Malik

[msstate7]

Jonathon Calvin tweets...

@CalvinJohnathan: @iammaliknewman you come here Fam every game selling out you know your #Mississippi people behind you 💯% #WeWantMalik

Malik has to be feeling the hype that's surrounding our program now. I think getting Malik is becoming priority #1 for our athletic program and fans. Let's get it done

[smootness]

Awesome. I don't think there's any doubt this pulls us at least close to even with LSU and Kentucky. Howland should be much more comfortable than Jones as somebody to put yourself in the hands of, and he will be able to play all the PG he wants here, and that isn't the case at UK.

[Eric Nies Grind Time]

I have to say that basketball recruiting is not nearly as annoying to follow for me. I think it's because one player can actually make such a huge difference.

[CadaverDawg]

Awesome. I don't think there's any doubt this pulls us at least close to even with LSU and Kentucky. Howland should be much more comfortable than Jones as somebody to put yourself in the hands of, and he will be able to play all the PG he wants here, and that isn't the case at UK.

I think I read somewhere that LSU's top assistant, Musselman maybe, was about to be hired as a head coach somewhere. Not sure how that affects Malik's recruitment, if any, but can't help LSU I wouldn't think.

[smootness]

I think Webster knows Newman needs a coach that is going to be demanding. Before he gets to the NBA, he needs work on his defense, ball-handling, and shot selection. I wouldn't trust Jonny Jones to give him that.

[Rayburn8]

Can we just sticky the a Newman thread since he is such a big deal.

[msstate7]

I think I read somewhere that LSU's top assistant, Musselman maybe, was about to be hired as a head coach somewhere. Not sure how that affects Malik's recruitment, if any, but can't help LSU I wouldn't think.

Hopefully this happens. I really think its between us and lsu. I feel like Malik will be close to home. Lsu has signed a big time scorer already. Malik would be the man here.

[Outside Dawg]

I think I read somewhere that LSU's top assistant, Musselman maybe, was about to be hired as a head coach somewhere. Not sure how that affects Malik's recruitment, if any, but can't help LSU I wouldn't think.

Musselman expected to take the Nevada job. He's a former NBA head coach.

[msstate7]

Can we just sticky the a Newman thread since he is such a big deal.

I don't want our front page to ever not have a malik thread. I don't want there to be any doubt who wants him the most

[Rayburn8]

If you really want to show him how much we want him go bump all the old threads. If we are doing this do it right.

[smootness]

BTW, Martin is now gone, and rumors are that Mickey is gone as well. Honestly, I don't see LSU with Newman being better than State with Newman at this point.

Simmons and Newman would be a phenomenal duo, and Blakeney is a good piece as well. But a veteran team that honestly might be deeper than LSU, that is tough defensively while having two scorers like Sword and Newman is a good recipe.

[C222]

BTW, Martin is now gone, and rumors are that Mickey is gone as well. Honestly, I don't see LSU with Newman being better than State with Newman at this point.

Simmons and Newman would be a phenomenal duo, and Blakeney is a good piece as well. But a veteran team that honestly might be deeper than LSU, that is tough defensively while having two scorers like Sword and Newman is a good recipe.

Simmons, Blakeney, and Newman is better than what we would have with Newman and it's not even close. They would have 2 Top 5 players.

[Original48]

I think I read somewhere that LSU's top assistant, Musselman maybe, was about to be hired as a head coach somewhere. Not sure how that affects Malik's recruitment, if any, but can't help LSU I wouldn't think.
@GaryParrishCBS: RT @WojYahooNBA: LSU assistant Eric Musselman, a two-time NBA head coach, is in advanced talks to become Nevada’s coach, sources tell Yahoo.

@GaryParrishCBS: Eric Musselman has also been involved at San Diego. I was told yesterday he’ll likely land San Diego or Nevada. Looks like Nevada.

[CadaverDawg]

Maybe EliteDawgs could start an official "we want Malik" thread, sticky it, and then have people tweet the link where he and other players mentioned in the thread can see how much they're wanted at MSU.

Just a thought.

[TXDawg]

I think I read somewhere that LSU's top assistant, Musselman maybe, was about to be hired as a head coach somewhere. Not sure how that affects Malik's recruitment, if any, but can't help LSU I wouldn't think.

Horatio told the CL earlier this week that once McCray left LSU, their recruitment of Malik essentially stopped:

McCray already possesses a relationship with Newman. The former LSU assistant served on Johnny Jones' staff during the 2013 season and played an integral role in recruiting the five-star prospect.
"He's recruited Malik since ninth grade," Webster said. "He has a good relationship with him. They talk from time to time and I have a pretty good relationship with him, too. When he left LSU, the recruitment (of Malik) stopped."

[smootness]

Simmons, Blakeney, and Newman is better than what we would have with Newman and it's not even close. They would have 2 Top 5 players.

You may be right, but I disagree that it wouldn't be close. I'm just not that impressed with LSU's roster outside of that. Quartermann is pretty good, but the rest is meh.

Simmons would be better than anything else we have outside of Newman, yes. And that may be enough. But I'm not sure Blakeney as a freshman is better than Sword as a senior, and I think the rest of our roster, especially if you add one of these JUCOs, may be better than LSU's outside of the top guys. And Howland is certainly the better coach.

[smootness]

Horatio told the CL earlier this week that once McCray left LSU, their recruitment of Malik essentially stopped:

McCray already possesses a relationship with Newman. The former LSU assistant served on Johnny Jones' staff during the 2013 season and played an integral role in recruiting the five-star prospect.
"He's recruited Malik since ninth grade," Webster said. "He has a good relationship with him. They talk from time to time and I have a pretty good relationship with him, too. When he left LSU, the recruitment (of Malik) stopped."

I thought he was referring to McCray's recruitment of Newman, basically saying that they continued to have a relationship that wasn't based on recruiting. Because obviously LSU has been recruiting him.

[msstate7]

Simmons, Blakeney, and Newman is better than what we would have with Newman and it's not even close. They would have 2 Top 5 players.

I definetely think Malik would play over quarterman and gray at the point, but here's their stats this year:

Quarterman -- 11.5 ppg 5.2 rpg 4.0 assists

Gray -- 7.1 ppg 2.1 rpg 3.8 assists

Totals -- 18.6 ppg 7.3 rpg 7.8 assists

Simmons and blakeney will be competition in newman's other positions.

We return at point....

Ready -- 8.2 ppg 2.0 rpg. 2.4 assists

We have the more favorable depth chart for a point guard prospect

[Rayburn8]

Horatio told the CL earlier this week that once McCray left LSU, their recruitment of Malik essentially stopped:

McCray already possesses a relationship with Newman. The former LSU assistant served on Johnny Jones' staff during the 2013 season and played an integral role in recruiting the five-star prospect.
"He's recruited Malik since ninth grade," Webster said. "He has a good relationship with him. They talk from time to time and I have a pretty good relationship with him, too. When he left LSU, the recruitment (of Malik) stopped."

He means McCray's recruitment of Malik stopped. LSU is recruiting him hard and their fans think they have him in the bag and that we are crazy for thinking we are still in it.

Also according to LSU fans Malik is not at all close to his father and Howland has no chance of ever recruiting any decent players to state. Don't think I have ever seen a more delusional fan base. Especially when they thought they were getting Peters AND Lewis

[C222]

You may be right, but I disagree that it wouldn't be close. I'm just not that impressed with LSU's roster outside of that. Quartermann is pretty good, but the rest is meh.

Simmons would be better than anything else we have outside of Newman, yes. And that may be enough. But I'm not sure Blakeney as a freshman is better than Sword as a senior, and I think the rest of our roster, especially if you add one of these JUCOs, may be better than LSU's outside of the top guys. And Howland is certainly the better coach.

Yeah, if we add another piece (Like a Kasongo) we may be better. Simmons is just so good. Pair him with Malik and they will be damn near unstoppable.

[smootness]

I saw a fan of another school, may have been LSU, describe Howland as a 'solid Xs and Os guy'.

Here's an opening line from a Sporting News article on the hire - 'It is impossible to genuinely measure such things, but it could be that he is the best pure college coaching tactician of the past two decades.'

People who weren't really paying attention to college basketball 6-10 years ago don't understand just how good Howland is. I believed at the time he was as good a coach as there was in the country. At the time, had ANY job come open, he could have had it.

[smootness]

Yeah, if we add another piece (Like a Kasongo) we may be better. Simmons is just so good. Pair him with Malik and they will be damn near unstoppable.

True. I may be blinded a bit.

For the record, I think Newman will be better as a college player than Simmons, though not as a pro prospect unless he makes changes and becomes a Westbrook-like PG.

[Entodawg]

Malik and Kasongo followed each other on Twitter yesterday. Malik only follows 80 people and has 20.5K followers. Could be something there

[NeshobaChuck]

McCray is the one who recruited newman to go to LSU but when McCray left LSU they stopped recruiting newman

[smootness]

McCray is the one who recruited newman to go to LSU but when McCray left LSU they stopped recruiting newman

Not true.

McCray has been gone from LSU for a year. The article meant that when McCray left LSU, he stopped recruiting Newman despite the fact that their relationship continued. LSU has obviously been recruiting Newman.

[RBritt]

LSU is still pissed about the ATM beating UCLA gave them in the Final Four when they had big feces.

[fishwater99]

Simmons, Blakeney, and Newman is better than what we would have with Newman and it's not even close. They would have 2 Top 5 players.

Plus Horsnby...

Mailk would run the show at MSU though.. He could average 20+ easy..

[Intramural All-American]

Plus Horsnby...

Mailk would run the show at MSU though.. He could average 20+ easy..

That's a huge stretch. 20+ in major college is not common. I'd be shocked if he came in and did that.

[Coach34]

If we get another good big man commit- we'll get Malik. It's simply come down to that

[the59dawg]

BTW, Martin is now gone, and rumors are that Mickey is gone as well. Honestly, I don't see LSU with Newman being better than State with Newman at this point.

Simmons and Newman would be a phenomenal duo, and Blakeney is a good piece as well. But a veteran team that honestly might be deeper than LSU, that is tough defensively while having two scorers like Sword and Newman is a good recipe.

Naaahh. Our backcourt sucks unless Howland lands a couple players that can play. Poor rebounding, poor shotblocking, poor defense. That's current backcourt.

[smootness]

Naaahh. Our backcourt sucks unless Howland lands a couple players that can play. Poor rebounding, poor shotblocking, poor defense. That's current backcourt.

Yeah, but Newman and Sword suddenly becomes as good as any backcourt in the SEC.

[thf24]

Naaahh. Our backcourt sucks unless Howland lands a couple players that can play. Poor rebounding, poor shotblocking, poor defense. That's current backcourt.

Yep, because you definitely depend on your backcourt for rebounding and shot blocking...