JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball chat - October 2024

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Thomas Noie

10:33

Zach: The consensus (is there such a thing in recruiting) is that Notre Dame is done with the Class of 2025 and are good with the four commitments they have to date, but if someone like, say, Nate Ament, shows interest, that table for four can certainly become a table for five.

Zach

10:32

do these 4 represent the end of recruiting for 2025 class, or could there be 1-2 more spots still available? If so, who are the Irish targeting?

Thomas Noie

10:32

Micah Shrewsberry can show prospects a roadmap to the NBA. Kids want that. Brey was selling something different in his time. It was the Notre Dame degree. It was the Notre Dame graduate degree. It's a different game today.

10:31

Kyle: When you say success, I'll take it to mean recruiting success, because for all Micah Shrewsberry is - and can be - Notre Dame still went 13-20 last season. Both Micah Shrewsberry and Mike Brey consider themselves teachers first, coaches second. I can't think of two more personable guys in this business than them. Spend time with Brey. Spend time with Shrewsberry. Relationships to both matter, which carries onto the practice court. Brey wasn't afraid to get into his guys with some colorful language. Shrewsberry's the same way. Brey was a little more laid back in games, letting players figure it out and not trying to over-complicate everything. Sometimes, it needed to be over-complicated. Shrewsberry coaches every single second of every single possession - on both ends. Maybe he lets up on that style as guys get familiar with what he wants and how he wants it. Watching Shrewsberry during games is fascinating. As was watching Brey. Shrewsberry's recruiting success can be traced to his NBA roots.

Kyle Thibideau

10:27

How would you describe coach Shrewsberrys coaching style compared to breys and if that is making a difference in success?

Thomas Noie

10:23

Brian: Are you SURE that Notre Dame took care of Jalen Haralson from an NIL standpoint? Not saying that NIL wasn't a factor, but I don't get the sense that it was THE factor. It's different in basketball. Take Notre Dame football - you better have your NIL in order if you want to land that five-star recruit. That matters. A lot. It doesn't matter as much in college basketball. Not even close. Why? Kids need only spend one year (really, one semster) in college if they want to go to the NBA. Big difference. Landing Haralson may have taken some NIL, but landing Haralson with Shrewsberry's promise to make him NBA ready and on track to become the next Jaylen Brown may have mattered more. That first pro contract (and subsequent life-changing second one) is a lot closer for college basketball players than college football players.

Brian, Chicago

10:19

I am stunned ND forked over the funds for its basketball program to land a 5 star freshman (especially after striking out so much in the portal this offseason). Are you getting the sense ND basketball has deeper pockets at its disposal than you initially thought?

Thomas Noie

10:19

Brian: Waaaaaaaay, and I mean waaaaaaaaaay too early to even start thinking about that. Now, if Notre Dame comes from absoltuely nowhere to somewhere this season and is knocking on the NCAA tournament door, I could see contemplating that in a Pete Bevacqua moment of reflection. But there's the little matter of what to do with Marcus Freeman, who's three years into his six-year deal. Micah Shrewsberry has shown he can do it on the recruiting trail - now go do it in the ACC. Win at least 20 games. Finish above .500 in the league. Any concern about Indiana is unwarranted at this point. Shrewsberry has moved his family from Boston to West Lafayette to State College, Pennsylvania to South Bend all within the last 10 years. Think his wife and kids have had it with moving. If Indiana comes open in the spring, can say Shrewsberry's not going to be a candidate.

Brian, Chicago

10:14

Are there any talks of extending Shrewsberry in the coming year? I know he’s only in year two, but you have to think it’d be in ND’s best interest to lock him down even longer and with a higher buyout given IU may be looking for its next HC sooner rather than later. Regardless of recent success, IU is a basketball school and ND is not, which is something that could peak Shrewsberry’s interest

Thomas Noie

10:14

Mike: Tae Davis is a different kind of cat, in the best of ways. He's really quiet in intervidews, so much so that you have to lean in to undersand what he says. He was like that when we visited on Tuesday, when he insisted that he's lived in the gym to be a better 3-point shooter after going 7-for-38 (.184 percent) last year. We know what Markus Burton can do and we think we know what Matt Allocco can do, but Tae Davis might (MIGHT) be the key to this team this year if he can unlock more of his game. He's aces on straight-line drives and dunks at the rim, and has proven a capable defender/rebounder, but if Shrewsberry can find a role that best fits him, there's something there. Shrewsberry has said that it's best with Davis when he keeps it simple. Asked about that, Davis shrugged and smiled and said, Man, I just want to play basketball. A big Tae Davis jump this year would also mean a big Notre Dame jump this year. It wouldn't be a coincidence.

Mike, New Jersey

10:11

Any news or rumblings about the development of Tae Davis over this off-season? ND really needs him to make a big jump in order to reach their full potential.

Thomas Noie

10:10

Brian: Whew, let's get through 2024-25 first, right?

Notre Dame will return to Las Vegas for the second year of the Players Era Festival in November 2025, but other than that, it's way too early to project really anything from a non-conference standpoint. Notre Dame will (finally) get a home game as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge after going on the road two straight seasons (South Carolina last year, Georgia this year). Maybe even add a marquee non-league home game, something this year's home schedule doesn't have. The two-year, home-and-home series with Georgetown ends with next month's visit to D.C.

Brian

10:07

Has ND committed to any 2025 non-conference games or in-season tournaments?

Thomas Noie

10:06

Johnny: Not at all. If anything, it would reinforce returning for another year. Markus Burton could (and should) have another All-Atlantic Coast Conference type of season. He should be better than he was a year ago. Notre Dame should be better. Burton has dreams of playing in the NBA, dreams that he may want to seriously chase (last summer doesn't count) at the end of this season. But it's going to be difficult for the NBA to get past the fact that he's 5-11. Why not stay a third year, make some serious NIL cash, play with a future pro and an even better roster and make a run at an NCAA tournament? If Markus Burton decides he's done with school after two years, it won't be because Jalen Haralson's set to arrive.

Johnny

9:57

Does haralsons commitment affect burtons decision to stay after this year?

Thomas Noie

9:55

As far as avoiding another Carey Booth situation, it's always going to be there. Booth was a Top 100 kid who pledged his loyalty to Shrewsberry. Pledged to do whatever it took to develop under his coaching. Booth said when Shrewsberry left Penn State for Notre Dame that he didn't care what school MS wound up at - he would follow him to play for him just about anywhere. We didn't get that deep into the 2023-24 season before Booth's outside influences (more than Booth himself) took issue with the kid's role and development and all that. It's hard to safe guard against that. If a kid's inner circle is going to be that unahppy, the kid's got to go. Wish him well and luck and move on.

9:53

Kevin: Keep an eye on Princeton transfer Matt Allocco and Lehigh transfer Burke Chebuhar. Allocco is exactly what this program needs in terms of toughness and leadership. His voice has been the one constant. This team is automatically tougher - and maybe more together - when he's on the floor. Chebuhar was thought to be a roster filler addition when he committed in the spring, but then when we talked to Micah Shrewsberry in the summer and again post-foreign tour, Chebuhar's name kept coming up and someone who can play a jack-of-all-trades role. He moves the ball. He spaces the floor. He facilitates. He plays. He may have a far larger role than anybody anticipated. Same goes for Nikita Konstantynovskyi, who has some crazy in him. This team lacked crazy last year. If all three old guys play like old guys, Notre Dame has a a chance this season.

Kevin From lemont

9:49

With 7 returning, 6 new, who will be biggest surprise & how to avoid another Carey Booth situation with one of the frosh?

Thomas Noie

9:48

Tony: When word arrived in summer (days before the foreign tour of Spain) that college basketball programs could extend their rosters from 13 to 15 scholarship players in the future, Micah Shrewsberry responded with little more than a shrug. In theory, that sounds good, but for coaches and for staffs, and really, for players, it might create some unnecessary headaches. Shrewsbery said this week that having a full roster of 15 only increased the possibilities that kids on the back end of that 15 will leave. Kids still want opportunity - to compete, to play, to deliver. It's hard to see that if you've got 14 scholarship guys ahead of you. Fifteen might be nice, but really, it's too many. Guys already leave chasing playing time. Imagine what it's like with an added two scholarship players....

Tony

9:47

Tom, when Coach Shrews was named head coach at ND. I thought he would hit recruiting hard. He mentioned only using the portal if needed. With this class the staff can focus on 2026 recruits. Do you think he will use all 15 scholarships or do you think that is to many to keep happy?

Thomas Noie

9:43

Joe: Correct. Kind of. The NCAA looks to expand college basketball rosters for men and women from 13 to 15 starting in 2025-26. Micah Shrewsberry mentioned in early September that he planned to sign four for the Class of 2025 but had the ability to add as many as six, either by the new NCAA roster rule or other roster management means. Either way, Notre Dame believes that it's done for 2025. Of course, if Nate Ament wants to commit in the coming months, they'd make room...

Joe from the south side

9:41

Tom, Set the record straight. I believe he has 13 on scholarship as of today. Correct? He has 4 leaving for sure, the 3 new guys and Roper. With 4 coming in, he's done recruiting, including transfers. Correct?

Thomas Noie

9:39

Sure nailed that one, huh?

That's the world of recruiting - sometimes you know, sometimes you think you know and sometimes you have no idea until the commitment ball gets rolling and can't be stopped. That Notre Dame recruiting became a runaway train last week was pretty cool. And surreal.

9:37

Joe: No way. Nobody could see this coming. Not even the Notre Dame staff. Micah Shrewsberry said it the other day when we met with him for a few minutes during media day. It's part of my Sunday column that will go on line later today - sometimes you just don't know. You get one commitment, and then another and another and it just sort of snowballs. Getting to know the stories of the guys who will sign next month, it seems like Koehler and Frost were slam-dunks. Koehler, who played AAU with Haralson, actually was pushing Haralson toward Notre Dame even BEFORE Koehler committed. Notre Dame's staff seemingly felt good with all three of the prospects who visited the weekend of the ... ducks ... Northern Illinois football game. But this was a best-case scenario that came true. Look back on our last chat in June. Someone asked how the 2025 class might shake out and I think I offered Christian Gurdak (Virgina Tech), Stink Robinson (Xavier), Trent Sisley (Indiana) and a wild card for the fourth spot.

Joe from the south side

9:34

Tom, WOW! I mean WOW! All these years we have been doing these chats and I am usually never at a loss for words. I am speechless. When the 3 Amigos were at the FB game together, did you have any inkling this would be the outcome?

Thomas Noie

9:31

Tim: After blazing from seemingly nowhere to the top of the country (still No. 1-ranked class as of this morning), Notre Dame is is pretty much done with 2025 kids. If five-star Nate Ament wants to commit, they'd take him, but that's pretty much it. Women's recruiting? Haven't followed it. Too busy chasing four-star, Top 100 guys on the men's side.

Guest

9:29

Hey Tom this Tim from , Edmond Oklahoma, what’s next on the recruiting trail for the men’s, basketball any point guard s what about tre sington will they take him if he commits and what’s up with the women’s team any recruits we should know

Thomas Noie

9:29

Paul: That's always going to be part of the equation. It just is. It's nothing against the type of recruit Notre Dame brings in - it's more the world of college basketball. You don't like your situation? Leave. Go somewhere else and play right away. But.... at least today, these recruits are different. They've all talked of player development, of giving themselves to Micah Shrewsberry and his staff and wanting to be developed as basketball players. Even Jalen Haralson, who is expected to be a one-and-done, has said, yeah, the NBA's the goal, but if I can't get there in a year, I can't get there. They trust in Shrewsberry, which is something Carey Booth's inner circle didn't. That's OK. It happens. That's college basketball.

Paul R

9:26

Any concern these recruits will pull a Carey Booth and leave right away if playing time/success isn’t immediate?

Thomas Noie

9:26

Paul: My man Bob from Chicago beat you to it. But a quick recap - it's hard to say where the three freshmen (Cole Certa, Sir Mohammed, Garrett Sundra) will fit this year because there's depth at really every position. Certa's likely going to see minutes because he can shoot it and space the floor. We need to see more of Mohammed before saying, yeah, he can run the point when Markus Burton needs a break. Garrett Sundra has shown some good stuff, but he's behind some dudes in the post. So this year's freshmen? TBD. The good news is that Notre Dame doesn't NEED them to be good from the jump like last year. They can take their time and find how they fit. Last year, guys like Burton and Shrewsberry and Carey Booth (sigh) HAD to play. Not the case now. Notre Dame is older and better.

Paul-SB

9:23

With all the buzz on the recruiting trail....can you give us a paragraph on how much impact we'll get from this year's freshmen?

Thomas Noie

9:23

GUEST! Great question, but let's get a name and a hometown for future appearances please. Kayden Mingo officially visited way back on Labor Day Weekend when Notre Dame had zero commitments for 2025. It looked like it was trending toward taking either Kayden Mingo or Dante Allen for one of the guard spots. One of those situations where whoever committed first would be the guy. Now, though, after the events of late September, it looks like Notre Dame is finished with its 2025 recruiting class. There are plans to get an official visit from Nate Ament, a five-star, top-10 prospect, in November. Ament is not expected to sign during the early period of November. If it works out and he wants to choose Notre Dame, there will be room for him. Other than that, you get the feeling that Notre Dame's focus now is on the 2026 recruiting class.

Guest

9:19

In recent interviews, Kayden Mingo has expressed some almost over-the-top niceties about the ND staff and the quality of his visit (see his 247 page). If he wants to join this class, bearing in mind that Haralson won’t stay for 4 years, is there space for him?

Thomas Noie

9:19

If Notre Dame played tonight - and the first exhibition (at least publicly) is 27 days away - and everyone available is healthy, the starting lineup would likely look like this: PG - Markus Burton; SG - Braeden Shrewsberry; WG - Matt Allocco; WF - Tae Davis; PF - Kebba Njie

9:18

Same goes for Garrett Sundra, who played more minutes than anticipated in the foreign tour because graduate transfer Nikita Konstantynovskyi did not make the trip due to passport/travel corners as a native of Ukraine. Sundra was a potential five-year guy playing behind Kebba Njie and Konstantynovskyi in the post. Shrewsberry prefers interchangeable parts - four around one, five out - so it might be tough to get to go three deep in the post if everyone remains healthy. Regardless, the confidence in this freshman class is high. They're going to develop. They're going to play.

9:15

Bob: Will anything come close to the magic of that 2014-15 ride? The games? The moments? The guys? The mustard gold uniforms (bring those babies back!). Don't know if we'll see that again, but it will be run to see where all this goes. As for the freshmen this year, still too early to tell. There are a lot of moving parts in this rotation, though know this about Micah Shrewsberry, who will be more offensive-minded this year - he can never have too much shooting on the floor, which means Cole Certa will likely find a role in the rotation in some way shape or form. He might be the only guarantee as far as freshmen. Sir Mohammed was slowed during the summer with a knee injury that kept him from competing on the foreign tour of Spain. That already put him behind. This week, he couldn't attend media day because of illness. They're going to photoshop him into the team picture. We haven't really seen him on the floor, so there's so little to go on as far as what he can actually offer.

Bob from Chicago

9:11

Haven’t been this excited for ND basketball since Grant-Connaughton. Which freshmen do you see as being part of the rotation in 24-25 and what is your projection for the starters in 25-26 ? Thanks Tom for the chats

Thomas Noie

9:08

What gives you the most optimism for the future of Notre Dame men's basketball?

Micah Shrewsberry (66.7% | 26 votes)

Recruiting momentum (33.3% | 13 votes)

The current roster (0% | 0 votes)

It's just time (0% | 0 votes)

Tired of wondering about football (0% | 0 votes)

Total Votes: 39

8:49

Who's ready for some college basketball? We made it. Made through another spring. Made through another summer. Made it to fall, where hoops is definitely in the air around Notre Dame men's basketball. There's a lot there. The roster. The scheule. The season. The recruiting. Let's hit on any and all of it. To join today's chat BE SURE to include your name and hometown. GUEST doesn't cut it. And with that, you know the rest ... let's light this chat candle...

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