People will either say this is a huge deal or it’s no big deal, but no one knows until they next field a team. I’ll say this: seemed like a good kid, and I loved what his game could have been. I love a heady guard who doesn’t make flashy plays, but controls the game. Did he live up to the ideal of his game while he was at OU? Unfortunately, no, but I believed he could have in time.
Jamal to transfer
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skyvue
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I think I speak for everyone on the board in saying how much we admire your ability to withstand the slings and arrows of positivity. You are stalwart, sir.
WTSooner
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I don't have to get over anything.
We have some fans that can't be critical of the program at all. And that includes some of the players.
I can say JB appears to be a good kid that plays relatively hard and has done some good things, all while saying his offense has been atrocious and he should either be a reserve off the bench or playing somewhere else.
stormspencer
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This is where I am. I would like to have him for depth, but wasn't a fan of him getting the amount of minutes that he had been getting. He was a fairly well-rounded player (outside of scoring)....a good glue guy. If the coaches are surprised at him leaving, then I'm not sure what to think.
I’m not sure I view Williams as a guy who you want as a primary ball handler for long periods of time. Reaves can do it, but he’s a little turnover prone and I’d rather him continue as a guy who can run the offense but doesn’t have to. Obviously, the hope is Harmon is that guy for a good portion of the game.
skyvue
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Why are you not surprised? Do you think he was shown the door, Ada? Because why else would he leave? He's been the starter, after all.
He's been the player I expected him to be, except for his offense. I've been as disappointed in that aspect of his game as anyone else, but he's shown the occasional flash and I held out hope that the improvement I thought would come in that area this past season would happen next season.
I think every other aspect of his game has been more than solid. The notion that we're well rid of him seems nonsensical to me unless there's some awfully big transfer news coming soon.
steverocks35
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I totally agree.
NY Soonerfan
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I think I have been as outspoken as anyone on this board about my feelings towards Bieniemy, but it's hard to look at this from a distance and not be surprised. All things being equal, he seemed like a GREAT kid and teammate, and for that he will be missed and I wish him nothing but the best. And yes, he did do a lot of the little things that are required, but playing upwards of 30 mins and shooting the ball 5-7 times a game, and rarely making more than 1-2 of them, just isn't going to cut it...especially at this level, and for a team that struggles to score points. He simply was not a B12 caliber starting PG (or player), so, not knowing who might possibly be filling his spot, I think it will be an upgrade, or a wash, at the very least...with a risk-reward that far outweighs the potential for it being a wash.
I would bet my paycheck you were one of the "fans" who bashed JB during game thread or other posts about the team.
YET...he announced to transfer (which is a good thing to some of you "fans") and you still want to take a shot at Lon?? He can't win with you, can he??!! Players transfer...look across the country...A LOT of teams lose players to the portal!!
AdaSooner
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Sky, I don’t think Jamal was asked to leave. That would go against everything we know about LK, unless the player is a problem personally, and by all accounts that does not describe JB.
I agree with what WT said about our coaching staff’s efforts to sign a grad transfer, as well as one who would have to sit out next season. The fact that all, or most, were combo guards was also telling.
Did that send a signal to Jamal that his job as a starter next season would be in jeopardy? We may never know the answer to that question. But, he had to know a starter on most D-1 teams these days has got to be really good in one or more areas of the game.
When JB was a freshman, I thought he had a chance to be an elite on the ball defender. He led the team in steals by a sizable margin. In short, he was solid, but he never improved last year, and his offensive game was so weak I honestly didn’t see how he could keep his job as a starter if our coaches signed a quality grad transfer. I think there was a good chance JB realized that too.
Why was I not surprised? I said this on another thread three days ago:
This is a total shock to me. I thought he was a better ball player than many on the board. He definitely needed to shoot better and I thought he showed some improvement at the end of the year.
Williams wasn't playing at the end because he turns the ball over every other time he touched it. He won't be a ball handler. Hoping he will be on the team next year.
Williams wasn't playing at the end because he turns the ball over every other time he touched it. He won't be a ball handler. Hoping he will be on the team next year.
I have learned to never be surprised when a player transfers. I stated in another thread that we have had a run of 30+ consecutive years of attrition (not counting expired eligibility) which we added to when Merritt decided to transfer. At this point, I will be absolutely SHOCKED if we can go one season in the remainder of my lifetime with no attrition.
With the above said, all we can do now is: 1) Wish the best for Jamal, and 2) Hope that we bring in a grad transfer who can at least be as good as Jamal. Preferably, we need someone who is more of a scoring threat, but is not a liability on defense. Like Ada pointed out, with the exception of scoring, Jamal is pretty good at everything while perhaps not great at any one thing.
With the above said, all we can do now is: 1) Wish the best for Jamal, and 2) Hope that we bring in a grad transfer who can at least be as good as Jamal. Preferably, we need someone who is more of a scoring threat, but is not a liability on defense. Like Ada pointed out, with the exception of scoring, Jamal is pretty good at everything while perhaps not great at any one thing.
thebigabd
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Will there be any other transfers?
cowboysooner
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I don't have any information about JB's situation. Like VBDAD, I probably liked him a little better than most on the board. Don't know if I was right on that. Did seem like a really good kid though.
Just guessing, but he might have decided (and I think correctly) that Harmon would win the point position and he would be a backup at that position, and that the wing position was just really crowded and that he might get squeezed out of playing time next year by Hill and Williams. You know Reaves is going to play 30-35 minutes a game.
He would have known that the logjam would lesson some after next year with Williams and Reaves gone, but might have thought a new start after sitting out would help him. He might have thought he wasn't going to play much next year anyway so why not use it as a redshirt year. BTW, I am not saying I would predict his lack of playing time, but just that he might have anticipated that.
Or, it could be anything with a 19 year old. Maybe he found a girlfriend somewhere else. You just don't know with kids.
In any event, I would bet the coaches were shocked by his decision. And, hopefully it isn't final and they can talk him into staying (I would like to see him stay). Saying that, I do see Hill and Williams as having a higher ceiling assuming some off season development.
Just guessing, but he might have decided (and I think correctly) that Harmon would win the point position and he would be a backup at that position, and that the wing position was just really crowded and that he might get squeezed out of playing time next year by Hill and Williams. You know Reaves is going to play 30-35 minutes a game.
He would have known that the logjam would lesson some after next year with Williams and Reaves gone, but might have thought a new start after sitting out would help him. He might have thought he wasn't going to play much next year anyway so why not use it as a redshirt year. BTW, I am not saying I would predict his lack of playing time, but just that he might have anticipated that.
Or, it could be anything with a 19 year old. Maybe he found a girlfriend somewhere else. You just don't know with kids.
In any event, I would bet the coaches were shocked by his decision. And, hopefully it isn't final and they can talk him into staying (I would like to see him stay). Saying that, I do see Hill and Williams as having a higher ceiling assuming some off season development.
skyvue
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Again, there'd better be a very pleasant surprise of a transfer coming soon, or this is undeniably a big loss -- even if it's just of a role player (and I'm not convinced that's all Jamal would have been over the next two years).
BoulderSooner
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this is 100% correct
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