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Post by uncurselmu on May 20, 2014 18:18:27 GMT -5
I was reading a Bill Simmons article and he mentioned something about Gregg Popovich basically always wants to admit this... "Gregg Popovich has done everything short of admitting publicly, I like having as many foreign guys as possible, they’re wired differently, they actually know how to play basketball, they didn’t just pop out of some AAU factory like the rest of these schmucks." Maybe dunlap is taking the same mentality? Kind of made me have more hope for our recent roster changes. Perhaps that is what you need in the WCC since you can't get the super top recruits. Gonzaga is loaded with Canadians (Sacre, Olynk, Pangos, etc) and going back to Turiaf (who was French) and JP Bautista who was Brazillian. St. Mary's has two NBA guys right now, in Mills and Delly, both Aussies. If you can get guys who can already understand team basketball and execute what the coach's are willing to teach, that's great. It's also what I said earlier. You can drill, drill, drill these guys because they just respect what the coach says to do. I mean, I'm a teacher, and the foreign kids tend to respect the teacher more than the domestic kids because it's just a different level of respect that other countries give authority. Here we teacher bash and coach bash. Now, I think Wiggins (Canada), Parker (raised Mormon) and Embiid (Africa) can be great pros, and that's why I'd draft Dante Exum 4th over a guy like Marcus Smart who will be a coach killer one day. I'd just like Dunlap to get some higher level recruits, even if they're international. Agreed except I'd take Exum as high as 2nd. He has just as much upside as Embiid or Parker but each of those guys have red flags (injuries for embiid and defense for parker).
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Post by LIONS90045 on Jun 8, 2014 21:20:44 GMT -5
As things are still quiet, I thought I would note that Time Warner Cable sports re-broadcast at 8 am this morning (Sunday) last season's LMU- Pepperdine basketball game in Malibu. We still lost but it was interesting.
Any hints on our 13th scholarship player?
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Post by ALioninWinter on Jun 9, 2014 0:47:48 GMT -5
Nice to hear that the Lions were on TV, but is that really the most interesting thing they could find to show?
Regarding the 13th scholarship, I still have my hopes pinned on the guy with the knife.
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Post by longtimelionfan on Jun 9, 2014 17:29:00 GMT -5
If I were Dunlap, unless I ran across a difference maker (at this point that more than likely means a transfer who would have to sit out next year), I'd hold that scholarship for the next recruiting cycle. As someone mentioned above or in another thread the team has six (6) guards/small forwards - Krajovic, Hayes, Flint, Payne, Egbeyemi, and Humphries, the first three of whom can play point and six (6) front court players - Herman, Speiers, Mornar, Wyatt, Okonji and Siame. I also note that Egbeyemi can, and likely will, play some SF and therecruiter identified Speiers as a 2,3 or 4 based upon his shooting ability. So, with the exception of a second true 5, Dunlap should have plenty of "puzzle pieces" next year. In fact, my guess is that Wyatt will be red-shirted. In the video clip I saw on this board he fell down a fair percentage of time after he blocked a shot - which screams about the need to build strength. Wyatt and Mornar look like the same body to me - tall and skinny with a screaming need for added bulk and strength. LMU doesn't need two of those developmental body types on the active roster at the same time.
To this group you add walk-ons and we already heard about one from guarddad - a guard from Ohlone JC which makes some sense since that is where Assistant John Peterson was the head coach. And, historical observation tells me that there will be more than one walk-on. Now, I know LMU has a history of many and weird injuries but thirteen or fourteen players with two walk-ons should be plenty for practice and this roster looks pretty interchangeable between the front and back court. So, unless LMU finds a player who would certainly fill a rotation spot, I'd save the scholarship for the next go round.
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Post by husky on Jun 9, 2014 19:41:47 GMT -5
I wonder if there has been any consideration to red shirting Mornar ala Kelly Olynyk?
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Post by LIONS90045 on Jun 9, 2014 22:00:14 GMT -5
I think its more likely to redshirt one of the new guys - Mornar's game is coming along and he is not likely to gain more bulk than he has this summer and over the last year or so. Mornar has "length" inside and is a defensive threat and has good offensive skills from inside and out - but he is not a "banger" inside and probably never will be.
I see Mornar getting good minutes next season.
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Post by bebetterthanbradley on Jun 9, 2014 23:41:19 GMT -5
Although i think his skills could improve with a redshirt season, we are pretty thin inside... we need mornar if nothing else but for bodies. I do agree with 90045 in that he wouldnt be able to get that much bigger. Marin is just one of those lanky kids who will never be a strong physical brute. Just does not have it in his body composition
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