Boatright's lack of size looks like a bigger issue that I had anticipated

[UConnDad]

Love Boat. Hate his hang dog look after a bad offensive possession. He does play hard but even a brief shoulder shrug gives the opposition time .Tthis is a two season problem now but one that should have been addressed already. His size will be less of an issue next year.

 

[willie99]

Boat's size will hurt him if and only if the other team can throw two or more guys at him on every possession

when the playing field levels and he's playing with more talent, he'll be fine

 

[BearJWS]

Boat's size will hurt him if and only if the other team can throw two or more guys at him on every possession

when the playing field levels and he's playing with more talent, he'll be fine

Amen... Boatright has talent and will improve with better players around him.

 

[sparky]

Boat is fun to watch, but his skill with the ball is also a detriment. He likes to set the defender up for a blow by and in so doing gets reckless with the ball. He made a rookie mistake of trying to go behind his back near the half court line against Cincy. Of course that ill advised Evans throw in was probably a bigger mistake. I don't get these teams that have no out of bounds plays that uses screens to free up a player and relying on guys to get open themselves. In any event we played well enough to win, but just not quite good enough. Without Bazz we did okay. This team is fun to watch and I sure hope they all come back. Nolan is really looking good too. DD has come a long way in the last month or so.

 

[Perspective]

Amen... Boatright has talent and will improve with better players around him.

You're both missing something, it seems, very important to your thesis: namely, that the only difference in the "players around him" next year is (potentially) going to be the center, where Olander will be replaced by a raw big with limited minutes.
He'll still have Shabazz, DD, and Calhoun at the other three spots, with Giffey off the bench.
Oh. Unless Shabazz leaves, in which case he'll have worse talent around him.

Boat next year is likely going to be a somewhat improved version of his current self, but he'll still be 5/8 or 5/9, and, unless he drastically improves his dribble ball protection, we're still going to see him getting roughed up on occasion. And given how passionate he is, I can't see his emotion control level changing.

In any event, I think expectations of a big jump for next year are waaaaaaay to optimistic.

 

[jdb50]

In the first Cinci game I heard that Cronin had decided to "blitz" our guards when they crossed halfcourt with the ball. Once Boat picks up his dribble being guarded by 2 6'2"+ guards he is in big trouble. The thing for him is to pass the ball before these guys swarm him. He's still in the head down going to the basket mode which is why missing the wide open Daniels against G-town at the end of the first overtime happened. He really needs to perfect change of speed and his pullup J so that he can go to the hoop. If he trys to just go to the hoop he's going to get charged for alot of turnovers and wind up eating alot of rejected shots.

 

[mcs333]

He needs to watch film of Calvin Murphy. He was a shooting guard at 5-9. Very quick and could get his shot off on anyone. I know a different era but he played 13 years in the NBA and ave. 18 PPG for his career.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I don't think anyone in the NBA would be drafting him for his defensive abilities. Same with Napier. Both will be energy guys off the bench. Good offensive skills, but not defensive players. They are what they are. I'm trying to think of a sub 6'0" NBA guard who was a stellar defensive player. That said, Boatright has 2 years to develop. I think Ollie can do that. Look at what Kemba & Napier have done under Ollie's guidance.

I think Bazz could be a (very) poor man's Steph Curry and Boat could be a poor man's Nate Robinson.

There's a place for guys like that in the league, they just have to be exceptionally good.

 

[Kitaman]

Yeah Boat shows the ball to much. Crosses over right in front of defenders. But the problem isn't his height it's his big heart or head. He thinks he's better then he is.

Not only crosses over in front of the opposing player but even dribbles out front. I'm no all-american but I was quick, and could have gotten a few steals against Boat and certainly tip the ball away disrupting him. Dribbling in front of your player doesn't work well at the college level. I'm sure Ollie will discuss this with him.

Secondly someone must have told him to stop putting his hands behind his back when backing up on D when the other team is bringing the ball upcourt. That also doesn't work well on the college level.

He has some upward development as well as potential.