Wisconsin Badgers Thread

[Diggr14]

I'm not as close to this stuff as I used to and I understand Kon is very highly rated so it's not like I'm taking a hard stance. Don't get me wrong, of course I'd like to get him. But to me I still get a bit of the 'ok more of the same' type vibe, not unlike I do with Gus also. If we get him of course I hope he's more Herro than the long list of mid level guys we've had who everyone complains about for not being quick enough, thick enough, can't get their own shot, etc.

Obviously as a big shooting guy I'm all for getting him and hopefully they manage not to mess up shooting like they have for others.

I dont think they've really had a player like Yalden. A forward with passing ability like he does, at his size. That's different for us. Especially considering he can shoot a little too.

I hope Blackwell brings the athleticism we need at the combo guard. Winter is a lot like other past PFs that we have had. However, he might have the potential to be a better scoring than most. He needs to get bigger. Probably a RS candidate. I am excited by Storr.

[chonestown]

I'm not as close to this stuff as I used to and I understand Kon is very highly rated so it's not like I'm taking a hard stance. Don't get me wrong, of course I'd like to get him. But to me I still get a bit of the 'ok more of the same' type vibe, not unlike I do with Gus also. If we get him of course I hope he's more Herro than the long list of mid level guys we've had who everyone complains about for not being quick enough, thick enough, can't get their own shot, etc.

Obviously as a big shooting guy I'm all for getting him and hopefully they manage not to mess up shooting like they have for others.

I dont think they've really had a player like Yalden. A forward with passing ability like he does, at his size. That's different for us. Especially considering he can shoot a little too.

I hope Blackwell brings the athleticism we need at the combo guard. Winter is a lot like other past PFs that we have had. However, he might have the potential to be a better scoring than most. He needs to get bigger. Probably a RS candidate. I am excited by Storr.

I think this is mostly right except I think the days of redshirts are largely over. Too risky to sit out anyone healthy while the portal beckons. Winter is also the only one with height to back up Crowl.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yalden reminds me of Cameron Krutwig of Loyola-Chicago but Gus has 3-point range. Winter does seem like you can make the lazy comparison of skinny white stretch 4/5 from Minnesota, but he may have a little bit more of an ability to move/dribble/drive than some recent ones.

Blackwell...maybe I'm wrong - I'm sure he can play in the Big Ten and may start one day, but he seems like maybe just an adequate guard from what I've seen.

Until we hit the transfer portal well, I was still not too excited about the future because those two guys are ones to get excited about in the pre-portal era as to what they'd develop into at UW. Now that we've kind of bridged a bit to the future, I am a bit more excite.

[DingleJerry]

IDK, we've had bigs who can shoot for 20 years. Gus seems in the same ilk except a bit shorter. Then get into more 4s than 5s and you have guys like Leur, Nigel, even Dekker, Wilkinson. Maybe he's more Jokic than those guys but seems to fall in our classic mold to me, including the lack of quickness and athleticism.

[chonestown]

IDK, we've had bigs who can shoot for 20 years. Gus seems in the same ilk except a bit shorter. Then get into more 4s than 5s and you have guys like Leur, Nigel, even Dekker, Wilkinson. Maybe he's more Jokic than those guys but seems to fall in our classic mold to me, including the lack of quickness and athleticism.

I don't think there's one guy that's a straight comparison for Gus. Surprisingly, there's some attributes that remind me a lot of Happ. He has great hands and real good vision. People rightfully remember Happ as having microscopic range, but that is done at the expense of the rest of his offensive game. Happ had the cerebral game.

Gus sure don't look to be Happ on defense, though.

[Kerb Hohl]

IDK, we've had bigs who can shoot for 20 years. Gus seems in the same ilk except a bit shorter. Then get into more 4s than 5s and you have guys like Leur, Nigel, even Dekker, Wilkinson. Maybe he's more Jokic than those guys but seems to fall in our classic mold to me, including the lack of quickness and athleticism.

Yeah, if we're forced to go with UW comparisons, Happ/Wahl with an outside shot maybe Nigel is the best you can get. Maybe Mike Wilkinson if we are going way back.

Reuvers, Leuer, Crowl, etc. could all play above the rim if they wanted to and were 2 inches taller.

Gus is very similar to Cameron Krutwig IMO except on some of the pick n roll/pops, when he pops, he can just shoot the 3. Krutwig would get the ball at the top and make something happen driving down the lane with a spin move or a pass, which Gus can also do. The offensive moves given very similar height/weight/vertical are almost identical if you watch their highlights. A lot of the moves Happ made except a bit more decisive/with positioning vs. Happ's quicker feet.

The difference to me is that most of the "classic UW centers" are 6'11" or 7'0", generally rigid with the dribble other than maybe Leuer, but can shoot a 3. They may not have an above average vertical, but they can play above the rim.

Gus is like Happ or Wahl if we have to compare because he can dribble the ball in from the perimeter and make something happen. But like Krutwig or Happ, his offense relies entirely on positioning since he can barely dunk (Wahl can get above the rim if he wants to).

;tldr - the way to spot the difference to me is that, if Reuvers did a pick and pop and got the ball at the top of the key and didn't want to shoot the 3, would you ever see him drive to the basket, spin, and pass for a layup or get past his defender for a layup with the defender on his hip? Other than Leuer, that is not something Crowl, Reuvers, Butch, or maybe even Frank could do. That's the sort of stuff Yalden can probably do. But he also won't be blocking the 7'0" center from Michigan's shot very often like those guys could.

[DingleJerry]

Yea of course we all hope there is more there and is more dynamic. But, those are HS high lights, everyone looks awesome in them. Key to me, please just let the shooting translate and don't mess with it. Anything after that I'll take as gravy.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yea of course we all hope there is more there and is more dynamic. But, those are HS high lights, everyone looks awesome in them. Key to me, please just let the shooting translate and don't mess with it. Anything after that I'll take as gravy.

Sure, he may be overrated - but I will add that those HS highlights are against a loaded prep school division littered with high D1 players.

Regardless, I'm just saying don't compare him to "white stretch forward/center from Wisconsin" because IMO he's different than Crowl, Reuvers, Frank, etc.

[jute2003]

Yea of course we all hope there is more there and is more dynamic. But, those are HS high lights, everyone looks awesome in them. Key to me, please just let the shooting translate and don't mess with it. Anything after that I'll take as gravy.

From what I've read, Gus is a very different type of player. That doesn't mean his impact will be greater than other big white stiffs but it'll be different. Hopefully he can defend well enough.

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

[Kerb Hohl]

Hmmm…maybe he didn’t expect Storr

[MVP2110]

His brother is an assistant at UWGB, possible he heads up there. Was looking forward to having a score 1st combo guard off the bench so this hurts a bit

[RiotPunch]

Damn. I was pretty hyped for Noah.

[MikeIsGood]

That stinks. Definitely wonder what led to it, but we may find out with situational clues in time.

Glad it wasn't Storr.

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

[Kerb Hohl]

Especially as a continuity program, which I’m fine with as long as Gard is kind of aggressive filling it out, it’s probably tough to find guys to fill or be willing to compete fringes of the rotation. Once Storr was in, I’m sure being the 2nd/3rd/4th guard in other programs was more enticing than maybe the 5th guard here.

You take him early and hope he’s OK with fighting for minutes if you get Storr.

[DingleJerry]

Yea that was my guess when I heard it too. Really it falls in line with what we talked about a few weeks ago on the minutes crunch of getting a bigger wing/G. I'd rather have the bigger guy in Storr and now this frees up a spot for some kind of big man as well where minutes are more easily had.

[KidA24]

;tldr - the way to spot the difference to me is that, if Reuvers did a pick and pop and got the ball at the top of the key and didn't want to shoot the 3, would you ever see him drive to the basket, spin, and pass for a layup or get past his defender for a layup with the defender on his hip? Other than Leuer, that is not something Crowl, Reuvers, Butch, or maybe even Frank could do. That's the sort of stuff Yalden can probably do. But he also won't be blocking the 7'0" center from Michigan's shot very often like those guys could.

Frank had those skills, he just wasn't allowed to do it often.

The guy you all seem to be forgetting is Berggren, who it sort of sounds like this guy might be like.

Watch on YouTube

[Kerb Hohl]

;tldr - the way to spot the difference to me is that, if Reuvers did a pick and pop and got the ball at the top of the key and didn't want to shoot the 3, would you ever see him drive to the basket, spin, and pass for a layup or get past his defender for a layup with the defender on his hip? Other than Leuer, that is not something Crowl, Reuvers, Butch, or maybe even Frank could do. That's the sort of stuff Yalden can probably do. But he also won't be blocking the 7'0" center from Michigan's shot very often like those guys could.

Frank had those skills, he just wasn't allowed to do it often.

The guy you all seem to be forgetting is Berggren, who it sort of sounds like this guy might be like.

Watch on YouTube

I agree a little bit on Berggren after watching the highlights, but Berggren still usually is:
-Catch ball, shoot 3 immediately
-Back to the basket and make a post move or pass
-Tall, protect rim

That's what "white Wisconsin big" does. I know Frank was relatively skilled at dribbling from other angles, Leuer was even more so, Berggren could do a bit.

I would think that Gus gets a lot of opportunities to make something happen from the perimeter. More than those other guys who either were planted on the post or at the 3 point line after setting a screen.

I think that Gus will get the ball facing the defender more often and the move will less often be a shot through/over the defender like it is for a 6'11" guy usually.

[Diggr14]

Best news all day. He was just going to be another guy that can't shoot and plays bad defense.


They can re-focus on getting someone better... or just bank it for the next freshman class.