***** Official '24/'25 KU Men's Basketball Repository Thread *****

[cmh6476]

The Team:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/

The Schedule:

https://kuathletics.com/sports/mbball/schedule/

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I think most of us agree that he needs talent around him to be successful. But I think what you are missing is that a great player doesn't HAVE to have other people around him to be considered good/great. They are great because they are great.

Let me be clear on my position. HD is not the problem on this team. He is a solid to good player now, and with the right players around him could be a good to very good player.

But he is really unathletic, slow offensively, and gets pushed around a lot for a player that is 7'2" 260. Seeing him power to the basket with a strong move and dunk is like seeing Big Foot. You think you saw it once, but it was so long ago you just can't be certain it wasn't a bear behind a tree.

Now, with all that said, you are going to throw out Kenpom or some other random stat to show he's a great player and I spent the time typing this out for nothing.

Yep, it's always "well, in that one game when it looked like he gave a shit"... NC State, I think? And I do remember him hustling down the court once and making some monster dunk, but couldn't even tell you the game.

People can say he's talented until they're blue in the face, but they're just making up an argument that doesn't exist. Everyone sees the talent and THAT'S the problem. He’s not some scrub who every once in a while might surprise you... he's a much hyped NIL transfer who has become someone you're surprised when he does show up to do.more than be tall and outreach guys for rebounds and layups.

And maybe he was motivated a couple years ago with two NBA draft picks on the Michigan team or those guys just made him look better... but neither of those are attributes of an elite player.

Like I've said before, nobody blames Caitlin Clark for teammates who **** up her perfect passes, or Mahomes in the Bucs SB for receivers dropping passes when he's running for his life and dropping dimes.

Everyone and anyone who isn't blind as **** can see the effort and talent regardless of the players around them.

And that almost never happens with Dickinson, but I guess he looked better when a top 10 NBA draft player was on his team, so that must mean he's also good...

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I think most of us agree that he needs talent around him to be successful. But I think what you are missing is that a great player doesn't HAVE to have other people around him to be considered good/great. They are great because they are great.

Let me be clear on my position. HD is not the problem on this team. He is a solid to good player now, and with the right players around him could be a good to very good player.

But he is really unathletic, slow offensively, and gets pushed around a lot for a player that is 7'2" 260. Seeing him power to the basket with a strong move and dunk is like seeing Big Foot. You think you saw it once, but it was so long ago you just can't be certain it wasn't a bear behind a tree.

Now, with all that said, you are going to throw out Kenpom or some other random stat to show he's a great player and I spent the time typing this out for nothing.

Depends on how loosely you define "great," but every single analyst in the world would say he's a very good player. Imagine how they'd view him if he had some floor spacers and wasn't doubled/tripled all the time.

I keep seeing it repeated that Dickinson underwhelms "for a player his size." Firstly, he's tall (although probably closer to 7'0 than 7'2), but he's not the strongest dude out there. He's pretty skinny. Second, there have been numerous players his height, or even much taller, that were total stiffs or couldn't get off the bench for midmajors.

Yeah, he's pretty slow....that's not unusual for 7+ white guys. What is unusual is his passing ability and shooting ability for a player that size.

[George Liquor]

I'd hate to see this team without HD.

We should get back to bashing KJ or Dajaun.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I think most of us agree that he needs talent around him to be successful. But I think what you are missing is that a great player doesn't HAVE to have other people around him to be considered good/great. They are great because they are great.

Which he is. He consistently posts 20/10 games and the team absolutely falls apart whenever he’s off the floor.
.

But he is really unathletic, slow offensively, and gets pushed around a lot for a player that is 7'2" 260. Seeing him power to the basket with a strong move and dunk is like seeing Big Foot. You think you saw it once, but it was so long ago you just can't be certain it wasn't a bear behind a tree.

He’s not athletic but he makes it all work for him despite that. Even pretending he’s not regularly putting up big numbers, I don’t think there’s much question he’s the best offensive big we’ve had since TRob. The only real way to stop him for any opponent is to double him (which they do regularly because we start a player with him who teams don’t guard whatsoever). Can’t think of a better passing big than him either at KU although this team doesn’t make use of that particular skill enough either.

Now, with all that said, you are going to throw out Kenpom or some other random stat to show he's a great player and I spent the time typing this out for nothing.

Yes, 4th in KPOY right now. Braden Smith at Purdue has just passed him this week.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

And that almost never happens with Dickinson, but I guess he looked better when a top 10 NBA draft player was on his team, so that must mean he's also good...

He didn’t play all that different with shooters/spacers on his team than KJ Adams but his team did perform better and his skillset was maximized. I think you can take a guess as to why that might be.

[smithandrew051]

Originally Posted by George Liquor

I'd hate to see this team without HD.

We should get back to bashing KJ or Dajaun.

As annoying as KJ has been, he’s fine in an energy big role off the bench.

I’m pretty tired of Harris at this point. He’s fine when he’s surrounded by NBA wings, but I really miss having point guards who could get their own shots. I’ve seen Harris miss enough bunnies around the rim to last a lifetime.

We need to get back to having a Sherron, Mason, Graham, or Dotson at the point.

[George Liquor]

Harris might be my least favorite KU basketball player of all time, well besides Tharpe.

At least point plankn redeemed himself in 2012.

[Fansy the Famous Bard]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

As annoying as KJ has been, he’s fine in an energy big role off the bench.

I’m pretty tired of Harris at this point. He’s fine when he’s surrounded by NBA wings, but I really miss having point guards who could get their own shots. I’ve seen Harris miss enough bunnies around the rim to last a lifetime.

We need to get back to having a Sherron, Mason, Graham, or Dotson at the point.

Hey, we have Diggy coming back for another year it looks like! LJW article

[Al Czervik]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

I think most of us agree that he needs talent around him to be successful. But I think what you are missing is that a great player doesn't HAVE to have other people around him to be considered good/great. They are great because they are great.

Let me be clear on my position. HD is not the problem on this team. He is a solid to good player now, and with the right players around him could be a good to very good player.

But he is really unathletic, slow offensively, and gets pushed around a lot for a player that is 7'2" 260. Seeing him power to the basket with a strong move and dunk is like seeing Big Foot. You think you saw it once, but it was so long ago you just can't be certain it wasn't a bear behind a tree.

Now, with all that said, you are going to throw out Kenpom or some other random stat to show he's a great player and I spent the time typing this out for nothing.

Very well said....

HD is a good player....Full stop....
HD is NOT a great player.....Full stop....

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Al Czervik

Very well said....

HD is a good player....Full stop....
HD is NOT a great player.....Full stop....

If the best offensive big in this program since TRob isn't considered a great player, I don't know who would be.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Fansy the Famous Bard

Hey, we have Diggy coming back for another year it looks like! LJW article

As tiny as he is, more shooting on the roster is still never a bad thing. We just really need to hope we don't see a story like this about KJ in the next 4-5 months. The success of next season probably completely depends on that.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Can you ever state an argument without flying off the handle into some reeruned bullshit no one has ever stated?

Let's recap.

BWillie: "There is a reason every single team including the Michigan teams underperformed every year and why Dickinson is not a pro prospect. I'm not so sure we would even get worse if Hunter never played again."

You realize that Bill Self built this team around Hunter Dickinson the last two years, right? And that he recruited him harder than any recruit in years? So yeah...to say that Dickinson doesn't make teams better, and causes them to underperform, is equivalent to calling Bill Self a clueless moron.

Btw, can you point me in the direction of the people who have stated this?>>

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Chiefs: Lose their first playoff game in 3 years.

Everybody: They should obviously change everything they do, it's clearly not working.

[SithCeNtZ]

Originally Posted by smithandrew051

As annoying as KJ has been, he’s fine in an energy big role off the bench.

I’m pretty tired of Harris at this point. He’s fine when he’s surrounded by NBA wings, but I really miss having point guards who could get their own shots. I’ve seen Harris miss enough bunnies around the rim to last a lifetime.

We need to get back to having a Sherron, Mason, Graham, or Dotson at the point.

All the KJ hate has quietly given Harris a pass for an absolutely atrocious season. Did you know he's shooting worse from 3 than Timberlake last year? Did you know Timberlake only shot 30%? Did you know he has more games shooting 0 FTs(8) than he does shooting more than 2(7)? Not that you want him at the line shooting 60% from the line. For a guy playing 30 mins a game these are terrible numbers.

[RaidersOftheCellar]

Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ

All the KJ hate has quietly given Harris a pass for an absolutely atrocious season. Did you know he's shooting worse from 3 than Timberlake last year? Did you know Timberlake only shot 30%? Did you know he has more games shooting 0 FTs(8) than he does shooting more than 2(7)? Not that you want him at the line shooting 60% from the line. For a guy playing 30 mins a game these are terrible numbers.

I'm not the biggest Harris fan, but he definitely hasn't been atrocious, outside of a couple games.

Averages 10 and 6, shooting 45%, with an A/TO ration better than 3 to 1.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by RaidersOftheCellar

Let's recap.

BWillie: "There is a reason every single team including the Michigan teams underperformed every year and why Dickinson is not a pro prospect. I'm not so sure we would even get worse if Hunter never played again."

You realize that Bill Self built this team around Hunter Dickinson the last two years, right? And that he recruited him harder than any recruit in years? So yeah...to say that Dickinson doesn't make teams better, and causes them to underperform, is equivalent to calling Bill Self a clueless moron.

Btw, can you point me in the direction of the people who have stated this?>>

He is a better coach than he is a GM. Many schools are even getting a GM now. Every coach can and does make mistakes.