Valpo Zip Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 With 4 seniors graduating at the end of the year and all our freshmen (except Alex) not having any significant PT, it seems that next year will look like a re-building year for us. What makes things even worse is the fact that Serb is graduating and will probably leave to Europe. My question now is: what can we do to make Nik come back for a fourth year next year? With the way he is currently playing, I think that coming back for a 4th year may give him a good chance to make an NBA DL team (ala Nate Linhart), would that be a better career than the Serbian League? Also, seeing how he's interested in a diplomacy career after basketball, a masters degree will probably help wouldn't it? Are coaches McFadden, Peters etc... working on that matter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpsjugglerdude Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 He is gone. He already has sent video to various teams in Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 He is gone. He already has sent video to various teams in Europe. Hopefully it was an .avi of his dunk attempt against BG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yazan07 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 NBA D-League might be better but he wants to go home where he has his family and his woman. He is in a different situation than most players who have gone through here in the sense that going to play in Europe for him doesn't mean making a sacrifice of leaving home, it means going home. Can't blame him for wanting to do that, but man am I going to miss watching him play. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootforRoo44 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 He is gone. He already has sent video to various teams in Europe. Hopefully it was an .avi of his dunk attempt against BG. You mean this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 He is gone. He already has sent video to various teams in Europe. Hopefully it was an .avi of his dunk attempt against BG. You mean this one Why are you dissing the best player on our team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 While I completely support the Serb doing what's best for him, the thought of losing McNees, Roberts, B McKnight, Bardo and Cvetinovic at the end of this season is downright scary. That's 80% of the team that's been starting the second half of the last few games plus the Zips' top scorer off the bench (with the 3rd best per-game scoring average on the team). There may be some talented underclassmen waiting in the wings to try to fill the Serb's shoes, but none of them have had much chance to prove themselves at the college level. Without him, next season becomes a huge question mark for the Zips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickzips Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 I would love to see Nik back for one more season, particularly with the way he has been playing in the second half of this season. I can certainly understand the motivation for him to go back across the pond though. Particularly if he leads us to another MAC title (and hopefully even an NCAA win). The good news is that I don't think the cupboard will be quite as bare as some think. Yes, we will be losing a lot of experience, but we seem to be gaining a lot of talent. We still have Zeke, Abreu and Diggs who look like they will be significant players over the next 2-3 seasons. We bring in two talented transfers in Walsh and Gilliam. We still have Egner and Euton sitting over there on the bench. Plus you have the two non-qualifiers who, if you believe the hype, are supposed to be better than any player currently on our roster. Finally you have a couple of interesting freshman two guards coming into the fold with Ibitayo who is supposed to be an incredible athlete who can do a little bit of everything and Justice who is a flat out scorer and excellent shooter. It may take some time for the pieces to fit together, but I don't think we will see as significant a drop-off as many expect. We've been through this kind of turnover before and come out pretty well. In fact, didn't we win the conference tournament the year after losing Nick Dials, Cedrick Middleton and Jeremiah Wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Why are you dissing the best player on our team? *Pssst*...don't tell anyone....but if he sent out that video, no one would take him, and he'd still be a Zip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopper Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Why are you dissing the best player on our team? *Pssst*...don't tell anyone....but if he sent out that video, no one would take him, and he'd still be a Zip. Sorry, I didn't mean to include your message when I quoted Rootforoo44. Do you not agree that he is the best all around player on this years team? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Z Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 You mean this one Great photography Ernie! I like Rico's tat under his arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Kangaroo Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Why are you dissing the best player on our team? *Pssst*...don't tell anyone....but if he sent out that video, no one would take him, and he'd still be a Zip. Sorry, I didn't mean to include your message when I quoted Rootforoo44. Do you not agree that he is the best all around player on this years team? Nik is playing awesome. If he leaves UA early it will be a crime. And if it is a crime, someome from K.e.n.t. basketball was involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 And if it is a crime, someome from K.e.n.t. basketball was involved. I do not know if all crimes are related to Can't< but the ones where the criminal is found asleep in the get away car usually are. That is a stupid school full of stupid people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzips71 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 IF he was to play another year and develop further, he "could" have a shot at the NBA draft. THAT is an awful lot more money than they pay in Serbia. Probably that is the only way he would ever stay - if he thought there was even an outside shot at the NBA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzips71 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 IF he was to play another year and develop further, he "could" have a shot at the NBA draft. THAT is an awful lot more money than they pay in Serbia. Probably that is the only way he would ever stay - if he thought there was even an outside shot at the NBA. And IF we get to the NCAA, and IF he plays GREAT, well people do watch that, and someone could whisper in his ear...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootforRoo44 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 He is gone. He already has sent video to various teams in Europe. Hopefully it was an .avi of his dunk attempt against BG. You mean this one Why are you dissing the best player on our team? I'm not dissing him...I've talked to him about that play, he laughed about it too. It was ridiculous, no doubt "Not Top 10" material for SportsCenter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RootforRoo44 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 IF he was to play another year and develop further, he "could" have a shot at the NBA draft. THAT is an awful lot more money than they pay in Serbia. Probably that is the only way he would ever stay - if he thought there was even an outside shot at the NBA. And IF we get to the NCAA, and IF he plays GREAT, well people do watch that, and someone could whisper in his ear...... I agree, we go to the NCAA tournament and he plays like he's playing right now and opens some eyes, then he has a legit shot at the NBDL after this season. If he does well in the NCAA Tourney, comes back another year and helps lead us back to it again, then he has NBA Draft potential. He really is something special when it comes to his ability to get to the rim, his ballhandling, and his intensity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UAZip0510 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Any guesses on the depth chart next year without Nik? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Any guesses on the depth chart next year without Nik? We're going to need somebody to step up at the 4-spot. My guess would be: PG: Abreu SG: Gilliam, Walsh, Justice, Peterson, Ibitayo SF: McClanahan, Diggs, Treadwell, Harney, Green PF: Egner, Euton, Oldham, C: Marshall I think I have everybody. But that's with all the players playing their ideal positions. Obviously one or two of the SGs will have to put in time at PG and some of the PFs will have to fill in at C. We don't really play strict roles with our positions and in the middle you could switch around the Forwards and SGs as the situation warrants. It's good to be really deep at the 2s 3s and 4s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akronzips71 Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Any guesses on the depth chart next year without Nik? We're going to need somebody to step up at the 4-spot. My guess would be: PG: Abreu SG: Gilliam, Walsh, Justice, Peterson, Ibitayo SF: McClanahan, Diggs, Treadwell, Harney, Green PF: Egner, Euton, Oldham, C: Marshall I think I have everybody. But that's with all the players playing their ideal positions. Obviously one or two of the SGs will have to put in time at PG and some of the PFs will have to fill in at C. We don't really play strict roles with our positions and in the middle you could switch around the Forwards and SGs as the situation warrants. It's good to be really deep at the 2s 3s and 4s. Kyle might actually get to play? He made a darn nice looking shot the other day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZachTheZip Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Kyle Peterson will be a senior next year. Dambrot usually lets walk-ons get some time once they make it to their senior year. I can see him getting time especially as a back-up PG, where we really don't have anyone outside Abreu. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave in Green Posted February 20, 2011 Report Share Posted February 20, 2011 Someone (maybe QuickZips) mentioned awhile back that Walsh was being groomed as the backup PG for next season. Diggs could also play PG in a pinch, as his ball control has been improving game by game and he's pretty good at driving and dishing. I did a little research on Walsh and found some older articles identifying him as a combo guard rather than a shooting guard. So he is apparently a pretty decent ball handler in addition to having great shooting ability. I was really surprised at all the schools that were recruiting Walsh back in 2006: Duguesne, Pittsburgh, St. Joseph’s, Memphis, Penn State, James Madison, Delaware, Xavier, Eastern Kentucky, Maryland, Stanford, Ohio U (where his parents first met) and Akron. 2006 Walsh Article And a 2008 ESPN player evaluation said the following about Walsh: Brian is a 2 guard who can play the point if needed. He can really handle, is an excellent passer, and he is a deadly shooter. ESPN Walsh 2008 Evaluation I agree that the Zips have a lot of young talent to help fill the gaps next season, and it's good that a couple of them have previous college experience. But the Zips are already losing a lot of experience from senior graduations, and losing the Serb on top of that would result in a pretty inexperienced team starting next season. They might develop into a great team over the course of the season, but with the lack of experience early in the season, things could be a little ugly for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quickzips Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Any guesses on the depth chart next year without Nik? We're going to need somebody to step up at the 4-spot. My guess would be: PG: Abreu SG: Gilliam, Walsh, Justice, Peterson, Ibitayo SF: McClanahan, Diggs, Treadwell, Harney, Green PF: Egner, Euton, Oldham, C: Marshall I think I have everybody. But that's with all the players playing their ideal positions. Obviously one or two of the SGs will have to put in time at PG and some of the PFs will have to fill in at C. We don't really play strict roles with our positions and in the middle you could switch around the Forwards and SGs as the situation warrants. It's good to be really deep at the 2s 3s and 4s. Few small issues on my end. As Dave already mentioned, the rumor that has gone around is that Walsh will see a good deal of the backup PG minutes. I think you will see him some at SG as well, but I expect to see him manning the point at times too. Gilliam is listed on the roster as a forward and I expect to see him play a lot of minutes there. I think you will see Nitro make a move back to SG. Just a hunch of mine, but with Diggs and Gilliam in the fold, and only one returning guard for our rotation, I think Nitro would be better served playing SG. I've seen both Treadwell and Harney listed alternatively as SFs and as PFs. With Nikola and McKnight leaving the program I think you will see at least one if not both of them playing minutes at PF. Call it a hunch, but I think you will see a fair bit of minutes for both Egner and Euton backing up Zeke at C. Especially if Zeke continues to struggle to stay out of foul trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip-zip Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 First of all, Diggs will be a MAJOR player next year, even if we only lose 5 guys instead of 4 of them. And I see him playing the two guard positions, especially on the defensive end. Secondly, lets get rid of any thoughts that Nik has any chance whatsoever of being an NBA draft pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xu9697 Posted February 21, 2011 Report Share Posted February 21, 2011 Perhaps next year is the year that KD lets guys log some serious minutes. I could see Abreu, Brett, Diggs and Zeke (foul troubles gone?) logging 30+ minutes. I think Walsh and Egner will get some serious minutes based on what I have seen and know. I really don't know enought about the rest of the guys mentioned. Of course, if Nik comes back than I think a starting 5 of Abreu, Brett, Diggs, Nik and Zeke might be the most "traditional" and potentially best starting 5 the Zips have seen in many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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