2013 / 2014 can be really special

[BigErnMcCracken]

One year of experience in college makes a world of difference. They're smarter, wiser and physically stronger. They work out and play together all summer long. They'll all have one year with KO under their belt.

I've seen how much one year changes many many Uconn teams

You know what else makes a world of difference? NBA size, strength, and talent. Kentucky's incoming class, for example, would also make a "world of difference."

I respect your boundless optimism, but I don't see where you can make the claim that a team that is going to struggle to beat most decent teams this year is going to be "special" next year, just by virtue of being a year older and adding a couple players who - no disrespect to them - are not going to be impact players as freshmen. Special, to me, is the '04 team. Or the '99 team. I think next year's team has the chance to be a better version of this year's team. But when someone says "special" I have to think you mean they could conceivably be cutting down nets in Cowboy Stadium and I dont think that's in the cards. (I also think it's less likely that Boat stays than goes, but what do I know?)

 

[CTBasketball]

You know what else makes a world of difference? NBA size, strength, and talent. Kentucky's incoming class, for example, would also make a "world of difference."

I respect your boundless optimism, but I don't see where you can make the claim that a team that is going to struggle to beat most decent teams this year is going to be "special" next year, just by virtue of being a year older and adding a couple players who - no disrespect to them - are not going to be impact players as freshmen. Special, to me, is the '04 team. Or the '99 team. I think next year's team has the chance to be a better version of this year's team. But when someone says "special" I have to think you mean they could conceivably be cutting down nets in Cowboy Stadium and I dont think that's in the cards. (I also think it's less likely that Boat stays than goes, but what do I know?)

I understand where you're coming from. But in all honesty I think all will improve. And who knows how the incoming freshman are. Did you expect Caron Butler to be a great player his freshman year? Or any other freshman who had a big season? Its too early too tell.

 

[Horatio]

Hm. Kendal Harris is a highly ranked player. I would assume Dukes would be more reasonable.

Dukes is 5'11". These little guards are good but do you really want to have three on the team next year. I love Shabazz but he's not a big guy and we're starting to see the wear and tear already. The rest of are season will be determined by shabazz having to carry the team and getting accumalitive injuries. Samuel might fix .

 

[GemParty]

I'm bracing myself for either Boat/Bazz to leave. Hope it's just one. Would love them to stay. Both gone would suck.

 

[Calhoun's Court]

I'm bracing myself for either Boat/Bazz to leave. Hope it's just one. Would love them to stay. Both gone would suck.

I'm shocked by this going to the NBA talk that has been rumored. Am I really missing something not seeing either of them making an active NBA roster next year?

If you tell me playing overseas or NBDL ok. But not playing in the NBA next year.

 

[CTBasketball]

I'm shocked by this going to the NBA talk that has been rumored. Am I really missing something not seeing either of them making an active NBA roster next year?

If you tell me playing overseas or NBDL ok. But not playing in the NBA next year.

I agree. Boatright is nowhere near ready for any professional basketball. It's a joke even talking about it. Shabazz has a better shot, but I have a feeling he'll be returning for his senior year. He wants to win badly and next year is his last shot.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

First of all, if you mean "professional" in the sense that he'd be getting paid, he could find work today if he wanted to.

More importantly, how long does one need to be on this board to realize that being "ready" for the NBA has nothing to do with it sometimes??

 

[husky99]

We need a huge improvement under the basket.. teams drive past our guards and our bigs seem a step behind or will not slide over to protect the basket... seems like it happens five to six times a game

 

[CTBasketball]

We need a huge improvement under the basket.. teams drive past our guards and our bigs seem a step behind or will not slide over to protect the basket... seems like it happens five to six times a game

I feel like Wolf will be a force next year. Olander too (hopefully). We can only hope that Facey, Nolan, Brimah, and who else in the frontcourt will step up. It's not hard to get hand up and alter a shot. Especially when you're 6'10''

 

[Kitaman]

Ummm why this thread now? I'm excitedly looking forward to the remaining games this season. This team is already special with the post season ban and the way they have responded to a new Coach.

Irrespective of wins/losses this season, this squad has been fun to watch.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I hate to keep beating this drum but you're saying that a kid who is clearly wildly overmatched in the Big East is suddenly going to become a "force" just by virtue of being one year older.

 

[CTBasketball]

I hate to keep beating this drum but you're saying that a kid who is clearly wildly overmatched in the Big East is suddenly going to become a "force" just by virtue of being one year older.

I haven't seen Enosch overmatched this season. Maybe once by Leslie/Howell and again by a random other. He has played solid defense and has shown he can knock down shots near the rim. I don't understand why you are underestimating a player that gives it 110% and has been a spark on both ends of the floor during many games this season.

 

[willie99]

You know what else makes a world of difference? NBA size, strength, and talent. Kentucky's incoming class, for example, would also make a "world of difference."

I respect your boundless optimism, but I don't see where you can make the claim that a team that is going to struggle to beat most decent teams this year is going to be "special" next year, just by virtue of being a year older and adding a couple players who - no disrespect to them - are not going to be impact players as freshmen. Special, to me, is the '04 team. Or the '99 team. I think next year's team has the chance to be a better version of this year's team. But when someone says "special" I have to think you mean they could conceivably be cutting down nets in Cowboy Stadium and I dont think that's in the cards. (I also think it's less likely that Boat stays than goes, but what do I know?)

10/11 was going to be worse than 9/10
how could the 7/8 team be any good? they have the same players as 6/7 and didn't make any tournament
who saw 01/02 coming?
how about 97/98?
or maybe 93/94?

I've seen it happen so many times, I know what's coming

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I haven't seen Enosch overmatched this season. Maybe once by Leslie/Howell and again by a random other. He has played solid defense and has shown he can knock down shots near the rim. I don't understand why you are underestimating a player that gives it 110% and has been a spark on both ends of the floor during many games this season.

Olander.

As far as Wolf being a "force" next year, I'm skeptical but I could see him being a solid Big East center.

 

[Horatio]

Wolf should at least be Charles Okwandu decent next year.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

10/11 was going to be worse than 9/10
how could the 7/8 team be any good? they have the same players as 6/7 and didn't make any tournament
who saw 01/02 coming?
how about 97/98?
or maybe 93/94?

I've seen it happen so many times, I know what's coming

Who's Kemba on this year's team? How about Caron? Okafor? Gordon? Like I said, I respect the optimism, but this is not a particularly good UConn team. That's not a personal attack on the kids, who are impossible not to root for, but it's the truth. We have two very good guards who happen to be very small. We have a front court that gets dominated by mid-to-low majors. We're not adding an Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker next year. If guys improve and all things break right, could this team make the tournament and maybe win a couple games? I suppose, although the front court has miles to go.

But when you say "special" i take that to mean that next year could be a pantheon level UConn team, and a front court of Olander, Wolf, Nolan and Facey is not going to be Okafor, Boone, Villanueva, Armstrong 2.0 just by virtue of being a year older.

[But if someone pulls this out 14 months from now and laughs at how dumb I sound in retrospect I'd love it.]

 

[willie99]

we don't know who's special until they become special

suffice to say, somebody always emerges

 

[huskyharry]

I really hope both Boat and Bazz return. They both have physical challenges that make them less attractive to the NBA.

As recently mentioned in an article, Bazz can't really even dunk the ball. That lack of athleticism makes it extremely difficult to defend starting NBA guards. He is about the same height as Kemba, but Kemba is much stronger and Kemba struggles on defense now. The successful, shorter, guards in the NBA, such as Nate Robinson and Jameer Nelson (and historically Mugsy Bogues), have superior strength which helps them to not allow taller players to get post up position. Both Bazz and Boat lack this strength.
Boat was phenomenal scoring inside in the second half against the tall Pitt frontline. But, these type of plays become an order of magnitude more difficult in the NBA, so Boat's other offensive deficiencies like inconsistent perimeter shooting from 20 feet (let alone 23'6") and the passes thrown by his teammates at ankle level, become magnified.
That being said, I do fear that Boat does come from a background where he has hangers on who aspire to get rich off his success which could lead to bad advice and an early departure.

As far as moving DD to the 3 and Omar to the 2, I hope that they can develop their respective ball handling to eventually be effective but right now you would be talking major turnover problems. They both are very easily stripped by aggressive defenders and this would be magnified against smaller, quicker defenders.

 

[James]

At times it's insufferable how much you guys underrate our backcourt. it's said that short guards can't make it like every pg in the league is 6 4 (they aren't). Examples ? Mo Williams, earl Watson, Darren collison, isiah Thomas, howard eisely etc . All starters at one point. when healthy and not carrying the load of a team Napier is very special. boatright may not be completely ready but if he wants to provide for his Fam it is what it is .

 

[James]

Napier is instinctively a much better defender than kemba btw

 

[CTBasketball]

Napier is instinctively a much better defender than kemba btw

This. I think Napier might be the best on-ball full court defender we've ever had.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

This. I think Napier might be the best on-ball full court defender we've ever had.

Ricky Moore is somewhere shaking his head right now.

 

[Horatio]

At times it's insufferable how much you guys underrate our backcourt. it's said that short guards can't make it like every pg in the league is 6 4 (they aren't).

I'd love to have Boat and Bazz back next year and yes Shabazz is a hell of a defender but if we bring in another guard for 2013 I'd rather not have 3 5" 11" guys on the team at the same time. JMO

 

[Dogbreath2U]

This. I think Napier might be the best on-ball full court defender we've ever had.

I think Shabazz is a great kid and has a lot of talent, but on ball defending is not particularly one of them. He has been good at making steals, but his man has been able to get by him easily until this year where he has shown some improvement. Maybe he looks better because Boat has struggled with it so much, but Shabazz is not as good a defender as Kemba and can get quite a bit better than he has been this year. Ricky Moore was ten times the defender that Bazz is now.

Having said that, I have been a big supporter of Bazz and hope he continues to work and improve. He's not at the level of floor general that we have had in Marcus Williams and AJ Price and certainly not the "go to" guy that Kemba was, but he has shown flashes of brilliance and could become one of the best PG if he stays another year and continues to grow in his BBIQ.

 

[Huskybass]

I just don't see the 2013-14 team being a legit contender. Just not enough in the frontcourt.