2025-2026 ND Basketball Thread

[JD Irish]

We are also spending on football and other sports. Lots of them. Rightly so and with good results.
But of the 25 other sports, the one that costs - by far - the most to build a competitive team is mens basketball. And unlike many of the others mens basketball also a sport where we have a variety of built-in disadvantages. We could certainly spend more on basketball, but I'm not really clear what the payoff would be.

How about a consistently competitive team that routinely makes the NCAA tournament and has the ability to make consecutive elite eight appearances?

Some people act like the basketball team has never been good and can never be good. We were really good for over a decade not that long ago. Incredible home court advantage. Really good players. Digger Phelps did it and Mike Brey did it.

Both things are true: the university has not supported the basketball team, for some inexplicable reason, despite all of its semi-recent success. At the same time, Shrewsberry has absolutely underachieved in all 3 of his years with the players he has had on the roster.

ND should be a near-perennial NCAA tournament team and make the occasional deep run in it.

 

[Irish5Saint]

We are also spending on football and other sports. Lots of them. Rightly so and with good results.
But of the 25 other sports, the one that costs - by far - the most to build a competitive team is mens basketball. And unlike many of the others mens basketball also a sport where we have a variety of built-in disadvantages. We could certainly spend more on basketball, but I'm not really clear what the payoff would be.

How about making the NCAA tournament and the publicity that comes with that?

We aren’t spending shit on hoops or baseball. Baseball’s stadium is a dump compared to the rest of the ACC.

 

[irishandy]

Notre Dame is and will always be a football school.

Men's & women's fencing won the championship this year.

The women's basketball team (surprisingly) made it to the elite 8.

This university has no problem with money and it should be no problem to give other sports money to be competitive.

Give the men's basketball team $10 million to work with, upgrade the baseball facilities.

Losing Haralson & Certa is a bad look, but losing the Burton the local kid is a worse look. Pay them all!

 

[Cpnd1]

Official

 

[NDPhilly]

Another. Embarrassment for the program. He’s a guy that should have had his name in the rafters

 

[calvegas04]

Put their NIL into hockey

 

[MacIrish75]

There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be program able to make the NCAA Tournament 33-50% of the time.

 

[ab2cmiller]

There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be program able to make the NCAA Tournament 33-50% of the time.

I think this where most people’s expectations are, topping out at an average of once every two years.

 

[IrishBryan77]

Second year Michigan coach about to get a natty...... meanwhile each year our coach finds ways to lose more games. 🙄

 

[IrishBryan77]

Great teams typically have two things......

1) foreign talent
2) a true big man or two (7'0" or taller)

We never have either. When was the last time we had someone taller than 6'11? Never.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

Second year Michigan coach about to get a natty...... meanwhile each year our coach finds ways to lose more games. 🙄

I mean, I think Michigan may be a little more bought in than ND financially.....

 

[Irish5Saint]

I mean, I think Michigan may be a little more bought in than ND financially.....

So are we poor or not? Either we have the money to get rid of him (and we’re rich), or we don’t have the money (and our booster support is overstated).

 

[irishandy]

Sad...just sad. I don't care who the coach is, if the University is going to continue it's poor support for the program the team will be hard to coach and the good players won't want to put on the Irish jersey.

After all of these guys are gone, get rid of the coach or let him walk, burn this thing down, and start (another) rebuild with all new blood on the coaching staff.

 

[IrishBryan77]

In all seriousness (did I say that right? That doesn't sound right for some reason 🤔)

Anywaaaaaaaaaaay, with all of the players leaving etc, what is our team going to look like? How many will we have (with addition to incoming transfers).

Will this dude from Mongolia be any good? (And how tall is he anyway). Will we have a TRUE point guard and possibly center?

Are we going to have empty seats on the bench? 🤣

 

[Henges24]

In all seriousness (did I say that right? That doesn't sound right for some reason 🤔)

Anywaaaaaaaaaaay, with all of the players leaving etc, what is our team going to look like? How many will we have (with addition to incoming transfers).

Will this dude from Mongolia be any good? (And how tall is he anyway). Will we have a TRUE point guard and possibly center?

Are we going to have empty seats on the bench? 🤣

I’ll try to answer like I know but I feel I’ve done more research than NDs beat writers.

To start, Solongo is very raw. He was hurt for the back half of their season so he didn’t play a whole lot this year. Think it was a broken foot….? I would not expect him to have much of a season, in year one. He will see the court because he will have to.

Next season is basically washed. The season will all depend on the incoming transfers. I wouldn’t go all the way to say they don’t bring in anyone worth a starting spot. There is money allocated that will be need to be spent, which will go to some worthwhile transfers. There are good players out there that will come for a guaranteed starting spot.

Assuming Certa is gone you are left with needing nearly 5-6 transfers w/ Towt & Kebba gone & 3 incoming freshman (sounds crazy).
I’d expect a horrid upcoming season, now. But will make my bets after the portal has closed.

IMO, there is a ton of overreaction, rightfully so too. The team sucked. Why not clear house and buy? Remember, the last football portal? That worked out fine. But not before massive fan base freak outs.

Ill wait and see how ND plays their cards before folding.

 

[FightingIrishLover7]

So are we poor or not? Either we have the money to get rid of him (and we’re rich), or we don’t have the money (and our booster support is overstated).

Rich people can be tight with their money


Notre is rich. And they believe basketball is not worth it

 

[NDPhilly]

Was told by an alum with some basketball connections that the big donors just aren’t stepping up specifically for basketball right now and if they had any level of success the last 3 years that would likely be different. Almost like a domino effect where bad results begets no NIL … which begets bad results

 

[Dale]

We’re rich why don’t we just haphazardly spend money is the opposite of the reason most rich people got that way

 

[arrowryan]

And if Shrews was a halfway likeable person, maybe they’d spend a little. Not only is he the worst basketball coach in America, he’s a major jackass and a terrible representative of the university.

 

[IrishBryan77]

And if Shrews was a halfway likeable person, maybe they’d spend a little. Not only is he the worst basketball coach in America, he’s a major jackass and a terrible representative of the university.

Agreed. The 3 times he flipped out and acted like a child were more embarrassing than his teams performance.

 

[stlnd01]

Was told by an alum with some basketball connections that the big donors just aren’t stepping up specifically for basketball right now and if they had any level of success the last 3 years that would likely be different. Almost like a domino effect where bad results begets no NIL … which begets bad results

Increasingly common phenomenon in big-time college sports right now - the inverse of our football program's current trajectory.
Typically ends in the coach being fired and replaced with someone donors are more likely to step up for. But of course someone has to finance the buyout and the resulting new roster...

 

[IrishLax]

Was told by an alum with some basketball connections that the big donors just aren’t stepping up specifically for basketball right now and if they had any level of success the last 3 years that would likely be different. Almost like a domino effect where bad results begets no NIL … which begets bad results

I don't know why anyone would be expected to throw good money after bad.

 

[sfk324]

Certa made it official earlier today.

 

[notredomer23]

I'm not convinced that ND can't be competitive in this environment in basketball. Everyone said the same things about football just not as extreme. They just need the right coach. Everything will follow if that happens, especially the donors. No one wants to put their money behind a bozo who can't control his emotions towards refs or in post game pressers, not to mention his lack of actual coaching acumen. Shrews is paid in the top 20 range. There's no reason success for the program shouldn't be making the tournament more times than not over a 10 year window with 1 or 2 runs to the 2nd weekend during that time.

 

[arrowryan]

This is such a troll tweet lol

 

[sfk324]

This is such a troll tweet lol

They did one for Koehler last week. Just put one out for Imes, too.

 

[arrowryan]

They did one for Koehler last week. Just put one out for Imes, too.

Braeden coming back was just so obvious. Where was he gonna go?

Micah is going to start his two boys, as they are going to lead the team to a 5-27 record and rob the school of $1.5M in NIL.

 

[stpeteirish]

Braeden coming back was just so obvious. Where was he gonna go?

Micah is going to start his two boys, as they are going to lead the team to a 5-27 record and rob the school of $1.5M in NIL.

You think he's allocating $ to his kids? (not NIL $ but the ND revenue share or whatever you call it) If so that might be a good way to get him to leave, tell him he can't give his kids a piece of the pie.
He's making 4 million a year, ought to be able to give his kids spending money.
If its NIL $ has anyone seen promotions or ads by Shrewsberry's kids?

 

[PolishDomer]

 

[Some Irish Bloke]

Final Men's AP Top 25

ND didn't make the cut. Bummer.