Transfers

[AB]

Recurring theme, which has played out on the court last few years. Players roles on the court, uncertain. Most the of transfers have been lateral the last 3, 4 years, except Bakari and JFL. Over a 1,000 transfers, some guys are gonna slip through the cracks. Really no highlights to speak of from Young last year. His stellar senior year in high school is a distant memory evidently. He's not transferring for better facilities or competition.

[chgovalpofan]

My only basketball knowledge of Triton is that a talented walk on from SIU transferred there after his freshman year and is now playing D2 in Florida.  He can definitely prove himself.  He has a high ceiling. Glad he is doing well in school. I am amazed someone knows his GPA.

[valpotx]

Triton was a fantastic Juco for Baseball, 'back in my day'

[JD24]

Recurring theme, which has played out on the court last few years. Players roles on the court, uncertain. Most the of transfers have been lateral the last 3, 4 years, except Bakari and JFL. Over a 1,000 transfers, some guys are gonna slip through the cracks. Really no highlights to speak of from Young last year. His stellar senior year in high school is a distant memory evidently. He's not transferring for better facilities or competition.

...and aside from JFL really had no affect on...well...anybody. Not the outgoing players, not the program and not the incoming players. It's just re-shuffling the deck.

That said....this one is still odd.

[VUSupport]

Find it disturbing that people who don't know Slim whatsoever think he's leaving because of academics. Maybe he transferred to Triton to develop his game more for a better D1 fit. No offense but folks on here think Valpo is this elite IVY institution. It's a nice school, but it's not all that academically.

[VU2014]

Lottich's Valpo Team have just made me numb...

It's getting harder and harder to emotionally invest in his Team's and players. What a kick in the 🥜

https://twitter.com/sheldonnn13/status/1516218251763765252?s=21&t=UrhiVQjx6Eneu0KNwF5VAg

[valpotx]

I don't mind it, as much.  They are moving to the A-10, and have experienced more success than Valpo in recent years.  I would care more if it was Butler, versus Loyola.  I like Sheldon overall, but his 1-on-1 style is not a fit for Valpo.

[mj]

but his 1-on-1 style is not a fit for Valpo.

Is his 1-on-1 style really going to fit it at Loyola? I thought they played more as a team.

[NativeCheesehead]

Sheldon to Gryffindor stings a bit. But it's probably a good fit. He is a talented player and Loyola is doing now what Vu did in the 90s and early 00s. Build a system and a culture. Insert talented players. Rinse. Repeat. Not everyone works out, of course, but you'll end up competing more years than not.

[vu84v2]

but his 1-on-1 style is not a fit for Valpo.

Is his 1-on-1 style really going to fit it at Loyola? I thought they played more as a team.

Loyola emphasizes team-oriented offense and defense more than most teams. Sheldon will either need to change his style or his minutes will be limited. His defensive and rebounding skills should work well within Loyola's system. I do hope that he does well.

[FWalum]

Loyola emphasizes team-oriented offense and defense more than most teams. Sheldon will either need to change his style or his minutes will be limited. His defensive and rebounding skills should work well within Loyola's system. I do hope that he does well.

I also wish Shelton well, he always spoke well of the team, coaches and fellow players when interviewed. However, I got tired of hearing what a great defender he was. Yes, his athleticism allowed him to defend one on one, but his team concept of defense was sorely lacking. Sheldon had a tendency to be a ball watcher. If the player he was defending didn't have the ball he often became disinterested and lost focus on the overall defensive team scheme. Give me Trevon Walker defensively over Sheldon any day. Don't get me wrong, Sheldon is an unbelievable athlete, and that athleticism allowed him to hide many of his deficiencies. If his basketball IQ improves along with his ballhandling skills, he could be one heck of a player. I hope that's what happens.

[crusader05]

https://twitter.com/MatthewBain_/status/1516813642683060228

[valpo64]

Great observation on Sheldon, FWalum.  There is no question that he will need to change his game if he wants to play minutes for Loyola. 

Now as far as those posters who appear to know, or think they know, all about these portal circumstances, what are your thoughts about the A J Green announcement?                                                                                                                                     

[vu72]

Great observation on Sheldon, FWalum.  There is no question that he will need to change his game if he wants to play minutes for Loyola. 

Now as far as those posters who appear to know, or think they know, all about these portal circumstances, what are your thoughts about the A J Green announcement?
                                                                                                                                   

t was obvious to me ( a true non-expert) that AJ was an NBA talent from the first time I saw him.  His injury may have changed that some but I doubt it.  All the NBA scouts know about AJ.  The only question is how he will hold up against tougher talent.  If they are convinced then he'll go in the draft. If not, then they may want him to move up a conference or two to convince the powers that he can play.
More importantly to us is how this development translates to the Valley. I saw them as a top 2 or 3 team, with Belmont--both following Drake. UNI also lost another starter in Carter.  If we can somehow find some extra talent that doesn't take till late February to jell, based on all the conference guys in the portal,  we certainly should be in discussions for the upper half.

[valpotx]

AJ is definitely an NBA talent.  His shot is pure gold

[humbleopinion]

As of today, there have been 1448 Division 1 players who have entered the portal.  That number exceeds an average of four players per team.

[valpo64]

What a joke!   What kind of obligations do players have these days?  Not many in my book...wine, cry, complain and transfer.   Then as many of our posters do, blame the coach.

[usc4valpo]

 64, the players should have a choice to transfer for that one chance. Coaches are leaving for other jobs, and players should have that right.

That being said, I would get rid of the graduate transfer rule. For the graduate transfer, The degrees most of these players have received are a joke.

Just give everyone one chance to transfer and leave it at that.

[mp91]

I know there are some drawbacks and transferring those put an additional strain on coaches/programs. But, the one transfer and/or sit out a year rules were overly prohibitive and unnecessary. I personally don't see the problem with giving players more freedom. If they want to transfer, let them transfer. You only have 4/5 years of eligibility, why not make the most of it.

Yes, the numbers themselves appear rather large. But, I think the claims of catastrophic effects of the transfer rules are largely overblown.Last year was a super exciting college basketball season. The transfer portal didn't ruin it.

(Side-note: I think it's a little much to call people unloyal, uncommitted, or whiners if they transfer. Maybe some. But, let's be real, if you had the opportunity to go from playing in Manhattan, Kansas to Miami and earn an extra $800,000, you would transfer too. Sometimes in life you just have to seize opportunities)

[humbleopinion]

I see that Missouri State is up to eight transfers.  So far, Donovan is remaining loyal to the Bears.

Predictions for the 22-23 MVC season may be challenging to make.

[vu84v2]

I know there are some drawbacks and transferring those put an additional strain on coaches/programs. But, the one transfer and/or sit out a year rules were overly prohibitive and unnecessary. I personally don't see the problem with giving players more freedom. If they want to transfer, let them transfer. You only have 4/5 years of eligibility, why not make the most of it.

Yes, the numbers themselves appear rather large. But, I think the claims of catastrophic effects of the transfer rules are largely overblown.Last year was a super exciting college basketball season. The transfer portal didn't ruin it.

Jerry Seinfeld once joked that "we don't root for players, we root for laundry." These initial outcomes from a far more open transfer policy seem to support that.

[justducky]

Jerry Seinfeld once joked that "we don't root for players, we root for laundry."

I am a total misfit for this generalization and as board participation decreases it becomes more obvious that for board, program and institutional success we need both "laundry" and basketball "player development" lovers. Devoid of most serious continuity I'm hoping I can find a way to take interest in our incoming talents.

It has yet to happen.

[chgovalpofan]

I am waiting for the post Lottich age before getting truly excited about Valpo basketball, but it seems to me that the athletic department needs to market the team to fans.  You need a way to get to know these new guys so you want to be there to cheer for them. The players need to get out there and get the students excited! The portal is here to stay.  And the portal isn't all bad.  If players are unhappy with a program , they don't have to stay, be miserable, and bring everyone else down.  You get new blood who is excited and ready to go.   The landscape has changed and we all have to adjust with it.

[Valpower]

If players are unhappy with a program , they don't have to stay, be miserable, and bring everyone else down.

The problem, of course, is that unhappiness with a program can have multiple causes and solutions. A system where commitment means little can stunt growth and changing programs may not bring happiness, relieve misery, or eliminate negative influence if the problem is NOT the program.

[David81]

I hear what folks are saying about a player's right to seek out the best situation, but there are unfortunate dynamics that are enabled by current transfer policies:

-Supplanting the idea of a student-athlete with a policy of pro-like free agency, while vastly under appreciating the opportunities provided by a full-ride scholarship and an accompanying four-year course of study, especially where the school (e.g., VU) offers a high-quality undergraduate education;

-The use of social media for performative pronouncements invoking faith, family, and terms like "gratitude" to explain transfer decisions, when the real priorities are usually playing time and -- mostly in their wildest dreams -- chances at NBA glory;

-The net negative effect on the game itself, undermining the ability to build a team over a course of seasons, because the end of each season now involves a massive resetting of the deck chairs.

I understand that not all transfer decisions implicate these dynamics. But especially with the transfer portal, many do.