Sky is the limit with these young guys

[Auger]

Don't want to get carried away here or put ridiculous expectations on these young kids but I can't remember I time when Iowa had this much young talent both on the team and incoming talent over the next couple years. Nor such a well balanced team. I think the only thing missing is an actual true PG even though JBo can develop into an avg B1G PG.

Moss looks like a kid that could develop into a star. As he is gaining more and more experience/confidence his all-around game is taking big strides forward. Right now he looks like he could be Marble version 2 with an improved rim attack .

Pemsl/Cook both look like guys that could avg 13-15 ppg, 5-7 rpg throughout their careers.

JBo - looks as though he could develop into a avg B1G PG with a plus 3pt shot

Wagner - has really been improving lately and if he could develop into a consistent 7-8 ppg 5 rpg guy off the bench it would be huge.

Baer - Is developing into an above avg 6th man.

Dailey - Really excited about this kid. Has a nice outside shot, crashes the boards like a champ and is a solid ball handler. He could be a really good B1G 2/3 in the future

Kriener/Williams/Ellingson - All look like they could be solid deep bench guys.

All of the above have at least 2 1/2 years left. And then you get into the incoming guys in Connor, Bunge, Garza and then add Wieskamp. Fran is putting together a future that could be as good as Wisconsin, an every year Top 4 B1G team or as low as a Top 6 B1G team. These young guys have the talent and if they get the most out of it they could contend for future B1G crowns and deep runs in March. Very excited about Iowa Basketball right now.

 

[icwesthawk]

Can they take their collective games to the next level? Over the next couple of years we need, especially our bigs, to add another dimension to their games. Add an outside shot, be able to dribble drive, ect. We've had some players make that adjustment, some have not.

 

[Auger]

Can they take their collective games to the next level? Over the next couple of years we need, especially our bigs, to add another dimension to their games. Add an outside shot, be able to dribble drive, ect. We've had some players make that adjustment, some have not.

I don't think Cook and Pemsl will need to add an outside shot to their games. JBo, Moss and Dailey all have a decent outside shot. Baer has shown in the past he has one and Connor projects to have an avg outside shot. Throw in Ellingson who has really been money shooting this year and the 1-3 positions look like they can really spread the perimeter out. Next year Bunge who will likely be a stretch 4 has also been showing that he has a plus plus outside shot. Pemsl and Cook with their around the basket game will force teams to defend the paint which will open holes up on the outside.

What will be more important for Iowa then the bigs developing an outside shot will be for the guards and wings to develop mid-range jumpers. It would also be great if Cook/Pemsl could develop a solid just outside the paint shot as well so the can play off each other. Right now only Jok and Ellingson have consistent mid-range jumpers. If these young guys can develop one I can see these Iowa teams in the future being a threat anywhere on the court from the fast break, to the 3pt shot, to mid-range and finally to beating the crap out of you in the paint.

 

[unIowa]

Can they take their collective games to the next level? Over the next couple of years we need, especially our bigs, to add another dimension to their games. Add an outside shot, be able to dribble drive, ect. We've had some players make that adjustment, some have not.

I am not sure the bigs need an outside shot to buckets in the post. The guards can stroke i better than any point in the McCaffery tenure, we have a pg that can stroke it and Pemsl has legit back to the basket game, as does Cook.

While I would love to see them hit shots to 15' I am not sure it is a need with the other parts.

 

[EastIowaHawk]

I don't want Cordell or Wagner taking outside shots.

 

[DanL53]

I'm hoping that Wagner, Pemsl and Cook do continue to develop outside shots, for the future when we have Nunge and Garza (who both do shoot well from outside.) But for the immediate future, I'd just like to see the free throws fall a bit better.

I guess we should have counted on Fran, who knew we needed Marble, knew what White could be, knew the potential of Gabe...to one day bring in a host of guys who would easily surpass their rankings.

And I'm still high on Williams. A reminder that as sophomores we could see talent but still had concerns over guys like Uthoff and Jok. This is Ellingson's second year on the court after a redshirt year. And he's just now starting to show what Fran saw in him.

Williams? Just a matter of an extended case of the jitters. When he gets his confidence, and some experience, I think we'll be talking about him like we are talking about Moss now. And if not, if I'm wrong...Dailey.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

This is a young team that looks athletic, long and versatile. Just my instinct, but it seems like we're on the verge of a nice run given the youth that is performing well now with some nice talent coming. A lot of lunch bucket work ethic with enough talent to parlay that into significantly above average performance.

I'm pretty stoked for the the rest of this year and, even more so, the next 3-5 years.

 

[HawkLogic]

Definitely a lot of raw talent...assuming they step up their game Freshman to Sophomore, this will be a B1G contending group.

Cook kind of amazed me with his raw athleticism...the type of player Iowa never gets...then Pemsl comes out of nowhere and displays the best post moves since Brunner...and he might be better than Brunner.

Moss athleticism to finish + shooting ability..he looks a lot better than Devyn Marble at same age and a lot more athletic.

Bohannon...we always wanted one and now we have one.

 

[EastIowaHawk]

I don't want Cordell or Tyler taking outside shots, unless there is no other option... one second on the shot clock.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Not really a bad problem, but next year we will have seven guys for the two interior positions, including Cook, Pemsl, Wagner, Kriener, Uhl, Nunge and Garza. Baer's best position is also the four. Add a lightning quick ballhandler/on-ball defender, and the sky could be the limit.

 

[perryhawk]

I think the thing that amazes me with this current roster is this: Look to the last player(s) on the bench, whoever you think are those last guys (lets not count Jones for now). It seems to me that the talent, or depth of talent is as good as we have had since the early Tom Davis era.

I think that most everyone can see how Ellingson, Kriener, Daily, etc. etc. have talent. Not only that, but the talent to potentially be a significant contributor to this team at some point in time. It is a matter of development.

Assuming that most of us are on board with that, the challenge is for Fran to keep this roster in tact and to continue to develop those players. If Brady E's role is to simply do what he is doing now.....coming off of the bench and relieving the starter for short stints while hitting shots and limiting mistakes, it is a very important role for this team.

The future is VERY BRIGHT.

 

[perryhawk]

I didn't want to start a whole new thread so I thought I would attach this here....this is the way I see next year's roster.

Listing players at their primary position as I recognize most of these guys can play more than one spot.

Post/PF (Primarily 2 players on the floor together)
Wagner-Cook-Pemsl-Kreiner-Garza-Nunge

Wing (Primarily 1 player at a time)
Baer-Uhl-Williams(?)

Guard (Two players at a time on the floor)
Jordan-Moss-Brady-Maishee-Connor-Williams (?)

On the wing......is Baer quick enough to defend there, because he brings so much to the team? Dom Uhl's best asset for this team might be his ability to defend the wing with the size he has. Could Christian Williams excel in this position and then be a 3rd guard on the floor?

PG-It looks like JB is the man but I think he needs significant help from a depth perspective. If he gets in foul trouble or if he gets hurt. Will Connor be able to fill this role; according to those who should know the answer is yes with the caveat that he may need help on defense. That would let Moss, MD, and BE play the two.

Inside you have Cook and Pemsl(?) as starters that can be interchangeable with the other 4 guys depending on match ups and who is playing well......this may be the position where someone can redshirt...

Bottom line is that we have talented depth if they just continue to develop at a normal rate...wow, think about two years from now when Uhl has graduated.

A lineup like this-Connor-Maishee-Wagner-Pemsl-Cook.....could that be Villanova like?

 

[lovedwatchingLester]

I didn't want to start a whole new thread so I thought I would attach this here....this is the way I see next year's roster.

Listing players at their primary position as I recognize most of these guys can play more than one spot.

Post/PF (Primarily 2 players on the floor together)
Wagner-Cook-Pemsl-Kreiner-Garza-Nunge

Wing (Primarily 1 player at a time)
Baer-Uhl-Williams(?)

Guard (Two players at a time on the floor)
Jordan-Moss-Brady-Maishee-Connor-Williams (?)

On the wing......is Baer quick enough to defend there, because he brings so much to the team? Dom Uhl's best asset for this team might be his ability to defend the wing with the size he has. Could Christian Williams excel in this position and then be a 3rd guard on the floor?

PG-It looks like JB is the man but I think he needs significant help from a depth perspective. If he gets in foul trouble or if he gets hurt. Will Connor be able to fill this role; according to those who should know the answer is yes with the caveat that he may need help on defense. That would let Moss, MD, and BE play the two.

Inside you have Cook and Pemsl(?) as starters that can be interchangeable with the other 4 guys depending on match ups and who is playing well......this may be the position where someone can redshirt...

Bottom line is that we have talented depth if they just continue to develop at a normal rate...wow, think about two years from now when Uhl has graduated.

A lineup like this-Connor-Maishee-Wagner-Pemsl-Cook.....could that be Villanova like?

Left out Moss in that lineup since he is technically also a freshman.
I want a lot I know, but if Wagner can become a good shooter out to 3 point land, we sill be really set.

 

[perryhawk]

Left out Moss in that lineup since he is technically also a freshman.
I want a lot I know, but if Wagner can become a good shooter out to 3 point land, we sill be really set.

You're correct....oversight on my part. Moss is one of my favorites and should clearly be in the starting lineup.

 

[perryhawk]

I would probably put Moss in place of Wagner in that lineup.

 

[Zildjian6868]

Agreed. This class could be very special. I have never seen a freshman at Iowa come in as fearless as Bohannon has. Even Jok did not take the kind of shots he has as a freshman. The key with this group of freshman is how they progress. They have played incredibly well for freshman, but how will they look in a couple of years. For Bohannon to get to the next level he needs to work on his foot work on defense. Pemsl needs to continue to work on counter moves and kicking it out. It is only a matter of time before he will start getting double teamed. With this group, the potential for an NCAA run for the next 3 years is easily an expectation. How hard they work will determine how far they get. It will also be interesting to see how they end the season. Fran group have historically started to sputter out in February. So I guess the question is, will this team fair any different or are they playing the best ball of the season right now.

 

[mazda1]

This team is loaded with potential. It could become dynamic, but we have a long ways to go before we know what we've got. 10 games into league play it wouldn't be unusual for those praising the kids the most today to be knocking their progress then.

Let's stick with the kids, revel in what they become, but stay grounded enough to know we're a long ways from being there.

 

[Suterman]

The sky is not the limit this year. This team will struggle in B1G play collectively and individually. If we can get to 9-9, I will be pleased.