AAC All-Conference Teams

[bearcatmax]

You can make the case that he's one of the best five players in the league and I'm sure he wouldn't last long if they drafted the entire conference from scratch. I don't think Jacob Evans is a first team caliber player. But there is no ambiguity to how something like this happened and it was 100% of Jalen's doing. He got himself suspended for the first game of the season, didn't refine his jump shot enough to take his game to the next level, could have been in better shape, took a sick day for the toughest game on our schedule, put up a lot of his numbers in garbage time, and steered his team to one of the worst seasons in program history. It is possible to be a great player on an 8th place team. He wasn't that. He wasn't so good that I felt sorry for him having to play on a team this bad. He didn't come out in big games guns blazing and gradually wear himself out. A lot of times it looked like he went through the motions.

Now, to his defense, in the last few games, none of that has been true. It wasn't true in the conference tournament last year and I don't think it will be this year. He's a gamer and the program has done him wrong far more than he's done the program wrong. I just don't buy the idea that he's been held back entirely by the people around him. Great players don't play that way even when they have the right to.

Not that I'd really expect anything different from someone that stated in the preseason that UConn had more talent than Cincinnati, but that take re: Evans just means you don't watch enough Cincinnati games. He's the most versatile player in the conference (and I don't think it's particularly close). He hits 3s at a high clip (9th most made 3s in the conference), runs the offense (8th in assists), defends at a very high level 1-4 (2nd in defensive rating), blocks shots (9th), steals the ball (8th), etc. There is a reason ESPN has him as a first round pick (24th) in their most recent mock draft.

 

[kobe]

You can make the case that he's one of the best five players in the league and I'm sure he wouldn't last long if they drafted the entire conference from scratch. I don't think Jacob Evans is a first team caliber player. But there is no ambiguity to how something like this happened and it was 100% of Jalen's doing. He got himself suspended for the first game of the season, didn't refine his jump shot enough to take his game to the next level, could have been in better shape, took a sick day for the toughest game on our schedule, put up a lot of his numbers in garbage time, and steered his team to one of the worst seasons in program history. It is possible to be a great player on an 8th place team. He wasn't that. He wasn't so good that I felt sorry for him having to play on a team this bad. He didn't come out in big games guns blazing and gradually wear himself out. A lot of times it looked like he went through the motions.

Now, to his defense, in the last few games, none of that has been true. It wasn't true in the conference tournament last year and I don't think it will be this year. He's a gamer and the program has done him wrong far more than he's done the program wrong. I just don't buy the idea that he's been held back entirely by the people around him. Great players don't play that way even when they have the right to.

Evans often doesn't look like he's doing much and then you look up at the box score and realize he has like 12 points with 5 or 6 rebounds, 3 or 4 assists, a few blocks and a couple of steals all without really breaking a sweat. He's really, really efficient. Probably the most talented player Mick has had here (not counting Lance Stephenson since he left after 1 year).

 

[August_West]

Not that I'd really expect anything different from someone that stated in the preseason that UConn had more talent than Cincinnati, but that take re: Evans just means you don't watch enough Cincinnati games. He's the most versatile player in the conference (and I don't think it's particularly close). He hits 3s at a high clip (9th most made 3s in the conference), runs the offense (8th in assists), defends at a very high level 1-4 (2nd in defensive rating), blocks shots (9th), steals the ball (8th), etc. There is a reason ESPN has him as a first round pick (24th) in their most recent mock draft.

Evans often doesn't look like he's doing much and then you look up at the box score and realize he has like 12 points with 5 or 6 rebounds, 3 or 4 assists, a few blocks and a couple of steals all without really breaking a sweat. He's really, really efficient. Probably the most talented player Mick has had here (not counting Lance Stephenson since he left after 1 year).

You guys getting your last licks in before a crushing loss to a mediocre UConn team tomorrow?
Enjoy it now.

 

[kobe]

You guys getting your last licks in before a crushing loss to a mediocre UConn team tomorrow?
Enjoy it now.

Ya just trying to soak it all in. The annual March disappointments are just around the corner. Can't wait.

 

[August_West]

Ya just trying to soak it all in. The annual March disappointments are just around the corner. Can't wait.

Lets just hope for a clean game and dont have the refs bend over backwards to hand you the game like last years semis.

You are already better than us by far, you dont need the cheating refs on your side too.

 

[kobe]

Lets just hope for a clean game and dont have the refs bend over backwards to hand you the game like last years semis.

You are already better than us by far, you dont need the cheating refs on your side too.

Ya that's exactly what happened last year, what a shame. UConn has played us so close recently. I think in the last 5 games, UConn has led for a grand total of less than 1 minute. Obviously that is going to change in a BIG way tomorrow.

 

[champs99and04]

Not that I'd really expect anything different from someone that stated in the preseason that UConn had more talent than Cincinnati, but that take re: Evans just means you don't watch enough Cincinnati games. He's the most versatile player in the conference (and I don't think it's particularly close). He hits 3s at a high clip (9th most made 3s in the conference), runs the offense (8th in assists), defends at a very high level 1-4 (2nd in defensive rating), blocks shots (9th), steals the ball (8th), etc. There is a reason ESPN has him as a first round pick (24th) in their most recent mock draft.

This is a bit of a strong reaction to me saying I don’t think he’s one of the five best players in the league. But maybe you can send him your kind words and get a signed poster out of it or something.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Not that I'd really expect anything different from someone that stated in the preseason that UConn had more talent than Cincinnati, but that take re: Evans just means you don't watch enough Cincinnati games. He's the most versatile player in the conference (and I don't think it's particularly close). He hits 3s at a high clip (9th most made 3s in the conference), runs the offense (8th in assists), defends at a very high level 1-4 (2nd in defensive rating), blocks shots (9th), steals the ball (8th), etc. There is a reason ESPN has him as a first round pick (24th) in their most recent mock draft.

To your credit you make some good counter arguments as it relates to Evans. The problem however with the dialogue set forth in your first sentence is... the intent clearly is to be contentious. The tone of your post is adverse to reasonable thought provoking good faith discourse.

Understand our coaches seat is hotter than a Komodo Dragon Pepper.

SO:

 

[hoopsknowitall]

A true measure of how bad it has really become in that I have nothing to say back to a Cinci fan ragging on UCONN.

Dark days.....

 

[polycom]

Shamet over Jalen, nuts. While I have some sense of the Shamet argument, the eye test and I think if you ask AAC players who's harder to guard, I believe they would say Jalen.

After watching Shamet we can agree this was a bad take.

Landry Shamet

 

[UConnStats]

After watching Shamet we can agree this was a bad take.

Landry Shamet

To be fair it was already a bad take then, too.