JotCast | Notre Dame men's basketball season wrap chat

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Steve Duff

11:21

A couple of possibly unoriginal (or common) questions here Tom. Who’s coming back? Mainly Blake Wesley but I believe most of the seniors have a “super senior” year. Maybe good to start fresh (other than Blake), which leads to a second question. What do you see from the new group of freshman and who can contribute immediately (JJ obviously)? Seems like a good class and this probably depends on who stays (if any) and who goes. Keep up the great work Tom - love Irish football but your coverage of hoops is why I subscribe.

Thomas Noie

11:21

Tom: Yes, yes, yes. At no point during the Alabama or Texas Tech games did I look out on the floor and see a tired team. I saw a better team. In both games. Seriously. Texas Tech? Please.

Tom

11:21

The more I think about the last two minutes of the Texas Tech game, the more I think ND just finally ran out of gas. Missed free throws are often a symptom of that. Am I oversimplifing

Thomas Noie

11:20

Not everyone from that seven will be back, so there are positions available. You have to start with J.R. Konieczny. There has to be a spot for him somewhere next season. He gets the first push for possible breakout performer.

Guest

11:19

Aside from the seven who played the majority of minutes this season, who should we expect to make the biggest contribution next season?

Thomas Noie

11:19

Joe: Popular question today - see above or below for my thoughts. Thanks, my man!

Guest

Sorry Tom I must have hit something before I was ready. Thanks again. Joe Holtzinger Millsboro, DE.

11:19

Tom, You do a great job. I guess the number one thing on everyone’s mind is when do you think we will know for sure who will be back playing on next years team? I was so bummed after the Texas Tech loss because I still believe the Irish were the better team. I been a NDMBB fan since the 70’s and I am hopeful I will see them in another final four.

Thomas Noie

11:19

Brian: First question has been most popular question. See above or below for my thoughts on that. As for Blake Wesley, I believe he really wants to be a one-and-done, but really needs another year in college. The NBA (and more importantly, the G League) is filled with Blake Wesley types with where his game is right now. Another year allows him to separate himself from the pack and be special.

Brian K, South Bend

11:17

Hey Tom, here is the easiest question you'll get all day: which Seniors (that have a Covid year remaining) will come back and which ones will head off to the real world? Now, a tougher Bonus question: what's your gut telling you about Blake Wesley, is he coming back for his Soph year, or heading to the NBA?

Thomas Noie

11:17

The Atlantic Coast Conference is an acquired taste. I'll just leave it at that...

Mark Oliver, Oil City, Pa.

11:15

One more from me today Tom. Just wondering if you watch much of the ACC Network and if so, what are your thoughts and what do you watch. We finally got it on Comcast here in Oil City back in December and I have really enjoyed it. I've become a big fan of the Packer and Durham show in the morning and the Nothing but Net shows. Lots of praise for both ND hoops teams the last couple of weeks.

Thomas Noie

11:15

Mark: You never know with the transfer portal and what guys really want out of their college careers. Not having to sit out that mandatory season like years of old makes leaving more attractive. But those guys at the back end of the rotation don't know what they don't know about college basketball. It's hard to definitively say, yeah, they're NEVER going to play meaningful minutes here. Well, maybe you can say that about Elijah Morgan. He's a walk-on guard with a lot of others ahead of him on the depth chart. As for this group, it was good to sit and talk one-on-one with each of the guys - Hubb, Atkinson, Ryan, Goodwin, Laszewski. Just wish those opportunities were more. COVID and all the protocols that we were required to follow made it hard to really get to know these guys away from the court.

Mark Oliver, Oil City, Pa.

11:11

Hi Tom, Great to join the chat here. Obviously way too early to know who will and won't be back, but do you see any of that wave that includes J.R., Sanders, Zona or either of the Elijahs making a jump next year for quality playing time. Hopefully some of them will return instead of hitting the portal. Still letting Sunday's disappointment soak in...would have been great to battle the Dukies tonight. On another note, I know you've written often in these chats about some of your favorite players to cover over the years....anyone from this group, particularly the senior core, stand out to you. They all seem to be quality guys to me.

Thomas Noie

11:09

Mike: Understood, but what this team did in league play and particularly in the NCAA Tournament, it wasn't mentally or physically prepared to do in November. Or even early December. It had to take its collective lumps in Maui and at Boston College to get to where it got to. This year was relatively easy - you had a lot of old guys who were driven to get to the NCAA Tournament. It was hard in some respects, but it also was kind of easy. Everyone can unite to chase something one time. Now, the tough part is going and chasing it again. That Cormac Ryan did what he did late in the year and is likely to return provides a solid foundation. Now build in around it and chase it again.

Mike,New Jersey

11:07

Hey Tom, really sick over the tech game but I'm definitely proud how this team played in the tournament. I saw a grittiness and toughness that really wasn't at this level all season. I truly believe ND was the tougher team Sunday against maybe the toughest team in the country. My question is can this level of grit be carried over to game one next year? Obviously playing in the tournament brings everyone's energy to another level but if we had this in MAUI there's no way in hell Notre Dame is an 11 seed.

Thomas Noie

11:06

Mike: It remains to be seen how J.J. Starling fits. I've seen a lot of him at LaLu this season, and he plays more off the ball than ball dominant. There are possessions where he'll go and get something for himself, but it's been Jeremy Fears, Jr., and Aden Holloway who are more the traditional point guards. Maybe he's part off-guard part point guard next year. A lot of that will be determined by Blake Wesley and if he returns. If not, maybe Starling and Cormac Ryan share of the main PG duties. However it unfolds, Starling already is a starter. Put him down for 30 minutes a game. He's special.

Mike, Rochester, NY

11:04

Does Starling project as a PG or more of a SG? It seemed like the offense ran more efficiently through Hubb than Wesley at PG, but I think an upgrade is needed at that position. I'd rather see Wesley on the wing.

Thomas Noie

11:04

See above. Or below. Been addressed already my man

Mike, Rochester, NY

11:03

Asking the obvious here: who do you expect to return next year?

Thomas Noie

11:03

Mike: The runs you don't see coming often are the best, and this one was right up there. Prentiss Hubb is ready to to move on, so returning really isn't an option for him. It's an extreme longshot to expect Atkinson to return. Even if the NCAA did green-light his return, he's 50-50 on whether he even wants to return. Some guys are ready for their next phase of life, basketball or otherwise. Next year's big man isn't yet on the roster. Stay tuned.

Mike from Rochester NY

11:02

Tom, it was a hell of a run and sad that it ended the way it did. With Starling coming in, do you think Hubb may stay and Wertz transfers out? If Atkinson can’t come back (and that appears to be almost certain), who’s the big guy in the middle next year? I don’t think that’s ever been Laszewski’s game, so is it Zona? Or a grad transfer? Thanks, really happy that you got to enjoy covering this year’s team after the past few difficult years.

Thomas Noie

11:01

Charlie: He first has to make sure his academics are in order. Then, live in the weight room. Add strength that will allow him to finish better at the rim. He was able to get there this year, but left too many shots there. Then, refine his jumpshot, which became less reliable as the season wound down. He's too darn talented to be a .404 shooter from the field, .303 from 3 and .657 from the foul line. Those are G-League numbers. Somebody in his camp has to show him that. And again, all he has to do is look at fellow South Bend native Jaden Ivey. He was good as a freshman, but had a lot of holes in his game. He worked on his game, and now he's a Top Five pick because he embraced the work. Wesley can do the same. He's good enough now for the NBA, but good enough's not enough.

Charlie, MI

10:56

Thanks for doing this, Tom. Loved following you and the Irish this year, and the run through Dayton and San Diego was as fun a 5 days as we've had since probably 2015. Blake Wesley has a chance to be a really special player if he returns next year, but I could also fully understand why the NBA might make sense for him right now. IF Blake comes back, what does his offseason look like in South Bend? What would you expect him to work on from now until the fall? Who is in his ear about what he needs to be doing? How much of it is on Blake himself vs. his teammates vs. coaching staff?

Thomas Noie

10:56

Brandan: Whew, there's a lot there. Understandable. Mike Brey said it the other night in San Diego at the end of his post-Texas Tech presser. How this roster takes shape is a process, one that he believes his program might be in until right up to the start of summer school. That would mean Blake Wesley declares for the draft and works through the entire process (which he should do to get the best accurate feedback) before deciding his future. Other guys, like Cormac Ryan, I wouldn't expect a big "announcement" in terms of them declaring that "I'm, Back!" It's also a process with potential portal guys. Do they want to make official visits? Or do they just jump in with both feet? We won't know what the roster looks like until maybe Father's Day weekend (start of summer school). There's also the chance of adding/subtracting guys after that, maybe right up to start of fall semester. It's a door that will remain open. That's college basketball 2022.

Brendan, TN

10:52

Tom, I know there are a ton of questions out there about who's returning, who isn't, and what the transfer portal might look like. Right now I'm assuming the door is closed on an Atkinson return. With that said: What do you expect the timeline to be for Wesley's decision to return or head to the draft? What do you expect the timeline to be for everyone else on the current roster to make their decision about returning or not? And when would you expect transfers (if we were to pick up any) to become official? Put another way, on what date do you believe we'll have a full view of what the 22-23 roster will look like?

Thomas Noie

10:45

Victor: Great to hear from you, my man. Now the chat is official when you wander over. It would have to be Trey Wertz or (technically) Robby Carmody. I can't see J.R. Koniecnzy leaving. This was discussed on the front end of his recruitment - he might sit early, then not sit for a bulk of his career. He's probably primed to take that proverbial (ugh) next step. The three sophomores, who knows? In some ways, this was more of a freshman season for Tony Sanders, Jr., Elijah Taylor and Matt Zona than their true freshman seasons. That was the wacky COVID year of 2020-21 when nothing made sense. This was their first true taste of what college basketball/league play really is. Their first true summers in the offseason program. Honestly, none of the three still don't know what they don't know. But the portal's the portal. If any of the three land in it this month, it won't be a shock. Very little about college basketball is these days.

Victor K.

10:42

Tom, enjoyed reading your coverage here in Salem. Who do you think is most likely to transfer from the bench mob?

Thomas Noie

10:42

Matt: Not being able to secure the defensive rebound that led to two free throws that I believe made it 53-52 Texas Tech with 1:10 left. Get that rebound and you're still up one with the ball. The clock runs under a minute and you make a shot, then you're up three and probably going to the Sweet 16. The missed free throws also hurt. Notre Dame had plenty of chances to close that one out and didn't. There's no guarantee that they're better next season. How do you build off 15-5 in the ACC? You're not getting that kind of repeat schedule again. So what has to happen? Whoever returns has to move forward with the belief that this season was a starting - not a stopping - point. There's more to do, so why not be the guys to go and do it. Add a few more pieces, keep the resolve and take it a step further next season. Maintain/improve the roster by whatever means needed. If it's retaining the veteran guys, retain them. If it's tapping the portal, tap it. Don't waste what was this season.

Matt from Fairfax

10:37

Hey Tom, thanks for a great season of coverage. If you had to pick just one, what was the moment that ND blew the Texas Tech game? I would say it was Cormac missing the front end of a one-and-one that could've put us up 4. Or was it Dane's missed free throw? Or the consecutive turnovers? Painful. Lastly, I know we don't know who's coming back, but is it likely we'll be even better next season? What needs to happen for ND to take the next step?

Thomas Noie

10:36

Tom: See above (or below). Understandably a popular topic today that we've addressed. Thanks my man!

Tom

10:36

The obvious question has to be what does next year’s team look like? Thanks, Tom. This turned out to be a very satisfying season.

Thomas Noie

10:36

Wes: Well said. Agree.

wes st louis

10:36

ND had a heck of a season, great turn around from how it started. i have always been impressed with Coach Brey. When ND is flowing on offense is fun to watch. Sunday's final game was heartbreaking. i read Coach Brey's comments about the last 3 plays of having Wesley drive to the basket and Wesley had a great freshman season but he is still a freshman and from what i saw wasnt able to make a play all three drives, Lost the ball on a turnover, threw the ball away and tried to drive on 2 defenders and missed a crucial free throw. Hopefully he comes back for his sophomore year.

Thomas Noie

10:32

Joe: Stay, far, far away from that SBT beat writer. I kid, but not completely. It's a little of everything, except for the golf part. It's portal exploration, recruiting, spring workouts, AAU tournaments, more portal, more recruiting, more player development. Those five months go way quicker than you might imagine. Summer school starts in mid-June. That's really when the 2022-23 season starts. We're not THAT far away from it.

joe from the south side

10:30

Tom, Now that the season is officially over, what do Brey and his staff do for the next 5-6 months? Scouring the transfer portal? Watching summer league games? Evaluating their performance and looking for ways to improve? Play golf?

Thomas Noie

10:30

Joe: One thousand percent correct, though I was told there would be no math in this profession...lol. I'll save the deep dive on the numbers for later in the spring when I have some more time, but here are Blake Wesley's last four games (Virginia Tech, Rutgers, Alabama, Texas Tech) - 17-for-53 from the field, 0-for-11 from 3, 10 turnovers. He was good in stretches this season, but often struggled against size/athleticism and finishing at the rim. That has to eventually be a really big red flag, because that's all the NBA is - size, athleticism and finishing. And late-first round sounds right, but not necessarily good for Wesley. Late first round means you're going to a better team that doesn't need much help. That means bench time. That means G-League stints. Sometimes, another year in college outweighs a year in the league, regardless of the paycheck.

joe from the south side

10:26

Tom, Wondering if you could pull together some stats? ND played 35 games. Break it into 3 segments, first 11, then next 12, then final 12. The first 11 would cover the time when Wesley did not start. The middle section would cover his breakout freshman campaign, and the last 12 would cover the end of the regular season and the post season. Would like to know his ppg, overall shooting %, 3 pt shooting %, and assist to TO ration in each segment. My guess is there is a big drop in productivity in that last segment. As a result, the NBA guys are going to question his strength and stamina. While there is a ton to like, huge upside potential, I believe he is perceived as a little green and needs work. Accordingly, he looks like a low end 1st round pick. What do you think?

Thomas Noie

10:26

Brian: Great question. Notre Dame is scheduled to play Saint Bonaventure at the new UBS Arena - the building basically built net to Belmont Park in New York - the day after Thanksgiving 2022. There's still a question/possibility that there would be another game there on the Saturday, but that's TBD. Notre Dame also starts a two-year series with Marquette. That first game, in 2022-23 was supposed to be at Fiserv Forum but it looks like the series will start at Purcell Pavilion. Notre Dame also will have a home game in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. That's usually announced in late May or early June. There will be no Crossroads Classic, so that opens another non-league spot. Also, the third and final game of the Kentucky series will basically be dissolved (by mutual agreement). Honestly, John Calipari is tired of being saddled with a non-league loss the last two years so he wanted out. There are some gaps/flexibility next season. Will be interesting to see how it fills in.

Brian

10:22

Thank you for your coverage this season. Aside from the St. Bonaventure game, are any other non-conference games or tournaments likely or confirmed for the 2022-23 season?

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