How former UMass players have fared after entering the portal

[InnervisionsUMASS]

^ so where they ended up had more NIL than here?

Or we didn't offer them enough (or any) of whatever the pie here was and went elsewhere for more.

[minutefanjsf]

^ so where they ended up had more NIL than here?

Not total most likely. We had nothing to give them. We didn’t pay bench guys much if anything at the time. Keon was replaced by Curry and Marqui was at best the fourth more likely fifth guard.

[Floyd]

I honestly think they made a mistake with Keon. While Curry had a little more flash, I thought Keon was a better two way player. I thought the talk was Keon wanted to stay but they were leaning to Curry to take over

[minutefanjsf]

I honestly think they made a mistake with Keon. While Curry had a little more flash, I thought Keon was a better two way player. I thought the talk was Keon wanted to stay but they were leaning to Curry to take over

I think Keon wanted to stay and they had anointed Curry with PT and $.

[Juice Stand]

Picking Curry over Keon was the wrong move, if that's what happened. Curry was flashier and a high-major talent, but Keon was a perfect fit for Frank Martin's style. Fit is more important than talent many times, and I think Keon was one of those guys.

[JoleonLescottsHair]

The collective said he “wasn’t a good fit.” Biggest horse shit move of that off season.

[minutefanjsf]

The collective said he “wasn’t a good fit.” Biggest horse shit move of that off season.

The collective said that? not quite sure it went down like that. Pretty sure it was based on the amount of $ and what was needed to keep others that the coaches wanted to keep.

[NilesGold]

Check out the season Lewis Walker is having at NC A&T, teammate with Amadou Doumbia

Walker is killing it, I'd like to know the story there. Kind of head scratching that with as shitty as the UMass team was last year Frank didn't play him a single minute?

[JoleonLescottsHair]

The collective said that? not quite sure it went down like that. Pretty sure it was based on the amount of $ and what was needed to keep others that the coaches wanted to keep.

Yes. That was the phrasing. But I’m not sure those two explanations are necessarily incompatible. They made a choice. “Keon doesn’t fit in here, let’s pay other dudes more.”

[Floyd]

Check out the season Lewis Walker is having at NC A&T, teammate with Amadou Doumbia

Walker is killing it, I'd like to know the story there. Kind of head scratching that with as shitty as the UMass team was last year Frank didn't play him a single minute?

Big Jelly. Best nickname on the team too

[InnervisionsUMASS]

The collective said that? not quite sure it went down like that. Pretty sure it was based on the amount of $ and what was needed to keep others that the coaches wanted to keep.

The Collective posts here, I'm sure this can be clarified quickly. I do recall reading the "didn't fit" thing, but not 100% sure.

[JoleonLescottsHair]

^there is an archive here if anyone wishes to dig. But that was the language. It was within a discussion over how much influence the collective had in shaping roster composition and a number of us were pissed that Keon was being forced out. The “he wasn’t a good fit” was hardly reassuring. Finalized for me any thought of ever contributing to NIL. The collective does what it does and it is by definition supportive of hoops. Respect that. But I have yet to see a compelling case made that contributions have brought a positive return to the program. And I sure as hell would have preferred to watch Keon Thompson than some of the dudes pulling coin last year.

[NilesGold]

^ I am 99% certain that the collective was never making decisions about which players to try and retain through NIL deals and which to let go. They were taking their cues from the coaching staff.

[69MG]

^ I have heard the same thing.

[JoleonLescottsHair]

^ I am 99% certain that the collective was never making decisions about which players to try and retain through NIL deals and which to let go. They were taking their cues from the coaching staff.

Yes, after some heavy prodding, they said as much. I can accept that. But the Keon was “not a good fit” was troubling. It suggested a higher level of coordination than a simple coaching decision. Regardless, the ‘investments’ turned out to be bad ones, which is why NIL sucks.