Steven Ashworth Transfer (Signed)

[Jaybird]

I think I've got a solution. So that he doesn't give away secrets on the board, he should start using dead drops. Just leave messages in discarded coffee cans, or hollowed out tree trunks in Elmwood Park. Then post coded messages here hinting at where THOSE messages are. He could leave a whole trail of clues. In fact, depending on who we're recruiting, he could leave a Mormon trail of clues.

[LJay]

Two 247 crystal balls just played for CU.

[Alphawalt]

These “crystal balls” and “predictions”, are kinda funny. Isn’t it true that when a player commits in the days after his last trip, it usually is to commit to the last place visited? Seems like that’s true 90% of the time. Thus, it takes very little basketball knowledge to predict the day of announcing a decision under such scenario. Show me someone that can make accurate predictions before any visits scheduled just based on most logical landing spot and then I will believe they are a good predictor.

[Realhoops]

Official.

Big get.

Let's Go.

[Chicagojayfan]

Official.

Big get.

Let's Go.

Huge Get for the team and the staff!

IMO, probably the best PG available for us in the Portal and a perfect fit for our system

https://barttorvik.com/playerstat.php?l ... d=20230501

[Realhoops]

I don't think I can overstate how excited I am about this commit. I think of the guys out there he gives us the best chance to mitigate at least some of what we lost with R2 leaving -- he can play the pick and roll incredibly well, takes care of the ball, great assist guy. Probably doesn't have the pace that R2 sometimes showed, so that's a deficit to overcome with some other adjustments to the gameplan, etc.

But aside from giving us back some of what we lost with R2 leaving, I think he also brings some really big assets that R2 didn't quite have yet. He's a much better shooter and a much bigger threat there, forcing teams to play the pick and roll differently, allowing Trey and Baylor to have some more room because he'll demand more attention on the perimeter.

And then he's just really, really mature. He's older, but if you listened to him talking to Goodman, he absolutely sounds like the kind of kid that is going to be an extension of the coaching staff, capable of getting up to speed with the system very quickly, etc.

And he talked a lot about the basketball opportunity, recognizing the value of all of the pieces -- Goodman asked about what he was sold in terms of being able to run the show with Nembhard gone, and whether he and Schierman would be doing some PG by committee, and he immediately talked about the potential threats of having him, Baylor, AND Trey all able to handle the ball and facilitate and shoot, etc. So he's recognizing the environment and the tools around him, too.

And, of course, said it was mostly up to his wife to pick so he made the teams recruit her -- he knew he could thrive anywhere he was considering because he loves basketball and they were all great basketball opportunities.

Can't really imagine a better replacement out there right now and think this gives us the best possible chance for the transition to be as smooth as possible.

[JD4JAYS]

R-WHO?!?

Ha ha!

Welcome Stevie!

[Chicagojayfan]

I don't think I can overstate how excited I am about this commit. I think of the guys out there he gives us the best chance to mitigate at least some of what we lost with R2 leaving -- he can play the pick and roll incredibly well, takes care of the ball, great assist guy. Probably doesn't have the pace that R2 sometimes showed, so that's a deficit to overcome with some other adjustments to the gameplan, etc.

But aside from giving us back some of what we lost with R2 leaving, I think he also brings some really big assets that R2 didn't quite have yet. He's a much better shooter and a much bigger threat there, forcing teams to play the pick and roll differently, allowing Trey and Baylor to have some more room because he'll demand more attention on the perimeter.

And then he's just really, really mature. He's older, but if you listened to him talking to Goodman, he absolutely sounds like the kind of kid that is going to be an extension of the coaching staff, capable of getting up to speed with the system very quickly, etc.

And he talked a lot about the basketball opportunity, recognizing the value of all of the pieces -- Goodman asked about what he was sold in terms of being able to run the show with Nembhard gone, and whether he and Schierman would be doing some PG by committee, and he immediately talked about the potential threats of having him, Baylor, AND Trey all able to handle the ball and facilitate and shoot, etc. So he's recognizing the environment and the tools around him, too.

And, of course, said it was mostly up to his wife to pick so he made the teams recruit her -- he knew he could thrive anywhere he was considering because he loves basketball and they were all great basketball opportunities.

Can't really imagine a better replacement out there right now and think this gives us the best possible chance for the transition to be as smooth as possible.

+1 - right there with you. For a PG replacement, I also really liked McCollum, but he was even more slender than Ashworth or Nembhard (although just dynamic with the ball), and Armstrong was obviously a great option, but his shooting was entirely developmental. Ashworth checks all the boxes for what we need at PG, and I loved what I heard in the announcement as well - he really gets what Mac's built here and what it's going to mean to play with Baylor and Trey (and I'm sure what it means to have Kalk there as well)

Get him on campus and working with the team and the S&C guys to get ready for next year

[JacobPadilla]

I put together a Twitter thread with some Synergy numbers you're going to like to see and my thoughts on his fit if anyone wants to check that out.

https://twitter.com/JacobPadilla_/statu ... 7302324226

[jayc13]

Great summary Realhoops! Bringing in another mature floor general next year was huge, not a knock on Josiah. He appears to be a great fit for a team on the cusp of greatness.