Portal Tracker

[MCKnight2004]

For college hoops junky like myself., thought it’d be fun to track the name players throughout the next few weeks as they commit. Feel free to add,
Seems the first wave of commits is the highly priced (Rumored) players

Donovan Dent -New Mexico to UCLA ( 2 mil rumored)

Bryce Hopkins -Providence to St. Johns

Joson Sanon -Arizona St to St Johns

Elliot Cadeau- UNC to Michigan

Oscar Cluff- South Dakota State Center to Purdue

Owen Freeman - Iowa C to Creighton

Blake Buchannn- Virginia C to Iowa St

 

[PiscatawayMike]

Great idea for a thread!

 

[lion1983]

Though of course this thread is a good idea, it's not fun AT ALL, but depressing, as NONE of any decent players will be even whispered as considering RU.

I doubt RU will get ANY players until after April 7, when (or if) tge revenue sharing agreement gets approved by the judge. Whatever depressingly dim hopes RU fans have for an adequate lineup next season will rely almost entirely on revenue sharing of $3 million or so. It is clear RU has less than $1.5 million of NIL available, plus the next season Vegas NIL tourney money of $1 mill.

 

[Sweet Peas Corner]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

 

[RUich]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

Does that mean he is now vested in the retirement plan? 😫

 

[BillyC80]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

They give you a year per foot, apparently.

 

[JDNB]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

This whole situation is out of any control by the NCAA. Why even limit the amount of years one can play? As long as a player can earn a living by playing, let him keep playing.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

 

[MCKnight2004]

That must be an April fools joke

 

[MCKnight2004]

Noah Williamson 7 foot Bucknell C Player of Year to Alabama

 

[RUChow]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

Watched his last game. Not only was he terrible, he was jogging up and down the court. Wouldn't be surprised if Kansas wants him to leave.

 

[MCKnight2004]

Morez Johnson Illinois to Michigan

Our very own Lathan go U of Washington

Jonathan Powell West Va to UNC

 

[MCKnight2004]

Ryan Connell Xavier to Louisville

Wooley who killed us, Kennesaw St to Louisville

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

And Knight report podcast says we’re close with the NJIT kid. Sigh. Didn’t we learn from Agee what happens when you bring in a kid that puts up stats on a horrendous 5 win team? If we’re paying this kid more than J-Mike I will scream and I’m not even a huge J-Mike fan. Without knowing anything though about NJITI guarantee if you stuck JMike on an American East roster they win WAY more than 5 games. J-Mike may not be a BIG starter but at the LOWEST major level he’d be all conference. Like Jordan. So would Simpson. The A-10 is not the American East.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Morez Johnson Illinois to Michigan

Our very own Lathan go U of Washington

Jonathan Powell West Va to UNC

The great northwest sure does like our players:

Oregon: Eugene, Young
Washington, Mulcahy, Sommerville

 

[RUJMM78]

Rutgers a member of the B1G Ten likes players from Merrimack and NJIT..Its beyond embarrassing seeing where Rutgers stands in portal transfer recruiting.

 

[RutgersClassof2004]

Should be able to pick up RAC tix next year for about $5.....maybe $20 courtside

 

[RutgersClassof2004]

Seems like bad investments being made here when tix will sell for $5 but paying scrubs $400,000+ to ball for us

 

[BigEastPhil]

Clark - the Merrimack guard - to Seton Hall.

 

[MCKnight2004]

Our Portal targets (realistic)
Tariq Francis NJIT Guard
McDowell D2 Guard
Buchanan GW Forward
Bodo Bodo High Point Center
Kennard Davis Southern Illinois Guard
Jerry Deng FSU Forward

Yikes… a roster like that and we will def. Be projected to finish big ten bottom 3

 

[LotusAggressor]

I just saw Hunter Dickinson was granted a 7th yer and will enter the portal.

What is he, 30?

 

[BOGDANOVICH]

Rutgers a member of the B1G Ten likes players from Merrimack and NJIT..Its beyond embarrassing seeing where Rutgers stands in portal transfer recruiting.

Next year is shaping up as another disaster given this atrocious transfer recruiting.

 

[jerzeyguy]

View embedded media

Will probably be a decent player 3-4 years from now

 

[RUChow]

And Knight report podcast says we’re close with the NJIT kid. Sigh. Didn’t we learn from Agee what happens when you bring in a kid that puts up stats on a horrendous 5 win team? If we’re paying this kid more than J-Mike I will scream and I’m not even a huge J-Mike fan. Without knowing anything though about NJITI guarantee if you stuck JMike on an American East roster they win WAY more than 5 games. J-Mike may not be a BIG starter but at the LOWEST major level he’d be all conference. Like Jordan. So would Simpson. The A-10 is not the American East.

That kid is a way below average player in the Big 10. If you got 4.5 million that's where you start? Bad player plus bad coach equals disaster. Bodo I kind of like.

 

[RUChow]

Our Portal targets (realistic)
Tariq Francis NJIT Guard
McDowell D2 Guard
Buchanan GW Forward
Bodo Bodo High Point Center
Kennard Davis Southern Illinois Guard
Jerry Deng FSU Forward

Yikes… a roster like that and we will def. Be projected to finish big ten bottom 3

I like Buchanan. We recruited him out of high school. I don't think he was good enough then but I think he is now. We also recruited Bodo but I think he might have had some academic issues back then. Another kid we recruited out of high school is Dembele from Iowa. I'd go after him too.

 

[lion1983]

Our Portal targets (realistic)
Tariq Francis NJIT Guard
McDowell D2 Guard
Buchanan GW Forward
Bodo Bodo High Point Center
Kennard Davis Southern Illinois Guard
Jerry Deng FSU Forward

Yikes… a roster like that and we will def. Be projected to finish big ten bottom 3

I would have no problem with Kennard Davis plus Buchanan (or maybe Okereke from Cornell) ... add in a player LIKE Bodo Bodo for rim protection ... that is not too bad ... let Pikiell prove he can coach defnse again and grind out games, be competitive in games, pull off some upsets.

IF ... RU could get those 3, your roster could look something like this (the PF and WF positions become pretty interchangeable):

C - Bodo Bodo (JR), Ogbole (SR), Ware (FR)

PF - Buchanan (JR) or Okereke (SR), Nwuli (FR), Dortch (SO)

WF - Grant (SO), Nwuli (FR), Dortch (SO), PORTAL TRANSFER VETERAN SPECIALIST (SR)

2G - K. Davis (JR), K. Powell (FR), PORTAL TRANSFER VETERAN SPECIALIST (SR)

PG - J. Davis (JR), L. Mark (FR)

The "specialists" are 1 a defensive specialist and the other a 3-point shooting specialist.

Pikiell would have to coach the heck out of the DEFENSE, but if Grant improves his offensive consistency (especially 3-point shooting - 33% would be very good) such that he could average 10-11 ppg, and Davis continues a gradual improvement - and returns to the defense he played as a FR, and Nwuli and/or Mark show anything decent ... you might actually see a better record than last season - despite the loss of 2 top 3 NBA picks: Because of the obvious dysfunction of the roster make-up of last season.

 

[IMARUFAN]

What is he, 30?

Had to look it up and could not believe Hunter Dickinson is only 24 (born 11-25-2000).

He's 7'2" and averaged 17.4pts and 10rbs this past season at Kansas. I have to assume he'll get about 2.5 to 3 million based on numbers being tossed about for a top center. My totally uneducated guess thinks he'll wind up at Duke, St. Johns or the NBA.

 

[seansherm]

Had to look it up and could not believe Hunter Dickinson is only 24 (born 11-25-2000).

He's 7'2" and averaged 17.4pts and 10rbs this past season at Kansas. I have to assume he'll get about 2.5 to 3 million based on numbers being tossed about for a top center. My totally uneducated guess thinks he'll wind up at Duke, St. Johns or the NBA.

He is out of eligibility

 

[IMARUFAN]

He is out of eligibility

Oh ... dopey me. I thought SweetPea's post was serious due to Covid and/or injury .

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/portal-tracker.290801/#post-7187655

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

I would have no problem with Kennard Davis plus Buchanan (or maybe Okereke from Cornell) ... add in a player LIKE Bodo Bodo for rim protection ... that is not too bad ... let Pikiell prove he can coach defnse again and grind out games, be competitive in games, pull off some upsets.

IF ... RU could get those 3, your roster could look something like this (the PF and WF positions become pretty interchangeable):

C - Bodo Bodo (JR), Ogbole (SR), Ware (FR)

PF - Buchanan (JR) or Okereke (SR), Nwuli (FR), Dortch (SO)

WF - Grant (SO), Nwuli (FR), Dortch (SO), PORTAL TRANSFER VETERAN SPECIALIST (SR)

2G - K. Davis (JR), K. Powell (FR), PORTAL TRANSFER VETERAN SPECIALIST (SR)

PG - J. Davis (JR), L. Mark (FR)

The "specialists" are 1 a defensive specialist and the other a 3-point shooting specialist.

Pikiell would have to coach the heck out of the DEFENSE, but if Grant improves his offensive consistency (especially 3-point shooting - 33% would be very good) such that he could average 10-11 ppg, and Davis continues a gradual improvement - and returns to the defense he played as a FR, and Nwuli and/or Mark show anything decent ... you might actually see a better record than last season - despite the loss of 2 top 3 NBA picks: Because of the obvious dysfunction of the roster make-up of last season.

I don’t know much about the guys you mentioned. Unfortunately, strong primary ball handling skills is probably going to be needed from either the SG or wing that we choose. It stinks to have to consider this too much when there are critical holes to fill but I don’t think it can be overlooked. We’ve had a lot of other issues the past few years, but we’ve been stocked with ball handlers from 1-4. Grant and Dortch can’t handle the rock at all. Ogbole certainly can’t. I don’t expect Ware or Nwuli to be ball handlers and Powers probably won’t see much time. Even if J-Mike played 30 mpg, the team needs to be able to get by without him on the court and you never want to leave that up to one frosh (Lino). This year we had 2 of J Will, Dylan and J-Mike out there most of the time. Last year 2 of Derek, J Mike, J Will or Noah. The year before that we had Paul, Caleb and Derek.

 

[Mr Magoo]

If JMike is playing 30 minutes, we have bigger issues than ball handling. He needs to play 10 minutes at most. He’s simply not a B1G player.

 

[PSAL_Hoops]

If JMike is playing 30 minutes, we have bigger issues than ball handling. He needs to play 10 minutes at most. He’s simply not a B1G player.

That’s pretty unfair to JMike. This past season wasn’t his fault. He’s a good ball handler, above average at D, improved his 3 point shooting. He forced things too much and has to work on finishing better in transition.

Is he a stud PG? No. But if he was surrounded by better players he could certainly be good enough to start. Look - he played 23 mpg for us as a frosh. That team probably would’ve made the NCAAs with Cam Spencer remaining instead of Noah and GG playing less underserved minutes. Certainly would’ve with a healthy Mag.

 

[seansherm]

Oh ... dopey me. I thought SweetPea's post was serious due to Covid and/or injury .

https://rutgers.forums.rivals.com/threads/portal-tracker.290801/#post-7187655

The downside of April 1

 

[RUBigFrank]

Actually - felt comfortable with JMike bringing up the ball. His game improved as the season went on.

 

[RUBubba]

With all due respect, there are plenty of threads with thoughts and opinions on different players either leaving RU or targets of RU. Can we not just keep repeating those thoughts and maybe just keep this thread as a running list of updates for factual stuff, like those that entered the portal or signed somewhere?

 

[Mr Magoo]

That’s pretty unfair to JMike. This past season wasn’t his fault. He’s a good ball handler, above average at D, improved his 3 point shooting. He forced things too much and has to work on finishing better in transition.

Is he a stud PG? No. But if he was surrounded by better players he could certainly be good enough to start. Look - he played 23 mpg for us as a frosh. That team probably would’ve made the NCAAs with Cam Spencer remaining instead of Noah and GG playing less underserved minutes. Certainly would’ve with a healthy Mag.

I’ll disagree with you here. imo, no way is he a B1G starter. Yes, if he’s surrounded by 4 B1G starters, you can hide him, but that won’t happen here. B1G backup or potential A10 starter., though I think Simpson is better than him and he didn’t even start in the A10 by season’s end.

 

[Mr Magoo]

Gus Bus from Seton Hall to Vermont. He sure has fallen out of favor.

 

[MCKnight2004]

Trey Donaldson and Malik Reneau to Miami

Silas Demary Georgia to UConn

Isaac McNeely UVA to Louisville

It’s literally Free Agency for these big NIL funded schools. Kansas and Kentucky basically have a whole roster to fill out and haven’t yet. Duke will too

 

[NickRU714]

I’ll disagree with you here. imo, no way is he a B1G starter. Yes, if he’s surrounded by 4 B1G starters, you can hide him, but that won’t happen here. B1G backup or potential A10 starter., though I think Simpson is better than him and he didn’t even start in the A10 by season’s end.

While I agree, unfortunately it might be case of too many holes to fill and not enough fingers.

I wouldn't be opposed to seeing what replacement level options for him are out there (I'm not sold his improved 3pt shooting yet. Many were wide open and/or end of game blowout) but would assume Pike and staff aren't inclined to make the time and effort considering what they need to add.

Not sure "replace" is high on their priority list in general.
For example keeping JWill as a starter last offseason and not exploring a replacement/upgrade.

 

[RUChow]

If JMike is playing 30 minutes, we have bigger issues than ball handling. He needs to play 10 minutes at most. He’s simply not a B1G player.

I think if you surround him with talented scorers he'll be very good - way too maligned. I'm guessing Pike has already given him next year's starting PG spot.