2025-26 Roster

[leo from jersey]

I wonder if Rayvon or Betsey will decide they like their odds returning over trying to get minutes elsewhere, hope to come back for a "prove it" year at a high level, then get paid next year. They can both play the 4 and I think there's a chance either could win the role over the guys we have right now. Have to think Wes is looking to add at least one more PF to the mix to compete for minutes at that position.

PG, SG and C seem pretty much settled. SF Harris/Abaev likely have they majority of minutes locked down as well, though it seems less certain.

But PF seems like a position Wes is getting guys who aren't clearly good enough to be given the starting spot and telling them he'll give them a chance. I could see Rayvon or Betsey (or a guy like them, trying to prove themselves at the high major level) looking at Celestine (undersized, not great at defense or rebounding), Haynes (moving up a level, probably not quick enough to guard 4's and fouls too much) and McKinley (redshirt freshman, unknown, coming off a major knee injury) and saying to themselves, I can win the starting role (or at least 15-20 minutes per game) over those 3.

I can see the guys in the portal staying there.

[Oldtimer_UC_fan]

I can see the guys in the portal staying there.

Me too, Leo, especially Griffith.

[sedz]

I wonder if Rayvon or Betsey will decide they like their odds returning over trying to get minutes elsewhere, hope to come back for a "prove it" year at a high level, then get paid next year. They can both play the 4 and I think there's a chance either could win the role over the guys we have right now. Have to think Wes is looking to add at least one more PF to the mix to compete for minutes at that position.

PG, SG and C seem pretty much settled. SF Harris/Abaev likely have they majority of minutes locked down as well, though it seems less certain.

But PF seems like a position Wes is getting guys who aren't clearly good enough to be given the starting spot and telling them he'll give them a chance. I could see Rayvon or Betsey (or a guy like them, trying to prove themselves at the high major level) looking at Celestine (undersized, not great at defense or rebounding), Haynes (moving up a level, probably not quick enough to guard 4's and fouls too much) and McKinley (redshirt freshman, unknown, coming off a major knee injury) and saying to themselves, I can win the starting role (or at least 15-20 minutes per game) over those 3.

I think the big question with Celestine is can he be a good rebounder if he's asked to hit the glass. Omier put up ridiculous rebounding numbers for Baylor and didn't leave as many chances for other players. So was Ojianwuna before he got hurt. Edgecombe was a good rebounder for a wing. Rebounding wasn't Celestine's role at Baylor. But he certainly hasn't proven that he can rebound. At Cal he played the 3 and didn't really rebound at all.

The upside is he's a dependable shooter who doesn't make a lot of mistakes and put up the best production of his career in Big12 play, posting a 2.6 BPM in conference mostly at the 4. Still, I'd rather take my chances with a hard nosed slasher like Durugordon, even if he's a bit undersized and doesn't play great defense.

[swilsonsp4]

I can see the guys in the portal staying there.

Per Chad Brendel, none of the UC players who went into the portal will return.

[zykarious]

I think the big question with Celestine is can he be a good rebounder if he's asked to hit the glass. Omier put up ridiculous rebounding numbers for Baylor and didn't leave as many chances for other players. So was Ojianwuna before he got hurt. Edgecombe was a good rebounder for a wing. Rebounding wasn't Celestine's role at Baylor. But he certainly hasn't proven that he can rebound. At Cal he played the 3 and didn't really rebound at all.

The upside is he's a dependable shooter who doesn't make a lot of mistakes and put up the best production of his career in Big12 play, posting a 2.6 BPM in conference mostly at the 4. Still, I'd rather take my chances with a hard nosed slasher like Durugordon, even if he's a bit undersized and doesn't play great defense.

In favor of your argument, Celestine's rebound percentage in conference was 10.1%. I've been watching some of his games and he looks bigger and more capable of bodying guys in the post than I expected from the stats. He has some Josh Reed similarities, like Reed, he seems to be an athletically limited guy who plays smart and within his capability. The defense complaints from Baylor fans likely stem in part from the fact that he played the 4, but can't really jump or provide help defense in the paint. But hopefully Thiam will take care of that. On offense he mostly hangs out on the perimeter and isn't going to fly in and grab offensive rebounds (3.9% ORB% in conference is pretty bad).

Overall, he looks like a reliable veteran, who you know what you are getting from. Though would rather have him at the 3, as I'd like to get better rebounding out of the 4.

I'd like to get one more up-and-comer type (either young, from a smaller conference or both), I'm okay with Celestine as the fall back plan if other guys don't work out. But I don't want him penciled in as a starter.

[zykarious]

Slightly worse per Torvik. We began last season at #27. Our projected roster right now would be #30.

Seems accurate, last years projections counted on Skillings and Simas not regressing. If I'm comparing to what we thought we had on paper last preseason, I'd say we're about equal. But compared to the product on the court... well hopefully the product on the court is closer to what we are on paper than last year.

We should be improved or at least no worse at PG, SG and C as long as we stay healthy. Jizzle and Day Day are returning and I always expect at least small improvements from returners. Kriisa and Harris should be an improvement over Hickman (injured and a bust) and Fredrick (oft injured). Thiam's floor is about the level Aziz played at last year and his ceiling is far higher, hoping he takes a Sophomore jump and is an improvement, Haynes should be a better backup C than Page.

SF: Harris is probably a small improvement over Reed. Celestine for Reed is close to a wash, Abaev I'm not ready to say is an improvement over Skillings/Simas,

PF: Looks like the position we've gotten significantly worse. Mitchell did a lot well and nothing too poorly (besides shoot FT's). Everyone who looks likely to play the position this year seems to have major flaws (Celestine, Haynes) or is a complete unknown (McKinley). Need one of those guys to exceed my expectations or need another portal addition.