Robert Whaley - 6'5" SF Class of 2023 Offered

[wufan]

Evan also came up with EVERY loose ball, was always in the right position, and did all the little things right. It would be nice to have another guy like that, no matter how tall he is.

Well…if he’s 6-4, I’d rather him not be one of the two tallest guys on the floor.

[Kel Varnsen]

Evan Wessel is a fascinating bellwether for how Shocker fans look at basketball. It's important to understand what he was and what he was not.

Performed well in big games? Any idea how he performed against Kentucky in 2014? Because I sure remember lamenting that Evan Wessel was guarding a lottery pick for a while. He scored a grand total of 16 points in the NCAA tournament in his career in 8 games. Outside of the KU game, he did not score more than 2 points in any NCAA tournament game. He scored a total of 10 points in the Valley tournament over 7 games. He was not a good shooter in college or an offensive threat. He was typically the fifth option on the floor.

He struggled to defend his position against good Valley teams and other talented opponents, partly because of his size. Watch the '16 Valley tournament game against UNI for a great example of this. For two or three consecutive possessions, UNI set a ball screen using Wessel's man, and they knew we'd switch and end up with Wessel guarding Washpun. It...did not go well for Wessel. I think we put in McDuffie for Wessel after that if I'm remembering correctly. He could find guys to guard in the Valley but would struggle with guarding 3s and 4s in the AAC consistently.

He did know Marshall's system well and there's room for guys like him who don't need the ball in their hands. He was a great representative of the university and program during his time here, and by all accounts, continues to be. You want and need kids like that in your program...hometown guys that provide an identity to the program that reflects its community (Gregg was a master at that)...kind of like Nebraska's walk-on program for a while.

I just find his actual basketball ability to be a little overvalued on this board, even if that's an unpopular sentiment.

[Shockm]

Evan Wessel is a fascinating bellwether for how Shocker fans look at basketball. It's important to understand what he was and what he was not.

Performed well in big games? Any idea how he performed against Kentucky in 2014? Because I sure remember lamenting that Evan Wessel was guarding a lottery pick for a while. He scored a grand total of 16 points in the NCAA tournament in his career in 8 games. Outside of the KU game, he did not score more than 2 points in any NCAA tournament game. He scored a total of 10 points in the Valley tournament over 7 games. He was not a good shooter in college or an offensive threat. He was typically the fifth option on the floor.

He struggled to defend his position against good Valley teams and other talented opponents, partly because of his size. Watch the '16 Valley tournament game against UNI for a great example of this. For two or three consecutive possessions, UNI set a ball screen using Wessel's man, and they knew we'd switch and end up with Wessel guarding Washpun. It...did not go well for Wessel. I think we put in McDuffie for Wessel after that if I'm remembering correctly. He could find guys to guard in the Valley but would struggle with guarding 3s and 4s in the AAC consistently.

He did know Marshall's system well and there's room for guys like him who don't need the ball in their hands. He was a great representative of the university and program during his time here, and by all accounts, continues to be. You want and need kids like that in your program...hometown guys that provide an identity to the program that reflects its community (Gregg was a master at that)...kind of like Nebraska's walk-on program for a while.

I just find his actual basketball ability to be a little overvalued on this board, even if that's an unpopular sentiment.

I don’t quibble with your description of him, but I’m not sure it’s that “it’s important to understand what he was and what he was not” (your words), or that we have to totally agree on Evan. Some might see him as more of a hero type because he was a local hero, and his grandfather was also an important local guy. Just allow people to agree and disagree.

[ShockingButTrue]

Evan Wessel is a fascinating bellwether for how Shocker fans look at basketball. It's important to understand what he was and what he was not.

Performed well in big games? Any idea how he performed against Kentucky in 2014? Because I sure remember lamenting that Evan Wessel was guarding a lottery pick for a while. He scored a grand total of 16 points in the NCAA tournament in his career in 8 games. Outside of the KU game, he did not score more than 2 points in any NCAA tournament game. He scored a total of 10 points in the Valley tournament over 7 games. He was not a good shooter in college or an offensive threat. He was typically the fifth option on the floor.

He struggled to defend his position against good Valley teams and other talented opponents, partly because of his size. Watch the '16 Valley tournament game against UNI for a great example of this. For two or three consecutive possessions, UNI set a ball screen using Wessel's man, and they knew we'd switch and end up with Wessel guarding Washpun. It...did not go well for Wessel. I think we put in McDuffie for Wessel after that if I'm remembering correctly. He could find guys to guard in the Valley but would struggle with guarding 3s and 4s in the AAC consistently.

He did know Marshall's system well and there's room for guys like him who don't need the ball in their hands. He was a great representative of the university and program during his time here, and by all accounts, continues to be. You want and need kids like that in your program...hometown guys that provide an identity to the program that reflects its community (Gregg was a master at that)...kind of like Nebraska's walk-on program for a while.

I just find his actual basketball ability to be a little overvalued on this board, even if that's an unpopular sentiment.

Speaking for myself I don't think your sentiment matters either way. No need to pat yourself on the back.

Now, there's a reason Evan started over higher rated players than him during his entire time suiting up in the roundhouse. If you know what winning basketball is your post sure pointed to the polar opposite. The little engine that could huh? He was a damn good athlete, which is the reason he never lost out on a loose ball unless it was to Tekele, and you know damn well Tekele had to earn it. How do you measure toughness on the court Kel?

Go back and watch the game against the Chickens again. If you didn't watch the whole game and turned it off with about 10 minutes left (don't laugh; highly probable) you probably missed out on the color commentary that Chris Webber provided for the contest. Or, Marv Albert's seconding of that same commentary, specifically concerning Evan. I believe them a whole lot more than what you had to contribute. Embarrassing.

So, If this kid can produce on the court like Evan, in big games, and EVERY other game, the tangible and the intangible, then yes, get him signed up quickly! It won't matter what state he currently resides in, he'll be a true Shocker...

[shoxlax]

Evan was what I call a behavioral contagion. He personified toughness and determination in valuing every possession. That was his role. It was infectious and complemented the other more skilled players on the team. Every player became better whenever Evan dove for a ball in a game or practice. FHCGM knew that and saw some of himself in Evan which also wasn’t lost on the other players.

[shoxlax]

Speaking for myself I don't think your sentiment matters either way. No need to pat yourself on the back.

Now, there's a reason Evan started over higher rated players than him during his entire time suiting up in the roundhouse. If you know what winning basketball is your post sure pointed to the polar opposite. The little engine that could huh? He was a damn good athlete, which is the reason he never lost out on a loose ball unless it was to Tekele, and you know damn well Tekele had to earn it. How do you measure toughness on the court Kel?

Go back and watch the game against the Chickens again. If you didn't watch the whole game and turned it off with about 10 minutes left (don't laugh; highly probable) you probably missed out on the color commentary that Chris Webber provided for the contest. Or, Marv Albert's seconding of that same commentary, specifically concerning Evan. I believe them a whole lot more than what you had to contribute. Embarrassing.

So, If this kid can produce on the court like Evan, in big games, and EVERY other game, the tangible and the intangible, then yes, get him signed up quickly! It won't matter what state he currently resides in, he'll be a true Shocker...

Marv Albert?

[WuShock16]

Marv Albert?

Yep. Him, Chris Webber, and Len Elmore on the call.

[TheShocktocles]

I don't think it matters that this kid is just 6"5. Can he play? Does he have game? Evan Wessel was a stud whether he was playing football or basketball. He had game!!!!!!! Teddy Allen was only 6"5. Charles Barkley was maybe 6"4. They both had game. The Shocks offered so I think the coaches feel that he can play.

[shoxlax]

Yep. Him, Chris Webber, and Len Elmore on the call.

Funny, I was at the game and never watched it again. First time I’d heard that.

[Dan]

I don’t know why 6’5” suddenly became too short for this team. Our history is loaded with talent at 6’5” or under and plenty of them played the 3 and 4.

[pinstripers]

I would gather up all of the bad shooting 6'5" guards I could find.

[ShockTalk]

I don’t know why 6’5” suddenly became too short for this team. Our history is loaded with talent at 6’5” or under and plenty of them played the 3 and 4.

If we were "hurting" for players, particularly at his position(s), I don't think his 6'5" would be a problem at all. We have 4 scholarship guards at 6-5 to 6-7 who could play the 3 and another 3-4 bigs who could play the 4. When his recruitment came out, we were hurting for another PG for our last scholarship.

[TrackSuitAndTie]

[Shockm]

Unless you can stroke it, 6’5 is a very bad height.

Since we are a finalist, I'll say........................ Often you are right, but Teddy Allen disagrees if he plays like Teddy, anyway.

[shock]

Since we are a finalist, I'll say........................ Often you are right, but Teddy Allen disagrees if he plays like Teddy, anyway.

That’s true. My comment was more reflecting the fact that 6’5 players in our history tend to be pushed over to stretch 4 unless they can really shoot and then they are undersized in their utilization. See trey Wade.