Pure Fantasy speculation on my end, but what are the % chances All Wright ends up back at Valpo?
Also any word on Tupolo coming back or not?
I would love to see All Wright back in the Valley and maybe Murray or somebody can make him a competitive bid. BUT! He would need to WANT to return to Valpo and PLAY for Roger Powell for it ever to have any chance of happening.
I would love to see All Wright back in the Valley and maybe Murray or somebody can make him a competitive bid. BUT! He would need to WANT to return to Valpo and PLAY for Roger Powell for it ever to have any chance of happening.
I think All is playing in the A10 or American next year! I’m curious as well, I don’t think Valpo is an option but elsewhere in the Valley I’m sure is in play!
All Wright is going to be one of those players that ends up in the portal every season in his career. He likely wasn't happy with shot count at Xavier, and will transfer somewhere where he can have a bigger impact for his Junior year, with the hopes that he ends up at a true P4 school for his Senior year.
Tupuola needs another year at Valpo to develop his touch around the rim. Great shot blocker/defender and rebounder, but to take the next step in his basketball journey, he needs to develop that veteran touch on the offensive side. My guess is that he does so for us next season, and then takes a P5 second team role for his final season.
I know I am biased but looking at that list Valpo is hands down the best spot to land out of those schools.
All Wright is a perfect example of a talented kid whose youthful (IMO not-so-great) judgment is being empowered by the transfer portal and NIL cash.
He's getting quality minutes at Xavier, and presumably a nice bit of money to go with it. Why not stay, put his head down, work on his game, and come back next season ready to take it up a notch? For unless he intends to return to Valpo (a possibility he kept open when he left), he's on to school #3 in three years.
Whether or not you're an athlete, you only get to go on this college journey once -- and that's if you're fortunate. There's something to be said about staying at a place long enough to get a coherent education, be a meaningful part of a team supported by its fans, and building some memories.
only get to go on this college journey once -- and that's if you're fortunate. There's something to be said about staying at a place long enough to get a coherent education, be a meaningful part of a team supported by its fans, and building some memories.
This is an example of the old way, pre NIL and portal, of thinking. I understand the sentiment behind "why cant a kid just get his degree and move on" but that is not the way college sports operates anymore and wont for as long as college sports exists. The fact of the matter is that these kids have been told that they are professional athletes. To the vast majority, the "degree" is the basketball skill that they can use to make money at the next level of the professional model. Unfortunately, you can say all you want about the coherent education or the meaningful team and fan support, but ultimately, that statement isnt just going to fall on deaf ears, it would be like you are speaking an alien language.
Great news! He has improved a lot over the season and adding a year of muscle and practice will hopefully make him a real load up front. So now we basically have a starting five back in the fold, at least five guys who can cover the five positions. Compared to last year and the year before it's like hitting the jackpot!
All Wright is a perfect example of a talented kid whose youthful (IMO not-so-great) judgment is being empowered by the transfer portal and NIL cash.
He's getting quality minutes at Xavier, and presumably a nice bit of money to go with it. Why not stay, put his head down, work on his game, and come back next season ready to take it up a notch? For unless he intends to return to Valpo (a possibility he kept open when he left), he's on to school #3 in three years.
Whether or not you're an athlete, you only get to go on this college journey once -- and that's if you're fortunate. There's something to be said about staying at a place long enough to get a coherent education, be a meaningful part of a team supported by its fans, and building some memories.
David, if I may. I think I know what you are implying. 3 years, 3 schools (maybe 4 in 4). How many credits transfer? At the end of four peripatetic years, is he good enough to go pro (US or Europe)? Does he have a degree fallback if he falls short BB-wise? Yeah, he’ll have some $$$ in the bank, but ……
And that’s the tragedy of the way things are today in college BB.
only get to go on this college journey once -- and that's if you're fortunate. There's something to be said about staying at a place long enough to get a coherent education, be a meaningful part of a team supported by its fans, and building some memories.
This is an example of the old way, pre NIL and portal, of thinking. I understand the sentiment behind "why cant a kid just get his degree and move on" but that is not the way college sports operates anymore and wont for as long as college sports exists. The fact of the matter is that these kids have been told that they are professional athletes. To the vast majority, the "degree" is the basketball skill that they can use to make money at the next level of the professional model. Unfortunately, you can say all you want about the coherent education or the meaningful team and fan support, but ultimately, that statement isnt just going to fall on deaf ears, it would be like you are speaking an alien language.
If these kids were all good enough for the NBA, I'd say more power to them. Under this evolving nonsense, there's a case that colleges should all revert to D3 and let them play in the G League instead, like baseball players in the minor leagues. In fact, many of them are getting paid more than G League players, a situation I find ridiculous except for maybe the top 100 or so college players who have legitimate NBA potential.
All Wright is a perfect example of a talented kid whose youthful (IMO not-so-great) judgment is being empowered by the transfer portal and NIL cash.
He's getting quality minutes at Xavier, and presumably a nice bit of money to go with it. Why not stay, put his head down, work on his game, and come back next season ready to take it up a notch? For unless he intends to return to Valpo (a possibility he kept open when he left), he's on to school #3 in three years.
Whether or not you're an athlete, you only get to go on this college journey once -- and that's if you're fortunate. There's something to be said about staying at a place long enough to get a coherent education, be a meaningful part of a team supported by its fans, and building some memories.
David, if I may. I think I know what you are implying. 3 years, 3 schools (maybe 4 in 4). How many credits transfer? At the end of four peripatetic years, is he good enough to go pro (US or Europe)? Does he have a degree fallback if he falls short BB-wise? Yeah, he’ll have some $$$ in the bank, but ……
And that’s the tragedy of the way things are today in college BB.
@vulb62, yup, few will go to the NBA, some will make $$ vagabonding around the European and other int'l leagues. By the time they hit 30, many will have burned through whatever money they earned, some won't have degrees, and they're looking at how to make a living on real persons' wages for the next 30-40 years.
Glad to see Hopoi back, but can we get him in the gym with some old-school Valpo guy like Rob Cavanaugh to learn the Valpo method for foul shooting? Hell, my wife took a basketball class from Virgil Sweet himself, and she could shoot better than Carter's 48%. Better yet, next year have him room with Dylan Moles, who shot 98% (53-54) in a recent season. Somehow, he just needs to improve at the line.
only get to go on this college journey once -- and that's if you're fortunate. There's something to be said about staying at a place long enough to get a coherent education, be a meaningful part of a team supported by its fans, and building some memories.
This is an example of the old way, pre NIL and portal, of thinking. I understand the sentiment behind "why cant a kid just get his degree and move on" but that is not the way college sports operates anymore and wont for as long as college sports exists. The fact of the matter is that these kids have been told that they are professional athletes. To the vast majority, the "degree" is the basketball skill that they can use to make money at the next level of the professional model. Unfortunately, you can say all you want about the coherent education or the meaningful team and fan support, but ultimately, that statement isnt just going to fall on deaf ears, it would be like you are speaking an alien language.
Spot-on Rez. And that too is the tragedy of college BB today. These kids are being manipulated and, might I say “enslaved”, by a system that uses/abuses/discards all but the absolute, very best. And, unfortunately, the kid, IMO, is, and probably has been since his talent emerged, at the mercy of handlers, hangers-on and grifters.
Players have traded one “ slavery” for another. That’s all it is. In the short run, the benefits are ‘wow.’ In the long run, that’s TBD. Many (not the smart ones with family who can think longterm) of these kids will have blown their fortune, maybe gone into debt, and will have nothing to fall back on. No degree. No business network. Not even a solid college comrade network, because they never were able to stay long enough to even develop one.
So after all of this, and in the midst of this chaos, I have really gotten to admire what Roger is trying to do. He is trying to give his kids an anchor against the storm. He’s helping these young men to understand the world they are aspiring to and developing them, not only in physical skills, but in understanding what lies ahead. Don’t be surprised if Valpo isn’t the 2027 Highpoint.