to have a skilled offensive option on the block. That's how you truly drought proof an offense imo. When struggling, dump it in, and let the big man go to work. TJ hasn't had one yet, and I'm not sure Fred ever did either. The theme has been more rim protectors, and rebounders over two way guys that you can actually draw plays up for. Niang obviously fits the offensive mold, but he was more at the 4. Probably Royce White? Before that all the way back to Homan? Interesting thoughts.

Whatever happens - the fun times are back in Ames. Love it!

Watson is the best defender on the #1 defensive team in the country (since 1/1/2024 according to Torvick). He is a 33% three point shot away from being an NBA draft pick. Tamin went from 20% to 37% in one off season, Watson doesn't even need to make that much of a jump.

I'm also pretty sure he has grown an inch or two since coming to campus. 6'8" with bounce and at least a 7' wingspan

 

[Cyclonepride]

I agree on Jones, but a point on Watson: Baylor won the title in 2021 with a starting 4 who averaged 6 points per game, 7 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block, while shooting 50% from the free throw line and only attempting 6 three-point shots the entire season.

Mark Vital College Stats | College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com

Mark Vital - Stats, Game Logs, Splits, and much more

www.sports-reference.com

Also, never underestimate the ability of a guy to make a big leap from year to year like we've seen with Tamin and Robert Jones this year.