Will Malachi Wideman ever play basketball at UT ?

#1
The Dog

The Dog

Because I Can
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#1
I love this kid and he is a 4 star, top 125 basketball player, but it seems like we never see kids like this, play both sports. What do u all think, will Wideman ever play basketball at UT ? I think he will, probably not next year, but probably by his sophomore or junior years. Just too talented, imo, maybe even has NBA talent, if football doesn't work out. I do think football will work out and he will be an all-SEC WR, eventually. Still, I think UT gets at least, one season out of Wideman in basketball and we will like it
 
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#2
#2
He’ll be a better football player at the college level imo
 
#3
#3
Better chance to make noise on the field than the court. With what’s staying and coming in nxt season for Barnes he won’t see the court.
 
#4
#4
I mean I definitely see him practicing and sitting on the bench. But with the level of demand that Barnes has on players playing their role, not sure joining the team halfway through the season (with no practice) will afford him the chance to learn and accomplish that well enough to see minutes on this team in his first year or two. However, it worked out for Vescovi so who knows. I'd love to be surprised. In my opinion, if Wideman plays basketball it's because he's actually incredibly talented and good, not because those in front of him aren't able to perform; meaning he earned it.
 
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#5
#5
He could practice with the BB team after the FB season and if he is a free agent type FB player by his senior year, I would hope he stay his 5th year to play full time BB. It will be fun to watch, im sure his first couple years he would just get blowout minutes, hopefully they save him contingently for a 5th year fulltime summer & fall BB.
 
#9
#9
At this point I would doubt it. Of course I hope whatever is best for the kid works but playing two sports in the NCAA in today’s world is a most difficult thing to accomplish.
 
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#10
#10
I also believe it's unlikely he plays. But a lot of these dual sport kids that plan to play both are often times on the fringe of being able to play one of those sports at that level. For example, I would bet Beckwith doesn't play hoops solely because I don't think he's good enough at this level. Not often do you see a kid ranked in the top 130 in both respective sports. But again, I have my doubts.
 
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#12
#12
The Dog said:
I love this kid and he is a 4 star, top 125 basketball player, but it seems like we never see kids like this, play both sports. What do u all think, will Wideman ever play basketball at UT ? I think he will, probably not next year, but probably by his sophomore or junior years. Just too talented, imo, maybe even has NBA talent, if football doesn't work out. I do think football will work out and he will be an all-SEC WR, eventually. Still, I think UT gets at least, one season out of Wideman in basketball and we will like it
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He will play basketball until he starts at football. he has NFL size and will have to commit to football once he has a prominent role. until then, he will play basketball and be a big body off the bench. if he can score as a freshman, i definitely see him making an late season impact as a freshman and sophomore. Does a redshirt in football affect his ability to play basketball as a true freshman?
 
#13
#13
jackieaprilesr said:
He will play basketball until he starts at football. he has NFL size and will have to commit to football once he has a prominent role. until then, he will play basketball and be a big body off the bench. if he can score as a freshman, i definitely see him making an late season impact as a freshman and sophomore. Does a redshirt in football affect his ability to play basketball as a true freshman?
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I wondered about redshirting. Can a SA that's playing 2 sports take a RS year in just one? I assume it's allowed since the 5-year clock doesn't factor in... but if it's 4 years in football and 5 in basketball I wonder how the NCAA rules apply. Can a SA use up 4 years of the football scholarship and all of their eligibility and then have a scholarship for basketball in a 5th year. Probably a moot point for various reasons, but just wondered about it.
 
#14
#14
No not this day and time, football is a year round sport, he could do it but it would hurt him on the football field.
 
#15
#15
He might have contributed in years past except we have great talent at the positions he would possibly contribute in. Given our players on the team and coming in I just don't see a lot of opportunities for him.
 
#16
#16
LeannaVol said:
He might have contributed in years past except we have great talent at the positions he would possibly contribute in. Given our players on the team and coming in I just don't see a lot of opportunities for him.
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This is what it comes down to. Who is he going to play over? The only way I see him getting minutes is if he is much better than his ranking.
 
#18
#18
U know, I have no way of proving Wideman is better than his ranking, but ...... I think he is. I think Wideman would have been ranked higher, it's just that all the recruiting services figured he would concentrate mainly on football and it lowered his ranking. His athletism is obviously, off the charts. He is already an elite dunker, hell, even LeBron and DWade would agree with that statement. If he can handle Barnes coaching (not everybody can), he has the athletic ability to he very productive in the SEC. U know, now that I think about, I don't think I have ever seen him do anything but dunk in his bb highlights. Like many of u all have posted, with the talent coming in next year, all, more than less at the same position that Wideman plays, it will be really difficult for him to get any playing time in the next year or 2. Still, I really think he has SEC basketball skills, whether or not, he ever gets the chance to prove that, depends on how hard he wants to work on, what Bo Jackson would call his hobby, basketball in his football off-season. I would not be totally shocked, after a couple of years, if Wideman wasn't getting a lot of playing time at WR, that he would decide to concentrate on basketball. Either way, I expect this kid to end up making millions in whatever sport he ends up playing. Can u imagine the PR, Wideman and UT would get, if he excelled at both sports. ESPN would that sh!t up, especially with the way he dunks and makes one handed catches. Think Bo and Deon with 24 hour social media and sports highlights. Hell, I'm rambling, 'night, yeah I know it's noon
 
#19
#19
Thunder Good-Oil said:
I wondered about redshirting. Can a SA that's playing 2 sports take a RS year in just one? I assume it's allowed since the 5-year clock doesn't factor in... but if it's 4 years in football and 5 in basketball I wonder how the NCAA rules apply. Can a SA use up 4 years of the football scholarship and all of their eligibility and then have a scholarship for basketball in a 5th year. Probably a moot point for various reasons, but just wondered about it.
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I believe so. Stanley Asumnu and Melvin Goins both had used up their basketball eligibility and still had their 5th year to spend with the football team. Both went thru spring practice, but I don't recall either making it to the fall to actually suit up for the team in an actual game.
 
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#20
#20
cncchris33 said:
I believe so. Stanley Asumnu and Melvin Goins both had used up their basketball eligibility and still had their 5th year to spend with the football team. Both went thru spring practice, but I don't recall either making it to the fall to actually suit up for the team in an actual game.
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They definitely didn't make it to fall and maybe didn't make it to summer camp. They would have still been in their basketball scholarships in spring practice. It would be an unusual set of circumstances to be on the football scholarship for 4 years and then have a 5th year for basketball. But again, I think it's moot for this guy. Unless he gives up football for something like CTE, he should be on track to be in the NFL and probably after 3 years.

As far as basketball, the next 2 seasons are heavy at his spot, but in the 3rd season from now Bailey will be gone and possibly 2 or 3 from James, Keon, and Springer. He'd be looking at a key role in basketball in his 3rd, 4th, and 5th year on campus. Vescovi, Pember, and Gaines and future recruits are the only competition for PT a few years out.
 
#21
#21
Thunder Good-Oil said:
They definitely didn't make it to fall and maybe didn't make it to summer camp. They would have still been in their basketball scholarships in spring practice. It would be an unusual set of circumstances to be on the football scholarship for 4 years and then have a 5th year for basketball. But again, I think it's moot for this guy. Unless he gives up football for something like CTE, he should be on track to be in the NFL and probably after 3 years.

As far as basketball, the next 2 seasons are heavy at his spot, but in the 3rd season from now Bailey will be gone and possibly 2 or 3 from James, Keon, and Springer. He'd be looking at a key role in basketball in his 3rd, 4th, and 5th year on campus. Vescovi, Pember, and Gaines and future recruits are the only competition for PT a few years out.
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After some research, I think Adumnu may have actually made it to fall camp and was on the team.
 
#22
#22
I bet he'll use a redshirt year this year for basketball, and maybe he can get some play time next year. We have plenty of depth this year.
 
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