Transfer Portal Watch

[Zippy87]

20 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

Yeah, this is a strange take a few people have had. When he announced he was leaving, there was a feeling of despondence. If he announced a return, I’m sure we’ll see some despondence. In reality, he is the definition of John Groce basketball at Akron. Superb athlete that was completely homegrown. Far from perfect with plenty of flaws, but he was as imperative to the championship run as everyone. Sign me up for an Ali Ali who has had his eyes opened to the horrors of what some other “grass is greener” programs have to offer. Sometimes home is where the heart is. I hope that if he finds home in the MAC, it’s at Akron. 

 

Some here seem to really take it personally when someone leaves UA, coach or player. I've never understood it.

 

Some serious "jealous ex" vibes.

[1981 grad]

14 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

Thanks for the info, HT. I always liked Wymer. It’s a shame that the last Akron game he ever reffed went the way it did. The block Matt Potter called on Aziz had me through the roof with anger. 

And the last offensive foul on Freeman for an illegal screen was also horrible.  I still think that foul cost us that game.

[Let'sGoZips94]

19 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

Were all of those players elite MAC-level basketball players before they got to Akron? Hell to the no. Even in LCJ’s first year, he was not good. Ali was every bit the Akron Zip they were up until he left. 
 

And the questions of attitude and defense just don’t make any sense. Nor does the “hero ball” stuff. It’s almost like that team never won the 2022 MAC title sometimes. He was an elite defender and always played his tail off. And if Groce didn’t want him to do the “hero ball” that he has been accused of, he wouldn’t have done it. 
 

In re-living some of the 2022 postseason threads recently, @Illini Zip explained the Ali back to the basketball strategy as well as anyone. Basically, it wasn’t sexy and didn’t always work, but considering the circumstances that roster was put through, they somehow miraculously went on one of the best runs in program history with Ali Ali as the leading scorer and one of the 3 most impactful players on the roster.

 

His play at the end of the UCLA game was awful. So was the decision to not call a timeout and let it play out like it did. 
 

Had Ali not gone portaling, he would have in all likelihood surpassed 1000 points in his career at Akron, been All-MAC, and been part of one of the best 3-headed monsters to return after winning a championship that the league has seen.

 

I get that he left here and it was a stupid BS move. Easy to see from the moment it happened. But retroactively killing the guy and pretending like we weren’t salivating at the prospect of him being part of the core that was supposed to return for 22-23 is just…weird to read. 

 

Exactly. He left; the others didn't. He had the opportunity to be part of the unfinished business crew with their sights on winning a Tourney game, and he chose to leave. 

 

His attitude and hero ball were part of are struggles for much of that season. Technicals, stupid fouls, poor shot selection, etc. There was a shift where it came together for an improbable run, but his contribution to the problems reared its ugly head in the UCLA game. He wasn't in that game mentally. 36 minutes produced 5 pts on 2-10 shooting, 1-4 from 3, 1 PF, 1 TO, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 AST. Not sure I've ever seen a more pedestrian game line from any star of a team in the biggest game of the season - ever. His play the ENTIRE UCLA game was awful. 

 

Nobody is pretending we weren't excited at the prospect of returning that 21-22 squad in its entirety prior to him leaving. But excusing his decision to not be part of Akron basketball, then citing stats with a rose colored look at the season that include a lot of head-scratching struggles - including from Ali Ali - is equally as weird. 

 

Also, outside of the one year, he hasn't come close to averaging double digits scoring. For all we know, that one year could be an anomaly and he could be a very average basketball player. To me, it's not an "obvious" decision to want him/welcome him back. 

[LoyalZIP]

30 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

Nobody is pretending we weren't excited at the prospect of returning that 21-22 squad in its entirety prior to him leaving. But excusing his decision to not be part of Akron basketball, then citing stats with a rose colored look at the season that include a lot of head-scratching struggles - including from Ali Ali - is equally as weird. 

 

I suppose he is probably the worst leading scorer to lead Akron to the NCAA tournament in school history. Can't argue with that. Thank God he left, we were far better without him anyway. 

[GP1]

23 hours ago, Blue & Gold said:

I've currently got one window open to ZN.o while I'm taking on online American Red Cross course in another.  With the football and basketball transfer portals, this is the most fun ZN.o's been this time of year in... well, forever.

I don't know about forever. 

 

What I do know is the freedom of movement of labor is a contributing factor in economic market dynamics. It creates an energy around markets and industries. It makes them more competitive, interesting and energetic.  The transfer portal will prove to be one of the greatest things to happen to college athletics because it is a form of freedom of labor. 

 

It is a good thing for college athletics that it is April 19th and fans of CBB are still talking about their teams, and will continue to talk about their teams throughout the year because of the TP. Full disclosure, I won't be talking much about the TP because I don't care about the TP or recruiting in the same way others do....I don't want to see the sausage being made if you know what I mean.....but for a lot of people like you it is a great thing and that's good enough for me.

[zipsrowdy88]

 Feels like this went under the radar, but Kent just got a lot better. Him and Sullinger will be a force in the backcourt.

[Let'sGoZips94]

41 minutes ago, zipsrowdy88 said:

 Feels like this went under the radar, but Kent just got a lot better. Him and Sullinger will be a force in the backcourt.

 

32% from 2. 32% from 3. Averaged just under 13ppg on a garbage CMU squad where he had plenty of opportunity. It's a decent fill, but nothing earth shattering. 

 

 

OU added one of Creighton's benchwarmer guards. 

[Captain Kangaroo]

23 hours ago, LoyalZIP said:

 

I suppose he is probably the worst leading scorer to lead Akron to the NCAA tournament in school history. Can't argue with that. Thank God he left, we were far better without him anyway. 

With a board name like "LoyalZIP" you have to admit your steadfast support of Ali holds some irony.

[clarkwgriswold]

39 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

32% from 2. 32% from 3. Averaged just under 13ppg on a garbage CMU squad where he had plenty of opportunity. It's a decent fill, but nothing earth shattering. 

 

 

OU added one of Creighton's benchwarmer guards. 

 

If I recall correctly he had a very pedestrian season up until the last 5 or 6 games then had some huge games, including a 40 point game.  It was enough to earn him MAC Freshman of the Year. 

[LoyalZIP]

17 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

With a board name like "LoyalZIP" you have to admit your steadfast support of Ali holds some irony.

 

Sure, you could say that. But these circumstances, especially with an assistant coach putting out public support of a return, point to there being no ill-will between the two sides. This is no Bubba Walther.

[LoyalZIP]

49 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

32% from 2. 32% from 3. Averaged just under 13ppg on a garbage CMU squad where he had plenty of opportunity. It's a decent fill, but nothing earth shattering. 

 

 

OU added one of Creighton's benchwarmer guards. 

 

My sources tell me he's got a 1.8 GPA and will be enrolled in summer courses (like many athletes) solely for the purpose of becoming eligible.

[Let'sGoZips94]

44 minutes ago, LoyalZIP said:

 

My sources tell me he's got a 1.8 GPA and will be enrolled in summer courses (like many athletes) solely for the purpose of becoming eligible.

 

Bass?

 

He picked the perfect school for this then. Pinky once again doesn't even have to recruit. 

 

"Looking for a school with low academic and character standards? Look no further than Can't State."

 

Good luck to Bass memorizing the colors in Crayola's 64 box of crayons. Hopefully he's at least better than his classmates and doesn't eat any. 

[mrelegazna]

I want to register my support of the idea that any player who gets meaningful minutes with the Zips and then transfers is, ipso facto, an attitude-problem, me-first loser who probably smells bad.

 

EDIT: Forgot money-grubbing.  Money-grubbing NIL whores.

 

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by mrelegazna

[RoyalBlu]

4 hours ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Bass?

 

He picked the perfect school for this then. Pinky once again doesn't even have to recruit. 

 

"Looking for a school with low academic and character standards? Look no further than Can't State."

 

Good luck to Bass memorizing the colors in Crayola's 64 box of crayons. Hopefully he's at least better than his classmates and doesn't eat any. 

I get the digs at "That" program ... but let's face it. A 1.8 GPA (if accurate) for a freshman athlete in any major college sport (FB, Mbb,) is probably more likely than not, no matter what  school they are attending, including Akron. I would think any coach would be more worried about that  overall FG % than fixing that freshman GPA. And let's not forget, Mr. Carry had a really bad FG % as a senior ... and still was a handful for most teams to deal with.

 

[Zip JD]

On 4/20/2023 at 12:43 PM, clarkwgriswold said:

 

If I recall correctly he had a very pedestrian season up until the last 5 or 6 games then had some huge games, including a 40 point game.  It was enough to earn him MAC Freshman of the Year. 

He stepped up big during the end of the season just like Hunter did for us and he did it without anything close to Freeman or X on the court with him.  He could make a monster jump into his sophmore season. 

 

Seeing Mr. Pinky bring in Sincere a few years ago and now this is not how I like spending the off season.  

[Blue & Gold]

🧐🤨

[Bigzip1]

On 4/18/2023 at 1:59 PM, Blue & Gold said:

Do you know something we don't or is this just your gut?

I know something 

[X got robbed of POY]

54 minutes ago, Bigzip1 said:

I know something 

We got some inside sources in here?

[72 Roo]

3 hours ago, Bigzip1 said:

I know something 

I assume what you know is good for us. I am excited to learn what you know soon. This seems to be a great off-season for Zip sports with the strong roster men's BBall is putting together, the rebuild of our women's team, the continued growth in signing better talent for football and the recruits/transfers men's soccer has coming in. We could be on the verge of a fantastic year for most Zip sports. This has been one of the most active off-seasons I have ever witnessed. 

[Zippy87]

 

[Hilltopper]

20 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

Probably got word that the NBA wasn't going to be an option. Now looking for a better NIL deal.

[Let'sGoZips94]

39 minutes ago, Zippy87 said:

 

 

[Let'sGoZips94]

21 hours ago, Bigzip1 said:

I know something 

 

Why hasn't he committed to Akron already if he's coming back? Paperwork?

[X got robbed of POY]

10 minutes ago, Let'sGoZips94 said:

 

Why hasn't he committed to Akron already if he's coming back? Paperwork?

I just saw Akrons strength coach followed Ali recently on a social media platform. Not 100% sure, but seems like it's happening.

[72 Roo]

2 hours ago, Hilltopper said:

Probably got word that the NBA wasn't going to be an option. Now looking for a better NIL deal.

So much for loyalty to the program that showcased him.