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You’re Nuts: Which former Buckeye do we want to see suit up for Carmen’s Crew for the first time?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
The Ohio State alumni team tips off its first round game on Saturday.
Congratulations on making it to the halfway point of the off-season, college basketball fans. The season’s been over for over three months now, and pre-season “secret” scrimmages will start in three more months. As a prize for making it halfway, we’ll let you have two weeks of basketball from some of your favorite college stars of years past in TBT — starting today.
Last week, Connor and Justin discussed whether college sportswriters should stop the practice of assigning “crystal balls” to recruits to predict where they will wind up for college, after a week where Ohio State football wound up not getting a big-time Ohio recruit, despite getting a crystal ball for him earlier. Connor said no, and 59% of the readers agreed. The remaining 41% sided with Justin.
Connor- 78
With TBT starting today and Carmen’s Crew playing tomorrow, the guys are picking a former Buckeye they would like to see suit up for the alumni team. With their first game starting in 24 hours roster changes seem unlikely, but teams have traditionally been able to add players between rounds. Even if not, we’d love to see these guys play down the road.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25537433/usa_today_19731687.jpg "Syndication: The Columbus Dispatch")
Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK
The recent news that Jared Sullinger is going to play in TBT this year made me more willing to take a big swing here. Why not Evan Turner?
Turner is the 2010 National Player of the Year, one of the greatest players to ever wear an ohio State uniform, and has his name hung up in the rafters at the Schott. He retired from basketball in 2020 at the age of 32, and after coaching for the Boston Celtics for a short time moved on and (to my knowledge) has not held another basketball-related position aside from helping coach Carmen’s Crew every year in TBT. Currently, he co-hosts the Point Forward Podcast with Andre Iguodala.
Unlike Sullinger who still plays professionally, Turner has not played in a setting similar to TBT in several years. Despite that, I have no doubt that Turner would be one of, if not the best player on Carmen’s Crew if he were to suit up this year or next.
This year’s team is heavy on post players, with Jeff Gibbs, Kyle Young, Kaleb Wesson, and Sullinger all committed to play in Dayton this weekend. The team is a little lighter on guards, especially guards who actually played for Ohio State (no offense, Erick Neal and Co.). Not only would Turner step in at a position the team is a bit thin on, but he’d also drum up some much-needed excitement for a team that’s made up of more guys who didn’t play for Ohio State than guys who did. Just take a look at how excited people were when it was announced Sullinger was going to play!
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25537623/1989693363.jpg "Ohio State v Iowa")
Photo by Matthew Holst/Getty Images
I am going with someone who very recently played for the Buckeyes. I think there is still a chance that when his NBA career is over, you could see this person suit up with Carmen’s Crew.
Jamison Battle.
Battle only played for the Buckeyes for one year, but he quickly became a fan favorite because he embraced playing in Columbus and shot the ball well.
Some of the top names to play in The Basketball Tournament over the years have been guys who can shoot the lights out, and that is what Battle does best. Plus, when looking at the way Carmen’s Crew is constructed, they could use some perimeter shooting and wings, and Battle brings both.
In his one year at Ohio State, he averaged 15.3 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and shot 43.3 percent from three-point range as one of the top shooters in the country. He also shot 46.9 percent from the field and 92.6 percent from three-point range.
Battle recently signed a deal with the Toronto Raptors after an impressive summer league showing, so we will selfishly have to wait for his TBT debut. I hope we wait for a long time and that Battle has a successful NBA career.
And whenever he decides to hang it up in the league, Carmen’s Crew will be waiting for him.
Continue reading...
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports
The Ohio State alumni team tips off its first round game on Saturday.
Congratulations on making it to the halfway point of the off-season, college basketball fans. The season’s been over for over three months now, and pre-season “secret” scrimmages will start in three more months. As a prize for making it halfway, we’ll let you have two weeks of basketball from some of your favorite college stars of years past in TBT — starting today.
Last week, Connor and Justin discussed whether college sportswriters should stop the practice of assigning “crystal balls” to recruits to predict where they will wind up for college, after a week where Ohio State football wound up not getting a big-time Ohio recruit, despite getting a crystal ball for him earlier. Connor said no, and 59% of the readers agreed. The remaining 41% sided with Justin.
After 161 weeks:
Connor- 78
Justin- 63
Other- 16
(There have been four ties)
With TBT starting today and Carmen’s Crew playing tomorrow, the guys are picking a former Buckeye they would like to see suit up for the alumni team. With their first game starting in 24 hours roster changes seem unlikely, but teams have traditionally been able to add players between rounds. Even if not, we’d love to see these guys play down the road.
This week’s question: Which former Buckeye do we want to see suit up for Carmen’s Crew for the first time?
Connor: Evan Turner
The recent news that Jared Sullinger is going to play in TBT this year made me more willing to take a big swing here. Why not Evan Turner?
Turner is the 2010 National Player of the Year, one of the greatest players to ever wear an ohio State uniform, and has his name hung up in the rafters at the Schott. He retired from basketball in 2020 at the age of 32, and after coaching for the Boston Celtics for a short time moved on and (to my knowledge) has not held another basketball-related position aside from helping coach Carmen’s Crew every year in TBT. Currently, he co-hosts the Point Forward Podcast with Andre Iguodala.
Unlike Sullinger who still plays professionally, Turner has not played in a setting similar to TBT in several years. Despite that, I have no doubt that Turner would be one of, if not the best player on Carmen’s Crew if he were to suit up this year or next.
This year’s team is heavy on post players, with Jeff Gibbs, Kyle Young, Kaleb Wesson, and Sullinger all committed to play in Dayton this weekend. The team is a little lighter on guards, especially guards who actually played for Ohio State (no offense, Erick Neal and Co.). Not only would Turner step in at a position the team is a bit thin on, but he’d also drum up some much-needed excitement for a team that’s made up of more guys who didn’t play for Ohio State than guys who did. Just take a look at how excited people were when it was announced Sullinger was going to play!
Justin: Jamison Battle
I am going with someone who very recently played for the Buckeyes. I think there is still a chance that when his NBA career is over, you could see this person suit up with Carmen’s Crew.
Jamison Battle.
Battle only played for the Buckeyes for one year, but he quickly became a fan favorite because he embraced playing in Columbus and shot the ball well.
Some of the top names to play in The Basketball Tournament over the years have been guys who can shoot the lights out, and that is what Battle does best. Plus, when looking at the way Carmen’s Crew is constructed, they could use some perimeter shooting and wings, and Battle brings both.
In his one year at Ohio State, he averaged 15.3 points per game, 5.2 rebounds per game, and shot 43.3 percent from three-point range as one of the top shooters in the country. He also shot 46.9 percent from the field and 92.6 percent from three-point range.
Battle recently signed a deal with the Toronto Raptors after an impressive summer league showing, so we will selfishly have to wait for his TBT debut. I hope we wait for a long time and that Battle has a successful NBA career.
And whenever he decides to hang it up in the league, Carmen’s Crew will be waiting for him.
Continue reading...