Drake offseason

[DUBulldog]

Going to be very brief here, because roster not finalized yet, but will be soon.

Bulldogs will have 7-8 newcomers next season, but return 4 starters + Seth Van Deest who was a 2-year starter before sitting out last season. Also add a starter from a Pac-12 team (Utah) who will be eligible next season.

Will post much more detail after roster is finalized....hopefully this week.

[DUBulldog]

Who's back:

Jordan Clarke, 6-8 Sr
Jeremy Jeffers, 6-6 Soph
Ben Simons, 6-8 Sr
Karl Madison, 5-10 Soph
Seth Van Deest, 6-11 Jr

Who's gone:

Kraidon Woods, 6-9...graduated
Kurt Alexander, 6-2...graduated
Reece Uhlenhopp, 6-8....gave up basketball due to recurrent injuries
Aaron Hawley, 6-8......will stay at Drake but not play basketball
Rayvonte Rice, 6-4....transferred to Illinois
Judd Welfringer 6-5....rumored to be transferring to a non-D1 school.
David Smith, 6-3....transferred to Upper Iowa (D-2)

Who's new:

Micah Mason, 6-2 frosh from Pittsburgh area
Joey King, 6-9 frosh from Minneapolis area
Richard Carter, 6-0 junior from Cloud County CC....originally from Detroit
Kori Babineaux, 6-4 frosh from Folsom, California
Gary Ricks Jr, 6-1 junior from Indian Hills CC....originally from Los Angeles
Chris Hines, 6-0 senior transfer from Utah...eligible immediately....originally from Houston
Robert Puleikis, 6-10 frosh from Detroit (originally from Lithuania)
Daddy Ugbede, 6-7 frosh from Los Angeles (originally from Nigeria).


Should be interesting to see how Phelps puts all the pieces together.

[valleychamp]

Just heard a Phelps interview on DM radio. Basically said that they will be better next year, loves the guys he has coming in, and he expects to compete at the top of the Valley and contend for NCAA's.

[DUBulldog]

Just heard a Phelps interview on DM radio. Basically said that they will be better next year, loves the guys he has coming in, and he expects to compete at the top of the Valley and contend for NCAA's.

Even without Rice, I think Drake will be more talented, and certainly deeper. The guys who left fell into 3 groups....

1. Injured
2. Just not that into basketball
3. Off court issues

The newcomers and returnees all seem to be on the same page as far as getting better every day.

[DUBulldog]

Excellent article in the Des Moines Register about Drake's "roster overhaul"

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20120511/SPORTS0204/120510016/1097/Drake-men-s-basketball-navigates-through-offseason-roster-overhaul

[DoubleJayAlum]

Sounds like there were some locker room/chemistry problems.

Rice is a big loss, but if he was regularly threatening to transfer as the article indicates, I'd say good riddance. As Creighton fans know all too well, nothing can derail a team (and even a program) like chemistry problems.

Of course, some of Phelps' other moves might be an attempt to save his job by selling the "we'll be young, but talent is better" line.

[DUBulldog]

Sounds like there were some locker room/chemistry problems.

Rice is a big loss, but if he was regularly threatening to transfer as the article indicates, I'd say good riddance. As Creighton fans know all too well, nothing can derail a team (and even a program) like chemistry problems.

I hadn't thought of it previously, but in a lot of ways:

Rayvonte Rice = P'Allen Stinnett

The way I heard it, Rice came into the office with his usual talk about thinking of transferring , and the coach just whipped out the release papers and said "here ya go"

[Ricardo del Rio]

Sounds like there were some locker room/chemistry problems.

Rice is a big loss, but if he was regularly threatening to transfer as the article indicates, I'd say good riddance. As Creighton fans know all too well, nothing can derail a team (and even a program) like chemistry problems.

I hadn't thought of it previously, but in a lot of ways:

Rayvonte Rice = P'Allen Stinnett

The way I heard it, Rice came into the office with his usual talk about thinking of transferring , and the coach just whipped out the release papers and said "here ya go"

My kind of coach.
I would have added one comment. "Clean out your locker, before you leave today."

[DUBulldog]

Summer league starts for the Bulldogs tonight. I hope there is more participation from Drake's players than last season. I'm very interested to see all the new guys.

According to Phelps, Van Deest is now 6-11, 274 pounds.....when he came to Drake, he was 6-9 and weighed about 195.