Bouk needs another year in college

[3RingsCT]

Can the thread be changed back to the original title please.....”Bouknight to the NBA”.....still waiting!! Not sure why it was changed. It’s extremely misleading!!

 

[JohnFSilver]

The Daniel Hamilton comparisons are fair.

Not even close.

Hamilton graded out as a below average athlete for the NBA. Bouknight will grade out as a plus athlete. He will be a first round pick. Plenty of questions, but I suspect mid first round-to mid lottery if he shows plus athleticism and an ability to shoot in workouts.

 

[Tenspro2002]

He provided the media attention we so lacked. Networks were drooling over him, the internet was abuzz, and he single handily put UConn back on the map. Consequently he helped our recruiting.

Let's not act like he was a ghost.

Both are true.

He got us a lot of (arguably undeserved) buzz. That's immensely valuable. Maybe even more so right now than winning in any one year.

But it's also true that he never won anything. He just wasn't a leader or a winner.

 

[UCDaveD]

Not even close.

Hamilton graded out as a below average athlete for the NBA. Bouknight will grade out as a plus athlete. He will be a first round pick. Plenty of questions, but I suspect mid first round-to mid lottery if he shows plus athleticism and an ability to shoot in workouts.

I was comparing UConn legacies in the wrong thread. Of course NBA-wise James is head and shoulders above DHam. That is clear.

 

[Lefty2one]

For the 500th time, Bouk is ready for the NBA, will be a lottery pick, and will be a very good pro.

He is not going to face entire gameplans designed on stopping him, he's not going to have 10 eyes on him and three bodies every time he tries to penetrate. He's not going to have a clogged lane all night long because he's surrounded by non-shooters. In space, the kid is electric. He's going to be in space all the time in the NBA, that's how the game is played at that level on a nightly basis.

Anyone who thinks this kid needs another year doesn't follow the NBA or simply doesn't know what they're talking about. You can have your criticisms of Bouk, but on no planet should he return for another season.

 

[husky1bags]

Just typed this in the other thread and then it got deleted, so i'm dropping it here.

I get why people are upset because he does have so much potential. But he needs leadership skills. He needs strength. And he needs the ability to create for others. And in that order. He's a young kid so he has plenty of time to figure it out. The NBA will definitely get him stronger. And he will find out really quick that nobody in the NBA wants to see the melodramatics. Get tougher, play through it, get nastier yourself.

He chose UConn though and has bled blue so you can't just turn your back on the kid. He def needs to play harder, especially on d. I think he is always going to have that Jeremy Lamb look. But a little emotion, verbal communication with his teammates and energy/passion would go a mile towards being a better leader. Right now, he loves the "complain about getting hit" move, or "taking forever to get off the ground" move, not the "I'm a tough SOB let's go" move that fires up your team.

He needs to not look like he is bored on Defense. Be more active on the ball. Threaten the dribble. He is just so reactive and vanilla on d. And in transition if he is going to play guard in the league, he needs to learn how to distribute for others. Because right now he is 98% of the time going hard to rim on his own or making one weak move and pulling the ball out. Never is it go hard and dish to a trailing polley or make a shot fake and dish to a guy running his lane. But remember he's 19. And if he's got a ticket to make a lottery pick salary, can't blame him for cashing it in. Good luck Bouk.

This team really could have used more drive to the hole and dish it out to openan to make defenses loosen up a bit down low. It would have helped to make a few more shots tonight and hesitancy was apparent for a few players. Whaley at to p of key with wide open shot passed it up. No one took charge of team until Gaffney came in drive to hole made 3s and kept us in it.
The Defense held them in check in second half. The game was there from taking but as a team we weren't confident at free throw line when we needed to cash in.
I'm excited for future of team and higher talent recruits we are attracting with being back in the BiG East and getting opportunity to play in NYC.
Definitely need to bring in a shooter that can come off bench for instant Offense.

 

[Block C]

For the 500th time, Bouk is ready for the NBA, will be a lottery pick, and will be a very good pro.

He is not going to face entire gameplans designed on stopping him, he's not going to have 10 eyes on him and three bodies every time he tries to penetrate. He's not going to have a clogged lane all night long because he's surrounded by non-shooters. In space, the kid is electric. He's going to be in space all the time in the NBA, that's how the game is played at that level on a nightly basis.

Anyone who thinks this kid needs another year doesn't follow the NBA or simply doesn't know what they're talking about. You can have your criticisms of Bouk, but on no planet should he return for another season.

Okay yeah go to the NBA. I don’t think he will be playing in the NBA he will be playing in the g league if he goes this year. Sorry I don’t agree with it. I really don’t think he is ready.

 

[Deadrody]

This is the dumbest thread. James Bouknight is a lottery pick talent, and he should go to the NBA.

This idea that old posters have that somehow you develop better in college than the NBA is completely asinine and should really not even be entertained. Maybe in the VERYYYYY early days (1970s, 1980s) where NBA didn't have professional development programs, mentors, an entire ecosystem of health and wellness and skill coaches to ensure you get the highest quality physical and mental training.

But now every NBA team is an expert at all of that, and have perfected the process for young players. There is zero doubt that the best place to develop your talent and probably mature as a man is at the NBA level.

Anyone saying or suggesting otherwise, that someone who has the opportunity to go in the 1st round should stay because they "aren't ready" is a complete joke with no credibility and is just an old fogey who knows nothing about the NBA and probably hasn't spent more than 2 minutes watching it since 1991 or something.

FYI, the NBA is mostly trash, and has been for a while. That they make hay on the backs of fundamentally unsound 20 year olds is, and has been, a significant part of the problem with both the NBA and college game.

 

[Deadrody]

Thank you for making my point for me - posters like this should just immediately be ignored by the good posters on this hellsite. I'll start by ignoring him now click

What are you, 12 ???

 

[LRock34]

He will get drafted but he isn’t ready. One more year and he probably goes top 5. I don’t see him drafted in the top 10 after these last few games. He disappeared under pressure and was indecisive.

 

[Block C]

He will get drafted but he isn’t ready. One more year and he probably goes top 5. I don’t see him drafted in the top 10 after these last few games. He disappeared under pressure and was indecisive.

Agreed

 

[Blueballer]

Of course he's not ready but the money is there and he's leaving. It happens with a lot of guys. Time to move on.

 

[Lefty2one]

He will get drafted but he isn’t ready. One more year and he probably goes top 5. I don’t see him drafted in the top 10 after these last few games. He disappeared under pressure and was indecisive.

He's already the oldest projected lottery pick this year. There's zero chance he's Top 5 if he stays another year.

 

[Deadrody]

For the 500th time, Bouk is ready for the NBA, will be a lottery pick, and will be a very good pro.

He is not going to face entire gameplans designed on stopping him, he's not going to have 10 eyes on him and three bodies every time he tries to penetrate. He's not going to have a clogged lane all night long because he's surrounded by non-shooters. In space, the kid is electric. He's going to be in space all the time in the NBA, that's how the game is played at that level on a nightly basis.

Anyone who thinks this kid needs another year doesn't follow the NBA or simply doesn't know what they're talking about. You can have your criticisms of Bouk, but on no planet should he return for another season.

Whether or not he will ultimately "be a very good pro" is an open question. The NBA absolutely drafts on raw potential that Bouk has, so he'll go early and make some cash, but I'm not sold on anything beyond that yet.

Hell, we've already established that he hasn't reached Donyell Marshall status and even he wasn't quite a "very good pro". I'd call him a "good pro". Did play for 15 years, but only started half the time and never averaged more than 16 ppg. I guess it comes down to what you claim is "very good"

 

[Lefty2one]

Okay yeah go to the NBA. I don’t think he will be playing in the NBA he will be playing in the g league if he goes this year. Sorry I don’t agree with it. I really don’t think he is ready.

You seriously think Bouknight will be in the G-League next season? That's a real take?

 

[Block C]

You seriously think Bouknight will be in the G-League next season? That's a real take?

Yes I feel like he need a year or two more in college. All of you can hate that but I feel that way. He is no Kemba walker of Napier as of right now.

 

[Ratso]

i think hes a nba shooter, backup to um.......

 

[jdb50]

Teams where the whole buzz is about one player going pro wind up being a disappointment especially when the big player can't make a free throw or knock down 3's in big games which is what it is all about. It also means the players if he is an underclassmen is not ready but go ahead. See ya.

 

[Lefty2one]

Whether or not he will ultimately "be a very good pro" is an open question. The NBA absolutely drafts on raw potential that Bouk has, so he'll go early and make some cash, but I'm not sold on anything beyond that yet.

He's not raw. He's a great mid-range scorer, has a hesitation/change of pace game, is an amazing finisher in traffic.

So many of our fans don't realize just how much our poor offense and spacing hurt Bouk. He had no room to do anything many nights.

Again, I've mentioned LaMelo Ball several times. Kid shot like 32% in Australia and people were concerned about him in the NBA. It's no secret that it's easier to score in the NBA. The floor is spaced, everyone can shoot. LaMelo looks like a future All-Star as a rookie. Bouk will also look so much better when he's surrounded by pro talent, has a spaced floor and room to do his thing.

 

[3RingsCT]

Okay yeah go to the NBA. I don’t think he will be playing in the NBA he will be playing in the g league if he goes this year. Sorry I don’t agree with it. I really don’t think he is ready.

The NBA draft doesn’t reflect current results. It reflects potential. Once you have that understanding, you see why he’s a potential lottery pick.

The draft used to be more results driven, but in recent years you see numerous freshman and sophomores at the top of the draft clss

Again, I think Bouk is overvalued. I’m in the minority, but he’s definitely going to the NBA.

 

[Ratso]

i love bouk, he’s not lamelo,

lamelo would have destroyed maryland

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Yes I feel like he need a year or two more in college. All of you can hate that but I feel that way. He is no Kemba walker of Napier as of right now.

I love Shabazz but this is not a great argument.

 

[Block C]

The NBA draft doesn’t reflect current results. It reflects potential. Once you have that understanding, you see why he’s a potential lottery pick.

The draft used to be more results driven, but in recent years you see numerous freshman and sophomores at the top of the draft clss

Again, I think Bouk is overvalued. I’m in the minority, but he’s definitely going to the NBA.

I love UConn and I’m not trying to down Bouk. I feel like he is a special player but he needs another year at the most. I’m sorry but i feel like as of right now there is better talent ahead of him. He needs to wait a year and yes kill me even two years. I feel like the more experience he gets at the college level the better. If he gets drafted this year the best of luck to him. I don’t want to be crucified on here for what I believe he should do. He is going to do whatever the hell he wants anyway and he knows his value. But the many years of watching college sports he needs more experience you aren’t going to persuade me.

 

[Ratso]

he’s not a pg but should still take over a game

 

[Horatio]

He’s leaving and I appreciate his contribution in restoring UConn men’s basketball, but he has no legs. That’ll probably be taken care of by The end of August.