Transfers 2020

[govalpogo]

*sigh*  It sucks...no question about it.  I'm not going to be bitter or wish ill of the young man (not that it even matters what I feel). I hope he finds what he is looking for.  If the rest of the group stays together, I do feel like all is not lost, but it's undeniable that at least a few W's last season were on the back of JFL taking over games.  Hopefully, the end of the year cohesion with everyone else is what shines through next year.   

[vu72]

He's on Twitter saying something about needing to be nearer his grandmother.  I think he could get from Valpo to Chicago faster than going across town!  Looking for a family waiver--clearly.

[VUBBFan]

I take it as more of a family matter than him really wanting to go some place other than Valpo. Seems personal since he's also forgoing the NBA evaluation, other wise I think he would have kept his name in the draft portal

[wh]

I allowed myself 15 minutes of the doldrums, and now I'm ready to move forward.  First, unlike my feelings about certain players who left last year, I have no animosity whatsoever toward Javon.  Thank you for your contributions and best wishes in the future.  Going forward, we still have a roster full of quality veterans, plus an excellent recruiting class. The future of Valpo basketball still shines brightly.     

[bbtds]

A bunch of the need to create in the offense will now fall on the shoulders of Clay, Daniel, Nick, Eron, Jacob and to a lesser extent Siggy. Much of the success of the offense will depend on how the remaining members of the team jell together. Valpo has never had to be a one man team but if they play like they are missing Javon then the offense will stall greatly.

I think it again will be a season of adjusting to the new norm with many less fans in certain situations, players learning to avoid contaminating each other with virus, new ways of travel, wearing masks, eating in enclosed environments and not as much in public, much less interacting with fans, etc. 

[valpo64]

Does this mean that Damezi Anderson IS in the picture for next year?

[RS]

Sometimes you wonder if recruiting a high profile player is worth the risk in today's climate of transferring to another school.  Especially if the new prospective NCAA rule is passed about not having to sit out a year. I wonder if VU could block him from going to Loyola if he wanted to? Not sure what MVC rules are concerning that. Well he could always go to UIC, DePaul or Northwestern. Yes we will miss him but i think we will be fine especially with new recruits coming in. Can't say i will miss his 3 point shooting though. Want to wish him best of luck though.

[IndyValpo]

I hope it works out for him. Here is an interesting article about mid major transfers.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/watchstadium.com/transferring-up-proves-to-be-a-challenge-for-most-mid-major-hoopers-04-13-2020/amp/

[mp91]

Best of luck to JFL! He was a really entertaining player and was great for the University. He gave Valpo some national exposure and some recruiting  credibility in the Chicago basketball scene... Surprised some of you guys are criticizing him so harshly for wanting to move closer to his (presumably sick) grandmother. He will certainly be missed and I'm sure he will be in the NBA in 16 months.

He is already getting praise, Sam Vecenie said he is the best transfer available in all of college basketball.

Additionally, someone mentioned the transfer rule changes – – that might not happen this year after all. The NCAA has recommended delaying the vote until next year, but has not ruled out voting. So, it is possible that the universal one-time transfer without sitting change may not happen this season, in which case he will have to apply for immediate eligibility waiver (which he most likely will be granted based on what we have heard about his situation).

[valpo64]

Sorry I don't feel the same re: JFL's transfer.  All of a sudden it is because of his grandmother's health?  My belief is that this is another classic case of tampering - big time, especially after his recent comments about returning and comments  about the VU team.  Too much pressure from "big city boys" and "big time programs in my  opinion.

[oklahomamick]

Has anything been signed yet?  Is this official official? 

[valpo84]

This is a great opportunity for Sheldon Edwards to step right in. I like his potential and he is a scorer with tremendous hops. Good luck Javon and thoughts/prayers for your Grandmother.  This is the nature of college hoops today.  Enjoy players while there, but they're going to look to their self-interest.  With the changing rules, it will not be like the 80s or 90s or 2000s.

Interesting rumours flying out of Wake Forest media today, maybe Collins going to Wake (and maybe not even as a HC but an Amaker assistant).  Ah, the crazy season has finally begun.....

[M]

Had to hit the unfollow button on twitter when I saw his mom compare him to Jesus 🤦‍♂️😂

[valpo64]

Hopefully the info is not true and official.  But if it is correct, I stand by my earlier comment about his transfer.  I hope the info is not true and correct.

[VU2014]

Had to hit the unfollow button on twitter when I saw his mom compare him to Jesus 🤦‍♂️😂

Yes, it was a bit much. Haven't seen too much negativity towards Javon, just definite disappointment from the fan-base which is fair.

It would suck so much, if JFL didn't commit his word publicly and I'm sure he told the coaches he planned to come back, but being at home on twitter, outside influences get in your ear. Just so disappointing.

[VU2014]

I take it as more of a family matter than him really wanting to go some place other than Valpo. Seems personal since he's also forgoing the NBA evaluation, other wise I think he would have kept his name in the draft portal

Not sure I believe it's the full story. He's laying the groundwork for hardship waiver, which they are giving to anyone transferring to high majors these days. There will be no NBA eval workouts. The NBA can't even get teams to open practice facilities right now due to health concerns.

[valpotx]

I actually thought that we still had a pretty good flow during the games that he missed.  If JFL is all that we lose this offseason, I think that we still have a top 4 MVC team.  I predicted that if he is immediately eligible, that he would be gone, but if that did not exist, he would stay.  I would hope that he is not making anything up about family, so I will assume that is legit, and wish him/his family well.  If it is just a play to get an immediate waiver based on some counsel he has received, that would be too bad.  Either way, I wish him well.

Just curious, if someone claims a family illness, does the NCAA actually go to the point in their evaluation, where they require documentation?

[PlumStreetBum]

Had to hit the unfollow button on twitter when I saw his mom compare him to Jesus 🤦‍♂️😂

I noticed a little while back that Javon retweets a "prosperity gospel" preacher. Think Joel Osteen, but based in Baltimore iirc. Really made me question the advice and influences he listens to, but I hope he succeeds if he ends up transferring.

[NativeCheesehead]

Osteen is just a con man. But I honestly believe Kenneth Copeland is literally possessed. Dude scares the crap out of me.

[VALPO LI]

This saddens me!  JFL was a lot of fun to watch and the kid is a very good basketball player.  He has a high basketball IQ and he demanded a lot of respect from other players and teams when he was on the court!  But then again towards the end of the season when he was sick his teammates stepped up and stepped up big.  We saw a lot of Valpo players stand out and play great basketball but unfortunately not on a consistent basis.  I'm excited to see who will rise to the challenge, step up and lead this team to another MVC Championship game next season.

[nkvu]

So the mid major world we will be living in, particularly if the one free transfer rule comes to pass, is (worst case) if you develop a player who excels they will transfer to a P 5 school ASAP. Expect to lose your best player every year. Mid majors reduced to farm teams for the big boys. The fact, as another post pointed out, that few transfers from mid's  to P 5 find success there won't matter since every player thinks they will be the exception. On the other hand (best case) lots of good players at P 5 schools who don't get a chance to play right away may be more willing to transfer to a mid major to get playing time if they don't have to sit out a year.  So it may be a wash.  In any case it's going to be different.

As for jfl, enjoyed watching him play and wish him well. I think he could have been one of Valpo's all time best if he had stayed, maybe leading us back to competing at the top level of the conference. Maybe he will be one of the few mid transfers to excel at a P 5 program. At the same time I remember when Wood left it created room for Rowdy to step in and show what he could do as the go to guy. I think we have several kids that could step up this time as well.

[VUGrad1314]

I want to take him at his word and wish him the best but the closer to home argument doesn't really wash. Valpo is already super close to Chicago. It's not like he was playing in Alaska. I don't want to believe that this is totally an attempt to get a hardship waiver (which he may not even need depending upon how the upcoming vote shakes out and it probably will pass because that's what the powerful schools want). It's hard for me to get past the idea that he lied directly to PO's face and to the Valpo fanbase. Maybe this is sour grapes and I'm not looking at this the right way but I feel like we're getting screwed over pretty hard here for no good reason.

[usc4valpo]

I have a feeling he is getting some bad advice. Javon is really good, but not at a great level.
IMO I don't like the new transfer rule, but Based on what coaches are making and their opportunities, it is only fair. I have a bad feeling college basketball is going to go on a downswing.

[Chairback]

It will be interesting to see how the players react to this.  Does this spark additional players to transfer because the main core has left.

Hopefully this does not play out like last year.   

[valpo95]

There are just so many unusual circumstances right now. One is that it seems likely that the NCAA is substantially more likely to allow transfers due to COVID-19. A second is that the usual NBA draft evaluation process has been short-circuited, again for the same reason.

So, maybe in a usual year, a player like JFL (who is one of the best in the MVC) goes through the draft evaluation process and gets some feedback. He returns to lead his team to the conference title and a Sweet 16 run, after which he gets drafted in the first round. Or, he returns to his team, and they have an above average season but he makes second team all conference due to some other injuries.

However, this year, the draft evaluations are far less certain, but one message is clear: "We watched the tape. You did well as a sophomore, yet this wasn't against ACC or Big 10 competition. You won't get drafted this year." Then, because transferring won't require sitting out, JFL *might* have a chance to star for a team. It *might* give him more exposure.

Maybe after exploring transfer options, he'll still be back at VU, or maybe he will move on. Either way, he has been one of the best players in VU history over two years, and could cement his legacy if he stayed. I wish the best for JFL, wherever he goes.