Where are they now?
 
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Where are they now?

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 Rez
(@rezynezy)
Posts: 1806
Varsity
 

Heard rumblings that cooper is likely going to transfer from wake Forest. To where is still anyone's guess


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 6:20 AM
(@usc4valpo)
Posts: 610
Junior Varsity
 

Ok, I have to boast - many thought Ben McCollum when at NW Mo.St. would not be successful at a higher level. He brought a bunch of D2 players to Drake and won the MVC and a game in the tourney. at Iowa, he coaches several of the same D2 players and now they are in the Sweet 16. Indiana clearly hired the wrong coach.


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 6:50 AM
(@valpo64)
Posts: 77
Freshman
 

I never heard anything more regarding Corey Alexander leaving Belmont and taking the K-State job even though Belmont named their new coach last week.   Did any Belmont players indicate they would be leaving?  Does anyone have any info regarding players on other MVC schools entering the portal/ transferring even though it isn't officially open yet?


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 8:27 AM
 vu72
(@vu72)
Posts: 762
Junior Varsity
 

Posted by: @valpo64

I never heard anything more regarding Corey Alexander leaving Belmont and taking the K-State job even though Belmont named their new coach last week.   Did any Belmont players indicate they would be leaving?  Does anyone have any info regarding players on other MVC schools entering the portal/ transferring even though it isn't officially open yet?

Right now Sharnowski and Lundblade from Belmont have indicated they are transferring. The other big one so far is Camp Wagner from Indiana State being in the portal.

 


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 8:32 AM
 Rez
(@rezynezy)
Posts: 1806
Varsity
 

Bradley has montana wheeler in the portal. 


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 8:58 AM
 jd24
(@jd24)
Posts: 662
Junior Varsity
 

Posted by: @vu72

Cooper managed to score 2 points and 1 rebound in 17 minutes of action as Wake lost to Illinois State in the NIT quarterfinals. Apparently the Missouri Valley defense was just too much. The off season will be very interesting to watch. It’s a grass greener kinda thing.(the cash certainly is greener!)

I mentioned above that he played well vs. Virginia Tech but in the next conference tournament game vs. Clemson he did not play well. Something that I thought evident when at Valpo is that he could be intimidated vs certain teams and disappear from time to time. That's exactly what happened vs. Clemson. He just did nothing vs. a physical opponent. 

 


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 1:57 PM
(@rs1207)
Posts: 49
Freshman
 

Okku Federiko - Drake and Brigham Rogers - Belmont now in portal


 
Posted : 03/23/2026 3:07 PM
(@valpotx)
Posts: 473
Junior Varsity
 

This offseason is going to be key for Cooper, as he isn't going to get many pro deals based on his 1 season at Wake.  Whether it is at Wake or another school for his final year, he needs to be a major contributor, otherwise he left a good opportunity for a paycheck, but no pro career potential.


 
Posted : 03/26/2026 4:19 AM
(@david81)
Posts: 353
Junior Varsity
 

Posted by: @valpotx

This offseason is going to be key for Cooper, as he isn't going to get many pro deals based on his 1 season at Wake.  Whether it is at Wake or another school for his final year, he needs to be a major contributor, otherwise he left a good opportunity for a paycheck, but no pro career potential.

We talk about the money and the conference when it comes to the transfer portal, but we also need to talk about the coaching.

In Cooper's case, it's valid to ask if two more years under Roger Powell's care and tutelage -- and now with what appears to be some beefed up NIL cash -- would've been the better choice.

Basing decisions disproportionately on short-term ROI is proving to be a mistake in so many other settings. Perhaps this applies to the portal and NIL as well. At some point we'll have enough evidence to assess the pros and cons. My guess is that the holistic results will be a mixed bag, with things working out very well for some, but for many it will be a wash or even a loss.

 


 
Posted : 03/26/2026 10:16 AM
(@vulb62)
Posts: 739
Junior Varsity
 

@david81  Coop only has one more year left. He hit a 6 figure NIL at Wake (plus a full ride).  Hopefully, most or all is still in the bank. He wasn’t used very well at Wake and saw greatly decreased minutes which could have had three important impacts:  1) stunted development, 2) a probable confidence whack, and 3) lack of exposure/headlines/honors/stats. All of which translates to significantly lowered European pro/second tier US pro (definitely not NBA) interest. If he still has pro ambitions, he needs to find a place that will give him back all three — and that most likely is not in the P5 world. He’s gotta take less NIL in a high MM level program and return to the game he’s best at.  But this is his last opportunity to do that.

By the same token, All, who suffered a similar set of conditions, has to swallow some pride and do the same thing.  But, in his favor, he has two years to do it — hopefully at a place where he stays for two full seasons.  

 


This post was modified 2 months ago 5 times by VULB62
 
Posted : 03/26/2026 11:45 AM
 vu72
(@vu72)
Posts: 762
Junior Varsity
 

Not sure how NIL payments are structured, as in an annuity over time or straight up W-2 wages.  At Cooper's pay rate about 35% would be gone to Federal taxes plus presumably some state tax rate on top of that.  Not feeling sorry for him but thinking this money is all his isn't the case.


This post was modified 2 months ago by vu72
 
Posted : 03/26/2026 12:12 PM
(@vulb62)
Posts: 739
Junior Varsity
 

@vu72 Goes without saying — ya gotta always feed the beast first. 😉


 
Posted : 03/26/2026 1:17 PM
(@usc4valpo)
Posts: 610
Junior Varsity
 

Ben McCollum is a genius. No way he could imagine being in the elite 8 in his first season in the Big 10. Indiana hired the wrong guy. 


 
Posted : 03/26/2026 8:50 PM
 Rez
(@rezynezy)
Posts: 1806
Varsity
 

Posted by: @usc4valpo

Ben McCollum is a genius. No way he could imagine being in the elite 8 in his first season in the Big 10. Indiana hired the wrong guy. 

 

Indiana wanted McCollum and he said no. Iowa was always his end game

 


 
Posted : 03/27/2026 1:07 AM
 jd24
(@jd24)
Posts: 662
Junior Varsity
 

Posted by: @vulb62

@david81  Coop only has one more year left. He hit a 6 figure NIL at Wake (plus a full ride).  Hopefully, most or all is still in the bank. He wasn’t used very well at Wake and saw greatly decreased minutes which could have had three important impacts:  1) stunted development, 2) a probable confidence whack, and 3) lack of exposure/headlines/honors/stats. All of which translates to significantly lowered European pro/second tier US pro (definitely not NBA) interest. If he still has pro ambitions, he needs to find a place that will give him back all three — and that most likely is not in the P5 world. He’s gotta take less NIL in a high MM level program and return to the game he’s best at.  But this is his last opportunity to do that.

By the same token, All, who suffered a similar set of conditions, has to swallow some pride and do the same thing.  But, in his favor, he has two years to do it — hopefully at a place where he stays for two full seasons.  

 

 

In what way wasn't he used well? 

 


 
Posted : 03/27/2026 1:49 PM
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