2020 Recruiting: Kevin Marfo (QU) to Grad Transfer

[awfuldan]

He has been discussed on this board before. Hurley recruited him out of HS. Obviously a dominant rebounder but he has some other skills as well. Could be an option for us if we’re looking for size this offseason.

 

[Mooch82]

Yes please. Would rather take him this year and Etienne next. Sanogo seems like a long shot regardless.

 

[Ts5034]

QU played a weak non conference schedule. Miami was their toughest game all year and Kevin Marfo had 9 points and 13 rebounds. Coincidently, that is almost right on his season averages of 10.2 PPG and 13.3 RPG.

 

[Dooooooomed]

Not high on my list, but I'm no Hurley.

 

[awfuldan]

We are not in touch, apparently. Must be looking elsewhere!

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Very impressive list, good for Marfo and rooting for him to get a big-time opportunity!

Great landing spots:

Texas Tech, lots of guard talent but with Clarke/Holyfield graduating there's a need to fill in the 5 spot while Ntambwe will likely play the 4.

Virginia Tech, so many guards, but a huge need for bigs!

Arkansas, Musselman loves transfers and the team needs size.

Texas A&M, I love Buzz Williams and there is a huge need for experienced bigs with Josh Nebo graduating. Would be an interesting player to pair up with Savion Flagg.

Not bad landing spots:

Arizona State, go Hurley family, but in terms of basketball, Romello White was their only frontcourt player with a big time role. Marfo is a good thunder to Taeshon Cherry's lightning.

Oklahoma State, aside from Yor Anei, not a lot of proven size on that team and a great opportunity to play with Cude Cunningham!

Out of that list, I don't like:

San Diego State, lots of depth in their frontcourt

Xavier, already have Jason Carter as their starting 4 and Freemantle as their 5.

Louisville, he wouldn't play much behind Nwora and Williams.

Wichita State, What's up with so many players transferring?

St. John's, would be cool, but no apparent spot for him between Roberts/Champagnie/Sears/Earlington

Nebraska, was a show last year. Go somewhere else!

BC, Avoid that black hole!

 

[Kangaroo Zay]

 

[auror]

Gimme.

 

[Cuse Socks]

Torn on him.

On one hand, he is a bruiser down low, can fill in at the 4 spot and would improve our rebounding immediately.

On the other hand, if Carlton is sticking around and him and Whaley are gonna get big minutes I kind of would rather let Springs get a ton of minutes at the 4 as well as bring in a guy like Etienne a year early to develop him. Letting JC and IW take bulk minutes and giving Javonte, Springs and Etienne backup minutes to develop them (and possibly surprise us and compete for starting roles) would pay dividends for the following years.

As always, I trust Hurley's judgement.

 

[the Q]

Very impressive list, good for Marfo and rooting for him to get a big-time opportunity!

Great landing spots:

Texas Tech, lots of guard talent but with Clarke/Holyfield graduating there's a need to fill in the 5 spot while Ntambwe will likely play the 4.

Virginia Tech, so many guards, but a huge need for bigs!

Arkansas, Musselman loves transfers and the team needs size.

Texas A&M, I love Buzz Williams and there is a huge need for experienced bigs with Josh Nebo graduating. Would be an interesting player to pair up with Savion Flagg.

Not bad landing spots:

Arizona State, go Hurley family, but in terms of basketball, Romello White was their only frontcourt player with a big time role. Marfo is a good thunder to Taeshon Cherry's lightning.

Oklahoma State, aside from Yor Anei, not a lot of proven size on that team and a great opportunity to play with Cude Cunningham!

Out of that list, I don't like:

San Diego State, lots of depth in their frontcourt

Xavier, already have Jason Carter as their starting 4 and Freemantle as their 5.

Louisville, he wouldn't play much behind Nwora and Williams.

Wichita State, What's up with so many players transferring?

St. John's, would be cool, but no apparent spot for him between Roberts/Champagnie/Sears/Earlington

Nebraska, was a # 2 show last year. Go somewhere else!

BC, Avoid that black hole!

don’t forget hoiburg is at Nebraska now. He’s no different than musselman

 

[awfuldan]

S/O to A Dime Back for making this point, but Marfo shot 71% from the line and averaged 6 FT attempts per game last year, which would have been the most on our team by far. Only CV is close at 4.8, and he played considerably more minutes per game and had the ball in his hands at the end of every game. Marfo averaged 8.4 free throw attempts per 40 minutes to CV's 5.9.

For context, Shabazz averaged 6 attempts per game in his senior season. That's a really good number, and 71% is a very solid shooting percentage for a center.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I would not recommend a grad transfer unless you have a VERY significant need. Next year's team is still a team in transition and development. I believe while we want to continue the winning ways, we must still focus on player development specific in the OOC portion of the schedule. I do not want a 1 year player taking important developmental minutes away from a player who could be a key in a championship season 2 or 3 years down the road, Big Picture.

 

[superjohn]

I would not recommend a grad transfer unless you have a VERY significant need. Next year's team is still a team in transition and development. I believe while we want to continue the winning ways, we must still focus on player development specific in the OOC portion of the schedule. I do not want a 1 year player taking important developmental minutes away from a player who could be a key in a championship season 2 or 3 years down the road, Big Picture.

Not a team in transition next year. We're going to have one of the best players in the country and another future NBA player at the wing. We're going to have great guard play and with Whaley's emergence, Springs to help on the boards, Hopefully a recalibrated senior year Carlton, and a 7 footer to provide backup minutes we will have depth to help out our dynamic guard play for the first time in a long time. A legit grad tranfer pf or freshman would be perfect.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Ah @superjohn, i see you still have your AAC glasses on. Time to swap to the new and improved NBE glasses. Let me explain why I say we are a team in transition. There were about 5 or 6 teams in the NBE that had the potential to win AAC. The only AAC team that would have shown well in the NBE was Houston. Our team next year will be significantly better. Our opposition next year will be significantly better. I feel that there is a significant probability that our record next year will be similar to this year, somewhere around 20-21 wins overall. That will put us squarely on the bubble, possibly with a 9-10 seed. To me that is a team in transition from bubble to consistently competing for the NBE championship and going far into the tournament. NC's are still a bit further off.

 

[navery12]

Ah @superjohn, i see you still have your AAC glasses on. Time to swap to the new and improved NBE glasses. Let me explain why I say we are a team in transition. There were about 5 or 6 teams in the NBE that had the potential to win AAC. The only AAC team that would have shown well in the NBE was Houston. Our team next year will be significantly better. Our opposition next year will be significantly better. I feel that there is a significant probability that our record next year will be similar to this year, somewhere around 20-21 wins overall. That will put us squarely on the bubble, possibly with a 9-10 seed. To me that is a team in transition from bubble to consistently competing for the NBE championship and going far into the tournament. NC's are still a bit further off.

You're wrong here, with the right additions into the last 2 spots for next year we're a top 25 team next year. We won't win the Big East but I fully expect a competitive team and should be well above the bubble

 

[ToolzieFan]

Ah @superjohn, i see you still have your AAC glasses on. Time to swap to the new and improved NBE glasses. Let me explain why I say we are a team in transition. There were about 5 or 6 teams in the NBE that had the potential to win AAC. The only AAC team that would have shown well in the NBE was Houston. Our team next year will be significantly better. Our opposition next year will be significantly better. I feel that there is a significant probability that our record next year will be similar to this year, somewhere around 20-21 wins overall. That will put us squarely on the bubble, possibly with a 9-10 seed. To me that is a team in transition from bubble to consistently competing for the NBE championship and going far into the tournament. NC's are still a bit further off.

Bouknight is the most talented player we’ve had since Shabazz. He might only be here for another year. I want as much talent around him as possible next year. If we have the year I think we’re capable of, recruiting won’t be a problem going forward.

 

[HuskylnSC]

Bouknight is the most talented player we’ve had since Shabazz. He might only be here for another year. I want as much talent around him as possible next year. If we have the year I think we’re capable of, recruiting won’t be a problem going forward.
[/QUOTE
Mind if I alter your quote a bit. Suppose I say Alterique is the most talented player since Shabazz; does that mean we are going to be a great team next year? Don't get me wrong, I think this team is on an exponentially upward trend, but the competition next year is so much more. Do not forget, this year the AAC was pretty much a joke as a league. They got 2 teams in the tournament with a potential for a 3rd. THE NBE had 7 teams in the tourney (going by memory and not checking). You cannot compare the quality of opposition we are facing next year.

 

[HuskylnSC]

You're wrong here, with the right additions into the last 2 spots for next year we're a top 25 team next year. We won't win the Big East but I fully expect a competitive team and should be well above the bubble

You're right if the two additions are Jalen Green and Ziaire Williams. But I don't think they are coming.

 

[superjohn]

Ah @superjohn, i see you still have your AAC glasses on. Time to swap to the new and improved NBE glasses. Let me explain why I say we are a team in transition. There were about 5 or 6 teams in the NBE that had the potential to win AAC. The only AAC team that would have shown well in the NBE was Houston. Our team next year will be significantly better. Our opposition next year will be significantly better. I feel that there is a significant probability that our record next year will be similar to this year, somewhere around 20-21 wins overall. That will put us squarely on the bubble, possibly with a 9-10 seed. To me that is a team in transition from bubble to consistently competing for the NBE championship and going far into the tournament. NC's are still a bit further off.

I don't watch any AAC games outside of UConn games, all I watch during college basketball season is Big East games. We were a flat out bad team before this season and a horrible geographic and cultural fit which hurt us even more. The Big East is a guard dominated league, the best guard league in the country and teams like to play fast. We are going to fit in perfectly, it's how we're built to play and how Hurley teams play. Stuff would have to go pretty wrong for us not to make the tournament, IMO.

 

[superjohn]

Bouknight is the most talented player we’ve had since Shabazz. He might only be here for another year. I want as much talent around him as possible next year. If we have the year I think we’re capable of, recruiting won’t be a problem going forward.

You get it.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I don't watch any AAC games outside of UConn games, all I watch during college basketball season is Big East games. We were a flat out bad team before this season and a horrible geographic and cultural fit which hurt us even more. The Big East is a guard dominated league, the best guard league in the country and teams like to play fast. We are going to fit in perfectly, it's how we're built to play and how Hurley teams play. Stuff would have to go pretty wrong for us not to make the tournament, IMO.

I hope you're right. This is one of the times when would rather be wrong.

 

[HuskylnSC]

I don't watch any AAC games outside of UConn games, all I watch during college basketball season is Big East games. We were a flat out bad team before this season and a horrible geographic and cultural fit which hurt us even more. The Big East is a guard dominated league, the best guard league in the country and teams like to play fast. We are going to fit in perfectly, it's how we're built to play and how Hurley teams play. Stuff would have to go pretty wrong for us not to make the tournament, IMO.

One year teams recruit one year players. IMHO bouk is going to have to improve in several areas, strength, defense, and contested handle before he's a top 30 pick.

 

[navery12]

You're right if the two additions are Jalen Green and Ziaire Williams. But I don't think they are coming.

You are severely underestimating the talent we have on the team coming back next year. I'd even venture to say you're forgetting that good players improve under a good coach year to year

 

[the Q]

One year teams recruit one year players. IMHO bouk is going to have to improve in several areas, strength, defense, and contested handle before he's a top 30 pick.

I’d rather a grad transfer big because we already have akok springs and Javonte Brown Ferguson who will all be soph or younger. Older depth is a good thing there.

 

[BlueMAB]

We don't even know if Akok will be back next year, our best rebounder is graduating, and our next best rebound will be a sophomore guard.

If Hurley wants this guy, you get him.

Do I really need to remind UConn fans how important rebounding is to sparking the fast break??