Christain Vital Tweet

[johnhuskies95]

He had a chance. Because he didn't pan out, doesn't prove anything. He had his shot and it didn't work out. That's part of the game.

What shot? He never even got invited to the Lakers training camp. After he was drafted Fraschilla said the Lakers wanted a guy they could stash away for a few years.

It's not that uncommon for teams in the second round to take guys that they have no intention of ever signing unless they end up playing extremely well overseas. Because now you have trade capital with guys who don't even count against the cap.

 

[intlzncster]

What shot? He never even got invited to the Lakers training camp. After he was drafted Fraschilla said the Lakers wanted a guy they could stash away for a few years.It's not that uncommon for teams in the second round to take guys that they have no intention of ever signing unless they end up playing extremely well overseas. Because now you have trade capital with guys who don't even count against the cap.

If he had played well overseas, he would have gotten a camp invite. He also played in the G-league for a spell; Same thing, every guy in the G League has an opportunity. So he had an opportunity to make the league (a shot). Merely by getting drafted. He had some measurables, hence why they gave him that shot. He just didn't pan out.

You don't draft guys who have no shot. You do draft guys who have the potential. It doesn't mean they are going to make it.

 

[johnhuskies95]

If he had played well overseas, he would have gotten a camp invite. He also played in the G-league for a spell; Same thing. So he had an opportunity to make the league (a shot). Merely by getting drafted. He had some measurables, hence why they gave him that shot. He just didn't pan out.

You don't draft guys who have no shot. You do draft guys who have the potential. It doesn't mean they are going to make it.

Agree to disagree I guess. Every player in the world has a shot if they play very well, yes. That doesn't mean the Lakers ever had any realistic intention for him to play for them.

 

[Fishy]

Look at our record over the past three years. Look at the minutes CV has played.

The two are not unrelated.

 

[Hoops91]

I’m sure he’s a nice kid, hard worker, and good teammate but he’s too inconsistent. He can’t create his own shoot, he shoots 3’s and gets fast break points- dribbling is suspect. I’d rather see them build with new blood and free up the scholarship. Go get a pure shooter - I saw a ton of them in the tourney this year.

 

[RF79]

It would be nice to see CV finish his college career on a positive upside and with an above .500 season.

 

[whaler11]

Vital reminds me more of Donyell.

He’s better than Donyell. You were talking Jr right?

 

[JB75]

Are some people on this board really “somewhat” comparing shoddy with CV? This is not even a mild debate. Rashad all day

 

[Crank]

My Last Post on CV (in this thread!)

People saying 3 years of hot garbage is related to CV playing a lot of minutes. Well, okay, if the point is his minutes were indicative of a dearth of talent, which was the ultimate source of our record. Sure, but don't fault CV for the results - the man absolutely did his part, and he did it better than anybody else in the program before the arrival of Dan Hurley.

Of all the factors going into the last 3 years, CV should be last on the "who to blame" list.
Before Dan Hurley, the only things you could count on for UConn were KO sucking big crap and CV giving 100% every minute of every game. J. Adams would take days off. 2 handfuls of players underperformed. A bunch of guys just flat quit.
Day in, day out, CV gave it everything he had, no compromises.
He did was he was asked to do. Never a bad tweet. Never wavered. Was the first player to show support for Hurley. No off-the-court drama. Got benched late this year and never said boo. Just came out and gave it his all.
Has played with hot garbage all around him, little on no talent, a vacant coach, with very little scoring help.

His numbers this year were . . . highest 3P%, 2nd Highest free throw %, the same or fewer TOs than AG and JA, led the team in steals, tied for 3/4 for assists, 2nd in rebounds behind the center, 2nd in scoring, and 1st in MPG.

CV could absolutely be a starter an a UConn tourni team, if not a FF team.

You want to lay blame for why the team has been crap, after KO, start with AG, who shot 33 from 3 and 38% overall. Yuck. Also, not his fault, but he's been unavailable for most of the time he's been here. But he gets a pass, because we all think and hope he can be great.

And if you're going to say CV's numbers are inflated because of the competition, then what are going to say about AG?

Alright CV, that's all I got for now. If you read this (unlikely, I know), I need a small favor. A lot of guys have already closed the book on your career at UConn, even if you return next year. Come back, dude - with your work ethic and Hurley's coaching, and the departure of JA, and the introduction of fresh talent . . . you can have a memorable year.

 

[mauconnfan]

I’m sure he’s a nice kid, hard worker, and good teammate but he’s too inconsistent. He can’t create his own shoot, he shoots 3’s and gets fast break points- dribbling is suspect. I’d rather see them build with new blood and free up the scholarship. Go get a pure shooter - I saw a ton of them in the tourney this year.

Christian is a better player now than he was 2 years ago and has improved his game under Hurley. He still falls short in areas of his game but there’s no doubt they are better next year with his return than without. Don’t care to compare him to Denham or Shad but c’mon they won a lot of games between them it’s kind of obvious.

Hope he’s coming back.

 

[Waquoit]

In one year under Hurley’s tutelage he made significant strides. I wouldn’t be shocked if CV received some third team all AAC consideration next year. He’s not Denham Brown, but he’s better than most give him credit for.

The only scenario where he gets consideration is one where he has taken a lot of shots. And that's a nightmare scenario for this team. My hope is that he doesn't get too wrapped up in being a senior leader, go-to guy. He's not that guy on a winning team.

 

[businesslawyer]

This thread has turned into a Vital bashing of sorts because of a throwaway comment comparing him to Rashad. Vital is a good college player and valuable on both offense and defense. Whether or not he would play for a national championship team is irrelevant considering we're not winning a national championship next year anyway. The biggest goal is to make the tournament and in my opinion he's definitely good enough to start for a tournament team.

I disagree. I don't think it's bashing Vital to say he is not as good a basketball player as roll players on our great teams. It's just bashing other posters.

To be clear, I very much want Vital back for his senior year and I think we'll be a better team with him than without him. And for the most part I like the young man for his effort and rebounding. My wife loves me very much (I hope) but it's not bashing me for her to admit that I don't have Brad Pitt's body.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I disagree. I don't think it's bashing Vital to say he is not as good a basketball player as roll players on our great teams. It's just bashing other posters.

To be clear, I very much want Vital back for his senior year and I think we'll be a better team with him than without him. And for the most part I like the young man for his effort and rebounding. My wife loves me very much (I hope) but it's not bashing me for her to admit that I don't have Brad Pitt's body.

I suppose we're reading other posters' responses differently then. Fair enough.

 

[businesslawyer]

I suppose we're reading other posters' responses differently then. Fair enough.

If other posters are saying I do have Brad Pitt's body, please point them out so I can buy them a beer (and ignore the fact that another beer puts me that much further away.

 

[intlzncster]

To be clear, I very much want Vital back for his senior year and I think we'll be a better team with him than without him. And for the most part I like the young man for his effort and rebounding. My wife loves me very much (I hope) but it's not bashing me for her to admit that I don't have Brad Pitt's body.

Get in the gym.

 

[bazz&boujee]

Get in the gym.

does brad pitt even have a nice body anymore? idk worth asking

 

[intlzncster]

does brad pitt even have a nice body anymore? idk worth asking

#@$%@#$ guy does not age.

 

[amsterdamjade]

He's getting very close.

Hit 3's at 40.9% this season. Rashad's best was 41.0% in his sophomore year.

Anderson hit three's in games that actually meant something, He hit them against the best teams in the country on national tv on a daily basis. CV, not to his fault, plays against sub-par teams on the CBS sports network. Let's see how CV does in big games against top competition before comparing him to Anderson.

 

[HooperScooper]

#@$%@#$ guy does not age.

View attachment 41779

HGH is a wonderful thing.

 

[TheChamps990411]

I like this kid. I really hope he stays and has a great senior year.

Me too. I find it absurd and quite sickening that he has people in his ear about the NBA. He won't play a minute of NBA basketball. I hate to be so blunt about it but its true. Please correct me if im missing something but I have seen nothing in his 3 years that says he can play in the league in any role except maybe the 12th man role at best? That being said id love to have him here for another year because his experience can really help the kids coming in and he can obviously help on the court.

 

[temery]

There's a pill for that. Don't worry Christian, happens to every guy eventually.

 

[BY06518]

Rashad never played more than 25.6 minutes per game and in his senior year he started exactly zero games. In no season did he start more than 15. It wasn't like he was losing his starting position to an NBA player either, Denham Brown generally started over Rashad all four years, and played more minutes. Denham was a very mechanical player with no chance at the NBA. I don't get the Rashad love in this thread.

Denham started over Rashad because of when he came off the bench he wasn't as engaged. Rashad took one for the benefit of the team.

 

[Crank]

Hurley clearly doesn’t see him as an NBA player. No one else either, except him.

It's disrespectful to the young man to pretend to know what he thinks.

 

[BY06518]

I didn't say Christian was better than Denham, and I said that Christian would not play in the NBA -- but that I wished he had a handle and better court vision, because if he could dribble and create for others then he would have a chance to play in the NBA.

As for Rashad's senior year, he had 15% of the team's points taking 17% of the shots. The only reason he got so many shots and points is that the team had a terrible dearth of guards -- Marcus Williams, Denham Brown, and Rashad, then a freshman Craig Austrie. The 5 players who played in the NBA were Marcus and four frontcourt players (Rudy Gay, Josh Boone, Hilton Armstrong, and Jeff Adrien). The bottom line is that team had NBA players at every position except Rashad's, and no outside shooters except Rashad. And the lack of a backup point guard or any real guard skills apart from shooting at the off guard is what killed that team against George Mason.

CV is no ball handler, but he would have improved that team substantially.

No just no.

 

[BY06518]

If you replace Vital with Rashad do we win 21+ games this year? I think yes.

 

[Crank]

Denham started over Rashad because of when he came off the bench he wasn't as engaged. Rashad took one for the benefit of the team.

Lol. No. Denham was a fairly complete player. He had a decent shot from 3 and a very good shot from anywhere else, and he could create his own shot, which Rashad was not so great at. He was a decent defender, a better rebounder, and a better distributor that Anderson.
Denham also got us to GMason, IIRC. Without Denham hitting a prayer in the prior game, we leave even earlier. Against George Mason, Rashad only played 17 minutes, which, as a 4th year senior, is very telling. What it means is that R.A. was a one trick pony, and the 3 point trick was not what we needed (he went 2 for 8). He has pretty much 0s in the rest of his box score. Point is, Calhoun knew that Marcus needed as much help creating shots and distributing as possible, which is why Brown started and played more than RA. People on this board are ridiculous when it comes to RA, but I get it - guy is a UConn hero, so . . .

 

[temery]

CV’s numbers went up when Alterique was added to the lineup with Jalen. If defenses play off of him, he’s a deadly spot-up shooter. As the focus of the offense, we’re in trouble. Especially if Alterique gets hurt again. If Akok and Josh take a leap, and Rique is slashing, CV will get open looks and knock them down! Christian’s biggest problem is his opinion of himself vs everyone else’s opinion of him. Hurley clearly doesn’t see him as an NBA player. No one else either, except him. If he’s realistic about enjoying his last year of college instead of getting numbers for the NBA, he can enjoy having the spotlight for an epic senior night. CV will provide senior captain leadership, and help lead the transition for Jalen and James.

The kid declared for the draft, evaluated his options to play in the NBA, and decided to return to play for UCONN.

Between you and him, I'd say he's the one with his head on straight. And you have no idea what it's anyone's mind other than your own.

 

[Crank]

If you replace Vital with Rashad do we win 21+ games this year? I think yes.

Hah. Lol. No.
Rashad was good at hitting 3s, and nothing else.
If you swap out Rashad for CV, you're giving up several rebounds per game and tough D. CV's 3 point % was as good as Rashad's, and that was with very little help.
My goodness, love me some Rashad, but people here are delusional as to how good the guy was. He was an excellent 3 point shooter and a great clutch shooter. FULL STOP. Please stop beyond that. Go look at his stats. In 34 minutes per game his senior year he averaged 1.6 FreeThrowA per game, 0.7 assists per game, and 2.8 rebounds per game. Please stop with the revisionist crap. If you swap him out for CV we probably lose more games and everybody on this board would be ripping RA for only being a shooter. Too much!

 

[Robertelamin]

Rashad hit the shot with 1.8 left to send the Washington game to OT, not Denham.

 

[superjohn]

Lol. No. Denham was a fairly complete player. He had a decent shot from 3 and a very good shot from anywhere else, and he could create his own shot, which Rashad was not so great at. He was a decent defender, a better rebounder, and a better distributor that Anderson.
Denham also got us to GMason, IIRC. Without Denham hitting a prayer in the prior game, we leave even earlier. Against George Mason, Rashad only played 17 minutes, which, as a 4th year senior, is very telling. What it means is that R.A. was a one trick pony, and the 3 point trick was not what we needed (he went 2 for 8). He has pretty much 0s in the rest of his box score. Point is, Calhoun knew that Marcus needed as much help creating shots and distributing as possible, which is why Brown started and played more than RA. People on this board are ridiculous when it comes to RA, but I get it - guy is a UConn hero, so . . .

You're wrong on a lot of stuff but keep doing you.