2023-24 Razorback basketball

[Son of Spam]

I think the Battle interview after yesterday's game said it all. I think he was insinuating that we never played as a team. I think that is the thing when you sign too many 4 and 5 star players. They all want to be the hero and hardly ever gel as a team.

[The Whyte Boar]

Devo is full of shit.  He got more latitude than any player I've ever seen at Arkansas.  With Nolan or Eddie his ass would have been on the bench and gone a long time ago. 

[Hogfan58]

I think the Battle interview after yesterday's game said it all. I think he was insinuating that we never played as a team. I think that is the thing when you sign too many 4 and 5 star players. They all want to be the hero and hardly ever gel as a team.

I don't know about that. Somehow Duke, Carolina and Kentucky can figure it out.

[BleedinRed]

We sucked because individually we were too good.  LOL.

[Trigger7672]

Pinion gone.

[bigpig]

Pinion gone.

He was never going to get a lot of minutes. I hope he lands somewhere and has success, but it won't be at a major school.

[animal]

Devo is full of shit.  He got more latitude than any player I've ever seen at Arkansas.  With Nolan or Eddie his ass would have been on the bench and gone a long time ago. 

No doubt they tried to turn him into a straight laced basketball player/ pg / defensive stopper and not some free styling circus show. He would have fit well into Mike's system.

You have to take some ownership on how you did play though. The coaches don't go out of the way to help you fail. They have huge incentives to make sure you succeed.Frankly if you couldn't do what the coaches were asking then you probably has little business playing at this level.

Devo will be remembered for the good years and will go down as another Razorback who had a shit season as a senior. Most of those guys were on the football team but I do recall Bradley and someone else getting they ass benched late in their careers for the young guys to play

[BleedinRed]

Devo will be remembered for the good years and will go down as another Razorback who had a shit season as a senior. 

He has one more year.  Hopefully his senior senior year is better.

[The Whyte Boar]

I think Devo is the proverbial locker room cancer.

[BleedinRed]

He was not a cancer his first four years.  What makes you think he was a cancer this year?  Because he didn't play gooder than the other years?

[Trigger7672]

He has one more year.  Hopefully his senior senior year is better.

I'm not a Devo hater but I really hope he does not come back.

[Lurk]

Davis said he couldn't play his game the way he really wanted. Entering Thursday's game, Davis was averaging career lows in scoring, field goal attempts, field goal percentage, rebounds and steals.
"But I took it for the team and we still fell short, with me putting things under the cover, trying to do what's best for the team," Davis added. "We still didn't follow our expectations.


Whatever you say, Devo.

He's easily my least favorite player ever.

[Sus-Scrofa]

I think Devo wanted that Kansas game high again.

Having to play as he was told rather than getting to chase after that high every time he had the ball probably explains his disaster of a year.

And of course, dropping the ball more often than not every time he had an opportunity this year.

[The Whyte Boar]

He was not a cancer his first four years.  What makes you think he was a cancer this year?  Because he didn't play gooder than the other years?

I would say he was a cancer last year too.  His first two years where he wasn't expected to lead and didn't try to, he was good.  When he became a junior and was expected to provide leadership and tried to assert himself as a leader, it was a train wreck.

Last year's team hugely underachieved and had obvious locker room issues but was still too talented to completely tank.  This year was an absolute disaster.

This year looked exactly what I would expect a team where Devo was the leader to look like.

[Cardiac Hog]

From a couple weeks ago in the game thread


https://x.com/BBakerHogs/status/1760322595776315413?s=20

Devo - 1 yr left - Please, God, no!
Battle - 1 yr left - I'd take him back as starting SG. 
Mark - 2 yr left - He disappeared late this year, but was forced to play PG a lot of the time
Brazille - 2 yr left - softest 4 I've ever seen, team seemed to play better without him, maybe he still enters draft, I hope he leaves
Menefield - 2 yr left - best option at PG, but dominated by bigger guards, hopefully he sticks around, who misses games for academic reasons nowadays?
Pinion - 2 yr left - zero minutes on a team with poor 3pt shooting.  He gone, best of luck at UALR
Blocker - 3 yr left - showed promise, good effort, then didn't make Muss' 8-man rotation, had several "WTF Devo-like moments
Fall - 3 yr left - a project - unlikely to contribute much until Jr or Sr year after he adds 30 pounds of muscle in weight room

Incoming Freshman
Jalen Shelley, 4 Star #19 SF 6-8 190 from Frisco, TX, playing at Link Academy in Branson
From 24/7: "Shelley is a long and lean lefty forward that is very talented. He has a good feel for the game and shows the ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. His offense usually comes in transition where he flourishes and has the insticts to make the right play. The biggest knock on him is his motivation to play with a elite motor. Shelley has the upside to play the game of basketball on an elite level but needs to add more aggression to his play. Asserting himself on a consistent basis and showing progression in transforming his potential into production will be vital and increase his chances of making an immediate impact in Fayetteville."

Isaiah Elohim, 4 Star #11 SF 6-5 190 from Sierra Canyon in CA
From 24/7 "A physically strong and tough wing, Isaiah Elohim burst onto the national scene early because of his ability to score from the mid range and around the rim. At 6-foot-5 he has good length, a strong body and well above average instincts for getting to the rim and scoring around defenders and through contact. He is an effective pull-up jump shooter from 17 feet and in who just needs more reps on his shot to become a more consistent shooter from deep. Elohim has battled injuries throughout his high school career but when he's available, his toughness, ability to get to the basket and penchant for putting up points in a hurry have always stood out. He's got a college ready frame and projects as an effective wing at the high major level."

That leaves 4 to 8 openings to get transfers from portal (depending on who stays).  Muss has his work count out for him.  Must get a true PG and at least 2-3 big- bodied PF/C Mitchell/Graham-type players

2024-2025 will be a make or break year for basketball and football. 

[PorkyPig]

I think the Battle interview after yesterday's game said it all. I think he was insinuating that we never played as a team. I think that is the thing when you sign too many 4 and 5 star players. They all want to be the hero and hardly ever gel as a team.

I saw that and thought it was pretty telling.  The talent is there to be better than we are.

[Gambler]

He was never going to get a lot of minutes. I hope he lands somewhere and has success, but it won't be at a major school.

I hope he does good wherever he goes. Seems like a good kid.

[Hogfan58]

From a couple weeks ago in the game thread


https://x.com/BBakerHogs/status/1760322595776315413?s=20

Devo - 1 yr left - Please, God, no!
Battle - 1 yr left - I'd take him back as starting SG. 
Mark - 2 yr left - He disappeared late this year, but was forced to play PG a lot of the time
Brazille - 2 yr left - softest 4 I've ever seen, team seemed to play better without him, maybe he still enters draft, I hope he leaves
Menefield - 2 yr left - best option at PG, but dominated by bigger guards, hopefully he sticks around, who misses games for academic reasons nowadays?
Pinion - 2 yr left - zero minutes on a team with poor 3pt shooting.  He gone, best of luck at UALR
Blocker - 3 yr left - showed promise, good effort, then didn't make Muss' 8-man rotation, had several "WTF Devo-like moments
Fall - 3 yr left - a project - unlikely to contribute much until Jr or Sr year after he adds 30 pounds of muscle in weight room

Incoming Freshman
Jalen Shelley, 4 Star #19 SF 6-8 190 from Frisco, TX, playing at Link Academy in Branson
From 24/7: "Shelley is a long and lean lefty forward that is very talented. He has a good feel for the game and shows the ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. His offense usually comes in transition where he flourishes and has the insticts to make the right play. The biggest knock on him is his motivation to play with a elite motor. Shelley has the upside to play the game of basketball on an elite level but needs to add more aggression to his play. Asserting himself on a consistent basis and showing progression in transforming his potential into production will be vital and increase his chances of making an immediate impact in Fayetteville."

Isaiah Elohim, 4 Star #11 SF 6-5 190 from Sierra Canyon in CA
From 24/7 "A physically strong and tough wing, Isaiah Elohim burst onto the national scene early because of his ability to score from the mid range and around the rim. At 6-foot-5 he has good length, a strong body and well above average instincts for getting to the rim and scoring around defenders and through contact. He is an effective pull-up jump shooter from 17 feet and in who just needs more reps on his shot to become a more consistent shooter from deep. Elohim has battled injuries throughout his high school career but when he's available, his toughness, ability to get to the basket and penchant for putting up points in a hurry have always stood out. He's got a college ready frame and projects as an effective wing at the high major level."

That leaves 4 to 8 openings to get transfers from portal (depending on who stays).  Muss has his work count out for him.  Must get a true PG and at least 2-3 big- bodied PF/C Mitchell/Graham-type players

2024-2025 will be a make or break year for basketball and football. 

We need some mens. Not 6-8 string-beans, but 6-8 to 6–10 dudes who can rebound. Who can be physical.

[TC]

I'm not a Devo hater but I really hope he does not come back.

Please God, noooooo.

[BleedinRed]

We need a 6-9 to 6-11 bad ass.  Someone that can take over.  Look at UConn last year and South Carolina this year.  

College basketball still benefits from true post players.