Next year: Great talent, but different

[thebigabd]

Someone made a comment to me that OU was going to practically fall apart after losing Buddy Hield... Ridiculous. All great college players graduate, and good schools restock with good players. OU has a lot of talent on roster and coming in.

OU has survived losing Wayman Tisdale, Mookie Blaylock, Ryan Minor, Eduardo Najera, Ace Mcghee, Hollis Price, Blake Griffin, and will survive losing Buddy Hield.

PG: Jordan Woodard/Darrion Strong
SG: Austin Grandstaff/Kameron Mcgusty
SF: Christian James/Rashard Odomes
PF: Khadeem Lattin/Dante Buford
C: Akolda Manyang/Jamuni Mcneace

Lots of talent, lots of athletic ability. They won't be the #1 team in the nation, but that team will have no problem making the dance and competing in the Big 12.

 

[Max Power]

Someone made a comment to me that OU was going to practically fall apart after losing Buddy Hield... Ridiculous. All great college players graduate, and good schools restock with good players. OU has a lot of talent on roster and coming in.

OU has survived losing Wayman Tisdale, Mookie Blaylock, Ryan Minor, Eduardo Najera, Ace Mcghee, Hollis Price, Blake Griffin, and will survive losing Buddy Hield.

PG: Jordan Woodard/Darrion Strong
SG: Austin Grandstaff/Kameron Mcgusty
SF: Christian James/Rashard Odomes
PF: Khadeem Lattin/Dante Buford
C: Akolda Manyang/Jamuni Mcneace

Lots of talent, lots of athletic ability. They won't be the #1 team in the nation, but that team will have no problem making the dance and competing in the Big 12.

That team is a top 25 team looking at a 5 or 6 seed most likely. Its a step back from this year, but nothing major. Hell Duke won the whole thing last year and look at them this year.

 

[tmeyer3307]

Hope for a top 20 team and a top 3 4 finish in the big 12... I think the following year could be special with all of the wing players and Lattin.

 

[usedtobe1]

It will be interesting to see if Matt Freeman breaks into that rotation now that he is practicing with the team this semester. Even Kristian Doolittle is having a breakout senior HS season and could contribute.

I think it will be fun to see how the new-look Sooners develop next season.

 

[WTSooner]

Someone made a comment to me that OU was going to practically fall apart after losing Buddy Hield... Ridiculous. All great college players graduate, and good schools restock with good players. OU has a lot of talent on roster and coming in.

OU has survived losing Wayman Tisdale, Mookie Blaylock, Ryan Minor, Eduardo Najera, Ace Mcghee, Hollis Price, Blake Griffin, and will survive losing Buddy Hield.

PG: Jordan Woodard/Darrion Strong
SG: Austin Grandstaff/Kameron Mcgusty
SF: Christian James/Rashard Odomes
PF: Khadeem Lattin/Dante Buford
C: Akolda Manyang/Jamuni Mcneace

Lots of talent, lots of athletic ability. They won't be the #1 team in the nation, but that team will have no problem making the dance and competing in the Big 12.

I'm pretty certain we'll start Buford and Lattin in the post next year. Hopefully Freeman is good enough to get some minutes as well.

That may be as talented a group of guards (on paper) as OU has ever had on campus at one time.

 

[sybarite]

The team will have one disadvantage. This year has an unusual assemblage of characters, a bunch of guard who can shoot from three or drive. It is a very heavily guard-oriented team. That is a bit different from the teams that most people face, and it probably results in their having to spend some time concentrating specifically on our style. Next year, we will be more traditional.

Isn't it a bit too soon to predict who might emerge to carry this team to similar heights as this year? I thought Hield would be good, but not this good I certainly didn't see this coming when he was a freshman. I didn't see Cousins becoming the team's floor leader, even last year---furthest thing from my mind.

 

[oudna]

I'm pretty certain we'll start Buford and Lattin in the post next year.

Agree

 

[BoulderSooner]

I would bet a ton that freeman is in the rotation

 

[Sooner04]

Next year is going to be a blast. I cannot wait to see how Kruger molds all these pieces together.

Those summer/fall practices will be fun to watch.

 

[skyvue]

I expect a pretty significant dropoff next season, but hopefully we'll all be patient as the team comes into its own. We have no one to fill Spangler's role, as far as I can see, and of course, our younger guards won't be as good as Buddy and Isiah have been. I hope Lattin can pick up his scoring, but we've seen no real evidence of that yet.

I'm very high on the future of OU hoops, but I fear next year may be a rebuilding year. But like Sooner04, I think it'll be a lot of fun to see the young players develop.

 

[AdaSooner]

It will be interesting to see if Matt Freeman breaks into that rotation now that he is practicing with the team this semester. Even Kristian Doolittle is having a breakout senior HS season and could contribute.

I think it will be fun to see how the new-look Sooners develop next season.

I'm glad you added Freeman and Doolittle to thebigabd's talented list. He must have run out of space or forgot about them.

I seem to be virtually alone in believing Freeman has a chance to compete for no worse than significant playing time by the start of conference play. I know we're counting on Lattin and Buford to improve their point production from the post. But, beyond those two where will our scoring come from with Spangler no longer around? I just don't see how you can keep a 6' 9" (6' 10" on some sites) player who can dribble and shoot the way he does on the bench for too long?

The bigabd is right about one thing. Next year's team will be loaded with talent at every position. Lattin, Woodard, and possibly Buford, appear to have the inside track on starting to begin the season. It's going to be a dogfight to fill the remaining spots, and the competition to keep your position will almost certainly be equally as intense. It's definitely going to be fun!

 

[WTSooner]

Be interesting to see who does NOT play next year, rather b/c of a redshirt, or just not cracking the rotation. No chance we go 12 deep on the rotation, more likely 8-9, with 10 being the most I would think. That leaves, currently, 2 scholarship players getting no time.

 

[usedtobe1]

I seem to be virtually alone in believing Freeman has a chance to compete for no worse than significant playing time by the start of conference play. I know we're counting on Lattin and Buford to improve their point production from the post. But, beyond those two where will our scoring come from with Spangler no longer around? I just don't see how you can keep a 6' 9" (6' 10" on some sites) player who can dribble and shoot the way he does on the bench for too long?

I agree with you. OU needs some post scoring and Freeman might be our best option. They could use him like Texas uses Lammert, and flash him out to the 3-point line.

I've been pleasantly surprised watching Freeman on the bench with the other players. He's as big as advertised and seems to be a good mix to the team chemistry. It's a luxury to have a 6'9" player with a legitimate outside shot and I'm sure Kruger will exploit that strength.

 

[coolm]

Next year is going to be a blast. I cannot wait to see how Kruger molds all these pieces together.

Those summer/fall practices will be fun to watch.

exactly. thats the difference between being a fan of the program or just going to some games.

I enjoy the build and the progress ... especially when it culminates in a nice season like this one has been!!

 

[152219]

Be interesting to see who does NOT play next year, rather b/c of a redshirt, or just not cracking the rotation. No chance we go 12 deep on the rotation, more likely 8-9, with 10 being the most I would think. That leaves, currently, 2 scholarship players getting no time.

Probably safe to assume that Doolittle doesn't play much and may even redshirt.

Will be interesting how much run McGusty and Strong get considering they will have the least amount of time in the system compared to the other guys.

Does Freeman crack the rotation?

Wouldn't surprise me if Grandstaff is starting next season along with Woodard, James, Buford, and Lattin.

 

[DenverSooner]

interesting that Bolden's impact wasn't even considered.

 

[cyberthoth]

Does anyone think McGusty might take on point guard duties ala Cousins this year? It seems we have a bunch of shooting guards.

 

[chuckb]

I'm glad you added Freeman and Doolittle to thebigabd's talented list. He must have run out of space or forgot about them.

I seem to be virtually alone in believing Freeman has a chance to compete for no worse than significant playing time by the start of conference play. I know we're counting on Lattin and Buford to improve their point production from the post. But, beyond those two where will our scoring come from with Spangler no longer around? I just don't see how you can keep a 6' 9" (6' 10" on some sites) player who can dribble and shoot the way he does on the bench for too long?

The bigabd is right about one thing. Next year's team will be loaded with talent at every position. Lattin, Woodard, and possibly Buford, appear to have the inside track on starting to begin the season. It's going to be a dogfight to fill the remaining spots, and the competition to keep your position will almost certainly be equally as intense. It's definitely going to be fun!

It's really going to be a lot of fun but some fans will need to temper their expectations. In some respects, it'll be one of our most talented teams ever but they're also going to be young and inexperienced and they'll make mistakes. With this year's success and the obvious talent on next year's team, some will be expecting too much. They'll get frustrated at the mistakes and overreact to them. It's definitely going to be fun watching them grow up as long as we remember to be patient with them.

 

[Max Power]

interesting that Bolden's impact wasn't even considered.

Unless I missed something, he hasn't committed yet. Hard to count on a guy that's not committed.

 

[AdaSooner]

It's really going to be a lot of fun but some fans will need to temper their expectations. In some respects, it'll be one of our most talented teams ever but they're also going to be young and inexperienced and they'll make mistakes. With this year's success and the obvious talent on next year's team, some will be expecting too much. They'll get frustrated at the mistakes and overreact to them. It's definitely going to be fun watching them grow up as long as we remember to be patient with them.

You're right, chuck. We're losing three starters and one of our first players off of the bench, not to mention the odds-on favorite for the Big 12 and national POY honors. That's a huge gap to fill.

So, anyone who thinks next year's group of talented youngsters are going to pick right up where this year's team left off may be in for a few disappointments along the way. The OU cupboard will definitely not be bare. But you don't lose the production and the experience of our current group of seniors without going through a frustrating period as they learn how to compete at a high level and adjust to the college game.