Official 2007 Arizona Wildcats OFFSEASON Basketball thread

[Mr. Boldin]

I have no clue where they got their rumor from, but it is obvious a few of us on this board have much better connections to this story than they do. This isnt and was never going to happen. I have no idea where they got their infro from or how close this "source is tot he program.

 

[AZBALLER]

Not every recruit has been a failure - Channing Frye and Andre Igoudala are two examples of guys who came to Arizona as pure athletes and left as athletic basketball players. But like in other sports more often than not these guys do not pan out. The problem for me is the entire recruiting philosophy changed when Pastner came aboard into solely recruiting these types of players. And not surprisingly, not all of them hit and there was nobody there with a solid basketball IQ to bail them out. I can name multiple high basketball IQ impact players who would have walked to Tucson from their respective homes for an Arizona scholarship that were passed on for guys with upside.

Imo...Frye wasn't a player that came to az as a pure athlete. He was already a basketball player. He was blessed with size, but he was far from a "pure athlete". Igoudala was a SUPREME athlete and he was a basketball player.

Those are bad examples.

EVEN Rob Evans could have not messed up their basketball careers.

 

[AZBALLER]

I know someone in the athletic department and he told me this evening it's a bunch of crap. He said Chase will definitely be back next year. It will be his team.

Is this the same inside guy that gave you inside info about Miles Simon?

What class did Miles pass during semester break in order to be eligible? I read in the Republic that it was a frosh class(he was a senior at the time)...You said someone in the athletic department said I was wrong.

 

[Russ Smith]

Published: 03.30.2007
Budinger's father says freshman is staying at UA
"It's typical stupid Internet stuff," Olson said today, "where people can put anything out there, and there are people dumb enough to read it and accept it."

Already, UA is expected to lose sophomore Marcus Williams to the NBA. The only thing needed is for Williams to make it official.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/college/46675.php

Hey did Lute just call me dumb?



I'm guessing their source is the same source as Jon Wilner, Chase himself. Wilner talked to him and wrote in his blog that while Chase had been denying it repeatedly, he admitted to him that he had in fact been asking around about where the NBA people saw him and he was going to consider all options.

He didn't say he was going of course.

 

[Dback Jon]

No crime in asking around - and getting opinions.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Imo...Frye wasn't a player that came to az as a pure athlete. He was already a basketball player. He was blessed with size, but he was far from a "pure athlete". Igoudala was a SUPREME athlete and he was a basketball player.

You obviously never saw Channing Frye play in high school. He was a tall goofy kid who could barely run up the court without falling on himself. He wasn't even the best player on his own HS team and came into school backing up Dennis Latimore and Isaiah Fox. Iguodala came in his freshman year behind Hassan Adams in the rotation and left with the highest scoring offense in the country being ran through him.

As far as the Chase thing goes, asking NBA people what he needs to improve and work on over the Summer is something most elite talents do even when they're in high school.

 

[AZBALLER]

I was a little older than Frye, but he did play for my HS's rival(St Mary's), and I obviously did see him play...
Oh well, sorry for taking up space on the ua board, I guess we just have different opinions of what we saw of him in HS? I saw a kid that I wanted ASU to recruit.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

ASU didn't even offer Frye a scholarship out of high school which tells you all you need to know about his abilities before coming to Arizona.

 

[AZBALLER]

You are correct about the scholi

But that is all I need to know about the former coaching staff at ASU.

If I can spot a good basketball player and Lute can, then what was Rob doing?

 

[Arizona's Finest]

You are correct about the scholi

But that is all I need to know about the former coaching staff at ASU.

If I can spot a good basketball player and Lute can, then what was Rob doing?

I saw Frye play against my Alma Mater (CDS) in the playoffs whe ni was two years removed. And i remember saying " No way this guy sees any PT at UA " but thats one of the traits the program used to have that i just don't see anymore. Players used to come in raw and leave NBA studs. Now guys like Adams and Shakur (and to a lesser extent McCllellan and Williams) never get any better year to year. Which is why its easy to get hyped in the preseason as you expect them to get better. But they don't.

Thats the number one thing that needs to change. I am hoping it starts with Budinger....

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Imo...Frye wasn't a player that came to az as a pure athlete. He was already a basketball player. He was blessed with size, but he was far from a "pure athlete". Igoudala was a SUPREME athlete and he was a basketball player.

Those are bad examples.

EVEN Rob Evans could have not messed up their basketball careers.

Truse me I played with Donnell Knight and saw Frye play in HS two years later. At the time Donnell was the far superior player. I can guaran-damn-tee you Evans would have messed up Frye's career as he did Donnell's

 

[Renz]

Rumor has it that Jim Rosborough is out and Lute is hiring Kevin O'Neill to be his new assistant. This is a much needed move IMO, if true.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Would be a pleasant surprise if it happened although it's tough to demote Roz after 30+ years of being a loyal soldier. Two of Roz's biggest resonsibilities are academics and player discipline which have been seriously lacking in recent years (although you can probably put just as much blame on Lute and Pastner for recruiting some of these guys) so it's not like a demotion would be baseless. I recommended this course of action a couple months back, but I'm still very surprised it seems to be a reality.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1253763&postcount=192

 

[Renz]

Would be a pleasant surprise if it happened although it's tough to demote Roz after 30+ years of being a loyal soldier. Two of Roz's biggest resonsibilities are academics and player discipline which have been seriously lacking in recent years (although you can probably put just as much blame on Lute and Pastner for recruiting some of these guys) so it's not like a demotion would be baseless. I recommended this course of action a couple months back, but I'm still very surprised it seems to be a reality.

http://www.arizonasportsfans.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1253763&postcount=192

Good call. Roz is supposed to be re-assigned to an admin. job. I even heard that O'Neill's son will be transferring to UA from Santa Clara if/when O'Neill is hired. FWIW.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

I love Kevin O'Neill, but whoever is out as the assistant (its obviously not Pastner) isnt going to be too happy. It has to be Roz, and I am sure he will receive a nice job in the AD, however I dont think he wants to go into the AD yet and leave the bench.

 

[Lefty]

I love Kevin O'Neill, but whoever is out as the assistant (its obviously not Pastner) isnt going to be too happy. It has to be Roz, and I am sure he will receive a nice job in the AD, however I dont think he wants to go into the AD yet and leave the bench.

Geary should of never been replaced by Miles. He would of been able to teach the guys some defense.

 

[Russ Smith]

Per Jon Wilner's blog from yesterday:

* Arizona forward Marcus Williams could call a press conference as early as Thursday to announce he’s headed to the NBA.

If that happens, watch for Wildcats Coach Lute Olson to call a press conference Friday to announce that he’s thrilled Williams is headed to the NBA.

Just kidding on that last part, but it’s clear the Wildcats don’t want Williams back.

That could be an addition-by-subtraction deal for the Cats. Williams was not interested in playing defense or playing team basketball.

* Williams might not be the players bolting Tucson school this spring. And no, I’m not talking about Chase Budinger, who appears to be coming back for his sophomore year.

I’m talking about Nic Wise and/or Fendi Onobun. One or both might transfer.

 

[Lefty]

Congrats to Bayless for being named the state's Gatorade Player of the Year for a second straight year.

 

[Mr. Boldin]

Nic Wise isnt going anywhere, he would be crazy if he even thought about transferring.

Wise will be back.

 

[Mrh182]

Later Marcus.... glad to have your "me" first attitude no longer part of this program

 

[Renz]

Later Marcus.... glad to have your "me" first attitude no longer part of this program

He was a big disappointment this season, but I give him kudos for staying and finishing his spring course work so the Cats don't lose a scholarship.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/sports/48972.php

Never thought it would happen but it looks like Roz is out and Kevin O'Neill is in. Very necessary change for the program, it's very refreshing as a fan and alum seeing that after a season that 95% of college programs would consider a success that the administration finds a need to upgrade.

 

[devilfan02]

it's very refreshing as a fan and alum seeing that after a season that 95% of college programs would consider a success that the administration finds a need to upgrade.

What?

A season in which you finish 5th in your conference and barely make the NCAA tournament, lose first round in the PAC-10 and NCAA tournaments, and finish unranked in the polls would be considered a success at 95% of college programs?

And to think that replacing an assistant solves all thats bad is Tucson is dillusional

 

[Renz]

Winning 20 games, going to the NCAA tournament and finishing with a winning record in one of the toughest conferences in America would be seen as a success to the vast majority of programs. The Cats also finished with a Top-15 RPI while playing the second-toughest schedule in the country.

Probably 95% of programs would be happy with those results. To think otherwise is "delusional".

 

[Lefty]

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/sports/48972.php

Never thought it would happen but it looks like Roz is out and Kevin O'Neill is in. Very necessary change for the program, it's very refreshing as a fan and alum seeing that after a season that 95% of college programs would consider a success that the administration finds a need to upgrade.

Kevin O'Neil is a great defensive minded coach and that is what the team was lacking last year. He also is one of the top recruiters. He was Lute's #1 guy here in the 80's before he left. This is something that I am glad happened.