Damn that makes me feel good about the direction our program could go. Sounds like Hood, Smith, and Gardner are all a bunch of hard working guys that are ready to come in and put in the work to get MSU back on the map in basketball. If Stansbury can manage to find a legit 4 and 5, this could be the makings of a great team for the future. We've got our future 1, 2, and 3 with Smith, Gardner, and Hood. Now find us some big men that are willing to crash the boards and defend the paint and we have the makings of what could be a very bright future.
Go read the Locke article at the top on Rodney Hood.
- Thread starter mstatefan88
- Start date
I'm not exactly fluent in State basketball history, but I'd say this is one of our very top recruiting classes in the modern era as it appears to bring both great talent and character. The future is bright for sure, but I think if decent chemistry develops in off-season training, these guys give us great potential for an overall SEC championship and NCAA run as early as this coming season (barring a typical Stansbury OOC performance, which may be too much to ask) by giving us complete players both starting and coming off the bench at multiple positions, rather than having a lot of specialty players as in recent years. I'm slightly worried about Smith's attitude as he can reportedly be a bit of a ball hog and has an ego (for example, his comment to Brad Locke that both Rick and Dee have already told him he's going to start at the point, to which Locke noted that the statement conflicts with other sources), but hopefully that will come to nothing. The fourth "newcomer", Moultrie, should take some defensive responsibility off of Sidney in addition to allowing him to play as a true 4 on offense, strengthening our frontcourt all around. We're going to have complete players that fit their respective positions throughout the lineup, which is a huge aid in being consistently successful.
I did not notice him being a ball hog. He was a one-man press/trap breaker, but he wasn't a scoring-first PG (like, for example, Andre Stringer). He took good shots, didn't force his own shot, and always seemed to be looking for the open man. I think you'll only see more of his true PG game as he's surrounded by more talent.
I don't know that he'll be starting as a FR, but hecould by the end of the year, given Steele's injury. Of course, I highly doubt he gets PT over Bryant at the beginning of the year, given Stans's usual deference to seniors. Plus, Bost and Bryant made a nice combo down the stretch.
....but talk is cheap. What happens if Sidney isn't working hard? Does Hood challenge him? Does this cause more off-court drama? I think we know from history that Stans is going to lean on his upperclassmen. You can expect Bost to dominate the ball a lot, and you can expect Sidney to get plenty of minutes and touches, no matter what kind of shape he's in or how much effort he puts out. How will Hood and the others respond to that?
He's saying the right things and he sounds like a good one. I'm just tempering my expectations because I've seen too much MSU baskeball over the last decade.
He's saying the right things and he sounds like a good one. I'm just tempering my expectations because I've seen too much MSU baskeball over the last decade.
And he's certainly not a ball hog in my opinion. But he has a really good handle and will immediately be our 2nd best ball-handler and way better than anything we had last year behind Dee.
I have really high hopes for him at State. He seems to let the game come to him when on offense and is just an explosive athlete.
I have really high hopes for him at State. He seems to let the game come to him when on offense and is just an explosive athlete.
with a lot of self discipline and work ethic it will make a world of difference. Stans is not the type guy that is going to push players to be their absolute best nor is he a disciplinarian. Therefore his teams do much better with guys that are self-motivated, discipline themselves and are leaders on the floor. That's why we were so good in 04 because we had basically a whole starting team of those kind of guys in Bowers, Power, Roberts and Vincent. I don't know for sure if Frazier fit that mold but I know those other 4 did.
Not saying he would have been a star- he could have had a 4-5 year career where he floats in and out of the lineup for a team or two. Heck, maybe he could actually do well with some legit coaching and discipline. Maybe he doesn't get drafted at all. The point is, we all knew he wasn't ready for the NBA when he left, and if he had returned for another season, he would have at least had a much better shot at it.
Was he really going to improve them in that last year?
It just seems funny that you have one of those demotivational posters knocking him for being dumb, even though by most accounts he wasnt going to make it in the NBA right out of college.
DX had him listed as one of the top avail Euro players for the NBA last season, not sure where he is this season. He may get to the NBA that way...sorta take the route of that Oneal dude with the Spurs.
It just seems funny that you have one of those demotivational posters knocking him for being dumb, even though by most accounts he wasnt going to make it in the NBA right out of college.
DX had him listed as one of the top avail Euro players for the NBA last season, not sure where he is this season. He may get to the NBA that way...sorta take the route of that Oneal dude with the Spurs.
Ravern might have a chance to make an NBA roster. He is a quality shooter.
Can't say that he did himself any favors working hard in the gym during his 4 yrs here. Maybe that is his fault, maybe Coach Stans is partly to blame. Maybe he and Jarvis hung out not lifting weights and eating skittles together? Amazing.