As of now, odds IB is back next year?

[ShoxFan7]

IBall apologists will simply blame NIL and lack of support/resources. The narrative will be no coach can be successful at WSU under the current landscape.

I know you said this would be the lament from the apologists so this isn’t at you but that narrative because it is completely false. In my opinion, WSU is a prime example of basketball school with no football that could have leveraged the program’s success to be major player in NIL. You just need a HC that has the drive and ambition to take advantage of the opportunities that NIL and this community presents not just see all of it as a roadblock to sustainable success. Yes, it’s takes more than the HC to accomplish (strong AD leadership & active alumni base) but it all starts with the HC and we simply don’t have right one leading this program now to activate all of this.

[Dan]

Hearing rumblings of another mass exodus at the conclusion of the season.

The reality is, we need another mass exodus. We have a max of 4 players (take your pick) that we should want to return. Taking out the graduating guys, we have a lot of holes to fill on this team. Now if Kenny, Jaykwon and a couple others with potential leave, IB should be canned. The graduation matrix is out the door. Coaches need to be graded on player retention.

[Stickboy46]

Hearing rumblings of another mass exodus at the conclusion of the season.

There are only like maybe two players with eligibility left that I would want to return anyways (Walton, and Pohto if his trend continues..... Pierre is a wildcard if he plays the same way he did against ECU and not how he did the first 2/3rds of the year)

[rjl]

I know you said this would be the lament from the apologists so this isn’t at you but that narrative because it is completely false. In my opinion, WSU is a prime example of basketball school with no football that could have leveraged the program’s success to be major player in NIL. You just need a HC that has the drive and ambition to take advantage of the opportunities that NIL and this community presents not just see all of it as a roadblock to sustainable success. Yes, it’s takes more than the HC to accomplish (strong AD leadership & active alumni base) but it all starts with the HC and we simply don’t have right one leading this program now to activate all of this.

100%. WSU should be cleaning up on NIL deals. Throughout the 2010's, WSU's claim to fame was the rabid fan and alumni support. Well, here's the opportunity for people to put their money where their mouths are.

But you are also right in that it takes a figurehead to lead it all. I'm not one-hundred percent sure what a head coach can do with regard to NIL deals, but whatever that line is, I feel like IB hasn't even approached it.

[pinstripers]

Hearing rumblings of another mass exodus at the conclusion of the season.

Would not surprise me and that would be a very bad thing

[Shocktoberfest]

100%. WSU should be cleaning up on NIL deals. Throughout the 2010's, WSU's claim to fame was the rabid fan and alumni support. Well, here's the opportunity for people to put their money where their mouths are.

But you are also right in that it takes a figurehead to lead it all. I'm not one-hundred percent sure what a head coach can do with regard to NIL deals, but whatever that line is, I feel like IB hasn't even approached it.

The HC doesn't have to lead it. The HC has to inspire the fan base and community. That is all. In it's current form nothing about anything WSU basketball is inspiring. The exact opposite. It's truly sad.

[rjl]

I just remember this article in the Eagle last May:

https://www.kansas.com/sports/colleg...260887822.html

Anticipation would be the best way to describe how the players on the Wichita State men’s basketball team felt last summer when the NCAA announced student-athletes could begin profiting off their name, image and likeness. After all, they were playing for the Shockers, the biggest show in town, and in a basketball-crazed city like Wichita. The players assumed there would be no problem cashing in. Instead, no one in a position of power in Wichita seemed to realize the importance of NIL.

It's really sad the school dropped the ball on this one. I know IB gets a ton of heat, but I'd blame the former AD way more than I'd blame IB on this.

I know IB needs to be the figurehead that beats the drum and gets people excited by the program.

But NIL was a ruling by the Supreme Court where a player can't be prohibited from making money off of their name, image, or likeness. It's ostensibly NOT a deal where a head coach can reach under his desk and pull out a bag of money. In my head, it's more on the AD to give alumni access to players so that the players can get deals.

Regardless, that was then and this is now. NIL is in place. To any extent the NIL coffers are bare, it's in large part because of the malaise that's overtaken the program. And that's on coach.

[shocktown]

Thursday night will be interesting. 8PM game time against probable #2 ranked team, highest ranked team in CKA since who knows when. Will the people who own tickets show up, will there be any significant tickets sales leading up to the game?

If the answer to either question is no then the future is set.

7,274 tonight for 3rd ranked team in the nation. Has to be the lowest attended game for what, a top 10, maybe top 20 ranked opponent going back what, 60 years?

No buzz in Doodah, apathy has fully set upon us.

[shoxlax]

7,274 tonight for 3rd ranked team in the nation. Has to be the lowest attended game for what, a top 10, maybe top 20 ranked opponent going back what, 60 years?

No buzz in Doodah, apathy has fully set upon us.

Again a lot of it is not so much who is coaching, it’s who isn’t coaching and a lot of people are still not happy how that went down. Basketball fans here are traditionalists-they want to get to know the players over a period of years and sure the hell don’t like the idea that the highest bidder can take them away. Yes, throw in the fact we have a coach that isn’t performing up to program standards and is not really doing anything to inspire confidence in the future which doesn’t help, but there is so much more at work here than just IB being mediocre.

[shocktown]

Again a lot of it is not so much who is coaching, it’s who isn’t coaching and a lot of people are still not happy how that went down. Basketball fans here are traditionalists-they want to get to know the players over a period of years and sure the hell don’t like the idea that the highest bidder can take them away. Yes, throw in the fact we have a coach that isn’t performing up to program standards and is not really doing anything to inspire confidence in the future doesn’t help, but there is so much more at work here than just IB being mediocre.

What do you se as the key corrective measures?

[shoxlax]

What do you se as the key corrective measures?

Okay so getting rid of IB will put a few more butts in the seats if the new coach wins….but there are still people who refuse to support a program who let a HoF coach go, and others who don’t want anything to do with the new way of doing business. The university has to attract a new fan base to gradually move into those seats. A problem common with most colleges now with no easy answers.

[Aargh]

If we can get some significant NIL commitments for a few key players AND we change coaches, we could be in the hunt for an NCAA bid next year. The players having good years want to play in the tourney. We've got to offer them that opportunity.

I don't think the top end of the players for the Shox see any possibility of ever getting to the dance with IB as their coach.

[Dan]

I struggle to come to terms with wanting to contribute to the NIL when the player(s) will be free agents every year. They want us to commit to them but the commitment doesn’t go both ways.

[shoxlax]

I struggle to come to terms with wanting to contribute to the NIL when the player(s) will be free agents every year. They want us to commit to them but the commitment doesn’t go both ways.

I’m sure you aren’t the only one that has those exact sentiments.

[shoxlax]

Back to the original question, our other best hope is a course correction. Doc says this money grab isn’t sustainable and honestly, I hope he is right. If the knuckleheads at the NCAA continue to restore sanity to the transfer rules, we might get back to close to the good old days. However, there still will be that won’t ever come back.