Deng Gak

[mauconnfan]

My eyes knew Gak was a top talent but I sort of thought he was off the radar and would climb the rankings like Wenyen Gabriel last year rom #119 to #15ish. I didn't realize he was the #34 composite already an
d listed at 6'11 220lbs on 247. Our 20+ offers in 2017 are nearly all top 50 players. Hamidou Diallo now #8, Zach Brown #29, Makai Ashton-Langford #42, and add Deng Gak at #34, would be my idea of a super class. Rounding out this year with Christian Vital, Alpha Diallo, and a 5th year transfer big, and we would have an embarrassment of riches worthy of a chubby.

Yeah agree with all of this. I do think we end up with another 5th year but it will be interesting to see who and how much impact they could have. As we've seen we need to sit back and watch the landscape change as kids graduate early and coaches change jobs stirring more confusion. Thought Gabriel was going to be a Husky but things change like the wind. I think we're going to be communicating a lot more than normal this summer on the BY for these reasons.

 

[caw]

Yeah agree with all of this. I do think we end up with another 5th year but it will be interesting to see who and how much impact they could have. As we've seen we need to sit back and watch the landscape change as kids graduate early and coaches change jobs stirring more confusion. Thought Gabriel was going to be a Husky but things change like the wind. I think we're going to be communicating a lot more than normal this summer on the BY for these reasons.

I like the fifth years UConn has gotten, but I think having too many in one year hurts continuity some. If possible would like to keep it to one a year max.

 

[intlzncster]

Let me take a shot. Instead of lifting 100 lbs ten times with 3reps, you lift 50 lbs 15x with 6reps. This is just an example and probably off. But the idea is that you are building strength and repetitive endurance so that you can leap up and grab a rebound in the 4th quarter.

Funny thing is that the best player in the world tries to actively not put on much body mass. Yes, I know he's a guard. This is how you build a basketball player:

The objective is never bulk; Steph prefers his weight at no more than a chiseled 190 pounds. Instead, both Lyles and Payne -- to whom Curry still entrusts his ankles in the summer -- harp on stability amid a storm of jumps, hard cuts and pick-and-rolls. For that same reason, some 90 percent of Curry's lower-body strength work with Payne is one-legged: single-leg reverse lunges, rear-foot elevated single-leg squats, single-leg dead lifts. A standard offseason warm-up involves standing like a flamingo on a squishy blue Airex pad as Payne obscures Curry's vision, sometimes with flashing strobe goggles, and whips basketballs his way. "Steph's core strength," Payne declares, "is second to none."


Core strength and proper mobility is the most important. One of the most fascinating sports articles I've read this year:

TrueHoop Presents: How Stephen Curry got the best worst ankles in sports

 

[mauconnfan]

I like the fifth years UConn has gotten, but I think having too many in one year hurts continuity some. If possible would like to keep it to one a year max.

Agree I think it was tough to have 2/5th's of your starters be key elements yet VERY new to the system while having their own games already in order, and maybe their own ways?

 

[dennismenace]

Funny thing is that the best player in the world tries to actively not put on much body mass. Yes, I know he's a guard. This is how you build a basketball player:

The objective is never bulk; Steph prefers his weight at no more than a chiseled 190 pounds. Instead, both Lyles and Payne -- to whom Curry still entrusts his ankles in the summer -- harp on stability amid a storm of jumps, hard cuts and pick-and-rolls. For that same reason, some 90 percent of Curry's lower-body strength work with Payne is one-legged: single-leg reverse lunges, rear-foot elevated single-leg squats, single-leg dead lifts. A standard offseason warm-up involves standing like a flamingo on a squishy blue Airex pad as Payne obscures Curry's vision, sometimes with flashing strobe goggles, and whips basketballs his way. "Steph's core strength," Payne declares, "is second to none."


Core strength and proper mobility is the most important. One of the most fascinating sports articles I've read this year:

TrueHoop Presents: How Stephen Curry got the best worst ankles in sports

Thanks for the article. What I thought that was very interesting was that his speed and cutting ability came from his ankles (maybe like a hockey player). The S and C
coach changed it to his hips. The first thing a one legged squat will reveal is weak hips (shaky). I had PT for that. It straightened out ankle and knee problems that I thought were cartilage related or tears to ligaments. That and stretching which I did little of until PT.

 

[imno1]

Funny thing is that the best player in the world tries to actively not put on much body mass. Yes, I know he's a guard. This is how you build a basketball player:

The objective is never bulk; Steph prefers his weight at no more than a chiseled 190 pounds. Instead, both Lyles and Payne -- to whom Curry still entrusts his ankles in the summer -- harp on stability amid a storm of jumps, hard cuts and pick-and-rolls. For that same reason, some 90 percent of Curry's lower-body strength work with Payne is one-legged: single-leg reverse lunges, rear-foot elevated single-leg squats, single-leg dead lifts. A standard offseason warm-up involves standing like a flamingo on a squishy blue Airex pad as Payne obscures Curry's vision, sometimes with flashing strobe goggles, and whips basketballs his way. "Steph's core strength," Payne declares, "is second to none."


Core strength and proper mobility is the most important. One of the most fascinating sports articles I've read this year:

TrueHoop Presents: How Stephen Curry got the best worst ankles in sports

I don't consider Lebron a guard

 

[lange10]

My eyes knew Gak was a top talent but I sort of thought he was off the radar and would climb the rankings like Wenyen Gabriel last year rom #119 to #15ish. I didn't realize he was the #34 composite already and listed at 6'11 220lbs on 247. Our 20+ offers in 2017 are nearly all top 50 players. Hamidou Diallo now #8, Zach Brown #29, Makai Ashton-Langford #42, and add Deng Gak at #34, would be my idea of a super class. Rounding out this year with Christian Vital, Alpha Diallo, and a 5th year transfer big, and we would have an embarrassment of riches worthy of a chubby.

Ricker, if you had the choice for next year do you take Alpha Diallo or Taurean Thompson? Asking because I think Vital + 5th year transfer big are in the cards. That gives us one scholarship to play with.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't consider Lebron a guard

Curry > Lebron now. Without question.

 

[Ricker]

Ricker, if you had the choice for next year do you take Alpha Diallo or Taurean Thompson? Asking because I think Vital + 5th year transfer big are in the cards. That gives us one scholarship to play with.

Most people ask what I think so they can do the opposite.

Alpha Diallo for the following reasons.
1. He is a bit of a Swiss Army Knife and has utility at multiple positions in a pinch. We could go big at guard, have extra ball handling at the 3, or be a pressing team and go small at the 4. That flexibility is important depth when you are sitting players with 2 fouls in the first half that could be at any position. All our current and arriving players are locked into the positions they play. With Hamilton gone, none of the front court players can play the backcourt, and the back court players don't have the size against bigger wings. Alpha Diallo will have a role regardless of future recruiting in 2017 just based on who is getting in foul trouble game to game.
2. I want to have roster spots in 2017 for Hamidou Diallo, Makai Ashton-Langford, Zach Brown, and Deng Gak or comparable rim protecting player since we are losing Brimah's shot blocking. On my roster, Taurean Thompson would be taking that last 2017 frontcourt scolly and he can play some center, but isn't a 'protect the rim' player, nor is he an 'own the paint' player. I prefer our last scolly in the frontcourt to have one of those attributes vs being finesse. Therefore, my personal wish list is to hold off unless Kevin Ollie thinks he can't land one of these excellent 2017 rim protecting bigs, or if he sees more in Thompson than I do..
3. Taurean Thompson in my mind is like adding a second Kenton Facey to the 2016 team. He shoots well but not often, he is less athletic, about the same size with a few more lbs in lower body, he is a nice player that can contribute, but he doesn't move the needle. Nothing against him, but his strong points are redundant to Facey and Durham. That could help next year if Durham redshirted, but with Brimah being replaced by Zach Brown in 2017, I'd really like to get a player like Deng Gak if we have a shot as I mentioned.
4. My bias choosing is based on who can we add that improves our potential to compete for the national championship, but not just next year, (and that we have a realistic shot at).

 

[ctchamps]

Most people ask what I think so they can do the opposite.

Alpha Diallo for the following reasons.
1. He is a bit of a Swiss Army Knife and has utility at multiple positions in a pinch. We could go big at guard, have extra ball handling at the 3, or be a pressing team and go small at the 4. That flexibility is important depth when you are sitting players with 2 fouls in the first half that could be at any position. All our current and arriving players are locked into the positions they play. With Hamilton gone, none of the front court players can play the backcourt, and the back court players don't have the size against bigger wings. Alpha Diallo will have a role regardless of future recruiting in 2017 just based on who is getting in foul trouble game to game.
2. I want to have roster spots in 2017 for Hamidou Diallo, Makai Ashton-Langford, Zach Brown, and Deng Gak or comparable rim protecting player since we are losing Brimah's shot blocking. On my roster, Taurean Thompson would be taking that last 2017 frontcourt scolly and he can play some center, but isn't a 'protect the rim' player, nor is he an 'own the paint' player. I prefer our last scolly in the frontcourt to have one of those attributes vs being finesse. Therefore, my personal wish list is to hold off unless Kevin Ollie thinks he can't land one of these excellent 2017 rim protecting bigs, or if he sees more in Thompson than I do..
3. Taurean Thompson in my mind is like adding a second Kenton Facey to the 2016 team. He shoots well but not often, he is less athletic, about the same size with a few more lbs in lower body, he is a nice player that can contribute, but he doesn't move the needle. Nothing against him, but his strong points are redundant to Facey and Durham. That could help next year if Durham redshirted, but with Brimah being replaced by Zach Brown in 2017, I'd really like to get a player like Deng Gak if we have a shot as I mentioned.
4. My bias choosing is based on who can we add that improves our potential to compete for the national championship, but not just next year, (and that we have a realistic shot at).

Most people are idiots. Just saying.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

Most people ask what I think so they can do the opposite.

Alpha Diallo for the following reasons.

3. Taurean Thompson in my mind is like adding a second Kenton Facey to the 2016 team. He shoots well but not often, he is less athletic, about the same size with a few more lbs in lower body, he is a nice player that can contribute, but he doesn't move the needle. Nothing against him, but his strong points are redundant to Facey and Durham. That could help next year if Durham redshirted, but with Brimah being replaced by Zach Brown in 2017, I'd really like to get a player like Deng Gak if we have a shot as I mentioned.

Agree on Alpha Diallo>Taurean Thompson. Thompson also may be a bit like adding a second Mamadou Diarra. We already have one of those.

 

[tcf15]

 

[80shusky]

Not sure how serious we were here as there wasn't much buzz but we are out of the Deng Gak sweepstakes.

 

[tcf15]

 

[Yankees32123]

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