Now That The Novelty Has Died Down Some...

[Fryowa]

The guy above also posted (an interesting fact which has little/nothing to do with the thread):

Since the portal era started, every national champion has had over 50% of its minutes played by returning players:

2025: Florida (70%)
2024: UConn (61%)
2023: UConn (53%)
2022: Kansas (81%)

Roster continuity is as important as ever.

I'll settle for a couple S16's at this point

 

[NorthKCHawk]

From a guy with 46,000 followers on Twitter with the bio (to legitimize a bit):
College basketball analytics at http://EvanMiya.com. PhD Statistician / Data Scientist. Featured in
@ESPN, @CBSSports, @TheAthletic, @SINow


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I find these numbers to be shocking, if true. If Iowa had that kind of money, why would it spend it on Missouri Valley guys instead of seeking to retain the three main players who left? Are we to believe that Creighton spent less on Dix and Owens than we spent on the Drake transfers????

I wonder if part of his "estimate" is taking into account payments over time as a result of the House Settlement? Otherwise, I cannot square Iowa having this sort of money to spend on the caliber of players that have committed so far. Something does not add up.

 

[kicker22]

I find these numbers to be shocking, if true. If Iowa had that kind of money, why would it spend it on Missouri Valley guys instead of seeking to retain the three main players who left? Are we to believe that Creighton spent less on Dix and Owens than we spent on the Drake transfers????

I wonder if part of his "estimate" is taking into account payments over time as a result of the House Settlement? Otherwise, I cannot square Iowa having this sort of money to spend on the caliber of players that have committed so far. Something does not add up.

Just my two cents, but just because they were "the three main players that left" doesn't necessarily mean that we should retain them. They were "three main players" under Fran's system. To be honest, how do we know that in Ben's new system the guys that he brought in weren't seen as better investments in a new system.
I'm in agreement that with a new coach we want his system and guys he feels best fit that system. And although this may not be fair to the players, they were equally as responsible as Fran was for the program getting to where it was the past two years. I'm OK with new guys and have no issue with money being spent to bring in new blood rather than retaining the old blood.

 

[NorthKCHawk]

Just my two cents, but just because they were "the three main players that left" doesn't necessarily mean that we should retain them. They were "three main players" under Fran's system. To be honest, how do we know that in Ben's new system the guys that he brought in weren't seen as better investments in a new system.
I'm in agreement that with a new coach we want his system and guys he feels best fit that system. And although this may not be fair to the players, they were equally as responsible as Fran was for the program getting to where it was the past two years. I'm OK with new guys and have no issue with money being spent to bring in new blood rather than retaining the old blood.

I can only go by what my eyes showed me, which is that those three guys could ball; and Coach McCollum's words that he wanted the fans to recruit them to stay. If Coach thought they did not fit, not sure why he would make the effort to keep them.

I don't think it is fair at all to point the fingers at those three guys as the reason Fran's program came to an end. The decision to move on from Fran was many years in the making, and ultimately, it was on Fran to put guys in around the three to elevate the program and for whatever reason, that did not occur. The notion that McCollum did not want Josh Dix to return is rather ludicrous.

 

[HuckFinn]

From a guy with 46,000 followers on Twitter with the bio (to legitimize a bit):
College basketball analytics at http://EvanMiya.com. PhD Statistician / Data Scientist. Featured in
@ESPN, @CBSSports, @TheAthletic, @SINow


View attachment 11437

Whoa! The last numbers available that I saw for Iowa men’s BB was less than 3 million $$. 2.3 maybe?

This was around the time Fran was fired. Talk was that the Iowa sports donors were zeroed in on football, and BB was simply not receiving much attention. I can’t recall the source(s), but it is likely that I got my number from HN or Hawk Central, or both.
Wisconsin for example, was listed at around 5 million $ and its $$ was “middle of the pack.”

Feedback, any one? Am I confused about what I saw? I am old, but …

 

[HuckFinn]

I can only go by what my eyes showed me, which is that those three guys could ball; and Coach McCollum's words that he wanted the fans to recruit them to stay. If Coach thought they did not fit, not sure why he would make the effort to keep them.

I don't think it is fair at all to point the fingers at those three guys as the reason Fran's program came to an end. The decision to move on from Fran was many years in the making, and ultimately, it was on Fran to put guys in around the three to elevate the program and for whatever reason, that did not occur. The notion that McCollum did not want Josh Dix to return is rather ludicrous.

I think you are right on, North.

 

[BigD]

Just my two cents, but just because they were "the three main players that left" doesn't necessarily mean that we should retain them. They were "three main players" under Fran's system. To be hon est, how do we know that in Ben's new system the guys that he brought in weren't seen as better investments in a new system.
I'm in agreement that with a new coach we want his system and guys he feels best fit that system. And although this may not be fair to the players, they were equally as responsible as Fran was for the program getting to where it was the past two years. I'm OK with new guys and have no issue with money being spent to bring in new blood rather than retaining the old blood.

'To be honest, how do we know that in Ben's new system the guys that he brought in weren't seen as better investments in a new system."

What system? Great coaches take their players and maximize their strengths and then build an offensive and defensive scheme around those strengths. Ben has said that is what he does. He has stated that is what he did this past season at Drake. Each year could look different bases on the personnel he has to work with.

Scratch where it itches............ in basketball.

Wait am I on the football side of forums. LONG LIVE THE MEMORY of Hayden.

 

[JoeyLabasForPresident]

“Estimated” is doing the heavy lifting there. That account probably puts some multi-million dollar price tag on Stirtz alone. Who knows, maybe 3 or 4 million. Iowa isn’t paying him that.