Back to being a stepping stone program.

[stammina0721]

I was hoping it wasn't true but X is back to being a stepping stone program, just in a different way. I'm convinced players choose X because they get a year or 2 to play in a nice arena and get Big East exposure. They use that to showcase their individual skills so the following year they can get that big ass payday from a bigger school. I don't blame the kids, but the fact roster turnover is so high just blows up what we knew to be the Xavier way when we were growing up.

We loved watching guys grow and develop for 4 years and how those teams cohesion and teamwork helped them pull off many amazing runs. Now it's a group of talented guys who just play for their next check. Its sad to see. I know lots on here may not agree, but I had to vent. I bet Sean Miller is beating his head against the wall starting at square 1 year after year.

[ArizonaXUGrad]

Pump the brakes, how many players have we had in the last 10 years that transferred out, hit it big, and entered the league.

The reality is that Miller needs to really adjust how he operates in the NIL/Portal world. He will need to look at teams that succeed and teams that don't. We can play what if all we want, but teams play harder when they win. For 35 mins this team looked like they were going through the motions and getting paid for it. For 5 minutes they fought like they had a chance.

[OTRMUSKIE]

X has lost 3 games in a row by a combined 10 points. We have lost two big men for the season. And somehow we have competed against the #11 and #9 team. Went to the sweet 16 two years ago. We are now a stepping stone? Yeah…NO

[X Factor]

X has lost 3 games in a row by a combined 10 points. We have lost two big men for the season. And somehow we have competed against the #11 and #9 team. Went to the sweet 16 two years ago. We are now a stepping stone? Yeah…NO

And this will be 6th year in the past 7 that Xavier misses the NCAA Tournament. Stepping stone? No. Irrelevant? Yes.

[MHettel]

Pump the brakes, how many players have we had in the last 10 years that transferred out, hit it big, and entered the league.

The reality is that Miller needs to really adjust how he operates in the NIL/Portal world. He will need to look at teams that succeed and teams that don't. We can play what if all we want, but teams play harder when they win. For 35 mins this team looked like they were going through the motions and getting paid for it. For 5 minutes they fought like they had a chance.

We went for it this year and I thought it was a good strategy. traore going down was obviously a huge loss.

Free going down….well at some point maybe you just have to recognize that the guy is fragile and injury prone. This is now the 3rd season in a row where an injury to Free has changed the trajectory of the year….

But I did think we were built to give ourselves a chance at a deep run.

One thing I didn't expect was that we haven’t been able to coax out more from Hugley, swain, green or Maddox…..maybe that’s coaching?

In any event this year was a “go for it” year. The roster was not built with and eye towards the future. But I would take that trade if we got an elite 8 or Final four out of it.

But since it didn’t work (or isn’t currently working), the implications are huge.

Next years roster is looking pretty damn thin, and we won’t be coming off a huge year to recruit our next wave of guys.

And further, can we go back to the well on the fundraising that got us the NIL for this year? I mean, I’m sure a lot of people dug a little bit deeper that they had in the past because they were bought into the promise of being able to restock and compete this year. Those people are currently looking at a “low” return on that investment. I skeptical that we can sustain the NIL levels without some corresponding success.

The alternative is a 2-3 year rebuild. Bring in as many freshmen as you can get and possibly grab some high quality YOUNG transfers that may not have previously had a chance to show what they can do (Nzeh as an example). Take your lumps for a year while the freshmen get some experience. Try to rebuild a core that can compete as juniors. Keep an incoming stream of 2-3 freshmen a year, and maybe 1-2 transfers to fill needs. This approach can work, but you have a razor thin margin if your freshmen aren’t the right guys….

[Xavier]

Takes a lot to fix the Steele mess. Sean will be fine. 3 for 3 on losing an all big east player for the season. 2/3 years losing the starting bigs. Xavier can absolutely compete in the NIL era. But can’t compete while losing multiple key pieces every year. Some big programs can sustain that hit, I don’t think X can.

Things need to change recruiting wise, IMO, But we’re in good hands. Just wanted to include context in the “we can’t compete” narrative

[American X]

I do not miss Desmond Claude's fucked up shots. He can step off wherever the hell he went.

[OTRMUSKIE]

We should still make dance this year. 21-10 is very possible. Should win next 5 or n paper. Lose one of those then we are prob in serious trouble

[Xavier]

We went for it this year and I thought it was a good strategy. traore going down was obviously a huge loss.

Free going down….well at some point maybe you just have to recognize that the guy is fragile and injury prone. This is now the 3rd season in a row where an injury to Free has changed the trajectory of the year….

But I did think we were built to give ourselves a chance at a deep run.

One thing I didn't expect was that we haven’t been able to coax out more from Hugley, swain, green or Maddox…..maybe that’s coaching?

In any event this year was a “go for it” year. The roster was not built with and eye towards the future. But I would take that trade if we got an elite 8 or Final four out of it.

But since it didn’t work (or isn’t currently working), the implications are huge.

Next years roster is looking pretty damn thin, and we won’t be coming off a huge year to recruit our next wave of guys.

And further, can we go back to the well on the fundraising that got us the NIL for this year? I mean, I’m sure a lot of people dug a little bit deeper that they had in the past because they were bought into the promise of being able to restock and compete this year. Those people are currently looking at a “low” return on that investment. I skeptical that we can sustain the NIL levels without some corresponding success.

The alternative is a 2-3 year rebuild. Bring in as many freshmen as you can get and possibly grab some high quality YOUNG transfers that may not have previously had a chance to show what they can do (Nzeh as an example). Take your lumps for a year while the freshmen get some experience. Try to rebuild a core that can compete as juniors. Keep an incoming stream of 2-3 freshmen a year, and maybe 1-2 transfers to fill needs. This approach can work, but you have a razor thin margin if your freshmen aren’t the right guys….

Wouldn’t let me upvote. Think this is a good look. I do think Sean is desperate for a final four, and he wants it now. I hope he is the guy to build X. But I won’t be surprised if a school comes to him and says “look at this NIL” he might go for it.

[MHettel]

Wouldn’t let me upvote. Think this is a good look. I do think Sean is desperate for a final four, and he wants it now. I hope he is the guy to build X. But I won’t be surprised if a school comes to him and says “look at this NIL” he might go for it.

Yeah….but.

Sean fell short at Arizona. That’s a top 10 program and he was there for what, 12 years? He had the players, he had the rankings, and he had the CHANCES. But for whatever reason he fell short.

I don’t think his tenure at X is turning out to be a real resume builder. His successful season came with almost exclusively steeles players. His recruiting and portal guys have been spotty (+ for Boum, Q, & Conwell so far. McKnight is solid but unspectacular, and the rest have been meh). He hasn’t really developed anyone. Swain is just the same guy from last year, but playing more. I’ve been looking at the stats of our players from the last few years that transferred and several of them are flourishing. Maybe that due to having more than experience. Maybe it’s due to “dropping down” a level or 2. Or maybe it’s due to lack of development while at X.

Bottom line is I don’t see you scenario as bing realistic. He’s got about 20 years of experience and his best years are far behind him. MAYBE his best years are actually ahead of him, but he’s gotta put up a couple successful seasons before anyone makes a serious run at him.

[X Factor]

We should still make dance this year. 21-10 is very possible. Should win next 5 or n paper. Lose one of those then we are prob in serious trouble

We should still make the dance? You think this team can win 5 conference games in a row?

[Xville]

We should still make the dance? You think this team can win 5 conference games in a row?

Likely no, but considering we just gave the top of our conference all they could handle, it’s not crazy

[Xavier]

Yeah….but.

Sean fell short at Arizona. That’s a top 10 program and he was there for what, 12 years? He had the players, he had the rankings, and he had the CHANCES. But for whatever reason he fell short.

I don’t think his tenure at X is turning out to be a real resume builder. His successful season came with almost exclusively steeles players. His recruiting and portal guys have been spotty (+ for Boum, Q, & Conwell so far. McKnight is solid but unspectacular, and the rest have been meh). He hasn’t really developed anyone. Swain is just the same guy from last year, but playing more. I’ve been looking at the stats of our players from the last few years that transferred and several of them are flourishing. Maybe that due to having more than experience. Maybe it’s due to “dropping down” a level or 2. Or maybe it’s due to lack of development while at X.

Bottom line is I don’t see you scenario as bing realistic. He’s got about 20 years of experience and his best years are far behind him. MAYBE his best years are actually ahead of him, but he’s gotta put up a couple successful seasons before anyone makes a serious run at him.

I have few sources that he was headed to Texas after year 1. Contract was set. But the interim coach did too well so they kept him. Admittedly after this previous set of openings, if Sean didn’t get a look then maybe he cooled off a bit, but I would not be surprised to see a lower level school that has a ton of nil come after him. (Like a lower SEC school)

Like I said, I think he’s the guy that get us there. He’s a good coach. It’s hard to tell based off the injuries what he truly can do in the era. But I think he has the fire and is a good coach. I’m happy to put my chips In with Sean and see how it goes. I understand those who aren’t happy though.

(I also don’t think Arizona is a top 10 program..they haven’t done anything in a long long time, but I’d be very happy to have the chances Arizona had and hope it turns out differently)

[D-West & PO-Z]

I was hoping it wasn't true but X is back to being a stepping stone program, just in a different way. I'm convinced players choose X because they get a year or 2 to play in a nice arena and get Big East exposure. They use that to showcase their individual skills so the following year they can get that big ass payday from a bigger school. I don't blame the kids, but the fact roster turnover is so high just blows up what we knew to be the Xavier way when we were growing up.

We loved watching guys grow and develop for 4 years and how those teams cohesion and teamwork helped them pull off many amazing runs. Now it's a group of talented guys who just play for their next check. Its sad to see. I know lots on here may not agree, but I had to vent. I bet Sean Miller is beating his head against the wall starting at square 1 year after year.

Are we a fan of the same team? Please list the players you are talking about.

95% of our transfers out are desired by the coaching staff and are going to smaller schools, not bigger schools.

This post is laughably off base.

[Xville]

Are we a fan of the same team? Please list the players you are talking about.

95% of our transfers out are desired by the coaching staff and are going to smaller schools, not bigger schools.

This post is laughably off base.

He must be best buddies with hett who still believes no matter how many times he’s told, that Claude left for more money. The constant rumored nonsense on here by a few posts that have zero inside connection to the program is mind boggling. Just throwing shit at the wall to see if it sticks

[zippin']

Really feels to me like the Seton Hall game will decide the rest of this year. If they lose that it’s definitely over, but I’m really hoping for an emphatic win to make everyone feel better. Worried though because they play the exact defense that gives this team trouble.

[xu82]

Takes a lot to fix the Steele mess. Sean will be fine. 3 for 3 on losing an all big east player for the season. 2/3 years losing the starting bigs. Xavier can absolutely compete in the NIL era. But can’t compete while losing multiple key pieces every year. Some big programs can sustain that hit, I don’t think X can.

Things need to change recruiting wise, IMO, But we’re in good hands. Just wanted to include context in the “we can’t compete” narrative

I’m not worried because it was always the coach we would lose to a bigger program. Miller has been there and done that, and as long as he stays we will get it worked out. You can’t have cluster injuries with our Bigs and not feel the pain. I’m glad they still put up a good fight against top teams.

[webxu]

The only players I can recall in the last 15 years leaving for a "bigger" program: Mark Lyons, Dez Wells and Claude ( could be missing some). Each have a story as to why they left ( or were made to) and two of those programs its arguable that X is actually better than. The vast majority of our guys we lose go to lesser schools.

[D-West & PO-Z]

The only players I can recall in the last 15 years leaving for a "bigger" program: Mark Lyons, Dez Wells and Claude ( could be missing some). Each have a story as to why they left ( or were made to) and two of those programs its arguable that X is actually better than. The vast majority of our guys we lose go to lesser schools.

And the first two were before NIL.

I literally have no idea where stammina's post came from? Literally do not understand it. Would love some clarification.

[Xville]

And the first two were before NIL.

I literally have no idea where stammina's post came from? Literally do not understand it. Would love some clarification.

I think it's just frustration nonsense. Wells was basically railroaded and kicked out of school (i also don't think it's a bigger program.) Claude left because of position and USC is not a bigger program, and Lyons I'm not 100% sure on but I get the feeling that he and mack didn't see eye to eye and thought he might as well go to a coach he got along with.

The demolition that Steele and Greg Christopher did to this program is ongoing. We had things cruising for such a long time, even with the jump to the Big East, and then one bad hire has caused a lot of destruction and PTSD from fans like all of us.

[GoMuskies]

Claude didn't leave for a bigger program. He went to friggin USC. That program historically is a dumpster fire.

[bleedXblue]

Claude didn't leave for a bigger program. He went to friggin USC. That program historically is a dumpster fire.

correct he left for the cash which I cant imagine was significantly higher than what X offered........

[Xville]

correct he left for the cash which I cant imagine was significantly higher than what X offered........

no he didn't. Can we stop with this narrative? I know for a fact that's not why he left, no matter how many times hett says it.

[webxu]

Wasnt trying to say USC or even Maryland are BETTER programs than X, just saying from a perception standpoint those would be near the same level as X vs where our guys typically go.

[drudy23]

I guess we will find out after this year if guys like Swain and Conwell entertain the highest bidder. In that case, pretty much every program is a stepping stone.

[MHettel]

no he didn't. Can we stop with this narrative? I know for a fact that's not why he left, no matter how many times hett says it.

We all know why Claude left. I realize it’s a bad look to just openly say that you are leaving for the most money. So, having a plausible alibi is expected.

Some of us accept the alibi, while other just see through it.

What makes it easy is the non-sensensical nature of his “reason”. He wanted to be a PG, as if THAT was what was keeping him out of the NBA. He’s got a broken ass 3 point shot which is actually going to keep him out of the league, but that would be fixable at X, so he couldn’t use that as his reason for leaving.

He’s currently 2nd on his team in assists per game and has a 1.6-1 assist to turnover ratio. He’s also taken one less shot than the team leader in shots…..but he’s a PG. he’s also taken 80 Free throws, 34 more than the next closest guy on the team. So he’s attacking the rim, which is expected but also serves to distort his number of shot attempts as a shooting foul doesn’t actually get counted as an attempts

So he’s a PG that leads his team in shots and Free Throw attempts, but not assists. Got it

[XUGRAD80]

pretty much every program is a stepping stone.

Bingo! There is little or no loyalty to dear old State U by the players any longer. They have some loyalty is to a coach that they have a relationship with more than any school or program. But their real loyalty is to themselves and their future. Every player wants to put themselves in the best position they can be to be successful on the court, and to catch the eye of professional scouts. I don’t how many people here follow recruiting on Twitter, but I do and I can tell you that right now football players are moving between major college programs left and right. From one SEC school to another. From one B10 to another. And from one top 40 school to another. Many are already starters where they are but want a change of scenery, a bigger stage, a better team, more TV coverage…..more and better opportunities. Every school IS a stepping stone for the players……same as it has been for coaches forever.

[Xville]

Facts: Claude didn’t get more money than what was offered at x. So stop looking like an idiot

[94GRAD]

We all know why Claude left. I realize it’s a bad look to just openly say that you are leaving for the most money. So, having a plausible alibi is expected.

Some of us accept the alibi, while other just see through it.

What makes it easy is the non-sensensical nature of his “reason”. He wanted to be a PG, as if THAT was what was keeping him out of the NBA. He’s got a broken ass 3 point shot which is actually going to keep him out of the league, but that would be fixable at X, so he couldn’t use that as his reason for leaving.

He’s currently 2nd on his team in assists per game and has a 1.6-1 assist to turnover ratio. He’s also taken one less shot than the team leader in shots…..but he’s a PG. he’s also taken 80 Free throws, 34 more than the next closest guy on the team. So he’s attacking the rim, which is expected but also serves to distort his number of shot attempts as a shooting foul doesn’t actually get counted as an attempts

So he’s a PG that leads his team in shots and Free Throw attempts, but not assists. Got it

No matter how many times you repeat your Costanza logic(if you believe it to be true, it is), Claude DID NOT leave for more money!!! He left because his inner circle wanted him to be the point guard, and Sean told him that McNight would be the floor general this season. I'm not sure why you don't want to believe that.

[Xville]

No matter how many times you repeat your Costanza logic(if you believe it to be true, it is), Claude DID NOT leave for more money!!! He left because his inner circle wanted him to be the point guard, and Sean told him that McNight would be the floor general this season. I'm not sure why you don't want to believe that.

He has a unique situation where he will never admit he’s wrong no matter how many facts are presented. It’s astonishing that there are people like this out there that just can’t ever bear to be wrong and then double down on the stupidity

[drudy23]

He has a unique situation where he will never admit he’s wrong no matter how many facts are presented. It’s astonishing that there are people like this out there that just can’t ever bear to be wrong and then double down on the stupidity

I think it's pretty obvious he didn't like the Miller hire, and will do whatever he can to point out things that put doubt in it.

We got the best coach we possibly could have. Just have to navigate a new world a little differently and put some priority on the post positions asap.

I don't think X could have hired a better coach than Miller.

I will admit I do think he has some points about what Miller has done to date. I think we're all expecting more, and his position on roster construction has some merit.

[Xville]

I think it's pretty obvious he didn't like the Miller hire, and will do whatever he can to point out things that put doubt in it.

We got the best coach we possibly could have. Just have to navigate a new world a little differently and put some priority on the post positions asap.

I don't think X could have hired a better coach than Miller.

I will admit I do think he has some points about what Miller has done to date. I think we're all expecting more, and his position on roster construction has some merit.

I think we are all frustrated which I understand, so lots of venting but continuing to post about things that are not facts is at best disappointing, and at worst just being an asshole.


In terms of roster construction, I agree to a point, but what was
Miller supposed to do about all these injuries? Traore was a starter that was 30 ish minutes a game. I wish someone would explain to me how x was supposed to get a great player and tell him that he had about ten minutes or so of guaranteed playing time?

In the same vein, how was he to attract guys from the portal late and/or be clairvoyant and see the injuries to free and Jerome the year before?

I am disappointed in not getting any freshmen this year after Powell left. I think one or two to develop would have been nice, but things are so insane now that kids just don’t want to seem to wait, like Powell for instance

[XUGRAD80]

It wasn’t like Miller just didn’t recruit any freshman. There were plenty of people that they made offers to and many of them visited. They just didn’t land any.

[GoMuskies]

It wasn’t like Miller just didn’t recruit any freshman. There were plenty of people that they made offers to and many of them visited. They just didn’t land any.

That seems worse.

[Xville]

It wasn’t like Miller just didn’t recruit any freshman. There were plenty of people that they made offers to and many of them visited. They just didn’t land any.

That’s a problem. I know he did but then it’s a question of why not? Is the emphasis too much on the portal and x needs to consider changing strategies a little bit, or is it something else?

I don’t know how others would feel but I’d be willing to go thru a season or two of growing pains with freshmen to develop a few so the pipeline isn’t so saturated with the portal every year. What x is doing strategy wise isn’t sustainable imo.

[XUGRAD80]

That seems worse.

Happens to every school, especially in today’s world. There are only so many scholarships, roster spots, minutes, and money available. Every school has some swings and misses. There aren’t that many HS bigs out there that can contribute right away at the level that X plays at, and everyone wants them. Getting a good high school big that is willing to sit for a year or two is really difficult because they all feel like they should play right away. The ones that really can play right away are going to go to schools that are a level higher than X. That’s just reality.

[GoMuskies]

You're sure letting our very highly paid staff off quite lightly.

[bleedXblue]

You're sure letting our very highly paid staff off quite lightly.

Exactly 3M a year comes with VERY HIGH expectations.

[MHettel]

I think it's pretty obvious he didn't like the Miller hire, and will do whatever he can to point out things that put doubt in it.

We got the best coach we possibly could have. Just have to navigate a new world a little differently and put some priority on the post positions asap.

I don't think X could have hired a better coach than Miller.

I will admit I do think he has some points about what Miller has done to date. I think we're all expecting more, and his position on roster construction has some merit.

I liked the Miller hire. There you go. On the record.

I still think Miller is fine and I’m not in any ways suggesting we go another direction.

I also think Miller made a few mistakes with the roster.

All of those statement above can coexist.

I think our performance over the last 2 years have not met expectations (my expectations and probably most of the fan base).

I think we need to see signs that things are turning around and we’re BUILDING something. If we continue to head in the direction we’ve been going, then sooner or later I’ll start wondering if / when a change is needed. I’m not there yet.

We still have time this year to salvage something. But I think roster issues could cost us. Namely

- letting all 3 of Ciani, Nzeh, and Abou leave
- the Hugley addition. Not just cause he’s bad, but because he’s such a poor match to our system
- just ignoring the fact that Free is obviously injury prone
- the arrangement with Roddy Anderson. Give him NIL money to see if we can fix his shot? We couldn’t have used that money to sweeten the pot for a big better than Hugley?
- the obvious size and skill overlap between Foster/ Maddox / Conwell. Big shooting guards. CHECK!

[MHettel]

In the same vein, how was he to attract guys from the portal late and/or be clairvoyant and see the injuries to free and Jerome the year before?



Probably should have purged Edwards, Tandy and Miles a year earlier and brought in some new blood that could be developed. All 3 of those guys ended up leaving the next year, which necessitated the massive roster overhaul last year. Yeah the injuries hurt, but we HAD to bring in the Euro guys because we had zero guys on the roster that could step in when the injuries occurred.

[A Fan]

We went for it this year and I thought it was a good strategy. traore going down was obviously a huge loss.

Free going down….well at some point maybe you just have to recognize that the guy is fragile and injury prone. This is now the 3rd season in a row where an injury to Free has changed the trajectory of the year….

But I did think we were built to give ourselves a chance at a deep run.

One thing I didn't expect was that we haven’t been able to coax out more from Hugley, swain, green or Maddox…..maybe that’s coaching?

In any event this year was a “go for it” year. The roster was not built with and eye towards the future. But I would take that trade if we got an elite 8 or Final four out of it.

But since it didn’t work (or isn’t currently working), the implications are huge.

Next years roster is looking pretty damn thin, and we won’t be coming off a huge year to recruit our next wave of guys.

And further, can we go back to the well on the fundraising that got us the NIL for this year? I mean, I’m sure a lot of people dug a little bit deeper that they had in the past because they were bought into the promise of being able to restock and compete this year. Those people are currently looking at a “low” return on that investment. I skeptical that we can sustain the NIL levels without some corresponding success.

The alternative is a 2-3 year rebuild. Bring in as many freshmen as you can get and possibly grab some high quality YOUNG transfers that may not have previously had a chance to show what they can do (Nzeh as an example). Take your lumps for a year while the freshmen get some experience. Try to rebuild a core that can compete as juniors. Keep an incoming stream of 2-3 freshmen a year, and maybe 1-2 transfers to fill needs. This approach can work, but you have a razor thin margin if your freshmen aren’t the right guys….

What you’re missing is the reality of the transfer portal and NIL-driven college basketball. The idea of patiently developing players over 2-3 years, building a cohesive core, and competing as juniors assumes a level of roster stability that no longer exists. In today’s environment, as soon as those freshmen or young transfers start to show potential and become “great,” the high majors with bigger budgets and more NIL opportunities will come calling—and they’ll likely outbid your program. You’re essentially a farm system for bigger schools.

Even if you do land a strong group of young players and try to build continuity, the combination of NIL deals and the ease of transferring means your “core” is constantly at risk of being poached. Unless you’re operating at the very top of the NIL food chain, this approach only works if you consistently find under-the-radar recruits and transfers who fly under the high-major radar for multiple years, which is extremely difficult.

The truth is, the “patient rebuild” strategy relies on a level of loyalty and restraint from players and their families that’s increasingly rare in this landscape. For most programs, success now comes down to balancing recruiting and retaining players while competing with the ever-present threat of NIL-driven offers from larger programs. It’s a razor-thin margin, and you have to adapt your strategy to this new reality rather than relying on the old model of player development.

[Xville]

What you’re missing is the reality of the transfer portal and NIL-driven college basketball. The idea of patiently developing players over 2-3 years, building a cohesive core, and competing as juniors assumes a level of roster stability that no longer exists. In today’s environment, as soon as those freshmen or young transfers start to show potential and become “great,” the high majors with bigger budgets and more NIL opportunities will come calling—and they’ll likely outbid your program. You’re essentially a farm system for bigger schools.

Even if you do land a strong group of young players and try to build continuity, the combination of NIL deals and the ease of transferring means your “core” is constantly at risk of being poached. Unless you’re operating at the very top of the NIL food chain, this approach only works if you consistently find under-the-radar recruits and transfers who fly under the high-major radar for multiple years, which is extremely difficult.

The truth is, the “patient rebuild” strategy relies on a level of loyalty and restraint from players and their families that’s increasingly rare in this landscape. For most programs, success now comes down to balancing recruiting and retaining players while competing with the ever-present threat of NIL-driven offers from larger programs. It’s a razor-thin margin, and you have to adapt your strategy to this new reality rather than relying on the old model of player development.

I’m going to disagree that in today’s environment it can’t happen. That’s exactly what Marquette has done. Zero portal, homegrown and that’s where they spent their nil dollars. And they are nowhere near the top of the nil food chain. Now, they had the advantage of the guys already being in the system and x didn’t but imo we should start building that way. The way we are going is not sustainable for Xavier imo. We have to develop some talent and spend money to keep them and then fill in gaps. Sometimes you hit with guys like swain, sometimes you don’t. Just like it’s always been. I think at a school like x, that’s gotta be the strategy.

I don’t think miller is blind to that either. He grabbed two incoming guys. I wish we would take a chance on a big or two though and just pay them, along with grabbing 1 from the portal that’s proven.

[XUBison]

Facts: Claude didn’t get more money than what was offered at x. So stop looking like an idiot

I don’t know why Claude left, I guess to play*lead guard*, or something. I don’t really care, but I don’t see facts here, I see declarations made by message board posters. Fax are underwritten with evidence.

[Xville]

I don’t know why Claude left, I guess to play*lead guard*, or something. I don’t really care, but I don’t see facts here, I see declarations made by message board posters. Fax are underwritten with evidence.

Well three of the message board posters including myself that have all said the same thing have connections to the athletic department. If you choose to not believe all three of us that have stated it is fact, that’s your prerogative to go with other message board posters with zero connections that state their feelings on it.

[bleedXblue]

What you’re missing is the reality of the transfer portal and NIL-driven college basketball. The idea of patiently developing players over 2-3 years, building a cohesive core, and competing as juniors assumes a level of roster stability that no longer exists. In today’s environment, as soon as those freshmen or young transfers start to show potential and become “great,” the high majors with bigger budgets and more NIL opportunities will come calling—and they’ll likely outbid your program. You’re essentially a farm system for bigger schools.

Even if you do land a strong group of young players and try to build continuity, the combination of NIL deals and the ease of transferring means your “core” is constantly at risk of being poached. Unless you’re operating at the very top of the NIL food chain, this approach only works if you consistently find under-the-radar recruits and transfers who fly under the high-major radar for multiple years, which is extremely difficult.

The truth is, the “patient rebuild” strategy relies on a level of loyalty and restraint from players and their families that’s increasingly rare in this landscape. For most programs, success now comes down to balancing recruiting and retaining players while competing with the ever-present threat of NIL-driven offers from larger programs. It’s a razor-thin margin, and you have to adapt your strategy to this new reality rather than relying on the old model of player development.

Many valid points, but you failed to include 3 very important pieces that every player (should) consider

1. Culture - if you have a great culture (which can mean a lot of things) of winning and developing players, that has tremendous value
2. Coaching- You don't leave a program and coach like Xavier and Sean Miller easily- even if the lure of more $$ is there
3. Risk- Every change or move involves risk of some kind. If you have the above two in place and the NIL money is comparable - your retention rate will be better

[XUGRAD80]

I will make this comment on a coaching staff, and it is not necessarily a criticism…..

The #1 HS recruit just recently committed to BYU, hardly a college BB blue blood. He said that he received comparable NIL money offers from many of the blue bloods but decided that the coaching staff at BYU was a better fit. By all accounts he will be a one and done player. The attraction of the BYU staff?

Every single one of them has either personal NBA experience or ties, and they plan to play an NBA style of ball.

Yes, Sean has seen some of his players go on to the NBA. BUT neither he, nor anyone on the current staff, has direct NBA experience.

[Xavier]

Only one other active coach has sent more players to the nba than Sean. And I think he has some team USA experience. But does UConn have that on staff? No clue. It’s not to say the staff doesn’t need upgrades, just a comment is all. NBA experience on staff could be nice for sure

[Xville]

From what I can tell the staff needs an upgrade

[XU 23]

Come onnnn…

[D-West & PO-Z]

I was starting to think this was a troll post since stamina hasn’t commented but I can see he hasn’t been back online here since posting. Hopefully he comes back soon and can give some perspective/clarification on his post.

[drudy23]

Someone figure it out please.

Is it too early for season tickets to take a hit if this season ends up the way we think it will?

Do fans believe we can get back to being what we were after 7 years of being a mid-tier average program? Who's taking inventory of those 7 years and demanding better? Does our head coach have loftier expectations than our AD, and is that a problem?

[Strange Brew]

From what I can tell the staff needs an upgrade

You need an upgrade.

My God, you have to be the biggest bitch on this board.


You would’ve been thrown off of both the teams I played on/for at X.

XURFC and XLAX.

Happy New Year btw, I hope and and your family are doing well.

[Strange Brew]

Simple fact. You play with what you have.

Sean is one of the best coaches in the country.

Players gotta play.

Let’s go X!

[Xville]

You need an upgrade.

My God, you have to be the biggest bitch on this board.


You would’ve been thrown off of both the teams I played on/for at X.

XURFC and XLAX.

Happy NewYear btw, I hope and and your family are doing well.

Prove I’m wrong instead of name calling. No one cares what you did at x, and no one including me is talking about miller so gtfo.

[Strange Brew]

Prove I’m wrong instead of name calling. No one cares what you did at x, and no one including me is talking about miller so gtfo.

You did nothing at X and you’re pulling it down. That’s my point.

Stop. The staff isn’t the problem. It’s people like you.

The men won by 20+ in a ref show and you’re talking about the staff? That’s chicken shit.

Maybe Miller should hire the all knowing Ville on staff? That would solve everything.

[Xville]

You did nothing at X and you’re pulling it down. That’s my point.

Stop. The staff isn’t the problem. It’s people like you.

The men won by 20+ in a ref show and you’re talking about the staff? That’s chicken shit.

Maybe Miller should hire the all knowing Ville on staff? That would solve everything.

1. That comment was made days before the game.

2. Oh people like me that attend games, give to x and the all for one?

3. Again, prove me wrong instead of just coming on here to be an ass. I’ve made it known why I believe the staff could use some turnover and the type I would add.

4. You have no idea what I did at x, and that certainly was
Not your point. Congrats on your club sports that anyone could join , no one cares.

5. Oh and since you have acknowledged there is a problem, then what is it? I mean you know everything so you may as well share it?

[xubrew]

I’m not trying to stir the pot. I’m also not even sure if it means anything. I’m just curious…

For those that live away from Cincinnati, which I know is a lot of you, when you tell people you went to Xavier do they typically bring up the basketball team??

My own experience is that I’ve noticed they don’t anymore. But then again this could also simply be a sign that college basketball isn’t as popular as it used to be too.

[MHettel]

I’m not trying to stir the pot. I’m also not even sure if it means anything. I’m just curious…

For those that live away from Cincinnati, which I know is a lot of you, when you tell people you went to Xavier do they typically bring up the basketball team??

My own experience is that I’ve noticed they don’t anymore. But then again this could also simply be a sign that college basketball isn’t as popular as it used to be too.

Yes. Always. And I’m in Washington state and work in Cali alot

[xubrew]

Yes. Always. And I’m in Washington state and work in Cali alot

That’s encouraging at least.

[paulxu]

For those that live away from Cincinnati, which I know is a lot of you, when you tell people you went to Xavier do they typically bring up the basketball team??


For sure down here in SC.

[Strange Brew]

I’m not trying to stir the pot. I’m also not even sure if it means anything. I’m just curious…

For those that live away from Cincinnati, which I know is a lot of you, when you tell people you went to Xavier do they typically bring up the basketball team??

My own experience is that I’ve noticed they don’t anymore. But then again this could also simply be a sign that college basketball isn’t as popular as it used to be too.

Yes, however most people out here are impressed with X as an academic institution and want to talk about the Jesi tradition. That’s probably because Regis and Regis Jesuit HS are highly regarded in the area.

[xubrew]

Yes, however most people out here are impressed with X as an academic institution and want to talk about the Jesi tradition. That’s probably because Regis and Regis Jesuit HS are highly regarded in the area.

I guess we’ve lived in different places. I don’t recall ever having this experience. I’m betting most people who have casually asked me where I went to college either didn’t know, or didn’t care, that it was a Jesuit school unless they also happened to have gone to one. But I also need to say that’s when I was living in the South, so…

[paulxu]

They don't know. They do know we have (had?) good basketball teams.
That's what constant NCAA tourney exposure accomplishes.

[xudash]

I live in Jacksonville, Florida (Ortega). Most of my friends here are SEC or ACC guys. All of them know Xavier. And it’s just not for basketball, although the Florida guys and Wake Forest guys talk to me a lot more about basketball given our history with them.

I actually think it’s pretty funny you posted about this, because I was texting back-and-forth with a big Gator fan about one hour ago. We have a bet, that was made prior to the beginning of the season, on whether Florida would make it further in the tournament than Xavier or vice versa.

[Strange Brew]

They don't know. They do know we have (had?) good basketball teams.
That's what constant NCAA tourney exposure accomplishes.

I’m sure it varies. All I can offer is my experience. :)

[Strange Brew]

Edit: The fact that we’re all posting from different parts of the World is pretty cool.

I feel its a testament to the academic standards of X!

Let’s go X!

[bjf123]

I live in Jacksonville, Florida (Ortega). Most of my friends here are SEC or ACC guys. All of them know Xavier. And it’s just not for basketball, although the Florida guys and Wake Forest guys talk to me a lot more about basketball given our history with them.

I actually think it’s pretty funny you posted about this, because I was texting back-and-forth with a big Gator fan about one hour ago. We have a bet, that was made prior to the beginning of the season, on whether Florida would make it further in the tournament than Xavier or vice versa.

Hope your bet isn’t too big! I have a funny feeling you’ll be paying off.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[xudash]

Hope your bet isn’t too big! I have a funny feeling you’ll be paying off.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Ha! That was part of my text: to let him know that I’m beginning to put the funding together to pay him off. The payoff will actually be in drinks at the club.

[paulxu]

Ha! That was part of my text: to let him know that I’m beginning to put the funding together to pay him off. The payoff will actually be in drinks at the club.

If you are starting your fund now, that's either a really swanky club...or a lot of drinking.

[XUGRAD80]

The thing that I’ve gotten from people in different areas of the country is the misconception that X is a large school. When I tell them how small it currently is, and especially how much smaller it was when I went there, they are very surprised.

[xubrew]

The thing that I’ve gotten from people in different areas of the country is the misconception that X is a large school. When I tell them how small it currently is, and especially how much smaller it was when I went there, they are very surprised.

I think a lot of people are surprised to learn that I went to college at all.

[XUGRAD80]

i think a lot of people are surprised to learn that i went to college at all.

lol

[xudash]

If you are starting your fund now, that's either a really swanky club...or a lot of drinking.

Timuquana County Club’s Initiation Fee is now north of $60,000. Our respective livers laugh at each other’s appearance. It could be both.

BTW, Xavier’s program is not back to being a stepping stone program. That’s nuts. I get and respect the frustration, but that is not our present reality.

[hoopster68]

Timuquana County Club’s Initiation Fee is now north of $60,000. Our respective livers laugh at each other’s appearance. It could be both.

BTW, Xavier’s program is not back to being a stepping stone program. That’s nuts. I get and respect the frustration, but that is not our present reality.

XU's program may not be a "stepping stone program" but it is veering toward being a "stepped back program."

[paulxu]

Timuquana County Club’s Initiation Fee is now north of $60,000. Our respective livers laugh at each other’s appearance. It could be both.

Hah! So your answer is both.

[xudash]

Hah! So your answer is both.

I have no choice. I have to go with "both"!

Last input into this thread - my opinion/disposition anyway:

Is the program poorly managed or has the program experienced (very) bad luck with injuries?

You can certainly argue that hiring Steele was a bad decision. I doubt anyone will stick up for him here, including me. However, that’s a hindsight call to me. I recall many, if not most posters here going along with the decision to hire him at the time. He was a guy who grew up in basketball. He was on our bench for, what, 9 years before becoming head coach, starting briefly under Miller and serving as Mack’s #2? The “Final 2% Plan” and all of that. He didn’t work out and he broke our string of hiring solid coaches. I agree that caused a setback. But it also got us back to Miller, who immediately took us to a S16 and could possibly have gone further had Freemantle not been injured.

What about “the program”?

Big East membership attained over 10 years ago at this point.

The Cintas Center is regarded as being one of the finest on campus facilities, and one of the toughest away arenas for competitors in the college game.

Xavier is in a Top 10 list of programs that haven't won a NC - others include Purdue, Gonzaga, Illinois, etc.

The leadership team still fully understands that the basketball program, in particular, provides a so-called “front porch” to the University. There isn’t a person at the top that doesn’t get that.

Xavier generates over $38 million in athletic department revenue. The new media agreement will take us to $7 million annual payouts per year starting next year. I imagine we’ll be bumping over $40 million in revenue when those payments kick in.

Per Crain’s Cleveland Business (2024), Xavier leads all Ohio schools in basketball spending. Yes, we spend more for basketball than Ohio State and UC.

In fact, our revenue base at $38 million is larger than any MAC school, and they obviously play football.

One more interesting tidbit here, during the Duke bowl game, they shared that a Tulane QB was transferring to Duke under an $8 million NIL deal. Tulane. Duke. $8 million. Football! It is insane on that side of the house, if you have that side of the house to manage and worry about.

Another interesting tidbit on our investment in basketball comes from an article put out there during our last S16 run: No. 3 seed Xavier: Xavier reported spending almost $16.1 million on men’s basketball last year, or nearly 42 percent of the athletic department’s total reported expenses, based on U.S. Department of Education data. That’s a similar level of spending as its next opponent, Texas, which reported spending somewhere between $15.9 million (U.S. Department of Education) and $16.2 million (NCAA financial report).

We have had hellish bad luck with injuries for 2 straight years. I think Rothstein just wrote about that, or at least posted a social media message about it. We ended up making a good call with Jack Nunge, didn’t we? He was coming off serious injuries. He came to us, stayed healthy and contributed greatly.

The program is operating from a very solid foundation. The NIL bank account is growing. I still trust Sean Miller to get it right. He knows more about basketball than anyone here. And I don’t think he is using Xavier to sunset his career. He isn’t built that way. His father would probably come down from the ‘burgh and hit him over the head with a shovel if he thought he was doing that.

It’s too bad we are where we are at this point in this season. Let’s see what transpires from here.

I’m hopeful we’ll pivot back in the right direction next year and explode back onto the scene in a big way after that.

[Xville]

I have no choice. I have to go with "both"!

Last input into this thread - my opinion/disposition anyway:

Is the program poorly managed or has the program experienced (very) bad luck with injuries?

You can certainly argue that hiring Steele was a bad decision. I doubt anyone will stick up for him here, including me. However, that’s a hindsight call to me. I recall many, if not most posters here going along with the decision to hire him at the time. He was a guy who grew up in basketball. He was on our bench for, what, 9 years before becoming head coach, starting briefly under Miller and serving as Mack’s #2? The “Final 2% Plan” and all of that. He didn’t work out and he broke our string of hiring solid coaches. I agree that caused a setback. But it also got us back to Miller, who immediately took us to a S16 and could possibly have gone further had Freemantle not been injured.

What about “the program”?

Big East membership attained over 10 years ago at this point.

The Cintas Center is regarded as being one of the finest on campus facilities, and one of the toughest away arenas for competitors in the college game.

Xavier is in a Top 10 list of programs that haven't won a NC - others include Purdue, Gonzaga, Illinois, etc.

The leadership team still fully understands that the basketball program, in particular, provides a so-called “front door” to the University. There isn’t a person at the top that doesn’t get that.

Xavier generates over $38 million in athletic department revenue. The new media agreement will take us to $7 million annual payouts per year starting next year. I imagine we’ll be bumping over $40 million in revenue when those payments kick in.

Per Crain’s Cleveland Business (2024), Xavier leads all Ohio schools in basketball spending. Yes, we spend more for basketball than Ohio State and UC. In fact, our revenue base is larger than any MAC school, and they obviously play football.

One more interesting tidbit here, during the Duke bowl game, they shared that a Tulane QB was transferring to Duke under an $8 million NIL deal. Tulane. Duke. $8 million. Football! It is insane on that side of the house, if you have that side of the house to manage and worry about.

Another interesting tidbit on our investment in basketball comes from an article put out there during our last S16 run: No. 3 seed Xavier: Xavier reported spending almost $16.1 million on men’s basketball last year, or nearly 42 percent of the athletic department’s total reported expenses, based on U.S. Department of Education data. That’s a similar level of spending as its next opponent, Texas, which reported spending somewhere between $15.9 million (U.S. Department of Education) and $16.2 million (NCAA financial report).

We have had hellish bad luck with injuries for 2 straight years. I think Rothstein just wrote about that, or at least posted a social media message about it. We ended up making a good call with Jack Nunge, didn’t we? He was coming off serious injuries. He came to us, stayed healthy and contributed greatly.
The program is operating from a very solid foundation. The NIL bank account is growing. I still trust Sean Miller to get it right. He knows more about basketball than anyone here. And I don’t think he is using Xavier to sunset his career. He isn’t built that way. His father would probably come down from the ‘burgh and hit him over the head with a shovel if he thought he was doing that.

It’s too bad we are where we are at this point in this season. Let’s see what transpires from here.

I’m hopeful we’ll pivot back in the right direction next year and explode back onto the scene in a big way after that.

I agree with a lot of stuff here and I appreciate the insights. However, last year I’ll give injuries a valid excuse. This year, miller doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt. If you can’t overcome losing a 5 and have no viable backup at all, that’s a problem and it’s on miller and staff at this point. Even at the end of the season he swore that they would not have this frontcourt and depth problem again. He swore it. Well, it’s the same problem as last year, except there were at least some warm bodies last year that could play the 5. We barely have that this year due to 1 injury.

Due to that one injury x has free playing out of position, swain playing out of position, foster who should be a bench player starting. Maddox was given quite a bit of nil money and he’s been extremely disappointing, and hugley has been a bust up to this point.


I’d like to believe miller will turn it around and I loved him the first time around. However, I’m not sure if I love this coaching version of him up to this point. None of his three teams have been tough, and defense has been optional. His staff definitely needs a microscope under them, and some chairs may need to be moved imo.

[JTG]

It sounds strange but the team played better without Free. They went back to standing around Friday. If Sean can get the rest of the team to play like they did vs UConn and Marq along with Free then we might have something.

[xukeith]

I will not fall head over heels in high hopes over a future transfer in the portal.
I think X has a successful freshman staying for three or four years last at Scruggs. With NIL maybe 1 frosh every 3 recruiting classes will be talented and mature enough to stay at X for 3 or 4 seasons.

Roster building does need help.

[MHettel]

Coaching turnover. Sets us back 1-2 years each time. And the setbacks kinda accumulate.

An alum, Chris Mack left us while we were a whisker from a FF. Are we better off for that? Is he better off for that?

If we can’t get our own alumni to go all in for the program, then why should we expect yo be considered an elite program. It all comes down to players. Perception of the program is everything.

Who here thinks Miller is here to stay? Does he have credibility when he recruits a top big man HS player?

[noteggs]

It sounds strange but the team played better without Free. They went back to standing around Friday. If Sean can get the rest of the team to play like they did vs UConn and Marq along with Free then we might have something.

I agree. Noted similar thing after SH game with ball movement. However, adjusting over night with free again may not have been ideal.

[zippin']

I have few sources that he was headed to Texas after year 1. Contract was set. But the interim coach did too well so they kept him. Admittedly after this previous set of openings, if Sean didn’t get a look then maybe he cooled off a bit, but I would not be surprised to see a lower level school that has a ton of nil come after him. (Like a lower SEC school)

Like I said, I think he’s the guy that get us there. He’s a good coach. It’s hard to tell based off the injuries what he truly can do in the era. But I think he has the fire and is a good coach. I’m happy to put my chips In with Sean and see how it goes. I understand those who aren’t happy though.

(I also don’t think Arizona is a top 10 program..they haven’t done anything in a long long time, but I’d be very happy to have the chances Arizona had and hope it turns out differently)

The bit about Texas is interesting. I have no sources but in the moment it did feel like a real possibility he was going to leave. Can’t imagine the reaction he would have gotten had he come back and left after a year, but it’s pretty unfortunate how the program has gone since then. A part of me thinks back to The Athletic article written about Luke Fickell and our friends in Clifton that alleged when Notre Dame wouldn’t wait for him, he vowed to leave ASAP for the next big name program that called his name. Hope that isn’t the case here.

[drudy23]

Miller's coaching chops are the least of my concern. He's a good coach. We're in great hands from a basketball acumen perspective.

Most of the issues are around getting the right structure for NIL, support resources for the coaching staff, new approaches to test, player development...most of that, minus player development, seems more like AD responsibilities.

Let Miller coach and invest in people to handle the periphery. No head coach can handle all of this. It's literally why alot of really good coaches are(have) soul searching the profession. The job is already stressful and hard enough.

[Final4]

I have no choice. I have to go with "both"!

Last input into this thread - my opinion/disposition anyway:

Is the program poorly managed or has the program experienced (very) bad luck with injuries?

You can certainly argue that hiring Steele was a bad decision. I doubt anyone will stick up for him here, including me. However, that’s a hindsight call to me. I recall many, if not most posters here going along with the decision to hire him at the time. He was a guy who grew up in basketball. He was on our bench for, what, 9 years before becoming head coach, starting briefly under Miller and serving as Mack’s #2? The “Final 2% Plan” and all of that. He didn’t work out and he broke our string of hiring solid coaches. I agree that caused a setback. But it also got us back to Miller, who immediately took us to a S16 and could possibly have gone further had Freemantle not been injured.

What about “the program”?

Big East membership attained over 10 years ago at this point.

The Cintas Center is regarded as being one of the finest on campus facilities, and one of the toughest away arenas for competitors in the college game.

Xavier is in a Top 10 list of programs that haven't won a NC - others include Purdue, Gonzaga, Illinois, etc.

The leadership team still fully understands that the basketball program, in particular, provides a so-called “front porch” to the University. There isn’t a person at the top that doesn’t get that.

Xavier generates over $38 million in athletic department revenue. The new media agreement will take us to $7 million annual payouts per year starting next year. I imagine we’ll be bumping over $40 million in revenue when those payments kick in.

Per Crain’s Cleveland Business (2024), Xavier leads all Ohio schools in basketball spending. Yes, we spend more for basketball than Ohio State and UC.

In fact, our revenue base at $38 million is larger than any MAC school, and they obviously play football.

One more interesting tidbit here, during the Duke bowl game, they shared that a Tulane QB was transferring to Duke under an $8 million NIL deal. Tulane. Duke. $8 million. Football! It is insane on that side of the house, if you have that side of the house to manage and worry about.

Another interesting tidbit on our investment in basketball comes from an article put out there during our last S16 run: No. 3 seed Xavier: Xavier reported spending almost $16.1 million on men’s basketball last year, or nearly 42 percent of the athletic department’s total reported expenses, based on U.S. Department of Education data. That’s a similar level of spending as its next opponent, Texas, which reported spending somewhere between $15.9 million (U.S. Department of Education) and $16.2 million (NCAA financial report).

We have had hellish bad luck with injuries for 2 straight years. I think Rothstein just wrote about that, or at least posted a social media message about it. We ended up making a good call with Jack Nunge, didn’t we? He was coming off serious injuries. He came to us, stayed healthy and contributed greatly.

The program is operating from a very solid foundation. The NIL bank account is growing. I still trust Sean Miller to get it right. He knows more about basketball than anyone here. And I don’t think he is using Xavier to sunset his career. He isn’t built that way. His father would probably come down from the ‘burgh and hit him over the head with a shovel if he thought he was doing that.

It’s too bad we are where we are at this point in this season. Let’s see what transpires from here.

I’m hopeful we’ll pivot back in the right direction next year and explode back onto the scene in a big way after that.

With all that said I found the last sentence to be most operative and, specifically, a few words from that sentence..........."I'm hopeful....next year". I hate having to look towards next year for excitement when we've just started conference play this year. I'm personally growing tired of excuses.

[stammina0721]

I really hope and wish every game that I am wrong but I just don't think I am. I don't know what is worse... the trash heap that is the NBA or the 12 new players every year who have no continuity and play inconsistent basketball at the collegiate level.

[Xavier]

In terms of general CBB, the on court product is better than it’s ever been. Completely get how if you just watch X that would be hard to believe though.

[D-West & PO-Z]

I really hope and wish every game that I am wrong but I just don't think I am. I don't know what is worse... the trash heap that is the NBA or the 12 new players every year who have no continuity and play inconsistent basketball at the collegiate level.

You never answered anyone’s question though to what the hell you are talking about. Who are all these X players who have left for more NIL money?

The problem isn’t our good players leaving it’s the players we bring in not being good enough and Miller wanting different ones. (Not wrong of him, but more consistency would be key).

[stammina0721]

You never answered anyone’s question though to what the hell you are talking about. Who are all these X players who have left for more NIL money?

The problem isn’t our good players leaving it’s the players we bring in not being good enough and Miller wanting different ones. (Not wrong of him, but more consistency would be key).

That is because I'm not on here enough. Im too busy. But if you want an example look no further than Desmond Claude. Our best player is gone and at USC. Why? NIL money. I don't care what is or is not public. That kid is swimming in money cause USC gave him more by whatever means necessary to get him away from X and go to the left coast.

How can you say the problem isn't our best players leaving when our best player just left with 2 years of eligibility left?

[stammina0721]

That being said happy for today's win. I hope Miller turns this into a resume building winning streak.

[Xville]

That is because I'm not on here enough. Im too busy. But if you want an example look no further than Desmond Claude. Our best player is gone and at USC. Why? NIL money. I don't care what is or is not public. That kid is swimming in money cause USC gave him more by whatever means necessary to get him away from X and go to the left coast.

How can you say the problem isn't our best players leaving when our best player just left with 2 years of eligibility left?

There’s pretty much nothing in this post that’s accurate

[Xavier]

Claude wasn’t the best player last year (Quincy) and while good, he made some of the dumbest plays I’ve seen. He wasn’t a super star guy who left. A very good player, if he’s your 3rd or 4th best player he’s great. He isn’t a guy who will lead a team to anything worth while. And it’s never easy when teams can lay off guards behind the line.

[stammina0721]

Claude ain't here... he is in So cal for no reason I can come up with other than money. So explain

[stammina0721]

Claude wasn’t the best player last year (Quincy) and while good, he made some of the dumbest plays I’ve seen. He wasn’t a super star guy who left. A very good player, if he’s your 3rd or 4th best player he’s great. He isn’t a guy who will lead a team to anything worth while. And it’s never easy when teams can lay off guards behind the line.

Disagree wholeheartedly but that's fine.

[Xville]

Claude ain't here... he is in So cal for no reason I can come up with other than money. So explain

He left because his circle wanted him to be pg. Sean said no, so he went to usc where he could be pg. that’s it. He didn’t get any more money than he would have gotten here. I like him, but he wouldn’t have helped this team in any way. He does nothing to solve the frontcourt, and I’ll take the guards we have.