Big 12's teams roster construction

[BoulderSooner]

the best teams in the league for the most part are the ones with old and multi year players

KU

best player 21.4 ppg Jalen Wilson (4th year 2019 recruiting class)
starting Center KJ adams (2nd year 2021 recruiting class
starting PG Dajuan Harris (3rd year 2020 recruiting class)
others Gradey Dick (star freshman mcdaa)
McCullar Jr (transfer 4th year player 1st at KU )
Pettiford (2nd year at KU)
Yesufu (4th year player 2nd at KU)

top 7 in min only mccullar is a first year transfer and Dick the only frosh

TCU

best player 19.1 ppg Mike Miles (3rd year 2020 recruting class)
MIller 4th year 2nd year at TCU
Baugh 4th year 2nd year at TCU
Peavy 3rd year 2nd year at TCU
starting center Lampkin (3rd year 2020 recruiting class)
Chuck Obannon 6th year 3rd at TCU 2017 recruiting class
shahada wells 3rd year 2nd year at TCU
Jakobe Coles 3rd year 2nd year at TCU
Xavier Cork 4th year 2nd year at TCU

that is the top 9 in min all in the second year or more at TCU 3 long time starters

Baylor

best player Keyonte George frosh MCDAA
adam flagler 4th year 3rd season at Baylor
LJ Cryer 3rd year (2020 recruiting class)
Jalen Bridges 3rd year (2020 recruiting class)
Langston Love top 30-50 recruit
Josh Ojianwuna 4 star recruit frosh
Flo Thamba 5th year (2018 baylor recruit)
Dale Bonner 3rd year 2nd year at Baylor
Caleb lohner 3rd year 1st at Baylor

star frosh or multi year players in the top 8 of the rotation

Texas

best player 17.6 ppg Marcus Carr 5th year 2nd at UT
Timmy Allen 5th year 2nd at UT
Tyrese Hunter 2nd year 1st at UT
Sir'jabari Rice 5th year 1st at UT
Dylan Disu 4th year 2nd at UT
Christian Bishop 5th year 2nd at UT
Dillon Mitchell frosh MCDAA
Arterio Morris frosh MCDAA
Brock Cunningham 4th year (2019 recruiting class)

biggest impact of 1st year transfers the 3rd and 4th leading scorer ..
but 5 of nine are multi year guys including the best 2 players

ISU

Co-best player 13.5 ppg Jaren Holmes 3rd year 1st at ISU
Co-best player 13.1 ppg Gabe Kalscheur 5th year 2nd at ISU
Caleb Grill 4th year (2019 recruiting class (did leave for 1 in 20-21)
Osunniyi 5th year Center 1st at ISU
Aljaz Kunc 5th year 2nd at ISU
Tamin Lipsey frosh 4 star recruit
Robert Jones 4th year 2nd at ISU
Tre King 4th year 1st at ISU
Demarion Watson frosh 1.8 ppg

bigger 1st year transfer impact but 4 of top 7 are multi year

KSU

best player 18.3 ppg keyontae Johnson 5th year 1st at KSU *special case
Markquis Nowell 5th year 2nd at KSU
NaeQwan Tomlin 5th year 1st at KSU (old juco player)
Desi Sills 5th year 1st at KSU
David Nguessan 3rd year 1st at KSU
Cam Carter 2nd year 1st at KSU
Ismael Massoud 4th year 2nd at KSU
Abayomi Iyola 5th year 1st at KSU
Tykei Greene 5th year 1st at KSU

this team is the massive massive outlier .. a hodge podge group put together and it works ..

helps that they got Johnson most schools would not let him play basktball any more and he turned down 5 mil in insurance money to give up basketball forever https://www.heartlandcollegesports....ned-down-5-million-to-play-at-k-state-report/



bottom line the best player on the team as a 1st year transfer is not how to win recruits and multi year guys (and for sure star recruits) that build the culture of the team is how you win ...

KSU got lucky this year with the mix they have but that is not sustainable ..

 

[allday92]

Great post. Teams absolutely need to build through the transfer portal, but it can't be the only way of build a team. Recruiting and developing kids from high school is still the most sustainable way for team building.

 

[WichitaSooner]

We start four guys with at least four years (five for Tanner) of college experience. Jalen has four years at OU, Tanner and Jacob have two, and also played together for two years at their prior stop (and their whole lives before that). CJ and Bijan are in their second year at OU. Our only rotational guys new to OU are Grant, who is very experienced, Los, and Godwin. Experience and familiarity playing together is not something this team lacks. We also have been extremely lucky not to have any injuries. Baylor, in particular, has had two really good players miss all/most of the season.

I'd also note that ISU had great success last year with a roster full of new guys, and is having even more success this year despite losing a star freshman from that squad.

 

[BoulderSooner]

We start four guys with at least four years (five for Tanner) of college experience. Jalen has four years at OU, Tanner and Jacob have two, and also played together for two years at their prior stop (and their whole lives before that). CJ and Bijan are in their second year at OU. Our only rotational guys new to OU are Grant, who is very experienced, Los, and Godwin. Experience and familiarity playing together is not something this team lacks. We also have been extremely lucky not to have any injuries. Baylor, in particular, has had two really good players miss all/most of the season.

I'd also note that ISU had great success last year with a roster full of new guys, and is having even more success this year despite losing a star freshman from that squad.

our "best player" is a first year transfer ..

OU does need better players but winning with 1st year transfers is not how it is done ..

 

[WichitaSooner]

our "best player" is a first year transfer ..

OU does need better players but winning with 1st year transfers is not how it is done ..

Xavier, Providence, Memphis, Arkansas, Illinois, KSU .. plenty of teams seem to be doing ok with a transfer leading the way. It's not something you want to rely on every year, but it's also not something that should be an excuse when the rest of your team is as experienced as we are.

 

[BoulderSooner]

Xavier, Providence, Memphis, Arkansas, Illinois, KSU .. plenty of teams seem to be doing ok with a transfer leading the way. It's not something you want to rely on every year, but it's also not something that should be an excuse when the rest of your team is as experienced as we are.

arkansas sure .

Xavier is one of the top 8 guys who is not a stand out "best player"


point is very very few teams are winning with that model

 

[allday92]

Arkansas is a little misleading. Sure their top scorer is from Wichita St (Ricky Council), but they signed the #2 class in the country last year. 3 - 5 star recruits. Players tend to look better playing next to better players.

Arkansas also has the Walton's making significant contributions for NIL deals. OU just doesn't have that kind of support.

 

[skyvue]

texas' roster certainly suggests that a team can be significantly improved via the portal.