AJ at the 4

[superjohn]

He is small for a 4. He's not even big for a 3, about average. And because he can't shoot like a guard, he makes it easier for bigger guys to guard him. His ability to get to the rim is going to be most effective against smaller guards.

Of course. But here is my prediction: whoever those transfers are, they will be a worse players than Johnson or Karaban, probably by quite a bit. I think Samson gets most of the backup 5 minutes anyway.

2011 team wasn't small 3-5. Never played a guy as small as AJ at the 4. Daniels was a lot bigger than AJ in 2011. Closer in size to Johnson. That's exactly the kind of impact I think Johnson can have. Yes, the guards were small by comparison. They were so good it didn't matter.

I don't think one of them will be a transfer and he has a chance to be better than them right away IMO.

You're obsessed with height from the power forward position. Our guards were Webster tiny by basketball standards in 2014 and Giffey was matched up against Julius Randle. 2011 had a lot of length with Lamb and the frontcourt guys but Kemba and Bazz were tiny. You don't seem to realize the way the game is played is different than it was in the 90's and even just 10-12 years ago. The guards we're going to have our big and I think we're going to add another big guard who is going to play a bunch.

There's nothing you've seen from Johnson that should lead you believe he'll play next season like Daniels played as a junior, he'll obviously be starting if he's that good.

 

[AntG168]

He's 6'5"-6"6" with a lot of hair and not what I'd call an overly muscular build. There is a 6'9"-10" 4 man who can shoot and put the ball on the floor on our roster. The #56 composite recruit last year. And a 6'8" 4 man who can do that as well. We have exactly the kind of guys we need at the 4.

Everyone here penciling in Hawkins to start. I think Johnson is as good a player, he simply was playing a position where we had a super senior (two) and a junior ahead of him. Hawkins on the other hand was playing a position of great need. If no Covid year for Whaley, Johnson plays 20+ last year and you'd all have him as a lock at the 4.

I wpuldn't pencil in johnson as being able to "put the ball on the floor". Karaban we'll see, he hasn't logged a minute yet. We know Jackson has the athleticsim and rebounding ability to play the four. He's much closer to 6'7 than 6'5. If you see him stand next to Karaban there is virtually no difference.. Your stuck on 4 being a big man. When in todays game a 4 is more of a wing. 2-4 on most teams are almost interchangeable. So long as they all fall within that 6'5-6'9 range.

 

[Candyman]

Exactly so how does this help us at the 4? Another Whaley. Don't see what the advantage is of a non shooter as a 4.

Would rather Johnson at the 4, who Hurley says has wall potential, who also blocks shots, which we will be missing without Whaley.

Jackson has to learn how to score in a half court. He does so much else but we will need him to score as well, can't hide next year.

 

[JT55]

Exactly so how does this help us at the 4? Another Whaley. Don't see what the advantage is of a non shooter as a 4.

I think at the 4 Andre shooting his 36% is fine when you consider the other 3 guards on the court are all better shooters. It should keep things spaced out. The problem last year was the combo of Andre and Whaley playing together allowed teams to really sag off and clog up the paint.

 

[August_West]

Exactly so how does this help us at the 4? Another Whaley. Don't see what the advantage is of a non shooter as a 4.

If we have shooters 1-3, a non shooter who can rebound and distribute at the 4 is a unique asset.

 

[ucp990411]

I don't think it's a case where Hurley values offensive rebounding, his teams at URI were routinely in the 100s. I think we just played a strong defensive lineup that happened to have big players who could rebound. My point on the contradiction was teams don't value rebounding so don't think that would be a reason to not play Jackson at the 4

I don't think it's a case where Hurley values offensive rebounding, his teams at URI were routinely in the 100s. I think we just played a strong defensive lineup that happened to have big players who could rebound. My point on the contradiction was teams don't value rebounding so don't think that would be a reason to not play Jackson at the 4

Pretty obvious I meant the NBA

 

[WhereistheDove?]

If we have shooters 1-3, a non shooter who can rebound and distribute at the 4 is a unique asset.

And also that non-shooter shoots 36% from 3.

 

[Umami Zen]

Every UConn team has its own personality/DNA.. This year's team will have shooters.. spacing.. improved BBIQ on offense.. two-way players. To name a few. Once we know the other additions to the roster through the portal/decommits/reclasses(?).. It will continue to evolve in a positive direction.

AJ will be making an impact on the floor wherever he's playing in the lineup.. Don't care where it is. If he makes the offseason improvements in his shooting form and decision-making going to the hoop as he says he will.. It will be an exciting year indeed.

Enjoy him while he's here.. A uniquely talented young man.

 

[Candyman]

If we have shooters 1-3, a non shooter who can rebound and distribute at the 4 is a unique asset.

So Whaley who can pass?

And also that non-shooter shoots 36% from 3.

If he shot more threes that goes down he made 22 threes all year and you all know this and he does thats why he passed up sooo many open threes.

 

[PAHusky]

And also that non-shooter shoots 36% from 3.

I think this is one instance where the stats don't really paint the whole picture. 36% is fine but he was wide, wide open on the vast majority of those shots. His form is terrible and I'm not sure 36% - especially with any sort of increase in defending him on the perimeter - is really replicable. I think it would behoove him to break his entire form down and start from scratch. He's not at the Ben Simmons "I'm shooting with the wrong hand" level but he's not far off

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don't think one of them will be a transfer and he has a chance to be better than them right away IMO.

You're obsessed with height from the power forward position. Our guards were Webster tiny by basketball standards in 2014 and Giffey was matched up against Julius Randle. 2011 had a lot of length with Lamb and the frontcourt guys but Kemba and Bazz were tiny. You don't seem to realize the way the game is played is different than it was in the 90's and even just 10-12 years ago. The guards we're going to have our big and I think we're going to add another big guard who is going to play a bunch.

There's nothing you've seen from Johnson that should lead you believe he'll play next season like Daniels played as a junior, he'll obviously be starting if he's that good.

You and @AntG168 keep saying I don't understand it has changed. I do understand. The ideal PF in the modern game is probably still Jason Tatum sized or bigger. I do think you can get away with being 6'6", if you're 230 like Draymond Green. AJ doesn't have the body to defend the post against bigger guys. Against some teams that may be fine. Against others it won't be. Kalkbrenner would have dominated him.

If the one is Castle, maybe. I'm not sold on that happening. We will see what happens. Dan will either play the forwards he recruits or they will leave, and new ones may not come. I look at the teams that win and I do not see teams playing 4 guards and a center. I do see teams playing big men who can score from outside. My point continues to be that we have two of them now. So play them. I'm not advocating for the Celtic's offense from 1986. Our best lineup is almost certainly not going to have Jackson at the 4, although I can certainly see using late when protecting a lead.

The National Championship game had Brady Manek 6'9" 230 and Jalen Wilson 6'8" 225 at PF.

 

[navery12]

Kalkbrenner would have dominated him.

Well luckily we're discussing Jackson playing the 4 and not the 5 so he won't be guarding Kalkbrenner

 

[superjohn]

You and @AntG168 keep saying I don't understand it has changed. I do understand. The ideal PF in the modern game is probably still Jason Tatum sized or bigger. I do think you can get away with being 6'6", if you're 230 like Draymond Green. AJ doesn't have the body to defend the post against bigger guys. Against some teams that may be fine. Against others it won't be. Kalkbrenner would have dominated him.

If the one is Castle, maybe. I'm not sold on that happening. We will see what happens. Dan will either play the forwards he recruits or they will leave, and new ones may not come. I look at the teams that win and I do not see teams playing 4 guards and a center. I do see teams playing big men who can score from outside. My point continues to be that we have two of them now. So play them. I'm not advocating for the Celtic's offense from 1986. Our best lineup is almost certainly not going to have Jackson at the 4, although I can certainly see using late when protecting a lead.

The National Championship game had Brady Manek 6'9" 230 and Jalen Wilson 6'8" 225 at PF.

No, you still don't get it. He's not going to have to be guarding the majority of power forwards in the post. Again, that's not how the game is played now.

Kalkbrenner is a 7 foot center, he'll be guarded by Sanogo. When Sanogo isn't on the floor he'll be guarded by Clingan or Johnson.

Did you actually watch the National Championship game or other UNC and KU games this season? Manek bombs threes all game every game and Wilson slashes or shoots threes, he's not a banger.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Your definition is stuck in the 20th century. The game has changed. AJ's best NBA prospect is as a PG.

AJ is not a primary ball handler. Nor has DH played him as a primary ball handler. Being a pretty good ball handler is not part of any PG definition. In any era. This is particularly true in college where teams press more frequently than the NBA.

I know DH has made some comments that suggest AJs future is guard. Maybe even PG. I can't remember the exact quote. In this case I'm watching what DH does. Not what DH says. DH does not play AJ in a PG capacity. When DH starts to do so I will start taking the AJ is a PG talk seriously.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No, you still don't get it. He's not going to have to be guarding the majority of power forwards in the post. Again, that's not how the game is played now.

Kalkbrenner is a 7 foot center, he'll be guarded by Sanogo. When Sanogo isn't on the floor he'll be guarded by Clingan or Johnson.

Did you actually watch the National Championship game or other UNC and KU games this season? Manek bombs threes all game every game and Wilson slashes or shoots threes, he's not a banger.

I watched. And when somebody put a small guy on Manek they immediately posted him over and over. It's not worth arguing about. AJ will play some minutes there. If it's a lot of minutes, UConn will not be as good as they can be. We can see if I'm right or wrong in 11 months.

 

[BlueMAB]

AJ is not a primary ball handler. Nor has DH played him as a primary ball handler. Being a pretty good ball handler is not part of any PG definition. In any era. This is particularly true in college where teams press more frequently than the NBA.

Just because you say he isn't a primary ball handler, doesn't mean he isn't being developed into a primary ball handler.

The best way to beat a press, especially a zone/trapping press, is by passing the ball, not dribbling. Giving the ball to your primary ball handler and telling him to dribble through the press is a great way to repeatedly turn the ball over. How often college teams press has nothing to do with AJ's development as an NBA PG.

It's not the point guard's job to beat a press. All 5 guys on the court need to be ready to beat a press, because you pass through a zone/trapping press, not dribble. In full court man defense (which isn't a press, it's just full court man defense) =, you give the ball to your most favorable mismatch and send everyone down the court to create space. Sometimes that was Andre, sometimes it was Martin, sometimes it was Cole. But it doesn't have to be the "PG".

I know DH has made some comments that suggest AJs future is guard. Maybe even PG. I can't remember the exact quote. In this case I'm watching what DH does. Not what DH says. DH does not play AJ in a PG capacity. When DH starts to do so I will start taking the AJ is a PG talk seriously.

AJ handled the ball a ton last year, particularly when he rebounded it and started the break, but also when Cole was playing off the ball. And he can defend 1-4. We must be watching different games.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He's sort of the opposite of Draymond, no? Draymond is a (by NBA standards) sub-standard athlete who makes up for it with outrageously high b-ball IQ and positional awareness on defense. AJ is a phenomenal athlete but isn't quite at the same level of quarterbacking a defense (he's a great individual defender but nowhere near Draymond).

Offensively, AJ is a better passer, Draymond a better rebounder, Draymond a much, much better shooter (and he's not a good shooter).

Andre is more Andre Iguodala in their original death lineup. Great athlete, defender, not a reliable shot, and mostly a playmaker for the other scorers on the squad.

 

[mauconnfan]

One of the most important things a coach does at our level is prepare his best players for the next level. Contrary to popular belief on the Boneyard I will be very surprised if we see much of AJ at the 4. That is not a position AJ will play after his college experience. Playing AJ at the 4 would be a disservice to him I believe.

JC played KFree at the 3 his last year how’d that work out for the team and him as well? I mean I’m not sure on the 4 all the much as well but if at times it’s best for the team then that’s what is more important.

 

[AntG168]

Is this the same program that won a national title with deandre Daniels and Giffey manning the 4? What exactly are we talking about. There’s been a plethora of elite teams both collegiate and professional who have won with 4’s smaller than AJax lol. The warriors play draymond at the 5 in some lineups. Claiming we won’t be as good simply because AJax starts at the 4 is insane

 

[Candyman]

Is this the same program that won a national title with deandre Daniels and Giffey manning the 4? What exactly are we talking about. There’s been a plethora of elite teams both collegiate and professional who have won with 4’s smaller than AJax lol. The warriors play draymond at the 5 in some lineups. Claiming we won’t be as good simply because AJax starts at the 4 is insane

Daniels and Giffey are way way way better shooters than Jackson. In the tourny DD jumper was money and he ate. When Jackson can do that at the 4 then let’s talk.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

If he shot more threes that goes down he made 22 threes all year and you all know this and he does thats why he passed up sooo many open threes.

I’m not saying he’s a great shooter. I’m saying he’s good enough that defenders at least have to respect him and can’t sag to the interior when he’s off ball. That’s all he really needs to do. I also still genuinely don’t have any idea what that has to do with him playing the 4.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Daniels and Giffey are way way way better shooters than Jackson. In the tourny DD jumper was money and he ate. When Jackson can do that at the 4 then let’s talk.

Daniels was also, as I pointed out, physically a lot more like Johnson than like Jackson. I don’t know how anyone thinks it’s an example of a small 4 man. Giffey played very few minutes at the 4, I doubt more than 5% of his minutes.

 

[gtcam]

AJ could be a 4 but only with the correct compliment around him. I don't see him as a 4 but who knows what DH has in mind. I would rather see Sanogo get his minutes at the 4 and if not him Karaban. That kid can shoot and his handle is not bad - dont know about the defense though. It's weird for AJ he is almost like a man with no real position. he isnt a PG, isn't a SG or 3 because of his offense. He will get his minutes, DH will be sure of it - where is the mystery

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I would rather see Sanogo get his minutes at the 4

 

[AntG168]

Daniels and Giffey are way way way better shooters than Jackson. In the tourny DD jumper was money and he ate. When Jackson can do that at the 4 then let’s talk.

There’s no need to talk. He’ll be the starting 4. It’s only you and like 2 other people who are kicking and screaming against the inevitable. Rothstein didn’t call him a small ball 4 by accident.