I have enjoyed your son at Richmond as well as you too.
Dji entering the portal
- Thread starter SFspidur
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Your question/comment was valid. Nothing wrong w it but also realize w your dji history u wont get benefit of doubt.
I said it above…tiny chance of return imo…but I’ve seen it happen some enter then exit portal. So possible just undeniably pretty rare that’s all.
I personally would have recommended the last comment about still open to Richmond be left off the statement. It reads a little patronizing. And also that it’s an open bidding process which it kinda is but still. If u just say decided to enter transfer portal that’s enough & u can make the assumption there’s a chance of return. That’s me & I realize there weren’t bad intentions.
Definitely rare for a guy to portal and then return, but it certainly happens. Couple guys we were involved with last year did it...Bo Montgomery at Holy Cross and Clarence Daniels at UNH.
I suspect that between portal and NIL the option to return is higher than it used to be. It’s a new age and I think coaches are re-recruiting every year.
And it swings both ways, if I’m the coach I’m telling a kid who enters the portal that we’re going to fill his spot with the best available person we can get in the timeframe. It could well be him, but we aren’t holding the spot so don’t take too long to select a different destination.
And it swings both ways, if I’m the coach I’m telling a kid who enters the portal that we’re going to fill his spot with the best available person we can get in the timeframe. It could well be him, but we aren’t holding the spot so don’t take too long to select a different destination.
I liked watching him play but why wouldn’t he leave. Didn’t he get put in CM doghouse. He was one of the few players who fought his was out and it may have been due to DH’s injury.
Good luck fellow Spider!
Good luck fellow Spider!
Like most other posters I am disappointed but not surprised. He stuck it out through his and our hard times, is graduating, and if he can go make some decent money elsewhere that he can't here, I understand. I don't LIKE it, but I get it.
Like Tyler, it may or may not be better for him on a long-term basketball perspective. But I'd have to think it would be better for him on a long-term financial perspective.
Like Tyler, it may or may not be better for him on a long-term basketball perspective. But I'd have to think it would be better for him on a long-term financial perspective.
I get the bias and always hope our guys stay, but don’t agree that Burton or Fore made the wrong choice. They both graduated with Richmond degrees and chose to get a graduate degree somewhere else, be it for a different experience, a different degree program, more money, etc.
I think a lot of people on this board can relate to making a similar decision for grad school, though admittedly not with the basketball element involved. I wish they had all stayed (and hope Dji stays), but don’t begrudge them for wanting to try something new/take more money/etc.
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Come on man, you can do better. If you think I can watch this 24/7, not possible.
Have you seen it with the NBA draft? Maybe NIL is pushing the portal in the same direction…
I do think this is kind of like the whole Tube in the toothpaste scenario. There are examples where a player came back - as posted above. But I think most make this decision and you have mentally moved on and now more focused on the possibilities of the other opportunities, as opposed to the fall back position. Great year from Dji but really need to do well in the portal now. Big concern is that the Bigs / Dji combo was very good on D. Really would love to get Mannon and another guy that has size and can move his feet and play D and rebound.
This has nothing to do with the post but i was curious, who were you pulling for in the NIT? Tech or Richmond?
entering the portal and coming back basically happened here with Gonzo, way before NIL. it can happen. but I think Dji will be offered big money and have a chance to compete at a higher level.
as for the "No VCU" comments, lol, he's not making an A10 level move. he'll get P6 opportunites. if he gets one he likes, I assume he'll take it.
as for the "No VCU" comments, lol, he's not making an A10 level move. he'll get P6 opportunites. if he gets one he likes, I assume he'll take it.
Dji is a good athlete and did a good job getting to the basket and finishing, but I do wonder who you think will pay big money for him? Guess we will see, and if he gets it, good for him.
As a coach, I would wish him the best at his next stop and 100% move on. Why would I want this to be how I run a program? If Dji comes back now, what would stop every guy in our program from doing the same thing at the end of every season?
he's not a pure shooter, but a lot of high major teams may see him as the missing piece wing defender / slasher.
I hear you. Unfortunately I think this is emblematic of the entire college hoops scene now, not just Richmond and Mooney and Dji. I do think Mooney has shown more flexibility and ability to adapt recently and in regards to the portal - so if Dji doesn't find a situation he is comfortable with, could see this as more of an outlier like the Gonzo example.
Gonzo was a tremendous fit here. I think Dji is now too and has a mutual level of confidence with Mooney (or maybe not, who knows), so maybe that plays a part. But yes I think in general once this announcement hits twitter both sides have started to move on and plan for the replacement and the next stop.
Is it possible he did this with Mooney's maybe not blessing but tacit ok? What I mean, Mooney of course wanted both him and Tyler to stay, but Mooney also can see that both Dji and Tyler were 4 year guys who got their degree, have an extra covid year.
He runs a "family" oriented program, so maybe he looks out for his players and allows them to see what they can get on the open portal market but also telling them, you got a spot here, if you don't find another offer that blows you away.
He runs a "family" oriented program, so maybe he looks out for his players and allows them to see what they can get on the open portal market but also telling them, you got a spot here, if you don't find another offer that blows you away.
maybe. but seems Mooney avoids these talks or at least says so during the season. "we haven't talked about that" responses to questions where I think a coach should be talking about that at times.
maybe it's different after the final game of the year.
maybe it's different after the final game of the year.
I don't think there is any comparison to Tyler's and Dji's situations. Tyler was looking into the NBA. We don't get too many of those here. I think he was the first to ever consider leaving early for the NBA. So, sure, maybe you leave a spot open for a possible return, and it won't disrupt chemistry because it's not like the other guys are NBA possibilities and could do the same. So, it's not like that will happen often with our guys, and if we are fortunate enough to have a possible NBA guy, no issues with his return if it happens. Then, year 5, when it was transfer time, he was done here and there was no coming back talk.
Dji is looking to transfer, not go pro. I'm not risking team chemistry or a program's culture on having him back if it doesn't go well for him in the portal. As I said earlier, I don't want this to be a program where guys go see what might be better out there and then come back here. So, once you enter the portal, if I were the coach, you are 100% gone and I don't want you back. Do we want Hunt to go explore the portal? Walz? Tyne? Did we want Quinn or Bigs to post last year that they are entering the portal but might come back? It's just not a good look, and I think it was G who said you shouldn't even put coming back as an option in your tweet.
8legs1dream
Graduate Assistant
It was a gut punch when I saw this pop up on twitter. Sure will miss watching you play your very unique game and thanks for sticking around and being what will likely end up being a very rare (going forward) 4 year Spider. No ill will at all, go get paid and go kick ass in the NCAA's next year. We will all be cheering you on!
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He was planning to transfer after his first year, but Mooney talked with him and his mom and got him to come back.
Spiders’ emotional leader used to be a ‘jerk’
RICHMOND, Va. - David Gonzalvez says it seems so long ago that Richmond finished his freshman season with an 8-22 record. For him, it's like it took place in
www.tahoedailytribune.com
He was bitter and I think blindsided. But I think this is rapidly evolving landscape. Kids but there name in the portal and then do come back. And Dji situation is unique because he has the extra Covid year and has already graduated. I don't think it is a precedent setting because of its uniqueness.
Guys don’t let certain posters tell you what “they think they know” as opposed to what they actually know. No one was in on the meeting with Dji and coach. They have a great relationship. No one on here knows what Dji is looking for or the convo he had with coach. Certain posters have crapped on my guy since day 1, but this season they disappeared, he doesn’t shoot it good enough, he ain’t getting over 10 min, he turns it over too much, he didn’t play bc he wasn’t good enough NOT bc he was injured a ton, and now it’s who would pay a lot of money for him? Just so we are clear money isn’t and wasn’t the motivating factor but you would be surprised at the money that is out there. So until this know it all goes through the process of having a kid be recruited …it’s probably wise to just be quite. Speculation is something we all do…but some on here couldn’t more wrong. We will always be Spiders and Dji loves the coaches and his brothers.
Not saying I know anything about his decision....just saying what I would do if I were the coach....and, I will again say Dji had a great year, congrats on the degree, and good luck to him. Also, I had plenty of opinions on him like I do other players. I might have been wrong on a few about Dji, but was also right on some about him, and still him, same as you because you have been wrong plenty of times about him, like playing PG and running with the 1s and getting big minutes previous years. Or, taunting me with a video showing him making 3s, as if he were going to add that to his game. So, you can tell me it's best to be quiet, but maybe it's best for you as a Dad of a player to be quiet, especially on a message board. But, the biggest thing you were wrong about is you said you could take any and all criticism about Dji on here. LOL...yes, sure you can. But, you keep being you and I'll keep being me. And, speaking of know it alls, how do you know I never had a kid being recruited? You sure about that? Best of luck to Dji.
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We'll miss you and Dji, and I think it's nearly unanimous that we wish Dji every success. Just not if he plays us.
Because the nature of the business has changed. We can adapt and become more fluid, or we can hang onto more rigid beliefs that worked well in the past. If we want to keep up, then we must become more flexible in beliefs and policies.
The perfectionist in me compels me to clarify: I should say, just not WHEN he plays us. Even IF he does play us, I wish him success--other than for that 2 hours. And even in that 2 hours, if he plays well but his team loses, I'm good with that too. : )
I like this post a lot. Straight to the facts from someone who really knows & not speculating.
I got so tired of reading the last year & into this year of the doubters on Dji & his abilities. He proved them wrong, and I'm happy for Dji & family. Yet even w/in the last week there are comments about Dji & P6 teams, money, etc. There are still hints of doubt, and I find this regretful. He will end up where he should. As I said in another thread, whatever brings happiness to him and his family is the right choice. He's given us plenty.
If he ends up a Spider then great, and I'd like that. That's my selfish preference. If not, then that is the nature of things & wish him nothing but success.
You can call it adapting, but I call it possibly hurting your program. If you are fine with guys entering the portal and maybe coming back, no worries, but that is not how I would want to run a program. One player is a bad enough look, but what about 2 or more? Maybe you think it would have been fine for us as a program if Bigs and Quinn entered the portal last year and said they might come back, but I wouldn't want that at all. So we can agree to disagree here.
8legs1dream
Graduate Assistant
I didn't think your kids were old enough to be recruited by D1 schools yet Mrs. Mooney?
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I would love to see him stay, but wish him the best either way. I was grateful to see him play and will be pulling for him wherever he may go. Assuming that isn't VCU.
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