Has to be at least an A, if not A+.

First off, who LEFT via the portal from A&M? Nobody who played NCAA Tournament minutes. Laveque and Boots used up their eligibility. EVERYONE else from the UH box score stayed.

Z Phelps is not just a starter but a difference maker on both ends. Final year of eligibility, super experienced, takes pressure off of Taylor and opens things up for others when on the floor. Pushes the pace and gets easy buckets. Was perhaps the best player on a good SMU team last year.

Payne is another starter. Good size, athletic, rim protector, OK rebounder, passes out to open shooters, offensive game needs work. Rounds out a quality big man rotation with Garcia and Coleman. Solid. Just a junior, and could develop into a more polished post player this season and next.

Wilcher another senior that was key starter on a Nebraska team that made the Dance. Barring injuries to others, won't start here, but plays like a starter most of the time he's on the floor. Quality guard who can hit a shot. Should get you 10 high quality minutes per game and gives Buzz a lot of insurance if there is guard foul trouble.

In summation, these additions make the 2025 Ags a team with the best backcourt depth I've seen since, well, 2007? Or ever?

Thanks to the portal, this roster is a legit threat not just to make the Sweet 16 but to finally bust through to where we've never been.

Payne was the best pickup of the three I'd say. Wilcher just needs a little bit of time to figure out his role and settle into it. As for Phelps, he needs to back off a little and remember this is a team game. He accounted for over half our turnovers last night and was just trying to force the issue.

Adam87inSA said:

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Z Phelps is not just a starter but a difference maker on both ends.

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You can't drink all day if you don't start in the morning. Phelps needs to seriously improve his performance or get his minutes reduced.

TheDecadeSapling said:

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Payne was the best pickup of the three I'd say. Wilcher just needs a little bit of time to figure out his role and settle into it. As for Phelps, he needs to back off a little and remember this is a team game. He accounted for over half our turnovers last night and was just trying to force the issue.

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I think Phelps will settle into his role as the season goes on, like manny eventually did last season

Payne is the big man presence inside we have been missing . He's a difference make on defense for sure a d his offense is enough to keep teams honest

We completely missed in recruiting in 22-23, but other than that year Buzz has done a really good job in recruiting and mixing in high school players with portal players.

As his shooting hand heals he will improve.
Is he turning the ball over too much? Right now, yes.
We will look back at the end of the season damned glad Buzz picked him up tho.

wouldn't hold my breath on Phelp's shooting improving too much. He's a poor shooter but he's still a really good scorer who is going to get to the basket and score a lot from the line. He's a career 38% FG shooter and 25% 3pt shooter. He needs to settle in a little and work on dishing to teammates when the lane is closed but that's pretty much every Buzz guard. Seems we'd rather risk a turnover or a poor shot if it means the possiblity of getting a foul and free throws sometimes.

Wilcher seems to have settled into his role just fine. Not sure what role other than come off the bench and shoot open 3 he would have here.

This team has a shot to do some big things and the portal adds are indeed a piece of it. If you had made
A custom order then it'd have been a) replacement for
Boot's role, b) rim protector that can also score from the post some, c) reliable 3 pt shooter. Buzz and staff may have gotten all 3.

Posters are forgetting that Phelps missed a month with his injury before returning just last week, the guy is still really rusty, but he's a stud