I am ready for an exciting portal season!

I think the first order of business has to be keeping Jimmie, Necas, Jake, Milosevic, Lawson, & Jellum.

I have nothing against Aekins, Bus, & Hall staying, but I don't see them as big difference makers with Jax Williams & Ntapsis coming in. If they do stay, it should be at a bargain price.

I would much rather see bigger NIL investments made to bring in 4-5 higher level transfers & the end of the bench comprised of very low cost projects/promising redshirts than having the 12-15 viable, yet impossible to accommodate players of the last 3 seasons.

Today's game doesn't allow for more than 6-8 players to remain engaged for multiple seasons because they are only interested in pay & minutes. You need a 10-11 A-10 level players to weather injuries & create positional competition. Beyond that seems more trouble & cost than it is worth. Quality is much more important than quantity!

As currently assembled, this squad is in dire need of a stud PG, a sweet-shooting 3, & an experienced center that will be considered among the top-5 in the A-10 at his position.

I am very much in favor of getting the 2nd or 3rd best player available to Duquesne at any given position if they have multiple years of eligibility remaining rather than a guaranteed 1 and done. This is particularly true for PGs. Mid-majors need more roster stability than P-5 schools because they can't break the bank year after year.

At this stage, it is unlikely that a top 75 transfer would choose Duquesne & that Duquesne could/would meet his price. I am not saying the Dukes should not try for some of these players. If this possibility should arise, 1 and dones should be pursued relentlessly.

In order to be a top 4 conference team, the best guys need to return, first-timers Jellum, Jax, & Lawson need to make significant contributions, & NIL funds must be both ample & free flowing.

High dollar & high risk prospects with similar profiles to Hugley's need not apply.

All of this assumes that TG will not return.

Sorry for the novella. I haven't made a serious post in a while.

Do you prefer we post recruiting info here or in the "Basketball Recruiting" sub-forum?

Davis & Elkins (D2) 6’8 G/F Matt Gray

https://x.com/i/status/2038304229069123847

We should have a lot freed up after this year, Hugley, Dixon, Guinyard(if gone), Edwards, A Williams, Crawford were all getting something.   I dont think its as simple as $X is gone now, so we can spend $X+ again, but we can certainly pay a good 2-3 players, i would hope, esp if Guinyard isnt back, and whoever else might leave.
But Duq will have to sit out on the big $ guys, let the waters settle, then pick their guys.   
Hopefully dont waste $ on another Hugley, brand name, but not much of a product.

Last edited by townsonkid (3/30/2026 9:37 am)

Pete Jax Williams & Ntapsis are freshmen we signed last fall. Williams is a 6"4" pount guard and Ntapsis is a 7 footer from Greece. There is more information in the recruiting section.

This guy posted the projected the top 15 NIL spending. I think SLU and VCU may be above UCLA as they seem to be shooting for $10 MM next year.

https://x.com/i/status/2039784524003852569