re: Define Success for Will Wade's Tigers Next Season

If that's all you guys expect from him you're going to in for a pleasant surprise. We could've hire a Jr. High coach to meet yals expectations Wade was brought here to win and he will. Jones won 19 his first year with nothing Wade can surpass that.

With the talent that is already here, and possible 4 top100 recruits, I think a tournament appearance is very possible. I don't think it's wrong to have those expectations. The talent I there they just lacked fundamentals basketball IQ, and defense which can all be coached.

This really is the perfect situation for him. Expectations are at rock bottom, so he can take his time and rebuild the program the way he wants.

Its going to take time to change this culture.

Jones has this program and players not giving effort, being complacent on the court, etc. The attitude is all wrong and it was palpable this year.

Installing a new system doesn't fix that. Wade is a high energy guy that will bench players for not giving 100%. He's said it several times in interviews.

I hope he gets a few solid players in this class that he can mold his way. He might have to release some guys on the current roster if that's what it takes to change culture.

from article about VCU transition with him:

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Junior forward Mo Alie-Cox, a fan favorite, says the transition for the players was difficult at first, mostly because of an increased emphasis on strength and conditioning and overall organization.

“We all have schedules now that we get on Sundays, so nobody can have an excuse,” Alie-Cox says, adding that different players adjusted at different speeds. “We didn’t have a lot of real organization like that under Coach Smart. [Wade] is holding us more accountable, being more punctual, stuff like that.”

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Using 50% of his timeouts, blinking every minute or so, appearing to coach during the game and not losing by 25 points to losing teams = I'm content.

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i chortled

the bar is so HIGH here!

Championship

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It's not out of the question to expect the team to contend in the SEC.

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Next year, yes it kind of is. We have UK and UF wayyyy ahead of us.

This is a cultural and talent rebuild. He is going to level it and start from the ground up.

We need to give this guy our patience.

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Jones inherited a team that won 18 the year before and had actually received decent coaching.

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True, but the team Jones inherited was not the team that finished the 11-12 season. Jones' first team lost two of his top 3 scorers from the previous year (Hamilton and Turner), plus some post players Storm Warren and Malcom White. He basically had 2 Sophomores (Hickey & JOBIII) and a junior back (Stringer) with very little around them. He actually did a pretty good job of piecing things together by getting Coleman and Carmouche late in the game.

Assuming everyone stays, Wade will have an All-SEC caliber player in Blakeney. Two 2nd year guys that showed some promise this season (Mays and Reath) and a super athletic Jr. who just simply hasn't been coached (Sampson). The team won't be all that "young" either. Blakeney and Sampson will be Juniors. Patterson is a Sr. as is Epps. Simms and Mays will have had a year of extensive playing time under their belts. Reath and Jenkins have been playing a while (just not at the D-1 level).

SEC champs? No. But the cupboard shouldn't be completely bare. I don't defend Jones much, but (unless there is big time attrition from this years team) he was left with very little when he started at LSU

I agree. There are some holes in the roster and they need some coaching, but LSU's roster is not nearly as bad as the record would indicate.

If Wade could land a solid JUCO or graduate transfer post player to start immediately along with Reath, and there is not mass attrition, this team could be a solid NIT and maybe NCAA bubble team next year.

I think the 6 year deal is enough to show you where this program is at.
He needs post players bad!
Guard play might be decent enough to sustain something.
NIT will be hard to make with this roster.