Isaiah Washington Speculation Thread

[BlueMAB]

It's not fair to say KO didn't develop any players. It's also not fair to say KO alone developed players. A coach can only do so much, the player has to put the work in. Some coaches can motivate and inspire them to want to do more, some can't. I believe KO and/or his staff at some point lost the ability to either find the kids who wanted to work, or to inspire those who needed that extra push.

Whatever the reasons, the players weren't improving, and the team wasn't improving.

 

[AntG168]

It's not fair to say KO didn't develop any players. It's also not fair to say KO alone developed players. A coach can only do so much, the player has to put the work in. Some coaches can motivate and inspire them to want to do more, some can't. I believe KO and/or his staff at some point lost the ability to either find the kids who wanted to work, or to inspire those who needed that extra push.

Whatever the reasons, the players weren't improving, and the team wasn't improving.

Agreed it’s not fair to say KO didn’t develop anyone. He showed that he could develop players who had the right mindset and makeup. What he failed at was identifying said players

 

[ctchamps]

We haven't seen kids improve in the last couple of years. But kids improved under Ollie before that. It's undeniable that Giffey, Daniels, Napier and Boatright improved. That's 4 guys right there.

Kentan definitely improved his senior season. Jalen improved freshman to sophomore season. Brimah went lateral or downward. CV went downward from freshman to sophomore season.
AA improved as the season progressed but the bar was so low not a good example.

Felt Carlton improved significantly and Polley is hard to judge.

Larrier did not play at UConn prior years but improved over VCU but not to the extent we needed.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Guys. This is about Isaiah Washington.

 

[ctchamps]

Guys. This is about Isaiah Washington.

It's about Isaiah Washington and speculation.
To get back on your track this thread has a lot of people who've watched Isaiah and it appears that there is no consensus about him. Some think he's worth the schollie in spite of his stats and dismiss those stats by claiming he's a freshman. Others are concerned it's a risk to dismiss those stats and don't see enough in his game to take up a schollie.

 

[methodology]

That’s not what was said. He said we haven’t seen “recruits” improve under KO. That’s true. Giffey, Daniels, Napier, and Boatright weren’t his recruits. You can take your cape off

Having talked to Kemba and his family while at UConn they all said KO was one of if not the biggest reasons for his development

 

[BlueMAB]

Having talked to Kemba and his family while at UConn they all said KO was one of if not the biggest reasons for his development

Again, Ollie wasn't taking the shots, running the sprints, or lifting the weights. Napier would say the same about Ollie, but those two also have a combination of an insane work ethic and humility. I'm sure Ollie helped, but no more than they helped themselves. But they aren't the types of guys to pat themselves on the back, rather than defer to someone who helped them along the way.

Also, Ollie's role as an assistant was much less demanding than his role as HC. It's reasonable to assume his "unofficial" time in the gym with the players working on individual skills was greatly reduced after becoming head coach. I still believe Ollie would be a great assistant either at the NBA or college level.

 

[CTPride]

I want him to come here just so I can yell out JELLYYYYYYYYYY every time he makes a layup.


JELLYYYYYYYYYY

 

[CL82]

Indeed it was. But I think there are two factors at work with this now. One, is that the prior surgeries didn't address the core problem causing the dislocations. This one did. James Andrews recommended the guy who did it, and it is supposed to prevent dislocations from ever happening again. So while he'll be rusty, he shouldn't have that injury again. Second, is the fact that any incoming recruit has to assume that Gilbert won't be 100% or he is putting himself in a competitive situation he may not find favorable. So even if UConn doesn't want to completely rely on him, we aren't in a good position to bring in a talented freshman PG. Grad trasnfer, sure.

Even if his is shoulder is 100%, and though I hopeful, I'm skeptical, it will be hard for him to trust it again. Even just subluxing a shoulder is very painful and we're all wired to avoid pain. I'm rooting for him, but I'm not sure he'll ever play at the same level.

 

[intlzncster]

We can do better. Isaiah is nothing special, he’s a junkyard dog type of point guard similar to the types Michigan St seems to always have. We need an elite point guard.

I’d pass and go hard at Jalen Lecque, Cole Anthony, and or Justin Moore from Dematha. We need elite guards not so-so guards if we expect to be good.

We need 3-4 year guys like Nova.

 

[JMick]

Even if his is shoulder is 100%, and though I hopeful, I'm skeptical, it will be hard for him to trust it again. Even just subluxing a shoulder is very painful and we're all wired to avoid pain. I'm rooting for him, but I'm not sure he'll ever play at the same level.

I think he's going to be fine. You can't count on it though. Hopefully it's a best of both worlds where the injury allows us to keep recruiting 4* and 5* guards but he's healthy enough to still play

 

[8893]

Even if his is shoulder is 100%, and though I hopeful, I'm skeptical, it will be hard for him to trust it again. Even just subluxing a shoulder is very painful and we're all wired to avoid pain. I'm rooting for him, but I'm not sure he'll ever play at the same level.

With no basis other than the Boneyard doctors, I am remarkably confident that he will be a star before he leaves here.

Which, of course, means we are doomed.

 

[intlzncster]

And starts over our 5* McD AA PG Gilbert? Really? I know it's fashionable to pretend he doesn't exist, but he does.

We don't know if we have that guy yet. Maybe he stays healthy. Maybe he doesn't ever return to form. You just don't know. So plan like he doesn't exist. Got no choice.

 

[mauconnfan]

I want him to come here just so I can yell out JELLYYYYYYYYYY every time he makes a layup.


JELLYYYYYYYYYY

What will you yell every time he misses one because that would be more often?

 

[intlzncster]

Game looks an awful lot like Jalen Adam's in that clip.

 

[upstater]

Recruits were mentioned for a reason. Maybe he was great at developing guys who wanted to be developed and he just dropped the ball finding those types of players. That's the kindest rationalization I can make.

The reason is very clear. You want to say he can't develop players. He couldn't develop anyone in the last 3 years. He did develop players in the 3 years prior to that.

These are just basic facts.

 

[upstater]

Kentan definitely improved his senior season. Jalen improved freshman to sophomore season. Brimah went lateral or downward. CV went downward from freshman to sophomore season.
AA improved as the season progressed but the bar was so low not a good example.

Felt Carlton improved significantly and Polley is hard to judge.

Larrier did not play at UConn prior years but improved over VCU but not to the extent we needed.

Kentan took too long though, and it wasn't even the start of his senior season.

 

[upstater]

I hate KO? I discredited his NC? You responded to JMick saying he didn’t develope his recruits, by saying he’s wrong because he developed the 2014 core 4.

No, wrong.

I didn't say anything about JMick being wrong.

I said KO didn't develop players the last 3 years, but he did develop them the years prior to that.

Go back and read it.

You guys are so one way on this that you automatically react to someone who said Ollie DID develop players.

 

[upstater]

Semantics aside, even the most ardent KO supporters has to admit that our post-14 players did not seem to get appreciably better. This, of course, coincides with whatever "shift" seemed to have occurred with KO personally and professionally.

I said this in my original post.

 

[AntG168]

I said let’s not have this discussion again. You responded and I quote ,”Ok let’s leave it at kids never improved”. Who the hell said that??? You implied that’s what JMick said. Let’s not play stupid. You misunderstood him, it’s ok lol @upstater

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Again, Ollie wasn't taking the shots, running the sprints, or lifting the weights. Napier would say the same about Ollie, but those two also have a combination of an insane work ethic and humility. I'm sure Ollie helped, but no more than they helped themselves. But they aren't the types of guys to pat themselves on the back, rather than defer to someone who helped them along the way.

Oh c'mon. By this standard no coach develops players. Why is it impossible to concede that - notwithstanding how things turned out - Ollie might have been a pretty decent coach who for whatever reason did not succeed at UConn?

 

[upstater]

I said let’s not have this discussion again. You responded and I quote ,”Ok let’s leave it at kids never improved”. Who the hell said that??? You implied that’s what JMick said. Let’s not play stupid. You misunderstood him, it’s ok lol @upstater

Oh my god, really? I didn't misunderstand him at all especially because he has said this repeatedly. I even answered him and said he is trying to frame it to make the point that Ollie can't develop players. Implied? No. I stated it outright! There is no nuance here. My god, that wasn't obvious?

 

[AntG168]

Oh my god, really? I didn't misunderstand him at all especially because he has said this repeatedly. I even answered him and said he is trying to frame it to make the point that Ollie can't develop players. Implied? No. I stated it outright! There is no nuance here. My god, that wasn't obvious?

Ok dude lol. So you made up something to disagree with? I’m upset with myself for having engaged with you in this conversation. I should’ve known exactly what would come of it. I’m over it. On to Mr. Washington lol

 

[HuskyHawk]

Kentan took too long though, and it wasn't even the start of his senior season.

My view on Kentan taking too long is that he wasn't given enough of a chance. I'm sure someone will quote his lousy stats but it's the same way I feel about Diarra. I just get the sense that Ollie didn't have much patience for bigger guys making mistakes, while he overlooked tons of mistakes by guards and wings.

 

[CTBasketball]

Funny. KO isn’t our coach.

Hopefully Hurley can develop players. That’s what matters.