Mslacat
Well-known member
Found this on the net and thought you would find it interesting. It talks about the redshirting of todays college basketball. While it mostly deals with the mid major and above level teams it does mention Montana
David Fox
Rivals.com College Basketball
About two decades ago while an assistant at UCLA, Lorenzo Romar spoke to a junior in college who had redshirted as a freshman.
Romar asked him what he learned during the year away from competition.
The player was quick to respond that he redshirted because of an ankle injury, not because he couldn't compete as a true freshman.
"He wanted to defend that he redshirted," Romar said. "It was not the cool thing to do."
Not much has changed in college basketball over the last 20 years. Redshirting freshmen for reasons other than injury or academic issues is rare, especially when compared to college football.
Festus Ezeli chose Vanderbilt, in part, because the coaches allowed him to redshirt.
Only four members of the Rivals150 for the class of 2007 redshirted by choice – Washington forward Darnell Gant, Arkansas forward Michael Sanchez, Vanderbilt center Festus Ezeli and Montana forward Derek Selvig.
Unlike the player Romar encountered, they are unapologetic redshirt freshmen.
"I know I wasn't good enough to play," Ezeli said. "It doesn't bother me. It's the truth."
Redshirting won't become vogue in basketball anytime soon. Too many freshmen are ready to play as soon as they arrive on campus. They are recruited because they can make an immediate impact. In the 2007 Rivals150, a dozen players entered the NBA Draft after one season, 37 more started at least half of their teams' games, and 77 were backups or part-time starters.
However, those who redshirted in 2007-08 stand by the experience. They say their playing time would have been limited. They believe they needed the extra seasoning or they simply would not have played at an acceptable level.
When Gant – a four-star prospect ranked 99th in the country – arrived on campus, Romar expected him to be a contributor immediately. With a couple of weeks before the Huskies' first game, Gant stunned Romar by bringing up a redshirt season.
Gant was a lanky 6 feet 8, 200 pounds at the time. Practice and a brief exhibition season were wake-up calls for a forward who was confident he would make an impact right away.
"I was a frail guy but I still had that confidence that I could play with anybody," Gant said.
The attention earned by contributing or starring as a true freshman can be an irresistible proposition for a prospect looking to make a name for himself.
"If I had played this year, then maybe along the line I would have been OK, but I wasn't really into waiting like that," Gant said. "I wouldn't want to waste a year like that. I wanted to take the whole year off, work as hard as I can, and then the next year I would be ready to jump in the fire."
For Sanchez at Arkansas, the decision was based on numbers. The Razorbacks had five experienced frontcourt players, including four seniors, ahead of Sanchez.
Instead, the No. 111 prospect in the country spent the season getting beat up in practice by seniors Darian Townes, Charles Thomas, Steven Hill and Vincent Hunter.
"It was a no-brainer to do that," Sanchez said. "The amount of playing time that I could have next year and years to come was enormous."
Ezeli's decision to redshirt was essentially a prerequisite for his college choice.
Born in Nigeria, Ezeli played only two summers of basketball before he graduated from high school, though the first summer went so poorly he considered giving up the sport. His second summer went better, and his recruitment picked up from UNLV, Pacific, Oregon State and eventually Vanderbilt.
UCLA and Ohio State offered, too, but Commodores coach Kevin Stallings was willing from the beginning to give Ezeli a chance to figure out what to do with his 6-11, 245-pound frame.
"Some schools wanted me to play immediately," Ezeli said. "I didn't want to do that. I didn't think I was ready. I didn't want to jump into things."
Gant, Sanchez and Ezeli all stand by their decision to redshirt.
Gant will be 15-20 pounds heavier when Washington begins preseason practice. He says his shooting range has improved over the last year, and he is working on improving his play in the post. Sanchez said he learned more in a year of not playing than he ever had. Ezeli got some much-needed seasoning while adding 20-25 pounds. He was voted the team's most improved player.
"I've never heard anyone who redshirted come back and say, 'I wish I hadn't redshirted,' " Romar said.
Maybe the Washington coach didn't ask them at the right time of the season.
Ezeli watched Vanderbilt's first-round loss to Siena in the NCAA tournament from the stands as he and fellow redshirt Charles Hinkle were not allowed on the bench per NCAA rules. Ezeli, usually one of the most vocal on the Vanderbilt bench, felt helpless as the Saints blew out the Commodores.
"You want to play so badly," Ezeli said. "I guess that's why kids don't want to redshirt."
Sanchez became antsy, too, but much earlier. By December, he started to doubt his decision. He reminded himself redshirting was better for the long term, but all the days of practice without playing in a game began to wear on the freshman.
Like all redshirts, Sanchez could sit with his team during regular-season games. He just couldn't get off the bench.
"You go from busting your tail and looking forward to games (to not playing)," Sanchez said. "It's kind of hard to stay motivated during the season, going to practice and busting your tail and know you're not getting any playing time."
Sanchez said he refocused midway through the season on his long-term goals. His teammates and coaches reinforced that during practice, reminding him the four senior forwards wouldn't be around forever.
Vanderbilt coach Kevin Stallings said part of the challenge of coaching redshirt players is keeping them engaged during the season.
Stallings scheduled Ezeli and Hinkle for more individual workouts on game days and increased their time in the weight room. A player on the active roster will visit the weight room once or twice a week during the season. A redshirt will do twice as much.
None of that can replace the glamour of playing in games, though. Despite some of the drawbacks, Romar wouldn't mind seeing more players give redshirting more consideration.
"There are a lot of people around kids that are saying, 'If you have to redshirt they don't really want you,' " Romar said. "My own son, unless he was extraordinary, I would try to do everything I could to get him to redshirt."
David Fox is a national writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at [email protected].
FRESH LOOK
A look at the Rivals150 from the class of 2007 and what its members did in their first seasons on campus:
77 Backups or part-time starters
37 Starters in at least 50 percent of teams' games
12 Entered NBA Draft
5 Failed to qualify/declared ineligible
4 Redshirted by choice
4 Redshirted due to injury
4 Signed with or transferred to junior college
3 Transferred to another Division I program
1 Redshirted as a qualifier
1 Suspended for majority of season
1 Dismissed
1 Greyshirt
Ironically, Gant's decision not to play had much to do with ego, too.
