Isaac Humphries 7'0" 245, 2016 to Kentucky

[AndShock]

I have a feeling this guy is going to be angry:

@ABQtheo: @TheLoboLair when the likes of Kansas, Arizona, Duke and other high majors get involved, we get left behind. How does UNLV do it?

[Rlh04d]

It's fine to be realistic regarding the "national championship" talk. You could make the case that every year it's unlikely for any team to win it all. It's just that competitive.

What I take issue with is the FVV/Baker graduating "the sky is falling, better win it all this year" mentality. They are amazing players that deserve all the accolades given them, but it's just as bad to project failure for the unknown as it is success.

And the 3 (actually 4) seniors in 2013 is a bit disingenuous. One was Mal, who had never suited up for WSU. One was Ehimen, who had yet to demonstrate his ability as a regular contributor. Only Carl Hall and Demetric Williams could have been projected for much, and Carl only had one year in the system.

The only other players with experience in a shocker uniform heading into that season? Jake White, Evan Wessel, and Tekele Cotton heading into their sophomore seasons.

As it stands we will have rising juniors Zach Brown, Shaq Morris, Rashard Kelly, and Frankamp. And 3 of those guys will have more experience as Shockers than all but Demetric Williams had heading into the Final Four season.

The fact that we stand a better chance at winning the title with two likely NBA players as seniors in FVV and Baker than we do the year after without a single senior or a single returning player who currently averages more than 14 mpg in D1 basketball isn't a "sky is falling" mentality, it's a simple acknowledgment that we'll probably take a step back for one season.

Is this forum seriously so spoiled that saying "we're probably going to take a step back from national championship caliber for one season" is immediately being degraded as "sky is falling" or "woe is me" mentality? Are we at the point where we can't discuss anything but ever increasing improvement without taking shots at people for it?

And no, it's not disingenuous. I said three because I don't count Ehimen as a contributor, and I included Malcolm because he was a solid starter for a P12 team, averaged nearly 10 ppg over two seasons in one of the best college basketball conferences in the country, and I believe became their season steals record holder. He was a known contributor at the D1 level, and the fact that he was new to the program is irrelevant -- the only question on his contribution would have been whether he would work hard enough to keep minutes under Marshall, not whether he was capable of playing at a high level in D1, which was already proven. There is nothing disingenuous about that at all. Armstead, Williams, and Hall were all seniors who had demonstrated success at the D1 level. We will have zero of those come 16-17, without a grad transfer. Hell, right this moment, we'll have zero juniors in 16-17 who have demonstrated success at the D1 level, unless you count Shaq, but obviously it's incredibly unlikely that's going to still be true after this season, when there will be more playing time for them. And I don't understand why you think Hall only having had one year in the program matters -- he nearly averaged more points in his junior year than we currently have returning in 16-17, by everyone single player at that team combined. You mentioned Frankamp, Brown, Morris, and Kelly -- those four players have currently averaged 13.4 points in their college careers, combined. They are not proven contributors yet. They are guys that will PROBABLY be proven contributors after next year, but who can really say?

I'm not saying we're not going to have a good team. I'm saying it's logical to assume we'll take a step back for one year before fielding a very experienced, senior-laden team in 17-18, and taking a shot at someone over being "woe is me" or "sky is falling" for acknowledging that is childish. If anything assuming we won't is saying that FVV and Baker are just above-average players that are easily replaceable by any top 100 recruit we get in the door. We can't have it both ways ... arguing that Marshall can just plug and play anyone in those spots and we won't miss a beat is arguing that FVV and Baker are just system guys, and system guys aren't the kind of people you name as the top players in the sport or project NBA success for. For some reason I believe two guys likely to play in the NBA, have their jerseys in the rafters, and hold a number of the all-time records in WSU history are more than "system guys."

[Rlh04d]

https://twitter.com/ShockerHoops/sta...33874820116480

The amount of teasing in this thread is making me testy.

[RoyalShock]

The amount of teasing in this thread is making me testy.

Would you say you're just a little teste?


Sorry, just teasing. ;)

[TheDover1018]

Isaac moves to #50 (from #40, I think) in ESPN's updated rankings.

[ShockdaWorld]

Isaac moves to #50 (from #40, I think) in ESPN's updated rankings.

Out of sight, out of mind.

[newshock1234]

Isaac moves to #50 (from #40, I think) in ESPN's updated rankings.

Wait til he commits to wsu to see how far he drops

[ShockdaWorld]

Wait til he commits to wsu to see how far he drops

I hope so. Under the radar is exactly where I'd like him to be, even if it does give the blue bloods a chance to say "we never really wanted him anyway."

[Ashockalypse]

Wait til he commits to wsu to see how far he drops

I understand the sentiment but better left unsaid.

[WSUwatcher]

I understand the sentiment but better left unsaid.

Nah -- guys who worry about where they rank according to ESPN aren't good candidates to Play Angry. They're more likely to Play Self-absorbed. (Or, speaking of Self, to Play Sleepy, a/k/a Play Oubre).

[wsushox1]

Nah -- guys who worry about where they rank according to ESPN aren't good candidates to Play Angry. They're more likely to Play Self-absorbed. (Or, speaking of Self, to Play Sleepy, a/k/a Play Oubre).

Still would take a half self-absorbed Andrew Wiggins or Karl Anthony Towns.

[wsushox1]

Nah -- guys who worry about where they rank according to ESPN aren't good candidates to Play Angry. They're more likely to Play Self-absorbed. (Or, speaking of Self, to Play Sleepy, a/k/a Play Oubre).

Still would take a half self-absorbed Andrew Wiggins or Karl Anthony Towns.

[Cdizzle]

Still would take a half self-absorbed Andrew Wiggins or Karl Anthony Towns.

I wouldn't.

I want guys that are all in.

[ShockdaWorld]

I wouldn't.

I want guys that are all in.

I agree 100%. On the other hand, just imagine either one of those guys with the heart of an EW or a FVV.

[Dave Stalwart]

I wouldn't.

I want guys that are all in.

Case in point...Zach Brown versus Oubre. We saw the reason why. Oh, and our team won by double digits.