Will your team be better or worse next year?

[Wufan]

WSU has not lost this much talent since 2011-2012 season ended. That team finished 16-2 in the Valley and was a 5 seed in the NCAA tournament. Lost the following year were then seniors Greg Stultz (7’ center), all conference, Joe Ragland (PG), all conference, Toure Murray (SG), all defense, Ben Smith (SF), all defense and David Kyles (SG). All these guys played for years in Europe except for Murray who bounced back and forth between the NBA and the development league. Next year I guess you could say the team took a step back as it started as a 9 seed in the NCAA tournament before losing in the final four. WSU will have an absolute boat load of talent in 2016-2017-probably the most I have seen. I would suggest caution in predicting any demise for WSU in 2016-2017.

So what you are implying is that this incoming 2016 class has as much talent as the players that came in 12-13 with Early, Armstead, FVV and Baker?? Sure they they lost a ton of talent that year but they also had three all Americans and a fifth year transfer PG starter coming in for the first time. I highly doubt Wichita will have that kind of talent coming in next season.

I don't think we have the equivalent of the four listed above coming in, but:

Wills is a top 10 JUCO forward, like Early.
Allen is a highly regarded D-I starter that transferred from a top 25 P5 school, like Armstead.
Keyser is a borderline top 100 recruit, like VanVleet.
Reaves is a long, skilled under the radar recruit from a small rural school, like Baker.

Smith is a top 20 JUCO guard, like Wiggins.

Then there's Shamet.

I'm not predicting a final four, but there are several similarities to the 2012-13 team.

[wgslaw]

"So what you are implying is that this incoming 2016 class has as much talent as the players that came in 12-13 with Early, Armstead, FVV and Baker?? Sure they they lost a ton of talent that year but they also had three all Americans and a fifth year transfer PG starter coming in for the first time. I highly doubt Wichita will have that kind of talent coming in next season."

No, what I am saying is that the only returner who started was Carl Hall. This team returns Morris, Nurger and Barney at center, Brown and McDuffie at SF, Kelly and Hamilton at PF, Shamet and Allen at SG and Frankamp at PG. That is a lot of size and talent. If you watched the NCAA games with Vanderbilt, Arizona, and Miami, these kids at 3,4, and 5 can board and d-up with anybody and they are no longer Freshmen and Sophmores. None are seniors.

Incoming players added to the mix include Willis (9th rated JC player in the country) who will probably play PF and some center depending on match ups. I think he is a little bigger and better version of Carter. Also Keyser (tremendous athlete who was the PG at Brewster last year) who will probably play SG. Smith (very quick Florida Juco PG) and Reaves (6'5 Freshman PG who led the nation in scoring). Marshall thinks Smith, Keyser and Willis will get minutes. Reaves is very talented but just a kid and hard to predict in the short term. Take a look at the mix tapes for these players.

As to the loss of RB, Shamet started at SG when FVV was out and was regarded by other players as the best frosh before his broke his foot 3 games into the season and a budding All American by Marshall. That says something since McDuffie was the freshman of the year in the conference and regarded in the top 30 for the year nation wide. They will be fine at SG. PG could be an issue and if Smith doesn't perform then look for Shamet to move to point. This team will be very good and by tournament time could be very, very good.

[BirdsEyeView]

"So what you are implying is that this incoming 2016 class has as much talent as the players that came in 12-13 with Early, Armstead, FVV and Baker?? Sure they they lost a ton of talent that year but they also had three all Americans and a fifth year transfer PG starter coming in for the first time. I highly doubt Wichita will have that kind of talent coming in next season."

No, what I am saying is that the only returner who started was Carl Hall. This team returns Morris, Nurger and Barney at center, Brown and McDuffie at SF, Kelly and Hamilton at PF, Shamet and Allen at SG and Frankamp at PG. That is a lot of size and talent. If you watched the NCAA games with Vanderbilt, Arizona, and Miami, these kids at 3,4, and 5 can board and d-up with anybody and they are no longer Freshmen and Sophmores. None are seniors.

Incoming players added to the mix include Willis (9th rated JC player in the country) who will probably play PF and some center depending on match ups. I think he is a little bigger and better version of Carter. Also Keyser (tremendous athlete who was the PG at Brewster last year) who will probably play SG. Smith (very quick Florida Juco PG) and Reaves (6'5 Freshman PG who led the nation in scoring). Marshall thinks Smith, Keyser and Willis will get minutes. Reaves is very talented but just a kid and hard to predict in the short term. Take a look at the mix tapes for these players.

As to the loss of RB, Shamet started at SG when FVV was out and was regarded by other players as the best frosh before his broke his foot 3 games into the season and a budding All American by Marshall. That says something since McDuffie was the freshman of the year in the conference and regarded in the top 30 for the year nation wide. They will be fine at SG. PG could be an issue and if Smith doesn't perform then look for Shamet to move to point. This team will be very good and by tournament time could be very, very good.

I'm guessing teenager post.

"Top 30 for year nation wide" in what???

[Stickboy46]

"So what you are implying is that this incoming 2016 class has as much talent as the players that came in 12-13 with Early, Armstead, FVV and Baker?? Sure they they lost a ton of talent that year but they also had three all Americans and a fifth year transfer PG starter coming in for the first time. I highly doubt Wichita will have that kind of talent coming in next season."

No, what I am saying is that the only returner who started was Carl Hall. This team returns Morris, Nurger and Barney at center, Brown and McDuffie at SF, Kelly and Hamilton at PF, Shamet and Allen at SG and Frankamp at PG. That is a lot of size and talent. If you watched the NCAA games with Vanderbilt, Arizona, and Miami, these kids at 3,4, and 5 can board and d-up with anybody and they are no longer Freshmen and Sophmores. None are seniors.

Incoming players added to the mix include Willis (9th rated JC player in the country) who will probably play PF and some center depending on match ups. I think he is a little bigger and better version of Carter. Also Keyser (tremendous athlete who was the PG at Brewster last year) who will probably play SG. Smith (very quick Florida Juco PG) and Reaves (6'5 Freshman PG who led the nation in scoring). Marshall thinks Smith, Keyser and Willis will get minutes. Reaves is very talented but just a kid and hard to predict in the short term. Take a look at the mix tapes for these players.

As to the loss of RB, Shamet started at SG when FVV was out and was regarded by other players as the best frosh before his broke his foot 3 games into the season and a budding All American by Marshall. That says something since McDuffie was the freshman of the year in the conference and regarded in the top 30 for the year nation wide. They will be fine at SG. PG could be an issue and if Smith doesn't perform then look for Shamet to move to point. This team will be very good and by tournament time could be very, very good.

I'm guessing teenager post.

"Top 30 for year nation wide" in what???

I'm assuming he's meaning this...
http://www.kylemacyaward.com/

He was named to a nationwide Freshman All-America team

[BEARZ77]

Yeah, I'm not sure there's any debate about McDuffie being very talented. He showed enough last year to back his incoming reputation.

[wgslaw]

"I'm guessing teenager post."

I wish. I saw WSU for the first time in 1965. I've seen the vast majority of WSU teams since then.

[BirdsEyeView]

"I'm guessing teenager post."

I wish. I saw WSU for the first time in 1965. I've seen the vast majority of WSU teams since then.

Apologies then. Your post was tough to follow a logical flow.

[SubGod22]

"I'm guessing teenager post."

I wish. I saw WSU for the first time in 1965. I've seen the vast majority of WSU teams since then.

Apologies then. Your post was tough to follow a logical flow.

It really wasn't

[Ricardo del Rio]

Wichita, I believe will be very good, but different. I do believe that we can spend a fair amount of time in the Top 25 with the group that we have.

I think that is a very good description.

Not trying to troll here but this is crazy thinking in my opinion. WSU wasn't in the Top 25 this season most of the year and they were simply not very good with Fred out. You might still be in the upper 2-3 of the Valley but there will be a precipitous drop in your talent level.

If a drop, but not precipitous. I am one of few, who believes the team will win between 25 and 28 games.

It all depends on the point guard play and how the juco recruit will do. Daishon Smith.

[AndShock]

People think we weren't very good when Fred was out but that team probably still wins the Valley. And it's already been mentioned but we were also missing Grady for 1.5 games and missing Shamet and Frankamp for all the games.

We lost coinflips to a top 50 and a top 100 team on a neutral court, lost to a top 25 team on a neutral court, lost to a top 100 team on the road. It's not like we were losing to Indiana States and SWOMOs during that stretch. We probably lose more than 2 games and we miss the NCAA tournament but let's not act like we were terrible even missing 1/3rd of our roster.

Our non-con will be probably be quite a bit easier next year and we will still probably win 14+ games in the Valley. Depending on when the losses happen, top 25 is definitely realistic.