Enosch Wolf

[sledog]

Is he still here?

 

[Chief00]

I like Wolfe better than Olander; but it's unlikely Wolfe will be back.

 

[Jimdish255]

I'll take 3 post players available. That really takes the pressure off when a guy lands 2 or 3 fouls and we've got 2 ready to jump in. Improvement should be expected and you've got the added benefit of coaching to the matchups.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't think Wolf is that far from the 10 and 7, give or take. Even incremental improvement will give teammates more confidence in him and get him the ball more. While I expect Wolf to be better, I also expect the team to be better. UConn can't win 25+ games playing as much 1-on-1 as they did last year. They will go through the middle if they want to win big.

 

[aboogieee]

I'd say anywhere between 4-7 in both points and rebounds for Wolf.

 

[selles]

I don't think Wolf is that far from the 10 and 7, give or take. Even incremental improvement will give teammates more confidence in him and get him the ball more. While I expect Wolf to be better, I also expect the team to be better. UConn can't win 25+ games playing as much 1-on-1 as they did last year. They will go through the middle if they want to win big.

No, they'll go through Daniels if they want to win big.

 

[champs99and04]

There's a lot of head scratchers in this thread. To answer the question of the OP, no, I do not think Wolf is a critical component to next years team, nor do I think he'll even be one of our best two big men. He has some attractive attributes, most notably his size and soft touch, but he's simply too slow and laboring defensively for me to believe he won't continue to be a liability in that department, especially with Facey and Nolan now in the fold. I have yet to see Facey play in person, but from all indications, I expect him to have an impact similar to Montrezl Harrell of Louisville - limitless motor, rim protector, serviceable rebounder, good finisher around the rim. And make no mistake, Harrell would have played at least 25 minutes a game for UConn this season, probably closer to 30. Nolan could play 5 minutes a game or he could play 20 minutes a game, it all depends on the improvements he makes over the summer. He's a long, athletic body who was active defensively towards the end of last season and held his own on the block when Olander and Wolf went down, averaging over 6 rebounds over his last three games in limited playing time. The question is whether he can take his offensive game from "we're playing 4 on 5 when I'm out here..." to "I'll be able to set screens, catch the ball when it's thrown to me, and take two dribbles without traveling or firing the ball into the stands, and occasionally, maybe I'll even be able to dunk the ball in traffic". Granted, that's a big step to make, but it's nothing we haven't seen before from raw UConn big men. My guess is he'll make it from his sophomore year to his junior year rather than his freshman to sophomore year, but it's impossible to forecast the trajectory of these kids development.

So, Nelson, I think you have a somewhat distorted view regarding how to win games in modern day college basketball. You've made some strange comments in this thread from "you can't count on freshman" to "next year we have to play through the middle". Assuming UConn returns everybody, it would be reasonable to conclude Ollie would be better served opting for defensive over offense at the center position, Nolan, Facey, or even Brimah over Wolf or Olander. Calhoun, Boatright, Daniels, and Napier present an array of matchup problems on the perimeter. So long as we have a big man who can set screens and catch lobs, it's hard to imagine we won't have one of the more efficient offenses in the country given Louisville essensially used that same recipe to win a national championship last night - guards who can penetrate at will complemented by big men who can catch the ball in traffic and finish.

 

[mauconnfan]

There's a lot of head scratchers in this thread. To answer the question of the OP, no, I do not think Wolf is a critical component to next years team, nor do I think he'll even be one of our best two big men. He has some attractive attributes, most notably his size and soft touch, but he's simply too slow and laboring defensively for me to believe he won't continue to be a liability in that department, especially with Facey and Nolan now in the fold. I have yet to see Facey play in person, but from all indications, I expect him to have an impact similar to Montrezl Harrell of Louisville - limitless motor, rim protector, serviceable rebounder, good finisher around the rim. And make no mistake, Harrell would have played at least 25 minutes a game for UConn this season, probably closer to 30. Nolan could play 5 minutes a game or he could play 20 minutes a game, it all depends on the improvements he makes over the summer. He's a long, athletic body who was active defensively towards the end of last season and held his own on the block when Olander and Wolf went down, averaging over 6 rebounds over his last three games in limited playing time. The question is whether he can take his offensive game from "we're playing 4 on 5 when I'm out here..." to "I'll be able to set screens, catch the ball when it's thrown to me, and take two dribbles without traveling or firing the ball into the stands, and occasionally, maybe I'll even be able to dunk the ball in traffic". Granted, that's a big step to make, but it's nothing we haven't seen before from raw UConn big men. My guess is he'll make it from his sophomore year to his junior year rather than his freshman to sophomore year, but it's impossible to forecast the trajectory of these kids development.

So, Nelson, I think you have a somewhat distorted view regarding how to win games in modern day college basketball. You've made some strange comments in this thread from "you can't count on freshman" to "next year we have to play through the middle". Assuming UConn returns everybody, it would be reasonable to conclude Ollie would be better served opting for defensive over offense at the center position, Nolan, Facey, or even Brimah over Wolf or Olander. Calhoun, Boatright, Daniels, and Napier present an array of matchup problems on the perimeter. So long as we have a big man who can set screens and catch lobs, it's hard to imagine we won't have one of the more efficient offenses in the country given Louisville essensially used that same recipe to win a national championship last night - guards who can penetrate at will complemented by big men who can catch the ball in traffic and finish.

How can you compare a 6'7", maybe 6'8" thin, virtually unknown kid who may be a PF at some point, to a 7 foot 245 lb center, legit ability to stand in the middle in many games in the BE? I love Nolan and think we saw him coming into his own, Tyler is Tyler good bench guy.......Wolf most definitely showed flashes of being the most solid and having the potential impact we needed. You have no idea what to expect from Brimah or Facey, hope you're right but I would prefer Wolf on my roster if things work out and KO and UConn will be better for it! To think otherwise is wrong from my view!

 

[Matt (Chicago)]

Hilton's dad told me Hilton hung out with his girlfriend and played video games every summer until after his junior year and then he finally played some hoops. Yes most players don't do sh...t

Are you South Tampa Bill?

 

[Waquoit]

This was Aceboon's post:
He had maybe 3 games all season where he came close to those numbers and you think he can average that for the season?
This was Nelson's petulant response, which I imagine him making while stomping a foot:
You are right. No player at UConn has ever gotten better.
Do you see how Nelson distorted and exaggerated Aceboon's position by tranforming a statement of doubt as to Wolf's ability to average 10 and 7 for the year into an assertion that "No player at UConn has ever gotten better" and then responded to the invented, exaggerated position? We refer to that as the straw man fallacy.
So there you go. Now deflect with an insult, because "that's how you roll."

We're going down a rabbit hole here, but I'll play in an effort to help you guys become better posters.

Nelson did not distort and exaggerate Aceboon's position because he never explicitly made a position. Nelson's reply (in a similar tone as Ace's, IMO) addressed a position that could easily been inferred from the post, not a straw man at all. It was a fair reply. Why didn't Ace take a more explicit position? Why didn't he say, He had maybe 3 games all season where he came close to those numbers and you think he can average that for the season? I think Wolf ..." The board works best when, if you disagree, you come back with the reason why you feel that way. That gets a good debate going.

What doesn't get a good debate going is replying with nonsense like, "Lol @ the thought of nelson even making a logical point" or "Waquoit is still carrying hurt feelings". Remember, getting personal is what people do when they are losing on the facts.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I will agree somewhat with the poster who talked about combined points out of the position. I don't think any of the bigs can stay out of foul trouble such that they can average 30+ minutes a game. I think of Wolf as the chair of the big man committee. We also need his passing. There will be minutes for Nolan and Oleander too. I am skeptical about Facey being a major contributor unless Wolf is tossed off the team, although I would see that as a pleasant surprise if I am wrong.