JotCast | Notre Dame hoops chat - June 2020

Notre Dame hoops chat - June 2020

Thomas Noie

1:38

Thanks to everyone who joined today....gotta cut it a little short to jump on sports department Zoom conference call. We'll circle back around to hoops sometime in July. Until then, take care and stay healthy!

1:36

True, but all before mid-December....would've been nice to see how they bounced back/figured it out fully healthy in league play. Sometimes, it's good for teams who think they're really good (they were ranked No. 5 at one point) to get their lunch handed to them. Makes them better come February and March. But the Michigan State loss was really the beginning of the end.

John from Connecticut

1:34

I think I they had what it takes to make the sweet sixteen, but they were a little overrated in my opinion. They lost at home to Ball State, lost to a bad Indiana team, and lost by 18 to Michigan State.

Thomas Noie

1:25

TJ: Recently spent about 90 minutes with Brey as his custom for our offseason routine. He boasted that he had the best tan he'd had since he was 12 years old and swimming in outdoor pools back in his native Maryland. The last few years have been hard for him, basketball-wise and personally. The Irish were awful two years ago and good but never good enough last year. He lost both his mentor, Morgan Wootten, and fellow DeMatha alum Bob Whitmore within five months. Brey's in a better space mentally. Like, the pandemic helped him get in shape, get his juice back and rekindle his passion for coaching. He almost seems recharged to chase fixing this thing. Sooner than later.

toledojohnny from Ga.

1:22

Tom - How is Mike Brey? He looked a little over weight and disheveled last. I was starting to worry about depression or something. Hope he's better. I think he will be a good game analyst for television when the time comes.

Thomas Noie

1:22

John: Bonzie Colson becomes the first Notre Dame player to earn Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year. He and Matt Farrell are first team all-league guys. The Irish challenge for one of the four double-byes in the league tournament, get back to the NCAA tournament a fourth-straight season and get to at least the Sweet 16. Colson would've been a March Madness media star who eventually gets drafted that summer. D.J. Harvey finds his niche and doesn't transfer. The Irish lost a lot when that 2017-18 season turned on Colson's broken foot.

John from Connecticut

1:20

How do you think the 2017-2018 season would have unfolded if Bonzie and others didn’t get hurt?

Thomas Noie

1:20

IF: All on videotape, Zoom and phone calls with coaches. ...totally old school. Might be one of the reasons why the recruiting class may be Konieczny, Wesley and a possible transfer.

Illinois Fool

1:20

Late to the Chat so sorry if this has been asked, how has recruiting and assessment of players changed due to the pandemic? With no summer tourneys I'd imagine many have to go by game tape and word of mouth. Also thanks for all of the articles you've been writing since the shutdown. The rankings of arenas was my favorite thus far.

Thomas Noie

12:48

Joe: Yep...and it's time. That's the message to Durham and the juniors. Let's go. No tiptoeing around. You go from three wins in the league as freshmen to 10 as sophomores. Now play this non-league schedule to prepare you to get 12-13 ACC wins. Everyone gets thumped at Rupp....the Sweet 16 team of 2003 got pounded there....it worked out well enough for them. Big Ten team wins in South Bend? Might happen, especially if there are no fans. That gives Irish hope to be better on the road in league play. We're about to enter a college basketball season like no other. What's it all going to look like? Will be fascinating to see it unfold. Same goes for the Irish.

Joe from the south side

12:45

you can usually read Brey based on his non-league schedule. With the way he is loaded up in November and December he must have a great deal of confidence in this squad. That said I can’t imagine this team is brimming with confidence after the last few seasons. There are a lot of questions about JD, the bench, consistent scoring......what if they get thumped at Rupp? Some Big 10 team beats them in south bend? For a guy who schedules conservatively isn’t Brey pushing the chips all in pretty early?

Thomas Noie

12:45

Justin: Answering anything about the freshman trio of Elijah Taylor, Matt Zona and Tony Sanders is like asking questions about what the college football/basketball seasons will look like during a pandemic. I don't know. Wrote earlier this month in the Tribune (shameless plug/link: https://tinyurl.com/yahg45hr) about how important summer was for the freshmen. It's the first chance you can see exactly how they may fit. Like, this kid can play, or man, that guy's gotta get in the weightroom lab. Going off high school stats/film isn't enough. No idea on any of the three. If I had to choose one, I'd say Taylor with his body type/skills will get the first chance. We'll see.

Justin, Fort Wayne

12:40

Do you see Elijah Taylor making an impact this season and if so where do you see him making the biggest impact?

Thomas Noie

12:34

Joe: Got that Carmody scouting report down! Expect him to do the same, but two years of season-ending injury, don't know how he'll respond.

Joe from the south side

12:33

Carmody is Ben hansborough from the neck up. 8 points 3 assists one night, three steals three rebounds the next. He’s a utility infielder with a big motor. His game will be rusty. His motor will not. I expect him to dive into the stands to save a loose ball ........in his first practice!

Thomas Noie

12:30

David: Demetrius Jackson's draft stock never was going to be any higher than it was in 2016. He was the team's leading scorer. He was coming off back to back Elite Eights. He had no choice. If he was going to try and be an NBA guy, that was the time to go. Everyone knew it. The window would've closed had he stayed. At the time, there were some respected mock drafts that had Jackson a Top 20 pick. But he was too small for a lot of teams' liking. Boston took him middle of the second round and gave him a lot of upfront money. But he never could take his game from college to the pros. Tried in Houston. Tried in Philadelphia. Tried this year with Los Angeles Lakers' G League team. He tried. Thing is, the next wave of NBA guys arrives and he gets bumped down the league ladder. Then the next guys. Then the next. He's basically maxed out the G League thing. If Europe's not an option, maybe going back to school and getting the degree is. He gave it a shot. It didn't work. He's been good with his money. It happens.

David from WI

12:25

Hey Tom - are you surprised Demetrius Jackson only had 1 year in the NBA? Surprised he left school early? What was coaching staff's reaction to it? Seems silly he left early only to be a mid 2nd round pick and then spend 1 yr in BOS mostly in G league, especially with his elite athleticism

Thomas Noie

12:25

James: Great question, and Jerian's situation, career arc isn't all that uncommon. He parlayed one really good/All-American year (2014-15) into a first-round draft pick and guaranteed three-year deal. Instant millionaire. But bad fit in New York and in Chicago in his first two stops. A lot of stuff that can mess with a young guy's head. Orlando gave him every chance to have that starting job. It didn't work out for him. It just happens. It was good to see him put up solid numbers in the G League with Washington's affiliate - 16.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists. Like, that was the guy he was his final season at Notre Dame. Hopefully that earns him another chance. You only get so many in that league before teams move on to the next college senior to hit it big his final college year....

James from NJ

12:22

Hi Tom - what happened to Jerian Grant? Shocked he's out of the league already. Any news on if he will be back in NBA next year?

Thomas Noie

12:21

Mike: Think Ben Hansbrough 2.0. He's got that in his game. He's got some Pat Connaughton in him. Some Chris Quinn. I know it's June and it's a pandemic, but I'm all in on Cormac Ryan being a key guy for the next three seasons. He just seems to have "it" whatever "it" is. Guys responded to him last year when he was on the bench and in practice situations. He'll make a lot of shots. He was hurt that year at Stanford but tried to play through it. Can't wait to see him on the floor.

Mike from Chicago

12:19

Tom, what are the expectations for Cormac Ryan? Any analysis of his playing style or who he reminds you of? His shooting splits were horrendous at Stanford but played through injury and is seen as a good shooter

Thomas Noie

12:18

JT: Honestly, nobody really knows. Carmody's a tough kid who's not afraid to stick his nose into other people's business on the basketball court. The Irish can never have enough of that. Thing is, he's played so sparingly the first two years (187 total minutes in 16 games) that he remains a blank slate to just about everybody.

JT Abilene TX

12:15

Will Carmody add much that the team doesn’t already have? Sounds like a similar player to much of the existing roster.

Thomas Noie

12:15

Mark: Prentiss Hubb already has the keys to the car and the car and the designated sweet parking spot. He had them last year, when Mike Brey often referred to Hubb as his Patrick Mahomes. Like, this is your team. Run with it. But vocally? All the juniors are a little on the quiet side, so it remains to be seen how that vocal leadership unfolds. Would say that Cormac Ryan would be the most natural vocal leader, but guy's gotta at least play in a game first. That's why summer was so critical for these guys. Those roles would be established in the evening pickup sessions.

Mark Kruz from Mishawaka

12:13

Tom who do you see as the vocal leader for the upcoming season? I can see coach Brey handing the keys over to Prentice Hubb. Also do you see assistant coach Rod Balanis looking to interview for another head coaching job if one would happen to be open?

Thomas Noie

12:13

TJ: Sounds good to me...and it Mike Brey. That would be the starting five if the season opened tonight. What the rotation looks like behind them? To be determined. And what it looks like in November and December might be different for how it will look in January and February. What this roster allows are more potential options than running the same six or seven out there like last year.

toledojohnny from Ga.

12:12

How does Hubb, Ryan, Goodwin, Laszewski and Durham sound for a starting 5?

Thomas Noie

12:12

Irish: Touched a lot on Carmody earlier...so scroll up...or down, depending on how this chat flows. Think the first expectation for him is to make to January healthy. Then start to knock some of the rust off his game. He's been with the program for two full years and has played in one ACC game (last year's opener at North Carolina). And he does have four full years of eligibility remaining, which means he'd be a six-year guy. All indications are that he's on track to be on track when October arrives.

IrishWay - Denver

12:09

Tom, thanks for the chat. What’s the word on Robby Carmody and expectation for this season? Was his injury worse than Rex’s? We he be full strength in October? Love the energy he brings and pulling for him. Does he technically have 4 years of eligibility left after back to back seasons cut short?

Thomas Noie

12:09

Justin: Not necessarily his post-up game, but maybe just his feel closer to the basket. As a freshman, he was a spot-up and shoot guy. A spacer. He started to trend away from that last season, when he finished with the second most rebounds on the team and second most defensive rebounds (124). He developed a better base where he wasn't tossed around as easily as he was when he was a freshman. Of his 195 shot attempts, 129 came from 3. He's not going to be a traditional back-to-the-basket/jump hook guy, but maybe mix in a little more mid-range. Linger down the baseline and go up for a dunk/finish/get fouled. We might see more of an all-around game from him this season.

Justin, Fort Wayne

12:06

Tom, do you see Nate improving his post game and down low game a little more so he can be more of a true big man or do you see him just continuing to knock down threes and be a nice floor spacer?

Thomas Noie

11:51

You also then have to wonder how long is long enough to wait on guys that keyed the 2014-15 run in Pat Connaughton and Jerian Grant? Both should go in together, something Brey might want to make happen before he coaches his last game....whenever that may be.

11:50

Vic's back for more! And with the heat, too. Well played. This one's always a tricky one because there's really no right or wrong answer. Purely subjective. With that in mind, also remember that this is a Mike Brey baby. The head coach has the ultimate say on who should go in and when. Brey wanted Bob Whitmore (rest in peace) before he could no longer battle pancreatic cancer. So Whitmore went in. Brey wanted Kelly Tripucka, so Tripucka went in last winter. Who's next? Let's look at the Top 10 scorers in school history. Six of the 10 are in...the four not? Chris Thomas (2,195), Pat Garrity (2,085), Matt Carroll (1,850) and David Graves (1,746). All-time greats? Think John Shumate, LaPhonso Ellis, John Paxson among those on the short list. But if the last two have been "old guard" guys in Whitmore and Tripucka, have to think the next guy in is more recent. In that case, it would be Garrity or Thomas. Take your pick...

Victor K.

11:45

Who would be your next selection for the ring of honor?

Thomas Noie

11:44

TJ: It might just be a maxed out player potential/production thing. Every player has a ceiling. We certainly saw it last year with John Mooney and Rex Pflueger and T.J. Gibbs. That's why when there was all the talk about, ooohh, maybe the seniors will get another shot at this college basketball thing, Mike Brey was adamant that they didn't. Like, nothing against those guys, but it's time they move on, time for the program to move on? Why? Myriad reasons, but man, it's one hard sell to have to watch them again. The Irish were going to be only so good (not good enough) with them. It's just the way it is. Same with Nik. He's a good locker room guy who preaches the message and works. He's had chances, but just hasn't delivered. Every program has those kind of guys. They tried, it didn't work. It may all come together this year. It might not. Why? Ceiling's been reached.

toledojohnny from Ga.

11:41

Hi Tom - Nick Djogo has great elevation and movement. I just want so badly for him to put it all together. Is it a confidence thing? Can he put it all together this year?

Thomas Noie

11:41

Mark: Hitting me where it hurts there at the end....no rims on the playgrounds means no summer pickup for us church-league guys. I get why, but man, days like today, there's no better place to be than getting up and down on the blacktop with the fellas. Maybe soon....good to see Mike Brey ready to challenge his guys a little more in the non-conference. He wouldn't have played this slate the last two years, but maybe knows/think something about his guys that the rest of us don't. Honestly, it's time for them to collectively make a move and be better. Howard also will play a non-league game at Notre Dame in late December. There's a couple other spots open but Brey didn't seem concerned about filling them. And there's no word or worry about canceling games. We'll get a clearer idea on that as October arrives. Where are we in the world? Then the sports world? College football? That will be an indication as to how college hoops will move forward.

Mark Kruz from Mishawaka

11:37

Tom thanks for having this chat and hope you're staying safe. This season's non-conference schedule is shaping up to be a nice test before ACC play with Kentucky,Purdue,the Legends Classic in Brooklyn and the Big 10/ACC challenge. Also 2 really good mid-majors in Liberty and Eastern Washington. Any word on other teams filling out the non-conference schedule and is it possible some games could be cancelled due to the pandemic? Hope you get to start your pick up games soon!

Thomas Noie

11:37

Andrew: Good call on CQ, who maxed it out that one year (2007-08) with the Miami Heat. An undrafted free agent, Quinn appeared in 60 games and made 25 starts. He averaged 7.8 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 22.3 minutes per game. He played 66 games for the Heat, all off the bench, the following year then bounced around. Best part of his time with the Heat was cementing a bond with the team's video guy, then player development coach, Erik Spoelstra. He's now one of Spoelstra's main assistants. One reason he didn't jump at chance to return to Notre Dame as an assistant couple years ago was he sees himself as a future NBA head coach. One of the best guys to come through Notre Dame - and he was Mike Brey's first true recruit.

Andrew from Plymouth, IN

11:34

Since Matt Carroll wasn't a Brey recruit, the only other guy I can think of in recent memory to make any kind of NBA impact was Chris Quinn. He had a pretty good run, it was short, but he played really well at times. Jerian Grant didn't play as well as we thought he would and Jack Cooley probably should've gotten more run, he always delivered when he got an opportunity. I think Ben Hansbrough could've carved out a role on the end of the bench but I don't think he was interested in that.

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