Official Player Declarations Thread
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Question for the board- what your take on the Lawson’s now that their one-year stint at KU is over… how will they rank for you as the years pass… how would you assess their impact on the current program.
For me, Dedrick was pretty essential in winning games, because of the weird year we had with no doke, no desousa, the second disappearance of Vick (will we ever find out the full story in that?) but… he always just seemed like he was doing his thing, forcing as many shots as he was scoring them, and he never felt like a team leader type. I never sensed that playing for KU for him was a big deal vs any other decent program. I never got the Love-for-KU vibe very much from him (and does that really matter?) He behaved exactly like a guy who knew all along he was here for one year, showcasing his skills in a marquee program before going pro. That is the new reality. He certainly won games for us for sure. kJ? I wanted to like him… he seemed a bit lost at times, but got better as the season wore on. He must have known all along it he was here just a year as well. Mercenaries comes to mind.
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@Bosthawk I liked Dedric. I just didn’t like him for our team. He’s a piece that is good enough to win you some games but not good enough as a centerpiece. I’ve always wondered what he would have looked like with a full cast around him.
I think for those who point at Doke going down as the moment our dreams of title contention were dashed gloss over the fact that Doke and Dedric did not play well together. On paper, we always assumed that they would, but in reality, the lack of athleticism while still both clogging the lane, and inability to pass from both of those guys made me doubt that it would ever really gel.
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Bosthawk said:
“I never got the Love-for-KU vibe very much from him (and does that really matter?)”
For me, that’s one of the most important things. I LOVE the guys that come here because they’ve always respected KU, or the ones that get recruited who have maybe very little knowledge of KU, but quickly learn the history and grow to love it.
There’s literally too many to name, but even this year, Mitch LIghtfoot is that guy. He was the Arizona player of the year and, while he’s no Zion, you don’t get to be the player of the year in any state without being very good. He probably could have played at a lot of schools and done very well, but he loved KU and chose to play at KU knowing his PT would probably be limited.
I want a whole dang team full of MItch Lightfoots - guys that bring the energy, have a great attitude and put the team first.
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Dedric not dedrick was here 2 yrs. While he was here he won several awards. His D drove me nuts, but I believe he loved being a Jayhawk, cried like a baby after our final loss.
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@nuleafjhawk NIT?
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@Crimsonorblue22 HUH? Not following you …
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@Fightsongwriter That dunk was great, but his dunk against Kentucky in AFH that same season was just as great! It was against a 7 footer forget the name right now, but whoa, he threw it down!
Speaking of Selden, the Bulls pitiful roster has given him the chance to be starting right now, been holding his own.
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@dylans yes, I love Mitch too, but…
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@dylans What I meant was Mitch Lightfoot attitudes.
But, NIT might not have been so bad this year…beats our one and done.
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@wissox I have connections to the Grimes family (know people who know the family), don’t hold your breath on Grimes coming back is my opinion on Grimes. He should come back because he needs a solid full season instead of a few games at the end of the year to show his worth, but it sounds like Grimes is dead set on being a OAD like Josh Selby was.
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@Texas-Hawk-10 And we will hear his name in the news the same amount as we heard Josh’s
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Josh was better.
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At the very least Grimes should test the waters. Like the rest of you I don’t think he is ready but perhaps there is someone in the NBA that does. With the current rules not taking the chance to get honest feedback is a bit silly.
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I never gave Cheick Diallo a chance based on what we saw here, but he’s putting together a decent off the bench season. Oubre, must be hurt now, but he was one of our best former Hawks in the league. Hard for me to tell sometimes who’s gonna make it and who’s not.
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dylans said:
Josh was better.
Selby actually hasn’t had a bad career over in Europe and Asia. He’s been a 2× Israeli League all star and that’s one of the better leagues over in Europe/Asia.
I also fully believe KU probably wins the 2012 national title with Selby on that team.
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wissox said:
I never gave Cheick Diallo a chance based on what we saw here, but he’s putting together a decent off the bench season. Oubre, must be hurt now, but he was one of our best former Hawks in the league. Hard for me to tell sometimes who’s gonna make it and who’s not.
Self just blew it with a top 5 player (Diallo). A classic Self screw up. Players that other top coaches would embrace and incorporate, Self finds an excuse to go with low talent. One of Self’s low moments and it may have cost him a NC.
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@HighEliteMajor My memory is of Cheick being a very raw talent, not ready for prime time. It was a few years back, I’m not going to argue a point I don’t remember much about, but my memory was not of Cheick being a key cog in a National Championship run.
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@wissox diallo is just now figuring it out, he needed a lot of time. I think he’ll be in the league awhile though!
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@wissox He was well ready for prime time. Just needed PT to get there. Back then, folks argued with me claiming players didn’t improve during game action. Self went with his security blanket. Now Self sings a different tune. He plays a much worse player (Grimes) all season. Revisit the Nova EE game. They were able to take away Ellis, ignore LL.
We had zero rim protection with LL. Diallo had nearly four times the blocks per 40 than LL.
Diallo had a PER of 20.5. Let that sink in. There is no way to refute his production.
LL was a rebounder. Take time and compare their rebounds per 40 min. He just needed minutes to get acclimated. He needed some patience. Self gave him neither.
Diallo went to the NBA. He isn’t now just figuring it out. LL still in the BB mecca of Japan? Laughable.
He was a top 5 player. Self blew it.
It’s simply perpetuating a myth to claim that Diallo wasn’t ready. It’s indefensible.
Self played Charlie Moore more than twice the minutes as Diallo. Diallo only got 202 min all year.
It was an absolute travesty of coaching incompetence.
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@HighEliteMajor
I’m pretty sure Self would have used Diallo this year!
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@approxinfinity Diallo was a bit the type of step out big that is now the rage. Not to three range but he could hit the 15 footer. LL was a serviceable sloth. On a KU roster with LL and Traylor is not a place any big would want to be … at least a few years ago. I think Self would do it differently now if the same situation presented itself.
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I’m confused.
Why beat a dead horse in front of the choir you’ve been preaching to for years while claiming to turn over a new leaf?
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Dedric gone according to Goodman. In the least surprising news of the year
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Come on down, literally anyone that can play the 4 and stretch the court. Dont know who it will be
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BeddieKU23 said:
Come on down, literally anyone that can play the 4 and stretch the court. Dont know who it will be
Hurt
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Well, Self certainly has minutes for him.
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@BShark Getting a top recruit is huge right now, while we languish in NCAA/Adidas/Self-created limbo.
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Oubre is one of the most maddening OADs we’ve had IMO. He was interviewed and ran his mouth before the WSU game and then just stood around. I definitely remember twice where we had a run started and he just flat out refused to get on the floor for a couple of balls and we in turn didn’t get them. Diallo’s athletic ability was never in question, dude just had to learn how to ball, him and Selby are both first rounders of they stay for another year IMO.
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@kjayhawks Diallo and Selby are mine. If Diallo stays for 16-17 we absolutely run everyone. We start NPOY Frank and designated sniper Devonte, then the fun starts. We can go small and start Svi at the 3, Josh at the 4, and Cheick at the 5, or Josh at the 3, Cheick at the 4, and Landen at the 5. Either way we’re great. And you’d still have Bragg and Doke as your backup bigs. Cheick would’ve been the perfect matchup for Jordan Bell and Oregon. What could’ve been.
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https://twitter.com/dsmoove1_2many/status/1115263617396563969?s=21
Officially official
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Opening Post has been updated to reflect D. Lawson’s departure.
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Rock Chalk to Dedric. Had I known him longer I think I’d be more mushy now. I was sad to see Perry retire a Jayhawk after 35 years of playing basketball at AFH. Another guy with old man game. Perry also had a great sense of humor. Loved his vine account. I digress.
Dedric were the man this year, and it’s a shame we didn’t have more pieces to compliment him. I have been a harsh critic, but I wish him the best. He’s conducted himself with class, and I echo his sentiment. Jayhawk for life! Thanks and Rock Chalk.
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FarmerJayhawk said:
@kjayhawks Diallo and Selby are mine. If Diallo stays for 16-17 we absolutely run everyone. We start NPOY Frank and designated sniper Devonte, then the fun starts. We can go small and start Svi at the 3, Josh at the 4, and Cheick at the 5, or Josh at the 3, Cheick at the 4, and Landen at the 5. Either way we’re great. And you’d still have Bragg and Doke as your backup bigs. Cheick would’ve been the perfect matchup for Jordan Bell and Oregon. What could’ve been.
You make the assumption that Self would have started him over LL. Logical in all worlds except the one we live. I have zero faith that would have occurred. Diallo was the perfect match vs Nova in the 16 EE. And he sat. NC chance down the drain.
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HighEliteMajor said:
FarmerJayhawk said:
@kjayhawks Diallo and Selby are mine. If Diallo stays for 16-17 we absolutely run everyone. We start NPOY Frank and designated sniper Devonte, then the fun starts. We can go small and start Svi at the 3, Josh at the 4, and Cheick at the 5, or Josh at the 3, Cheick at the 4, and Landen at the 5. Either way we’re great. And you’d still have Bragg and Doke as your backup bigs. Cheick would’ve been the perfect matchup for Jordan Bell and Oregon. What could’ve been.
You make the assumption that Self would have started him over LL. Logical in all worlds except the one we live. I have zero faith that would have occurred. Diallo was the perfect match vs Nova in the 16 EE. And he sat. NC chance down the drain.
We would’ve gone with 2 bigs, Cheick and Landen.
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@FarmerJayhawk I don’t know. You have more faith than I do. But my opinion, no team is winning a national title starting a LL at center. As discussed back in the day, ATHLETE – LL just had matchups where he was horribly exposed. '16 Nova, '17 Oregon as examples. You know, the most important games of the season.
Back when LL was on the team, I think we looked back over Self’s tenure and could only locate maybe one NC team with a similar post handicap, thinking Louisville maybe 2013? My LL/Traylor notebook is in storage maybe.
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PJ Washington _ UK Jared Harper - Auburn
Both declared today.
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Notable not declaration: Ashton Hagans.
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FarmerJayhawk said:
Notable not declaration: Ashton Hagans.
Lack of a jump shot seems like something that may keep him another year in KY. Just wonder how him and Maxey will coexist though
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BeddieKU23 said:
FarmerJayhawk said:
Notable not declaration: Ashton Hagans.
Lack of a jump shot seems like something that may keep him another year in KY. Just wonder how him and Maxey will coexist though
It does seem like an unforeseen circumstance. I have to think one of him or Quickley is not on that roster in a year.0
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Grimes is at least testing, and probably gone for good.
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https://twitter.com/themattgalloway/status/1116099012250279937?s=21
Quote from Self. He’s gone for good.
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I don’t believe this to be a smart move on Grimes part but Good luck to him. Remember we are jayhawks everyone, I hate when I see our fans bashing our guys social media.
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@kjayhawks Is this social media?
I bash the continued failure of Self bringing in presumed OADs. This was a complete failure. A complete waste of time.
I sure wish Grimes would have stayed.
The presumed use of KU as a pit stop has NEVER paid the anticipated dividends for KU, except maybe JJ — but there was no FF even there.
We need to focus on non-OADs, and commit to those non-OADs that we will never recruit over them with a presumed OAD. But I’ve said that for quite a while now.
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@HighEliteMajor No, this is not social media lol and I agree that the OADs have mostly been failures here. I just don’t like seeing people target these young guys for following their dreams even if I disagree with the Decision. Dook fans have been hammering, I mean hammering bad at RJ Barrett for turning pro. We are better than that.
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@kjayhawks agree 100%. I honestly not sure he even gets drafted. If he wants to move on and pursue his dream then so be it.
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@kjayhawks I agree 100% too. Everyone is should be entitled to make money, leave college, do what they want, when they want.
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It’s his choice, but it sure seems like an unbelievably stupid one.
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@HighEliteMajor “We need to focus on non-OADs, and commit to those non-OADs that we will never recruit over them with a presumed OAD. But I’ve said that for quite a while now.”
I’m in 100% ageeement. Welcome to the G league Quentin… at best. Here’s betting that he will never see a full season on an NBA court.
When self and the staff go recruiting, listen to the messages coming from the family. and if it’s all about playing their kid playing pro ball as fast as possible, move along.
