Report: Jordan Tolbert to leave Texas Tech

[SoonerTraveler]

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews...comes-second-player-to-depart-this-week.html/

Tolbert’s pending transfer from the program marks the second player departure in the span of three days. Sophomore guard Dusty Hannahs was granted his release Monday.

Tolbert had become a fan favorite in Lubbock, and he was known for his athletic dunks and strong inside play during a tumultuous time for Red Raider hoops.

He averaged 10.7 points per game this season, and he was one of Texas Tech’s mainstays the past three years as the program has had four coaches in as many years.

The 6-foot-7 forward’s transfer should come as a blow to a program trying to rebuild under coach Tubby Smith, who guided the Red Raiders to a 14-18 record. Texas Tech went 6-12 in Big 12 Conference play, with wins over four NCAA Tournament teams (Baylor, Texas, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State). Texas Tech had not made the NCAA Tournament since the 2006-07 season under Bob Knight.

The Red Raiders will return only one scholarship player who began his career at Texas Tech: soon-to-be redshirt junior Toddrick Gotcher. Walk-ons Luke Adams and Clark Lammert (who will both be seniors in the fall) and Gotcher are the only returning players with more than one year playing experience with the Red Raiders.

Tolbert went to All Saints Episcopal in Fort Worth, where he was a three-star recruit. He chose Texas Tech over the likes of SMU, Arizona State, Colorado and Creighton.

With Tolbert and Hannahs’ departures, the Red Raiders will be without four of their top five scorers from the 2013-14 season. Robert Turner, who averaged 9.3 points per game this season, will be the Red Raiders’ highest-scoring returner.

http://collegesportsblog.dallasnews...comes-second-player-to-depart-this-week.html/

 

[AdaSooner]

Ouch! That's huge for TTU. I saw on a web site I was on yesterday that Tubby has gone the JUCO route with two commitments for next season. This explains a lot.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Basketball transfers from D-1 schools are so commonplace anymore. I think there were more than 300 last year.

 

[Northbase]

They all want to transfer to Wichita State. LOL

 

[BigTime]

That is a big lose for tech

 

[TheGimper]

For anyone interested Tolbert is transferring to SMU. Good pick up for them. They shouldn't miss the tournament next year.

 

[thebigabd]

undersized power forward. I don't think it's a huge loss. Tech will have 6-7 new players coming in next year, so should be another rough year unless all these juco guys they are signing are of the Taj Gray/Terrell Everett variety in terms of immediate impact.

 

[MercedeSooner]

For anyone interested Tolbert is transferring to SMU. Good pick up for them. They shouldn't miss the tournament next year.

Is Larry Brown really the main impetus behind all of this ? Guy is getting top 10 recruits and taking solid players from other schools now. Call me jealous.

 

[DenverSooner]

Is Larry Brown really the main impetus behind all of this ? Guy is getting top 10 recruits and taking solid players from other schools now. Call me jealous.

He is pretty old and has moved around so much I am surprised kids know about him and want to play for him. I guess he can sell his NBA experience and championship season at Detroit.

 

[SoonerTraveler]

Larry Brown, age 73, is an interesting basketball man.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Brown_(basketball)

Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown (born September 14, 1940) is an American basketball coach, who is currently the head coach at Southern Methodist University. He is the faculty advisor for the student spirit group supporting the campus's athletics programs named "The MOB," as Brown is known as "The Godfather." Before coaching, Brown played collegiately at the University of North Carolina and professionally in the American Basketball Association (ABA). He has been a college and professional basketball coach since 1972. He has won over 1,000 professional games in the ABA and the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is the only coach in NBA history to lead eight different teams to the playoffs. He is also the only person ever to coach two NBA franchises in the same season (San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Clippers during the 1991-92 NBA season). He is 1,275–965 in his career. He is also the only coach in history to win both an NCAA National Championship (University of Kansas, 1988) and an NBA Championship (Detroit Pistons, 2004).

***

Brown's first head coaching job was at Davidson College in North Carolina in 1969. Unfortunately for Wildcat fans, it would only last during the summer offseason and he never coached a game. Brown moved on to the ABA and coached with the Carolina Cougars and then the Denver Nuggets, who later joined the NBA in 1976, for five and a half seasons from 1974 to 1979. He then moved on to coach for UCLA (1979–1981), leading his freshman-dominated 1979–80 team to the NCAA title game before falling to Louisville, 59–54. However, that appearance was later vacated by the NCAA after two players were found to be ineligible—one of the few times a Final Four squad has had its record vacated. Brown was the head coach for the NBA's New Jersey Nets for two years following that, from 1981 to 1983.

***

 

[thebigabd]

Apparently Tech won't miss Tolbert too much. 6'6'' power forward and now they are bringing in some 6'9'' 245 forwards that look pretty solid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fml9O3El4bE&feature=player_detailpage#t=10

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wCzLQ2VFgA[/ame]

 

[MNsooner]

undersized power forward. I don't think it's a huge loss. Tech will have 6-7 new players coming in next year, so should be another rough year unless all these juco guys they are signing are of the Taj Gray/Terrell Everett variety in terms of immediate impact.

You can't judge how good a player is by how tall he is. Tolbert was a productive player in a major conference. Most JUCO players aren't ready to produce like Tolbert did and losing continuity usually hurts. I think you're right that unless some of these JUCO guys turn out to be on the caliber of Taj Gray/Terrell Everett Tech is probably going to struggle again next season.

Edit: based on that highlight I don't think kid is ready to step in and play. He has the size, but the body control and footwork were disastrous. He is definitely a project.

 

[campbest]

If the video has a guy coaching in cargo shorts, I will remain skeptical.

 

[JBaker]

Apparently Tech won't miss Tolbert too much. 6'6'' power forward and now they are bringing in some 6'9'' 245 forwards that look pretty solid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fml9O3El4bE&feature=player_detailpage#t=10

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wCzLQ2VFgA

They won't miss a guy who averaged 10 and 6 in the Big 12 because they're bringing in a freshman recruit ranked 350th in the nation?