New 2024 Committment According to Ben Steele: Joshua Clark

[MUbiz]

He just signed.

https://twitter.com/MarquetteMBB/status/1789294537854054570?t=ynKB5vHMWDqPgDBxt-ne_Q&s=19

[Zog from Margo]

Welcome, Mr. Clark!

JC looks very young. Shaka continues to look for players on the rise.

[MU82]

Even if he can't score at all 2-3 years from now (and we don't know if that'll be the case), having an athletic 7-footer on the court can have real defensive benefits.

Excited to see where this goes.

Nice job, Shaka. Welcome to Marquette, JC!

[Daniel]

I have a feeling this you g man is going to be very.  Very good in Shaka's system, and ability to develop players.  Excited and welcome Josh to the Marquette family!

[HutchwasClutch]

Like the addition.  Long and looks like a legit 7 footer.  Looks like he's been well coached too - plays under control, keeps the ball up after he catches it.  Good hands. Seems like a lot to work with.  Maybe another lightly recruited big man project that pays off big time for the program like McCaskill.  We'll see.  Here's hoping.

Agree with others hard to believe no one else willing to take a flyer on a guy with his size and skill set and try to develop him.  Maybe speaks volumes how majority of schools just want instant help from the portal and ignore projects like this kid now. 

[BCHoopster]

Next year Shaka needs to add a player or two that are ready to play, but with 10 players back the following year, can players think they might not play and want to play right away somewhere else?

[jfp61]

Next year Shaka needs to add a player or two that are ready to play, but with 10 players back the following year, can players think they might not play and want to play right away somewhere else?

Sounds like they have a whole 18 months to figure it out. So in modern college basketball, there are no problems.

[BCHoopster]

Sounds like they have a whole 18 months to figure it out. So in modern college basketball, there are no problems.

More like 7 months since he does not believe in the portal!

[DoctorV]

Ben Gold - Junior
Al - Sophomore
Caed Hamilton - Freshman
Josh Clark - Red Shirt

This is an absolute master class in roster construction

[insert the the Hannibal / A Team I love it when a plan comes together gif]

It's definitely a planned construction, but I wouldn't call it masterclass until

A) we see how Ben does with starters minutes.
B) we see Al, Caedin, and Josh play 10 minutes in a single game to see what Marquette has.

Masterclass would be Oso coming back for his Covid year- like Kalkbrenner, who is actually rated higher than him by the BE voting folks- and then Benny taking the spare minutes at the 5 along with minutes at the 4 and being the senior starter next year and then on down the line with the others to see who pops for for future.

When someone starts, if they are successful in Shaka's system, they pretty much lock up that spot until they are gone.
So, if Ben plays well this year he's got a starters role for 2 seasons- maybe he moves to the 4 next year to open a spot for one of the younger guys at the 5, but maybe not.

Without having seen either really play at all, I'd say that Al and Josh are very similar in Shaka's roster construction, and by next spring Shaka will know which one will be better long term despite the redshirt.
The developmental efforts will then go into that one.
If they both show promise, you can't really lose with two long and lanky dunkers who block shots and hopefully rebound in the Shaka system, as those are very necessary assets in that role.

We forgot to mention Royce in this btw, who at 6'8 and with a big frame would play the 5 on many ncaab squads, but will likely play the 4 at MU with all the other bigs

[Zog from Margo]

Next year Shaka needs to add a player or two that are ready to play, but with 10 players back the following year, can players think they might not play and want to play right away somewhere else?

For 2025-26, Shaka will have (barring injury or transfer out) Ross and Gold as seniors, Norman, Lowery and Amadou as juniors, Hamilton, Owens, and Parham as sophomores, and Clark, a PG, a SG, and a forward as freshmen. Sounds decent to me. We'll see.

[BCHoopster]

For 2025-26, Shaka will have (barring injury or transfer out) Ross and Gold as seniors, Norman, Lowery and Amadou as juniors, Hamilton, Owens, and Parham as sophomores, and Clark, a PG, a SG, and a forward as freshmen. Sounds decent to me. We'll see.

Forgot Sean Jones! 10 players back.

[Zog from Margo]

Forgot Sean Jones! 10 players back.

You're right. Thanks for the correction.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Shaka is amazing as a coach and a recruiter, building a roster with talented, big guards and multiple 6'10" big men. Thank you Shaka for bringing Marquette back to glory.

[MuggsyB]

7 feet is 7 feet.   I trust Shaka.

[cheebs09]

7 feet is 7 feet.   I trust Shaka.

Plus, Shaka had some serious success with big men at Texas. I trust he knows what he's looking for.

[wadesworld]

Plus, Shaka had some serious success with big men at Texas. I trust he knows what he's looking for.

He did, but most of those guys were 5 star one and dones.

[Stretchdeltsig]

Enough of the one and done drop outs.

[willie warrior]

Referring to players who choose MU as dung? Really?   

Reading is fundamental. Only reference was the old saying, which has been used millions of times. The inference you make is yours. Really?

[WhiteTrash]

Reading is fundamental. Only reference was the old saying, which has been used millions of times. The inference you make is yours. Really?

It's 2024, only words matter, not your intent or actions. Go ask McDermott about using "old sayings".

[Viper]

Shaka is amazing as a coach and a recruiter, building a roster with talented, big guards and multiple 6'10" big men. Thank you Shaka for bringing Marquette back to glory.

did mu go F4 and I missed it? Damn it! I thought it was S16 smoke. My bad.

[muwarrior69]

7 feet is 7 feet.   I trust Shaka.

With 7 feet how can he called for traveling?

[The Thing]

But is he an aircraft carrier? Scoop tells me that's what we need.

[Badgerhater]

did mu go F4 and I missed it? Damn it! I thought it was S16 smoke. My bad.

So are we doing this again?

MU is on the rise and it's been a fun ride so far.  All signs show that it will continue, let's enjoy it.


(Autocorrect initially turned fun into grim, which seems weird.  Perhaps bad autocorrect is the true cause of Scoop angst)

[wiscwarrior]

Reading is fundamental. Only reference was the old saying, which has been used millions of times. The inference you make is yours. Really?

Would you like to be a recruit and referred to as dung? Just askin'.

[PointWarrior]

Would you like to be a recruit and referred to as dung? Just askin'.

He's our resident dung poster.