My Guess...

Starters:
1. Joel Brown, Sophomore
2. Matt Bradley, Junior
3. Juhwan Harris-Dyson, Senior
4. Grant Anticevich, Senior
5. Lars Thiemann, Sophomore

8-Man Rotation options:
Andre Kelly (jr.) could start as either the 4 or 5, or rotate in, depending on how players progress.
Jacobi Gordon (jr.) and Kuany Kuany (so.) are probably long, athletic 3/4s in next year's bigger, longer, more athletic rotation.

That lineup and rotation might not excite people now, but I expect all of them to improve markedly under Fox and for the group to play better on both ends as a team. I think we could rise to the middle of the Pac-12 and be a bubble team.


Role Players:
D. J. Thorpe (so.), Demitrios Klonaras (so.) and Jules Erving (sr.) could potentially improve enough to be in the rotation. If not, they'll at least be good insurance against injuries and role players for certain matchups.


I don't see either of the freshman recruits coming in ready to play at the D-1 level.

We'll have a lot of depth in the post, but be thin at guard. Another grad transfer like Kareem South would help in the 1/2 spots. If not, Klonaras' development becomes more important.

Matt Bradley has the ball handling ability and leadership to be our back up point guard if we don't bring in a grad transfer.

JHD can slide down to to the 2 spot when needed.

Gordon, Kuany, and Anticevich could slide down to the 3 spot. It would be nice to get Grant out of the paint in this era of over-the-back offensive rebounds.

Side bet. At least two of your starters enters the portal.

Yeah, interesting hypothetical, looking ahead to next season, but I think I'm going to wait and see who we have to work with, because there are likely to be some roster changes.

BeachedBear said:

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Side bet. At least two of your starters enters the portal.

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I could see Lars or one of the other bigs leaving if they aren't happy with they own progress and likely playing time for next year.

Homesickness or family issues are always risks for out-of-state recruits.

This is nothing like last year's disaster though. Sueing, Vanover and McNeill all made their decisions to enter the portal when it looked like we were going to keep Wyking Jones and they knew they'd get good offers from other schools.

The guys who chose to stay should stay again with the program looking up. Bradley and Brown will know they'll be essential pieces on next year's team.

Fox does have a temper, and it showed last night when we were giving up open 3s in the second half. The players responded really well, though, and the intensity really picked up after that. I don't think he's the type of abusive coach who would drive players away.

Dear r90: I truly hope you are wrong. your lineup only includes one ( 1) reliable perimeter shooter. Most good teams have at least three!!!!! reliable perimeter shooters.

That is an awful starting line up.

BeachedBear said:

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Side bet. At least two of your starters enters the portal.

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Wont be Dyson . Maybe Lars.

R90 said:

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JHD can slide down to to the 2 spot when needed.

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I'd rather see JHD at 4 than at 2. But if he's a defensive specialist I don't think it matters much what you call his position, just put him on the opponent's best player.

BeachedBear said:

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Side bet. At least two of your starters enters the portal.

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Nightmare scenario: Bradley, Brown, and Thorpe (who were Jones recruits).

stu said:

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R90 said:

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JHD can slide down to to the 2 spot when needed.

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I'd rather see JHD at 4 than at 2. But if he's a defensive specialist I don't think it matters much what you call his position, just put him on the opponent's best player.

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LOL

I'd rather see him playing football

oskidunker said:

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I'd rather see him playing football

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And that's another nickel for me in the "Every time a Cal fan wants to convert a BB player to FB" game

OaktownBear said:

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R90 said:

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This is nothing like last year's disaster though. Sueing, Vanover and McNeill all made their decisions to enter the portal when it looked like we were going to keep Wyking Jones and they knew they'd get good offers from other schools.

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Guess again. Not positive about McNeill, but Sueing, Vanover and JHD put their names in well after Fox was hired

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March 23, 2019: McNeill announces entry into portal.
March 29, 2019: Cal hires Mark Fox.
April 3, 2019: Sueing announces entry into portal.
April 10, 2019: Juhwan Harris-Dyson will transfer, according to "source."
April 10, 2019: Connor Vanover will transfer, according to "source."
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/justice-sueing-cals-top-scorer-and-rebounder-transfer-portal/1pgl5zgyca5b61f6ryfww7gpf5
https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1116147452317450250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

We can't know for sure when the decisions were made in their own minds, but if 4 days is well after, then you're almost certainly right. Sleep smugly.

Ashamed of myself for guessing, or faulty recollection, and not doing the research to back up that post, it's time for me to take another break from posting. I have much more important things I should be doing anyway.

Go Bears!

OaktownBear said:

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R90 said:

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This is nothing like last year's disaster though. Sueing, Vanover and McNeill all made their decisions to enter the portal when it looked like we were going to keep Wyking Jones and they knew they'd get good offers from other schools.

.

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Guess again. Not positive about McNeill, but Sueing, Vanover and JHD put their names in well after Fox was hired

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Vanover left because Jones was not retained and Smith decommitted as well. However kudos to the staff for closing on Lars (clearly a work in progress), Kuany, and South. Brown and Thorpe were solidly Jones recruits, but current staff kept them committed with their vision and role in turning around the program. This staff clearly needs time to develop and recruit, so complete grade cards should only be given after two seasons.

R90 said:

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Ashamed of myself for guessing, or faulty recollection, and not doing the research to back up that post, it's time for me to take another break from posting. I have much more important things I should be doing anyway.

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We will weep every day of your absence.

R90 said:

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OaktownBear said:

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R90 said:

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This is nothing like last year's disaster though. Sueing, Vanover and McNeill all made their decisions to enter the portal when it looked like we were going to keep Wyking Jones and they knew they'd get good offers from other schools.

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Guess again. Not positive about McNeill, but Sueing, Vanover and JHD put their names in well after Fox was hired

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March 23, 2019: McNeill announces entry into portal.
March 29, 2019: Cal hires Mark Fox.
April 3, 2019: Sueing announces entry into portal.
April 10, 2019: Juhwan Harris-Dyson will transfer, according to "source."
April 10, 2019: Connor Vanover will transfer, according to "source."
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-basketball/news/justice-sueing-cals-top-scorer-and-rebounder-transfer-portal/1pgl5zgyca5b61f6ryfww7gpf5
https://twitter.com/GoodmanHoops/status/1116147452317450250?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

We can't know for sure when the decisions were made in their own minds, but if 4 days is well after, then you're almost certainly right. Sleep smugly.

Ashamed of myself for guessing, or faulty recollection, and not doing the research to back up that post, it's time for me to take another break from posting. I have much more important things I should be doing anyway.

Go Bears!

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Chill dude you made an assumption. It was wrong. They didn't transfer because they thought Wyking was coming back. Remember Sueing falling asleep during Fox's speech. They may have been considering it, but they stayed through Jones being fired through Fox being hired, meeting with Fox. It's a big difference. I corrected the record.

R9 said:

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April 3, 2019: Sueing announces entry into portal.

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Was that 30 minutes or 30 seconds after "the speech"?