Davonte Fitzgerald Transfers to University of Minnesota

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For the record, DRAYMOND GREEN often plays CENTER (at 6-7, 240 and quite successfully) for an NBA team and we can continue to gripe over this. Even though last year we had one of the bigger centers in the league and couldn't rebound or defend to save a life.

You need someone to rebound and defend. How big they are doesn't mean squat. Again, DRAYMOND GREEN can successfully guard Marc Gasol, Zach Rabdolph, and Dwight Howard. At 6-7.
 

I will say, last year we didn't rebound worth a sh1t...

But height/weight =/ rebounding.
 







scher215 said:
For the record, DRAYMOND GREEN often plays CENTER (at 6-7, 240 and quite successfully) for an NBA team and we can continue to gripe over this. Even though last year we had one of the bigger centers in the league and couldn't rebound or defend to save a life.

You need someone to rebound and defend. How big they are doesn't mean squat. Again, DRAYMOND GREEN can successfully guard Marc Gasol, Zach Rabdolph, and Dwight Howard. At 6-7.
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Good post, Richard Coffey, Jason Stamper come to mind. Draymond had more total rebounds in the last fifteen years than anyone in the Big Ten. Ralph Sampson, Colton Iverson, Elliot Ellison Spencer Tollackson, Jeff Hagen, Jonathan Williams just a few bigs that were too slow to rebound or defend here. Toughness and quickness is the recipe for rebounding.
 

Guys, the days of tall, marginally athletic, slow, space takers is over. Pitino has said all along he is bringing in a fast running style with a relentless defense. Coach is not looking for the next Randy Breuer, Trevor Winter, Bob Martin, Jeff Hagen, etc..


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Fitzgerald looks to be a nice wing prospect.With Davonte and Lynch in two years we should be getting two Big Ten ready players who will have had a redshirt year to get stronger and system ready and healthy in Fitzgerald's case,
 

Lynch and Fitzgerald should be good practice players this year as well.
 

alchemy2u said:
Guys, the days of tall, marginally athletic, slow, space takers is over. Pitino has said all along he is bringing in a fast running style with a relentless defense. Coach is not looking for the next Randy Breuer, Trevor Winter, Bob Martin, Jeff Hagen, etc..


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The issue is not his height. The issue is that he was a marginal (single digit number of minutes per game) player at Texas A&M. How does that advance the program?
 

jamiche said:
The issue is not his height. The issue is that he was a marginal (single digit number of minutes per game) player at Texas A&M. How does that advance the program?
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Not every player is going to be better than the last.


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alchemy2u said:
Guys, the days of tall, marginally athletic, slow, space takers is over. Pitino has said all along he is bringing in a fast running style with a relentless defense. Coach is not looking for the next Randy Breuer, Trevor Winter, Bob Martin, Jeff Hagen, etc..


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Phil Hubbard anyone?.........6' 8"......215 lbs
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Hubbard

Michigan Basketball: All-Time 10 Best Centers
#2 – Phil Hubbard: A dominating force in the middle, Hubbard enjoyed an outstanding career at Michigan (1975-79). Hubbard posted some big numbers and they would have been even bigger had he not missed his entire junior season with a knee injury.
As a freshman, Hubbard averaged 16.1 ppg and 11.0 rpg. He teamed with Rickey Green to lead Michigan to the National Championship game that season.
Hubbard had a monster sophomore season posting 19.6 ppg and 13.0 rpg. Michigan made a return trip to the Final Four that season. Hubbard earned All-American honors that season.
He missed his junior season due to a knee injury he suffered playing in The World University Games.
Hubbard returned for his senior season and he averaged 14.8 ppg and 9.2 rpg.
Hubbard finished his career with 1,455 points and 979 rebounds. He is Michigan’s 4th leading rebounder of all-time. Hubbard averaged 11.13 rebounds per game over the course of his career, which ranks 4th on the school’s all-time list. Hubbard set the single season rebounds record when he snatched 389 boards in his sophomore season. Hubbard totaled 53 double-doubles in his career which places him 2nd on the all-time list. He once posted double-doubles in a school record 14 consecutive games. He also owns the single season record with 24 double-doubles (1976-77).
Hubbard is one of 5 Wolverines to total over 1,400 points and 900 rebounds in his career.
Hubbard set a NCAA Tournament record in a 1977 Regional Semi-Final when he corralled 26 rebounds. That is also Hubbard’s career high and the 4th highest single game total in school history.
Hubbard’s rebounding average of 13.3 per game in the NCAA Tournament is the 4th best in the history of the Tourney.
Hubbard was selected in the first round of the 1979 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. He played in the association for 10 years.
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http://isportsweb.com/2009/10/14/michigan-basketball-all-time-10-best-centers/
 

jamiche said:
The issue is not his height. The issue is that he was a marginal (single digit number of minutes per game) player at Texas A&M. How does that advance the program?
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Clearly the hope is that he improves, and why would you believe he wouldn't?

He averaged nearly 8 pts per game as a true freshman in the Big 12, then hurt his knee. His numbers dropped in his comeback year last year. Now, he'll get a year to get even healthier and have two years to play. I could see a Mo Walker type response from injury. Mo averaged 7 min per game the year after his injury, and eventually was a key Big Ten contributing member (12 pt/7 reb as a senior). With medical technology now, kids are coming back from knee injuries pretty well, especially in time.

I guess I didn't realize how much of a powerhouse the Gophers had become. Beat out UConn, Cal, Arizona State and others for a recruit and the Gophers are apparently above this type of player?

Go back and look at the stories when he announced he was transferring. Everyone who follows it closely talked about this kid's potential. That's a good thing. Minnesota needs to take on kids like this when it has a chance.
 

jamiche said:
The issue is not his height. The issue is that he was a marginal (single digit number of minutes per game) player at Texas A&M. How does that advance the program?
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Can't wait until we can play our freshmen and sophomores 9 minutes per game.
 

I really like this pickup. If we are ever going to see pitinos system his last two recruits fits very well with what he does 3/4 type players who are very athletic get up and down and play above the rim and long who can defend. I believe buggs starts this year at the 3 and Morris of the bench.
 

scher215 said:
For the record, DRAYMOND GREEN often plays CENTER (at 6-7, 240 and quite successfully) for an NBA team and we can continue to gripe over this. Even though last year we had one of the bigger centers in the league and couldn't rebound or defend to save a life.

You need someone to rebound and defend. How big they are doesn't mean squat. Again, DRAYMOND GREEN can successfully guard Marc Gasol, Zach Rabdolph, and Dwight Howard. At 6-7.
Click to expand...

So why is Draymond Green an outlier at 6'7"? How come we don't see any NBA rebounding champs that stand 6'1"? I get your point, there are exceptions to the rule. Rodman guarded players much taller than himself, Barkley could rebound with anyone. Still, those guys stand out because they are the exception to the rule. To say size doesn't mean squat is simply not true.
 

I think some of the size obsessed people are forgetting that Trevor Mbakwe was 6'6.75" without shoes, and 6'8" with shoes. He seemed to grab a few rebounds.
 

jamiche said:
The issue is not his height. The issue is that he was a marginal (single digit number of minutes per game) player at Texas A&M. How does that advance the program?
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Dude scored 9ppg as a Freshman in the SEC. That's nothing to sneeze at. He blew his knee out at the end of his Freshman year & was recovering much of last year. The coach brought in two transfers at his position who led the team averaging almost 15ppg & 14ppg respectively. Also, A & M was no doormat, taking 4th in the SEC, while finishing 21-12. If Fitz can use his red shirt year & get that knee back to where it was, we could have just picked up a really nice player.
 

Loving this move even more as it begins to sink in. Really excited to watch this team over the next two years.
 

Excited to see the kid. I do share concerns over the lack of open scholarships in the next two classes, but let's be real, that almost never ends up being an issue.
 

scher215 said:
For the record, DRAYMOND GREEN often plays CENTER (at 6-7, 240 and quite successfully) for an NBA team and we can continue to gripe over this. Even though last year we had one of the bigger centers in the league and couldn't rebound or defend to save a life.

You need someone to rebound and defend. How big they are doesn't mean squat. Again, DRAYMOND GREEN can successfully guard Marc Gasol, Zach Rabdolph, and Dwight Howard. At 6-7.
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Take a step back and listen to yourself. You are really comparing a 6'7, 200 lb natural small forward to freaking Draymond Green? Really?
 

GopherWeatherGuy said:
I think some of the size obsessed people are forgetting that Trevor Mbakwe was 6'6.75" without shoes, and 6'8" with shoes. He seemed to grab a few rebounds.
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Please, guys. Keep comparing Fitzgerald, Murphy and Gilbert to freaking Trevor Mbakwe. I heard Murphy literally sprouted wings last week, and the word on the street is that he can shoot laser beams out of his eyes!
 

Blackhammer said:
Good post, Richard Coffey, Jason Stamper come to mind. Draymond had more total rebounds in the last fifteen years than anyone in the Big Ten. Ralph Sampson, Colton Iverson, Elliot Ellison Spencer Tollackson, Jeff Hagen, Jonathan Williams just a few bigs that were too slow to rebound or defend here. Toughness and quickness is the recipe for rebounding.
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You really think size doesn't translate to defense? Really? Tell me more about how small forwards are going to defend Robert Carter and Caleb Swanigan.
 

scher215 said:
Yeah, have to agree. It's hilarious to me that as basketball moves more and more towards pace and space, all we care about is "BUT A B1G BODY!!!!!"
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This is absolute nonsense. Basketball has not moved away from needing to protect the rim and the paint. Not one bit.
 

jwhoops said:
You really think size doesn't translate to defense? Really? Tell me more about how small forwards are going to defend Robert Carter and Caleb Swanigan.
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You can flip that around and ask how would Carter and Swanigan guard smaller players as well. Just a few years ago we made the tourney, with a 6'6.5" "PF." There are alot of different styles and matchups you can have success with in the college game.
 

DeathClutch said:
You can flip that around and ask how would Carter and Swanigan guard smaller players as well. Just a few years ago we made the tourney, with a 6'6.5" "PF." There are alot of different styles and matchups you can have success with in the college game.
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Rodney Williams was the most athletic player in the country, a senior, and playing next to one of the top defensive centers in the country. The defense was markedly worse with Williams at the 4, and the Gophers still only went 8-10. An unranked freshman SF who won't be paired with a reliable presence at the 5? Its a recipe for disaster. Take a look at daddy Pitino's rotations as far back as you want, and his current roster. You won't find him starting 200 lb SF's at the 4, and he's been pretty friggin successful with his up tempo lineup.

I'm all for playing a small lineup, but playing 4 out 1 doesn't just magically happen overnight, if it was that easy everybody would do it. You not only need an extremely tenacious, defefnse-focused 4, you also need a center that knows what he is doing. There is no reason to believe we have either at this point. Maybe Murphy can develop into that player, but no reason to think he will be ready right away. The other small 4's actually play the 4 because they are game changing floor spacers, not just because they are small. There is a reason players like Hayes, Swanigan and Carter actually play over 6'6 SF's, ya know.
 

I must say I'm interested in this transfer. If the coaching staff can develop him over the next year, the guy could be special from the sounds of his potential. As for the scholarship situation, don't worry about it. Amir is a long shot. There is still a spot open if (hopes to god) Shamorie wants to commit, and history says a transfer, or through other means, could open up a spot for another recruit.
 

jwhoops said:
Rodney Williams was the most athletic player in the country, a senior, and playing next to one of the top defensive centers in the country. The defense was markedly worse with Williams at the 4, and the Gophers still only went 8-10. An unranked freshman SF who won't be paired with a reliable presence at the 5? Its a recipe for disaster. Take a look at daddy Pitino's rotations as far back as you want, and his current roster. You won't find him starting 200 lb SF's at the 4, and he's been pretty friggin successful with his up tempo lineup.

I'm all for playing a small lineup, but playing 4 out 1 doesn't just magically happen overnight, if it was that easy everybody would do it. You not only need an extremely tenacious, defefnse-focused 4, you also need a center that knows what he is doing. There is no reason to believe we have either at this point. Maybe Murphy can develop into that player, but no reason to think he will be ready right away. The other small 4's actually play the 4 because they are game changing floor spacers, not just because they are small. There is a reason players like Hayes, Swanigan and Carter actually play over 6'6 SF's, ya know.
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Like I said before, plenty of different lineups and styles can achieve success in the college game. Teams like Witchita State, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and Notre Dame all made runs in the tourney with smaller than average lineups, ya know.
 

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