Report: multiple Bradley players transferring

[ollienanyes]

Just to summarize:

Current Bradley roster-
Ka'Darryl Bell Bell
Anthony Fields
Omari Grier
Warren Jones
Mike Shaw
Donte Thomas
Jackson Kane


Players leaving-
Josh Cunningham
Tramique Sutherland
Xzavier Taylor
Jermaine Morgan
Kendahl Amerson
Nate Wells.

Here is what surprises me a bit: of the players I thought would be mostly likely to leave a disciplinarian coach (Jones, Bell)...those are the ones still here, for now. The 3 guys involved in the strip club incident are still here. Is this because they feared no one else would want them?

Or is it because, deep down, they WANT some discipline?

[wily coyote]

If I had to guess where JC ends up my money is on DePaul. JC will get ate up in the Big East. DePaul's so bad he may get playing time there but they are about as bad as we are.

[Vent]

I believe Josh and Xzavier would have transferred even if there wasn't a coaching change. I'm guessing they will both go as part of a package deal, if the school has two scholarships to give.

We are going to find out very quickly how good of a recruiter and what kind of players, Wardle likes to recruit. This late in the recruiting process, for the spring, doesn't help. He may be able to get some of the kids he was recruiting to Green Bay. The question is are those the type of kids you can win with in the Valley? Play in the Horizon league is nowhere near as physical as in the Valley.

His predicament is this. He needs to fill out a roster for next year, but can't just throw scholarships away on players that can't help the program over the next four years.

[Da Coach]

Here is what surprises me a bit: The 3 guys involved in the strip club incident are still here.

It is simply because they will be seniors. They have very little value to another D1 school as a transfer. Schools just aren't interested in a transfer that ties a scholarship up for 2 years just to get 1 year of play, unless they are impact players.
Plus, Omari Grier won't have any eligibility left if he transfers.
Obviously, I believe Sutherland and Morgan are making big mistakes that will hurt them. They may have a hard time finding another school to take them, and they will miss out on a degree from a quality school in Bradley.

I'd also like to think that maybe those who are staying realize that in the end, staying and getting a diploma from Bradley University is worth a lot more than anything they'd gain by transferring. If that is the case, they are smart to stay.

From everything I have ever heard, all three of those guys involved in the Big Al's incident (and even Fields, Shaw, and Thomas) are all really good kids. They simply made a dumb mistake, but I do not think they are bad kids. And Brian Wardle must agree or he would not have asked them, or allowed them to stay.

[Da Coach]

Dave Reynolds' final update on the transfers-

http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150401/SPORTS/150409934/12701/SPORTS

Note this comment by Dave-

At the moment, the Bradley roster stands at seven players — guards Ka’Darryl Bell, Anthony Fields, Omari Grier, Warren Jones and walk-on Jackson Kane and forwards Mike Shaw and Donte Thomas. A source told the Journal Star that up to three more of those remaining athletes might leave BU as well.


One encouraging comment from Coach Wardle regarding recruiting-
“There are plenty of players out there,” Wardle told the Journal Star. “We need to get the right fits to build this foundation.”

[basketball nut]

maybe they are going DII or stepping down to a lower caliber conference - I say let them go and pursue their dreams and best of luck to them

With the new NCAA rules a player has to sit out a year no matter don't they?

[Old Coach]

Don't forget players transferring out also means players can transfer in. Players leaving other schools may look at Bradley now and see a chance to play. I know it would be a temporary fix until BW can get new recruits in here. Just trying to point another side to this

Bradley can't afford to bring in too many transfers, as they only have 6 returning scholarship players. I think 3 freshmen, a JUCO, and a 5th year transfer would be great. With the other 2 schollies, I'd either give them to solid transfers, or just bank them for the following season.

[Say hi to your mom for me]

The players that left are just scared to run the hills when early season practice starts

[patrick_o'brian]

Anyone else scratching there head as to why Nate Wells would transfer? It just doesn't make sense.

[Da Coach]

Anyone else scratching there head as to why Nate Wells would transfer? It just doesn't make sense.

He says it is because he wants a Masters degree in communications, which Bradley doesn't offer. He'd like to play another year, but I think with Nate, it is the rare case where the degree is what is more important to him, and he can use the 5th year basketball scholarship to help him get it.

[Say hi to your mom for me]

this year recruiting freshman will be tough unless he pulls a few from a really good class he had coming in at Green Bay. Otherwise best to take on graduate transfers and junior college transfers. So his first two full recruiting classes can be larger.

No reason to bring in a freshman without high upside. Also he has a history of banking scholarships. That gives opportunity to pull in midseason transfers

Wouldn't mind a couple of transfers that has to sit out a year with high upside. Since next year is likely a lost year anyways

With only one junior on the roster it will be vital to get that class up to three. You wouldn't want his second full recruiting cycle only to have one or two open scholarships

[Miltonbradley]

Why is everyone leaving just because Wardle took over? Does he have that much of a reputation of being a disciplinarian?

[Da Coach]

Compared to Geno, every coach is...

[BU freak]

I can't reveal my source but here is what happened. Wardle put the players through a workout a couple of days ago and called my source and said "There will be transfers. A lot of these kids are too soft and can't play for me." I asked about Wardle as a coach and I was told "He's a bad ass". He is looking for a specific toughness level which most of these kids don't have. So the handwriting was on the wall.

[Miltonbradley]

I suppose so. If they were worried about the stories of him making the player defecate in his shorts i believe he was cleared of wrong doing and it appeared to be a revenge complaint filed against him by a player upset about not getting playing time.

Most athletes appreciate some level of team discipline as it makes for a more cohesive team and will create some level of accountability between the players. I am excited to see what the new coach can do.