Wisconsin Basketball Thread 2019 - 20: BIG TEN CHAMPS & BPI NCAA Champs!

[wildcat83]

Story coming out that Wisconsin is investigating that a staffer used a racial slur towards King. That would pretty much guarantee his waiver.

[MrTPlush]

Justin Fields got immediate eligibility after claiming a baseball player used racial slurs against him. I believe that claim turned out to be true. That case seemed like he kind of found a technically to get immediate eligibility...as I don't think he really transferred because of that.

 

An actual coach on the team the player played for? Yah, that will be an easy immediate waiver. By all accounts that is pretty terrible if it is found to be true. Of course we will see if anything comes of it.

[tmwiese55]

Well, staffer could be anyone, not necessarily coaches. Chances of it being one of the coaches is next to 0. Keep in mind 2/4 are also black and the other two have been around for a very long time with nothing of this nature. It's also something a guy can easily just say to get the waiver and no one can question it or prove it. I really doubt there is going to come out that an egregious thing is said. I'd guess whatever it is is a context type of issue, think of the Cavs Beilein thing recently. something in that type of vein.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I'm 100% convinced he's getting a waiver without even commenting on the authenticity of any claim.

[homer]

The strength coach is on paid administrative leave. It could be a coincidence but then again....timing. FWIW, he worked in the NBA for 25 years.

[pacopete4]

I also want to thank our strength trainer Coach Helland and my academic advisors.

 

It would be very odd to thank the man you are accusing of using racial slurs.

[MrTPlush]

To be fair it wasn't reported Kobe King made said allegation...from what I have seen. That is being assumed.

[homer]

Pretty good summary with quotes from Kobe King:

 

https://madison.com/wsj/sports/college/basketball/men/erik-helland-strength-and-conditioning-coach-for-badgers-men-s/article_f3685e76-d957-586e-98ae-3d9de88ee013.html#tracking-source=home-breaking

[pacopete4]

Why can’t an apology ever be enough in these situations? It doesn’t sound like there is a history of anything with this guy. Sounds like Kobe King using this to get himself out of Dodge. Too bad.

[areacodes]

Some quotes from Erik Helland from the JS: LINK

 

 

"I was sharing a story from my NBA career and was explaining the intensity of a particular athlete," Helland said. "I quoted that individual and in doing so repeated a repugnant word. In no way were these my words and I clearly stated my disapproval.

 

"From the beginning I owned what I said and made apologies to the student-athletes affected. I made a mistake in a moment of inattentiveness. For that, I have the deepest regret."

 

 

Helland said rather than sharing the story with head coach Greg Gard, he apologized to the players involved and thought the matter was closed.

 

"I specifically addressed the student-athletes and we handled it as a group," he said. "Everything was fine. ... Apologies were accepted and everyone was doing just fine. ...

 

"It really didn’t come back up until Kobe decided that he wanted to leave."

 

Sounds like Helland should have done more than just apologize when it first happened - maybe inform Gard or somebody else in the AD as he didn’t say anything until almost a month later. But if it truly was addressed and an apology was accepted by the players directly involved it seems a little excessive that he’s losing his job over it and that King brought it up when it was second hand to him.

 

That King went on to thank him in his Instagram post announcing his transfer to then say the quote below seems odd to me as well.

 

“To be honest, I didn’t want it to go public,” King said. “I like Coach E, he’s been good to me, I just thought it was concerning. It was awkward for me for a few days, it was uncomfortable to me.”

[MrTPlush]

Doesn’t really sound like King is using this to his advantage. I don’t know what exactly gives that notion. If that was the case he would be throwing this coach under the bus and claim it is why he left. This incident wasn’t mentioned in his reasoning for leaving or even inferred. All the stuff he broadly explained in the interview soon after his announcement seems to outline more serious problems than a coach quoting a racial slur in a NBA player quote. He specifically blamed Gard. He thanked this coach in his announcement and again after this coach resigned. When he mentioned this incident to UW officials it doesn’t even sound like he mentioned the name of the coach.

 

If he is trying to spin this as some BS way to get a waiver he is doing a pretty darn poor job.

[OldHeidelberg]

Doesn’t really sound like King is using this to his advantage. I don’t know what exactly gives that notion. If that was the case he would be throwing this coach under the bus and claim it is why he left. This incident wasn’t mentioned in his reasoning for leaving or even inferred. All the stuff he broadly explained in the interview soon after his announcement seems to outline more serious problems than a coach quoting a racial slur in a NBA player quote. He specifically blamed Gard. He thanked this coach in his announcement and again after this coach resigned. When he mentioned this incident to UW officials it doesn’t even sound like he mentioned the name of the coach.

 

If he is trying to spin this as some BS way to get a waiver he is doing a pretty darn poor job.

 

Given King's "it made me uncomfortable" quote above I would be shocked if this wasn't used to get his waiver and almost as surprised if the disclosure of the assistants use of the racial epithet wasn't directly linked to the waiver. Dammit, you just knew this was going to blow up into something worse for the program before it was done.

[LouisEly]

Given King's "it made me uncomfortable" quote above I would be shocked if this wasn't used to get his waiver and almost as surprised if the disclosure of the assistants use of the racial epithet wasn't directly linked to the waiver. Dammit, you just knew this was going to blow up into something worse for the program before it was done.

I don't know how King can say with a straight face that what the coach said is the reason for leaving, because King said the issues go back several years and this event happened several months ago. Unless King has a crystal ball that can see several years into the future, he is opportunistically using it to get a waiver.

[OldHeidelberg]

Given King's "it made me uncomfortable" quote above I would be shocked if this wasn't used to get his waiver and almost as surprised if the disclosure of the assistants use of the racial epithet wasn't directly linked to the waiver. Dammit, you just knew this was going to blow up into something worse for the program before it was done.

I don't know how King can say with a straight face that what the coach said is the reason for leaving, because King said the issues go back several years and this event happened several months ago. Unless King has a crystal ball that can see several years into the future, he is opportunistically using it to get a waiver.

 

It happened on Jan 3rd so that is line with any claim that it is part of why he left the program. I agree it's not very hard to come to the conclusion that Kobe or whoever has influence on him may have saw it as an opportunity, the waiver is huge as it could open up paths to even blue bloods who always lose one and done's and could get 2 years of King which is better than a lot of one year grad transfers they may fill out their rosters with.

[MrTPlush]

Almost seems like the Badgers need a win today. If not they really have used up all the wiggle room they have. A home loss to another bubble team is just not impressive. Their schedule isn’t terrible comparatively to some of the other bubble Big Ten teams, but it sure isn’t a cake walk either the way the season has gone.

 

They could really use a win to help get off the bubble and then try and get out of the 8/9 seed line possibility.

[stoutdude04]

True. One plus is they have a lot of quad 1 wins or whatever and I thinknonsae their NET ranking was pretty high.

[MrTPlush]

True. One plus is they have a lot of quad 1 wins or whatever and I thinknonsae their NET ranking was pretty high.

 

The Q1 wins are nice, but it is kinda hard to ignore a barely above .500 record and a below .500 conference record.

 

Not to mention their remaining schedule would be two teams that throttled them, Rutgers who beat them, and then a road game against Michigan. The rest are not too scary.

 

The best case is probably only two losses in that stretch, realistically. That would leave them at 18-13 (with a hypothetical loss today). I don’t think they can afford many losses at this point when you consider the losses are either against other bubble teams or they would be really bad losses (Nebraska/Northwestern). Not really any games you’d expect to lose like Maryland/Mich St.

 

Of course there is always the Big Ten tourney to make some noise and look good...but not exactly something you want to depend on.

[brooks_quichenick]

Excited to see Coach Bennett and the 2000 Final Four team in attendance today, plus the throwback unis being worn. Should be a fun atmosphere in Madison.

 

These recent writeups on the 2000 run from Mike Lucas are really great reads, got me feeling very nostalgic for that season and the wild ride that started in the Big 10 Tournament.

 

https://uwbadgers.com/news/2020/2/4/lucas-at-50-core-values-at-heart-of-badgers-magic-run-to-final-four.aspx

 

https://uwbadgers.com/news/2020/2/7/mens-basketball-lucas-at-50-badgers-chased-their-dreams-to-final-four.aspx

[OldHeidelberg]

Well they got it done, much needed win today. 18 wins and they are in, with 4 home games and @Nebby still on the schedule that should be pretty obtainable but I am sure they will make us sweat some before it's over. That's just the sort of season this has been.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Yeah, really no excuse to get beat @Nebraska, especially coming off the mini-bye.

 

5-2 should get you in pretty comfortably, 4-3 probably okay. Wouldn't chance it with anything less than that, though. 4-3 puts you at 14 losses (counting one in the tourney), and that is on the high side for an at-large.

 

EDIT: Loved those articles, brooks! The 2000 Badger team is still my all-time favorite.

[MrTPlush]

4-3 is fine, anything worse knocks them out barring a very deep Big Ten tourney run. As I mentioned before those losses would look really really bad. From here on out they are either playing other bubble teams or just flat out horrible teams.

 

If you assumed 4 losses that weren't Nebraska or NW you are assuming they lose 4/5 of: Purdue, Rutgers, Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana. Considering this would give them double losses against 3 other bubble teams you really are not doing yourself any favors. Hard to be put in over a team when they beat you twice.

 

I think I would bet on them going 5-2 over 3-4 though.

[Jimbo]

Excited to see Coach Bennett and the 2000 Final Four team in attendance today, plus the throwback unis being worn. Should be a fun atmosphere in Madison.

 

These recent writeups on the 2000 run from Mike Lucas are really great reads, got me feeling very nostalgic for that season and the wild ride that started in the Big 10 Tournament.

 

https://uwbadgers.com/news/2020/2/4/lucas-at-50-core-values-at-heart-of-badgers-magic-run-to-final-four.aspx

 

https://uwbadgers.com/news/2020/2/7/mens-basketball-lucas-at-50-badgers-chased-their-dreams-to-final-four.aspx

 

One thing I remember is the season finale at home against Indiana. Pull out a close win a the end to get off the bubble. Bobby Knight goes berserk, also his last game in Madison. Al McGuire's final game as a television analyst. I still have the game on tape (as well as digitized).

[homer]

Speaking of Knight, anyone see his appearance at the IU game over the weekend? He looks like he doesn't have much time left. Also, I'm not sure he was faking it with Vitale.

[pacopete4]

This one will probably be able to be shot down in a hurry with some of you guys and your knowledge with scholarships available and such. The same source told me a couple of things:

 

1- Davis brothers are going to Virginia. It was one of the places they originally had in their minds and now this makes it easier.

2- There will be more to the story of racism within the Badgers coaching staff/program.

[homer]

This one will probably be able to be shot down in a hurry with some of you guys and your knowledge with scholarships available and such. The same source told me a couple of things:

 

1- Davis brothers are going to Virginia. It was one of the places they originally had in their minds and now this makes it easier.

2- There will be more to the story of racism within the Badgers coaching staff/program.

 

Virginia would be weird since I don't think they even recruited Johnny who is the much more talented of the two. They don't have any commits for 2021 though so I suppose they have room.