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
Sr. Connor Odom-Walk On

Recruits Signed

Brandon Jennings
Luke Bamgboye
Terrence Hill

Portal Out

Jason Nelson - Youngstown State
Roosevelt Wheeler - ETSU
Tobi Lawal - VPI
Max Shulga - Villanova

Portal In

Jack Clark - From Clemson
Phillip Russell - From UTA
Jamarii Thomas - From Norfolk State

2024-25 Roster

Fr. Brandon Jennings
Fr. Luke Bamgboye
Fr. Martin Carrere
Fr. Terrence Hill
RS Fr. Obinnaya Okafor
So. Michael Belle
RS So. Fats Billups
Jr. Christian Fermin
Jr. Phillip Russell
5th Yr. Sr. Joe Bamisile
5th Yr. Sr. Zeb Jackson
5th Yr. Sr. Max Shulga
7th Yr. Sr. Jack Clark

12 of 13 Scholarships
 
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The roster is complete. I'd be very surprised if we sign anyone else.

People are entitled to lament the lack of a big bodied center, but wishing won't make it so.
Yeah, basically. It'd be nice to get another guy who can either play a role similar to Clark (who can play as both a 3 or a stretch 4) or play the 5, but realistically I don't think we need to.
 
Random fact...I was at my local record store searching for some vinyl when I came across an LP of The Reverend Jim Jones's Last Sermon....it was in a bin with the jailhouse recordings of Charles Manson

NTctNzQxNi5qcGVn.jpeg


I've got a vast and varied collection that spans multiple genres....but I passed on that one
Helluva earworm
 
The roster is complete. I'd be very surprised if we sign anyone else.

People are entitled to lament the lack of a big bodied center, but wishing won't make it so.
No drama here, friend, and not a lament. Just my opinion of an unfilled need.
 
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Random fact...I was at my local record store searching for some vinyl when I came across an LP of The Reverend Jim Jones's Last Sermon....it was in a bin with the jailhouse recordings of Charles Manson

NTctNzQxNi5qcGVn.jpeg


I've got a vast and varied collection that spans multiple genres....but I passed on that one
We met a guy recently who does city code enforcement, he grew up in Guyana being told the story of what happened at Jonestown. We were taught about it, but it perhaps never really sunk in how many people died there. He said it's amazing the concept of the gullible blindly following false prophets isn't told to American born kids like it is the kids there with every succeeding generation It's easily one of the worst modern day tragedies one can think of.
 
So, here's the big question: is the roster better today than it was last season? There's a lot of speculation involved with this question, but that's what we do here, so I'll give it a shot...

PG: This is "pure" PGs only, so I'm not including Max Shulga in the equation. I think we're much better off with the mix of Russell and Jennings than we were with Nelson last year.

Guard: We have the same players coming back, and one has been added. There's no doubt that a one year older Shulga, Jackson, and Bamisile is better than last year. Plus, with Jackson and Bam in the system for their second season, they'll probably be more comfortable right out of the gate. Plus, Bam actually staying in a system for more than one year could be a big deal. We also have Terrance Hill waiting in the wings to develop. For all of these reasons, I think we're much better off.

Wing: Billups and Belle are still here, although I'm including Belle more at the 4. The addition of Clark, who can play the 3 or 4, helps. I think with one-year-older Belle and Billups, and the fact that Bam may be the starter, we'll be just fine. If I had to choose, I'd say we're slightly weaker here, due to not having Bairstow.

Forward: Last year was a mix of Bairstow, Kuany, and Belle, which was a good combination. This year will be Clark, Belle, and maybe Okafor. We haven't seen Clark in this system, but I'm hoping he can be an upgrade over Kuany ... which is not putting Kuany down in the least. I feel like this has the potential to be a push, but right now I have to say we're slightly weaker due to not really seeing Clark yet. If Clark gets the system down quickly, this could easily flip.

Center: We've lost Tobi and Wheeler, but added Bamgboye. Tobi was good at a number of things, with the leaping ability being at the forefront. Bamgboye doesn't jump like Tobi, but he's coming to the team as a much more polished player than when Tobi was a frosh. But, is he better than the Tobi from last year? It's doubtful just due to him being a freshman. We've lost Wheeler as well, but that doesn't amount to very many minutes lost for sure. Right now, I'd say the mix of Fermin, Bamgboye, Okafor, and a sprinkle of Clark is probably weaker than Fermin, Tobi, Wheeler, and a sprinkle of Kuany. But, depending upon the development of Bamgboye, it could end up being a good bit better by the end of the season.
 
So, here's the big question: is the roster better today than it was last season? There's a lot of speculation involved with this question, but that's what we do here, so I'll give it a shot...

PG: This is "pure" PGs only, so I'm not including Max Shulga in the equation. I think we're much better off with the mix of Russell and Jennings than we were with Nelson last year.

Guard: We have the same players coming back, and one has been added. There's no doubt that a one year older Shulga, Jackson, and Bamisile is better than last year. Plus, with Jackson and Bam in the system for their second season, they'll probably be more comfortable right out of the gate. Plus, Bam actually staying in a system for more than one year could be a big deal. We also have Terrance Hill waiting in the wings to develop. For all of these reasons, I think we're much better off.

Wing: Billups and Belle are still here, although I'm including Belle more at the 4. The addition of Clark, who can play the 3 or 4, helps. I think with one-year-older Belle and Billups, and the fact that Bam may be the starter, we'll be just fine. If I had to choose, I'd say we're slightly weaker here, due to not having Bairstow.

Forward: Last year was a mix of Bairstow, Kuany, and Belle, which was a good combination. This year will be Clark, Belle, and maybe Okafor. We haven't seen Clark in this system, but I'm hoping he can be an upgrade over Kuany ... which is not putting Kuany down in the least. I feel like this has the potential to be a push, but right now I have to say we're slightly weaker due to not really seeing Clark yet. If Clark gets the system down quickly, this could easily flip.

Center: We've lost Tobi and Wheeler, but added Bamgboye. Tobi was good at a number of things, with the leaping ability being at the forefront. Bamgboye doesn't jump like Tobi, but he's coming to the team as a much more polished player than when Tobi was a frosh. But, is he better than the Tobi from last year? It's doubtful just due to him being a freshman. We've lost Wheeler as well, but that doesn't amount to very many minutes lost for sure. Right now, I'd say the mix of Fermin, Bamgboye, Okafor, and a sprinkle of Clark is probably weaker than Fermin, Tobi, Wheeler, and a sprinkle of Kuany. But, depending upon the development of Bamgboye, it could end up being a good bit better by the end of the season.
I anticipate Clark at times playing down low in a line-up with Russell, Shulga, Jackson and Bam. Mix in others but I do see Clark playing down there.
 
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I got blasted here for "taking away" Okarfor's scholarship (like it was his birthright) because I considered him a walk on until proven otherwise. Well if he's a scholarship player at 6'9" 220lbs, maybe he's the answer for a more weighty piece down low. Let's see if he can play at a scholarship level
 
I got blasted here for "taking away" Okarfor's scholarship (like it was his birthright) because I considered him a walk on until proven otherwise. Well if he's a scholarship player at 6'9" 220lbs, maybe he's the answer for a more weighty piece down low. Let's see if he can play at a scholarship level
There is only one R in his name.
 
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