Will your team be better or worse next year?

[tribecalledquest]

Now that the Redbirds roster has been set for next season I finally can say I think they will be better. The spring signings brought in two important pieces that when added with the 4 returning starters should lead to a better ISU overall and conference record.

6'6" JC guard DJ Clayton will most likely start along with Lee, Wills, McIntosh and Hawkins. DJ is not as explosive as DAP was but based upon what I have seen he should be a better shooter, ball handler and defender. He will immediately be the 3rd best option offensively after MM and Hawkins which will allow PLee and TWills to be facilitators which is a better fit for their talents.

6'9" forward Phil Fayne is the athletic rebounder and rim protector that the Redbirds were sorely lacking last year. He should get the most minutes off the bench and could also start depending upon match-ups. Hopefully his defensive presence will help limit foul issues for MM and Hawkins.

I still see the Shockers as the team to beat but would put ISUr right there with UNI as the strongest challengers.

The reports from Redbird Nation about how good DJ Clayton is seem to be stronger than most. The sudden decline in DAP's abilities upon his graduation seems funny to me. I realize all fans devalue guys once they leave the program but this seems like a stretch.

DAP averaged 14.1 and 4.9 last season. He also shot a ton of free throws. Those are really good numbers. He was the MVC NOY and a second team all league player. Is Clayton THAT good??

[BirdsEyeView]

Now that the Redbirds roster has been set for next season I finally can say I think they will be better. The spring signings brought in two important pieces that when added with the 4 returning starters should lead to a better ISU overall and conference record.

6'6" JC guard DJ Clayton will most likely start along with Lee, Wills, McIntosh and Hawkins. DJ is not as explosive as DAP was but based upon what I have seen he should be a better shooter, ball handler and defender. He will immediately be the 3rd best option offensively after MM and Hawkins which will allow PLee and TWills to be facilitators which is a better fit for their talents.

6'9" forward Phil Fayne is the athletic rebounder and rim protector that the Redbirds were sorely lacking last year. He should get the most minutes off the bench and could also start depending upon match-ups. Hopefully his defensive presence will help limit foul issues for MM and Hawkins.

I still see the Shockers as the team to beat but would put ISUr right there with UNI as the strongest challengers.

The reports from Redbird Nation about how good DJ Clayton is seem to be stronger than most. The sudden decline in DAP's abilities upon his graduation seems funny to me. I realize all fans devalue guys once they leave the program but this seems like a stretch.

DAP averaged 14.1 and 4.9 last season. He also shot a ton of free throws. Those are really good numbers. He was the MVC NOY and a second team all league player. Is Clayton THAT good??

DAP reminds me of James Harden. Too much dribbling, the offense stalls and he forces shots (terrible assist to turnover ratio)...albeit not as good of a scorer obviously than Harden, but in the same mold. This includes DAPs poor defensive ability on that end of the floor.

Personally, I don't think James Harden will ever be a title contender if he is the lead man on a team. No defense, not much as a team player, and I think DAP had similar basketball characteristics.

So, despite his numbers mentioned above, I think Clayton will help more than DAP did last year, especially in aiding the growth of McIntosh and Hawkins, as he will be a better all around team player than DAP ever was. It also doesn't hurt that Clayton is a 6'6" SG.

Besides in his highlight video he never missed a shot so he must be a future star (sarcasm)

[tribecalledquest]

Again. If Clayton is MVC Newcomer of the Year quality and second team All League and All-District than he is one heck of a player who averaged 4 ppg as a freshman at WKU.

I never remember hearing about how bad a player DAP was until he no longer had any eligibility left at ISU

[Redhawk]

Again. If Clayton is MVC Newcomer of the Year quality and second team All League and All-District than he is one heck of a player who averaged 4 ppg as a freshman at WKU.

I never remember hearing about how bad a player DAP was until he no longer had any eligibility left at ISU

Nobody is pushing Clayton as a newcomer of the year but there is hope that his all around skills mesh well with the 4 returning starters.

FYI...Fred Van Vleet only averaged 4 points a game as a Freshman..and he turned out pretty good

[BirdsEyeView]

I'll just say this - I would take Harrison Barnes over James Harden all day every day.

Barnes is inferior in terms of numbers, accolades, etc than Harden, but I think he provides more value to a team winning than Harden does.

These Valley conference awards are stat based and reputation based. I liked DAP, but never thought "This guy is going to put us over the top" and he never really got us close.

Ranking our players last year in terms of value to the team:

1. Paris Lee
2. MiKyle McIntosh
3. Deontae Hawkins
4. DAP

So, yes it hurts we lost him, but not like we are losing FVV and need to replace him with a stud that can reach that level.

[Rollbird5]

These Valley conference awards are stat based and reputation based. I liked DAP, but never thought "This guy is going to put us over the top" and he never really got us close..

He helped get us 20 minutes or so away from the NCAA tourney I'd say that's close

[BirdsEyeView]

These Valley conference awards are stat based and reputation based. I liked DAP, but never thought "This guy is going to put us over the top" and he never really got us close..

He helped get us 20 minutes or so away from the NCAA tourney I'd say that's close

He was 3-15 from the field against UNI in the finals that year.

It's pretty safe to say Daishon Knight and Reggie Lynch + Justin McCloud's shooting were the bigger reasons for that conference tourney run and/or the performance in that specific game.

Besides, you can't put all your eggs in the "Let's win 3 games in Arch Madness to make the NCAAs" basket. We aren't Evansville here, our goal should be an at large lock going into that tournament. So, your argument is moot.

I liked DAP, but he is definitely replaceable with a non-superstar incoming player. That's my argument.

[tribecalledquest]

I'll just say this - I would take Harrison Barnes over James Harden all day every day.

Barnes is inferior in terms of numbers, accolades, etc than Harden, but I think he provides more value to a team winning than Harden does.

These Valley conference awards are stat based and reputation based. I liked DAP, but never thought "This guy is going to put us over the top" and he never really got us close.

Ranking our players last year in terms of value to the team:

1. Paris Lee
2. MiKyle McIntosh
3. Deontae Hawkins
4. DAP

So, yes it hurts we lost him, but not like we are losing FVV and need to replace him with a stud that can reach that level.

Harrison Barnes doesn't have to score because he plays with the greatest player in the world and on the best team in the world. James Harden is a way better player than Harrison Barnes.

I know people eat up this "team player" stuff--but alot of that is garbage.

I just chuckle at how bad DAP is now that he no longer is on the ISU roster. To make McIntosh and Hawkins out to be these awesome, team first, unselfish guys while DAP was the super selfish one is hilarious.

[Rollbird5]

I'll just say this - I would take Harrison Barnes over James Harden all day every day.

Barnes is inferior in terms of numbers, accolades, etc than Harden, but I think he provides more value to a team winning than Harden does.

These Valley conference awards are stat based and reputation based. I liked DAP, but never thought "This guy is going to put us over the top" and he never really got us close.

Ranking our players last year in terms of value to the team:

1. Paris Lee
2. MiKyle McIntosh
3. Deontae Hawkins
4. DAP

So, yes it hurts we lost him, but not like we are losing FVV and need to replace him with a stud that can reach that level.

Harrison Barnes doesn't have to score because he plays with the greatest player in the world and on the best team in the world. James Harden is a way better player than Harrison Barnes.

I know people eat up this "team player" stuff--but alot of that is garbage.

I just chuckle at how bad DAP is now that he no longer is on the ISU roster. To make McIntosh and Hawkins out to be these awesome, team first, unselfish guys while DAP was the super selfish one is hilarious.

You could count on Dap to score at least 10 points every game, that consistency isn't always easy to find. Dap was really important to the team the last two years. I'm hoping McIntosh can be that guy this year

[Redhawk]

Harrison Barnes doesn't have to score because he plays with the greatest player in the world and on the best team in the world. James Harden is a way better player than Harrison Barnes.

I know people eat up this "team player" stuff--but alot of that is garbage.

I just chuckle at how bad DAP is now that he no longer is on the ISU roster. To make McIntosh and Hawkins out to be these awesome, team first, unselfish guys while DAP was the super selfish one is hilarious.

DAP was a good player and teammate but he was simply a scorer. Is it wrong for ISUr fans to hope for a more multi dimensional player like Ron Baker or Jeremy Morgan? The type of player that can score...and be a play maker...and play defense. I would prefer a guy that could win the game at crunch time in a variety of ways than the one most likely to make the SC Top 10 list with a highlight reel dunk.