[Dave in Green]

True centers with DI potential are a rare breed. I sure hope KD can find one. But the odds are against finding Zeke II.

[Roo]

True centers with DI potential are a rare breed. I sure hope KD can find one. But the odds are against finding Zeke II.

We still need a center..not another undersized PF.

I am not disappointed in this at all. I hope KD will go out there and find a true big now.

[Captain Kangaroo]

True centers with DI potential are a rare breed. I sure hope KD can find one. But the odds are against finding Zeke II.

We still need a center..not another undersized PF.

I am not disappointed in this at all. I hope KD will go out there and find a true big now.

I forget...how tall were Butler and VCU's centers? Butler had a 6' 11" kid that played about 20mpg, and Matt Howard was 6' 8".

VCU didn't have any 7-footers.

KD needs to find another rebounding machine. Then we're set.

[Zipmeister]

True centers with DI potential are a rare breed. I sure hope KD can find one. But the odds are against finding Zeke II.

We still need a center..not another undersized PF.

I am not disappointed in this at all. I hope KD will go out there and find a true big now.

I forget...how tall were Butler and VCU's centers? Butler had a 6' 11" kid that played about 20mpg, and Matt Howard was 6' 8".

VCU didn't have any 7-footers.

KD needs to find another rebounding machine. Then we're set.

Butler's center is 6'11"" with a 6'9" backup.
VCU has a 7'0" center and lists three 6'9" forwards.

[Captain Kangaroo]

Butler's center is 6'11"" with a 6'9" backup.
VCU has a 7'0" center and lists three 6'9" forwards.

The VCU Frosh doesn't play too much (yet, at least). The VCU site says he's their 1st 7-footer in a decade. VCU's impact guys are the 6' 9'ers.

Without belaboring a point...Zeke is a gift. I don't expect KD to pull another 7-footer off the street any time soon. KD doesn't seem to go for the "project" type players (a la John Edwards).

It would be great to get one or two 6' 9" bangers.

[Doug Snyder]

I think the only way we get another Zeke is to have 2 great years and a solid and deep core returning for the future. Some kid may see the opportunity to step right in and not have to carry the team. More likely we will find some 6'9 to 6'10 kid and hope he grows a few inches. Size is nice...but you don't really need size to be a great defender or rebounder.

I have faith that KD will find the correct path.

[Dave in Green]

There just aren't that many tall, skilled, true centers available. Most DI teams, including some of the stronger majors, get by with a 6-9ish power forward playing center. The key is finding one with enough skill and heart to do the job.

We should savor every minute Zeke is on the floor in a Zips uniform, as the odds of UA getting a commitment from another player with his combination of skill and size are really small.

Having said that, the Zips could do really well in the future if they could land the right 6-9ish power forward, play him at center, and surround him with the right teammates.

With the caliber of players KD has been recruiting lately, this is not an unrealistic expectation.

[Quickzips]

True centers with DI potential are a rare breed. I sure hope KD can find one. But the odds are against finding Zeke II.

We still need a center..not another undersized PF.

I am not disappointed in this at all. I hope KD will go out there and find a true big now.

I forget...how tall were Butler and VCU's centers? Butler had a 6' 11" kid that played about 20mpg, and Matt Howard was 6' 8".

VCU didn't have any 7-footers.

KD needs to find another rebounding machine. Then we're set.

Butler's center is 6'11"" with a 6'9" backup.
VCU has a 7'0" center and lists three 6'9" forwards.

The point I would like to make is that after the 2012-13 season we have nobody on our roster or in our signed or verballed commits who is over 6'7" and I am not sure that we have anyone who is really a "rebounding machine" either. The Zips are going to HAVE to address this sooner rather than later. I would much rather have a guy in here during that 2012-13 season who is 6'9", 6'10" plus who can learn a little bit behind Zeke than try and find that guy after Zeke is already gone. Heck even if we have to redshirt a kid I would be alright with that. I guess I've gotten a little spoiled, but I don't like the idea of the biggest guy on our team being 6'7".

[Quickzips]

There just aren't that many tall, skilled, true centers available. Most DI teams, including some of the stronger majors, get by with a 6-9ish power forward playing center. The key is finding one with enough skill and heart to do the job.

We should savor every minute Zeke is on the floor in a Zips uniform, as the odds of UA getting a commitment from another player with his combination of skill and size are really small.

Having said that, the Zips could do really well in the future if they could land the right 6-9ish power forward, play him at center, and surround him with the right teammates.

With the caliber of players KD has been recruiting lately, this is not an unrealistic expectation.

Let me clarify a little bit more, as I posted above, the biggest guy (not including Zeke and Nik) currently on our roster and/or in our known verbals is 6'7" (Egner, Treadwell and Harney are all listed there). Nik graduates this year, Zeke the year after. I understand that 7'0"+ true C's aren't exactly a dime a dozen, and have no expectations that we will be able to land someone the caliber of a Zeke whenever we so please. I would be perfectly fine with a 6'9" or 6'10" power forward who can nominally play the "Center" position at this level. I don't see that guy on our roster, right now for when Zeke leaves. That is why I am ok with Akbar de-verballing. If it opens things up to find that kind of player then I am perfectly fine with it.

[Blue & Gold]

Maybe a JUCO 5? K.e.nt landed 6'11" Justin Manns and while he's a far cry from a Zeke, I think I'd be extremely happy w/ a player like Manns backing up Big Z.

[Doug Snyder]

I just looked at the rosters over the 5 years. It was a little surprising to find that none of the players grew. And if you look at the current roster, it appears there are no kids that are likely to fill out or grow enough to be effective at the center position...especially against higher level competition. So..I agree with QuickZip that we need to find someone over the next year or so. Although I am not to worried that there are no scholarships available...there are always guys who transfer because they are not getting the expected playing time (or other reasons). My guess it KD see the problem too and is working on it as we debate the issue.

[Zipmeister]

I just looked at the rosters over the 5 years. It was a little surprising to find that none of the players grew. And if you look at the current roster, it appears there are no kids that are likely to fill out or grow enough to be effective at the center position...especially against higher level competition. So..I agree with QuickZip that we need to find someone over the next year or so. Although I am not to worried that there are no scholarships available...there are always guys who transfer because they are not getting the expected playing time (or other reasons). My guess it KD see the problem too and is working on it as we debate the issue.

Not so fast there Dougie. I believe Abreu has been saving up a growth spurt just for that reason.

[Doug Snyder]

I just looked at the rosters over the 5 years. It was a little surprising to find that none of the players grew. And if you look at the current roster, it appears there are no kids that are likely to fill out or grow enough to be effective at the center position...especially against higher level competition. So..I agree with QuickZip that we need to find someone over the next year or so. Although I am not to worried that there are no scholarships available...there are always guys who transfer because they are not getting the expected playing time (or other reasons). My guess it KD see the problem too and is working on it as we debate the issue.

Not so fast there Dougie. I believe Abreu has been saving up a growth spurt just for that reason.

Point center?? Hmmmm...sounds tough to defend

[Roo]

There just aren't that many tall, skilled, true centers available. Most DI teams, including some of the stronger majors, get by with a 6-9ish power forward playing center. The key is finding one with enough skill and heart to do the job.

We should savor every minute Zeke is on the floor in a Zips uniform, as the odds of UA getting a commitment from another player with his combination of skill and size are really small.

Having said that, the Zips could do really well in the future if they could land the right 6-9ish power forward, play him at center, and surround him with the right teammates.

With the caliber of players KD has been recruiting lately, this is not an unrealistic expectation.

Let me clarify a little bit more, as I posted above, the biggest guy (not including Zeke and Nik) currently on our roster and/or in our known verbals is 6'7" (Egner, Treadwell and Harney are all listed there). Nik graduates this year, Zeke the year after. I understand that 7'0"+ true C's aren't exactly a dime a dozen, and have no expectations that we will be able to land someone the caliber of a Zeke whenever we so please. I would be perfectly fine with a 6'9" or 6'10" power forward who can nominally play the "Center" position at this level. I don't see that guy on our roster, right now for when Zeke leaves. That is why I am ok with Akbar de-verballing. If it opens things up to find that kind of player then I am perfectly fine with it.

This!

I don't get why people assume we mean that we need another Zeke, that would be great to get another 7 footer but as Zeke has shown, just because he is 7 foot doesn't mean a whole lot.

But what we don't need is 6'5 PFs....we need to get some kids in here that have legit size. 6'8s, 6'9s etc.. We need some bangers, not only because we haven't had one since Wood, but because we have nothing in the pipeline for when Zeke leaves.