Dawg Talk Podcast: Incoming transfers, lineup projections and more
On the latest Dawg Talk podcast Butler Insider Akeem Glaspie and assistant sports editor Aaron Ferguson breakdown all of Butler's incoming transfers, Patrick McCaffery at the Portsmouth Invitational, lineups projections and more.
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Indianapolis Star
7 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Hard reset on Butler basketball roster begs question: Can Thad Matta's roster structure work?
INDIANAPOLIS — Is there a correct way to build a team in today's Big East? Butler is hoping a complete reset — in roster and culture — is the answer to returning the program back to its former glory. The addition of former Guerin Catholic forward Bryson Cardinal means the 2025-26 Butler basketball roster is full, and the Bulldogs can move from player acquisition mode to preparing for the upcoming season. Butler will head into the season with 10 new players; five freshmen and five players added in the transfer portal. Adding 10 new players seems like a lot, and maybe it would've been five years ago, but that number isn't even the highest total of coach Thad Matta's second stint back at his alma mater. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Matta's second season back at Butler, the Bulldogs add 11 new players to the roster: three freshmen, six transfers and two walk-ons, highlighting Matta's delayed approach to rebuilding his roster. Usually, a coach's first season is when a program experiences its biggest makeover. Instead, Matta added just five new players, relying on several of former coach LaVall Jordan's recruits to lead the team in his first season back on the sidelines. The results were an underwhelming 14-18 campaign, leading to the mass exodus that brought 11 new players aboard the following season. Of the 11 players brought in, three left after their first seasons (Posh Alexander, D.J. Davis and walk-on Artemios Gavalas). Juniors Finley Bizjack and Ethan McComb are the only players left from Matta's initial roster makeover. If they stay for two more years, five of the 11 players will have naturally matriculated out of the program. Is Matta happy with a 45% retention rate? Probably not. Is that the best you can expect in today's age of college basketball? The longtime coach hopes that is not the case. "When you talk retention, that was one of the biggest things: We wanted to retain that team," Matta told IndyStar. "We knew D.J. (Davis) was going to leave, Posh (Alexander) was the one who got us at the end. We hoped we could've retained that class, that would've been big for us. Every situation, every school is going to be different in their ability to (retain)." With the constant offseason movement via the transfer portal, roster retention may be a thing of the past. Xavier first-year coach Richard Pitino has undergone the biggest roster makeover in the Big East with 11 new players, just one is a freshman. First-year Villanova coach Kevin Willard is bringing in 10 new players (seven transfers, three freshmen). UConn is bringing in seven new players (three via transfer portal, plus Indiana Mr. Basketball Braylon Mullins). So, what's the key to retaining players? The answer appears to be developing a program where players put the team before themselves. He said it: What Thad Matta said about Butler's additions via transfer portal, recruiting Bizjak and McComb, the longest tenured Bulldogs on the roster, speak about returning to "The Butler Way," holding each other accountable and rebuilding a winning culture. It takes time to build a solid foundation and with summer workouts beginning Monday, the Dawgs are hoping to establish a new standard. "We made a list of things that we want to enforce every day, that way we can really accomplish what we set out to accomplish and that's win a Big East championship and make it back to the (NCAA) tournament," McComb said. "There's a lot of little, tiny details that we believe we add to creating a culture that we may have lost over the last couple years as a program. We have the right pieces in place and the right guys here. We're all on the same agenda — team over self — to get that done. I think it's going to go a long way for us because we can already see those improvements, even after Day 1." Marquette coach Shaka Smart has built a culture of winning where freshmen are willing to sacrifice for the greater good of the program. Under Matta, Butler has not. Relying on freshmen is extremely risky. Butler has already been burned once, with Colt Langdon coming in, redshirting and leaving before ever playing a game. Finding freshmen willing to wait patiently for their time to play is likely another relic from the past. Cardinal's willingness to redshirt makes him one of the rare exceptions. McComb stayed for two years as a walk-on before getting rewarded with a scholarship. Can Butler find playing time for its four other highly rated freshmen? Are Butler's freshmen the type of players content with not receiving steady rotation minutes early in the season? As blasphemous as it sounds, Butler has to find a way to be more like Marquette and it starts on the recruiting trail. "To me fit is still vitally important," Matta said. "How I do things at Butler, how Butler University operates is still very, very important. We're trying to find guys who have an edge, we want to work, who love the game of basketball. Then we've got to do the best we can do to make them better." Tracking the player movement in the Big East can make your head spin, but there are three plans of action taking place. Marquette is the only school taking an old-school approach of bringing in freshmen and developing them over the course of their careers. The Golden Eagles did not add a single player through the transfer portal this offseason. Others are trying to rebuild rapidly by bringing in experienced transfers. Other schools, like Butler, are taking the hardest route, trying to thread the needle by bringing in experienced players and freshmen simultaneously and letting the rotation work itself over the course of the season. Of the schools also bringing in a significant number of freshmen, none make for a good comparison with Butler. UConn recruits from a different pool than Butler. Its freshmen like five-stars Mullins and Liam McNeeley before him, are expected to come in and be immediate impact players.
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
6 times Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton were friendship goals
6 times Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton were friendship goals Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin send their congrats to Caitlin Clark after being named WNBA Rookie of the Year 💙💛 'It's been a pleasure watching you play this year…Best is yet to come.' — Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 3, 2024 Fever star Caitlin Clark and her budding friendship with the Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton should be recognized for how awesome it is. They are leading the charge for the city of Indianapolis, elevating their respective franchises in the sports stratosphere. So, it's not shocking that they would not only cross paths but also become friends. Haliburton has supported Clark for months. "He's, first of all, one of my good friends, but also like it's nice being able to just talk basketball and understand each other, but also we keep it fun," the Fever guard said in May of Haliburton. "It's not anything deep, but it's fun to talk about, too." What's more, Clark has cheered on Haliburton many times over as well. She recently taunted Jalen Brunson during the Eastern Conference Finals with his own celebration after Haliburton sank a 3-ball. (What else are friends for if they won't troll your rivals for you?) That kind of support doesn't go unnoticed. 'Caitlin is amazing,' Haliburton recently reflected. 'For me, getting to actually spend time around her, be around her, get to know her personally, she's just an amazing person and amazing player." In other words, Clark and Haliburton are slowly becoming friendship goals. So, here's six times of the pair raising the friendship bar: 1. Haliburton and the Pacers celebrating Clark's WNBA Rookie of the Year award 2. Clark loving a Haliburton 3-pointer during a Pacers game Tyrese Haliburton hits his 7th three and Caitlin Clark is lovin' it 💯 — Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 26, 2024 3. Clark and Haliburton attending a Wisconsin-Butler game in November The stars are out in Indy! 🤩 Caitlin Clark and Tyrese Haliburton in attendance for Wisconsin-Butler 🍿@CaitlinClark22 x @TyHaliburton22 — FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) December 14, 2024 4. Clark hugging Haliburton's dad and girlfriend after an April Pacers matchup caitlin giving tyrese haliburton's dad and girlfriend a hug at the pacers game ❤️🩹 — cc akgae (@clrkszn) April 23, 2025 5. Haliburton and his girlfriend supporting Clark after the Fever's season opener LETS GO @IndianaFever!! Great moment between Caitlin Clark, Tyrese Haliburton, family and friends after winning season opener against the Chicago Sky. @wrtv — Lauren Schwentker (@LaurenWRTV) May 18, 2025 6. Clark reacting to a Haliburton three during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Stephen Curry's Message to Jimmy Butler Will Leave Warriors Fans Pleased
Stephen Curry's Message to Jimmy Butler Will Leave Warriors Fans Pleased originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry added another successful season to his illustrious career. Averaging 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, Curry made All-NBA Second Team -- his eleventh All-NBA selection. Advertisement Evidently, the Warriors built around Curry this past season, which led to a first-round upset as the Golden State, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, knocked off the No. 2-seeded Houston Rockets. The future Hall of Fame guard was injured in the second round, which led to the Warriors' playoff exit in just five games at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Adding Jimmy Butler to the squad made all the difference. The star forward was a seamless addition alongside Curry, as the two enjoyed plenty of success down the final stretch of the regular season. The Warriors went from a losing squad to a dark horse title contender with the one trade for Butler. Advertisement Curry and Butler -- as well as Draymond Green -- clicked. So much so, the team will now have an opportunity to build one final contending squad around the core. Through the offseason, Curry made a clear statement regarding Butler, too. The Warriors superstar guard was asked who he would pass of a game-winning shot to, with any player in NBA history being available. "Right now, Jimmy Butler," Curry responded. Having spent his entire career with Golden State, Curry has shared the hardwood with -- and won titles alongside -- Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant, two all-time shot makers. Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry flexes after making a free throw against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Chase Edmondson-Imagn Images Still, Curry's relationship with Butler has gotten so strong that he would pick his current teammate over former teammates -- or anyone else in NBA history, for that matter -- to shoot a game-winner. Advertisement Evidently, Warriors fans should be happy the star duo has gotten so close. It'll take that level of connectivity for the club to make another run at a title. With Curry clearly enjoying his time with Butler in the Bay Area, Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Warriors front office need to operate with urgency to put the proper talent around the two. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on May 31, 2025, where it first appeared.
