Christian Vital

[Friendship]

Vital is the best player on this team. Open your eyes!

 

[Palatine]

Vital has a lot of Dyson in him. He s a very good individual player but not the best in a team concept. He competes hard. Tough both mentally and physically. Willing to mix it up. Good rebounder. The moment is not too big for him. But his play run through himself. He's a me first player. Hurley has tempered him some but he still plays to his personality.

BTW, Gilbert and Adams are better players.

 

[Stainmaster]

But his play run through himself. He's a me first player. Hurley has tempered him some but he still plays to his personality.

This is an outdated take.

 

[David 76]

He doesn’t need to be top 10 anything to be a great leader. He’s the leader NOW. It’s obvious yet unofficial. He makes mistakes but doesn’t hang his head and defends the blue and white to the bone. He is all over his team with encouragement and support. Who is the first to hit a player after a great play. Who enforces hockey style on opposing players. Who tries to bring up the emotions and energy. CV.

Yeah, but that wasn't the question. I'm not sure who is the leader of this team. That may be the problem.

 

[GHSWolverines]

I love CV. This year Hurley has reigned him in. He is loyal and has a heart of a lion. He definitely bleeds blue. His kryptonite is that he not naturally talented. But I will want players like him all the time.

 

[Fishy]

The old guard on this team is too used to losing - the past few seasons ruined anything resembling leadership Adams or Vital might have possessed. If there's a leader anywhere on the team, he's not shown up yet. Eventually, it might be Gilbert, but that won't happen this year.

So Vital is not a leader and doesn't really seem suited to the position. He's a good kid, but still gets stuck in his own head occasionally.

But...he's really proven to be more coachable this year. He's not settling for long threes early in the shot clock and he's not looking for his stats when he thinks the game is either won or lost. He's still limited as a player, but he plays hard, he's taking shots he can make. He'd make a perfect sixth-man.

 

[jdb50]

Vital should teach a rebounding class because he has the instinct and want to. I hope he gets to play on a decent team next year.

 

[mussels]

So Vital is not a leader and doesn't really seem suited to the position. He's a good kid, but still gets stuck in his own head occasionally.

Strongly disagree. A leader doesn't have to be the best player on the team, and also not being "the leader" doesn't mean you can't be "a leader".

Forgetting shooting percentages for a moment, when a six two guard leads the team in rebounds and is tied for ninth in the conference for defensive rebounds that speaks volumes about his drive and desire. That translates into credibility with team mates. When I listened to his interview after the Wichita State game, I heard accountability, mentoring, and a deep respect for UCONN basketball that he was passing on to younger players. When I watched the players at break last night I saw Christian and Alterique doing a lot of the talking. He is definitely a leader.

 

[Fishy]

Nah.

This team quits on its feet way too often to be putting the leader hat on any of the upperclassmen.

 

[mussels]

You are a tough grader.

Last year's team quit on its feet. This years team lost to better teams - night and day.

 

[Rico444]

Strongly disagree. A leader doesn't have to be the best player on the team, and also not being "the leader" doesn't mean you can't be "a leader".

Forgetting shooting percentages for a moment, when a six two guard leads the team in rebounds and is tied for ninth in the conference for defensive rebounds that speaks volumes about his drive and desire. That translates into credibility with team mates. When I listened to his interview after the Wichita State game, I heard accountability, mentoring, and a deep respect for UCONN basketball that he was passing on to younger players. When I watched the players at break last night I saw Christian and Alterique doing a lot of the talking. He is definitely a leader.

He has some leadership qualities, but I wouldn't call him a great leader. Great leaders don't get technical every other game like he does.

 

[BNich]

Am I the only one who thinks CV could be the new leader of the team? I really like him and I think he’ll progress into a top 10 player in the American

Love this kid. Love the hustle and heart. He's got the Kemba Walker/Shabazz Napier type hustle and heart just not quite as talented. He is turning into a great all around player though. Like to see guards his size hit the boards. He's a coaches guy. Leaves it all out on the floor for his brothers. I would want players like him on my team any day.

 

[CL82]

Nah.

This team quits on its feet way too often to be putting the leader hat on any of the upperclassmen.

Well it's pretty unlikely to be lead by underclassman, so it probably for the best to hope that CV is up to the task. He's grown this year and seems to be buying into what Hurley is selling.

 

[RichZ]

CV has also proven to be among the most physically durable of our current and recent crop of players.

 

[zls44]

If he gets back, it'll be Gilbert. To persevere through those injuries is gonna make the kid tough as hell.

 

[BY06518]

Assuming 50 games and I hope it's more in his career between this year and next he would need to average 23 pts a game to top
Chris Smith amazing.

 

[auror]

You’re underselling how good he’s been this year. He has a an eFG% of 59.6% and a TS% it 62.4% both rank in the top 125 of players in division one. We’ve never had a guard at uconn going back to 2002 that has shot the ball as effectively as he has this season when being used on more than 20% on possessions. He also has a steal% of 3.2% which puts in in the top 135 players in d1.

You're underselling his turnovers. He's been efficient overall because his shooting in all 3 facets has been so good, but his 21% turnover rate (for a mostly spot up shooter and 3rd ballhandler) is abysmal. Brings his ORTG down to the 400 ranks compared to those gaudy shooting ranks.

If he doesn't have to move his feet on offense, he's been really money this year with that high release. His shot selection has obviously been better (and he's making more of the questionable ones). So if he works as a senior and cleans up his handle and the other type of decision making (pass selection), he could be a quality starter on a tournament team, or ideally a 6th man on an actually contending team.

On the leadership issue, he's still inconsistent. His fire and intensity are infectious, but he isn't in control of himself at times. He has several technicals on the year, and as a person setting an example, that's several too many. He can be the team firebrand, but he can't be the team leader acting that way.

 

[mussels]

On the leadership issue, he's still inconsistent. His fire and intensity are infectious, but he isn't in control of himself at times. He has several technicals on the year, and as a person setting an example, that's several too many. He can be the team firebrand, but he can't be the team leader acting that way.

Thursday's technical was unfortunate but I put it more on the ref for the original call and his over reaction to Christian's reaction. Unfortunate as it was, I only count one other this year during the Florida State game.

 

[AdamaNation]

Yeah, but that wasn't the question. I'm not sure who is the leader of this team. That may be the problem.[/

See OP. It was a comment in the original post. Semantics I guess.

 

[Hoophound]

For two years I’ve been saying he’s the type of kid that will really make something of himself because of his desire and work ethic. If you can’t see that this kid is valuable and exhibits leadership qualities, you don’t know what you are looking for. He is the epitome of a leader. The problem is that he is leading a weak group of players, not his leadership. He leads by example on defense and on the boards. That’s the hustle department. That’s where you seperate the men from the boys. This kid needs more talented teammates that can shoot the basketball.

Christian has contributed more than anyone else on this team. He’s a warrior and just when you think he’s plateaud and that’s all you are getting, he starts exhibiting better ability to create offense and score mid-range. The kid is an animal. Enjoy him, you’ll miss him when he’s gone.

 

[mauconnfan]

I mean he "leads" by example no doubt, the way he plays and the passion he plays with. As Fishy stated he's made himself much more coachable this year and has calmed down on a few very bad habits which I think is a credit to the young man. Just falls a bit short in The leader department but he certainly is respected by his teammates it would seem. They really don't have a leader as in he's the guy. I think Alterique could be and was positioning himself prior to this injury with much more consistent play. Call him what you want he's made tremendous strides this year and I respect the crap out of him for that alone.

 

[RichZ]

I don't know if Hurley made CV a better player, or CV just committed to improving on his own. Probably a combination of both. But there's no doubt that CV's dedication and energy are now accompanied by an improving BBIQ and sense of where his skillset can benefit the team and where his deficiencies hurt the team. It's like he now recognizes his shortcomings and avoids things like driving into traffic and trying to shoot threes off the dribble. My guess is that he's working on those aspects of his game in practice, but we won't often see them in games until Hurley is satisfied that he's got the wrinkles worked out.

 

[NJHoops]

Vital and Hurley are a perfectly matched player and coach.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't know if Hurley made CV a better player, or CV just committed to improving on his own. Probably a combination of both. But there's no doubt that CV's dedication and energy are now accompanied by an improving BBIQ and sense of where his skillset can benefit the team and where his deficiencies hurt the team. It's like he now recognizes his shortcomings and avoids things like driving into traffic and trying to shoot threes off the dribble. My guess is that he's working on those aspects of his game in practice, but we won't often see them in games until Hurley is satisfied that he's got the wrinkles worked out.

You think he would have committed to changing habits under KO? (not even trying to bash KO, it's just that this is the obvious comparison we are making)

He sure didn't change habits from his 1st year to his 2nd.

 

[jayteeman]

Vital is a rebel....and his strength is that. He is not a leader.