2019 6’8 F Tristan Enaruna (KU transfer, Iowa State commit)

[hilltopalum]

His brother is a freshman at Cloud City CC in Concordia, Kansas. Which is about the same distance from Omaha and Lawrence. He mentions in the video ability to grow his body (edge Kansas), play right away (probably Creighton), somewhere I can trust the people that recruited me, so I won't get there and have to do something we didnt talk about or sit on the bench (edge Creighton)


Prediction: I'd say Kansas at this point, because isn't this what always happens?

[hilltopalum]

It's a tough decision when looking at PT next year with everything we have returning. Honestly I would be inclined to bring DM off the bench. I personally think he'd light up opposing teams reserves and be the spark much like Z was at the beginning of this year. Question is would he want that role?

Start Z, TSA, MB, MK and JE. Bring DM, Mahoney, Jefferson off bench with Enaruna backing up MK. If MK leaves I could see a scenario where Enaruna will be given a shot at the starting role. I think they want that type of length out there. Mahoney is wildcard as his body type suggests he could play the 4 in this system.

Ultimately, this team does not have a ton of obvious holes for next season. If MK leaves then Enaruna would be a must. If MK stays, Enaruna is a luxury. If MK stays and they get Enaruna, they will likely use the last spot on a sit-and-play transfer or a freshman they know will RS, as there will not be many minutes laying around.

[bluejayfan00]

Enaruna wants to get to the league. I don't think Creightons 2018-2019 successes or failures weigh too heavily on his decision as to what type of fit will get him there.

The more pressing questions will be can he find 25 mpg on the 2019-2020 roster? Will Martin come back? Is he a better 4-man than Bishop?

Think the only schools that can compete at this point are the blue-bloods. I know Miami has been on him lately as well as Texas, but the read I get is only a Kansas, Duke or Kentucky can make an appealing enough case to sway him, after 3 years of Huss-McDermott-Recruitment.

Kansas (4s):
Senior - Dedric Lawson - 33 mpg
Junior - KJ Lawson - 9.6 mpg
Senior - Mitch Lightfoot - 10 mpg
? Silvio De Sousa ?

Kentucky (4s):
Junior - P.J. Washington - 28.6 mpg *NBA*
Sophomore - E.J. Montgomery - 13.9 mpg
Freshman - Kahlil Whitney - 5 Star
Freshman - Dontaie Allen - 4 Star

Duke (4s)
Senior - Jack White - 23 mpg
Freshman - Joey Baker - Red-Shirt 5 Star
Freshman - Wendell Moore - 5 star

The interesting piece in Enaruna recruitment will be Matthew Hurt. Hurt, top 10, forward is a Kansas lean being chased by Kentucky, Duke and UNC. He's a day one starter all these places. I do not think any of the aforementioned schools would jeopardize their recruitment of Hurt to take Enaruna, who states he wants to commit in March, likely before Hurt.

Kentucky, Duke and Kansas are all also chasing forwards, Jaden McDaniels (5-Star) and Precious Achiuwa (5-Star). All of whom project better than Enaruna.

Great post. If Enaruna is good enough to be pursued by these schools, and he wants to play right away, you'd think he'd want to be here. He's competing at the 4 spot with Bishop (who we are playing as a 5), and who else? Jefferson? Duke, UK, and KU all have players on the roster right now that may return, and guys coming in, who all are projected to be better than what Enaruna is. I'd hope he realizes that. If Hurt goes to KU, he's immediately their starting 4. UK has Whitney coming in, who's a projected top 10 pick in that class. Duke brings in Moore who's undersized but is a 5 star, and the Baker kid only isn't playing right now cause he reclassified into 2018 and is playing behind Zion, Barrett, and Reddish.

This, of course, depends a lot on whether he sees us as potentially playing a "4" any significant minutes next year. This year, we are starting and running with a four guard lineup a lot. Part of that may be that the staff doesn't really see a significant "4" on the roster, but there have been some limited lineups with both Martin and Bishop, for example, on the floor. But if I'm a "4" and I'm looking at Creighton, I probably have to ask whether it's reasonable to expect to get minutes at that position immediately.

Put another way -- who do you expect Mac to take out of the starting lineup from the consistent starting lineup this year of Z, DM, TSA, MB, and MK? If all five of those guys are back next year, I guess I have a hard time seeing a different starting lineup from Mac. And if I could see a different lineup, it would probably include starting Martin and Epperson both, not creating a spot for a freshman "4."

If not starter's minutes, then you start looking at coming off the bench. As far as post-size players, you'd have Epperson, Froling, and Bishop, and maybe Jefferson (if you view him as closer to a "4" in size) already with at least a year and some playing time here under their belt. How comfortable would you be, if you are Enaruna, that Mac is going to give you significant time off the bench ahead of those guys when running smaller lineups or when going with a more traditional lineup? You might see that you could earn that, but it wouldn't likely be right away -- it'd take until partway through the season, at least.

I don't disagree that there seems to be potential for him to have a much better situation here than at Kansas, Duke, Kentucky. But from his standpoint, I think you also have to ask those questions and try to figure out how likely it is that you actually get significant minutes right off the bat.

As a fan, I'm just accustomed to expecting that if we're really super high on someone and they are a priority, when a Kansas/Duke/Kentucky/Louisville come calling, it's tough to expect that we're going to win that battle.

Some good points in here. Let's say our roster remains intact, and we do land Enaruna and he's the real deal and is that type of 4 man we want/need. I think, with the way he's been playing, Mitch isn't a lock to start. My ideal lineup would be:
1- Zegarowski
2- Alexander
3- Mahoney
4- Enaruna
5- Krampelj

[hilltopalum]

I cannot envision this team not starting, Z, TSA, MB and MK if available. The last spot is up for grabs. I honestly think Mac has built this team around Mitch.

[bluejayfan00]

I cannot envision this team not starting, Z, TSA, MB and MK if available. The last spot is up for grabs. I honestly think Mac has built this team around Mitch.

Which is crazy to me, but that's just me

[Jet915]

I agree about Mac liking Mitch but he's turned into a strictly spot up 3 shooter, he's made some really bad decisions with the ball of late, not sure he deserves to start. Preferably i think the best starting lineup if what he hear about Mahoney is true (that he isnone of the better players on the team) is:

PG: Zegarowski, Mitchell
SG: Alexander, Mintz
SF: Jefferson (if completely healthy), Ballock
PF: Mahoney, Enaruna, Bishop
C: Krampelj, Epperson, Froling

This starting lineup has a nice mix of shooters, rebounders and defensive toughness imo.

[hilltopalum]

I too like what I hear about Mahoney and Jefferson was pretty good when healthy but what leads you to believe they will be more efficient or effective than Ballock who has played meaningful minutes in the system in the last two seasons?

[bluejayfan00]

I agree about Mac liking Mitch but he's turned into a strictly spot up 3 shooter, he's made some really bad decisions with the ball of late, not sure he deserves to start. Preferably i think the best starting lineup if what he hear about Mahoney is true (that he isnone of the better players on the team) is:

PG: Zegarowski, Mitchell
SG: Alexander, Mintz
SF: Jefferson (if completely healthy), Ballock
PF: Mahoney, Enaruna, Bishop
C: Krampelj, Epperson, Froling

This starting lineup has a nice mix of shooters, rebounders and defensive toughness imo.

Even if Mahoney is as good as some say, I don't like the idea of playing another 6'4/6'5 guy at the 4, when/if we land a guy like Enaruna to play that spot.

[Realhoops]

I don't disagree at all that, as a fan, those lineups sound solid.

But I cannot personally envision a world where Mac would not start Davion Mintz as a senior, after Davion has been starting for two full seasons before that senior season. I'm absolutely *not* saying that's the right call -- but it's what I see when I watch Mac. Maybe I'm drawing an unfair blank -- but I can't recall a situation where somebody was a starter as a sophomore and/or junior (consistently) and then asked to take a back seat as a senior. He talks all the time about players needing to earn his trust, and that seems to be a function of being here and part of the system over time as much as possible.

This year is a great example. I don't think anyone who has watched this team would seriously argue that MZ is not our best point guard, should start at that spot every single game even with a broken hand, etc. If Damien Jefferson doesn't get hurt earlier this year, does anyone doubt that Davion would have continued starting at the PG spot all the way until right now? Because I absolutely think that he would have. Hopefully MZ would have played more and more meaningful minutes, etc. But I cannot believe that Mac would have actually pushed Davion to the bench.

So I also can't imagine him doing that next year to get a freshman "4" on the floor instead.

And I think MB is in an interesting position. He was really good and solid throughout the nonconference. He still does some things that almost nobody else can. His shot has been off, and he's had some maddening mental errors late at times. But he started *last* year as a freshman and all year this year. And he's a recruit we got over an offer from Kansas. I don't see him getting pushed to the bench, either, especially for a freshman.

[bluejayfan00]

I agree with all that, and not cause any of it may be the right decision(s), but because Mac has shown how he handles lineups like you mentioned