JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball - May 2024

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Thomas Noie

11:32

Jim: That's the ultimate moving the goalposts/sliding scale concern, right? When Micah Shrewsberry took over in March 2023 with only three scholarship players, the target return to NCAA relevancy was three years. Then you saw them play, and finish among the worst teams in Division I last year for scoring and shooting and ball security. The logic there was, OK, add another year to the rebuild. It would be something for Notre Dame to get back to NCAA relevancy in four years. Last year was Year One. That means three more years, right? Not necessarily. Let's say we see improvement in scoring and shot-making and ball security this year. Notre Dame wins a few more games it has no business winning. The returning guys are better, the young guys are ready. Notre Dame goes from 7-13 in the ACC last year to 10-10 or 11-9 this year. Recruiting delivers. Then the timetable moves back to maybe three years - with the 2025-26 being the breakthrough/breakout year....

Jim Tal, Valley Center CA.

11:28

Tom, a big picture question. In your opinion, how long will it be before ND will be expected to a consistent Big Dance team? Based upon some of the vibe I am picking up, that might not be until Shrewsberry is in his fourth year. What is a realistic timetable for that to actually happen?

Thomas Noie

11:06

Robert: Did I miss that he's committed? That he's headed for Notre Dame? Don't confuse an offer with a commitment. It's Notre Dame doing its due recruiting diligence. Notre Dame saw Frost play and saw him play well. Extend an offer and add that option to your big board. Nobody has any idea how it eventually all plays out. Better to say, hey, we saw you, we like you, we want you during the May evaluation period than July, when kids wonder, wait, where were you two months ago. As for wings, as we saw last year, you can never have enough of them - and when you don't have enough of them, it's a struggle.

Robert from the Bend

11:03

Notre Dame recently offered Ryder Frost(6'6") who played on the same AAU team that Pat Connaughton once played on. He seems to be a high IQ guy, but does he just clutter the wing position?

Thomas Noie

11:03

Mike: Knowing Micah Shrewsberry, he's not about to concede a recruiting backseat to anybody, especially in the state of Indiana. Worry about Purdue and Indiana for this prospect or that one? Think Shrewsberry believes you have to worry about Notre Dame getting this kid or that one. Shrewsberry and his staff have done too much work in state not to see it pay off with a top prospect or two.

Mike from Rochester, NY

11:02

Tom- it seems like Indiana remains well stocked with top HS prospects. Do you think it's viable for Shrews to land a couple of top recruits from the state each year (e.g., Sisley, Robinson, Mullins) and then focus elsewhere for the rest of the class, or is it unrealistic to beat IU and Purdue in those battles? Also seems like IU's portal focus could provide an opening there.

Thomas Noie

11:01

Port: NIL numbers is like Fight Club. And what's the first rule of Fight Club? You don't talk about Fight Club. Getting exact NIL numbers is like asking your buddy his annual salary. It's not something readily offered or available. That said, Notre Dame has enough in NIL to be competitive in the basketball arena. Will it ever be at a point like football where it's getting the needed transfer for $$$? Probably not. A clear indication of that is how Shrewsberry has chosen to build back the program. Not through high-priced NIL additions, but the traditional route of recruiting and player development.

PortND

10:59

How is NDMBB with regards to NIL budget? Have to imagine the Paxson cooperative will be a help. Football clearly has embraced and many claiming they have one of the larger NIL budgets.

Thomas Noie

10:59

Ryan: Great to hear from you my man. An ACC tournament run, right? Notre Dame finished 11th and went 7-13 in the ACC last year. It went 13-20 overall. It might be too big of a jump to think this team will get to the NCAA tournament next season. That would be a nice surprise, but the next step is 10-10 or 11-9 or 12-8 if everything breaks right. NCAA still is a big ask.

Ryan Mars PA

10:57

Tom with Burton coming Back And The transfers coming to Notre Dame i think the Team Will Do Good next year Go Irish what do you think about them maybe making a tournament run next year

Thomas Noie

10:57

Robert: I'd pump the brakes on the belief that what Notre Dame did or didn't do in the portal this spring is NIL-related. NIL might be a ticking point, gut no more so than admissions. Look at Notre Dame's transfer history since immediate eligibility became a thing. It's not an accident that graduate transfers have been a popular path to Notre Dame. If you want to come to Notre Dame based solely on what your NIL will be, you're probably not going to go to Notre Dame.

Robert from the Bend

10:55

In terms of NIL and not being able to get a better known player from the portal, how does Notre Dame solve that? Is there a non affiliated group from the university that can provide funds?

Thomas Noie

10:52

A reminder - a lot of GUESTS in the queue today. If you want a question or comment to be included, please include your name and hometown. Thanks!

10:51

Todd: Notre Dame's roster is maxed out at 13 scholarship players for 2024-25, so there will be no more additions (or subtractions) as spring becomes summer and summer becomes fall and fall becomes basketball season.

Toddvb

10:50

Are more transfer portal players coming?

Thomas Noie

10:50

A program guy. End of the rotation who preaches the gospel of Shrewsberry and is a connector for guys who may need a pep talk now and then. He'll have the longest of leashes in terms of giving him time to play. He was a D-III guy to start and a walk-on at Lehigh. This isn't a knock on Chebuhar, but this is the ACC. Hard to expect any big leaps from him, though a little leap would be nice.

Todd, Charlotte, NC

10:48

And Burke Chebuhar?

Thomas Noie

10:48

Todd: If Notre Dame played today, as the first backup big off the bench for Kebba Njie. Maybe that changes as everything moves forward. Maybe he stuns everyone and becomes a legit ACC low-post guy. Maybe.

Todd, Charlotte, NC

10:47

Where does Nikita Konstantynovskyi fit into the post rotation?

Thomas Noie

10:46

Port: Great question, and one that, at least in the 10 seconds of consideration, might have the same answer and that would be just how freaking hard Shrewsberry gets after it. In practices (so we've been told) and definitely in games. He's coaching every single second of every single possession. Watch him work a game and you get worn out. Always moving, always talking, always calling out what sets to run and when. For a young team, for last year's team, that was understandable. Needed. As the core gets older, I'd like to see him just stand there on the sideline and be. Let the guys who have been in the system three and four years figure it out. That can be beautiful basketball as well. It doesn't always have to be so structured and regimented. Trust your system. Trust your guys. Let it flow.

PortND

10:44

Since it's now been over a year under Coach Shrewsberry what has surprised you in a positive way and what has been something you may be concerned with?

Thomas Noie

10:44

Steven: You could argue and argue correctly that both holes remain. They needed an experienced big beyond Zona's ability, but didn't get one. They needed an athlete with upside similar to Booth but didn't get one. In a way, though, this team might be better because they main guys don't/won't have to do all the main stuff. Burton will have help. The perimeter will have help. Tae Davis will be better. Kebba Njie has to be better. If Konstantynovskyi hits, that's a big bonus, but I'd rather have added another known as opposed to the unknowns.

Steven

10:41

With the only contributing players exiting the program being Zona and Booth. Did the Irish improve the roster or just fill spots. At first glance it doesn’t seem they got an athlete of Booths skill, but may have matched or surpassed production gone.

Thomas Noie

10:41

Frank: First, some housekeeping. Not a criticism and not singling you out, but the year grace period everyone got is over. It's SHREWSBERRY. If knuckleheads like me can get it right, the rest of you can as well. Now, on to the question. Of the top eight high school seniors to be in Indiana, Notre Dame is in good (so THEY say) on six of them. That includes Braylon Mullins, Trent Sisley, Azavier Robinson and Jalen Haralson. Do they have a chance of getting one of them? Two? Any? None? No clue. All depends on fit, but it won't be from a lack of effort from this staff. They've done the work. Now they have to do what the previous staff often didn't - finish.

Frank from Mishawaka

10:31

Coach Shrewsbury and his assistants have been busy on the AAU circuit recently checking out 2025 prospects. Which of the following prospects(Cam Ward, Braylon Mullins, Trent Sisley) does Notre Dame really have a chance of getting?

Thomas Noie

10:31

Joe: Notre Dame needs as many ballhandlers and shotmakers as it can possibly get this season, so it's difficult to see Cole Certa or Logan Imes taking a redshirt. Imes played 545 minutes as a freshman and will/should be better just because of that. If Certa didn't play his senior year at IMG, I'd say he'd be a mayyyyybe for the five-year plan, but that yeaer at IMG was basically a freshman year in college given the competition level he faced and the new role he had to play - off the ball, spot-up, defend, figure it out. If there is a five-year plan guy on the roster it's Garrett Sundra. He has to get bigger and stronger. If Micah Shrewsberry has enough pieces, he'll lean hard on four-around-one looks. Kebba Njie's going to play. Nikita Konstantynovskyi's going to play. It will be difficult to get a to a third big if all the puzzle pieces fit.

Joe from Chicago

10:27

Now that Notre Dame has 13 players on scholarship, do you see any red shirts for this coming season? I think possibly Logan Imes could red shirt as well as Cole Certa and Garrett, Sundra.

Thomas Noie

10:23

Dave: Thanks my man! I'll keep chatting if you keep reading....deal?

Dave from Alpha, NJ

10:23

Hello Tom. Thanks for always doing these chats.
More of a comment/concern that an actual question.

Thomas Noie

10:23

Billy: For his sanity, he better. He doesn't need to be the main handler all the time. Not with this team with Matt Allocco, who can handle, and Sir Mohammed, who might be the perfect fit as a point guard/distributor. Markus Burton had to be MARKUS BURTON!!!! last year because he didn't have much sustained help. That shouldn't be the case this year. The cast around him is better, which means he doesn't have to do everything. Get him off the ball. Get him to be a point guard first and a shooter second and everyone will benefit.

Billy Mc

10:20

Tom - Do you think that Marcus Burton will spend more time off the ball this year given his ability to get his own shot?

Thomas Noie

10:20

Dennis: Something about Carey Booth and his place in the program forever changed the evening of January 24 in a home loss to Miami. He scored three points in 11 minutes after playing at least 22 minutes in six of the previous eight. After that game, Booth scored in single figures in eight straight and 11 of 13. His blank stare/look during the two games at the ACCT kind of said it all - I'm done. Booth (and likely his family) probably believes he should've done more and played more. He had chances. Booth averaged 19.9 minutes a game but shot 39.1 percent from the field, 29.7 percent from 3 and 63.4 percent from the foul line, all numbers that scream young guy figuring it out. He (and his family) didn't want to stay and figure it out. This wasn't an NIL issue. This was a Booth/family issue.

Dennis Huyvaert Osceola

10:16

Hi Tom , I have just one question . Carey Booth follows Coach over here from his Penn State commit . He is in the rotation this past year . Why did he leave ? Do you have any idea ? Thank you for your great work .

Thomas Noie

10:12

James: A condensed answer to an earlier question about the starters - Markus Burton (point guard), Braeden Shrewsberry (shooting guard), Matt Allocco (wing guard), tae Davis (small forward) and Kebba Njie (power forward).

James C

10:12

Who will be the starting 5 for 24-25 season

Thomas Noie

10:12

Matt: Notre Dame will have at least four scholarships to offer the Class of 2025, where the staff already has done a ton of work to be in some of the top prospects in Indiana. Those four scholarships will come from this year's three graduate transfers and senior-to-be Julian Roper. A fifth scholarship opens if J.R. Konieczny decides it's time to move on or do something else besides basketball. Burton will remains the yearly wild card. Everyone will expect him to have this monster I'll-show-you type of season, but as mentioned earlier, Notre Dame doesn't need that from him the way it needed it last season. So for now, let's go with four and then see how this season shakes out. Odds there, there will be a transfer somewhere within the roster. Why? That's college basketball 2024 and beyond. Somebody always leaves because everybody CAN leave. The portal will touch every roster in every way (those coming, those going).

Matt

10:08

Tom, how many do you think Shrews will try and sign for the 2025 class. I think 4 and then you have to see what JR and Markus do?

Thomas Noie

10:06

Tony: You answered your own concern/question. None of us are in those meetings with potential transfer additions when it comes to how they fit with the culture. Do they give off weird vibes? Did admissions limit the potential transfer pool? So many possible explanations.

Tony

10:05

Tom, any thoughts on why Coach Shrews didn’t go after higher ranked transfers in the portal. I remember him saying he wanted to build this team with recruiting and only use the portal if needed. I hope he has a solid 2025 class.

Thomas Noie

10:05

Jet: How can you be wrong? How can I be wrong? How can any of us be wrong about Nikita Konstantynovskyi and Burke Chebuhard? By not trusting the coaching staff. Maybe they know something we don't. Maybe Notre Dame got the best of the rest. Maybe the opportunity of a starting spot, 30 minutes a game, double figures for points and rebounds and a chance to play in the ACC doesn't hit with transfers the way it once did.

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