JotCast | ND Hoops summer chat 2025

Tom Noie

3:14

That will do it for today. Solid effort for early summer. Enjoy the rest of the season. We'll circle back maybe in August. If you have a question or comment that cannot wait, you can always drop me a note at tnoie@sbtinfo.com. Thanks!

2:57

Jim: Yes. Notre Dame doesn't hurt for money. What Notre Dame wants to do, what Notre Dame always has done, is win/compete on its own terms. On terms of being in the college athletics business, not the professional sports business (which college sports now is). That's what has made the all-in aspect of football such a stark contrast of what Notre Dame has always preached. Now, it's like, for football, do whatever it takes. Whatever. It. Takes. Other sports, it's do what they've always done. Stay within the margins and make sure, above all else, not to give the impression that Notre Dame puts more of an emphasis on athletics than it does academics.

Jim from Virginia

2:54

Thanks Tom for your quick response and doing these chats. More questions: How is it then that schools like Texas, South Carolina, LSU, etc., are able to support high level teams in multiple sports? Do they have that much more money to spend than ND?

Tom Noie

2:49

Jim: If anything, it would be more like 85 percent football, five percent men's basketball, five percent women's basketball and five percent other. If it's not football, the motto at Notre Dame is do more...and do it with less.

Jim from Virginia

2:48

I have read that ND's sports money will be divided, roughly, as follows: 75% for football, 15% for men's basketball, 5% for women's basketball and 5% for the other sports. Do you know if this estimate is even remotely accurate? !5% for men's basketball and 5% for women's basketball makes no sense given the stature of the two programs.

Tom Noie

2:48

IF: Anywhere but San Antonio. He's become just a guy - a guy with a nice paycheck, but a guy nonetheless. He doesn't have that one specific skill that separates him from someone else. That's how fast it happens (or doesn't) in that league. They draft on potential, and then figure out whether you'll hit that potential. Sometimes, it happens for guys on their second team. That has to happen for BW.

Illinois Fool

2:44

Especially after last night's NBA draft I don't see a future for Blake Wesley in San Antonio. What would be a good landing place for him?

Tom Noie

2:42

Where do we sign up?

Jeff from Schererville, IN

2:42

Here's to 27 more for you with several more seasons like 2015 and 2016 mixed in there!

Tom Noie

2:36

Two from the top of the memory bank - and it's a pretty deep bank. I didn't think Steven Adams would last as long as he did in the league. He was outplayed in his one year at Pittsburgh by Jack Cooley. Also, you could see sitting courtside that night in 2017 that Jayson Tatum was the best player in the draft. His top-three pick started that night against Notre Dame in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship. The two opponents you could tell were one-and-dones were Carmelo Anthony and Zion Williamson. Best shooter ever saw? Ray Allen. And best pro from Notre Dame remains Troy Murphy. First time I saw him play, in The Pit the summer before his freshman year, I thought, 10-year. The dude was just different. Sooooo many guys through 27 years. And counting!

Jeff from Schererville, IN

2:33

Since it's NBA Draft time and you've seen countless players over the years, who's the one guy (ND or opponent) who has surprised you the most after he made the leap to the NBA, like you thought he was good but not THAT good.

Tom Noie

2:23

Jeff: Anything is possible schedule-wise, though it may be more important for Notre Dame to get good enough to the point where it can get back to Madison Square Garden for a Jimmy V event than playing Purdue. Those exhibition games with Butler and DePaul matter in that you're seeing where you stand against other Division I teams, not some token Division III scrimmage.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

2:21

Agreed with what you said. Is home and home with Purdue still a possibility down the road after ND improves? I know there was chatter about that for awhile and they'd be the preferred in-state home and home opponent. If IU comes to town that is the 2000 Nebraska football game all over again. Smart exhibition games with Butler and DePaul too for whatever you can glean from exhibitions.

Tom Noie

2:10

Jeff: I know Micah Shrewsberry is of the mindset of playing anybody, anywhere, anytime, but I'd like to see that dialed back a bit, at least until Notre Dame can be a team that can win three, four, five, six, seven straight. Notre Dame scheduled over its collective head during Shrewsberry's first two years. The most important aspect of this schedule is for this team to get confidence - and get wins. Get them at home, then carry that over to road games in league play. Notre Dame shouldn't be in such a hurry to play here and play there and play anywhere against anyone. Get good first, then get that schedule where it should be.

Jeff from Schererville, IN

2:08

Thanks for having the chats, Tom, and as a season-ticket holder for the last 10 years or so, I second, third, fourth just about everything that has been said about the in-game experience beyond the actual basketball. When it comes to scheduling, it seems like teams will have 2 extra games to fill with the ACC going from 20 games to 18. I know ND is back in Vegas for the 3-game Players Era event (and 17 teams will join them this year), will host Missouri in the ACC-SEC thing and presumably visit Ohio St in the first of a home-and-home. Should we expect the other 8 to be (allegedly, see Cornell and Elon) easier home games? If they're smart they'll play a couple of them on the Friday nights before the Navy and Syracuse FB games to get more people in the stands. I think it's sensible for where is program is right now but I wouldn't mind seeing one more notable opponent in there someplace. What say you?

Tom Noie

1:31

E: Here's what Notre Dame would say - it's none of your business. The 2024-25 team failed to reach expectations but we're moving on to a new season with a new roster. You or me or the fence post will never get a true/accurate explanation why last season went so sideways.

1:29

I hope you don’t regard this as a silly question, much less call it one, But I still want to know from ND Athletics WHAT happened with the collapse of the women’s basketball team over the last 5-6 games or so of last season. I am a season ticket holder, and I’ve read your informed speculation about what happened, but recall nothing from the team itself. I know that team management is always incredibly close-mouthed about injuries, and that’s OK, but this issue transcends injuries. I just felt like something happened behind the scenes that stopped the team’s incredible march through an amazing season dead in its tracks, and an honest accounting of what happened has been and continues to be withheld. Thoughts?

Tom Noie

1:25

Jet: We'll keep this as straight forward as possible, but have you paid any attention to the way of the college basketball world the past few years? What happened when four Notre Dame players transferred was not unique. It was par for the course. Players are allowed to leave whenever they want and do not have to sit out before playing for their new school. Those four wanted to leave, so they left. Nothing new. Because it happened at Notre Dame, Notre Dame fans are left dumbfounded. Like, there has to be this secret reason. Welcome to college athletics, 2025...and beyond

THE JET FROM EVANSVILLE

1:22

What do we know about why Miles, Koval, Risch, and Watson transferred?

Tom Noie

1:22

Fritz: Both the Notre Dame men's and women's basketball rosters are likely finalized for 2025-26.

Fritz Frommeyer

1:21

Are any additional players being sought for ND’s women’s team, or is the roster set for the 25-26 season?

Tom Noie

1:21

Oscar: Notre Dame women's basketball will be competitive in 2025-26. Will Notre Dame women's basketball be successful in 2025-26? Not sure, at least not to the levels that you've come to expect. There's been no word either way on the availability of Leah Macy for 2025-26.

Oscar

1:20

How competitive do you feel the ND women will be this year with only 11 players and do you anticipate Leah Macy contributing this year? Go Irish!

Tom Noie

1:16

John: Micah Shrewsberry has known Jon Sanderson for years. Not sure there was ever an idea that the two would work together at Notre Dame. Miskinis was Shrewsberry's strength coach at Penn State and had long worked with Braeden. He was expected to be here for the long haul, until he wasn't. Brian Snow left, in part, because he and Grady Eifert shared similar recruiting job titles. Notre Dame being Notre Dame was like, why are we playing two people to essentially do the same job? Think it's safe to say that Brian Snow wanted to work for Micah Shrewsberry, but didn't want to work for Notre Dame. Pat Garrity needed to be added because that's the way of the college athletics world - your program needs a general manager to handle everything programs have to handle.

john from naperville

1:12

Tom- thanks for the Chat. Two questions: 1) You mentioned Miskinis being unhappy getting dumped other duties, was brining in Sanderson part of an amicable break or more Sandersons connections with HS recruits? 2) was Brian Snow's departure a direct result of bringing on Garrity for essentially the same role? Snow and Shrews had been close for years, so was wondering what cause the split there

Tom Noie

1:11

...it's clear that Notre Dame is structured to do anything/everything to win a national championship in football. Administration aligned? Check. Facilities? Check. Staff salaries? Check. Go and win. Now, ask those football "donors," hey, how about a little something for men's basketball? That program could be good. You'd be told, yeah, not happening. Notre Dame basketball has always operated in football's shadow. That will continue. They're not equals. Not even close. Notre Dame football is a national brand. Basketball is over here on the side. And not believe in Shrewsberry? More of knowing how that place works. Let me flip it - what is YOUR ceiling for this program? I'd point to 2015 and say, 32-6, Elite Eight, ACC Tournament title, national buzz, that's about as good as it's going to get, whoever the coach.

1:06

Andrew: Four hours in and the first call out....love it! What took so long?

This answer could go on for pages and page and take hours to craft, but I'll try to be brief. If Notre Dame was serious about being serious about its men's basketball program, it would've followed the blueprint of Louisville last season. When Micah Shrewsberry arrived, he had three returning players on his roster. A program that believes it should be elite would allow the head coach to rebuild the roster by any means necessary. Notre Dame rebuilt its roster with one transfer from Northwestern and another from Penn State. That's it. It followed the second year by deepening said roster with transfers from ... Princeton, Monmouth and Lehigh. This year? Northern Arizona and Madonna. Tells you a lot about what Notre Dame thinks of quick fixes. The portal will rarely (i.e. never) be an option. If not the first three years, then when? You mention Notre Dame football and basketball together. The programs aren't even on the same plane

Andrew from RI

1:01

Hey Tom don’t mean to call u out but you said this earlier in the chat “Brey guy who took Notre Dame to places it had no business being.” You have also voiced you don’t believe ND can really use the portal(recent history would backup your claim). Based on these comments I feel you don’t believe the ceiling for this program is very high. Why is that? This is Notre Dame, sorry to everyone else in athletics but that name alone should really make your ceiling unlimited. Program has history too? Football has donors so the money is here? Just don’t beilive is shrews?

Tom Noie

12:39

Mike: I'd go with super-touted. We don't know how talented this group is. Yet.

Mike in St. Pete

12:39

The biggest advantage of having a super-talented freshman class isn't necessarily how many minutes they'll play this year, but how they'll be able to push the starters in practice. Tough to handle the Cooper Flaggs of the ACC (glad he's gone!) when you can't replicate that game in practice. I'm looking forward to a more exciting product this season!

Tom Noie

12:39

Jim: Fair. And, honestly, true. The easiest explanation would be to say how much more experienced/talented this roster is than when Micah Shrewsberry first walked in the door, but you know what would've impressed the hell out of a lot of people who know hoops? Had Shrewsberry taken that roster his first year, and then taken that roster he had, one that was depleted by injury last year, and figured out a way to make chicken salad out of chicken #@$%^. Then we could've seen - and said - OK, there's something there. What sets one coach apart from all the rest is the coach who stares down the barrel of long/impossible odds and still figures out a way to win a game that he has no business winning. Like, that team has better players and/or pros? Fine, watch this .... That's what we haven't seen (or seen too rarely) over the first two seasons. So, why should anyone be confident that this season is the season we see it? Maybe because we kind of have to see it, right?

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

12:34

After what has taken place over the last two seasons, why should anyone have confidence that Micah can figure out how to get a productive offense to mesh with a solid defense simultaneously? Thus far, there have been no indications that he can do that.

Tom Noie

12:09

True.

joe from the south side

12:09

Tom, I don't hold my breath on functional bigs. They are like DE and DTs in FB. There are maybe 3 or 4 kids who come out of HS and are ready to contribute Day 1 at the D1 level. Those guys go to Georgia, Ohio St., LSU etc......ND has 2 options. Luck into an Atkinson type transfer or take a project like Anheman and hope he stays long enough to develop into something. I think where Shrews missed the boat is that these guys are like QBs. You have to take one almost every year and certainly every other year. It's too easy to transfer out and then you are back to square one.

Tom Noie

12:09

Pete: Not sure if this is a men's basketball or a women's basketball question, but both rosters are now what they will be in the fall. No additions to either program are expected.

Pete from Berrien Springs

12:08

Is the team still looking for an experienced guard from the transfer portal or is the roster set for 25/26

Tom Noie

12:07

Traci: Thank you for being a voice of reason. Example No. 3678 why I try to do as little with recruiting as possible. They're high school kids. I have no idea who or what they're going to be in two, three, four years, let alone when they arrive on campus. I will say that a head coach's kid, in any sport, has a way tougher time than his classmate. Especially if said head coach has struggled the way Micah Shrewsberry has for two years. No more Nick Shrewsberry talk for today.

Traci, Columbus

12:05

Let's keep our conversations/questions to ND Hoops summer chat 2025, and not bad talking Nick Shrewsberry. He has not had an offer from ND, so not sure why a grown adult is commenting so negatively.

Tom Noie

12:05

Be a capable/quality Division I college basketball player, one who is in shape, avoids injury and starts to show his myriad skills that made him a Top 50 recruit. That never happened for Mohammed last season, and right from the start where lingering knee pain shut him down before he showed anything. He has a chance to show a ton this year.

Clint, Winnipeg

12:03

What are realistic expectations for Sir Mohammed this season?

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