379 replies to this topic

[BSLZackKiesel]

Georgetown transfer C Qudus Wahab is officially considering Maryland. Also has Miami (FL), N.C. State, Tennessee, and West Virginia on his list. He’s a local product (Flint Hill, VA) and would have up to 3 years of eligibility remaining. Patrick Ewing recently commented that Wahab had the chance to develop into one of Georgetown’s best big men in the history of their program.

Obviously if Maryland were to make a coaching change, who knows where it would put them with him.

[BSLRoseKatz]

Chol Marial transfering, not exactly a surprise 

[BSLChrisStoner]

IMS: https://247sports.co..._L7TMYIRGL-By2U

"With an extension in hand, he'll need to pull several reinforcements in from the NCAA transfer portal. Maryland loses senior leader Darryl Morsell, the Big Ten defensive player of the year. And juniors Eric Ayala and Aaron Wiggins, the team's top two scorers, are expected to test their NBA Draft stock. Maryland's roster also desperately needs help at point guard and center.  It'll require a strong rebuild for his team to be considered a Big Ten contender. With fans expected to return to Xfinity Center next season, that could be a recipe for awkwardness."

[BSLChrisStoner]

So with Turgeon staying, there is an expectation of incoming transfers shortly.

Will be interesting to see if those arrivals can convince Wiggins and Ayala to return.

[BSLZackKiesel]

Rhode Island PG Fatts Russell, a high school teammate of Donta Scott’s, will announce his decision later today. He’s a rising senior, and is also considering Arkansas, Arizona State, Auburn, Gonzaga, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Texas, Texas Tech, and UCLA. He’d be an excellent addition at a position of need.

[BSLBobPhelan]

Great name.

[Mackus]

Haven't seen him play, but statline looks like he's a volume but very low-efficiency scorer. High assists as well, I'm guessing he controls the ball a majority of the time for Rhode Island. Gotta like the A-10 all defensive team nod.

Strong list after him, which is probably more telling than anything else. Hope he had a great relationship with Donta, will be tough to be the winner of that list otherwise.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Haven't seen him play, but statline looks like he's a volume but very low-efficiency scorer. High assists as well, I'm guessing he controls the ball a majority of the time for Rhode Island. Gotta like the A-10 all defensive team nod.

Strong list after him, which is probably more telling than anything else. Hope he had a great relationship with Donta, will be tough to be the winner of that list otherwise.

 

Him and Wahab both expected to commit to MD this weekend.

[Mackus]

That'd be a nice start to transfer season.

[BSLChrisStoner]

So right now, MD looks like: 

Guards: Ayala, Smart, Dockery
Wings: Wiggins, Hart, Graham
Bigs: Scott, Hamilton, Reese, Cornish, Revaz

 

That's with the expectation Morsell doesn't return. 

As quoted above, and we've discussed... Wiggins likely leaves, and apparently Ayala also going to test the NBA waters, but I'd expect him to return. 

 

Marial has left. 

 

Do any of Smart, Dockery, and Revaz leave?

 

If you were to officially land Russell, and Wahab, and Wiggins leaves... maybe something like: 

 

1 Russell

2 Ayala

3 Hart

4 Scott

5 Wahab

 

Bench: Hamilton, Graham, Reese, Cornish, Smart, Dockery 

 

With Wiggins.. him at the 3, and Hart off the bench.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Is Morsell going to play a 5th year elsewhere or play professionally. Would be great if he returned. I also expect more transfers out of here.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Is Morsell going to play a 5th year elsewhere or play professionally. Would be great if he returned. I also expect more transfers out of here.

 

Nobody seems to expect he'll be back.  He can definitely go be a pro somewhere. I was hoping if Wiggins returned, he would also come back.

[Mike in STL]

Great name.

Sounds like a pool hall hustler.

[Mackus]

I think offensively you're gonna be better with that team even though you lose Wiggins because a legit center allows for so many more offensive options. I'd lean towards starting Hamilton over Hart and going bigger. Hart doesn't need to be the fill-in PG if you've got Russell, so he becomes the sixth man.

Defensively, it's gonna be much worse but mainly because I think the great collective team defense we saw last season falls apart without Morsell. Turgeon's never gotten a team to buy in to the level this year's team did before. Maybe Scott and Ayala can continue the leadership that merged Turgeon's desires with the willingness of the players, but my completely uninformed opinion is that it was Morsell that tied everything together.

Scott seems like the key on this roster. He really struggled as far as making a huge impact over the second half of last year after flashing big time early. If he's just a solid starting guy then the team is limited. If he continues making big strides and becomes a legit best or 2nd best type player on both ends, then that team could be real good. If the above is true and they can keep up the defensive quality, then it could be quite good. That's becoming a lot of ifs.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Graham, Reese, or Cornish being ready to contribute as freshmen would be a big help. Keep Ayala, Scott, and Wahab that should be a solid top 3. If Russell is coming they better have him rein in the shot volume. The FG and 3pt % are ugly.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Graham, Reese, or Cornish being ready to contribute as freshmen would be a big help. Keep Ayala, Scott, and Wahab that should be a solid top 3. If Russell is coming they better have him rein in the shot volume. The FG and 3pt % are ugly.

Interesting that in '18-'19, he had more 3pt attempts per game, and a much higher % made. 

[BSLChrisStoner]

If they officially land Russell and Wahab, and Wiggins (and Ayala) were to return... I think the hype / expectations would be pretty high. 

[Mackus]

Yes, that'd be a very exciting roster. Top-20 type team if not better. But I don't really think Wiggins returning is on the table. I don't like trying to read body language, but he and Morsell both looked like guys who knew they were finished as they were taken off the court against Alabama and embraced teammates. Doesn't hurt to dream though! I think Wiggins could be first team Big Ten if he comes back, I'd expect a huge senior season.

[BSLChrisStoner]

 I'd lean towards starting Hamilton over Hart and going bigger. Hart doesn't need to be the fill-in PG if you've got Russell, so he becomes the sixth man.

 

That's a very good point, and I agree with your defensive comments as well. 

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yes, that'd be a very exciting roster. Top-20 type team if not better. But I don't really think Wiggins returning is on the table. I don't like trying to read body language, but he and Morsell both looked like guys who knew they were finished as they were taken off the court against Alabama and embraced teammates. Doesn't hurt to dream though!

 

Yeah, get the same sense with Wiggins. Know Jeff / IMS has made the point to me and others about him already being older, and not wanting to start a pro career a year from now, that much older. 

Wiggins still not appearing on NBA mocks I've seen, even as a 2nd rounder. 

 

https://www.nbadraft...ba-mock-drafts/

 

Currently 89th overall on their big board:
https://www.nbadraft...nking/bigboard/

 

Obviously he could go to individual workouts, and move up.  Only takes 1 team to really like him.  Also of course he can easily go to Europe now and get paid. Or do his time in the G League, and try and earn an opportunity. 

 

But I would think his best possible path to the NBA would be coming back and dominating his Senior year.  But that's my bias / fandom, and he has to do what is right for him.