Confirmed Keith Frazier headed to UNT

Army of Dad · January 16, 2016

8 hours ago, UNTFan23 said:

I wondered about that. Need to be careful with what you put out there, especially if you work for the media.

Oh? I thought the Sidway thread has GMG split between it's only a tweet and you have to mean what you say...

Rudy · January 16, 2016

1 hour ago, GMoney said:

What are the odds he ever plays for us over just turning pro?

What are the odds playing for Benford hurts his pro chance?

rcade · January 16, 2016

14 hours ago, Andrew said:

Tony Mitchell had far more academic issues and could have been (should have) a half a semester impact player. No one was negative then....

Tony Mitchell was a projected first round NBA pick when he transferred to UNT. That's a much bigger fish to land, obviously.

Army of Dad · January 16, 2016

10 minutes ago, rcade said:

Tony Mitchell was a projected first round NBA pick when he transferred to UNT. That's a much bigger fish to land, obviously.

Tony also had a far more competent coach to play for...

ed0007 · January 16, 2016

Just a fill in on Keith. Great kid and only issue has been with those around him as far as negative publicity. Was currently eligible to play and on track to graduate. Someone put out that he was goin to Unt along with mentioned a couple other schools. There are several schools that are interested in him from top 25 programs as well as D2 schools where he could play immediately. Smu definitely wanted him to stay but it just was no longer working. Unt is definitely a school of interest for the kid and hopefully whatever fresh start path he takes it works out well for him. Good luck vs WKU.

Green P1 · January 16, 2016

He'll never play a second for Tony Benford.

Harry · January 16, 2016

37 minutes ago, ed0007 said:

Just a fill in on Keith. Great kid and only issue has been with those around him as far as negative publicity. Was currently eligible to play and on track to graduate. Someone put out that he was goin to Unt along with mentioned a couple other schools. There are several schools that are interested in him from top 25 programs as well as D2 schools where he could play immediately. Smu definitely wanted him to stay but it just was no longer working. Unt is definitely a school of interest for the kid and hopefully whatever fresh start path he takes it works out well for him. Good luck vs WKU.

Thank you for sharing this good info Ed.

CMJ · January 16, 2016

34 minutes ago, Green P1 said:

He'll never play a second for Tony Benford.

southsideguy · January 16, 2016

you mean he won't play for tony or won't play for North Texas?

Army of Dad · January 16, 2016

1 hour ago, southsideguy said:

you mean he won't play for tony or won't play for North Texas?

Benford is a dead man walking this season. It's a near certainty that he will be gone after this year.

Andrew · January 16, 2016

6 minutes ago, Army of Dad said:

Benford is a dead man walking this season. It's a near certainty that he will be gone after this year.

I am fine with brining in a new coach but it will be a certainty that incoming freshman and first year players will move on. It's hard to get excited about a new coach, but lose Brown, Holston, Lawson, and maybe others.

Edit: If Shleton stays we would see less player movement. Hoping no matter what he stays.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Andrew

meangreenacct · January 16, 2016

Just now, Andrew said:

I am fine with brining in a new coach but it will be a certainty that incoming freshman and first year players will move on. It's hard to get excited about a new coach, but lose Brown, Holston, Lawson, and maybe others.

No guarantee all those people would leave? If we make the right hire it's not a stretch to keep the players in place. What is a stretch is whether we will have the right person making the hire...

Andrew · January 16, 2016

1 minute ago, meangreenacct said:

No guarantee all those people would leave? If we make the right hire it's not a stretch to keep the players in place. What is a stretch is whether we will have the right person making the hire...

A lot of players come because they want to play for Benford. He goes and it's a tough call. With the right coach and Shelton staying we shouldn't see any players transfer, but I'm not sure about incoming freshman.

Army of Dad · January 16, 2016

2 hours ago, meangreenacct said:

No guarantee all those people would leave? If we make the right hire it's not a stretch to keep the players in place. What is a stretch is whether we will have the right person making the hire...

The way Benford churned through his roster in his time here it's no certainty those guys would stay anyway...

GrandGreen · January 16, 2016

Not sure Benford is going anywhere, but curious that many worried about losing players when Jones left. Benford was hired to kept that team intact and he did. Problem was of course, he couldn't coach a lick at that time.

Andrew · January 16, 2016

4 minutes ago, GrandGreen said:

Not sure Benford is going anywhere, but curious that many worried about losing players when Jones left. Benford was hired to kept that team intact and he did. Problem was of course, he couldn't coach a lick at that time.

Benford is a nice guy who is respected by everyone involved in the game. He is a good recruiter and has a lot of ties. For the most part he has all his players respect and is supported by his teams. Mitchell and CJ decided to stay after talking with Benford. Obviously CJ did not pan out. Benford also runs solid practices. He is just lost when it comes from tip off to the last buzzer. He needs to let his point guard run the team and control the floor more. In game coaching has been his BIG downfall.

BillySee58 · January 16, 2016

3 hours ago, Andrew said:

I am fine with brining in a new coach but it will be a certainty that incoming freshman and first year players will move on. It's hard to get excited about a new coach, but lose Brown, Holston, Lawson, and maybe others.

Edit: If Shleton stays we would see less player movement. Hoping no matter what he stays.

68 teams will make the NCAA tournament this year without Brown, Holston, Lawson, Combs, etc. A good coach can get us there at some point, with or without them. Those players will graduate at some point anyways.

No guarantee those guys leave just because Benford does, anyways.

southsideguy · January 16, 2016

On January 16, 2016 at 11:39 AM, Army of Dad said:

Benford is a dead man walking this season. It's a near certainty that he will be gone after this year.

i hope you are right, i have seen no improvement in the program since his arrival.

Edited January 18, 2016 by southsideguy

outoftown · January 16, 2016

17 minutes ago, southsideguy said:

i hope you are right, i have seen no improvement in the program since he arrival.

I dare say that this is his best team yet, which is both at the same time an argument in his favor (seeing as the team is fairly young and is basically learning how to shoot FTs away from winning several games more), and an argument for his immeadiate removal (because, well this team is not likely gonna go .500 vs Div I, and have I mentioned it is his best team yet).

Edited January 16, 2016 by outoftown

MeanGreenEx2003 · January 16, 2016

If Benford leaves some players will definitely leave.

Nowadays players stay because of their relationships with Coaches. We are UNT, not Duke, so I don't think players will be "married" to the University.

Sheldon could stay, because he is from Fort Worth, and maybe players stay because of their relationship with him....But will he want to stay in the Ops Spot? he was a high school (on the court coach) before North Texas.

If they get Frazier, let Benford coach out his contract. There is nothing to lose at this point.

outoftown · January 16, 2016

10 minutes ago, MeanGreenEx2003 said:

If Benford leaves some players will definitely leave.

Nowadays players stay because of their relationships with Coaches. We are UNT, not Duke, so I don't think players will be "married" to the University.

Sheldon could stay, because he is from Fort Worth, and maybe players stay because of their relationship with him....But will he want to stay in the Ops Spot? he was a high school (on the court coach) before North Texas.

If they get Frazier, let Benford coach out his contract. There is nothing to lose at this point.

Time. We are losing time.

Harry · January 16, 2016

8 minutes ago, MeanGreenEx2003 said:

If Benford leaves some players will definitely leave.

Nowadays players stay because of their relationships with Coaches. We are UNT, not Duke, so I don't think players will be "married" to the University.

Sheldon could stay, because he is from Fort Worth, and maybe players stay because of their relationship with him....But will he want to stay in the Ops Spot? he was a high school (on the court coach) before North Texas.

If they get Frazier, let Benford coach out his contract. There is nothing to lose at this point.

You make some very valid points. I think it would be very difficult to do anything with Benford if you have the team he could have with Frazier and the returning guys. You basically would be starting over. Hopefully Benford will finish strong. Every time I think he's heading in the right direction you get a Marshall game though.

i think you are absolutely right though if they land Frazier the odds are Tony stays.

MeanGreenEx2003 · January 16, 2016

4 minutes ago, outoftown said:

Time. We are losing time.

Remember Rome wasnt built in one day. Whatever Coach comes in it will be a rebuilding process, so I would rather wait another year, instead of bringing in a new coach, and starting all over.

Plus there's an article floating around saying it takes a Coach five years to build his program, next year will be year five. Correct?

Andrew · January 16, 2016

6 minutes ago, MeanGreenEx2003 said:

Remember Rome wasnt built in one day. Whatever Coach comes in it will be a rebuilding process, so I would rather wait another year, instead of bringing in a new coach, and starting all over.

Plus there's an article floating around saying it takes a Coach five years to build his program, next year will be year five. Correct?

Carful. People around here don't use logic and are very inept when it comes to sports. Generally people like you post and end up leaving because of the trash that's posted.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Andrew

outoftown · January 16, 2016

8 minutes ago, MeanGreenEx2003 said:

Remember Rome wasnt built in one day. Whatever Coach comes in it will be a rebuilding process, so I would rather wait another year, instead of bringing in a new coach, and starting all over.

Plus there's an article floating around saying it takes a Coach five years to build his program, next year will be year five. Correct?

Five years? in football sure. But in Basketball? I need to see those numbers that back that up. Particularly with a coach who has not exactly a great player retention rate. And it is not exactly like Benford arrived last season and had no time to prove himself.

I am not saying I don't see improvement. There probably was some on the job learning after all. But it feels very incremental and we are still a good bit behind where we were under UNTs last BBall coach.