Omaha enters the transfer portal (confirmed)

[83cy]

I never understood why NBA teams insisted on trying to make him a 3. It just wasn't his game. The story was he was "undersized" for an NBA 4, at 6'8" 260. Fizer was probably only 6'8" on his tallest day in his thickest shoes, but this was also in the era when everyone wanted their 4 to be a Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett body type.

IIRC Fizer was 6' 6 1/2" with or without shoes I don't know. Loved watching that guy play!

 

[Nolaeer]

Is this the kid who played on the same high school team as Tucker Devries? if so, Tucker is following him now that he's in the portal. Not sure if this is the kid bc WVU podcasters are horrible with names, but one kid wvu has an eye on was a sophomore on the same hs team as tucker when he was a senior.

 

[ScottyP]

Bruton was denied admissions because he played professionally(or took money) in Australia. NJCAA didnt have a problem with it. The NCAA did. Gerrod Henderson was also in that class and didn't qualify.

I went to a game at Hilton that featured top recruits from the Big 10 and Big 12. (Big 22 classic?) Henderson played in that game along with Chris Mihm. Henderson won the dunk contest and I thought he was going to be a stud for us. Too bad he couldn’t qualify.

 

[heitclone]

Is this the kid who played on the same high school team as Tucker Devries? if so, Tucker is following him now that he's in the portal. Not sure if this is the kid bc WVU podcasters are horrible with names, but one kid wvu has an eye on was a sophomore on the same hs team as tucker when he was a senior.

That would fit Omaha's age. He was two years behind Tucker.

 

[CyorDy]

After thought, I think more than anything, he seemed position less. His last year at Waukee he played kind of a point forward position. Ball in his hand alot. Jacking up 3’s. From my distant eye, trying to be something he isn’t. (Really trying to work on his game but not playing to his strength),

so, probably not big enough to be a big (and I don’t think that’s what he wanted to be). And probably not the skill set to be a wing (which is what i think he wants to be), at least at this level. Good luck to him. Go down a level and get some playing time.

 

[deadeyededric]

I never understood why NBA teams insisted on trying to make him a 3. It just wasn't his game. The story was he was "undersized" for an NBA 4, at 6'8" 260. Fizer was probably only 6'8" on his tallest day in his thickest shoes, but this was also in the era when everyone wanted their 4 to be a Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett body type.

I think he measured 6-7 at one of the pre-draft camps. I don't remember him ever being 260. I think he was probably 245 tops.

 

[GoldandCardinal]

Iowa State had a JV team my first year. Freshmen were eligible.

My roommate played on the JV team in the late ‘70’s.

 

[deadeyededric]

I went to a game at Hilton that featured top recruits from the Big 10 and Big 12. (Big 22 classic?) Henderson played in that game along with Chris Mihm. Henderson won the dunk contest and I thought he was going to be a stud for us. Too bad he couldn’t qualify.

I was at that game also. I think one of the teams was actually ISU's entire recruiting class. We had 8 or 9 in it. I remember Andy Stensrud playing. I remember Mihm there. Can't remember anyone else on the other roster. Henderson went to LA Tech and left their all-time leading scorer. Didnt he win the 3pt contest that day also? Bruton was there too. Only the Duke class with Battier was ranked higher. At the end of it all only Rancik and Fizer were around for more than a year. Walter Moore even ended up playing D2 somewhere in Missouri.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I’m sure this is just confirmation bias but it feels like every “big” recruit Iowa State ever gets doesn’t pan out. Foster and Omaha on the basketball side. Joe Scates, Greg Gaines, Dekkers (lol) on the football side.

A lot of them don't pan out for other schools either (see KU and others). They just get more so the ones that don't aren't as noticeable.

To me, big recruits are guys that come here and succeed at a high level, and we've had plenty of those.

 

[Gunnerclone]

I can't speak for anyone else but I feel like we got scammed. I don't donate to that NIL stuff either but I know people who do, so they didn't get much ROI if some of their money went to getting Omaha here.

He was a colossal bust, that may sound harsh but it's the truth. It kills absolutely any enthusiasm I'll ever have for a high school player committing to Iowa State moving forward.

@jmb

 

[Gunnerclone]

Stop acting like a typical Hawk fan

Pretty sure that poster IS a typical Hawk fan.

 

[jmb]

@jmb

?

 

[Gunnerclone]

?

Sorry. Might have you confused with someone else that I was discussing this poster being a troll in a different thread.

 

[CYDJ]

I went to a game at Hilton that featured top recruits from the Big 10 and Big 12. (Big 22 classic?) Henderson played in that game along with Chris Mihm. Henderson won the dunk contest and I thought he was going to be a stud for us. Too bad he couldn’t qualify.

I was there too. Very promising. Was a nice, interesting event for sure.

 

[VeloClone]

He averaged like 30ppg the last 10 games of that year. He was so focused and such a hard worker always. One of the more dominant offensive big guys from the 90s and 2000's in college basketball. Right up there with guys.like Glenn Robinson and Corliss Williamson. I really thought he would be a perennial all-star in the NBA. I think trying to make him a 3 was his downfall.

He added a 3 point shot to his arsenal at the end of that year. It made a guy who was extremely difficult to guard impossible to guard.

 

[rosshm16]

I think he measured 6-7 at one of the pre-draft camps. I don't remember him ever being 260. I think he was probably 245 tops.

b-ref has him at 6'9", 262 lbs. Maybe he put on 20 lbs in the NBA.

Marcus Fizer Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more | Basketball-Reference.com

Checkout the latest stats of Marcus Fizer. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, shoots, school and more on Basketball-Reference.com

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[VeloClone]

He averaged like 30ppg the last 10 games of that year. He was so focused and such a hard worker always. One of the more dominant offensive big guys from the 90s and 2000's in college basketball. Right up there with guys.like Glenn Robinson and Corliss Williamson. I really thought he would be a perennial all-star in the NBA. I think trying to make him a 3 was his downfall.

Yeah, if they tried to Charles Barkley him he would have been undersized as a 4 but probably would have had a better chance.

 

[rosshm16]

I was at that game also. I think one of the teams was actually ISU's entire recruiting class. We had 8 or 9 in it. I remember Andy Stensrud playing. I remember Mihm there. Can't remember anyone else on the other roster. Henderson went to LA Tech and left their all-time leading scorer. Didnt he win the 3pt contest that day also? Bruton was there too. Only the Duke class with Battier was ranked higher. At the end of it all only Rancik and Fizer were around for more than a year. Walter Moore even ended up playing D2 somewhere in Missouri.

I remember this too. I remember one team being just our recruits but in retrospect that doesn't seem realistic, did we actually have 8+ recruits that year? It was hyped up pretty big in Ames, coming into year 4 of the Floyd era with this great recruiting class after three straight years of advancing to at least the second round of the tourney and coming off a Sweet 16 year. Gerrod Henderson lit it up in this game.

For our recruits I remember:

• Fizer
• Rancik
• CJ Bruton
• Henderson
• Stensrud (did he ever actually play? I remember him in football but no basketball)

Other freshmen on the 1997-98 roster, none of whom did much, were:

• Lee Love
• Paris Corner
• Lamont Sides
• Marcus Clark

 

[NetflixAndClone]

A lot of them don't pan out for other schools either (see KU and others). They just get more so the ones that don't aren't as noticeable.

To me, big recruits are guys that come here and succeed at a high level, and we've had plenty of those.

Reminds me of Cheick Diallo, big star that everyone wanted to go to ISU. Goes to KU and gets 3 points per game. Left for the NBA and did have minor success. Probably was just too raw for the college game. I think Omaha will have future success, but he needs to find a team that can afford to have him iron out his game even if that means accepting some losses that may come from it.

I think TJ knows next year we have a chance that really go all in, and we need every spot available for polished players. It is like metaphorically trading a young prospect for a proven veteran. That prospect might be better than the veteran in the future, but we are in a win now situation.

 

[jmb]

Sorry. Might have you confused with someone else that I was discussing this poster being a troll in a different thread.

No that was me. I agree-troll.