Johnson tweeted he will be back next year 100%. If he stays, there is a good chance Sanders will be here as well.
I like their chances.
GO
RU
I like their chances.
GO
RU
Just a good tweet.
- Thread starter higgins3
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If sanders stays and with the increase of talent I can potentially see a winning record and OUTSIDE chance at an NIT bid
why would Johnson tweet he is coming back?
What Nigel Johnson does has little impact,if any, on Corey Sanders.
What Nigel Johnson does has little impact,if any, on Corey Sanders.
I agree.Sanders always was more likely to leave but at this point in time nobody knows if he will stay.All fans should hope he returns because his double digit scoring is one of the few bright spots on offense.
There were whispers earlier this season that he would graduate and play his final season elsewhere.
I'm a big fan of Corey but if he were to leave the only place he would have a home is overseas (unless he transferred). Not close to being NBA ready, if he ever will be.
Johnson and Freeman would both be potentially eligible to be grad transfers if they had the credits to graduate. Think Johnson was just putting that to rest.
Why all the questions?
These players could transfer, or go overseas.
That was the point of the post. People asking "Why would he tweet he was staying?" Because they could go elsewhere.People were thinking about what players would transfer/if anyone would leave at the end of the season?
The point of the post is that Johnson is staying.
These players could transfer, or go overseas.
That was the point of the post. People asking "Why would he tweet he was staying?" Because they could go elsewhere.People were thinking about what players would transfer/if anyone would leave at the end of the season?
The point of the post is that Johnson is staying.
Exactly. If he transferred.
I could see the NBA potentially in two years. Hell, who am I to judge the potential of a human being?He knows what he needs to do. A reliable three point shot, a left drive, and he could potentially make it.
They are best friends, and when Sanders thought of leaving last year, Johnson was a big factor that he stayed. They are best friends, and enjoy playing together.
What increase in talent? Right now, we lose Gettys and only pick up Baker and Mensah. There's always more attrition in the Spring but who's to say if we get any late replacements they'll be better than the guys that leave?
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People get better. The Rutgers Basketball irony. Every other team is going to get so much better, but not the Rutgers program! Baker will help next year. And we probably get a center somehow.
People get better. The Rutgers Basketball irony. Every other team is going to get so much better, but not the Rutgers program! Baker will help next year. And we probably get a center somehow.
That is where the questions start. What will happen with Bullock, and what he will give us. I am not expecting a ton from him. Tough kid, great family, but this is a very hard league.
Doorson is going for another foot surgery after the season so his offseason S&C improvement is a question mark. I'll be nice and not even respond to the Bullock reference.
He is already getting better
I am excited to see how he develops given his relative newness to bball.
He is a true freshman...and someone picked by Pikiell so i suggest we give him a bit of a break.
I think when all is said and done he is going to be a solid contributor
This team has potential to grow substantially together.
With a year of bumps and bruises now out of the way, and the team knowing what's expected of them from the staff...I'm stoked at the proposition of what next season could bring.
When you listen to Pikiell talk about his team's film...it's obvious he values the PG spot a ton. I for one can't wait to see what having a TRUE PG on the floor might do for this offense.
With a year of bumps and bruises now out of the way, and the team knowing what's expected of them from the staff...I'm stoked at the proposition of what next season could bring.
When you listen to Pikiell talk about his team's film...it's obvious he values the PG spot a ton. I for one can't wait to see what having a TRUE PG on the floor might do for this offense.
That's right. It'll just kind of happen.
Off-season thinking is arriving early this ear.
I'm with BK....
lets say we finish 14-18 (I'm not saying we can't do better)
With the entire team returning....in a LOT of close games...there is reason to hope we can at least flip our record next year
Still standing by my March 11th 2018 10 seed prediction
Lot more people will buy into it if we finish with a couple of wins, especially in DC
lets say we finish 14-18 (I'm not saying we can't do better)
With the entire team returning....in a LOT of close games...there is reason to hope we can at least flip our record next year
Still standing by my March 11th 2018 10 seed prediction
Lot more people will buy into it if we finish with a couple of wins, especially in DC
I am excited about the tweet for Nigel and even more amped up about Baker arriving, I am not sure he's a true PG as much as he's just a good player at guard. He may be more PG than Sanders, who I view as a combo guard overall, playing PG....that's how I view Baker, just capable of contributing and being a potential scorer/passer/defender.
The last 6 of 8 games Nigel's played (pre-injury), he's given RU double figure scoring, specifically the last 3 games have been much more in tune with what we hoped for. If he finishes up with double figures tonight vs Maryland, Illinois and whatever in the Big Ten tournament, then it comes down to how do you break that down to becoming a more efficient scorer/PG and player. The games you hope to get when you get a recruit through your program are their junior and senior seasons, RU's backcourt is learning and going through that growth process right now.
Another guard like Baker that may be able to generate his own offense and help Johnson, Sanders and specifically Mike Williams get better looks, and makes everyone else better. The PPG may not change next year (shots get spread out a little more with 4 capable guards), but perhaps the shooting percentage increases a bit and make RU a better team next year.
Competition is helpful for the program and allows a player to learn by playing in practice vs the only true way of knowing how well you are is in game situations. There is no doubt the having Nigel/Corey and Mike helps transition Baker's growth next year.
The last 6 of 8 games Nigel's played (pre-injury), he's given RU double figure scoring, specifically the last 3 games have been much more in tune with what we hoped for. If he finishes up with double figures tonight vs Maryland, Illinois and whatever in the Big Ten tournament, then it comes down to how do you break that down to becoming a more efficient scorer/PG and player. The games you hope to get when you get a recruit through your program are their junior and senior seasons, RU's backcourt is learning and going through that growth process right now.
Another guard like Baker that may be able to generate his own offense and help Johnson, Sanders and specifically Mike Williams get better looks, and makes everyone else better. The PPG may not change next year (shots get spread out a little more with 4 capable guards), but perhaps the shooting percentage increases a bit and make RU a better team next year.
Competition is helpful for the program and allows a player to learn by playing in practice vs the only true way of knowing how well you are is in game situations. There is no doubt the having Nigel/Corey and Mike helps transition Baker's growth next year.
Just remember, every other team gets better beside Rutgers Basketball program.
If he had a jumper,he wouldnt be at Rutgers right now. He was not recruited to be an impact right from the start. Development. Just wait for it.
I am hopeful for what a Baker can contribute, but let's not expect too much. He will need to be taught how to play defense Pikiell's way. And while he is good at several aspects on offense, he is not a lights out shooter or ball handler. Good at both but not lights out. His best attribute appears to be his feel for the game. His defense might be his lowest rated attribute.
He needs to hit the weight room like most freshman and be coached up, which I feel this staff can and will do.
He needs to hit the weight room like most freshman and be coached up, which I feel this staff can and will do.
How can every team get better?
By that logic, in 20 years, every team in America will he INCREDIBLE because they ALL get better EVERY single year.
I just don't see next years team being better than this year. In order to be better you need Shaq and Doorson to make a substantially large leap forward. If one of those gets injured or leaves at the end of this season then we are back to playing people out of position again.
That is not true. Some teams have greater losses due to graduation, guys leaving for the NBA, whatever.
The threat is not he leaves and plays in the NBA. Given his history and the reality of the so-called college basketball transfer epidemic, the idea that player like Sanders would leave after his sophomore season is anything but silly.
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Higgins was obviously being sarcastic in response to those who insist every other team will improve while Rutgers will stand still or get worse.
Are you a fan of this team? No need to act like you aren't that familiar with or are super laid back about Corey Sanders by calling him "that Sanders kid." Don't be shy, embrace your fandom!
This is just reductionist.
It's not about every other team getting better, or about Rutgers getting better.
It's about how much better we get relative to how much better everyone else gets. If we improve by 10% in every area, and so does everyone else... then we make no upward movement. If we improve by 10% and everyone else improves by 8%, we also don't make much upward movement. If a team way ahead of us drops by 5% while we gain 10%, it's unlikely we're going to pass them.
Right now, for us to move up the ladder with incremental gains next year, we need teams in our "neighborhood" in the conference to either fall back a bit or to improve less than we do.
What will really move the needle are significant personnel improvements. For instance, if Sa graduates and his scholarship is turned into a player of Caleb Swanigan's caliber, that'd be an immediate major boost that would help to catch us up with the rest of the conference.
This was partially my point... Increase in talent does not necessarily have to mean new blood or personnel.
This team has played incredibly well all things considered and an offseason of 1000's of free throws, conditioning, and team building can mean a swing of 6-8 games in basketball.
I believe Sanders will have a shot at the NBA. I don't see him getting drafted but I think he'll get a summer league invite and perhaps get a chance to play in the D League
With that being said he is not ready yet and should play at least one more year at RU before making that jump. Gotta work on his left hand and improving his shot but he's one of the best players in one of the best conferences in college basketball. He'll be on the NBA scout's radar for sure
With that being said he is not ready yet and should play at least one more year at RU before making that jump. Gotta work on his left hand and improving his shot but he's one of the best players in one of the best conferences in college basketball. He'll be on the NBA scout's radar for sure
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