Thanks for posting the update. It will be interesting to see if any or all of these guys can break into the rotation. On one hand, the Cal returnees they will be competing against for playing time are all so-so. On the other hand, there are a lot of them, they were good enough to earn scholarships (without getting run off) and they have a fair amount of Pac 12 experience.

That will be the interesting angle for me this coming season: player development. Partly because that always interests me and partly because there ain't much else.

Thank you for the update. While it's hard to speculate if these guys will inject some offense to the lineup, one thing I feel confident in, they will see the court due to their size and athleticism. They should help out on defense at the least.

Roberson scoring 10ppg is discouraging. Hopefully it's the result of double-teams and covid disruption. I still like his potential as a 6'5 athlete/playmaker/slasher that's comfortable with the ball in his hands.

BC Calfan said:

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Thank you for the update. While it's hard to speculate if these guys will inject some offense to the lineup, one thing I feel confident in, they will see the court due to their size and athleticism. They should help out on defense at the least.

Roberson scoring 10ppg is discouraging. Hopefully it's the result of double-teams and covid disruption. I still like his potential as a 6'5 athlete/playmaker/slasher that's comfortable with the ball in his hands.

---

Roberson was not game planned against. Jalen Lewis, who will probably make the McDonalds game in two years, is by far the star of the team, and they have some other good options. One might argue that Roberson did not get enough shots.

People should realize that none of the recruits were overwhelming high school players so they are unlikely to beat out the returning players or bump up Cal's overall talent. If the team is going to improve it will be growth in players like Brown, Kuany and Celestine.

sluggo said:

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People should realize that none of the recruits were overwhelming high school players so they are unlikely to beat out the returning players or bump up Cal's overall talent. If the team is going to improve it will be growth in players like Brown, Kuany and Celestine.

---

IMHO if the incoming freshies don't play much we're going to be in for a rough season. I just don't expect more than incremental improvement from everyone else.

If the incoming freshies do play a lot then I expect the ups and downs you get with all freshies. But I'd rather watch that than watch them sit on the bench while the team improves marginally from last season's last place.

stu said:

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sluggo said:

---

People should realize that none of the recruits were overwhelming high school players so they are unlikely to beat out the returning players or bump up Cal's overall talent. If the team is going to improve it will be growth in players like Brown, Kuany and Celestine.

---

IMHO if the incoming freshies don't play much we're going to be in for a rough season. I just don't expect more than incremental improvement from everyone else.

If the incoming freshies do play a lot then I expect the ups and downs you get with all freshies. But I'd rather watch that than watch them sit on the bench while the team improves marginally from last season's last place.

---

Stu, I really respect your Cal Basketball knowledge, but I kind of disagree on this particular point...

I think, if there were ever a year that we will improve just based on improvement by the returnees, it is this one:

The returning seniors, Kelly and Anticevich, may make that "big final push", get in the best shape of their lives and really play with confidence. I have seen this happen many times.

The returning juniors, Lars, Kuany, Brown, Hyder, Thorpe and maybe Klonaras were basically robbed of a chance to make that big freshman-to-sophomore-leap last season, due to COVID restrictions. They may do so this year if they have great off-seasons.

The returning sophomores, Celestine and Bowser, can improve a lot if they get healthy and understand better how to fit in and succeed at this level. Last season, they were freshmen who had a lot to figure out.


Unfortunately, none of these guys are huge talents, but I think a number of them will be better and a few may have (for them) banner years. Maybe we go .500+1 overall and approach that in conference! I am perhaps being overly optimistic, but, frankly, I need something to hang my hat on this off-season.

Quote:

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I think, if there were ever a year that we will improve just based on improvement by the returnees, it is this one ...

---

I hope you're right!

I think Bowser and Celestine are the most likely to show major improvement. Last season both were injured and of course it was a weird season anyway. Also major progress often comes from freshie to soph seasons.

After those two I'd pick Kuany. He's a good athlete somewhat lacking in basketball skills, perhaps the light will come on for him this season.

I think it's less likely we'll see major improvements in our other players. The only recent example I can come up with is Paris Austin but in his case I think it was due to the coaching change.

Speaking of coaching, I'm hoping Fox can get the team to play together much better. It's possible to beat teams with more talented and skilled players if your team plays better than the sum of its parts. We'll have no superstar but we will have a bunch of reasonably versatile wings so a positionless approach might work.

I think progress this coming season will be essential for Fox's career. Last season seems to have killed our 2022 recruiting, I'm afraid one more like that would make us untouchable.

Big C said:

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stu said:

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sluggo said:

---

People should realize that none of the recruits were overwhelming high school players so they are unlikely to beat out the returning players or bump up Cal's overall talent. If the team is going to improve it will be growth in players like Brown, Kuany and Celestine.

---

IMHO if the incoming freshies don't play much we're going to be in for a rough season. I just don't expect more than incremental improvement from everyone else.

If the incoming freshies do play a lot then I expect the ups and downs you get with all freshies. But I'd rather watch that than watch them sit on the bench while the team improves marginally from last season's last place.

---

Stu, I really respect your Cal Basketball knowledge, but I kind of disagree on this particular point...

I think, if there were ever a year that we will improve just based on improvement by the returnees, it is this one:

The returning seniors, Kelly and Anticevich, may make that "big final push", get in the best shape of their lives and really play with confidence. I have seen this happen many times.

The returning juniors, Lars, Kuany, Brown, Hyder, Thorpe and maybe Klonaras were basically robbed of a chance to make that big freshman-to-sophomore-leap last season, due to COVID restrictions. They may do so this year if they have great off-seasons.

The returning sophomores, Celestine and Bowser, can improve a lot if they get healthy and understand better how to fit in and succeed at this level. Last season, they were freshmen who had a lot to figure out.


Unfortunately, none of these guys are huge talents, but I think a number of them will be better and a few may have (for them) banner years. Maybe we go .500+1 overall and approach that in conference! I am perhaps being overly optimistic, but, frankly, I need something to hang my hat on this off-season.

---

I like that kind of talk.

Big C said:

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stu said:

---

sluggo said:

---

People should realize that none of the recruits were overwhelming high school players so they are unlikely to beat out the returning players or bump up Cal's overall talent. If the team is going to improve it will be growth in players like Brown, Kuany and Celestine.

---

IMHO if the incoming freshies don't play much we're going to be in for a rough season. I just don't expect more than incremental improvement from everyone else.

If the incoming freshies do play a lot then I expect the ups and downs you get with all freshies. But I'd rather watch that than watch them sit on the bench while the team improves marginally from last season's last place.

---

Stu, I really respect your Cal Basketball knowledge, but I kind of disagree on this particular point...

I think, if there were ever a year that we will improve just based on improvement by the returnees, it is this one:

The returning seniors, Kelly and Anticevich, may make that "big final push", get in the best shape of their lives and really play with confidence. I have seen this happen many times.

The returning juniors, Lars, Kuany, Brown, Hyder, Thorpe and maybe Klonaras were basically robbed of a chance to make that big freshman-to-sophomore-leap last season, due to COVID restrictions. They may do so this year if they have great off-seasons.

The returning sophomores, Celestine and Bowser, can improve a lot if they get healthy and understand better how to fit in and succeed at this level. Last season, they were freshmen who had a lot to figure out.


Unfortunately, none of these guys are huge talents, but I think a number of them will be better and a few may have (for them) banner years. Maybe we go .500+1 overall and approach that in conference! I am perhaps being overly optimistic, but, frankly, I need something to hang my hat on this off-season.

---

Here is a list off the top of my head of Cal players who have improved SIGNIFICANTLY after their sophomore years (some sophomore-to-junior, some junior-to-senior, some both). In other words, if you had projected, at the end of their sophomore year how good they would be... well, they ended up better.

Mark McNamara
Keith Smith
Brian Wethers
Joe Shipp
Ayinde Ubaka
Jerome Randle
Richard Solomon
The Thurmanator (Was "The" really his first name?)

Actually, as I go back 45 years, the list is not as long as I had expected it might be. However, it is not an exhaustive list. Others among us can add to it, surely. Anyway, it happens.

Big C said:

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Big C said:

---

stu said:

---

sluggo said:

---

People should realize that none of the recruits were overwhelming high school players so they are unlikely to beat out the returning players or bump up Cal's overall talent. If the team is going to improve it will be growth in players like Brown, Kuany and Celestine.

---

IMHO if the incoming freshies don't play much we're going to be in for a rough season. I just don't expect more than incremental improvement from everyone else.

If the incoming freshies do play a lot then I expect the ups and downs you get with all freshies. But I'd rather watch that than watch them sit on the bench while the team improves marginally from last season's last place.

---

Stu, I really respect your Cal Basketball knowledge, but I kind of disagree on this particular point...

I think, if there were ever a year that we will improve just based on improvement by the returnees, it is this one:

The returning seniors, Kelly and Anticevich, may make that "big final push", get in the best shape of their lives and really play with confidence. I have seen this happen many times.

The returning juniors, Lars, Kuany, Brown, Hyder, Thorpe and maybe Klonaras were basically robbed of a chance to make that big freshman-to-sophomore-leap last season, due to COVID restrictions. They may do so this year if they have great off-seasons.

The returning sophomores, Celestine and Bowser, can improve a lot if they get healthy and understand better how to fit in and succeed at this level. Last season, they were freshmen who had a lot to figure out.


Unfortunately, none of these guys are huge talents, but I think a number of them will be better and a few may have (for them) banner years. Maybe we go .500+1 overall and approach that in conference! I am perhaps being overly optimistic, but, frankly, I need something to hang my hat on this off-season.

---

Here is a list off the top of my head of Cal players who have improved SIGNIFICANTLY after their sophomore years (some sophomore-to-junior, some junior-to-senior, some both). In other words, if you had projected, at the end of their sophomore year how good they would be... well, they ended up better.

Mark McNamara
Keith Smith
Brian Wethers
Joe Shipp
Ayinde Ubaka
Jerome Randle
Richard Solomon
The Thurmanator (Was "The" really his first name?)

Actually, as I go back 45 years, the list is not as long as I had expected it might be. However, it is not an exhaustive list. Others among us can add to it, surely. Anyway, it happens.

---

Good list. Probably the biggest increase was Rod Benson who came out of nowhere his Junior season. Also of note:

• Sean Lampley (pretty good as a soph, but the man as an upperclassman and nobody was predicting Pac10 POY)
• Jorge (no offensive game as an underclassman)
• Solomon Hughes (had a very good Junior season before getting injured as a Senior)
• Sean Marks
• Randy Duck
• Tony G (anyone see him becoming a tourney hero?)

It's not uncommon at all for bigs to make their biggest leap as upperclassmen.

Paris Austin.

How about Gene Ransom?

Monty Buckley

santacruzbear said:

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Monty Buckley

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#3

Look folks, this is MY list ( ) and, just to clarify, these are the parameters: Cal players who made their "quantum leap forward" after their sophomore year.

Examples:

People were wondering if Ayinde Ubaka and Jerome Randall were busts, at the end of their sophomore years, but then they really came on (Randall came on as a junior and then even more as a senior, so he's a "double").

Keith Smith was pretty good as a junior, but then blossomed into a fine all-conference player as a senior.

Mark McNamara was a good-but-erratic center who used to get called for hanging on the rim all the time as a junior, but then turned into one of the finer college centers in the country as a senior.

Lars Thiemann caught tons of crap on Bear Insider as a freshman and then as a sophomore, but figured things out, worked his butt off and became quite a serviceable center after that.

Oh wait, that last one... it's as if I'm writing this a year from now...

Big C said:

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Look folks, this is MY list ( ) and, just to clarify, these are the parameters: Cal players who made their "quantum leap forward" after their sophomore year.

Examples:

People were wondering if Ayinde Ubaka and Jerome Randall were busts, at the end of their sophomore years, but then they really came on (Randall came on as a junior and then even more as a senior, so he's a "double").
..

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As a sophomore Randle shot .397 from three and averaged 3.7 assists per game. I think we would kill for that now.

What was crazy was the number of Knezevic boosters on this board's predecessor (people arguing he was better than Randle!). That he started 16 games and played almost 20 minutes a game on that last Braun team while shooting .315 including .200 from three, .633 from the FT line with 2.1 assists largely explained how that team came in second to last despite the tremendous amount of talent on the roster.

The problem is that the kids don't pass the eyeball test when viewed comparatively. Seriously - Cal looks SLOOOOOOWWWWW (and at certain spots unathletic) compared to the rest of the conference. That is the problem - they might make nice gains but it is on a low base and a poor frame.

Jorge was offensively challenged but his quickness on D. suggested that if he could just make a shot.

Randle had a handle ;-).....so you just knew he would be OK once the game slowed down - though he was always a defensive liability because guards would/could shoot over him. As one vertically challenged I will never get down on a player for that - it is what it is.

I cite those guys because they went on to be what we need - candidates/winners for Pac 12 POY. Even with QUANTUM jumps do you see ANY of our guys (that are left) competing for POY? I don't in a million years. We had one - he will be an aztec next year.

God the new coach can not get here soon enough.

socaltownie said:

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God the new coach can not get her soon enough.

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Grounds for another lawsuit

calumnus said:

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Big C said:

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Look folks, this is MY list ( ) and, just to clarify, these are the parameters: Cal players who made their "quantum leap forward" after their sophomore year.

Examples:

People were wondering if Ayinde Ubaka and Jerome Randall were busts, at the end of their sophomore years, but then they really came on (Randall came on as a junior and then even more as a senior, so he's a "double").
..

---

As a sophomore Randle shot .397 from three and averaged 3.7 assists per game. I think we would kill for that now.

What was crazy was the number of Knezevic boosters on this board's predecessor (people arguing he was better than Randle!). That he started 16 games and played almost 20 minutes a game on that last Braun team while shooting .315 including .200 from three, .633 from the FT line with 2.1 assists largely explained how that team came in second to last despite the tremendous amount of talent on the roster.

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I don't think I would kill for that now. Maybe for the stats, but not the potential for his next two years. Remember another diminutive guard of Randle's era, Tajuan Porter of Oregon? As a frosh, he was PAC12 All Freshman team, PAC12 Tournament MVP, NCAA All Region team. He ate Randle up as a freshman and a sophomore. Just killed him. Under Montgomery, Randle outplayed Porter as a junior, and shut him down as a senior. Quite a bit of Randle's tremendous improvement after his sophomore year was due to having a better coach, Mike Montgomery, and if we had that sophomore Randle now, would you expect him to improve as much under our current coach? I wouldn't.

I agree with you on Knesevic.

socaltownie said:

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The problem is that the kids don't pass the eyeball test when viewed comparatively. Seriously - Cal looks SLOOOOOOWWWWW (and at certain spots unathletic) compared to the rest of the conference. That is the problem - they might make nice gains but it is on a low base and a poor frame.

Jorge was offensively challenged but his quickness on D. suggested that if he could just make a shot.

Randle had a handle ;-).....so you just knew he would be OK once the game slowed down - though he was always a defensive liability because guards would/could shoot over him. As one vertically challenged I will never get down on a player for that - it is what it is.

I cite those guys because they went on to be what we need - candidates/winners for Pac 12 POY. Even with QUANTUM jumps do you see ANY of our guys (that are left) competing for POY? I don't in a million years. We had one - he will be an aztec next year.

God the new coach can not get here soon enough.

---

So much of a player's improvement can depend on the coach.

Jorge was offensively challenged, but he could shoot some, just not create his own shot. He could and did learn set plays, like that curl behind a double screen, for a 12 footer, which was used successively by Crabbe, Cobbs and Jorge.

Randle was another one who benefited from coaching. Yes, he had a handle, but he wanted to be a showboat sometimes. Do you remember that trick he had when he was double-teamed, where he used to toss the ball between the two defenders. and then try an streak by them and pick up the ball on the bounce and start dribbling with it? Defenders stole it from him nearly every single time he tried it. One of the dumbest plays I've ever seen. It took Mike Montgomery a whole season to break him of it, and he didn't use it as a senior. Monty also made him a much better defender. As I pointed out Tajuan Porter was a much better player than Randle as a freshman and a soph, but under Montgomery, Randle pretty much shut Porter down in all 4 games as a junior and a senior. I agree about the vertically challenged part, but he ( or Monty) found ways to keep from being embarrassed too often.

Tajuan Porter! Hadn't thought about him in years. Sort of a no-apologies shooting guard in a tiny point guards body. Absolute antithesis of a player to be on my list (upthread), as he stormed in as a freshman and then sort of gently faded away. Looked him up: Still holds the conference career record for 3-pointers! Just an itty-bitty guy, listed at 5-7, 155. Same year as Randle, right? They were on two totally different improvement arcs. I'm sure some of it was the coaching, but they had surprisingly different skill sets, too, for little guys with good outside shots.

Porter vs. Randle: College scoring progression, freshman-to-senior...

Porter: 14.6 - 13.9 - 15.4 - 13.1

Randle: 6.5 - 11.8 - 18.3 - 18.6

Curiously, just going by the numbers he rang up, Randle's junior year was about as good as his senior year... not the way I remembered it, what with him winning P.o.Y his last year.

Big C said:

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Tajuan Porter! Hadn't thought about him in years. Sort of a no-apologies shooting guard in a tiny point guards body. Absolute antithesis of a player to be on my list (upthread), as he stormed in as a freshman and then sort of gently faded away. Looked him up: Still holds the conference career record for 3-pointers! Just an itty-bitty guy, listed at 5-7, 155. Same year as Randle, right? They were on two totally different improvement arcs. I'm sure some of it was the coaching, but they had surprisingly different skill sets, too, for little guys with good outside shots.

Porter vs. Randle: College scoring progression, freshman-to-senior...

Porter: 14.6 - 13.9 - 15.4 - 13.1

Randle: 6.5 - 11.8 - 18.3 - 18.6

Curiously, just going by the numbers he rang up, Randle's junior year was about as good as his senior year... not the way I remembered it, what with him winning P.o.Y his last year.

---

Randle's junior year was his better year, but it set him up for POY the following year.

As a freshman Porter was the #2 scorer on the final AP #10 team in the country. Randle was a backup to Ubaka. In the "head to head" matchups:

Freshmen
Game 1
Porter 15 pts in 35 min
Randle 6 pts in 16 min.

Game 2
Porter 14 pts in 39 min
Randle 8 pts in 21 min

PAC-10 Tournanent Championship
Porter 24 pts in 34 min
Randle 7 pts in 20 min (Ubaka and Pribble were the starters).

Sophomores
Game 1
Porter 0 pts in 15 min
Randle 3 pts in 24 min

Game 2
Porter 23 pts in 32 min
Randle 17 pts in 26 min
(Knezevic 0 pts in 12 min)

Juniors
Game 1
Porter 26 pts in 35 min
Randle 22 pts in 36 min

Game 2
Porter 19 pts in 40 min
Randle 17 pts in 38 min

Seniors
Game 1
Porter 6 pts in 29 min
Randle 11 pts in 26 min
(Smith 2 pts in 17 min, Knezevic 2 pts in 12 min)

Game 2
Porter 7 pts in 25 min
Randle 16 pts in 37 min

PAC-10 Tournament
Porter 26 pts in 38 min
Randle 22 pts in 28 min
(Jorge 3 pts in 19 min, Knezevic 7 pts in 13 min)

Porter averaged 14 ppg on his career, but 16 ppg against Cal, though only 13.75 in regular season. It was his two huge games against Cal in the PAC-10 Tournament that might be memorable, though in first game as freshmen Ubaka was the primary PG and in the second game as seniors Jorge and Knezevic played a lot too.

SFCityBear said:

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socaltownie said:

---

The problem is that the kids don't pass the eyeball test when viewed comparatively. Seriously - Cal looks SLOOOOOOWWWWW (and at certain spots unathletic) compared to the rest of the conference. That is the problem - they might make nice gains but it is on a low base and a poor frame.

Jorge was offensively challenged but his quickness on D. suggested that if he could just make a shot.

Randle had a handle ;-).....so you just knew he would be OK once the game slowed down - though he was always a defensive liability because guards would/could shoot over him. As one vertically challenged I will never get down on a player for that - it is what it is.

I cite those guys because they went on to be what we need - candidates/winners for Pac 12 POY. Even with QUANTUM jumps do you see ANY of our guys (that are left) competing for POY? I don't in a million years. We had one - he will be an aztec next year.

God the new coach can not get here soon enough.

---

So much of a player's improvement can depend on the coach.

Jorge was offensively challenged, but he could shoot some, just not create his own shot. He could and did learn set plays, like that curl behind a double screen, for a 12 footer, which was used successively by Crabbe, Cobbs and Jorge.

Randle was another one who benefited from coaching. Yes, he had a handle, but he wanted to be a showboat sometimes. Do you remember that trick he had when he was double-teamed, where he used to toss the ball between the two defenders. and then try an streak by them and pick up the ball on the bounce and start dribbling with it? Defenders stole it from him nearly every single time he tried it. One of the dumbest plays I've ever seen. It took Mike Montgomery a whole season to break him of it, and he didn't use it as a senior. Monty also made him a much better defender. As I pointed out Tajuan Porter was a much better player than Randle as a freshman and a soph, but under Montgomery, Randle pretty much shut Porter down in all 4 games as a junior and a senior. I agree about the vertically challenged part, but he ( or Monty) found ways to keep from being embarrassed too often.

---

Randle committed the most turnovers of his career, including per 40 min, as a senior in his second year coached by Monty.

TOV per 40
Fr 3.8
So 3.7
Jr 3.3
Sr 4.0

His Assists per 40
Fr 6.1
So 4.6
Jr 5.7
Sr 4.9

His Assist to TOV ratio:
Fr 1.61
So 1.24
Jr 1.73
Sr 1.23

Overall Randle's best year was his junior year, his first with Monty. He definitely benefited from playing in Monty's more structured offense and team oriented defense. There was not much evidence his skills improved year over year as his shooting percentage went down, his assists went down, his rebounds went down and his turnovers went up.

Bobodeluxe said:

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socaltownie said:

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God the new coach can not get her soon enough.

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Grounds for another lawsuit

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:P

Obinna Anyanwu made second team all western league in San Diego. Teammate Alex Wade was first team and player of the year and is walking on at Notre Dame.

..and who's going to develop them?

sluggo said:

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Obinna Anyanwu made second team all western league in San Diego. Teammate Alex Wade was first team and player of the year and is walking on at Notre Dame.

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That is . . . telling.

socaliganbear said:

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sluggo said:

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Obinna Anyanwu made second team all western league in San Diego. Teammate Alex Wade was first team and player of the year and is walking on at Notre Dame.

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That is . . . telling.

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You would think so...yet Jamal Boykin was Gatorade's California POY back in the day.

Anyanwu was also coming back from an auto accident last season and had been a two-time all-CIF player prior to that. Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, UNLV, USC, and ASU also apparently offered him. It doesn't appear Alex Wade had any major conference offers.

Civil Bear said:

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socaliganbear said:

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sluggo said:

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Obinna Anyanwu made second team all western league in San Diego. Teammate Alex Wade was first team and player of the year and is walking on at Notre Dame.

---

That is . . . telling.

---

You would think so...yet Jamal Boykin was Gatorade's California POY back in the day.

Anyanwu was also coming back from an auto accident last season and had been a two-time all-CIF player prior to that. Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, UNLV, USC, and ASU also apparently offered him. It doesn't appear Alex Wade had any major conference offers.

---

Not sure I get you point. Jamal Boykin was recruited by Coach K and got a scholarship to Duke in their heyday and was a starter for Cal and one of our most productive players when he transferred.

Civil Bear said:

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calumnus said:

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Civil Bear said:

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socaliganbear said:

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sluggo said:

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Obinna Anyanwu made second team all western league in San Diego. Teammate Alex Wade was first team and player of the year and is walking on at Notre Dame.

---

That is . . . telling.

---

You would think so...yet Jamal Boykin was Gatorade's California POY back in the day.

Anyanwu was also coming back from an auto accident last season and had been a two-time all-CIF player prior to that. Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, UNLV, USC, and ASU also apparently offered him. It doesn't appear Alex Wade had any major conference offers.

---

Not sure I get you point. Jamal Boykin was recruited by Coach K and got a scholarship to Duke in their heyday and was a starter for Cal and one of our most productive players when he transferred.

---

Yes, Boykin was recruited by Duke and he pushed Coach K for an offer knowing he would likely not see the floor. He was also a good player for Cal as an upperclassman, but hardly what one would expect from a CA POY. The point is those kinds of awards don't always go to the best payers so it may not be quite as telling as one would think that Wade will be the better College prospect.

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A friend of mine from junior high was later the right fielder for L.A.'s Crenshaw High in the late 70s. Center field was Darryl Strawberry and left field was Eric Davis. My friend lead the Western League in home runs and was named MVP, but Darryl Strawberry was the #1 player taken in the MLB draft and for good reason.

Civil Bear said:

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calumnus said:

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Civil Bear said:

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socaliganbear said:

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sluggo said:

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Obinna Anyanwu made second team all western league in San Diego. Teammate Alex Wade was first team and player of the year and is walking on at Notre Dame.

---

That is . . . telling.

---

You would think so...yet Jamal Boykin was Gatorade's California POY back in the day.

Anyanwu was also coming back from an auto accident last season and had been a two-time all-CIF player prior to that. Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, UNLV, USC, and ASU also apparently offered him. It doesn't appear Alex Wade had any major conference offers.

---

Not sure I get you point. Jamal Boykin was recruited by Coach K and got a scholarship to Duke in their heyday and was a starter for Cal and one of our most productive players when he transferred.

---

Yes, Boykin was recruited by Duke and he pushed Coach K for an offer knowing he would likely not see the floor. He was also a good player for Cal as an upperclassman, but hardly what one would expect from a CA POY. The point is those kinds of awards don't always go to the best payers so it may not be quite as telling as one would think that Wade will be the better College prospect.

---

truly one of the nicest players ever to put on a cal basketball jersey

and his post footwork was still the best I've seen at Cal (but Kelly approaches it)