2024 MBB transfer portal

This is an excellent opportunity for scholar athletes, those for whom education is the primary goal.

Sadly education stopped being a priority for many student athletes now that they can make more in a few years in NIL $$$$ than they would make in a lifetime with skills learned attending classes.

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Education is still a priority for many, many athletes. We could certainly fill a team with scholars.

It is funny how many people called me a “Larry lapdog” for predicting that Smith would not be any better than Larry and in fact could be worse.

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I’ve always agreed with you Guba.

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But, he came to us from such fine pedigree.

Perhaps, some of these folks would like to play in the Big 12?

Deivon to St. Johns.

Utah transfer guard Deivon Smith has committed to St. John’s, he tells @on3 :zap::red_circle: The 6-0 senior averaged 13.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and… | Instagram

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another day another depressing blurb about Utah basketball

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How odd to have the program down THIS bad. What do ya do?

What’s going to happen:
Smith is retained, cobbles together a Bad News Bears team that grinds through next season and accomplishes little. He gets dismissed sometime in March or even late Feb. Meanwhile Harlan is making his next target list and hopefully building an NIL war chest so the next guy can come in with guns blazing. This might work. As a fan it’s hard to watch the inevitable demise knowing that nothing notable is going to happen until next year.

There are two other scenarios that I think could work:

You cut your losses now knowing that next season is a loss anyway. You fire Smith yesterday and hand the job to the best guy you can get. Problem is, I don’t know who that is at this point and this guy is going to start his season with one arm behind his back building a whole staff and team while the competition is settling in for next year with staff, players and recruits already lined up.

The other direction is that you double down on Smith. If you’re Harlan, you guarantee him in blood that he gets two more years. You tell him you know next year is going to be rough but he will have two seasons to build back up from this and then you let the chips fall. With those guarantees, Smith at least has a chance to go out and build back up his staff with good guys who know they’re here for AT LEAST 24 months and not 9.

In any case, NIL will be a HUGE part of getting back on track. That has to be a decent chunk of any of the three directions.

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Pitino is the coach. I’m sure everything was on the up and up.

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Unfortunately just like with fans, to be attractive enough for a potential ‘sponsor’ to shell out huge $$$$ for NIL, need to win first.

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I wonder how much money he’s getting.

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I hope Petino celebrated at one of his favorite restaurants where the staff bends over backwards or frontwards when he arrives.

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Now I have to go to the store. You broke my snark meter and I don’t have the parts to fix it. :wink:

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Bartle mentioned on Riley’s show today that it had to do with grades and transfer credits. So maybe not as sinister as everyone thinks.

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Lot of noise on social media about the Utes having a serious shot at Miro Little (G, Baylor). That would be a big pickup for this program right now.

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St. Johns just landed the #1 guard in the transfer portal. Not sure what that means for Devion?

https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1787901194519576840?t=B53sQ_8JsEwQtliKxfjDJw&s=19

https://twitter.com/MiroLittle23/status/1787918270588166436?t=VKASXgR_i89ruFF2sOyZsA&s=19

Utah lands Baylor guard that EUte mentioned

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Wow did the Utes need that one. Not just for the roster impact, but the positive program momentum from the pickup.

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