Alex Karaban Potential

[AntG168]

Just to take a break from transfers/recruiting and conference realignment…….Another thread prompted me to think about this. How good can Alex Karaban be this season? What are our expectations?

Just thinking about it today, I think he has the potential to crash the BE POY discussion this season. I think he’s still being overlooked a little.

What say you?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

His body should fill out a little, his role within the offense will grow.

He will be well situated to make a huge statistical jump next year and many of the best parts of his game don't show up on the stat sheet.

 

[Hoophound]

Karaban and Clingan will be a lot easier to stop if other guys don’t step up. We are back to having a lot of unknowns. I definitely want to see a couple portal guys with talent come in and we need Newton back.

 

[AntG168]

His body should fill out a little, his role within the offense will grow.

He will be well situated to make a huge statistical jump next year and many of the best parts of his game don't show up on the stat sheet.

I can see 15, 7, 2 on 42% from 3 48% from the field. Solid defensively.

 

[aburks41]

At the beginning part of the season I thought he was going to be a Brady Manek clone, but Karaban is a better shooter which will elevate his ceiling. I'm not sure about BE POY, but I could certainly see him averaging ~16PPG with ~6.5 boards on 43% 3pt shooting. That would be first-team potential, with maybe a couple votes for BE POY

 

[aburks41]

I can see 15, 7, 2 on 42% from 3 48% from the field. Solid defensively.

Ha, basically just posted the exact same statline

 

[AntG168]

At the beginning part of the season I thought he was going to be a Brady Manek clone, but Karaban is a better shooter which will elevate his ceiling. I'm not sure about BE POY, but I could certainly see him averaging ~16PPG with ~6.5 boards on 43% 3pt shooting. That would be first-team potential, with maybe a couple votes for BE POY

Yeah I don’t think he wins it. I think he’ll make it so if someone mentions him it’s not laughed off. I think if Clingan plays the way we think he can then he’ll have a better chance.

I think we’ll see his passing shine next season as well. He and Clingan will be one of the best passing front courts in the country

 

[TheHorde]

Player comps anyone? I see some Kevin Love in his game.

 

[husky429]

This year?

13/6/3. 38% from deep, 46% from the field.

Next season BE POY

 

[auror]

He's going to average 3+ assists a game (assuming the other guys on the team make shots). If we get Spencer we might have the best passing starting 5 in the country.

 

[Chief00]

All Alex does is get better. He works hard and takes a smart approach to the game. Alex almost always plays better the second time against a team. The film work with coach Murray and subsequent on court adjustments pays off.

 

[ucp990411]

He will be the focus of our opponents defensive game plan where he really wasn't this year. I think open looks will be more difficult for him to get this year. I would like to see him move without the ball more and improve with shooting off the dribble. I would expect him to play at the three some as well in order to prepare for the next level.

 

[Umami Zen]

AK is a hard worker. .Dedicated to his craft.. If he can have a productive off season/summer..Work on his body with SnC/conditioning.. He'll kill it next year..

 

[UofCT]

Sam Dekker?

 

[uconnfan68]

Player comps anyone? I see some Kevin Love in his game.

Hoping for Larry Bird.

 

[Yankees32123]

Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan = Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky

 

[TheHorde]

Alex Karaban and Donovan Clingan = Sam Dekker and Frank Kaminsky

Two very good players. I’m biased but I think AK and DC have higher ceilings.

 

[Rico444]

Karaban has been a revelation. You never see freshmen as composed and improve as quickly as he did. He hesitated briefly when taking a late 3 against Seton Hall and missed the shot in a game we lost at the buzzer, and he noted that and said he wouldn't hesitate to take the shot ever again. We all saw what happened from that point on. He also started driving the ball to the hoop with great success late in the season.

One thing I'd like to see Alex do more is take advantage of size mismatches by posting up more often. He's such a great passer that it can either lead to a high percentage shot near the rim or an open look from outside if the defense collapses on him.

 

[Chin Diesel]

30 mpg
14-15 ppg
7 rpg
1 block
1 steal
45% FG
38% 3pt FG
85% FT

EDIT: Didn’t read anyone else's posts before posting this.

 

[Slick]

Just to take a break from transfers/recruiting and conference realignment…….Another thread prompted me to think about this. How good can Alex Karaban be this season? What are our expectations?

Just thinking about it today, I think he has the potential to crash the BE POY discussion this season. I think he’s still being overlooked a little.

What say you?

 

[HooperScooper]

Karaban has been a revelation. You never see freshmen as composed and improve as quickly as he did. He hesitated briefly when taking a late 3 against Seton Hall and missed the shot in a game we lost at the buzzer, and he noted that and said he wouldn't hesitate to take the shot ever again. We all saw what happened from that point on. He also started driving the ball to the hoop with great success late in the season.

One thing I'd like to see Alex do more is take advantage of size mismatches by posting up more often. He's such a great passer that it can either lead to a high percentage shot near the rim or an open look from outside if the defense collapses on him.

Don't forget the much better defense the 2nd half of the year also. He does seem to be a quick learner.

 

[Huskyforlife]

13-6-2 50/37/88

Not player of the year yet. He could show those flashes that it’s coming with some dominant games throughout the season. But he’s going to be behind Newton/Castle/Don in shots theoretically. But I also think he ends up going pro.

 

[Jholla2183]

Player comps anyone? I see some Kevin Love in his game.

Austin Croshere

 

[uconn_jack]

I'm going to be the contrarian here, I think he'll have a bit of a sophomore slump, better than last year, with flashes of brilliance, especially toward the end of the season, but I think he struggles for a while being the center of attention and won't be as successful as we all expect/hope.

 

[Samoo]

We know he's good for 3 points at the end of every first half, so he's got that going for him...