Players leaving and players coming in.

[MadaboutWu]

Given the roster right now, do others think that Watson or Lufile will be the primary back-up center instead of Shaq or Carter sliding over from the 4?

I know the roster will likely change as we are two scholarships over and that impacts my question, but I'm not really interesting in speculating in who transfers, which I don't think is very productive (because I don't like having out there that fans think one player over another will likely be cut).

So if any one wants to humor this question: given what we know about the current skill set who do you think HCGM plays as the back-up 5?

[1972Shocker]

Let me help you with what to call it, 1972: an ignorant, uninformed mistake by whoever wrote it.

Coleby has played three years (and is thus a senior in terms of athletic eligibility); he may well be a senior academically too. But his fellow transfer Malcolm Armstead would have been listed as a senior at this time last year too, for the same reasons -- and I think it's safe to say that MA did more than just show up this season.

Coleby is WSU's anticipated starting center next year.

Perfect. Plus the fact the Kadeem has only 1 more year to play his final year of eligibility under the 5 to play 4 rule. Next year is his final year of eligibility. He is playing at Wichita State.

[mjbaker84]

lol i agree

[1972Shocker]

Regardless of what the final roster will look like it appears we will have another deep, athletic team with a lot of flexibility and interchangeable parts especially at the 2 and 3 positions.

My guess is that one of the Freshman (most likely Rian Holland) will be offered the opportunity to redshirt. I hope he takes it. Sure has worked out well for Ron.

A lot of potential, just as we had with this year's team. Whether the potential will be realized to such an outstanding extent as this year's team remains to be seen, but if these guys buy in as a Band of Brothers the way this year's team did we will be load for any team to deal with.

[SubGod22]

Given the roster right now, do others think that Watson or Lufile will be the primary back-up center instead of Shaq or Carter sliding over from the 4?

I know the roster will likely change as we are two scholarships over and that impacts my question, but I'm not really interesting in speculating in who transfers, which I don't think is very productive (because I don't like having out there that fans think one player over another will likely be cut).

So if any one wants to humor this question: given what we know about the current skill set who do you think HCGM plays as the back-up 5?

I have more faith in Shaq being a contributor next year than CJ or Watson. But that's me.

[GarH]

Shaq has a lot of potential, but he will be a freshman big man. Does anybody remember a freshman big man in the last 20 years contributing much for the Shockers? Sometimes you'll see a five star stud have a good freshman year, but even that can be rare. I'm very happy he signed with the Shockers but the most I hope for next year is he listens to HCGM and works on what HCGM tells him to.

[SubGod22]

Shaq has a lot of potential, but he will be a freshman big man. Does anybody remember a freshman big man in the last 20 years contributing much for the Shockers? Sometimes you'll see a five star stud have a good freshman year, but even that can be rare. I'm very happy he signed with the Shockers but the most I hope for next year is he listens to HCGM and works on what HCGM tells him to.

Not all FR bigs are the same. Most of ours come in a little light and needing a lot of work on one end or the other. Someone like Stutz was a late bloomer. He was a guard until he was a JR and started growing so much. So he had to learn a new position and try to catch up to his growth. Shaq is now and has always been big. He's also already quite an athlete who is fairly well polished on both ends for a HS SR. He's also showed the kind of dedication and work ethic it requires to be successful here.

Now, not to be rude to any of the other players, but I haven't seen that from CJ in his year here and Watson appears to have gotten worse on the court. If Shaq isn't better than them, we have zero depth at the 5. I'm sure CJ will improve, but I don't have a lot of faith in him being a major factor right now. As long as Shaq has the smarts to play at the college level, I expect him to be the primary backup to Coleby. FR can and do contribute. It's not insane to rely on them. Nobody is talking about Shaq coming in and starting and averaging 25+ minutes a game. I don't see CJ or Watson doing that. I don't see those two playing 15 a game right now. But I can see Shaq doing that. He and Bowles are going to have to step up and contribute by the time conference play begins if not before.

[forevershockerfan]

Shaq has played against some big named players in the summer and did so with flying colors. He may not start for us, but I am in the camp that thinks he will contribute quite a bit his Frosh Season. Maybe sort of like Perry at KU. Maybe not as much at first but more so after the Season progresses. After this summer and seeing him play verus our other players, I will have a more plausible viewpoint. I say that but Cle never really caught my eye in that venue last summer as he did when the bright lights came on and our Arena filled up with folk.

[GarH]

Arizona brought in 3 5 star big men this year. They all showed some flashes of what they can be, but they looked like freshmen big men much more than 5 star studs. All of them have played a lot in AAU ball against great talent. A lot of Arizona fans thought up to two of them would be one on done. All of them will be back next year. I'm not saying Shaq won't contribute at all next year. I expect him to provide some minutes as back-up. I'm just saying you have to be realistic in what you expect out of a freshman big man.

[mjbaker84]

I hope Shaq can be dominant and not be a combo of stutz/orupke. I want some with good footwork and a good handle on the ball. I dread seeing it coming to the 7-footers and it looks like they have hands of stone.

[1972Shocker]

Shaq will compared to Carl Hall, JT Durley, maybe Gabe Blair.

As far as a combo of Stutz and Orupke I would love to have that if it combined Garrett's offensive game with EO's defense and athleticism. Obviously, you would not want Garrett's defense and athleticism and EO's offense.

[Dan]

I have a feeling that the level of big man we can recruit has improved since they days we signed Stutz or EO. Shaq is likely more skilled than those guys were as freshmen by a long shot. He's just not 7 feet tall.

[mjbaker84]

I have a feeling that the level of big man we can recruit has improved since they days we signed Stutz or EO. Shaq is likely more skilled than those guys were as freshmen by a long shot. He's just not 7 feet tall.

I certainly hope so!

[Cdizzle]

I have a feeling that the level of big man we can recruit has improved since they days we signed Stutz or EO. Shaq is likely more skilled than those guys were as freshmen by a long shot. He's just not 7 feet tall.

If we have improved past the likes of Stutz, it is going to be a very, very, very fun decade.

[Shox21]

I know we are 2 over for next year, but what about 2014-15? How many scholarships do we have left?