This week

[Landof10thcoaches]

NIL contracts are allowable, but schools cannot restrict players from transferring.

Some can be broken if a coach leaves or you transfer and pay back the money . That is if you still have it. Mid majors need the two year contracts. Works for both the school and the student education wise.

 

[tomahawk chop]

I think we should reevaluate what goals to have as fans for a season in this new era.

After this season, big whoop if you make the Big Dance if you're just gonna fall flat on your face like UNI. That made winning Arch Madness not such a big deal in my mind. I mean really - UNI didn't have a very good season and they underachieved despite a long weekend in early March. Maybe I don't have the same lens as most, and I'm fine with that! Would rather have ended the season doing what ISU-red did (making NIT Final 4) than what UNI did (win Arch Madness but get poached in the Big Dance).

I feel differently and can't explain why. I just don't personally think making the NCAA tourney anymore is that much bigger than other goals, as it's contingent as a mid major to win 3 straight games. There's just so much more that makes a season a great one. Plus the tourney and system is now set up to minimize upsets of mid majors and keep the big name schools alive. It was different when mid majors had a legit shot to win and advance to the Sweet 16.

With the challenges BU is faced, I think winning 20+ games and making a run in St. Lou is darn good. We did that last season - may be tougher to do it again next season.

What I also want is to get guys who are committed to staying for at least 2 seasons, which JaQuan did. As much as we didn't want or think he should go, he gave us the most of his 2 seasons.
Sucks to have Kai Yu and Wheeler depart after only giving 1 season. But it's hard to entice these kids to stay even with the culture that Wardle has built.

I said this before winning the regular season championship is more important to me and then if you are able to win the Tour. great but an NIT championship would be more important.

 

[Braves4Life]

IMO, the goal should always be to compete for an MVC regular season championship and consistently finish in the top three with a chance to win Arch Madness. Do that on a regular basis (and we have) and you give yourself an opportunity each year to advance to either the NCAA Tournament or the NIT.

 

[LittleBrave]

I said this before winning the regular season championship is more important to me and then if you are able to win the Tour. great but an NIT championship would be more important.

I remember this from you. I agree, and yes, NIT title > NCAA appearance, BUT NCAA Sweet 16 > NIT title

NIT Final 4 vs NCAA bid (and 1st round loss)? About equal, but it depends on other things that led to it in the season

 

[egib52]

I think we should reevaluate what goals to have as fans for a season in this new era.

After this season, big whoop if you make the Big Dance if you're just gonna fall flat on your face like UNI. That made winning Arch Madness not such a big deal in my mind. I mean really - UNI didn't have a very good season and they underachieved despite a long weekend in early March. Maybe I don't have the same lens as most, and I'm fine with that! Would rather have ended the season doing what ISU-red did (making NIT Final 4) than what UNI did (win Arch Madness but get poached in the Big Dance).

I feel differently and can't explain why. I just don't personally think making the NCAA tourney anymore is that much bigger than other goals, as it's contingent as a mid major to win 3 straight games. There's just so much more that makes a season a great one. Plus the tourney and system is now set up to minimize upsets of mid majors and keep the big name schools alive. It was different when mid majors had a legit shot to win and advance to the Sweet 16.

With the challenges BU is faced, I think winning 20+ games and making a run in St. Lou is darn good. We did that last season - may be tougher to do it again next season.

What I also want is to get guys who are committed to staying for at least 2 seasons, which JaQuan did. As much as we didn't want or think he should go, he gave us the most of his 2 seasons.
Sucks to have Kai Yu and Wheeler depart after only giving 1 season. But it's hard to entice these kids to stay even with the culture that Wardle has built.

Until they get rid of Arch Madness, I think winning that will always feel like the biggest accomplishment. I understand what you mean, but other than that, what is there? Regular-season championships are fun, but they don't mean much in mid-March if you don't win Arch. I would love to win the NIT, but if Auburn has success next year, I could see more high majors opting in.

 

[LittleBrave]

Until they get rid of Arch Madness, I think winning that will always feel like the biggest accomplishment. I understand what you mean, but other than that, what is there?

I'm not really sure. Upon reflection, aside from how that all went down after an early exit in St. Lou, I think Belmont's Valley title is just as "accomplished" if not more than UNI's Arch Madness title, followed by the embarrassment in the 1st round. I think if UNI had made it a game, could argue that UNI's Arch Madness title is nicer, but that didn't happen.

You don't win Arch Madness JUST to get into the Big Dance, but to represent the mid majors - to have a shot to WIN at least 1 game and go as far as you can.
I just think the goal of "getting in", only to lose badly once you "get in" is pretty empty at the end of a long season, no?
I also recall the feeling of Bradley's 2022-'23 team having a great season, winning the Valley, only to fall short and lose badly to Drake in the Arch Madness title game, and how awful that felt as a fan, almost wiping away the success (and high) of the reg. season title. Like - we DESERVED to be in over Drake.

UNI's Arch Madness + NCAA game made me think a little more about what makes a successful season. I know if that had happened to BU, I would have mixed feelings and wouldn't have wanted to get humiliated like that in the NCAA tourney. I can't recall a Valley team getting pounded like that in the last 30 seasons, other than when ISU lost by about 30 to 1-seed Arizona in 1998. Maybe there was another game?

Gotta represent the Valley tho, and ISU-red was the only team that did that in this post season.

 

[Stryker]

I'm not really sure. Upon reflection, aside from how that all went down after an early exit in St. Lou, I think Belmont's Valley title is just as "accomplished" if not more than UNI's Arch Madness title, followed by the embarrassment in the 1st round. I think if UNI had made it a game, could argue that UNI's Arch Madness title is nicer, but that didn't happen.

You don't win Arch Madness JUST to get into the Big Dance, but to represent the mid majors - to have a shot to WIN at least 1 game and go as far as you can.
I just think the goal of "getting in", only to lose badly once you "get in" is pretty empty at the end of a long season, no?
I also recall the feeling of Bradley's 2022-'23 team having a great season, winning the Valley, only to fall short and lose badly to Drake in the Arch Madness title game, and how awful that felt as a fan, almost wiping away the success (and high) of the reg. season title. Like - we DESERVED to be in over Drake.

UNI's Arch Madness + NCAA game made me think a little more about what makes a successful season. I know if that had happened to BU, I would have mixed feelings and wouldn't have wanted to get humiliated like that in the NCAA tourney. I can't recall a Valley team getting pounded like that in the last 30 seasons, other than when ISU lost by about 30 to 1-seed Arizona in 1998. Maybe there was another game?

Gotta represent the Valley tho, and ISU-red was the only team that did that in this post season.

I think you are just salty. Half the teams get in the NCAA tourney lose their first game. Is a regular season title nice? yes. Is having single-digit losses? yes. But it still is all about about getting in and the exposure, even if it doesn't result in a win. I don't think this is even an argument really.

 

[Peoria_bradley_fan]

That may be true for some schools where NIL money is the biggest factor they use to lure recruits. And I know you are being somewhat sarcastic. But for mid-majors and low-majors, recruiting skills are just as important as ever, since they have much less NIL money to use to attract recruits. Bradley coaches spent time at junior college events last fall, and it has paid off with getting 2 of the top juco forwards in the country, and they are still involved with other jucos. And now the focus will also be on portal kids

Im not being sarcastic at all. Here is where you are confused. "Two of the top jucos in the country" doesn't mean what it used to mean. It used to mean you could grab that guy and in 2 or 3 years he's an absolute stud. They are brought into Bradley to be showcased for the power 5 and we have absolutely 0 chance to retain them. They weren't recruited, they know exactly what they are doing. There are about 6 or 7 mid major programs that have become porn for the majors, and guess what - we are one of them. Im all for being that stepping stone as Wardle has embraced it and we have been relevant. It just isn't good for the game. And no, there is absolutely no recruiting anymore. It's all just dollars and cents.

 

[Peoria_bradley_fan]

Until people grasp the fact that we lost 5'5 and 5'8 guards to the auction block, the denial is just going to become cancer.

Stop calling it the portal. Start calling it by it's proper name.

Auction block.

And accept we are a stepping stone until this gets figured out.

Stop holding your breath and hoping kids are staying - they aren't. Every single move is money motivated. And you can't blame them. It's just what it is.

 

[Da Coach]

Im not being sarcastic at all. Here is where you are confused. "Two of the top jucos in the country" doesn't mean what it used to mean. It used to mean you could grab that guy and in 2 or 3 years he's an absolute stud. They are brought into Bradley to be showcased for the power 5 and we have absolutely 0 chance to retain them. They weren't recruited, they know exactly what they are doing. There are about 6 or 7 mid major programs that have become porn for the majors, and guess what - we are one of them. Im all for being that stepping stone as Wardle has embraced it and we have been relevant. It just isn't good for the game. And no, there is absolutely no recruiting anymore. It's all just dollars and cents.

I do get confused some times, but when Bradley recruited and landed a top juco player Malevy Leons, I thought he made an immediate impact, helped lead Bradley to 65 wins in his 3 years, including an MVC title and a couple NIT runs, and he stayed at Bradley for all 3 seasons that he was eligible.
What you are describing sounds like what might be more commonly seen with recruiting high school players. If Coach Wardle is bringing in junior college players, he expects them to be contributors right away. If you look at the rosters of the most successful mid-majors, many of them achieve their success by recruiting junior college players. It's especially important when a team loses as much talent as Bradley has lost.

 

[LittleBrave]

I think you are just salty. Half the teams get in the NCAA tourney lose their first game. Is a regular season title nice? yes. Is having single-digit losses? yes. But it still is all about about getting in and the exposure, even if it doesn't result in a win. I don't think this is even an argument really.

Guess it depends on the fan. I don't feel the same as you, and I no longer want to be reliant on having to win Arch Madness to consider the season a success like I did the past 2-3 seasons. Gotta change your perspective as the times change IMO. Let's come to grips with The Big Dance now being a tourney for the Big Boys (which BU is not), so it's lost something - for me at least. Would be different if an MVC school (or mid major program) had a legit shot of getting to the Sweet 16, but it's kind of an unrealistic hope with the way college hoops is now, losing the best mid major players to the big name schools. My perspective has changed, and to a degree, my expectations are lower due to the reality of what challenges we're faced with.

You tend to lose sight of the good things along the way if it's ALL ABOUT getting in, tho I am NOT opposed to having this as one of your top goals for the season.

 

[LittleBrave]

And no, there is absolutely no recruiting anymore. It's all just dollars and cents.

This is VERY narrow-sighted thinking. Yes $$ drives decisions, but it's not everything.
And Wardle has proven to get guys who WANT to return and who are right for the culture he's established. Now suddenly the transfer portal bug hits us for 1 season and we lose our minds.

If you can get a guy like Timo who is not going to be a star, but grows each season and stays for his senior year, that's a big win! Darius Hannah is another one - could have gone elsewhere but chose to stay. Duke Deen was limited by his size but he chose to stay even after making 1st team all MVC. These guys wanted to finish their college career together. We have 2 local kids who probably didn't get the minutes they expected as top IL recruits, but they WANT to play for Bradley.
These are the kind of guys that Wardle is looking for, though he understands that getting 2 good seasons nowadays is a good thing.

If this trend of losing 4-5 guys to the portal continues the next couple seasons, well...whatever. But it only happened once, where it's happened repeatedly for most other Valley schools. Kudos to Wardle for recruiting the kids he's gotten and has managed to keep them.

 

[Peoria_bradley_fan]

I do get confused some times, but when Bradley recruited and landed a top juco player Malevy Leons, I thought he made an immediate impact, helped lead Bradley to 65 wins in his 3 years, including an MVC title and a couple NIT runs, and he stayed at Bradley for all 3 seasons that he was eligible.
What you are describing sounds like what might be more commonly seen with recruiting high school players. If Coach Wardle is bringing in junior college players, he expects them to be contributors right away. If you look at the rosters of the most successful mid-majors, many of them achieve their success by recruiting junior college players. It's especially important when a team loses as much talent as Bradley has lost.

This was 3 years ago. You can't possibly think we are in the same landscape as 3 years ago. Malevy staying his final year was a miracle. Today, he never would of stayed. The days of the Malevys are gone. There will never be a multi year Bradley player who plays in the NBA again unless the rules get changed. It just is what it is. Malevy is my all time favorite Brave by the way.

 

[LukeBob]

This was 3 years ago. You can't possibly think we are in the same landscape as 3 years ago. Malevy staying his final year was a miracle. Today, he never would of stayed. The days of the Malevys are gone. There will never be a multi year Bradley player who plays in the NBA again unless the rules get changed. It just is what it is. Malevy is my all time favorite Brave by the way.

you're mostly right, but I think Malevy stays even today. Every player I've talked to from those teams cites Mal as being one of the kindest and most loyal people they've known (and I'm inclined to think the same after multiple convos w him). Wardle's emphasis on high character has been his strength when navigating the shifting landscape, and I don't think that will change - just the definition of what "high character" means will have to shift.

 

[tomahawk chop]

The thing I would say is every player is different, most looking for more money while some looking for more playing time. There also is some that actually want to get a degree so job opportunities will be much better. Thing is all these transfer players will not be professional basketball players moving forward but Bradley has a great record for finding pro jobs overseas.

 

[Stryker]

you're mostly right, but I think Malevy stays even today. Every player I've talked to from those teams cites Mal as being one of the kindest and most loyal people they've known (and I'm inclined to think the same after multiple convos w him). Wardle's emphasis on high character has been his strength when navigating the shifting landscape, and I don't think that will change - just the definition of what "high character" means will have to shift.

Malevy was an amazing player for BU, loved watching him, following him still, really an great guy. But if his senior year was next year he would be in the portal right now. There would be power conference schools lining up to pay him $2MM+ easily. That's an incredibly more amount that he has been making in the G-league the past couple years or even on his 2 way contract ($1.1MM max value for 2 years, only $85M guaranteed this year).

There is NO WAY any player is going to stay for $50,000 his senior year if he could be getting $2MM+ from a power team. You can dream all day about loyalty. It is dead and has been dead for almost 50 years, ever since TV became a big player in this sport.

 

[yoda]

Here's the number of players Coach Wardle has lost each year to players with eligibility transferring OUT
(the first year being an aberration because they were all Geno's guys who left)

What you notice is that MOST years he's retained more than a lot of the other MVC schools
The average starting from when he was hired in spring of 2015 is 3.3 per year...
BUT - the portal era did not start until 2019, so in the portal era, Wardle's lost an average of just 3.0 per/year,
and just 2.6 players/year over the last 5 seasons - several who were inconsequential such as Biliew, Handy, Burch, Pettigrew,
Ellis, Ekono, Weathers and two more were walk-ons...
We tend to lose a best player because we have great players - Mast, Hick, Jaquan... so do most of the better MVC teams.
Still, I think Brian Wardle has done better than most of the other MVC schools


2015- 8
2016- 5
2017- 2
2018- 3
2019- 5
2020- 3
2021- 5
2022- 2
2023- 2
2024- 2
2025- 2
2026- 5

 

[Stryker]

Here's the number of players Coach Wardle has lost each year to players with eligibility transferring OUT
(the first year being an aberration because they were all Geno's guys who left)

What you notice is that MOST years he's retained more than a lot of the other MVC schools
The average starting from when he was hired in spring of 2015 is 4 per year...
BUT - the portal era did not start until 2019, so in the portal era, Wardle's lost an average of just 3.4 players/year,
and just 3.2 players/year over the last 5 seasons - several who were inconsequential such as Biliew, Handy, Burch, Pettigrew,
Ellis, Ekono, Weathers and two more were walk-ons...
We tend to lose a best player because we have great players - Mast, Hick, Jaquan... so do most of the better MVC teams.
Still, I think Brian Wardle has done better than most of the other MVC schools


2015- 8
2016- 5
2017- 2
2018- 3
2019- 5
2020- 3
2021- 5
2022- 2
2023- 2
2024- 2
2025- 5
2026- 5

He has done fine, it would be a bit of nightmare for any coach in the MVC to navigate the current environment. Notice though that Wardle has lost 5 each the past two years, and the revenue sharing is now in place. I would be very surprised if he loses 5 or less players a year going forward unless major rules changes are implemented.

 

[yoda]

Actually that’s a typo
BU lost only two players in 2025 to the portal and neither was a starter (Biliew, Almar)

Only one of the outgoing transfers in 2025 was a starter
ISU just lost two starters since yesterday
UNI lost all their starters
Belmont & Murray State almost all

So as far as key player/starter losses, we’ve done better than most

 

[LittleBrave]

Actually that’s a typo
BU lost only two players in 2025 to the portal and neither was a starter (Biliew, Almar)

Only one of the outgoing transfers in 2025 was a starter
ISU just lost two starters since yesterday
UNI lost all their starters
Belmont & Murray State almost all

So as far as key player/starter losses, we’ve done better than most

Yep - for sure we have!