2024-25 Roster Thread

Here we go again. Same format as last year. Hopefully with a little less action the first week. Not making any assumptions about who may be returning until they have either indicated that they are coming back or the portal closes on May 1st. I will edit this post daily if things are changing to keep the most recent info at the top. With that being said let's have a great off season and put together a roster that can win the A10!

2023-24 Roster

Fr. Michael Belle
RS Fr. Fats Billups
RS Fr. Obinnaya Okafor
So. Tobi Lawal
So. Christian Fermin
So. Jason Nelson
Jr. Roosevelt Wheeler
Sr. Max Shulga
Sr. Zeb Jackson
Sr. Connor Odom-Walk On
Sr. Joe Bamisile
Sr. Kuany Kuany
Sr. Sean Bairstow

Out Of Eligibility

Sr. Kuany Kuany
Sr. Sean Bairstow

Recruits Signed

Brandon Jennings

Portal Out

Jason Nelson
Roosevelt Wheeler
Tobi Lawal - VPI
Max Shulga

Portal In

2024-25 Roster

Fr. Brandon Jennings - Signed 11/10/23
5th Yr. Sr. Joe Bamisile - Indicated He Is Returning
5th Yr. Sr. Zeb Jackson - Indicated He Is Returning

3 of 13 Scholarships
 
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SteveMM said:
I'm pretty sure scholarships automatically roll over unless acted upon. Most teams don't officially pull a scholarship, but rather tell a player its in their best interest to transfer. In Okafor's case, we don't know what to expect because we literally have never seen him play. He was redshirted during his walk-on year last year and then blew out his knee this season. He's got the measurables we can see (height and wingspan) and is supposedly a really smart guy, but we'll just have to see what happens with him.
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I have no idea, but I am reasonably certain that all scholarships are one-year arrangements and have to renewed. I have never heard that they "roll over" automatically.

But especially in this case, I would assume that Okafor was told at the time he got the scholarship last year that it was a one-shot deal made possible by the fact that the staff decided to leave multiple scholarships just lying around and not to count on it again. Maybe if we again decide we don't need all of the players we are allowed to have he will get lucky again
 
N Mollen said:
I have no idea, but I am reasonably certain that all scholarships are one-year arrangements and have to renewed. I have never heard that they "roll over" automatically.

But especially in this case, I would assume that Okafor was told at the time he got the scholarship last year that it was a one-shot deal made possible by the fact that the staff decided to leave multiple scholarships just lying around and not to count on it again. Maybe if we again decide we don't need all of the players we are allowed to have he will get lucky again
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You may be right about the renewals, but what we don't know is that the coaches see in practice. He was practicing with the team before he blew out his knee, and probably has been on at least a limited basis during the second half of the season. Maybe they like what they see? We'll find out soon enough, I guess.
 
Who improved the most this season. From game 1 to last night. Belle vs Tobi.
I vote Belle. You could see game to game improvements.
 
vcuscooter said:
Who improved the most this season. From game 1 to last night. Belle vs Tobi.
I vote Belle. You could see game to game improvements.
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Belle and Tobi will make big steps forward next year. If either gets confidence in a consistent outside shot they will be really hard to defend.
 
RamJamFan said:
Belle and Tobi will make big steps forward next year. If either gets confidence in a consistent outside shot they will be really hard to defend.
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IMO If Belle realizes that once he gets deep into the paint all he has to do is take it up into the chest of the defender he will live at the foul line or make the two. He has the speed and strength to be a monster (dare I say train like). Tobi is so athletic that he is a bundle without learning the finer points of post play. We saw what he could do without ever using a drop step, pivot, or even a head fake. Add a little deception to his game and he becomes unstoppable given he can rise six inches higher than most post defenders. Love both players as defenders and sure hope we can keep them.
 
With only one HS player coming in this year so far...it appears the portal is Odom's plan to fill the roster. Reminds me of the old VCU days (I forget the coach/coaches that relied on JUCO players to fill out our team).

Is this the new norm? Are we not in the business of developing HS players? No more Sherods, Maynors, Burgesses, Webers....? It is rumored that as soon as Odom gets an ACC offer he is out of here. True or not, is the portal going to get us both where we want to go? Maybe the portal and a new coach every 2-4 years may be a good model for success. As long as we get back to dancing....
 
VCU77 said:
With only one HS player coming in this year so far...it appears the portal is Odom's plan to fill the roster. Reminds me of the old VCU days (I forget the coach/coaches that relied on JUCO players to fill out our team).

Is this the new norm? Are we not in the business of developing HS players? No more Sherods, Maynors, Burgesses, Webers....? It is rumored that as soon as Odom gets an ACC offer he is out of here. True or not, is the portal going to get us both where we want to go? Maybe the portal and a new coach every 2-4 years may be a good model for success. As long as we get back to dancing....
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Why recruit developmental players and projects when you 1) need to re-recruit them each year and 2) can get more proven/developed players in the portal
 
LazyStegosaurus said:
Why recruit developmental players and projects when you 1) need to re-recruit them each year and 2) can get more proven/developed players in the portal
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Women’s team is a great example. Look at how many players bailed after one of our best years including our POTY. Who cares about developing players now? Sounds harsh but players can transfer whenever they want. Bring players that can contribute and win. I’m not gonna spend years developing a person though to watch them walk out the min they become a star.
 
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rambunctiousrowdyram said:
Women’s team is a great example. Look at how many players bailed after one of our best years including our POTY. Who cares about developing players now? Sounds harsh but players can transfer whenever they want. Bring players that can contribute and win. I’m not gonna spend years developing a person though to watch them walk out the min they become a star.
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I agree. The new dividing line in D1 basketball is recruiting HS players vs transfers. If you take the top 20 HS players out of the equation, why would any decent D1 team want to recruit a HS player? Those players will be for the low mid-majors and below to recruit. Once those players get a year of experience they transfer up the chain. It make NO sense to recruit HS players as the landscape of transferring changed the paradigm. Why in the world would a program want to waste their time developing a young player...so they can excel in another program next year?

The world has changed. There are some coaches that have not caught on to that concept yet...but most have and it is changing.
 
Gotta think coaches will not miss those stupid in home visits where they have to suck up to all the handlers for some 16yo wannebe. WW will not have to sit and pretend to like grandma while playing on his phone.
 
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