Good luck to Jared, but he was hampered by the fact that he couldn't play defense at this level. He averaged 9.1 fouls/40. His 8.3% from 3-point range doesn't exactly profile to the stretch 4 type player that the coaching staff prefers at that position and he's not really big enough to play the 5. Could be a nice player at the mid-major level.
Jones to the transfer portal
- Thread starter ellabrockway
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Good luck to Jared, but he was hampered by the fact that he couldn't play defense at this level. He averaged 9.1 fouls/40. His 8.3% from 3-point range doesn't exactly profile to the stretch 4 type player that the coaching staff prefers at that position and he's not really big enough to play the 5. Could be a nice player at the mid-major level.
Disappointing. Really like how hard the kid played and the skill he showed in limited minutes. Always hurts to lose a big 10 caliber rotation player.
I've seen some 7-footers you can't teach it to. (Kyle Rowley)
Jones would have benefited from a redshirt year like what those two guys had. But he is more athletic than Young and with some development would have been good off the bench in the upcoming season. He was not someone who was clearly outmatched the moment he entered the game. Just because he wasn't going to be an all-American doesn't mean he's not a loss for the program. If we're going to be a developmental program as has often been said, we have to keep guys long enough to develop them, even if "solid rotation guy" is as far as they get.
Bummer, thought he looked like a solid future role player as an junior. College basketball (and particularly the transfers) is just so, so random these days. At the rate that every single program suffers off-season attrition these says, it’s essentially impossible to project what “next year” will look like. You just can’t take roster continuity for granted anymore because it’s a foregone conclusion that guys are going to leave.
Coaches have known this for years, but fans can’t seem to stop thinking it’s still 2007 and they freak out every time a kid transfers. It’s definitely a bummer, but it’s so universal I don’t think it says anything about Collins, necessarily.
Coaches have known this for years, but fans can’t seem to stop thinking it’s still 2007 and they freak out every time a kid transfers. It’s definitely a bummer, but it’s so universal I don’t think it says anything about Collins, necessarily.
That would seem to throw cold water on the "just because he's in the portal doesn't mean he's gone" idea...
This guy was potentially a lot better than the previous guys who transferred. NU isn’t for everyone. Leaving campus 2 months early I am sure didn’t help any.
What’s sad is that that photo was taken 15 minutes before tipoff.
When did the quarter end?
Also, I stick with my original theory (hope also) that both major sports are going to see some out-of-the-box departures and commitments b/c of the pandemic. Some will want the security of being close to home.
Also, I stick with my original theory (hope also) that both major sports are going to see some out-of-the-box departures and commitments b/c of the pandemic. Some will want the security of being close to home.
I wish he would have stayed, because with his athleticism, he would have had a chance to be a key guy for the program as he continued to develop. It sucks to lose players to transfer, but no program is immune to it at this point, and there may be more if the immediate eligibility on the first transfer rule passes.
I think the days of most guys staying at the same school for 4 years is dying a slow death, which sucks! It’s the basketball world that we’re living in now.
I think the days of most guys staying at the same school for 4 years is dying a slow death, which sucks! It’s the basketball world that we’re living in now.
Agreed well miss him, but the hope is we’ve got some major talent coming in and we’ll see a big step up from Nance and Beran.
Who knows but there’s some talk on that post about Dayton.
I think this sums it. From a basketball point of view. Of course other reasons like being closer to home, not believing in the coach, etc, could be the main factor in his decision.
Leaving after one year is, to me, very puzzling though. You are either a kid unwilling to fight and prove that you can play (regardless of who’s coming in), which shows lack of grit, or you have problems with the place you’re in. As an NU fan I hope it’s the former.
Teddy said a source indicated he was concerned about minutes behind Young and Nance.
Miss the days of kids actually wanting to compete for minutes vs immediately cutting bait.
The transfer thing is almost getting out of hand in NCAA bball. Maybe they should only allow kids to transfer after two years in a program unless the coach leaves or a few other circumstances.
Let's see where he ends up, but this is troubling to me. If UNC and Virginia think he can contribute, then I have real concerns about our talent development/identification. My mind is still blown by the fact that we could have had Saddiq Bey (lottery pick) but turned him down for Kopp (not sure if that's a fact but that's what I read on this board).
PPD, that would make a lot of sense, particularly with Nicholson coming in. Truth be told, I was never much impressed with Jones, despite sharing the same last name. His defense was not very good, he fouled too much and he rarely blocked out well for rebounding purposes. He seems like a good kid and I wish him well, but won't miss him.
But assuming you don't have a shot at professional basketball why would you trade a Northwestern degree for a lesser education
This is a great example of how misleading internet reported offers can be. Jones was pegged as a rising star his sophomore year, but fell dramatically from that perch when the scrutiny of his game was kicked up a couple of notches. The early interest from the UNC’s of the world evaporated quickly. He was still a good prospect when he signed with NU. And I believe he could have matured into a valuable player for the Cats. But this is the new norm. Kids aren’t committing to schools or even coaches anymore. They are signing up for opportunities to strut their stuff.. And many move on at the drop of a pin for what they think will be better playing/exposure opportunities. Sometimes early as with JJ. Sometimes late as with Ben Skowronek.
I use to be a staunch critic of schools thinning their rosters. But let’s be honest. The rule now is that everything is an arrangement that lasts only as long as both sides want it to.
Best wishes to JJ. By all accounts he’s a terrific young man.
GOUNUII
That’s the million dollar question! At my age, I have a hard time figuring out the thought process on some of these kids. The grass isn’t always greener somewhere else.
Most likely, covid19 is having a great effect on portals and recruits. Ask usc football, which have had hard times keeping top in state talent.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29077578/source-korey-foreman-decommits-clemson
Now they are flipping Clemson recruits. Players want to stay closer to home wihen there is so much uncertainty in the future regarding new social measures and classroom due to covid19.
Think people! I imagine Jones may end up closer to home.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/29077578/source-korey-foreman-decommits-clemson
Now they are flipping Clemson recruits. Players want to stay closer to home wihen there is so much uncertainty in the future regarding new social measures and classroom due to covid19.
Think people! I imagine Jones may end up closer to home.
I personally think the source of that North Carolina/Virginia item was passing on as Trump would say fake news. There is no way either of these programs would be offering him. I do think Section 112 is closer to the truth here, with all that is going on with this Covid-19 pandemic and the fact that he doesn’t think he is going to get enough minutes.
On another note maybe this opens the door to bigger and better things for NU.
We lose our best leaping big man outside of Nance. Jones had springs and made some nice plays in the latter half of the season.
He is a big loss. Make no mistake. This forum was operating well for awhile, but now we're back to the usual nonsense: every recruit is a "stud" and every player who leaves, well, he wasn't that good after all. It's so childish. It also makes no sense. Out of one side of their mouths, they like to claim that recruiting has improved leaps and bounds, out of the other side, they announce that a series of former recruits weren't particularly good.
This program can't afford to lose any players, given the shape it's in. It probably isn't getting any grad transfers in the frontcourt. Now you're relying on a freshman, whom I like, but has a ways to go to becoming a Big Ten contrbutor. He needs to get a lot stronger and needs a lot of development offensively. For a point of reference, Ryan Young, who came in needing to get a lot stronger, came in much more poished, skills-wise, and he redshirted.
Teddy said a source indicated he was concerned about minutes behind Young and Nance.
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I guess the kid who sets out to prove he can be better and earn his spot is more and more elusive. And JJ has the physical tools to work with, unlike many other kids. But it’s all speculation anyway.
Like others have said, I wish him well and just hope it’s not a sign players do not trust the coaching staff. For me that would be the biggest problem of all.
Jared was the closest big to Pardon on the roster, so the program may miss having that type of athleticism from the 5/4.
Don't buy that excuse.
Even if not physically quite ready to handle playing upperclassmen, if you have the skills, it's pretty evident from the start.
Look at Coble, Juice, the baby-faced assassin, Crawford, Cobb, BMac, Law, Pardon, etc.
The problem w/ too many of CC's recruits is that while they need to get stronger, they also all too often don't have the skills to make up for their physical deficiencies (despite supposedly being athletically superior recruits).
Who thinks that Coble had the build to bang in the B1G (he didn't really even after a couple of years in the program)?
But that didn't matter b/c Coble could shoot lights out from the start,
Don't buy that excuse.
Even if not physically quite ready to handle playing upperclassmen, if you have the skills, it's pretty evident from the start.
Look at Coble, Juice, the baby-faced assassin, Crawford, Cobb, BMac, Law, Pardon, etc.
The problem w/ too many of CC's recruits is that while they need to get stronger, they also all too often don't have the skills to make up for their physical deficiencies (despite supposedly being athletically superior recruits).
Who thinks that Coble had the build to bang in the B1G (he didn't really even after a couple of years in the program)?
But that didn't matter b/c Coble could shoot lights out from the start,
Yes, and that's a killer. If you're going to have comparatively weaker and less athletic guys, they need to be really smart and really skilled. You cite a great example of this with Coble, who, along with Shurna, Juice, and Moore, formed the best core of guys I saw at NU in at least twenty years. People can talk about recruiting rankings all they wish, but Collins has not brought in anyone as good as Coble, nor Shurna, for that matter. None have been as skilled as those two.
I am a bit surprised by this take. I know you liked Jones when he committed and while I am not a big follower of the program, I know enough to feel like this is a loss. Athletic big men like Jones are key in this era of positionless basketball and NU doesn't land many of them.
Also, as someone who is not as emotionally invested in the bball program but still a fan because of my NU affiliation, perhaps I am better able to see this transfer as part of a larger pattern for the Bball program that does not paint a flattering portrait for the Collins regime. The amount of turnover in a short period of time among players and coaches combined with the disappointing results on the court point to a program that is in disarray. Anecdotally, I have some insights into NU's Chicagoland recruiting efforts and the sense I get is that Collins and the program are not building the reputation and respect needed to make inroads with viable area recruits. For instance, I am pretty confident in saying that Bryce Hopkins from Fenwick never gave NU serious consideration. That's a problem.
Transfers happen. This is college sports in this day and age. It’s fair to be pissed at the recruiting misses, but transfers, no way. Honestly, Jones is the first one that I consider a big loss. Back up’s ( and Jones is exactly that right now) move on. If a Coach isn’t at least attempting to recruit better players than he has, he should be replaced.
Why would Hopkins give NU serious consideration? He is going to Louisville. He us a top 50 recruit that had offers from Kansas among others. Louisville has won Natty’s, is a perennial tourney team, has extraordinary fan support, and has routinely put players in the NBA. How about the cultural fit for the kid? I think this often can harm NU from a sports recruiting perspective. The student support sucks unless the team is winning and I just don’t buy that many athletes fit in with their student peers. The social circle is the athletes, so they better get along with their teammates.
CCC has as many disadvantages to overcome in recruiting as just about any P5 Coach. He can’t wave a magic wand and get the top local players. If PBJ and Max come to NU, they should build a statue of CCC and place it in front of WR. The reason NU are contenders are the family ties, but CCC is doing everything he can to get them. He will get touched if they go elsewhere. If they come he will blamed for lack of development of players on EVERY loss.
It's not just transfers, it's the amount of transfers over a short period of time that suggest this goes beyond just players disgruntled about their playing time.
Regarding Hopkins, he is a top local recruit from a top academic HS. If Collins can't convince top kids from his own backyard that actually have the academic chops for NU to buy into what he is building at NU, then I think he is going to struggle selling his message with kids nationally.
