Predicted Starting Five for 2015-2016 season

[Herndon]

Aside from Dixon, I dont think these young bucks can contribute much. They might get some run, but my expectations are low on Deandre, Otis, and Kameron. However, these 3 are my Isaiah Tate all stars by year 3 or 4.

Sounds about right to me, although I can see Otis settling in as the backup PG and playing 10 minutes a night or so.

Starters
PG-Moore
SG- Holloway (although I still think he's better suited as a gunner off the bench)
SF-Mayimba????
PF-Jenkins
C-Shevon "Reggae 'n Rebounds" Thompson

Royal and Dixon come off the bench for bigs.

Side note: My dog's name is Otis. I will be unable to stop myself from "that's my dawg!" jokes every time Livingston does something good on-court.

 

[Dawgs99]

Sounds about right to me, although I can see Otis settling in as the backup PG and playing 10 minutes a night or so.

Starters
PG-Moore
SG- Holloway (although I still think he's better suited as a gunner off the bench)
SF-Mayimba????
PF-Jenkins
C-Shevon "Reggae 'n Rebounds" Thompson

Royal and Dixon come off the bench for bigs.

Side note: My dog's name is Otis. I will be unable to stop myself from "that's my dawg!" jokes every time Livingston does something good on-court.

I know Marko hasn't had the best career to date, but are we writing him off completely?

 

[Herndon]

I know Marko hasn't had the best career to date, but are we writing him off completely?

Oh, Hodor! No, I'm just a doofus who completely forgot about him.

I'm actually very curious to see how his skills translate to Paulsen's system.

 

[gmujim92]

Given his skill set, there is reason to believe that Marko will benefit more from the coaching change than any other player on our roster.

I could see him playing a big role as a face-up 4 who can help spread the floor and also keep the ball moving.

But then the problem becomes what to do with Jalen. He's one of our best players so he has to be on the court 25-30 mpg, but he was a turnover machine at the 3 under Hewitt.

Given our roster limitations, DP may have no choice but play Jalen at the 3 and live with the fact that while it's not a perfect fit on either end of the court, it's the best we can do at this point.

 

[MasonFanatic]

I asked Marko at the meet and greet if he had any goals for the season and he said "Just win."

 

[GSII]

I doubt DP starts the season and hopes the 3 position works out. Look for another late addition. Possibly from Europe.

 

[gmuEX]

I doubt DP starts the season and hopes the 3 position works out. Look for another late addition. Possibly from Europe.

Based on...

 

[GSII]

Based on the obvious need.

 

[ephoops]

I have followed DP's career since his first year as the HC at Williams.

DP is willing to start freshmen.

He started a freshman at PG at Williams in his first season coaching the team. He also started a freshman at SG. By DP's third season, that team won the D-3 National championship. The PG wound up with over 800 career assists and scored 1,500+ points on his career.

When that PG graduated, DP started another freshman at PG who started for the next four years. In DP's 8 seasons at Williams, he had two four-year starters at PG. One other point -- DP was a PG at Williams. The PG position is a key position in DP's offense.

His first recruiting class at Bucknell had three starters as freshman. That core group won three Patriot League regular season titles and went to two NCAA tourneys. This past season at Bucknell, he started three freshmen (a PG, SF and C). That team won the Patriot League regular season title.

I have no idea of the returning talent and have no idea how good the players are in this recruiting class. DP's teams will play very solid fundamental basketball. His teams typically rebound the ball on defense, do not turn the ball over on offense and do not look to force steals or turnover on the defensive end. He plays m-t-m defense almost exclusively, so players will need to be able to defend if they want to play. Case in point - On this year's Bucknell team, DP had a very skilled (offensively) SF who did not start immediately because he struggled initially on the defensive end. Once DP was comfortable that this player could compete on the defensive end in college, he inserted the player into the starting line up.

He will tweak his motion offense to maximize the talents of his players.

One underrated aspect of DP's coaching is his ability to develop big men. At Bucknell, Muscala came in as an under the radar, unheralded recruit. He had some skills but he definitely developed under DP's tutelage into an NBA player during his four years at Bucknell. In addition, the center on DP's national championship team at Williams played sparingly as a freshman in DP's first year. He became a first team All-American by his junior and senior years.

I expect there will be a lot of growing pains this next season. I would preach patience. DP has been successful at every level in his coaching career. I fully expect him to build the GM hoops program back to the top tier of the A-10. It will take time though...

 

[gmujim92]

I have followed DP's career since his first year as the HC at Williams.

DP is willing to start freshmen.

He started a freshman at PG at Williams in his first season coaching the team. He also started a freshman at SG. By DP's third season, that team won the D-3 National championship. The PG wound up with over 800 career assists and scored 1,500+ points on his career.

When that PG graduated, DP started another freshman at PG who started for the next four years. In DP's 8 seasons at Williams, he had two four-year starters at PG. One other point -- DP was a PG at Williams. The PG position is a key position in DP's offense.

His first recruiting class at Bucknell had three starters as freshman. That core group won three Patriot League regular season titles and went to two NCAA tourneys. This past season at Bucknell, he started three freshmen (a PG, SF and C). That team won the Patriot League regular season title.

I have no idea of the returning talent and have no idea how good the players are in this recruiting class. DP's teams will play very solid fundamental basketball. His teams typically rebound the ball on defense, do not turn the ball over on offense and do not look to force steals or turnover on the defensive end. He plays m-t-m defense almost exclusively, so players will need to be able to defend if they want to play. Case in point - On this year's Bucknell team, DP had a very skilled (offensively) SF who did not start immediately because he struggled initially on the defensive end. Once DP was comfortable that this player could compete on the defensive end in college, he inserted the player into the starting line up.

He will tweak his motion offense to maximize the talents of his players.

One underrated aspect of DP's coaching is his ability to develop big men. At Bucknell, Muscala came in as an under the radar, unheralded recruit. He had some skills but he definitely developed under DP's tutelage into an NBA player during his four years at Bucknell. In addition, the center on DP's national championship team at Williams played sparingly as a freshman in DP's first year. He became a first team All-American by his junior and senior years.

I expect there will be a lot of growing pains this next season. I would preach patience. DP has been successful at every level in his coaching career. I fully expect him to build the GM hoops program back to the top tier of the A-10. It will take time though...

I think most of the fan base is prepared to give DP all the time and space he needs to fix the clusterf*ck our program became under Hewitt.

I also think most of us are fully prepared to embrace the "growing pains," safe in the knowledge that the man has a plan and an objective and isn't just cruising through a 5-year contract for the payday.

After what we've watched for the past four seasons, slow and steady progress back to respectability will be a welcome change.

 

[GSII]

E, thx for the insight. At this level, if the talent is there, Im all for freshman playing if they can defend. Very excited, refreshed about the future.

 

[MasonFanatic]

He will tweak his motion offense to maximize the talents of his players.

He really IS the anti-Hewitt!