Maybe Vanderbilt, Baylor, Northwestern, or Georgetown?
Golden State Warriors
Vanderbilt is interesting but I cant see him going (playing?) at that level...he'd get eaten alive
Syracuse board has four pages on this topic already... Maybe guys get 7 fouls in an ACC game...
Butler - in his backyard.
I think his family moved out to Arizona though so the pull to Indy may not be as great anymore
Quote from: Valpo Joe on March 18, 2019, 07:47:56 PM
Butler - in his backyard.
Puke. But I could see it because he was initially recruited there but the coaching staff is different.
Quote from: VUSL98 on March 18, 2019, 07:42:01 PM
Syracuse board has four pages on this topic already... Maybe guys get 7 fouls in an ACC game...
Brandon Woods to MSU made far far more sense than Smits anywhere P6. In no uncertain words, Smits is soft and more concerned with getting his way than getting back on defense after a no-call.
I am 100% happy to see him ply his trade elsewhere only because that means we can move past the Drew 7' era and into the more nimble Lottich era.
Guys, I think this move could very well let us see the engine underneath the tarp that was this past year. Sorolla is a far better pick n roll player and we can open up the offense to get into the flow of a game better.
There were times this year where we made 3 or more attempts per possession to feed the post and that stagnates an offense something fierce.
Vanderbuilt(Drew), Baylor(Drew), Northwestern(Dildy) and Georgetown(Ewing).
Could you imagine if he went to Vanderbilt? Those fans already want Bryce canned. They'd be even more furious if he brings his former center to the SEC to get eaten alive
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on March 18, 2019, 07:55:07 PM
Quote from: VUSL98 on March 18, 2019, 07:42:01 PM
Syracuse board has four pages on this topic already... Maybe guys get 7 fouls in an ACC game...
Brandon Woods to MSU made far far more sense than Smits anywhere P6. In no uncertain words, Smits is soft and more concerned with getting his way than getting back on defense after a no-call.
I am 100% happy to see him ply his trade elsewhere only because that means we can move past the Drew 7' era and into the more nimble Lottich era.
Guys, I think this move could very well let us see the engine underneath the tarp that was this past year. Sorolla is a far better pick n roll player and we can open up the offense to get into the flow of a game better.
There were times this year where we made 3 or more attempts per possession to feed the post and that stagnates an offense something fierce.
Derrik was pizza at the end of a Chinese buffet line. Good food, but not a good fit.
P6? Lol
Grab some bench.
Syracuse fans licking their chops at prospect of snatching Smits.
https://syracusefan.com/threads/derrik-smits-grad-transfer-from-valpo.142097/
Nice to see we're not the only delusional fan base.
SU is a 2-3 zone forever. That could be a fit for him. Four other guys to defend the opponent and box out offensive rebounders. Boeheim is a legend. Smits could be transformed just because he will be overwhelmed by JB, who takes no crap from players, and will be forced to change his game. At Valpo, I believe that no matter what our mid-major coaches tried to do, he had his own mind.
A 7'1" center who doesn't know how to rebound (unless the ball bounces directly to him) nor dunk should get many offers.
I think Smits will get eaten alive in one of the big conferences however his height alone along with some offensive skill will likely have him end up in one of those conferences.
Smits transferring is only one half of the story. He is declaring for the NBA draft - pause until laughter subsides - and if he changes his mind, will transfer from VU to play better competition.
I guess I'm in the minority that believe Smits leaving is a big loss for the team and the program. Smits' stats compared with those of Cameron Krutwig, the conference's first-team center— Smits: PPG 12.2 Rebs. 5.7 FT% .613 Krutwig: PPG 14.7 Rebs. 7.3 FT% .575 Therefore, Krutwig had 2.5 points and 1.6 rebounds more; however, Krutwig also played 6.3 more minutes per game 28.1 to 21.8. Yes, Krutwig was clearly the better of the two, but Smits made the conference "most improved" team and showed much advancement, especially with his footwork under the basket. If he continued next year at that rate of improvement, he would surpass Krutwig's conference first-team stats this year. Who knows, he could have made the kind of progress other Valpo bigs, such as Fernandez and Ensminger, made between their junior and senior years. Off the court, as I mentioned, Smits has been a good citizen of the university. Plus, having Rik Smits' kid on the team was good publicity for the program. The fact that other teams appear eager to recruit Derrik seems to suggest we are losing a valuable player.
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico, New Mexico State or Northern Arizona. Maybe a Southern California university such as USC or UCLA but if California then most likely San Diego Toreros or San Diego State Aztecs.
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AM
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico State or Northern Arizona.
If he wants better competition he wouldn't be going to the WAC
Quote from: VU2014 on March 19, 2019, 12:33:55 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AM
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico State or Northern Arizona.
If he wants better competition he wouldn't be going to the WAC
If his dad got to see him play I don't think he cares what conference he's in as long as there is a chance for an NCAA tournament appearance. In that case NM St would be his best choice. I'm sure Rik and Derrik were thinking Valpo was going to the Big Dance from the HL when Derrik committed to Valpo.
NMSU is playing Auburn as a 12 seed and that could be one of the upset specials.
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:48:05 AM
Quote from: VU2014 on March 19, 2019, 12:33:55 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AM
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico State or Northern Arizona.
If he wants better competition he wouldn't be going to the WAC
If his dad got to see him play I don't think he cares what conference he's in as long as there is a chance for an NCAA tournament appearance. In that case NM St would be his best choice. I'm sure Rik and Derrik were thinking Valpo was going to the Big Dance from the HL when Derrik committed to Valpo.
NMSU is playing Auburn as a 12 seed and that could be one of the upset specials.
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1107724135608864768
Quote from: VU2014 on March 19, 2019, 12:53:27 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:48:05 AM
Quote from: VU2014 on March 19, 2019, 12:33:55 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AM
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico State or Northern Arizona.
If he wants better competition he wouldn't be going to the WAC
If his dad got to see him play I don't think he cares what conference he's in as long as there is a chance for an NCAA tournament appearance. In that case NM St would be his best choice. I'm sure Rik and Derrik were thinking Valpo was going to the Big Dance from the HL when Derrik committed to Valpo.
NMSU is playing Auburn as a 12 seed and that could be one of the upset specials.
https://twitter.com/NWIOren/status/1107724135608864768
One big word there----
"hopefully"
Syracuse? Middle Tennessee State, Virginia, or Stanford?
Quote from: wh on March 18, 2019, 08:34:44 PM
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on March 18, 2019, 07:55:07 PM
Quote from: VUSL98 on March 18, 2019, 07:42:01 PM
Syracuse board has four pages on this topic already... Maybe guys get 7 fouls in an ACC game...
Brandon Woods to MSU made far far more sense than Smits anywhere P6. In no uncertain words, Smits is soft and more concerned with getting his way than getting back on defense after a no-call.
I am 100% happy to see him ply his trade elsewhere only because that means we can move past the Drew 7' era and into the more nimble Lottich era.
Guys, I think this move could very well let us see the engine underneath the tarp that was this past year. Sorolla is a far better pick n roll player and we can open up the offense to get into the flow of a game better.
There were times this year where we made 3 or more attempts per possession to feed the post and that stagnates an offense something fierce.
Derrik was pizza at the end of a Chinese buffet line. Good food, but not a good fit.
Truly wonderful analogy
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AM
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico, New Mexico State or Northern Arizona. Maybe a Southern California university such as USC or UCLA but if California then most likely San Diego Toreros or San Diego State Aztecs.
I would include the UC Irvine Anteaters and the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.
Quote from: EddieCabot on March 19, 2019, 07:55:05 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AM
I have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico, New Mexico State or Northern Arizona. Maybe a Southern California university such as USC or UCLA but if California then most likely San Diego Toreros or San Diego State Aztecs.
I would include the UC Irvine Anteaters and the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.
Yes, Smits as a 7' 2" banana slug would be perfect. I wonder how many athletes over 7 foot have been banana slugs. Anteater----that fits Smits too well. :-)
https://www.redbubble.com/people/moemie/works/30134993-uc-santa-cruz-banana-slugs-from-pulp-fiction?
p=sticker&size=small&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=g.pla+notset&country_code=US&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpsLkBRDpARIsAKoYI8y8HH_EPij39JToDbJrTQCU1vtUpSeRtPNXvb8h-pZHI1-emjxmiukaAhpzEALw_wcB
I love the fact that UCSC has the banana slug reading Plato with eyeglasses in their logo. They just should have gone with "Nerds."
I think many of you guys have a short memory. I tend to agree with pal on this loss. How it will effect the team will be interesting and clearly the offense will be much different.
Now, as to how Derrik may performance against "better" competition and how he will or will not be able to stay on the floor, I looked back at the numbers.
Here are his stats against perceived better competition or P5 teams:
Wake Forest played 29 minutes, 3 fouls, 23 points and 7 boards.
West Virginia played 34 minutes, 2 fouls, 20 points and 7 boards.
UNLV played 31 minutes, 4 fouls, 20 points and 12 boards.
Texas A & M played 26 minutes, 1 foul, 8 points and 6 boards.
GW played 28 minutes, 3 fouls, 11 points and 9 boards.
The only real disaster was against Western Kentucky which was our very first meaningful game, where he way under performed, playing only 8 minutes, getting 5 fouls with 4 points and 2 boards.
Quote from: vu72 on March 19, 2019, 08:43:20 AM
I think many of you guys have a short memory. I tend to agree with pal on this loss. How it will effect the team will be interesting and clearly the offense will be much different.
Now, as to how Derrik may performance against "better" competition and how he will or will not be able to stay on the floor, I looked back at the numbers.
Here are his stats against perceived better competition or P5 teams:
Wake Forest played 29 minutes, 3 fouls, 23 points and 7 boards.
West Virginia played 34 minutes, 2 fouls, 20 points and 7 boards.
UNLV played 31 minutes, 4 fouls, 20 points and 12 boards.
Texas A & M played 26 minutes, 1 foul, 8 points and 6 boards.
GW played 28 minutes, 3 fouls, 11 points and 9 boards.
The only real disaster was against Western Kentucky which was our very first meaningful game, where he way under performed, playing only 8 minutes, getting 5 fouls with 4 points and 2 boards.
I would say that despite their P5 status those teams didn't play that well against us except for MAYBE West Virginia & Texas A&M. Wake Forest wasn't horrible. But GW & UNLV we're absolutely horrible.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/sports/ct-ptb-spt-mens-basketball-valparaiso-derrik-smits-st-0319-story.html
I don't remember seeing the article here so apologies of this is a repost.
One thing that I thought was interesting: Lottich is supposedly having interviews with his players this week yet it reads like he reached out to Derrik about if he's coming back. Makes me wonder if he wanted to move on a recruit and knew Smits was a likely transfer and wanted to approach it sooner rather than drag it out.
Quote from: EddieCabot on March 19, 2019, 07:55:05 AMQuote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AMI have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico, New Mexico State or Northern Arizona. Maybe a Southern California university such as USC or UCLA but if California then most likely San Diego Toreros or San Diego State Aztecs.
I would include the UC Irvine Anteaters and the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.
He may be a best fit at Saint Mary's. They run the type of offense and play at the tempo I think Smits fits. Any team which likes to get up and down the court he's a bad fit for and any conference in which the bigs are real bangers he's a bad fit for.
I had a chat with Matt Bowen at the Evansville game and asked if he was involved with recruiting. He said yes, and that the whole recruiting process has changed with all the transfers going on. I would expect a transfer and probably one where he needs to sit as next year's team is very senior heavy. If we can get a stud transfer who sit a year, then the 20-21 teams will have the transfer, Robinson, Gordon, Freeman, Mileek, Clay and Sackey as the core--presuming others don't bail as well.
Quote from: vu72 on March 19, 2019, 08:43:20 AM
I think many of you guys have a short memory. I tend to agree with pal on this loss. How it will effect the team will be interesting and clearly the offense will be much different.
Now, as to how Derrik may performance against "better" competition and how he will or will not be able to stay on the floor, I looked back at the numbers.
Here are his stats against perceived better competition or P5 teams:
Wake Forest played 29 minutes, 3 fouls, 23 points and 7 boards.
West Virginia played 34 minutes, 2 fouls, 20 points and 7 boards.
UNLV played 31 minutes, 4 fouls, 20 points and 12 boards.
Texas A & M played 26 minutes, 1 foul, 8 points and 6 boards.
GW played 28 minutes, 3 fouls, 11 points and 9 boards.
The only real disaster was against Western Kentucky which was our very first meaningful game, where he way under performed, playing only 8 minutes, getting 5 fouls with 4 points and 2 boards.
Yes, the team will miss Derrik's points. What won't be missed is his wildly inconsistent scoring from half to half and game to game. Unfortunately, you can toss several players who are coming back in the same bucket, including Marcus, Bakari, and even Ryan - and, lest I forget, Micah from the season before. Whatever we do next season, we must have a nucleus of 3 or 4 players who can perform at a reasonable level of consistency.
How about Marist? :)
Quote from: JD24 on March 19, 2019, 10:35:28 AM
Quote from: EddieCabot on March 19, 2019, 07:55:05 AMQuote from: bbtds on March 19, 2019, 12:27:38 AMI have to believe his dad wants him at Grand Canyon, Arizona or Arizona State. Possibly New Mexico, New Mexico State or Northern Arizona. Maybe a Southern California university such as USC or UCLA but if California then most likely San Diego Toreros or San Diego State Aztecs.
I would include the UC Irvine Anteaters and the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.
He may be a best fit at Saint Mary's. They run the type of offense and play at the tempo I think Smits fits. Any team which likes to get up and down the court he's a bad fit for and any conference in which the bigs are real bangers he's a bad fit for.
That's too far away from the Phoenix area where Rik is living. You're not getting the geographical goal of the family. Although that may not happen anyway. Some head coaches are capable of seeing the flaws in Smits game.
Quote from: bbtds on March 20, 2019, 12:14:26 AMThat's too far away from the Phoenix area where Rik is living. You're not getting the geographical goal of the family. Although that may not happen anyway. Some head coaches are capable of seeing the flaws in Smits game.
....and if the interest nearer to Phoenix isn't there?
Might be best to avoid letting me know what you think I'm not getting.
The school should reconsider allowing our players to take summer school classes. We are just grooming kids to leave their last season.
Our entire offense was run around this guy. He won't get that elsewhere.
But, aren't summer classes the way they keep the team together for summer workouts?
Quote from: valpotx on March 22, 2019, 01:33:52 AM
The school should reconsider allowing our players to take summer school classes. We are just grooming kids to leave their last season.
Our entire offense was run around this guy. He won't get that elsewhere.
This has crossed my mind as well. We develop players and then, if they have some all conference type success, their ego says "I can play with the bigs"! And we are left holding the bag.
Our system would have worked fine running through Derrik if only we had anybody who could make a 3 point shot. I certainly hope we replace the defectors with qulaity kids who want to be at Valpo and who can make a basket from time to time.
Don't allow the players to have the chance to graduate early they won't come here. Plain and simple. That's standard practice these days.
Not allowing athletes to go to Summer school is a dumb solution :-X :crazy:
Why? You are paying for 4 years of school, and only getting 3 years of play, if Smits would have left last season.
I understand the awesome environment at GCU, but the WAC....
If he wants to play better competition it's a head scratcher. I know his family lives AZ now but it's just strange to me if he goes this route.
https://twitter.com/goodmanhoops/status/1110941329465503746?s=21
It tells you that there's probably more to the story that wasn't mentioned. I don't think he liked playing for Lottich who actually demanded defensive effort without complaining and he also didn't like splitting time with Sorolla and it's as simple as that. The family relocation simply provides a convenient pretext especially if he dies end up at GCU. But buyer beware. If he thought playing for Lottich was too much or too intense for him then he will surely hate playing for Majerle who constantly yells at and berates his players even publicly.
Thunder Dan from the Central Michigan Chippewas!
What other former Phoenix Suns player coached Grand Canyon and also coached Thunder Dan?
Paul Westphal?
GCU is in the center of Phoenix.
Great campus life. Lots to do. Great scenery. Constant sunshine in Sept-May. NBA coach.
Comparisons to VU...
Am I missing anything?
Grand Canyon has a basketball team? News to me. Interesting switch if he goes there.
Quote from: crusadermoe on March 27, 2019, 02:32:29 PMConstant sunshine in Sept-May.
And more constant sunshine June-October, temps approaching 120F.
It actually makes perfect sense. I see a 75% chance. Go see GCU sometime if you are in Arizona.
They have a brand new campus where nearly everything is new, including the arena which they pack for multiple speakers and events. They have built a hotel and golf course on site. The Christianity theme is everywhere.
Majerle and Rik probably played vs each other and Rik might have steered all of this.
GCU is all hype. They haven't won or done anything major. They can't even dethrone the best team in their own conference. The facilities and institutional commitment are great but they are the definition of a paper tiger Their arena is packed with comped and reduced price tickets. It's a perfect place for a one trick pony with an overinflated sense of his abilities like Smits. He looks impressive tough and imposing but is easily dominated in the post just like GCU in the WAC
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on March 27, 2019, 03:04:30 PM
GCU is all hype. They haven't won or done anything major. They can't even dethrone the best team in their own conference. The facilities and institutional commitment are great but they are the definition of a paper tiger Their arena is packed with comped and reduced price tickets. It's a perfect place for a one trick pony with an overinflated sense of his abilities like Smits. He looks impressive tough and imposing but is easily dominated in the post just like GCU in the WAC
They have averaged 24 wins in their last four seasons. Their NET rating was in the top 100 and higher than anyone in the MVC. They have one of the greatest game-day experiences with sensational student support and an average attendance over 7,000. Who cares if they get folks in with reduced ticket prices? Their arena is first-class and has been modernized twice in recent years. If he transfers there, Smits will be the starting center and will prove his abilities. I wish Valpo could claim the same characteristics about its program and game-day experiences. Smits was recognized as one of the most improved players in the MVC this past season, and I expect those gains to continue next year.
He'll do well in the WAC because nobody has that kind of size in that league to challenge him but his experience in the WAC won't prove anything about him that we don't already know. He's not going to magically become an elite shotblocker or learn how to play team defense.
Quote from: VUGrad1314 on March 27, 2019, 03:35:33 PM
He'll do well in the WAC because nobody has that kind of size in that league to challenge him but his experience in the WAC won't prove anything about him that we don't already know. He's not going to magically become an elite shotblocker or learn how to play team defense.
I've often thought he is really mismatched playing smaller athletic bigs. I think he will be outstandingly inconsistent in perpetuity, regardless of league.
Does anyone else have an ad for Grand Canyon University on this webpage?
Quote from: JD24 on March 20, 2019, 10:53:01 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 20, 2019, 12:14:26 AMThat's too far away from the Phoenix area where Rik is living. You're not getting the geographical goal of the family. Although that may not happen anyway. Some head coaches are capable of seeing the flaws in Smits game.
....and if the interest nearer to Phoenix isn't there?
Might be best to avoid letting me know what you think I'm not getting.
Interesting that Smits now getting visit and interest from Grand Canyon. We may not like it but maybe, just maybe, Smits gives GCU enough scoring to pass New Mexico State in the WAC tournament. Maybe Majerle is what Derrik needs.
GAME 7 - WAC FINALS
March 16, 2019 Final
57 #3 Grand Canyon
89 #1 NM State
It would need to be better defense and a ton of scoring too. Who knows?
Quote from: humbleopinion on March 27, 2019, 08:37:56 PM
Does anyone else have an ad for Grand Canyon University on this webpage?
Not today but, yes, in the past.
Quote from: bbtds on March 28, 2019, 03:24:27 AM
Quote from: JD24 on March 20, 2019, 10:53:01 AM
Quote from: bbtds on March 20, 2019, 12:14:26 AMThat's too far away from the Phoenix area where Rik is living. You're not getting the geographical goal of the family. Although that may not happen anyway. Some head coaches are capable of seeing the flaws in Smits game.
....and if the interest nearer to Phoenix isn't there?
Might be best to avoid letting me know what you think I'm not getting.
Interesting that Smits now getting visit and interest from Grand Canyon. We may not like it but maybe, just maybe, Smits gives GCU enough scoring to pass New Mexico State in the WAC tournament. Maybe Majerle is what Derrik needs.
GAME 7 - WAC FINALS
March 16, 2019 Final
57 #3 Grand Canyon
89 #1 NM State
It would need to be better defense and a ton of scoring too. Who knows?
To be fair GCU lost by 2 on the road on a half court buzzer beater and by 3 at home. They played 2 6-10 players together one of which graduates (Illinois transfer Finke) so Marjerle is used to playing 2 bigs at once.
Why bash him? If he ends up at GCU and gets to be closer to his family, good for him. Can you imagine his dad trying to sit comfortably on an airplane to come and see him? All this time, I though his dad still lived in Indy and wondered why he didn't come to games more often. If he lives in Arizona, he should go play somewhere there. Good for him. Only get one chance to be a college player. Go overseas and make some money if he wants thereafter. Best of luck to Smits.
Quote from: GoldenCrusader87 on March 28, 2019, 10:50:02 AM
Why bash him? If he ends up at GCU and gets to be closer to his family, good for him. Can you imagine his dad trying to sit comfortably on an airplane to come and see him? All this time, I though his dad still lived in Indy and wondered why he didn't come to games more often. If he lives in Arizona, he should go play somewhere there. Good for him. Only get one chance to be a college player. Go overseas and make some money if he wants thereafter. Best of luck to Smits.
I won't be following him outside of the program, but that's more because I don't appreciate his attitude as a young man. I wish all well because it's waisted emotion otherwise.
He was gifted size and genes and his attitude on court was tough to accept because it appeared he wasn't capitalizing. Smits didn't need to average 12 pts and 6 boards in his first two years for me to think well of him, see Kiser.
Some have correctly pointed out that bigs @ mid majors develop slower due to athleticism and a myriad of other reasons. But Derrik (and Bakari) just seemed to be overwhelmed by any perceived slight. It was exhausting trying not to yell at the tv when they were on the court many times.
I'm glad to see him grow in play these years, but a part of me says good luck finding the greener grass you seek young men.
Is Smits that big a loss? He had a lot of flaws in his game. He also graduated and got his degree.
Quote from: usc4valpo on March 28, 2019, 02:07:32 PM
Is Smits that big a loss? He had a lot of flaws in his game. He also graduated and got his degree.
Hard to say. We will no doubt run a much different offense without him particularly if J isn't on the floor. With him in, the plan was always to get him the ball to see if he could make a move a score. Failing that the plan was to pass to the open man when a double team came. The problem was the open man couldn't make shots so the double team always came.
He clearly improved both scoring and rebounding wise last year. It is hard to replace his size yet teams with less height did better than us.
Quote from: vu72 on March 28, 2019, 02:15:59 PM
Quote from: usc4valpo on March 28, 2019, 02:07:32 PM
Is Smits that big a loss? He had a lot of flaws in his game. He also graduated and got his degree.
Hard to say. We will no doubt run a much different offense without him particularly if J isn't on the floor. With him in, the plan was always to get him the ball to see if he could make a move a score. Failing that the plan was to pass to the open man when a double team came. The problem was the open man couldn't make shots so the double team always came.
He clearly improved both scoring and rebounding wise last year. It is hard to replace his size yet teams with less height did better than us.
One more year of inconsistency, lazy defense, and ref whining, and we were going to be losing him anyway. We'll just just have to do the best we can to get over it.
Quote from: usc4valpo on March 28, 2019, 02:07:32 PM
Is Smits that big a loss? He had a lot of flaws in his game. He also graduated and got his degree.
Yes it is a loss: His scoring averages each year were 3.4, 7.5 to 12.2 and his rebounding averages each year were 2.2, 3.6, 5.7. If he lands at a school playing similar competition as Valpo, it isn't hard to see him scoring 16 ppg and 7 rpg in his last year, barring injury. Of course, in a P5/6 conference these are likely lower. This is a loss for the VU and a gain for the team that gets him.
That said, this is only for one year, so the loss is not as serious for the team or the program. Players transfer all the time, and we should wish him well.
The more serious transfer is Javon - he would arguably be one of the top 10 freshmen in VU history, and has a ton of potential for the future. VU also is losing out on his services for the next three years.
Quote from: valpo95 on March 28, 2019, 06:32:03 PMQuote from: usc4valpo on March 28, 2019, 02:07:32 PMIs Smits that big a loss? He had a lot of flaws in his game. He also graduated and got his degree.
Yes it is a loss: His scoring averages each year were 3.4, 7.5 to 12.2 and his rebounding averages each year were 2.2, 3.6, 5.7. If he lands at a school playing similar competition as Valpo, it isn't hard to see him scoring 16 ppg and 7 rpg in his last year, barring injury.
Overall, I'm not sure the loss is a net negative. His numbers may have, in fact, gone up. It's a big question as to whether that would have helped the team overall. The ball stagnated with him too much. He'd score but he'd also eliminate chances by stopping the ball too much. He wasn't either a great defensive player nor rebounder. In fact he was pretty poor at both.
Quote from: JD24 on March 28, 2019, 08:54:56 PM
Overall, I'm not sure the loss is a net negative. His numbers may have, in fact, gone up. It's a big question as to whether that would have helped the team overall. The ball stagnated with him too much. He'd score but he'd also eliminate chances by stopping the ball too much. He wasn't either a great defensive player nor rebounder. In fact he was pretty poor at both.
Ignoring his raw numbers, which you absolutely should in most cases, Derrik was the best defensive rebounder on the team, gathering in 20.7% of the other team's misses. Next highest was Lavender at 19.7%. Overall, Derrik was 2nd on the team in individual defensive efficiency rating (just behind Sorolla by 0.1 PPP), and if you only look at conference play, was tied for 3rd behind Freeman and Sorolla. He was one of only 5 Valpo players with a positive Box Plus Minus rating (essentially shows PPP above an average player on an average team), and was 3rd on the team in that category behind Freeman and Fazekas.
Was he a great player overall? No, I wouldn't say that, but he was second on the team in offensive efficiency on what was a really bad offensive team (291st out of 353 teams), and at least statistically speaking, was a good defensive player as well. His biggest issue was turning the ball over too much, but his turnover rate was actually better than average on this Valpo team.
Ultimately how big of a loss he is to next year's team will depend on how well Gordon and Robinson integrate into the offense, and whether or not Fazekas can stay healthy, but I do think it's hard to say that he was a net negative in any way on this year's team when you had guys like Evelyn and Sackey who both played more minutes than Smits in conference play, and ranked 65th (Evelyn) and 67th (Sackey) out of 67 qualifying players (players who played 40% or more minutes on average in a conference game) in offensive efficiency. Smits was ranked 29th, which was best among qualifying Valpo players in conference play.
Great research, Irishdawg
Quote from: VU2014 on March 27, 2019, 12:46:29 PM
I understand the awesome environment at GCU, but the WAC....
If he wants to play better competition it's a head scratcher. I know his family lives AZ now but it's just strange to me if he goes this route.
https://twitter.com/goodmanhoops/status/1110941329465503746?s=21
Isn't GCU in the Paradise Jam tournament next year? Could be an interesting reunion!
I think I recall that too.
https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/butler/2019/04/05/butler-basketball-looking-transfers-fill-holes-2019-20-roster/3375677002/
I thought I had read this in my print version of the Indy Star.
Butler sent to play at Baylor
Butler was assigned a road game at Baylor in pairings announced for the scheduling alliance between Big East and Big 12. Games are set for December. Baylor is coached by Scott Drew, a Butler graduate.
Somehow I feel Scott Drew doesn't give a rat's ass whether he plays against Butler or not.
https://mobile.twitter.com/JWReamer/status/1116875980071755778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-34201470752388396717.ampproject.net%2F1904021746450%2Fframe.html
Quote from: Just Sayin on April 13, 2019, 04:56:35 PM
https://mobile.twitter.com/JWReamer/status/1116875980071755778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fd-34201470752388396717.ampproject.net%2F1904021746450%2Fframe.html
This is not intended as a slight to anyone. But I don't much care what Smits does now. Am I alone?
Arizona State, if they really want him, would probably be Derrik's ideal place to play. Right there in Tempe, in the Phoenix area, where his dad can see him play and he would be in a P5 conference.
As a Christian I wish Derrik the best. As a vengeful fan I would love to see him not box someone out on a Hurley coached team.
He graduated with a Valpo degree, as did Sorolla, Bakari, and Golder. They are Valpo alums, regardless of how we might feel about it. However, Buck Futler, and choose one of the other 2.
Quote from: valpotx on April 13, 2019, 08:30:34 PM
He graduated with a Valpo degree, as did Sorolla, Bakari, and Golder. They are Valpo alums, regardless of how we might feel about it. However, Buck Futler, and choose one of the other 2.
According to the VU athletics website, Golder and Sorolla are Juniors this year.
It will be hard to watch Smits in a Butler uni if he ends up there. I don't watch a ton of Butler basketball but they don't seem to utilize their bigs very much from a offensive standpoint, which was Smits' bread and butter.
Quote from: IrishDawg on March 29, 2019, 07:28:55 AM
Quote from: JD24 on March 28, 2019, 08:54:56 PM
Overall, I'm not sure the loss is a net negative. His numbers may have, in fact, gone up. It's a big question as to whether that would have helped the team overall. The ball stagnated with him too much. He'd score but he'd also eliminate chances by stopping the ball too much. He wasn't either a great defensive player nor rebounder. In fact he was pretty poor at both.
Ignoring his raw numbers, which you absolutely should in most cases, Derrik was the best defensive rebounder on the team, gathering in 20.7% of the other team's misses. Next highest was Lavender at 19.7%. Overall, Derrik was 2nd on the team in individual defensive efficiency rating (just behind Sorolla by 0.1 PPP), and if you only look at conference play, was tied for 3rd behind Freeman and Sorolla. He was one of only 5 Valpo players with a positive Box Plus Minus rating (essentially shows PPP above an average player on an average team), and was 3rd on the team in that category behind Freeman and Fazekas.
Was he a great player overall? No, I wouldn't say that, but he was second on the team in offensive efficiency on what was a really bad offensive team (291st out of 353 teams), and at least statistically speaking, was a good defensive player as well. His biggest issue was turning the ball over too much, but his turnover rate was actually better than average on this Valpo team.
Ultimately how big of a loss he is to next year's team will depend on how well Gordon and Robinson integrate into the offense, and whether or not Fazekas can stay healthy, but I do think it's hard to say that he was a net negative in any way on this year's team when you had guys like Evelyn and Sackey who both played more minutes than Smits in conference play, and ranked 65th (Evelyn) and 67th (Sackey) out of 67 qualifying players (players who played 40% or more minutes on average in a conference game) in offensive efficiency. Smits was ranked 29th, which was best among qualifying Valpo players in conference play.
Statistics tell a story, for sure, but not an entire story. For instance, Smits missed so many lay ups that could have easily been dunks, if he would have tried. IMHO, as a fan who saw every home game and many televised away games, of his career, his PPG should have been higher if he would have dunked the ball more. At 7'2", if you have the ball 3', or less, from the hoop, DUNK IT. Another instance, is rebounding. He looked like he never learned proper techniques of rebounding. He was poor at getting into position to rebound - blocking out wasn't his strong suit.
Quote from: VU2014 on April 13, 2019, 10:14:51 PM
It will be hard to watch Smits in a Butler uni if he ends up there. I don't watch a ton of Butler basketball but they don't seem to utilize their bigs very much from a offensive standpoint, which was Smits' bread and butter.
I don't think any of the teams he is looking at currently put a major focus on getting the ball in the post. He might wind up at Butler, he might not, but I think no matter which school he picks, he'll definitely help, but won't be the main focus by any stretch.
Quote from: IrishDawg on April 14, 2019, 04:54:57 AM
Quote from: VU2014 on April 13, 2019, 10:14:51 PM
It will be hard to watch Smits in a Butler uni if he ends up there. I don't watch a ton of Butler basketball but they don't seem to utilize their bigs very much from a offensive standpoint, which was Smits' bread and butter.
I don't think any of the teams he is looking at currently put a major focus on getting the ball in the post. He might wind up at Butler, he might not, but I think no matter which school he picks, he'll definitely help, but won't be the main focus by any stretch.
So how would you compare his game to Joey Brunk? Where is Joey going to land?
Any chance we get Joey Brunk from Butler? He is friends with Eron Gordon.
Quote from: vu72 on April 14, 2019, 06:16:19 AM
Quote from: IrishDawg on April 14, 2019, 04:54:57 AM
Quote from: VU2014 on April 13, 2019, 10:14:51 PM
It will be hard to watch Smits in a Butler uni if he ends up there. I don't watch a ton of Butler basketball but they don't seem to utilize their bigs very much from a offensive standpoint, which was Smits' bread and butter.
I don't think any of the teams he is looking at currently put a major focus on getting the ball in the post. He might wind up at Butler, he might not, but I think no matter which school he picks, he'll definitely help, but won't be the main focus by any stretch.
So how would you compare his game to Joey Brunk? Where is Joey going to land?
Similar offensively (Brunk might be slightly better), but defensively Brunk was one of the worst on what was collectively a bad defensive team. Physically he couldn't defend a ball screen. Smits was a better rebounder and shot blocker.
Rumor has been since the transfer that he's going to wind up at IU, but has visits to Florida, Ole Miss and Northwestern set up as well.
Quote from: IrishDawg on April 14, 2019, 11:51:15 AM
Quote from: vu72 on April 14, 2019, 06:16:19 AM
Quote from: IrishDawg on April 14, 2019, 04:54:57 AM
Quote from: VU2014 on April 13, 2019, 10:14:51 PM
It will be hard to watch Smits in a Butler uni if he ends up there. I don't watch a ton of Butler basketball but they don't seem to utilize their bigs very much from a offensive standpoint, which was Smits' bread and butter.
I don't think any of the teams he is looking at currently put a major focus on getting the ball in the post. He might wind up at Butler, he might not, but I think no matter which school he picks, he'll definitely help, but won't be the main focus by any stretch.
So how would you compare his game to Joey Brunk? Where is Joey going to land?
Similar offensively (Brunk might be slightly better), but defensively Brunk was one of the worst on what was collectively a bad defensive team. Physically he couldn't defend a ball screen. Smits was a better rebounder and shot blocker.
Rumor has been since the transfer that he's going to wind up at IU, but has visits to Florida, Ole Miss and Northwestern set up as well.
Worse in a better conference....maybe sizably better when playing comparable competition. Derrick flat out can't play competitive defense, it's hard to imagine anyone being much worse that received high marks in high school such as Brunk.
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on April 14, 2019, 01:15:03 PM
Worse in a better conference....maybe sizably better when playing comparable competition. Derrick flat out can't play competitive defense, it's hard to imagine anyone being much worse that received high marks in high school such as Brunk.
I watched every Butler game and most Valpo games that were not on ESPN+, Brunk's defense would not have been good in any league last year because when hedging he couldn't keep any guards in front of him, which gave them a clear passing lane to the rolling big. Generally guards aren't that much more athletic going from the Big East to the MVC. High school also doesn't matter much when guys are 3 and 4 years into their college careers like Brunk and Smits are at this point. But both are offensively skilled, have size and are immediately eligible, which means they'll be desirable on the transfer market. How much of an impact either will have next year (and the year after for Brunk) remains to be seen.
Quote from: IrishDawg on April 14, 2019, 01:49:44 PM
Quote from: FieldGoodie05 on April 14, 2019, 01:15:03 PM
Worse in a better conference....maybe sizably better when playing comparable competition. Derrick flat out can't play competitive defense, it's hard to imagine anyone being much worse that received high marks in high school such as Brunk.
I watched every Butler game and most Valpo games that were not on ESPN+, Brunk's defense would not have been good in any league last year because when hedging he couldn't keep any guards in front of him, which gave them a clear passing lane to the rolling big. Generally guards aren't that much more athletic going from the Big East to the MVC. High school also doesn't matter much when guys are 3 and 4 years into their college careers like Brunk and Smits are at this point. But both are offensively skilled, have size and are immediately eligible, which means they'll be desirable on the transfer market. How much of an impact either will have next year (and the year after for Brunk) remains to be seen.
Who is more athletic? Push?
Also, who complains to the refs more? Push?
Brunk would definitely help offensively, plus he has 2 years remaining. What I would want to know is how much heart does he have, what kind of attitude, what's his work ethic, does he deflect blame to others, does he cry to the refs, does he team-up on on-court huddles, does he run over to pick up a teammate, does he dive for loose balls, does he credit teammates to the press, can he complete a post move in under 10 seconds?
Quote from: wh on April 14, 2019, 02:30:56 PM
Brunk would definitely help offensively, plus he has 2 years remaining. What I would want to know is how much heart does he have, what kind of attitude, what's his work ethic, does he deflect blame to others, does he cry to the refs, does he team-up on on-court huddles, does he run over to pick up a teammate, does he dive for loose balls, does he credit teammates to the press, can he complete a post move in under 10 seconds?
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:rotfl:
Quote from: vu72 on April 14, 2019, 03:01:11 PMcan he complete a post move in under 10 seconds?
I really don't like critisizing young men or women athletes in general, but josh I wish I had said this.
Quote from: FWalum on April 14, 2019, 06:01:32 PM
Quote from: vu72 on April 14, 2019, 03:01:11 PMcan he complete a post move in under 10 seconds?
I really don't like critisizing young men or women athletes in general, but josh I wish I had said this.
Who's josh and why are you directing this comment to him? ;D
Quote from: wh on April 14, 2019, 02:30:56 PMcan he complete a post move in under 10 seconds?
:lol: :lol:
This is spectacular.
Quote from: bbtds on April 14, 2019, 07:09:11 PM
Quote from: FWalum on April 14, 2019, 06:01:32 PM
Quote from: vu72 on April 14, 2019, 03:01:11 PMcan he complete a post move in under 10 seconds?
I really don't like critisizing young men or women athletes in general, but josh I wish I had said this.
Who's josh and why are you directing this comment to him? ;D
Sorry josh, I meant to direct my comment at gosh ::).
According to Jeff Goodman on twitter, the three remaining schools for Smits are NC State, Arizona State and Butler.
https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1118275219490258944
Arizona State's 7' center has decided to transfer, making it even more likely as the landing spot for Smits.
[tweet]1120480980790333441[/tweet]
Quote from: valpopal on April 22, 2019, 07:56:05 PMArizona State's 7' center has decided to transfer, making it even more likely as the landing spot for Smits.
Hmmmmmm! I believe someone on this message board predicted this after Smits announced his transfer. At least his choosing a program in the Phoenix area.
https://twitter.com/BrianNichols19/status/1133412181612146688