Read on Twitter that they’re doing a zoom with him![]()
Malik Messina-Moore - Xavier Musketeers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of Xavier Musketeers Guard Malik Messina-Moore on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.www.espn.com
Read on Twitter that they’re doing a zoom with him![]()
Malik Messina-Moore - Xavier Musketeers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of Xavier Musketeers Guard Malik Messina-Moore on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.www.espn.com
Saw Piper tweet we have a zoom scheduled with him. Would this be the harmon type role?![]()
Malik Messina-Moore - Xavier Musketeers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of Xavier Musketeers Guard Malik Messina-Moore on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.www.espn.com
It's currently April 8th.We’re being built like a plodding Euro team. Without a KJ to play the PG role. Don’t like anything of this off-season really.
The last 3 adds better be home runs. Otherwise, this is a bubble team.
I mean, this is traditionally the time of year in which we complain about our roster not being good enough. As opposed to September, when traditionally we loudly proclaim that we have a top-10, FF contending roster.It's currently April 8th.
Well and critically to the point everyone is fretting about, Z neutralizes plus athletes on the interior with his rim protection ability.
Z is a very different player than Tomi defensively.
Overall team athleticism was definitely a factor in our defensive struggles last year, but I feel like youth and inexperience is being underrated as a contributor as well. In both respects Will Riley is escaping the culpability he deserves in this thread's hilarious stereotype-fest.
As the board's foremost "bet on our guys and retain everybody" advocate, I feel guilty not sticking up more for Humdinger.
But I just feel like Mirkovic is a better basketball player, and now clearly occupies the same role. Every indication would be that Ben will now have two more years to play (NAIA years appear to not count in the new world order), and I feel like he would probably have a happier time integrating himself into a larger role elsewhere.
He's guaranteed to shoot 50% from three if he does, we all know that.
We obviously aren't building this roster to be able to play man to man defense.So far happy with the retention and the additions but I am genuinely worried about how this team is going to get stops next year with this current roster lol.
The roster currently calls for a 3 level wing/guard scorer who also grades out as a ++ defender... Those are obviously tough to come by.
I have no doubt this team will score the basketball but how will they prevent it?
Also when will we see a defensive minded, seasoned assistant coach be added?
I keep seeing folks use Jokic or Doncic as a comparative. This feels like the old "athletic Larry Bird" stuff to me. It is beyond unlikely this guy is somehow one of the top 5-10 players in the world.In the manner of say a Nikola Jokic or Luka Doncic in the NBA!? I definitely understand the reservation. Hopefully, he gives us that type of play, then I can overlook the explosive athleticism.
2-3 zone?We obviously aren't building this roster to be able to play man to man defense.
I'm hearing from sources I can't reveal, that Bu is talking to this guy. He might be looking to supplement his SSA checks...... Hearing also he knows a little about the matchup zone?
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I keep seeing folks use Jokic or Doncic as a comparative. This feels like the old "athletic Larry Bird" stuff to me. It is beyond unlikely this guy is somehow one of the top 5-10 players in the world.
I can get more comfortable with a Damask comp, though I don't know how far in the tourney we get with that. But it seems silly to compare 2 all time great players who are unathletic for the NBA with a guy who looks much less athletic than his Euro League.
Tomi was a Soph this year will be a Junior alongside his brother-We have added good shooting 21 year old JR 7 footer. Any big 10 team would love to have just one. Z was considered top 5 recruit when he went to KY.
-We just got mini "jokic" 6'9" 250 PF. turns 20 in January. He is 4 months older than Will Riley and is 6 months older than KJ who just completed their freshman year. So he is sophomore age.
We are returning - "get old stay old"
- solid SR PG who can score inside
- Soph 21 year old Great passing and shooting 7' center
- Redshirt JR Experienced great rebounding high energy wing
- JR Experienced good shooting wing
We have two solid incoming freshman guards
At end of 2024-5 season we started 3 freshman - KJ, Tomas and Will with 1st off bench Morez - so 4 of top 6 players were freshman. We were one of youngest teams in NCAA and we still got #6 seed and advanced to 2nd round.
It is only April 8th. More portal and possible high school reclass or Sarr on way.
I am very excited. We are not combining 10 new players. We have solid core returning. I think we have excellent shot at 4-7 seed depending on how things work out.
I just can't figure out how Purdue can get Smith and TKR to return when they are both obvious NBA first rounders. Its like KJ and Will not even going to NBA draft camp this year.
I don’t know. I’m pretty confident he’s a combo of Jokic, Doncic, Larry Bird and Marcus Domask’s greatest qualities. We are landing him because we have better scouts than the NBA. /sNobody is comparing him to Jokic after his development into an NBA star. It was referenced with what scouts initially saw in Jokic.
The comparisons to them are potential, not finished product.
How about if we are the opposite and have only one athlete instead of one Domask type?Reading a lot of opinions and concerns about Mirkovic and "athleticism". Some people have mentioned his fallaway shots. Got me thinking about Marcus Domask. Where was he on your athleticism scale? I hope we all agree that Marcus was a vital cog on that very successful team last year.
I keep seeing folks use Jokic or Doncic as a comparative. This feels like the old "athletic Larry Bird" stuff to me. It is beyond unlikely this guy is somehow one of the top 5-10 players in the world.
I can get more comfortable with a Damask comp, though I don't know how far in the tourney we get with that. But it seems silly to compare 2 all time great players who are unathletic for the NBA with a guy who looks much less athletic than his Euro League.
No one is projecting him to be as good as those players. But if players with limited athleticism (according to how Americans think of that term) can be all time NBA greats, then another player with limited athleticism can be a good college player.I keep seeing folks use Jokic or Doncic as a comparative. This feels like the old "athletic Larry Bird" stuff to me. It is beyond unlikely this guy is somehow one of the top 5-10 players in the world.
I can get more comfortable with a Damask comp, though I don't know how far in the tourney we get with that. But it seems silly to compare 2 all time great players who are unathletic for the NBA with a guy who looks much less athletic than his Euro League.
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Malik Messina-Moore - Xavier Musketeers Guard - ESPN
View the profile of Xavier Musketeers Guard Malik Messina-Moore on ESPN. Get the latest news, live stats and game highlights.www.espn.com
Is he on our radar?Malik Moore, a 6'5" 190-pound Junior Guard from Montana, looks like he'd be a nice pickup for the Illini. He's long and lanky; I like that, as long as he's athletic enough to keep up with smaller/quicker guards on defense. (Anyone know about his defense?) Moore averaged 12.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists for Montana this past season. He shot 45.6% on FGs, including 40.9% on 3-pointers, and 82.2% on FTs. That's a very good percentage on 3s, albeit vs. less than Big Ten level defenses.
I just don't understand how much better he might be than 6'6" 200-pound Sophomore Guard Sam Lewis from Toledo, via Simeon High School. (He just recently transferred to Virginia.) Lewis averaged 16.2 points/4.7 rebounds/1.2 assists this past season, while shooting 47.0% on FGs, including 44.4% on 3-pointers, and 76.6% on FTs. I liked that Lewis is only a sophomore, that he's an Illinois/Chicago kid, and that his numbers are as good as, if not better than, those of Malik Moore. Maybe Lewis's camp wanted more money than Illinois was willing to pay? Or more than the Illini will be paying to Moore?
In any case, I will trust the coaching staff on this one. I hope that the Illini can get a transfer from Malik Moore. He would fill a need on the roster for next season.
The fact that he is playing at the Nike Hoops Summit next week suggests he will be a pretty good college player... Go ahead and look up the world team from last year. You'll recognize most of those guys by name.No one is projecting him to be as good as those players. But if players with limited athleticism (according to how Americans think of that term) can be all time NBA greats, then another player with limited athleticism can be a good college player.