IF Fran had actually brought some talent around Luka, like some athletic guards for a change thats a final 4 team with Luka, Joe W and the Murrays. Unfortunately for young Owen we have the same problem now, I can evaluate that much. You say big O can play away from the basket and yet I haven't seen him even attempt a jump shot. Luka was a three level scorer unlike anybody that ever played at Iowa. He worked his Ass off every year and made big strides each season, and even became a decent defender is last couple of years. I love big O's game, and think he has a great career ahead of him, but he's got a long way to go to wear Garza's shoes.
Owen Freeman
- Thread starter Franisdaman
- Start date
Offensively for sure. Luka was a 3 level scoring machine and was the focus of every opponent. Still he scored a ton with great efficiency. Owen doesn't have that kind of offensive game yet. With that said, Owen is probably already a better defender which was never a strength of Luka's. He's also about as good a rebounder as a freshman as Luka ever was. Garza set a standard for modern big men at Iowa. Owen has a chance to reach that standard.
In fairness, Luka didn’t have that offensive game as a freshman either. There were glimpses of it, but it definitely took some time for him to build himself into what he ultimately became.
And I'm in NO way saying that Owen can't become a great player at Iowa. Just that saying he has a higher ceiling then Luka is pretty premature. What we DO know is Luka worked on his game and his body every off season and improved considerably every off season. Hopefully young Owen has the same kind of work ethic, BUT that would be rare as Luka was incredibly focused. I also believe that unless Fran, or whomever is here for the rest of Owens career starts bringing in some better players around him, it won't matter a bit. Look at next year. Two more 3/4 stretch 4 guys. NO guards who can match up with the better teams we play. Who will play on the perimeter with TP leaving? Just puzzling the rosters that Fran builds.....
Comparatively speaking Nebraska is pretty good team by BIG standards this year.
Of the 10 players, Owen is the only B1G player listed.
What people forget is that we could have had the Murrays, Garza and Joe for another year each (2 for Keagan) but they all left early. To some extent, Fran was a victim of his own success in identifying and recruiting talent.
I don’t think Owen will have that “problem,” unfortunately.
Garza was no slouch as a freshman. It was already evident that he was talented and I believe he averaged 12 and 6 as a frosh.
True, but his improvement over the years was astounding. His defense and conditioning as a frosh was terrible.
Also remember he played with that 9 pound cyst his freshman year
If Jack Nunge hadn't gotten hurt it may very well could have been as it was. And the 2020 Kris Murray wasn't the 2022 Kris Murray so let's not have revisionist history on how much he got screwed by not playing.
Please show where in my post I said ANYONE got screwed. Never said that. I said Fran failed to have any athletic GUARDS around his great post and wing players and we got rolled by Oregon with Garza still putting up 36 or whatever. As it relates to Owen he's in the same exact boat with Frans roster management. Lets say Perkins moves on next year, this being his senior year. Our ENTIRE backcourt is Bowen who is improving some, but still not consistent, Dix who needs to be way more assertive, and young Harding who I think will be a decent player. Thats it. THREE guards. We have ZERO backcourt players yet again in this 2024 class. Frans "positionless basketball" may score some points when we're shooting three's well, but when we're not we are in trouble, and we are at such a disadvantage in defense trying to guard better athletes on the perimeter. This leads to really poor defense ,and lots of foul issues because we can't stop other teams guards from penetrating.
Luka improved by.himself with his father's help. Fran didn't improve him.
LOL. I mean, come on. Fran develops and utilizes the 4/5 as well as anyone in the country. There is plenty to criticize Fran about, but you've got to admit he had a significant role in making Garza a better player, as much as any college coach could have.
Murray Brothers----Papa
Garza-- Papa
CMAC, PMAC---> Papa
CMAC/PMAC had advantages early thanks to Fran. Are we to believe Papa Fran didn't have anything to do with PMAC getting on AAU team with Jalen Suggs and two other McD all Americans
2020 Kris Murray was not 2022 Kris Murray, but > 2020 PMAC
2020 Keegan Murray was not 2021 Keegan Murray, but >> 2020 CMAC
The idea that two McCafferies were better than two NBA talents is a stretch.
I wasn't necessarily directing the "screwed" comment towards you so I could obviously have phrased it better. More to those who think Kris came out of the womb ready to be in the NBA crowd. But do remember that team did also have CJ Frederick who was often hurt too late in the season. Not sure where an "athletic" guard was going to make that much of a difference. Remember if Bohannon sits down, there goes an awfully good outside shooting threat. Connor had his role as a much needed ball handler and passer, much to the dismay of many. Very few perfect teams. They just happened to get beat that day. Perkins and JT were on that roster.
My point being in Frans tenure its been our achilles heel. The main reason we never advance in the tourney. We always have a big or stretch 4 who can score 20 plus points per game, but we can't defend the perimeter to save our lives. I related this because Owen Freeman and his future were the topic. I just don't see this getting any better for him, because Fran has not been able to bring in enough B1G level quality guards to manage the roster properly. Honestly next years roster is down right scary unless we are counting on a walk on like Kingbury to play some quality minutes? We have basically three backcourt players. ALL of them will need to make major leaps forward by next season, and none of them can even turn an ankle, or will be playing someone like Pryce totally out of position, much like Fran has tried with his brother, playing him as a two so he could start both him and Pmac. Just doesn't work, and we have plenty of evidence to support that statement....
I hear Aaron Nimmers will be available... But really, how many guards do you need? Only 3 will play any consistent minutes. I would like to see an upgrade over current guards on roster though.
I disagree. Aaron White never developed a consistent outside shot. Besabe regressed IMO. Woodbury never developed an offensive game, neither did his back up. Those who improved did so on their own, with their families help. I was/am hoping Matt Gatens would bring more to the table in player development & recruiting.
And tell me how much his own sons have developed again?
Is the Swarm supposed to toss a little money at the basketball program this season? Maybe we can portal some decent guards.
Odd. I thought Luka did single out the coaching staff for a lot of his improvement over the years when he left.
So all those three stars that became First Team All-B1G did it on their own? Funny, they all credited McCaffery and the staff for their development. Iowa is a developmental program. We don't suck in and spit out 5 star recruits.
Aaron White developed from a no-name recruit into an All Big player. Who cares if he couldn’t shoot! Very very few players develop into good shooters in college who aren’t already good shooters. Picking out Basabe and ignoring improvement in guys like Cole, Uthoff, the Murrays, Rebraca, Nunge and Garza is myopic.
And neither boys were 4/5s, try to stay on topic.
247 had Patrick as 4 stars, Conner was 3 stars. Which of the above, Cole, Uthoff, Murray's, Rebraca, Nunge or Garza were 4/5 stars? Hint, only one of them. And I don't believe Cole played for McCaffery. Wasn't he a Lickliter player? Maybe his senior year with Fran, but lets not credit Fran for developing his game.
Basabe was a 4 year player for Fran, why wouldn't I pick him out? Should I have not? Let's go further with Peter Jok. Didn't improve his ball handling or his defense (well with Fran, who does?). D. Marble, didn't exactly improve much from freshman to senior year either.
White, even though he was all Big10 he did not improve his offensive skillset while at Iowa. He hustled his ass off, busted his butt and was decent against undersized players. He put on muscle and improved his defense after leaving for Europe. And players always give credit to their coaches. Do you think they're going to say, I elevated myself in spite of poor coaching?
Fran gives players opportunities to play & play to a style that suits them, especially scoring points. But to say he develops anyone is a stretch. The Murray's & Garza are the only players who I've seen have substantial improvement throughout their years at Iowa. And as another poster mentioned, their fathers more instrumental than Fran ever was. Fran gave them the stage on the Big10, they took it from there.
I have to assume your kidding right? So we have a roster with only three guards and you think thats okay? So one gets hurt, just has a high ankle sprain. Do the other two play 40 minutes a game. Oh, no we'll slide over a 6'7 kid who can't guard anyone and watch our defense regress even more. Our post season record clearly shows this is an issue, and yet its never addressed which is a big reason we can't defend against better teams.
White actually DID become a pretty good three point shooter by his last season. and saying that D Marble didn't improve much in his career is downright wrong. He had a lot of holes in his game as a frosh, and was a very solid player when he left.
Really? I thought you'd have caught the sarcasm in the first sentence, Aaron Nimmers... Didn't you catch the last sentence, asking for upgrades? If you're from the east side of KC, I understand your issue with reading comphrension... lol
What are they supposed to say? Fran's part in the development is giving them the playing time and making them the go-to guy in the lineup. Their individual development was on their own with their respective fathers. In the Murray's case he probably hurt their development by playing them behind his kids in their early years.
The narrative that Iowa is some kind of development program comes from the Garza/Murrays success. Others have improved in the way most players improve over four years at any other school. Probably less.
You never know, he very well had been asked to go to Indian Hills to work on his game as a starter as he wasn't going to get any playing time here at Iowa. Fran may welcome him back. Wouldn't that fry your ass. Speaking of forgotten players, redshirt 7 foot Riley Mulvey is setting out this year and is not doing it to sit out the next 2 years. Iowa is not going to spend 3 and a half years of development on that young man just to let him hit the portal. He will be a nice starter at center next year besides Owen Freeman and Payton Sandford and let the development of Desonte Bowen and Brock Harding heat up during the summer months, I'm still banking that Brock will be the starting point guard next year and Desonte his running mate is shooting guard.
you've lost all credibility if you think Mulvey will be a starter next year. How much did he play in the first 3 years? He may get 10 minutes of backup duty next year if he's lucky. He's as soft as milk toast. They should've had Jelly redshirt & sent Mulvey packing to the portal. And sure, if Nimmers is back & is an upgrade I'd welcome him. Last I checked, he's averaging around 5 points at IH.
Keep hanging your hat on Harding. I'm surprised you're not asking the entire Moline HS team to be starting next year at Iowa.
And you have lost all credibility if you have completely dismissed Mulvey's future with the Hawkeyes dispelling the possibility that it will never happen. You're short sighted and probably haven't ever seen him play and no he is not soft by any mean DA.
