Ben Krikke-- 6'9 F COMMITS to IOWA / Rienk Mast-6'9 C visiting 4/6-7 / BJ Mack-- 6'8 C visiting 4/17-19

[HawkHoops80]

Another positionless basketball player, great, while other Big Ten teams find true centers Fran recruits slow white forwards to play the position....enough of this players offensive video, where is a video showing his defensive prowess especially against taller centers. Fran can sure pick'em.

Mast was the best player on a team that finished as a top 65 KenPom defense the past 2 years. A shot blocker would be nice, but defense is more than just blocking shots--Mast has a significantly higher rebounding rate than Rebraca ever had at ND or here. In fact his rebounding rate is higher than Dickinson's.

The only player who Iowa is currently in on that's a better defender than Mast is Minor--and Minor is a much, much, much worse offensive player and rebounder than Mast.

There also seems to be this perception that there's just a bunch of defensive centers available in the portal that Iowa is not in on--when I go into EvanMiya and filter for 6'8+ players and sort by block % and some other defensive numbers the two names that always comes up are Shedrick (who Iowa's been in contact with) and Minor (who Iowa's getting a visit from). There's another kid from Colgate who I just looked up on Twitter and there's 0 reporting on who has contacted him. And then you get into guys who no high majors are showing interest in. It's not some buffet line of bigs to choose from that some think. Hell Even Brauns is in the top 10 of most defensive numbers I look at when I filter for 6'8+ guys.

 

[Ronman]

Another positionless basketball player, great, while other Big Ten teams find true centers Fran recruits slow white forwards to play the position....enough of this players offensive video, where is a video showing his defensive prowess especially against taller centers. Fran can sure pick'em.

Yet you've been extolling the virtues of the incoming Owen Freeman all year. Should we be lowering our expectations for him as well?

 

[slipHawk]

Just repeating what I've heard. The NIL programs are built up now, last year they were in the early throws of it.

throes but I knew what you were sayin'

 

[IllQChawk]

Yet you've been extolling the virtues of the incoming Owen Freeman all year. Should we be lowering our expectations for him as well?

Owen Freeman is 6-11, not 6-8....and I would take him over anyone that Fran brings in from the portal, despite what you may think of incoming freshmen. The portal is not the end all and Fran is not going to get any 5 star player or for that matter a player that will keep Iowa from losing a third of their schedule.
I have 13 years of watching Fran's coaching to back up that statement.....

I'd rather Fran utilize as many of the 5 freshmen that will be on the roster this coming season and develop them as they grow, then pick some 5 year player from the portal that may or may not help Iowa finish somewhere in the middle of the Big Ten. That's just my opinion and I think everyone of the 5 freshmen are capable of playing big minutes if given the chance.

Everyone of next seasons freshmen played extraordinary and finished at or near the top of their prospective states whether it be Iowa, Illinois, or New Jersey. Before the portal became the thing...everyone on here would be thrilled to see anyone of next years incoming freshmen playing extended minutes...now you all can't wait for them to set on the bench behind some portal player(s) that has to play extended minutes because Fran used that to entice them to come to Iowa.

 

[littlez]

Owen Freeman is 6-11, not 6-8....and I would take him over anyone that Fran brings in from the portal, despite what you may think of incoming freshmen. The portal is not the end all and Fran is not going to get any 5 star player or for that matter a player that will keep Iowa from losing a third of their schedule.
I have 13 years of watching Fran's coaching to back up that statement.....

I'd rather Fran utilize as many of the 5 freshmen that will be on the roster this coming season and develop them as they grow, then pick some 5 year player from the portal that may or may not help Iowa finish somewhere in the middle of the Big Ten. That's just my opinion and I think everyone of the 5 freshmen are capable of playing big minutes if given the chance.

Everyone of next seasons freshmen played extraordinary and finished at or near the top of their prospective states whether it be Iowa, Illinois, or New Jersey.

You certainly have a point. Fran clearly feels differently. If Freeman is Big Ten ready physically, then yes, Mast and Braun are both going to hinder his development. Now if he needs a year, which most Freshmen bigs do, then Mast will be a nice 1 year guy if we get him.

 

[IllQChawk]

You certainly have a point. Fran clearly feels differently. If Freeman is Big Ten ready physically, then yes, Mast and Braun are both going to hinder his development. Now if he needs a year, which most Freshmen bigs do, then Mast will be a nice 1 year guy if we get him.

So Mast or any of the other 6-8/9 players that Fran brings in are better then Mulvey who is at least 7 foot or taller and has been at Iowa for over 2 1/2 years.
I'd rather see what Riley can do in extended minutes then bring in some player that may or may not be Big Ten ready. You can't teach height and Mulvey has not been given the opportunity to even show what he's got in the minimal minutes that he's been given because of Rebraca. If I'm wrong about Riley I'll at least admit it, if he's given the opportunity and fails....

 

[jwardelt]

I don't think Wisconsin is in play now that Wahl is coming back. Wahl and Crowl played almost 80% of the minutes for Wisconsin this year when they were both healthy--a player of Mast's caliber isn't going somewhere to be behind 2 incumbents like that.

Gilmore got 20 minutes. He needs zero. Mast could get 25 easily at UW. Wahl and Crowl could get a few less per game.

 

[skydog0784]

Mast was the best player on a team that finished as a top 65 KenPom defense the past 2 years. A shot blocker would be nice, but defense is more than just blocking shots--Mast has a significantly higher rebounding rate than Rebraca ever had at ND or here. In fact his rebounding rate is higher than Dickinson's.

The only player who Iowa is currently in on that's a better defender than Mast is Minor--and Minor is a much, much, much worse offensive player and rebounder than Mast.

There also seems to be this perception that there's just a bunch of defensive centers available in the portal that Iowa is not in on--when I go into EvanMiya and filter for 6'8+ players and sort by block % and some other defensive numbers the two names that always comes up are Shedrick (who Iowa's been in contact with) and Minor (who Iowa's getting a visit from). There's another kid from Colgate who I just looked up on Twitter and there's 0 reporting on who has contacted him. And then you get into guys who no high majors are showing interest in. It's not some buffet line of bigs to choose from that some think. Hell Even Brauns is in the top 10 of most defensive numbers I look at when I filter for 6'8+ guys.

Sold! I want Mast (actually, I posted about him right when he declared as a transfer via the portal). He's good.

 

[HawkHoops80]

Gilmore got 20 minutes. He needs zero. Mast could get 25 easily at UW. Wahl and Crowl could get a few less per game.

He could, but as with all recruiting you have to put yourself in Mast's shoes. He has 2 Big Ten schools interested with immediate starter minutes available and then another Big Ten school who has to convince him that incumbents are going to get less minutes. It's not always easy to convince a player (and his handlers) on a coach reducing returning minutes. Iowa saw this first hand last year when they were trying to convince portal bigs that Rebraca was going to be reduced to a 15-20 mpg guy.

 

[amahawk]

So Mast or any of the other 6-8/9 players that Fran brings in are better then Mulvey who is at least 7 foot or taller and has been at Iowa for over 2 1/2 years.
I'd rather see what Riley can do in extended minutes then bring in some player that may or may not be Big Ten ready. You can't teach height and Mulvey has not been given the opportunity to even show what he's got in the minimal minutes that he's been given because of Rebraca. If I'm wrong about Riley I'll at least admit it, if he's given the opportunity and fails....

It is time to get Mulvey in the game for real.

 

[jwardelt]

He could, but as with all recruiting you have to put yourself in Mast's shoes. He has 2 Big Ten schools interested with immediate starter minutes available and then another Big Ten school who has to convince him that incumbents are going to get less minutes. It's not always easy to convince a player (and his handlers) on a coach reducing returning minutes. Iowa saw this first hand last year when they were trying to convince portal bigs that Rebraca was going to be reduced to a 15-20 mpg guy.

Oh I get it. We struggled with it last year too and ended up with diddly squat and Carter ****ing Gilmore playing big minutes.

 

[CarterHall]

Iowa whiffed on Josh Cohen. SIAP.

 

[HawkLogic]

What's Fran supposed to do..."Crean" most of his players so he can recruit half of the team from the portal?
Fran has never had multiple scholarships to give out for portal players that he hasn't given out to graduated high school players including this year.
If Patrick decides to call it quits, Fran has 3 scholarships to give out, I still want 1 of them to go to Nimmers despite some on here that believe giving a scholarship to a walk on is a waste of time. The kid is the most athletic and skilled guard Iowa has on it's roster.
If Fran does bring in someone from the portal, he damn well better be a very good player because Fran will undoubtedly promise him unlimited minutes, as he did with Rebraca, and that's not how it's suppose to work.

Over past 4 years, Fran got Rebraca and Bakari and donated Moss, Fredrick, Nunge, JoeT, and Ulis & Josh to the portal. I'm stating the obvious that signing as single good portal recruit (Rebraca) in 4 years is not very good showing. My yardstick is the 32+ teams that did better than us as measured by NCAA tourney performance, many of which were stacked with portal guys.

Do I like that College B-ball is determined by NIL and portal transfers---no. Have I noticed teams like KSU do a total rebuild in 1 year and make Elite8 or ISU do a rebuild in 1 year and make Sweet16 by using the Portal--yes.

I said the jury is out on Fran and portal. That seems far from controversial statement. He doesn't have to crean because he's averaged nearly 2 outgoing transfers every spring over past 6-7 years.

Maybe Fran will l have more success than in past. Getting Braun is a good baby step...Fran has got NIL money and some freedom on his roster to bring in 1-2 portal guys. Braun is supposedly a walkon/earn the scholly type situation.

If Nimmer's is a stud, by all means he deserves a scholly. That is Fran's call because none of us really has seen him much beyond practice highlights. I suspect Nimmers is better than Ulis, because Ulis was not very talented offensively.

 

[jwardelt]

Why would a coach not play the players that give him the best chance to win?

 

[Hawksbyamillion]

Why would a coach not play the players that give him the best chance to win?

Ohh boy…this if your first time on this board I gather 😉 In short, some posters on here feel the coach plays his kids more than he should at times. I will say though, Fran has never been great at in game substitutions. We could be on a good run and everyone comes out at the same time verses 1 or 2 players to keep the run going, or we could be sucking it up and Fran waits too long to yank those players.

 

[RocknRollface]

So Mast or any of the other 6-8/9 players that Fran brings in are better then Mulvey who is at least 7 foot or taller and has been at Iowa for over 2 1/2 years.
I'd rather see what Riley can do in extended minutes then bring in some player that may or may not be Big Ten ready. You can't teach height and Mulvey has not been given the opportunity to even show what he's got in the minimal minutes that he's been given because of Rebraca. If I'm wrong about Riley I'll at least admit it, if he's given the opportunity and fails....

This is a truly ridiculous argument.

Fran should not bring in a big from the valley that other big teams want because you want to see what Mulvey can do? Are you ****ing serious?

You know who's seen what Mulvey can do.....Fran.

 

[DewHawk]

Why would a coach not play the players that give him the best chance to win?

good question

 

[IllQChawk]

This is a truly ridiculous argument.

Fran should not bring in a big from the valley that other big teams want because you want to see what Mulvey can do? Are you ****ing serious?

You know who's seen what Mulvey can do.....Fran.

Yes he has, and I expect 7-0 Mulvey will see starter minutes next season. Is that going to bring in a stud portal player with 6-11 Freeman as Mulvey's backup or 6-9 Dembele playing extended minutes.

Just to remind you 6-7 forward Pryce Sandford was player of the year in Iowa, 6-11 Owen Freeman was 1st team all-state in Illinois, 6-1 Brock Harding was 2nd team all-state in Illinois and was the player of the year in Illinois by the IHSA and besides that their Moline team won the class 4A state championship. As for 6-9 250 Lajdi Dembele, he also had offers from Rutgers, Pittsburg, DePaul, and Wake Forest. If everyone of these 4 players were from the portal everyone on this board would be going ape sh** by now.

 

[im4hawks50595]

He could, but as with all recruiting you have to put yourself in Mast's shoes. He has 2 Big Ten schools interested with immediate starter minutes available and then another Big Ten school who has to convince him that incumbents are going to get less minutes. It's not always easy to convince a player (and his handlers) on a coach reducing returning minutes. Iowa saw this first hand last year when they were trying to convince portal bigs that Rebraca was going to be reduced to a 15-20 mpg guy.

Probably more bout the money and what nil can bring you than any playing time issue's

 

[RocknRollface]

Yes he has, and I expect 7-0 Mulvey will see starter minutes next season. Is that going to bring in a stud portal player with 6-11 Freeman as Mulvey's backup or 6-9 Dembele playing extended minutes.

Just to remind you 6-7 forward Pryce Sandford was player of the year in Iowa, 6-11 Owen Freeman was 1st team all-state in Illinois, 6-1 Brock Harding was 2nd team all-state in Illinois and was the player of the year in Illinois by the IHSA and besides that their Moline team won the class 4A state championship. As for 6-9 250 Lajdi Dembele, he also had offers from Rutgers, Pittsburg, DePaul, and Wake Forest. If everyone of these 4 players were from the portal everyone on this board would be going ape sh** by now.

Well clearly your opinion is firmly based in reality.

 

[littlez]

Yes he has, and I expect 7-0 Mulvey will see starter minutes next season. Is that going to bring in a stud portal player with 6-11 Freeman as Mulvey's backup or 6-9 Dembele playing extended minutes.

Just to remind you 6-7 forward Pryce Sandford was player of the year in Iowa, 6-11 Owen Freeman was 1st team all-state in Illinois, 6-1 Brock Harding was 2nd team all-state in Illinois and was the player of the year in Illinois by the IHSA and besides that their Moline team won the class 4A state championship. As for 6-9 250 Lajdi Dembele, he also had offers from Rutgers, Pittsburg, DePaul, and Wake Forest. If everyone of these 4 players were from the portal everyone on this board would be going ape sh** by now.

You really expect Mulvey to see starter minutes? So tell me, why are we actively recruiting his position harder than any other position? He’s still a project. Now maybe he proves everyone wrong but you but at this point he’s not playing.

 

[RocknRollface]

You really expect Mulvey to see starter minutes? So tell me, why are we actively recruiting his position harder than any other position? He’s still a project. Now maybe he proves everyone wrong but you but at this point he’s not playing.

Im not sure how this could be any more obvious.

Good grief, if Mulvey was even remotely serviceable he would have played 10 minutes a game this year minimum.

The lack of a back up front line player was a huge hamstring this year.

 

[Ismellarat]

I mean is anybody surprised....the chances of Fran adding anybody worth a crap is next to zero....

 

[Ismellarat]

How long are we going to accept mediocrity. It seems like in perpetuity.

 

[Ismellarat]

What's Fran supposed to do..."Crean" most of his players so he can recruit half of the team from the portal?
Fran has never had multiple scholarships to give out for portal players that he hasn't given out to graduated high school players including this year.
If Patrick decides to call it quits, Fran has 3 scholarships to give out, I still want 1 of them to go to Nimmers despite some on here that believe giving a scholarship to a walk on is a waste of time. The kid is the most athletic and skilled guard Iowa has on it's roster.
If Fran does bring in someone from the portal, he damn well better be a very good player because Fran will undoubtedly promise him unlimited minutes, as he did with Rebraca, and that's not how it's suppose to work.

If we don't take a player like Nimmers, just shut out the lights and go home.

 

[HawkHoops80]

Probably more bout the money and what nil can bring you than any playing time issue's

It's usually a mixture--in this particular case, Mast is from the Netherlands which makes the NIL thing very complex. Rebraca and Tory Taylor have not earned a dime in NIL due to how student visas work--it's becoming a complex issue for foreign college athletes.

 

[Ismellarat]

This is a truly ridiculous argument.

Fran should not bring in a big from the valley that other big teams want because you want to see what Mulvey can do? Are you ****ing serious?

You know who's seen what Mulvey can do.....Fran.

When Mulvey first signed I thought he had potential for Big Ten talent, but unless he has a miraculous improvent, it's not going to end well.

 

[CarterHall]

Why would a coach not play the players that give him the best chance to win?

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

He has pretty good defensive numbers when you look at the advanced stats--he is an above average rebounder and his defensive +- is good. One thing to note about Mast in particular was Bradley was a really good team this year and he was their best player. I watch quite a bit of Valley hoops and there definitely was an argument to be made that Mast was more important to the regular season champs Bradley than Tucker DeVries was to Drake.
From the Athletic, who ranked Mast as the #47 transfer:
"Another first-team All-Missouri Valley player hitting the portal. Mast is a versatile Dutch big man who can operate on the block and create a shot with high-arcing hooks. That tends to be his home base, as he is ambidextrous with his finishing hand. But the more interesting skill he flashed this season was as a pick-and-pop threat. Mast hit 35 percent of his three 3-point attempts per game, with a pure looking shot that he can take quickly off the hop. He looks like a very legitimate option for a team that wants to play a floor-spacing five-man that can stretch the floor. And then weirdly he’ll be able to flash to the mid-post and drive an opposing player with an attack. The big thing that separates him from other offensive big men, though, is that he’s already been a part of pretty good defenses at Bradley. The Braves had the best defense in the Missouri Valley this year, and he was a big part of it. In total, Bradley won their minutes with Mast on the court by about 18 points per 100 possessions, and won them only by one point per 100 when he was off the court. He’s a real difference-maker that I’d buy playing at the high-major level next year."

Thanks. Mast would be a very good addition. I still want someone like Minor, who is maybe less skilled, but more athletic and seems to be an interior force, at least against the competition he played against. Our freshmen bigs could probably learn a lot playing against both of them.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Owen Freeman is 6-11, not 6-8....and I would take him over anyone that Fran brings in from the portal, despite what you may think of incoming freshmen. The portal is not the end all and Fran is not going to get any 5 star player or for that matter a player that will keep Iowa from losing a third of their schedule.
I have 13 years of watching Fran's coaching to back up that statement.....

I'd rather Fran utilize as many of the 5 freshmen that will be on the roster this coming season and develop them as they grow, then pick some 5 year player from the portal that may or may not help Iowa finish somewhere in the middle of the Big Ten. That's just my opinion and I think everyone of the 5 freshmen are capable of playing big minutes if given the chance.

Everyone of next seasons freshmen played extraordinary and finished at or near the top of their prospective states whether it be Iowa, Illinois, or New Jersey. Before the portal became the thing...everyone on here would be thrilled to see anyone of next years incoming freshmen playing extended minutes...now you all can't wait for them to set on the bench behind some portal player(s) that has to play extended minutes because Fran used that to entice them to come to Iowa.

I also really like the freshman class and want to see them on the court getting meaningful minutes, but also consider how much they could learn playing against the right portal additions. Very few true freshmen can come in and compete effectively right away. If the freshmen are in the rotation and can play 10-15 min/game, I will be very happy.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

Mack is the one I want most…everyone else on the list will be solid, but not a difference maker.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Yes he has, and I expect 7-0 Mulvey will see starter minutes next season. Is that going to bring in a stud portal player with 6-11 Freeman as Mulvey's backup or 6-9 Dembele playing extended minutes.

Just to remind you 6-7 forward Pryce Sandford was player of the year in Iowa, 6-11 Owen Freeman was 1st team all-state in Illinois, 6-1 Brock Harding was 2nd team all-state in Illinois and was the player of the year in Illinois by the IHSA and besides that their Moline team won the class 4A state championship. As for 6-9 250 Lajdi Dembele, he also had offers from Rutgers, Pittsburg, DePaul, and Wake Forest. If everyone of these 4 players were from the portal everyone on this board would be going ape sh** by now.

One thing is right. Fran has seen what Mulvey can do. That is why he is looking at so many bigs in the portal, even with Freeman coming in. Hard to root against Riley, who seems to be a great teammate, but you must be smoking some pretty good stuff.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Yet you've been extolling the virtues of the incoming Owen Freeman all year. Should we be lowering our expectations for him as well?

Depending on the portal success Owen could be a more than adequate starter by the end of the season. Just my opinion but his game film and they guys I know that have seen him play all says he's underrated. Even had a lot of offers for being underrated. Tall, pretty quick, good agility, strong and has some shots. Guards the post well.

I'm still for a ready to play center from the portal, if we can get a good one. I've heard that Cohen brings the most offense and Mast the most defense of the guys where we have mutual interests. Not crazy about anyone under 6'9". Need length in the Big Ten.

In the lovable underdog category we find Riley. Kid did Iowa a solid when things looked bleak. Love nothing more than seeing that kid come out of nowhere to start and play well. Come on Riley, we're pulling for you.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Did Mast visit Iowa this past week, and has anyone heard anything about how the visit went?

 

[skydog0784]

Did Mast visit Iowa this past week, and has anyone heard anything about how the visit went?

A poster on TOS is claiming the visit went well (supposedly via the main IA NIL coordinator) and IA is sitting in good shape but Mast wanted to take his NE visit.

The thing is, there is smoke now that Ben Krikke, another 2022-23 MVC first teamer may be a commit (at least per one 247 Crystal Ball prediction FWIW). Mast and Krikke have pretty similar games. Mast a bit better outside game, Krikke better down low from what I could tell watching some MVC hoops.

Another poster on TOS (who usually is pretty reliable from what I can tell) is indicating the staff is hoping for Minor (due to visit next weekend) and Krikke (not sure if he's assuming Krikke is a silent commit at this point or truly the staff's preference between him and Mast). And that they wouldn't take both Mast and Krikke.

The timing of the Crystal Ball and some of the chatter (again, FWIW) is such that they wanted Mast to commit this weekend or they were going with Krikke. Who knows, is fun to follow though if you're a hoops fan though...

 

[littlez]

For what it’s worth I’m a bigger fan of Krikke. He was stuck on a terrible team and I thought always looked good when watching him against Drake. Definitely a fan.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

Iowa whiffed on Josh Cohen. SIAP.

Isn't Cohen in town right now? Is there other news?

 

[lucas80]

Did Mast visit Iowa this past week, and has anyone heard anything about how the visit went?

FWIW, I heard. a nugget from the dad of a player that the visit went very well. We shall see. Maybe he goes to Nebraska and that visit goes better.

 

[lucas80]

To me Minor is very intriguing. A one year guy with a lot of tools. He clearly wants to play on the bigger stage. If Iowa identifies and pitches to him things they could improve in his game (FT shooting), he'd be a good addition.

 

[The Deplorable Sleeping Dog]

You certainly have a point. Fran clearly feels differently. If Freeman is Big Ten ready physically, then yes, Mast and Braun are both going to hinder his development. Now if he needs a year, which most Freshmen bigs do, then Mast will be a nice 1 year guy if we get him.

While I too am very high on Owen even if he is ready to start there is no depth except Riley and Riley did not look ready for extended minutes, even as a next guy in reserve. Right now the centers are a true freshmen, good but not like 5* good and a kid that has never really played and only showed a few flashes of being able to play at a P5 level. Iowa needs another center.