Anyone else wish that Gabriel Oleseni redshirted?

[jberesford]

I won't claim I made a bold prediction when he was a Freshman, but I did think when he was a Sophomore and showed promise that I kind of thought that developmental year was wasted. I think the points in the paint statistic shows how much he's missed right now. They're getting killed there, and I DID boldly predict he's a bigger hole to fill than Aaron White.

Dayton and Notre Dame took it to the basket at will, and that to me was the biggest difference. Not just statistically, but it was demoralizing as well. Too many long possessions ended up with pretty easy baskets within 5 feet. I don't know what he's doing now, and I can't say he would have been a 5 year player based on his career arc as a student-athlete, but I wish he was in there this week...

 

[Auger]

Yeah I think even Fran is kicking himself on that one. Iowa really needs another good year to keep recruiting going in the right direction. I would love to have seen what Gabe could do with another year. He seemed to be one more year away from a big breakout.

 

[kzoohawk80]

Hell yes I do. This team desperately needs a rim protector. Maybe Fran can use him as an example to future players as to why they should redshirt.

 

[RocknRollface]

Yep, said it a few years ago. One of the few players that could grow exponentially at such a late stage.

Gabe will be on an nba roster in a year or two if he wants.

He's got the potential to be another Joakim Noah.

It's a shame to have wasted his first year for basically nothing.

 

[KeyWest Tim]

I've said that here for 4 years.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Don't disagree, but he did not redshirt and Fran needs to figure out how to win with what he has available. I don't know if Fran can light a fire under Uhl, but he has the potential to be the answer.

 

[TankHawk]

He is exactly what this team needs this year.

 

[HawkLogic]

He is exactly what this team needs this year.

Fran made a mistake. Freshman year he wasted Olesani for garbage minutes. Even Olesani's sophomore year, we were deep in post with Basabe/Woody and he could have been Redshirted. Of course the other alternative is to go out and recruit.

I like Fran, but I'm wondering if this is the year Iowa steps back.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Absolutely he should have redshirted. Fran would probably be the first to admit that.

Since he won't be coming back, the guys they have need to step it up inside. Primarily that needs to be Uhl, but I'm expecting growth from Wagner as well as the season progresses.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

D'oh! I do Not like thinking that Gabe could be on the floor right now. I cringe. Thanks for bringing it up again!

 

[Mitch122]

Everyone has been saying this for over 4 years now. This horse is already dead. Quit beating it. Yeah it'd be nice if he was still here, but he isn't.

 

[NI hawk]

I've said that here for 4 years.

Me too!

 

[gablefan73]

What a garbage thread. 90% of posters on here have said we should never redshirt anyone in this day and age. That has slowly changed with this big class of freshman but nonetheless a year ago there weren't 2 or 3 people who wanted Fran to redshirt players. A few did want Gabe to redshirt and the majority thought it was a waste. I would always prefer to rs a guy over playing him a handful of minutes.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

I guess I am in the 10%. Had no idea I was in such a minority.... i am a realist. Considering one simple fact, that basketball athletes do not peak until mid to late 20s, redshirts are wise.

 

[DanL53]

Just a question, who is currently on the team that we wouldn't want?

 

[2432Hawk]

OK then....which one of the newcomers do you give up then?

 

[2432Hawk]

Lol....great minds think a like

Figure it probably would have been Jones.

 

[DanL53]

OK then....which one of the newcomers do you give up then?

Great minds think alike.

 

[DanL53]

Holy freagin...we gotta stop this!

 

[Auger]

Just a question, who is currently on the team that we wouldn't want?

Holy crap it's not that anybody doesn't want someone on this team. It's that just how good this team could be if Gabe would have red shirted. There is no question this team could use Gabe. Would you want Gabe on this team right now if possible? If so who would you kick off then since thats what this is about to you?

 

[DanL53]

Holy crap it's not that anybody doesn't want someone on this team. It's that just how good this team could be if Gabe would have red shirted. There is no question this team could use Gabe. Would you want Gabe on this team right now if possible? If so who would you kick off then since thats what this is about to you?

I asked a simple question. Put your grownup pants on and quit trying to make everything an argument!

 

[Auger]

I asked a simple question. Put your grownup pants on and quit trying to make everything an argument!

Haha you're so predictable

 

[BBHawk]

For every player who red shirts, McC loses a scholarship year to give down the road as there is a potential for a 5-year player. Sure, Gabe Olaseni could have used another year, but then Iowa would have dropped a scholarship in this year's class. McC could take a risk and assume that someone will transfer, but that has consequences in recruiting down the road.

And then there is the issue of need at the time and whether Gabe wanted to red shirt. The way it ended up, he got the experience he needed so that he could be the player Iowa needed last year. Could be that a junior year Gabe would not have ended up 6th man of the year in the B!G.

Also, Woody now has his time to shine. If the 7'+ guy is going to make big bucks in the NBA next year, he is going to have to get it done on the court without Gabe this year.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I guess I am in the 10%. Had no idea I was in such a minority.... i am a realist. Considering one simple fact, that basketball athletes do not peak until mid to late 20s, redshirts are wise.

Count me in that 10% as well.
Not that I would mind if the Hawks got a few of the one and doners, but that's not likely. Iowa's a lot more likely to have success with developing guys. And some of them would benefit from a redshirt season.

 

[DanL53]

In the great archives of our memories, did Gabe even want to redshirt?

 

[ZaHawks]

I also wish my dad was still alive, but there is not much I can do about either situation.

 

[EddieHaskell]

That was back in the day when Fran thought the U of I shouldn't recruit projects. So, at the time, it probably didn't make sense for Fran to redshirt Gabe. Since that time, Fran's recruiting has proved to be mediocre and it probably makes sense for him to redshirt guys.

 

[DanL53]

That was back in the day when Fran thought the U of I shouldn't recruit projects. So, at the time, it probably didn't make sense for Fran to redshirt Gabe. Since that time, Fran's recruiting has proved to be mediocre and it probably makes sense for him to redshirt guys.

Close. If he had redshirted Gabe, Woody, who had committed before Gabe played a single game, might have gotten nervous and changed his mind before signing. You see, Fran knew that fan criticism is what really accounts for success and failure, not wins on the court. And if Woody went elsewhere every internet critic would lose their lunch for four years. Remember, the last highly ranked, funny looking Iowa tall guy that played for Roy got Dr. Tom fired! Well, let's say one of the last.

All this makes sense because it can't possibly be as simple as Fran thought that by the Big Ten season this athletic kid from Great Britain could very well end up playing better than Archie or Brommer?!?!? As it turned out we had another freshman who ended up playing quite a few minutes.

 

[hawkeyeguy69]

In the great archives of our memories, did Gabe even want to redshirt?

I do not remember, but he did take a year of prep school. So, he was realistic about his need to develop.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

Dan,
I appreciate your perspective, but if you're comparing Woodbury to Raef LaFrentz you are WAAAY off.

A McDonald's and 2 time first team college all-American is a far cry from the big miss in Woodbury's overrating coming out of high school.

 

[DanL53]

Dan,
I appreciate your perspective, but if you're comparing Woodbury to Raef LaFrentz you are WAAAY off.

A McDonald's and 2 time first team college all-American is a far cry from the big miss in Woodbury's overrating coming out of high school.

I was attempting to be facit, facitio, silly. I don't really believe Fran would have based a redshirt year for Olaseni on whether or not it would matter in the recruiting of Woodbury.

However, something in all seriousness to think about. We aren't redshirting Williams because we want him to get any experience possible as he may be our guy at point guard next year. Perhaps the same thought was applied to Gabe? He would have been the only experienced center in 2012-13. Of course as it turns out, Woody came in fairly ready, or at least earned, the starting nod. But, I'm sure you see what I'm getting at?

Perhaps in a few years we'll be lamenting the loss of Williams all for a few minutes on the court as a freshman? It's interesting, with our benefit of hindsight and I'm right there with everyone wishing we had Gabe this year. But for the record, let's remember no one is taking the advance step of saying playing Williams is a mistake. So, let's not repeat the "should have redshirted" stuff with him after we see what happens. It's no fair playing the hindsight card! But...we will, we will.

And that's ok, we're fans.

 

[2432Hawk]

Gabe is also much older. 12/29/91 is his birthdate. He turns 24 next month.

Redshirting was not something Gabe wanted to do.

 

[SSG T]

Gabe is also much older. 12/29/91 is his birthdate. He turns 24 next month.

Redshirting was not something Gabe wanted to do.

I was just about to point this out. Fran has said he won't RS a player if the player doesn't want to. Maybe Gabe looked at the fact that he was already old for his class and wanted to do his 4 years and get on to whatever he wanted to do.

Things aren't always as cut and dried as "should he RS?" or "would he benefit from a 5th year?". The answer to both is no, if he doesn't want to RS.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I would absolutely like to see Williams get on the floor more. He needs some honing in the B1G to get ready for next year.
It's one of the repeated themes on the football board. Your QB, in this case the basketball equivalent, needs real time game experience to get into the groove as much as possible. If Williams is expected to be the point next year, he needs to get court time this year.

 

[BBHawk]

That was back in the day when Fran thought the U of I shouldn't recruit projects. So, at the time, it probably didn't make sense for Fran to redshirt Gabe. Since that time, Fran's recruiting has proved to be mediocre and it probably makes sense for him to redshirt guys.

Yes, especially those mediocre 4-star players and 3-star players who end up as 1st team all--B!G by the time they are seniors (in 4 years). And they stay for 4 years...