Conner Frankamp is a Shocker

[Dan]

I don't know that Conner had a shitty situation. He was a freshmen that got little playing time. Happens all the time. Had he stayed, he probably would be playing a lot this year, maybe even starting. Could be that he didn't think he would develop under Bill Self.

[Dan]

And Simon will never be on scholarship and will be the only player to pay his tuition for the rest of his career.

Don't forget Zach Bush.

[Kung Wu]

People always forget about Andrew Wiggins, when talking about why or how Conner "failed" at KU. The kid signed with KU when he turned 16, 2 full seasons before he actually went to KU. During that time, the #1 recruit in the class following Conner's, reclassified to come out of High School a year earlier, and guess where he was ranked when he reclassified as a 17 year old college freshman? The #1 recruit in the earlier class. That's insane. That's how good Wiggins was/is. Did Conner Frankamp know that he was going to be riding the pine behind the professed next Lebron, Kobe, MJ? Hellllll no he didn't. And as bad as Tharpe played last year, there was no way Frankamp was taking minutes from a Junior PG.

KU fans can call Conner a quitter, but the kid was a product of a shitty situation. You can't blame Self for taking Wiggins, any coach in the country would have taken him. But at the same time Self can't be a vindictive little **** with snide remarks about "Well we had one guy quit on us, so yeah we're a little thin at PG." Well if you didn't take Andrew Wiggins you could have groomed your 4 year SG with more playing time and developed a shooter that you could revolve consistency around for 4 years instead of a one and done. And where did that one and done get you? A round of 32 exit.

Also talking about where did that get them? In the last game of the year, Wiggins was 1-6 from the field, 0-2 from 3, ended with 4 points on 34 minutes. Conner was 4-8 from the field, 4-7 from 3, and ended with 12 points on 18 minutes.

I'm definitely not saying Conner is better than Wiggins, but this is college basketball, not D-League basketball. Conner wants to play for 4 years in college. Wiggins needed a year before going to the NBA because it's the rules.

You know what ... Conner DID quit on Bill Self, because he had a better opportunity elsewhere. You know what ... Andrew Wiggins ALSO quit on Bill Self -- because he had a better opportunity elsewhere. :)

[1972Shocker]

Don't forget Zach Bush.

I was responding specifically to Aargh's post and query. He did not mention Zach Bush. But yes, Zach obviously will never be on a basketball scholarship at WSU.

[1972Shocker]

You know what ... Conner DID quit on Bill Self, because he had a better opportunity elsewhere. You know what ... Andrew Wiggins ALSO quit on Bill Self -- because he had a better opportunity elsewhere. :)

So did Joel Embiid.

[vancedave56]

I believe Dan is correct - KU is kind of out of the "development of players" program. They are more aligned with the Kentucky philosophy of "one and done." Get the "best" players for a year or two - try to "out-athlete" the opposition. I believe Coach Marshall and staff are much better at preparing the student athletes for their futures as Pro players or life players. Coach Marshall gives you a better chance to be the best that you can be.

[_kai_]

You know what ... Conner DID quit on Bill Self, because he had a better opportunity elsewhere. You know what ... Andrew Wiggins ALSO quit on Bill Self -- because he had a better opportunity elsewhere. :)

[Royals85]

This post is brilliant! Often times, as seen with some of The Rug's one-and-dones, the hotshot primadonnas aren't interested in team ball or wins so much as they are padding their own stats. That kind of ball doesn't fly in Wichita.

I apologize for my response if your post wasn't serious, the line "that kind of ball doesn't fly in Wichita" has me hoping this is sarcasm. Marshall, and every other coach who has any desire to win a championship, would take commitments from players like Wiggins and Embiid 100% of the time. Not all one and done players are selfish hotshots, and there's nothing special about a 4 year player that will guarantee he's unselfish. If I remember correctly one of Self's biggest frustrations with Wiggins was that he was too unselfish.

If the healthy version of Embiid was playing for the Shockers last year we would have defeated Kentucky and possibly won the title finishing with a perfect record. This year Myles Turner is almost certainly a one and done for Texas. He's a legit 6'11" and blocks over 3 shots a game with pretty good offense as well. Nurger has a lot of potential, but if given the option, Marshall takes 1 year of Turner over Nurger without any hesitation.

[AdamCC]

This post is brilliant! Often times, as seen with some of The Rug's one-and-dones, the hotshot primadonnas aren't interested in team ball or wins so much as they are padding their own stats. That kind of ball doesn't fly in Wichita.

Sorry, but the only guy who fit that mold was Selby. Hate on Self all you want, but I would've taken Embiid/Wiggins/McLemore/Henry in a heartbeat, and I don't think any of those guys averaged over 20/game under Self (and none of them were "primadonnas"). I love our team and the way they play, but this notion that a morally superior brand of basketball is played in Wichita as opposed to Lawrence (or anywhere else for that matter) is ludicrous.

[shockmonster]

Wiggins wasn't selfish and he was the best dunker in N. America. It just didn't translate into dominant basketball. This is not a moral issue. Our Wiggans was as athletic as any other basketball player in America too. But we had 3 guards who were better and he ended up a role player. We have our recruiting misses and maybe a few holes that we have to cover.

I think that our best run for a National Championship may be next year, especially if Baker stays. Our bigs will be very good next year. The Frosh bigs are still thinking too much. That's one reason that I think that Gregg will begin to limit them to one position to learn.

[im4wsu]

I believe Dan is correct - KU is kind of out of the "development of players" program. They are more aligned with the Kentucky philosophy of "one and done." Get the "best" players for a year or two - try to "out-athlete" the opposition. I believe Coach Marshall and staff are much better at preparing the student athletes for their futures as Pro players or life players. Coach Marshall gives you a better chance to be the best that you can be.

To paraphrase Gregg Marshall at the "open" practice four years ago, "In about five minutes, I get to do what I love to do most, TEACH. There are lots of other aspects to being head coach, but if I can teach, you can have all the other tasks, recruiting, administrative, etc."

I don't think he'd be happy with "one and done" types.

[ripemupshocks]

I saw Conner today at Dillons on the east side at Central and Rock. Some here seem to like to joke that the east side is full of Jayhawk fans. They might be on to something.

Yes, that's true. A large number of chickenhawks have infiltrated the eastside of our fair WheatShocker Metropolis. But rest assured, we are on the case. We have "a list", and they are being monitored for reasons of security. And if the need arises, all chickenhawks will be rounded-up and detained for questioning.

By the way, once Conner Frankamp announced he was leaving the chickenhawk evil empire to become a member of "The Great Republic of Wichita State University WheatShockers", the Frankamp name was immediately removed from "the list", and Conner Frankamp along with his family was allowed into the "Great WheatShocker Circle of Trust", and placed in the golden glow of the invisible, yet indestructible "WheatShocker Umbrella of Protection", which guards the entire "WheatShocker Nation" from the EMPs and Microwaves emmiting from the home base of the chickenhawk evil empire located in Lawrence Kansas.

:satellite:

[WstateU]

Yes, that's true. A large number of chickenhawks have infiltrated the eastside of our fair WheatShocker Metropolis. But rest assured, we are on the case. We have "a list", and they are being monitored for reasons of security. And if the need arises, all chickenhawks will be rounded-up and detained for questioning.

By the way, once Conner Frankamp announced he was leaving the chickenhawk evil empire to become a member of "The Great Republic of Wichita State University WheatShockers", the Frankamp name was immediately removed from "the list", and Conner Frankamp along with his family was allowed into the "Great WheatShocker Circle of Trust", and placed in the golden glow of the invisible, yet indestructible "WheatShocker Umbrella of Protection", which guards the entire "WheatShocker Nation" from the EMPs and Microwaves emmiting from the home base of the chickenhawk evil empire located in Lawrence Kansas.

:satellite:

[shock]

In regards to the whole Conner situation, including the feelings about Marty, does any one remember Xavier Henry? He was what everyone says Conner is. But guess what? Conner isn't. I can't wait.

[Aargh]

In regards to the whole Conner situation, including the feelings about Marty, does any one remember Xavier Henry? He was what everyone says Conner is. But guess what? Conner isn't. I can't wait.

I didn't "get" this post, so I Googled Xavier Henry. Then I got really confused.

Henry was a 6'6", 210 lb. SG who started every game at KU as a Fr, hit 42% of his 3's, holds the KU record for most points scored by a Fr in their first game (26), scored 31 in a game to become the first KU Fr to score more than 30 since Paul Pierce.

I'm not seeing how he's exactly what Conner is, but Conner isn't. The only similarity I can see between the 2 is that they both left KU after their Fr years. Frankamp to WSU, and Henry to Memphis (the Grizzlies - not the Tigers).