Obie Oleka, JUCO PF, just released from his LOI from Texas

[msugolf]

He's the 20th ranked JUCO prospect in the country according to 247. Strong post player that could provide some muscle down low.

Top JUCO prospects (http://247sports.com/Season/2014-Basketball/CompositeRankings?InstitutionGroup=JuniorCollege)

[Jacksondevildog]

Not good enough. We need scorers. Not even Pollard is good enough for our program. Per Rick Ray.

[Homedawg]

Pollard is a train wreck. You really want that baggage?

[msstate7]

If he was released, doesn't that imply he has a team lined up?

[Dawg61]

Shooters guys. I like you linking players but we gotta get shooters. 4 of them.

[Jacksondevildog]

Didn't say that I wanted him. We need a guy that has (1) Size (2) athleticism (3) ability to rebound (4) scoring ability (5) size (6) scoring ability (7) ability to rebound.

If Pollard fits that mold, then yes.

[Dawg61]

Jay Watkins is at Gadsden State in Alabama. He's #3 in the nation at 26 points per game and he's avg 10 boards too.

[Coach34]

Not good enough. We need scorers. Not even Pollard is good enough for our program. Per Rick Ray.

Pollard's juco numbers are not even as good as Daniel's were

[smootness]

Didn't say that I wanted him. We need a guy that has (1) Size (2) athleticism (3) ability to rebound (4) scoring ability (5) size (6) scoring ability (7) ability to rebound.

If Pollard fits that mold, then yes.

Well, his numbers in JUCO are worse than the numbers from Daniels that everyone considers terrible, so if you don't want Daniels due to his JUCO stats, then you definitely don't want Pollard.

[Johnson85]

If he was released, doesn't that imply he has a team lined up?

Could mean that, could mean UT soured on him (or got lined up with a better prospect) and let him go. But he likely does has a good idea of his options either way. I assume the LOI is binding on UT also so even if this decision is driven by them, they probably wouldn't finalize it without trying to make sure something mutually acceptabl was available.

[maroonmania]

Shooters guys. I like you linking players but we gotta get shooters. 4 of them.

I agree, perimeter shooting is the biggest need, hopefully Ndoye and maybe even Daniels, Black and Houston can give us some help in the post but we've got to do something where teams can't just defend us in a zone for 40 minutes with nothing to fear from a perimeter shot.

[smootness]

I'm hoping Thomas can make a big jump next year. There's been nothing yet to suggest he will, but he definitely has the capability, he just needs to gain a lot of confidence.

Sword won't ever be a big threat to shoot, same with Bloodman or Roq Johnson.

Dunlap will help, and Davis and Ready should both be more comfortable and more effective in their outside shooting next year. We'll have a few guys who can get it done, but it's certainly still not going to be a big part of our game.

[chef dixon]

Fans always bring up "hey we should get this guy or take a look at him" about the most random dudes or coaches for that matter. It doesn't work like that. Just because a fan sees a random article on the internet doesn't mean MSU will potentially jump on that. I'd say the conversion rate on these fan-found prospects coming to MSU is 0%. I guess its fun to be hypothetical every now and then.

And yes, we need size just as bad as we need shooters. They are both severely lacking.

[quickstrike2]

Is Pollard even really that good, as in SEC good? I admit i have only seen him one game at Bama. A quick google search returns that he averaged 3 pts a game at Bama and is averagin 12 a game in juco. I see that he was a 5 star recruit and highly touted. Is a an excellent rebounder and defender or something?

[SouthMsDawg]

I'll take any JUCO guy we can get. Im just not drinking the Daniels/Ndoye is the answer kool-aid

[CadaverDawg]

Is Pollard even really that good, as in SEC good?

This should not be a requirement for us to take a player based on what I saw last night. We should be asking, "how bad does he suck?". If the answer is, "pretty bad, but he's better than Tyson Cunningham"......sign the ****er up.

Anybody saying we shouldn't take a Pollard is a moron. How can you watch the shit show we put on daily, and say we don't want a mcDonalds all American? Granted, he hasn't looked like one at all...but he probably has more talent than anybody on our team if we can just find a way to release it. Hell, we've got Roquez Johnson contributing major points and minutes....we can DEFINITELY get SOMETHING out of Pollard. We had Cunningham out there jacking up JJ Redick- style off balance 3's last night in a 20 point home loss, and we have people saying we shouldn't even consider Pollard? We should consider any player with any talent that will consider helping us at this point.

And what is "SEC good"? We are one of the shittiest bball conferences in the country. If he's breathing and can make a few shots, he's probably SEC good. And definitely "bottom of the SEC good".

People amaze me.

[tcdog70]

This should not be a requirement for us to take a player based on what I saw last night. We should be asking, "how bad does he suck?". If the answer is, "pretty bad, but he's better than Tyson Cunningham"......sign the ****er up.

Anybody saying we shouldn't take a Pollard is a moron. How can you watch the shit show we put on daily, and say we don't want a mcDonalds all American? Granted, he hasn't looked like one at all...but he probably has more talent than anybody on our team if we can just find a way to release it. Hell, we've got Roquez Johnson contributing major points and minutes....we can DEFINITELY get SOMETHING out of Pollard. We had Cunningham out there jacking up JJ Redick- style off balance 3's last night in a 20 point home loss, and we have people saying we shouldn't even consider Pollard? We should consider any player with any talent that will consider helping us at this point.

And what is "SEC good"? We are one of the shittiest bball conferences in the country. If he's breathing and can make a few shots, he's probably SEC good. And definitely "bottom of the SEC good".

People amaze me.

Thank you for a voice of reason. Pollard is doing fine at Scooba. why would he not be ok AT MSU ? He is on probation, so isn't that insurance that he will toe the line. He would be the most talented played on our team if he was in Starkville.

[Brad Stevens]

Fans always bring up "hey we should get this guy or take a look at him" about the most random dudes or coaches for that matter. It doesn't work like that. Just because a fan sees a random article on the internet doesn't mean MSU will potentially jump on that. I'd say the conversion rate on these fan-found prospects coming to MSU is 0%. I guess its fun to be hypothetical every now and then.

And yes, we need size just as bad as we need shooters. They are both severely lacking.

Yes, this all day. It is fun, because it feels like we are at home playing Xbox. Some people don't realize that dealing with real human beings is not real similar to a video game.

[Intramural All-American]

I bet Dawg61 is REAL pissed we never offered Jack Taylor. Hell, the guy hit 27 threes in one game. What a terrible recruiting job by Stansbury's regime. And another terrible job by Ray's regime for not getting him to transfer.

[Dawg61]

I bet Dawg61 is REAL pissed we never offered Jack Taylor. Hell, the guy hit 27 threes in one game. What a terrible recruiting job by Stansbury's regime. And another terrible job by Ray's regime for not getting him to transfer.

Did you watch last night's game? Pathetic. Jack Taylor would hit 28 3s on our defense. Findlay Prep would beat us by 50.

[smootness]

Thank you for a voice of reason. Pollard is doing fine at Scooba. why would he not be ok AT MSU ? He is on probation, so isn't that insurance that he will toe the line. He would be the most talented played on our team if he was in Starkville.

All I'm saying is, you can't have it both ways. I'll take Pollard...but the same people who crap on Daniels turn around and tout Pollard as the answer, yet apparently fail to realize that Pollard is doing less than Daniels' 'crappy' JUCO numbers.

So Ray can't evaluate b/c he takes Daniels' 12/game, but he also can't evaluate b/c he won't take Pollard's 11/game? Huh? He is no longer a 5-star recruit...we now have a body of work to view, and there's nothing to suggest he's the answer...at least not if Daniels isn't.

[Dawg61]

Who crapped on Daniels? I don't remember anyone dogging him specifically.

[Intramural All-American]

Did you watch last night's game? Pathetic. Jack Taylor would hit 28 3s on our defense. Findlay Prep would beat us by 50.

Your stupidity is limitless. Congrats.

[Dawg61]

Your stupidity is limitless. Congrats.

Only thing stupid is you trying to defend that hot garbage in the Hump last night.

[Intramural All-American]

When did I ever defend what happened last night? It was embarrassing. No one has said we played well last night. Both statements in your previous post were very dumb. Please just say that you were overexaggerating because based on your history, I honestly think you may actually believe what you posted.

[tcdog70]

All I'm saying is, you can't have it both ways. I'll take Pollard...but the same people who crap on Daniels turn around and tout Pollard as the answer, yet apparently fail to realize that Pollard is doing less than Daniels' 'crappy' JUCO numbers.

So Ray can't evaluate b/c he takes Daniels' 12/game, but he also can't evaluate b/c he won't take Pollard's 11/game? Huh? He is no longer a 5-star recruit...we now have a body of work to view, and there's nothing to suggest he's the answer...at least not if Daniels isn't.


Man Smoot, sometimes I believe you just like to be an ass. Pollard was the # one player coming out of Miss. A 5 star player
. I heard the Bama beat writer asked the question why they were struggling and one reason He gave was they were missing Pollard who they were counting on him being abigtime player. He can't help it if his mother was batshit crazy. At least he can pass college algebra. I Ha.ve talked a coach at Scooba and he thinks Pollard is all he is supposed to be. I just hate that Daniel has tied up a scholly for two years and still hasn't hit they floor. Why do you Stansbury bashes and Ray defenders take everything so personal? Believe what you want, have your ****ing opinion but don't get offended if someone doesn't agree with you. You loved Croom how did that work out.

[Dawg61]

Findlay Prep has 6 top 50 players and averages over 100 points a game in only 32 minutes compared to 40 minutes for college basketball. They would beat us by as many points as they want. When is the last time we scored 100 points in a 40 minute game? We couldn't beat their bench. Not exaggerating.

[Intramural All-American]

Findlay Prep has 6 top 50 players and averages over 100 points a game in only 32 minutes compared to 40 minutes for college basketball. They would beat us by as many points as they want. When is the last time we scored 100 points in a 40 minute game? We couldn't beat their bench. Not exaggerating.

You are literally the dumbest individual I have ever talked to. Kentucky just signed 6 of the top 19 players in the nation and beat us by 10, and needed two seniors and two sophomores to do that. The fact that you think a team of high schoolers would beat us by 50 just proves your ignorance. I'm not going to say that they couldn't beat us on a given night because that would be naive, but you are the most retarded individual ever. Oh, by the way, Fallou Ndoye played for them last year, and started some, but you think that he sucks. Go away. I really do believe you are mentally challenged.

[quickstrike2]

This should not be a requirement for us to take a player based on what I saw last night. We should be asking, "how bad does he suck?". If the answer is, "pretty bad, but he's better than Tyson Cunningham"......sign the ****er up.

Anybody saying we shouldn't take a Pollard is a moron. How can you watch the shit show we put on daily, and say we don't want a mcDonalds all American? Granted, he hasn't looked like one at all...but he probably has more talent than anybody on our team if we can just find a way to release it. Hell, we've got Roquez Johnson contributing major points and minutes....we can DEFINITELY get SOMETHING out of Pollard. We had Cunningham out there jacking up JJ Redick- style off balance 3's last night in a 20 point home loss, and we have people saying we shouldn't even consider Pollard? We should consider any player with any talent that will consider helping us at this point.

And what is "SEC good"? We are one of the shittiest bball conferences in the country. If he's breathing and can make a few shots, he's probably SEC good. And definitely "bottom of the SEC good".

People amaze me.

I was really just asking about if he was a good player or not. As I stated, I only seen him once and he looked nothing like a McDonald's all American. As far as SEC good, I just meant can he be a solid player or more of the same 3 points a game like at Bama. And the SEC is a terrible conference no doubt, but it is above the level of juco where he is averaging a whopping 12.

Yes, State needs anybody with any talent at all I agree, so I would have no problems with bringing in anyone that can help. We have plenty of holes to fill.

[Dawg61]

You are literally the dumbest individual I have ever talked to. Kentucky just signed 6 of the top 19 players in the nation and beat us by 10, and needed two seniors and two sophomores to do that. The fact that you think a team of high schoolers would beat us by 50 just proves your ignorance. I'm not going to say that they couldn't beat us on a given night because that would be naive, but you are the most retarded individual ever. Oh, by the way, Fallou Ndoye played for them last year, and started some, but you think that he sucks. Go away. I really do believe you are mentally challenged.

So you bring up my name and then tell me to go away and you bring up a post of mine from a different website that happened 14 months ago. I am now 100% certain you have a ******. It's cool. I like ******.

[Intramural All-American]

So you bring up my name and then tell me to go away and you bring up a post of mine from a different website that happened 14 months ago. I am now 100% certain you have a ******. It's cool. I like ******.

There ya go. Good job of totally abandoning your outlandish comments when I make them look retarded. First smart thing you've done.

[smootness]

Man Smoot, sometimes I believe you just like to be an ass. Pollard was the # one player coming out of Miss. A 5 star player
. I heard the Bama beat writer asked the question why they were struggling and one reason He gave was they were missing Pollard who they were counting on him being abigtime player. He can't help it if his mother was batshit crazy. At least he can pass college algebra. I Ha.ve talked a coach at Scooba and he thinks Pollard is all he is supposed to be. I just hate that Daniel has tied up a scholly for two years and still hasn't hit they floor. Why do you Stansbury bashes and Ray defenders take everything so personal? Believe what you want, have your ****ing opinion but don't get offended if someone doesn't agree with you. You loved Croom how did that work out.

Daniels has not tied up a scholarship for 2 years. He has tied up a scholarship for less than one semester at this point, and we will have him for 2 full years after this.

And the bottom line remains that you want Pollard solely based on his status as a prospect while ignoring what he did at Alabama and in JUCO and don't want Daniels based on his numbers in JUCO, which are better than Pollard's current numbers.

So either admit that you have an agenda or make a more logical argument.

And yes, I wanted to keep Croom. I was 100% wrong on that; we made a great hire and it has turned out far better. Not sure what that has to do with this discussion. I'm not offended, and I am by no means a Stans basher. I was probably the biggest Stans supporter anywhere for about 6 years. I try to call them as I see them.

You're free to your opinion as well, but as long as it is clearly agenda-driven, I will call you out on it. This is now the second discussion in as many days in which you have made contradictory arguments based on whether it benefitted or hurt Ray. He's had two full recruiting cycles yet doesn't get any credit for the players brought in on the first cycle...and now he better get Pollard or he's an idiot, and he's also an idiot for getting Daniels.

[tcdog70]

Smoot, I do have an agenda. To want to see MSU back in the top third of the SEC in Basketball. IMHO, It will not happen with Ray. Last time I checked this is a 17ing message board where you could voice your opinion. Comparing Croom to Ray makes way more sense than the constant comparing of Cohen to Ray. Croom no experience as a HC, didn't know how to recruit, hard-headed, over his head in game time adjustments--sounds like Ray to me. if you don't want to see it my way, fine and dandy, But don't try and throw some smart-ass comments on what i believe. i don't do it to you, although your track record on Head Coaches isn't anything to brag on.

BoBBy Knight , maybe he knows what he is atlking about made these comments

1. we cannot stop dribble penetration
2. we cannot play help defense
3. we don't hustle on defense(unmolested layup allowed)
4. we can't defend the baseline
5. It's ok to shoot 3 pointers but we let the wrong people shoot them
6. we walk the ball up the court and we have no sense of urgency-thus we let our opponents defenders rest and give them time to set up.
7. we can't rebound because we don't block out.
8. must do a better job recruiting because we are limited in the post and some of our bigs are soft.

[NewTweederEndzoneDance]

6. we walk the ball up the court and we have no sense of urgency-thus we let our opponents defenders rest and give them time to set up.


but, I have read over and over that this is required in order to balance out the fairness between offense and defense! I keed I keed.

We suck this year. Even Marshall Henderson thinks Borchert sucks at defense. No one can shoot the ball. We have no depth. It's miserable.

All of that is true, but I am withholding judgement until next season. I think that is only fair based on the fact that Ray has had to deal with problems that most new basketball coaches do not have to deal with.

[Dawg61]

There ya go. Good job of totally abandoning your outlandish comments when I make them look retarded. First smart thing you've done.

Whose abandoning them? Your argument involves a game we lost by double digits for atleast the 3rd time in a row to Kentucky. Findlay Prep would double dick rape our ass. Truth hurts girl. You are a woman correct? Answer the question please.

[tcdog70]

but, I have read over and over that this is required in order to balance out the fairness between offense and defense! I keed I keed.

We suck this year. Even Marshall Henderson thinks Borchert sucks at defense. No one can shoot the ball. We have no depth. It's miserable.

All of that is true, but I am withholding judgement until next season. I think that is only fair based on the fact that Ray has had to deal with problems that most new basketball coaches do not have to deal with.

That is fair and makes pretty good sense. If you are not sure..

[CadaverDawg]

I was really just asking about if he was a good player or not. As I stated, I only seen him once and he looked nothing like a McDonald's all American. As far as SEC good, I just meant can he be a solid player or more of the same 3 points a game like at Bama. And the SEC is a terrible conference no doubt, but it is above the level of juco where he is averaging a whopping 12.

Yes, State needs anybody with any talent at all I agree, so I would have no problems with bringing in anyone that can help. We have plenty of holes to fill.

Yea, I wasn't really disagreeing with your post, just using it to fuel my thoughts. Ha

[JOHNHEVESYMADE]

Pollard's juco numbers are not even as good as Daniel's were

I think we can all agree on two things. One pollards ceiling is limitless he is a freak athletically and is not playing well currently. Two if pollard were playing well and putting up 20 a game we would have no chance in getting him.

[thunderclap]

This thread has reinforced what I already suspected: our basketball team is 17ed.