Expectations: Isaiah Whaley

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Call him Porkchop or Poppers, The Wrench or The Winner or simply Ike, he is a unique player taking best advantage of a unique opportunity - a 5th year of eligibility due to COVID-19.
Is there room for improvement or is he at his ceiling? How much time at 4 vs. 5? Will Akok (or others) eat into his minutes?

5 Things we have seen:

Struggled to find a role under Ollie and early Hurley. Showed some promise as a quick-twitch rebounder. Horrific form when he was forced to throw up a jumper.​

We have seen what we have not seen: a low post offensive repertoire. This is not his game but he has become a better finisher.​

Began his blow-up second half of junior year. Really astounding improvement in multiple disciplines. That reluctant ugly duckling jumper bloomed into a better looking if still erratic part of his arsenal. He has even stretched it out to 3-point land, where DH will require 4’s to frequently roam. Kid is coachable.​

Gain in strength as a junior allowed him to shed and shred on the boards. Secondary jump is as quick as it gets. Brings superior energy to the floor. Senior smarts showed in entire approach culminating in being crowned conference DPOY.​

Hurley's master stroke was to cast him in the role of instigator in his 35' hedge scheme. It took a while to click but his long body disrupted and his excellent recovery twitch let him sag back underneath.​

5 Things to expect:

Leadership gains. The once soft-spoken and skinny kid will be a mature defensive leader. He will begin to orchestrate more, be less foul-prone on hedges and stay on the floor longer.​

With so much room for improvement as a frosh it’s possible we won’t ever see the ceiling on his jumper but he will be climbing more rungs towards it.​

Enough minutes to share 4 and 5. Only Josh's 11 are available. Expect something similar to last year's 28 (Sanogo 25, Akok 20, Springs+Johnson 7.)​

Scoring impact should tick up a tad if only due to consistency gains in the jumper. The rest will be his bread and butter sprinkled with second chance nickels and fast break dimes.​

Influence. As a 5th year his experience is priceless. In games will be a defensive instigator and in practice will provide young bigs with the competition they need to grow.​

Summary:

Phenomenally quick and relentless leaper and has become an outrageous defender, demanding the ball with pressure leading to steals and blocks. As a holdover from the Ollie era his production has increased voluminously under new management. Only player to start every game last year. Incumbent conference DPOY. Don’t expect him to suddenly become a creator but do expect more consistency and influence. Adding the ‘3’ keeps him on the floor in more varied situations.​

 

[uchusky32]

Sanogo has the paint. Sounds like he will command double team. Be ready for ball coming out. Hit open shot when game is on the line. Critical moments. Take advantage of Sanogo clean up off rim.

 

[borninansonia]

I expect his offense to catch up with his defense. If it does, he will show the most growth as a bball player that I've seen in decades (or I should say, that I can remember). He can even make an all Big East team. The reason I love college basketball is watching kids like him grow and develop.

 

[navery12]

Something like a 40/60 split of his minutes between the 4/5. Probably something like 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and low 30% from 3 on 2 attempts per game

 

[husky429]

Something like a 40/60 split of his minutes between the 4/5. Probably something like 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and low 30% from 3 on 2 attempts per game

Seems reasonable and likely. If that 3pt% can creep up to 35% on 3-4 attempts per game, I think it changes our team drastically for the better. We need Sanogo and Whaley to both play a lot... but without a 3 point shot it's hard to play them very much together... If those two are on the floor, you can't really play Andre or Rese at all and expect adequate spacing unless Whaley's shooting improves. Definitely not Andre... he's a non-factor from 3. Rese could go either way with a good summer. With a shooter at the 4, now we can get away with a questionable shooter at the 3.

 

[HuskyHawk]

They key for Whaley is that he's 24 years old. There is a reason why veteran teams usually win in college basketball. Older, experienced players often out play younger more talented players. One of the reasons why I wasn't too worried about "replacing Bouknight" is that Whaley, Cole and Martin are key players for us and they are very experienced.

I expect Whaley to take a few more jump shots. I'd like to see him slash to the rim a bit more, especially if Sanogo draws double teams, but he really hasn't shown that. I think it's more likely that Jackson or Akok does that. I think Whaley starts, but Akok should push him for time, and it may be that using Whaley as the backup 4 and 5 is our best lineup.

 

[Umami Zen]

As DH has mentioned in recent interviews--Important for the 4 in our offensive scheme to be able to space and provide room for our shooters/scorers to operate in and to hit the occasional 3. IW brings a great deal of value on the defensive end and his ability to contribute offensively will influence his minutes at the 4.

IW/AA/SJ at the 4 should be one of our team's strengths. Subbing for AS at the 5 makes IW that much more valuable.

 

[Kenny11]

Whaley is a super competitor and he didn't come back for a fifth season to take a step back. I imagine he is kicking Ashlynn Shade in practice right now and he will come up big for us in big games.

 

[SellersElbow]

I like the OP's mention of leadership gains, too.

I can't think of anyone better qualified than Whaley to call out a young player not giving it their all, especially on the defensive end.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I really want Poppers to get 25-28 mpg. His shot blocking, rebounding, stifling the pick and roll or pick and pop are all great. Runs the floor well and seems to be a great teammate.

Taking DH's comments from earlier this week at face value, he is suggesting Sanogo is the primary low post player.

Whaley's minutes will be dictated by his face up jumper from 3. I wished he shot it more last year and when he did a catch and shoot with his feet set, he was good enough. Another off season of practice and I hope he can be better than good enough.

OTOH, if Akok, Johnson and Sanogo are all so good that they eat in to IW's minutes, so be it. I know Whaley isn't regressing, so if he ends up losing minutes it means the remaining 4/5 on the roster are killing it.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Something like a 40/60 split of his minutes between the 4/5. Probably something like 8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and low 30% from 3 on 2 attempts per game

Seems reasonable and likely. If that 3pt% can creep up to 35% on 3-4 attempts per game, I think it changes our team drastically for the better. We need Sanogo and Whaley to both play a lot... but without a 3 point shot it's hard to play them very much together... If those two are on the floor, you can't really play Andre or Rese at all and expect adequate spacing unless Whaley's shooting improves. Definitely not Andre... he's a non-factor from 3. Rese could go either way with a good summer. With a shooter at the 4, now we can get away with a questionable shooter at the 3.

I can see closer to 10 and 7 and would like closer to 35 than 30 on 3pt%.

 

[navery12]

I can see closer to 10 and 7 and would like closer to 35 than 30 on 3pt%.

I hope he can shoot closer to 35% from 3, but the biggest thing for me is he just needs to take more 3's if the defense is going to leave him open. Martin and Sanogo should get a decent amount of rebounds if he misses and it forces the defense to make a choice between defending him at the 3 point line and doubling Sanogo. And it'll also open the lane for Jackson to cut to the basket without the ball

 

[HuskyHawk]

I hope he can shoot closer to 35% from 3, but the biggest thing for me is he just needs to take more 3's if the defense is going to leave him open. Martin and Sanogo should get a decent amount of rebounds if he misses and it forces the defense to make a choice between defending him at the 3 point line and doubling Sanogo. And it'll also open the lane for Jackson to cut to the basket without the ball

I don't care if he takes threes, but if he doesn't, I don't want him standing out there while the don't guard him. If you're going to be outside as an offensive player, you need to be able to score from there. I actually think he has a nice midrange jumper, and I'm fine if he takes those (despite analytics disfavoring the shot). I think we too often think "spacing" means just 3 point shots.

 

[elmcityboy]

i think we see him take and make a LOT more threes this year, which (as others have said) makes it easier to play big lineups and dominate defensively. it's the area of his game where it's easiest to imagine a significant improvement (is he really going to rebound more, or block more shots? he was already pretty elite in those categories) and it's also the area where we need the most help.

my hope is that he solidifies himself as the starting stretch-4. it's the position where we have the biggest question mark, unless the plan is to play a lot of small-ball with jackson, martin, a big, and two smaller guards.

 

[Chin Diesel]

i think we see him take and make a LOT more threes this year, which (as others have said) makes it easier to play big lineups and dominate defensively. it's the area of his game where it's easiest to imagine a significant improvement (is he really going to rebound more, or block more shots? he was already pretty elite in those categories) and it's also the area where we need the most help.

my hope is that he solidifies himself as the starting stretch-4. it's the position where we have the biggest question mark, unless the plan is to play a lot of small-ball with jackson, martin, a big, and two smaller guards.

I don't think you will see a lot of Jackson and Martin unless DH goes extreme small ball and Martin is the 5. With Jax and Martin you have two players between the 2-4 spots who can't shoot.

 

[superjohn]

I hope he can shoot closer to 35% from 3, but the biggest thing for me is he just needs to take more 3's if the defense is going to leave him open. Martin and Sanogo should get a decent amount of rebounds if he misses and it forces the defense to make a choice between defending him at the 3 point line and doubling Sanogo. And it'll also open the lane for Jackson to cut to the basket without the ball

He actually looked solid shooting threes last year when he didn't hesitate, he was too gunshy. Our offense will open up so much if Whaley and Akok take and make threes.

 

[HooperScooper]

I don't care if he takes threes, but if he doesn't, I don't want him standing out there while the don't guard him. If you're going to be outside as an offensive player, you need to be able to score from there. I actually think he has a nice midrange jumper, and I'm fine if he takes those (despite analytics disfavoring the shot). I think we too often think "spacing" means just 3 point shots.

Seems like a good place to post this. There was an article on Whaley in the Register yesterday. The Register has closed the holes to read without paying. Sign up for the $0.99 for 6 months special. It will get you all the way to the end of the season.

Asked what Whaley brings to the team now that he could not a couple years ago, Hurley said, “Pretty much everything. He’s a weapon in ball-screen defense, he’s an under-rated passer. His basketball IQ and game management is very, very good. The only thing we need him to do is to make 33 percent from 3 and shoot three of them a game. If he can do that, it would be a dream come true because he gives you great positional versatility and he’s a guy, when you play bigger at the 4 with Adama, who can pass it hopefully shoot it well enough for you to play that way. And when Adama’s out, he’s a gritty 5 man too, a small 5. He’s got unbelievable value.”

UConn’s Isaiah Whaley has become ‘invaluable’ player

Fifth-year senior Isaiah Whaley, known as “Wrench” for his work and versatility, is...

www.nhregister.com

 

[imno1]

I don't care if he takes threes, but if he doesn't, I don't want him standing out there while the don't guard him. If you're going to be outside as an offensive player, you need to be able to score from there. I actually think he has a nice midrange jumper, and I'm fine if he takes those (despite analytics disfavoring the shot). I think we too often think "spacing" means just 3 point shots.

In before someone writes that the midrange jumper is the worst % shot in he game and posts statistics

 

[Mister P]

They key for Whaley is that he's 24 years old. There is a reason why veteran teams usually win in college basketball. Older, experienced players often out play younger more talented players. One of the reasons why I wasn't too worried about "replacing Bouknight" is that Whaley, Cole and Martin are key players for us and they are very experienced.

I expect Whaley to take a few more jump shots. I'd like to see him slash to the rim a bit more, especially if Sanogo draws double teams, but he really hasn't shown that. I think it's more likely that Jackson or Akok does that. I think Whaley starts, but Akok should push him for time, and it may be that using Whaley as the backup 4 and 5 is our best lineup.

Perfectly said in your first paragraph. I would also mention Polley as he will probably come up big for us at the end of some tight games.
This experience is one of the reasons why I think this will be a successful year.

 

[HuskyHawk]

In before someone writes that the midrange jumper is the worst % shot in he game and posts statistics

Yeah, I tried to cover that ahead of time. I don't really care. Kemba Walker took a ton of them and that worked out pretty well. I think the analytics are overused because a wide open midrange jump shot is a damned good shot. Better than a guarded late in clock desperation 3 or a desperate drive into traffic by a guard. We've taken loads of those in recent years. Open shots are the best shots.

 

[elmcityboy]

I don't think you will see a lot of Jackson and Martin unless DH goes extreme small ball and Martin is the 5. With Jax and Martin you have two players between the 2-4 spots who can't shoot.

i actually disagree. i think that cole and hawkins (or gaffney if hawkins isn't ready) with jackson, martin, and whalley will be one of our most-used and most-effective lineups when sanogo isn't out there.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

the story, thus far from coach dan, on
adama,
'that's a man on a mission.'
isaiah,
'he's got unbelievable value.'
hot dang. works for me.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Seems like a good place to post this. There was an article on Whaley in the Register yesterday. The Register has closed the holes to read without paying. Sign up for the $0.99 for 6 months special. It will get you all the way to the end of the season.

Asked what Whaley brings to the team now that he could not a couple years ago, Hurley said, “Pretty much everything. He’s a weapon in ball-screen defense, he’s an under-rated passer. His basketball IQ and game management is very, very good. The only thing we need him to do is to make 33 percent from 3 and shoot three of them a game. If he can do that, it would be a dream come true because he gives you great positional versatility and he’s a guy, when you play bigger at the 4 with Adama, who can pass it hopefully shoot it well enough for you to play that way. And when Adama’s out, he’s a gritty 5 man too, a small 5. He’s got unbelievable value.”

UConn’s Isaiah Whaley has become ‘invaluable’ player

Fifth-year senior Isaiah Whaley, known as “Wrench” for his work and versatility, is...

www.nhregister.com

Hurley is spot on. He knows playing 2 paint-only bigs at a time doesn't work, but he was pretty constrained last year.

This year our 4 needs to be a shooting threat from the outside, whether that's Akok, Polley, Martin, or, yes, Whaley.

We have too many other options for a paint-only Whaley to get significant minutes at the 4. But I expect him to step up and seize that role, getting probably 25 mpg between the 4 and backup 5.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I don't care if he takes threes, but if he doesn't, I don't want him standing out there while the don't guard him. If you're going to be outside as an offensive player, you need to be able to score from there. I actually think he has a nice midrange jumper, and I'm fine if he takes those (despite analytics disfavoring the shot). I think we too often think "spacing" means just 3 point shots.

I would take it a step further.

He needs to be a credible threat beyond the arc, he needs to draw defenders to the perimeter in some sets, period. High block/low block doesn't work in the men's game, just too easy to defend.

So it's not good enough for him to be positioned in the paint alongside Sanogo.

 

[Umami Zen]

You need to provide AS space to do his thing down low. If DH is correct in his prediction that AS will be frequently double-teamed or hedged.. Which defender is helping?? Probably the bigger defender on the 4 would be my guess.

The 4 can't bring their guy into the paint to crowd AS for him to have the freedom he wants.(one-on-one matchup).. If our guards are delivering the ball to AS early in sets-and/or the 4 is hitting perimeter shots--the D will be at a substantial disadvantage on where to focus their inside D.

Our guards and wings will flourish with the spacing DH is talking about if we can execute our sets.