The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. This is frustrating as hell and looks like it will continue. 

Now Penn State has three guys 6'10" or taller on their roster for next season and we have none. Let's hope against hope that, with a still tremendous need for a big man and plenty of opportunity for him to start immediately, we can reel in a big man transfer or recruit for next season. There are a ton of them still out there--we just need to get us at least one!

As soon as any Power 5 team is at play in any of our transfer recruiting, we're toast. EVERY single one of them is offering NIL money. Glad Zack is in Europe, I think that's our best chance at developing a pipeline and fill some of these transfer gaps. 

That's what is so odd, depending on NIL money received, if any, of course. It's understandable, but it hasn't worked out for players as well. May only be a one-year deal, would imagine. This is really a crazy system and wonder if it has players making the best long-term decisions, in addition to ruining college basketball as we know it, no matter how you view this as a long-deserved plus for players or a minus for making college hoops even more of the Wild West with new transfer rules.
Would seem to have a better opportunity going to the A-10 level than  P-5, if you haven't performed or had the opportunity.
Our recent example on this year's team, James Bishop, going from being lost in the shuffle at LSU to probably preseason A-10 player of the year. James is really well-positioned to make good money playing college basketball from GW, along with a Final Four coach who has NBA and other pro contacts. Max Edwards, from not playing at K-State after injury and not seeing a great future there, to A-10 rookie of the year.
  We rehabilitated Joe Bamisile from not having an impact at Virginia Tech to being a key player. He transferred up again to Oklahoma, didn't play a lot, and came back to the A-10.
  Tyler Cavanaugh went from Wake Forest to GW to the NBA. And he had pretty good ACC stats. But
he found his NBA stride at GW.
  Will see how this shakes out.
But we have all sorts of playing time to offer for a big/rebounder who can have even a reasonable impact.
    

The fact that our tallest players were of limited help last season is just more proof that we can't bring in talented big men. The saga continues!

It's easy, logical, and probably accurate to blame NIL at least in part whenever we lose out to a major.  That said, there are other factors regarding Aire's situation.  First, let's not assume that any connection to Miami was all that meaningful.  Yes, CC likely had a role in recruiting Favour to Miami but CC also left for GW before he had the chance to coach him.  That relationship was likely short-lived and not at all the same as when a player is coached by a former coach.  

Next, Penn State is a pretty good situation for a new player to walk into.  4 starters aren't returning, brand new coaching staff, and a program gathering momentum coming off of an NCAA appearance.  Mike Rhoades was an assistant with VCU before becoming their head coach (and turning around Rice in between).  I mention this to point out that Rhoades has a ton of experience coaching athletic big men who play very much along the lines as Aire is expected to.  I think this matters a lot.  

Finally, what JF alluded to is hurting programs like GW's big time.  If we had the new transfer rules (which are supposed to revert back to having to sit out a year but as someone pointed out, likely will not once everyone becomes aware of what needs to be said to be granted a waiver) but no NIL, that would be one thing.  Or, if we had NIL but players really had to sit out a year, that too would allow us to be more competitive in these waters.  But, what we have is the lethal combination of transfers without ramifications (i.e. sitting out a season) along with NIL.  Since NIL is never going away, we have to hope that the NCAA makes a real commitment to seriously crack down on the number of transfers by bringing back the road block in doing so.

moneybox wrote:

The fact that our tallest players were of limited help last season is just more proof that we can't bring in talented big men. The saga continues!

Mike Zagardo, Mike Brown, Yinka Dare, Alexander Koul, Pops Mensa-Bonsu, Kevin Larsen, Zeke Armwood, Tyller Cavanaugh, Collin Smith, Ricky Lindo.  We can't?

One other point...a player like Daron Holmes signs with Dayton as the school's highest ever rated recruit.  A consensus first round NBA draft pick as he enters college.  Two years later, he is largely projected as a second round pick and it was recently reported that he may even return to school for another season.  This is the best big man in the A10 this past season.  You have to believe that guys like Aire hear how much easier it will be for them to make the NBA playing against the highest level of competition in college.  Unfortunately, the numbers do tend to bear this out.

Landing Aire would have been nice, but him not coming is not the end of the world. I agree with BM that it's a "nice to have".

Do I think we should sign one 6'10"+ player so we at least have an option against a taller team? Sure, but like GWMayhem and others have said in the past getting a quality big is not easy. Worst case scenario we sign a P6 guy who barely/never played, or maybe who walked on at that level with height. We could also look at the D2/JUCO level. They just need to be tall for rebounding/occasionally attacking the rim. Maybe we could even get someone as a walk-on which would be even better and sell playing time at the D1 level. What's Tyler Warner up to these days? He just randomly disappeared.

With three scholarships left, we should probably be more strategic. Again, we have seven new players who have combined for 2.3 ppg at the D1 level (all Benny's stats). Regardless of what level Aire was going to, he's a project and not someone that's going to suddenly come in and average double figures. I noticed Daniel Deaver of Navy is in the transfer portal. He's from Falls Church so maybe GW is a viable option? Not sure what his options are currently.

The only provens on the roster are JB, Max, and to a lesser extent, Keegan (side note - I wonder if we're having trouble landing guys with experience due to JB returning - perhaps they feel he's going to command most of our shots). Who emerges as the third option is a poll that I'm sure we'll weigh in on once the roster is set, but it's why I'd rather we spend the remainder of the open spots on guys with experience. They may not be prolific scorers either, but we need more than JB with experience to balance the roster out, and at least have someone to turn to if the young guys aren't ready right away. The freshmen guards may be ready to take on some of the scoring load by conference play, but expecting it right off the bat is unfair/unrealistic so it's moreso to bridge the gap for OOC play.

I'm starting to buy into getting a guy like McGlashan who played on a successful D2 team (I had to look up that St. Anselm is in NH). Like FQ mentioned, someone who can play a Matt Hart role and average 5 ppg coming off the bench. Unfortunately though he's visited Sam Houston State and not GW so I wouldn't be surprised if he commits there in the next day or so. If he hasn't committed by Friday we may still have a chance at a visit.

I get the sense that CC is looking to build a more perimeter oriented team and to offset maybe slight shortcomings in height we need to have good shooting. I noticed Isaiah Range of Alabama State who shot 43% from deep last year is still available. Maybe EJ can put in a good word for us.

adclub wrote:

As soon as any Power 5 team is at play in any of our transfer recruiting, we're toast. EVERY single one of them is offering NIL money. Glad Zack is in Europe, I think that's our best chance at developing a pipeline and fill some of these transfer gaps.

I agree with this, although the P6 teams are already finding ways to facilitate NIL payments to international players by taking foreign trips over the summer and whatnot so we may not be able to get as many steals from overseas as we used to.

Landing a few good freshman should be the goal every year, but I think more than three in a year is probably too much as at least one will either leave due to lack of playing time or being too good. The jackpot is now the first-time transfer that spent a year at P6 and is transferring down. I really like the Benny/Darren signings as a result because they seemingly fit CC's system well. There will probably never be the four-year player concept again but having someone for at least two years before graduating is better than nothing as long as the NCAA upholds some of their rules.

Gwmayhem wrote:

moneybox wrote:

The fact that our tallest players were of limited help last season is just more proof that we can't bring in talented big men. The saga continues!

Mike Zagardo, Mike Brown, Yinka Dare, Alexander Koul, Pops Mensa-Bonsu, Kevin Larsen, Zeke Armwood, Tyller Cavanaugh, Collin Smith, Ricky Lindo.  We can't?

Even though I buy into the fact that CC's system isn't exactly catered to playing through the post so it's not an emphasis in recruiting, I do agree with moneybox that we haven't had a player who can post up in a while. All the names you've mentioned above are from ML or earlier eras outside of Ricky who wasn't really a true forward either but could obviously play the 4. Sadly, people have short-term memories so GW hasn't shown lately to be a place for bigs to thrive.
 

Believe me,CC's system would cater to big me if we had any. 

dmvpiranha wrote:

Looks like we're pursuing D2 Saint Anselm transfer Owen McGlashan. Averaged 12.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.2 apg last year while shooting 41% from 3. McGlashan is a native of NJ who began his career at Denver.

He visited Sam Houston State prior to the dead period (which seems to have come at an unideal time - couldn't they move it out a couple weeks?).

Owen McGlashan @Owen_Mcg10 2h
Beyond Blessed to Receive an offer from Coach Caputo and George Washington! @coach_c_caputo @GW_MBB #RaiseHigh 

Sam Houston State: https://twitter.com/Owen_Mcg10/status/1661039291961671680