Miller once again does it again!

[Timm Rosenbach]

I have been following basketball for almost 30 years, and this offseason can only be duplicated by the handoff from Lute Olson to Russ Pennel. Amazingly sad

 

[Dback Jon]

Unfortunately true, he announced on twitter he's walking away from the game permanently but will remain at UA.

Poor kid I hate injuries but 3 times in 3 years.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/arizon...asketball-after-third-acl-tear-215212973.html

When his left knee buckled the summer before his senior season at Las Vegas High School, Ray Smith vowed to return stronger than ever the following year.

When the same fate befell his right knee during practice before his freshman year at Arizona, Smith once again tirelessly dedicated himself to the rehab process.

Only after suffering an ACL tear for a third time in less than 30 months did the former five-star recruit concede it was time to hang up his jersey and basketball shoes for good.

Smith announced his retirement from basketball on Thursday after an MRI exam confirmed that the right knee injury he suffered during an exhibition game on Tuesday night was as serious as he had feared. The 6-foot-8 forward tore his ACL and suffered other ligament and meniscal damage, injuries that would have sidelined him for the entire 2016-17 season even if he had decided to keep playing.

 

[GatorAZ]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

I get AZ, Duke and Kentucky but is he considering Hands a 5* or predicting UCLA gets Wilkes PLUS another 5*?

Walker visiting UK this weekend. Richards announced a final 3 of Arizona, UK and Syracuse and he's announcing Thursday.

 

[Russ Smith]

xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media

I get AZ, Duke and Kentucky but is he considering Hands a 5* or predicting UCLA gets Wilkes PLUS another 5*?

Walker visiting UK this weekend. Richards announced a final 3 of Arizona, UK and Syracuse and he's announcing Thursday.

Depends which site you go by but Hands is generally rated a 5 star right now. I actually think he's a bit overrated I'm really hoping Holiday comes back as a junior because I don't think Hands is going to be ready to be a fulltime PG as a freshman.

The other kid of course is a longshot but UCLA is still in it allegedly for Trent JR and there have been recent reports that he and Wilkes are good friends and Wilkes is really trying to lure him to UCLA. I fully expect he'll still pick Duke. Daniels is one of the people reporting UCLA has made up quite a bit of ground on Trent.

One of the guys on USChoops is saying the Comanche suspension might be a "running a guy off" situation where Miller is very unhappy with him for some reason. No idea what that would be you can tell from looking at his body he's been working hard in the weight room, my guess is he just doesn't know where his classes are thus the suspension. But this guy is considered fairly connected so we'll see. I would imagine even if Miller had intended to run him off the injury to Smith would make him rethink that at least until after the season.

 

[GatorAZ]

Depends which site you go by but Hands is generally rated a 5 star right now. I actually think he's a bit overrated I'm really hoping Holiday comes back as a junior because I don't think Hands is going to be ready to be a fulltime PG as a freshman.

The other kid of course is a longshot but UCLA is still in it allegedly for Trent JR and there have been recent reports that he and Wilkes are good friends and Wilkes is really trying to lure him to UCLA. I fully expect he'll still pick Duke. Daniels is one of the people reporting UCLA has made up quite a bit of ground on Trent.

One of the guys on USChoops is saying the Comanche suspension might be a "running a guy off" situation where Miller is very unhappy with him for some reason. No idea what that would be you can tell from looking at his body he's been working hard in the weight room, my guess is he just doesn't know where his classes are thus the suspension. But this guy is considered fairly connected so we'll see. I would imagine even if Miller had intended to run him off the injury to Smith would make him rethink that at least until after the season.

He's implying that Miller is "running" him out of the program?

 

[Russ Smith]

He's implying that Miller is "running" him out of the program?

And now Comanche will be back Friday for Michigan State so I guess that quells that rumor.

 

[overseascardfan]

And now Comanche will be back Friday for Michigan State so I guess that quells that rumor.

Well like you said, Smith's injury obviously changed things as the front court depth took a hit when he went down. Maybe he transfers next year depending on how many more post players can bring in next year (Brandon McCoy).

 

[Russ Smith]

Well like you said, Smith's injury obviously changed things as the front court depth took a hit when he went down. Maybe he transfers next year depending on how many more post players can bring in next year (Brandon McCoy).

I don't know the specifics of what Comanche did to get suspended but if you read Millers statement about responsibility and being accountable and this suspension is indefinite and then he reinstates him 6 days later because they just barely beat Chico State, to me it sends the exact opposite message of what Miller said he was trying to send. it doesn't send a message of academic accountability it says we're not good enough without you so come on back who cares about your academics.

He can't possibly have learned much of a life lesson in 6 days.

 

[Russ Smith]

Sounds like McCoy is going to Oregon which if true is a bit of out of nowhere I can't recall really any point where they were the perceived leader. They're supposed to get Troy Brown too no idea if McCoy and Brown are friends.

UA is co favorite with UK to get Lonnie Walker

 

[GatorAZ]

Sounds like McCoy is going to Oregon which if true is a bit of out of nowhere I can't recall really any point where they were the perceived leader. They're supposed to get Troy Brown too no idea if McCoy and Brown are friends.

UA is co favorite with UK to get Lonnie Walker

There was a pic on twitter of Walker in the crowd asleep during his visit at Kentucky's exhibition massacre last night... lol

McCoy to Oregon definitely picking up steam but most seem to think Walker is Arizona bound. Altman doing work though... With Lauri being OAD, Ristic likely going pro either here or Europe, McCoy not coming and Ayton not being the surest thing it will be very important for Comanche to get his stuff together.

 

[Russ Smith]

There was a pic on twitter of Walker in the crowd asleep during his visit at Kentucky's exhibition massacre last night... lol

McCoy to Oregon definitely picking up steam but most seem to think Walker is Arizona bound. Altman doing work though... With Lauri being OAD, Ristic likely going pro either here or Europe, McCoy not coming and Ayton not being the surest thing it will be very important for Comanche to get his stuff together.

From what I've read Ayton's very confident he'll qualify academically so unless the people who brought him over violated his amateur status I kind of expect him to qualify now. I guess the one concern is he was at Balboa for I think 2 full years and their academics has people concerned. UCLA allegedly made Hands redo all his core classes from Balboa and I assume UA is doing the same thing with Ayton.

 

[TJ]

From my understanding, McCoy to Oregon is far from a done deal, and I don't think Walker goes to UK.

 

[TJ]

Also, one thing to keep an eye on. If this Trier fiasco is indeed year long, UofA might make a push for Ira Lee to graduate early and join the team in January.

 

[Russ Smith]

From my understanding, McCoy to Oregon is far from a done deal, and I don't think Walker goes to UK.

Yeah not a done deal some are predicting him to Oregon but not as firmly as I thought. 247 has him going to Mich State with UA right behind.

I don't know a thing about Walker he's 80% arizona on 247 but they don't even have UK on the list and I know he's very interested in them so not sure how current they are.

Lee is actually quite a bit older than I realized, I thought Gershon told us on BRO he was like 18 months younger than Cody Riley but it's actually only 3. Riley will be 19 in December, Lee in March 2017. I don't think he's ready for the Pac 12 this year but UA is in an unusual situation so I could see that.

 

[GatorAZ]

Yeah not a done deal some are predicting him to Oregon but not as firmly as I thought. 247 has him going to Mich State with UA right behind.

I don't know a thing about Walker he's 80% arizona on 247 but they don't even have UK on the list and I know he's very interested in them so not sure how current they are.

Lee is actually quite a bit older than I realized, I thought Gershon told us on BRO he was like 18 months younger than Cody Riley but it's actually only 3. Riley will be 19 in December, Lee in March 2017. I don't think he's ready for the Pac 12 this year but UA is in an unusual situation so I could see that.

According to NBADraft.net Brandon Randolph was born 9/2/98. If that's correct it means he's currently 19 and will be 20 before his first freshman game. Could use his shooting.

 

[Russ Smith]

An aside, oregon plays an exhibition tonight I think it's on Pac 12 at 7pm. first look at the JC transfer Kavell Bigby-Williams. From a guy I know who saw actual game tapes not just highlights he said he'd clearly better than Jordan Bell and potentially as a good as Boucher. he's a lefty, great athlete runner and jumper. Can make the 3 but like Boucher he's settling if he takes them.

He thinks he's the best shot blocker of the 3 of them though, and allegedly Altman plans to play 2 of them together quite regularly this year.

If they're as good as advertised I assume Bell is the only one who would be back next year if McCoy were to join them, well and Cage JR.

 

[GatorAZ]

97' Cats said on an open forum that he heard Trier's suspension was for academic reasons. This is the weirdest situation I can remember.

If it's academic related and he gets his studies in order what's the soonest he could be back?

 

[TJ]

97' Cats said on an open forum that he heard Trier's suspension was for academic reasons. This is the weirdest situation I can remember.

If it's academic related and he gets his studies in order what's the soonest he could be back?

December

 

[Russ Smith]

97' Cats said on an open forum that he heard Trier's suspension was for academic reasons. This is the weirdest situation I can remember.

If it's academic related and he gets his studies in order what's the soonest he could be back?

I don't know the rules for sure but I think if it's an NCAA suspension you aren't allowed to practice with the team, which he has been, and there's no reason it wouldn't be public they announce those suspensions. If it were an Arizona academic suspension, like caught cheating or something, my assumption again is if Miller announced Comanche was suspended for academics he'd certainly announce Trier was too.

FWIW per Pascoe, Trier did not travel with the team to Hawaii. His comment is odd though he said only 8 scholarship players on the plane but did NOT say that Comanche was there or not there. He said Talbott Denny was there so that implies Comanche was not but Pascoe didn't say so.

 

[Russ Smith]

Comanche definitely made the trip to Hawaii

 

[Russ Smith]

Trent just picked Duke.

Did Ayton sign his NLI?

Edit just found it he did sign so all 4 commits for UA signed.

 

[GatorAZ]

Kentucky does it again getting PJ Washington and Nick Richards however Petty and Sexton pick Alabama. Wasn't Kansas considered a leader for Sexton in the past? Self needs to pick it up on the recruiting trail...

 

[TJ]

Kentucky does it again getting PJ Washington and Nick Richards however Petty and Sexton pick Alabama. Wasn't Kansas considered a leader for Sexton in the past? Self needs to pick it up on the recruiting trail...

I believe Sexton was Bama bound for some time.

Regarding Kansas, they'll be fine. This time last year, people were etching UofA's tombstone.

 

[GatorAZ]

With Wilkes to UCLA the P12 has the three best classes for 2017 right now and Oregon is 10th. McCoy will move them into the top-5.

 

[Russ Smith]

With Wilkes to UCLA the P12 has the three best classes for 2017 right now and Oregon is 10th. McCoy will move them into the top-5.

Duke and UK will probably end up 1-2 again but yeah the conference is loading up.

One of the IU writers for Scout came on BRO and said from his notebook the very first prospect Ed Schilling scouted for UCLA after getting hired was Kris Wilkes who must have been a freshman then. So pretty good work by the staff.