Connor Hickman enters portal

[BUfan17]

Agree everyone sees the world a different way, and college basketball has a finite number of years you can participate (unless you're Brody or go to UNI). Making the most out of a short amount of time should be what every kid is after. Bradley is a great academic school, but let's not pretend it's an Ivy League school, you can get a similar education at many schools.

After pondering this, I think it may be a difference between American born players and European born players. Seems like European players have slightly more loyalty to programs than American born players do. For instance, I could see Atlason staying around 4 years and, at worst being a grad transfer (Reink Mast), but if Burch has a good yeah this year with more playing time, I could absolutely see him jumping to a better program (Connor Hickman).

I think the European players are already out of their element a little with being in a different country. The school that recruits them is their main support system here, so I see why it would be harder for them to leave.

[BUfan17]

So far we are pretty fortunate. Look at Drake, SIU, Mo St., and soon to be InST. That’s total decimation.

Best of luck to Hick, but I don’t see him being on a team in position to play championship level basketball wherever he ends up. That’s his choice. Those guys that stick around or come in will absolutely fall into a championship caliber team situation.

I agree so far we are doing better than most other valley teams.

Hannah is the next big question, but if we keep him I think we'll have another great season next year.

[Tommy]

After pondering this, I think it may be a difference between American born players and European born players. Seems like European players have slightly more loyalty to programs than American born players do. For instance, I could see Atlason staying around 4 years and, at worst being a grad transfer (Reink Mast), but if Burch has a good yeah this year with more playing time, I could absolutely see him jumping to a better program (Connor Hickman).

There are restrictions on what international players can earn when on an F-1 visa: if it's passive income from an NIL I think they are fine, but if it's active (requires something in return for the money), then I think that's disallowed or can at least get you into trouble. Either way, an F-1 visa only allows the athlete to work on campus and not off.

Point being, it does seem that the international athletes are more loyal, and they very well could be (Malevy certainly was), but they are operating from a different perspective, though how large or small that is I wouldn't know.

The fact that any of this is even somewhat familiar to me tells me that college basketball is being ruined by the NIL.

[Da Coach]

Also, I think the F1 visa allows international students to be paid for anything while on campus, but can't be paid for off-campus work like personal appearances, or an off campus job.

[traveler]

Bottom line there is no loyalty to the team that took a chance on you, developed you and spent a lot of money for 3 years on you and you choose to go elsewhere. Most of us fans are pretty much done with these players that choose to go elsewhere.

[CarolinaBrave]

I have 3 adult children now but something I have taught them when they were younger was "happiness is black and white." What did I mean by that? I would tell them you are either happy or you are not. If you are happy don't go somewhere else to be "happier" unless something is missing. If you think you are happy but something is missing then you are content. I think young people(and I thought the same way at their age) think I'm happy at a small or mid major program but I will be happier at a major program(or job or city or significant other, etc). You see it in these thank you letters players write to teammates/coaches/fans. They say everything is great but then say I'm leaving. As I said young people have been like this forever and will most likely continue to be only now with the portal they can much more easily act on this.

Years from now it would interesting to catch back up for many players who left good situations at schools for bigger schools and ask them if they would do it all over again. I think the answers would be very enlightening.

[Stryker]

I have 3 adult children now but something I have taught them when they were younger was "happiness is black and white." What did I mean by that? I would tell them you are either happy or you are not. If you are happy don't go somewhere else to be "happier" unless something is missing. If you think you are happy but something is missing then you are content. I think young people(and I thought the same way at their age) think I'm happy at a small or mid major program but I will be happier at a major program(or job or city or significant other, etc). You see it in these thank you letters players write to teammates/coaches/fans. They say everything is great but then say I'm leaving. As I said young people have been like this forever and will most likely continue to be only now with the portal they can much more easily act on this.

Years from now it would interesting to catch back up for many players who left good situations at schools for bigger schools and ask them if they would do it all over again. I think the answers would be very enlightening.

Agree with you. I'd love to see a deep dive on players that started for mid-major programs and transferred. I think it will take time but eventually I think players will start to gain more wisdom in making these decisions as they start seeing things not work out for other players that transferred. However, it takes a kid with some perception and it will take time for the issues with free transfers and NIL to become apparent.

[tomahawk chop]

I have 3 adult children now but something I have taught them when they were younger was "happiness is black and white." What did I mean by that? I would tell them you are either happy or you are not. If you are happy don't go somewhere else to be "happier" unless something is missing. If you think you are happy but something is missing then you are content. I think young people(and I thought the same way at their age) think I'm happy at a small or mid major program but I will be happier at a major program(or job or city or significant other, etc). You see it in these thank you letters players write to teammates/coaches/fans. They say everything is great but then say I'm leaving. As I said young people have been like this forever and will most likely continue to be only now with the portal they can much more easily act on this.

Years from now it would interesting to catch back up for many players who left good situations at schools for bigger schools and ask them if they would do it all over again. I think the answers would be very enlightening.

I agree, this is the same thing happening about jobs where said person is really happy in what he is doing, likes his boss, makes decent money yet decides to leave for more money and ends up with a bad boss and hates the new job.
I doubt most of these transfers would admit to making a mistake.

[Stevezall]

I'm still curious about ZEK? Is the rumor true he knows he made a mistake and wants to be back at BU? Just curious does anyone know how often a player transfers only to come back? My final thoughts are Bradley was a powerhouse Basketball School at one time... why not again? If Gonzaga and St.Mary's can have continued success....then all mid-majors have that opportunity! Sure of course it's hard to compete with the Power 6 schools, but it can be done with the right coach and mix of players at least for 1 year!!! Look no further then the Darlings of College Basketball right now: Indiana State!!! They are drawing just as much attention as the power 6 teams in the sweet 16 ( less Gonzaga) ! There is always hope...let's see what coach Wardle can do in the portal with the new freshman next year and Duke and who ever is Left!!!! Dream Big!!! Indiana State is living it right now!!!!

[Da Coach]

It does happen. I have seen a few cases where a player transferred from a D1, and then eventually transferred back.
One recent case I recall... Geno Ford had a player named Elijah Olaniyi who played at Stony Brook for 3 years, then transferred to Miami. For some reason, he left Miami after one season, and transferred back to Stony Brook for his final year (Covid year). Here is his ESPN stats page showing the transfers - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...elijah-olaniyi

[Tommy]

It does happen. I have seen a few cases where a player transferred from a D1, and then eventually transferred back.
One recent case I recall... Geno Ford had a player named Elijah Olaniyi who played at Stony Brook for 3 years, then transferred to Miami. For some reason, he left Miami after one season, and transferred back to Stony Brook for his final year (Covid year). Here is his ESPN stats page showing the transfers - https://www.espn.com/mens-college-ba...elijah-olaniyi

Well yeah. Why wouldn't you transfer back to play for a legend of a coach like Geno?

[Peoria_bradley_fan]

So Drew Adams former Bradley Assistant who recruited Connor, goes to Cincinnati and then recruits him from us. Interesting. Especially if he actually winds up there.

How interesting. If that's all the case then this has been in motion for a while. What an improbable draw for Connor to wind up actually playing them on the last game of the year. Incredible really.

Maybe.

[PhiAlphaBoy]

So Drew Adams former Bradley Assistant who recruited Connor, goes to Cincinnati and then recruits him from us. Interesting. Especially if he actually winds up there.

How interesting. If that's all the case then this has been in motion for a while. What an improbable draw for Connor to wind up actually playing them on the last game of the year. Incredible really.

Maybe.

He won't end up at Cincinnati. He's going to choose IU, where his gf and friends are.

[egib52]

He won't end up at Cincinnati. He's going to choose IU, where his gf and friends are.

We will see, but I think Cincy is more likely unless some guards leave IU

[Da Coach]

He won't end up at Cincinnati. He's going to choose IU, where his gf and friends are.

I am hearing there may be other schools that are ahead of Indiana right now.
The schools that have called Connor are Indiana, Cincinnati (assistant coach already visited with him in Peoria), Nebraska (they had good luck snatching Bradley's leading scorer last year), Villanova, Vanderbilt, Kansas, Dayton, and West Virginia (former Drake coach).
There are also a number of schools that have indicated through the portal that they are going to call him soon- Washington, Clemson, Illinois, Ole Miss, and South Carolina. Plus, he's had several more text him but they haven't gone any further yet.