State/Future of the Program

[LS71]

...A lot of chat on twitter about the program imploding....

Your quote got me thinking about where UMass hoops goes from here.

That UMass cannot get enough of its shit together to field a competitive men's basketball team...by competitive I mean a top 100 program....boggles my mind.

There is no reason that UMass can't be among the teams that made either the NCAAs or the NIT.

Is it the AD, the coach, those who assess talent, the will of the school to be competitive....what...what am I missing?

[Berkman]

I don't like the coach but we have to give him a break. He has to get players in that will build the program. I think that this post is a year ahead of its time.

[LS71]

I started this thread as kind of an outgrowth of the the one discussing the 2023-24 season after reqding Mike's reply:

at this point, after the departures, I just can't be thinking about next season until we see who we get from the portal. I have little optimism right now but hope that will change with each new commit.

The Portal taketh away, but the Portal will also giveth.

Yeah, it's low-tide time in the morale department, but it'll be interesting to see what group the coaching staff can assemble. And all the scholarship guys will be Frank's guys, so they'll be fully bought into his system.

An updated look at the roster situation:
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id=season_2023-24

Thinking beyond next season....is something being built or are we on a transfer in/transfer out treadmill?

[minutefanjsf]

I started this thread as kind of an outgrowth of the the one discussing the 2023-24 season after reqding Mike's reply:

at this point, after the departures, I just can't be thinking about next season until we see who we get from the portal. I have little optimism right now but hope that will change with each new commit.

The Portal taketh away, but the Portal will also giveth.

Yeah, it's low-tide time in the morale department, but it'll be interesting to see what group the coaching staff can assemble. And all the scholarship guys will be Frank's guys, so they'll be fully bought into his system.

An updated look at the roster situation:
https://umasshoops.com/wiki/doku.php?id=season_2023-24

Thinking beyond next season....is something being built or are we on a transfer in/transfer out treadmill?

We have been on that treadmill since DK left. I think with a core of Cross, RJ and hopefully Cohen, for two years we are building, IMO.

[Quann]

College basketball is exhausting and way less enjoyable with the transfer portal nonsense. I don’t have the answers but the sport is just not the same as it used to be.

[minutefanjsf]

College basketball is exhausting and way less enjoyable with the transfer portal nonsense. I don’t have the answers but the sport is just not the same as it used to be.

Add in one and dones, too.

[inthescoop]

Plain and simple, I think the players have spoken how they feel about Frank Martin.

[minutefanjsf]

Plain and simple, I think the players have spoken how they feel about Frank Martin.

Which players? Everything they “say” has been positive even if they are graduating or entering the portal. If leaving is what you believe is them saying something about Frank, I disagree. The best player on the team, who also was the recipient of a lot of Frank’s ire during games, is coming back. RJ.

[wmmmfan]

I want players who hate to lose more than they like to win.

I want a team that plays with an edge and is committed to playing defense in a way that other teams hate seeing the word Massachusetts when it appears on their schedule.

We aren’t there yet but Cross and RJ are a good start.

[natwam2547]

Plain and simple, I think the players have spoken how they feel about Frank Martin.

I think that's way too much of a blanket statement. Noah, DD and TJ aren't "Frank's Guy's" (and yes I will continue to push that narrative after only 1 year). If his recruits sour on him continually, we'll see. Robert Davis has continually voiced his support for Frank and his coaching style. RJ, Keon, Diggins and Cross were either Frosh or non-grad transfers who knew what they were committing to and what Frank brought to the table. And while we don't know if they will be on the roster next year or not, Wildens and Ta'Quon committed to Frank twice.

[Quann]

Plain and simple, I think the players have spoken how they feel about Frank Martin.

I haven't seen anything really negative about Frank from the players. After calming down after the end of the season, I'm actually optimistic again for next year's team. If this tourney shows anything, college basketball is wide open now. Rebuilds can happen quick.

[Worcester_To_Amherst]

Kind of surprised with the response to the portal entries so far.

I’ll preface this by saying I was really disappointed in Frank’s year 1. Too many excuses for a team coached by a guy defined by toughness. My low point was January when they got smoked by a couple mid-tier A10 teams and it became apparent that Myrtle was an aberration. Since then I’ve been in “wait and see” mode for year 2. Need a big jump in year 2.

That said, I would have been surprised if Gapare stuck around. Noah and Weeks were honored on senior night. I was a little surprised about DD but that’s the portal era. Not much has changed. A very good big man and PG are still needed for UMass to contend in the league next year.

Signs are pointing to Cohen being our low post scoring threat. I believe Diggins has that good PG inside him but Frank can’t be counting on that leap. If Frank can get the Merrimack or UNH 4 man along with Cohen and a PG, I think this is a good roster for next season. I’ll add a proven 3 point shooter to the wish list as well.

[NilesGold]

Plain and simple, I think the players have spoken how they feel about Frank Martin.

I've been one of Frank's most vocal critics. I have major concerns that regardless of which players we add to the roster the team is still going to underperform. But just like I didn't write McCall off after his first year, I'm not going to write off Frank. I'm interested to see what he can accomplish when he has a roster that fits him. I hope we get to see a roster that's top to bottom dudes who play a physical style of basketball.

[TruBluMaroon]

College basketball is exhausting and way less enjoyable with the transfer portal nonsense. I don’t have the answers but the sport is just not the same as it used to be.

There used to be a saying (thought process) in college basketball coaching that you recruited the players to get them and then you rerecuited them to keep them Some players love the recruiting process; (see RP UM’74) ; free trips, coaches telling you how great you are; now you don’t even have to initiate the contact like in the old transfer process. Mix that with the NIL, “ It’s not about the money, it’s about the respect.”. If the NIL is here to stay, MY feelings are that you shouldn’t be eligible for it until you have completed one (1) year at a school. The best thing about the difference between scholarships and professionals was that all of the scholarships were worth the same, so everyone was equal.

[inthescoop]

Plain and simple, I think the players have spoken how they feel about Frank Martin.

I've been one of Frank's most vocal critics. I have major concerns that regardless of which players we add to the roster the team is still going to underperform. But just like I didn't write McCall off after his first year, I'm not going to write off Frank. I'm interested to see what he can accomplish when he has a roster that fits him. I hope we get to see a roster that's top to bottom dudes who play a physical style of basketball.

Who said I'm writing him off after one comment that stated the obvious that the non Frank recruits were not a fan of his coaching? Of course I'm interested in seeing the future of the team and what we can do under Frank.

CMON NOW! LFG FRANKIE!