Smits transfer

[crusadermoe]

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.

[VUGrad1314]

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

[valpopal]

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.

[VUGrad1314]

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.

[FieldGoodie05]

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.

[humbleopinion]

Does anyone else have an ad for Grand Canyon University on this webpage?

[bbtds]

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.

....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?

[bbtds]

Does anyone else have an ad for Grand Canyon University on this webpage?

Not today but, yes, in the past.

[IndyValpo]

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.

....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.

[GoldenCrusader87]

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.

[FieldGoodie05]

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.

[usc4valpo]

Is Smits that big a loss? He had a lot of flaws in his game. He also graduated and got his degree.

[vu72]

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.

[wh]

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.

[valpo95]

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.

[JD24]

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. 

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.

[IrishDawg]

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.

[GoldenCrusader87]

Great research, Irishdawg

[EddieCabot]

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!

[crusadermoe]

I think I recall that too.

[IndyValpo]

https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/butler/2019/04/05/butler-basketball-looking-transfers-fill-holes-2019-20-roster/3375677002/

[bbtds]

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.

[Just Sayin]

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

[FieldGoodie05]

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?

[bbtds]

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.