Fall Practice Thread

[HooperScooper]

Maybe those long arms don't translate to tight handle, listed at 7 foot.

Wouldn't having longer arms help with your handle? Your hands are lower to the ground so the dribble isn't as high. Maybe I'm off base on this.

 

[SoCalCanine]

Wouldn't having longer arms help with your handle? Your hands are lower to the ground so the dribble isn't as high. Maybe I'm off base on this.

It could be a farther from your body thing? I can see both points having validity.

 

[RuffRuff]

Wouldn't having longer arms help with your handle? Your hands are lower to the ground so the dribble isn't as high. Maybe I'm off base on this.

Ask yourself this - which position on the floor typically has the best handle? Then ask yourself, what is usually the smallest position on the floor? Are they the same position?

No, longer arms don't help. You want your dribble to be compact and close to the body, faster hand to ball cycle. Have you ever seen a center try to dribble coast to coast? It looks ridiculous and really easy to steal the ball because of distance from the body & slow hand to ball cycle.

 

[REB1094]

Late to the party but Solo actually does have a tight handle. He’s never been primary playmaker but he was able to get the ball into the offense without turning it over and even tossing in some between the leg or behind the back dribbling. The handle is solid

In between the swarm of him coming off screens for threes, I don’t remember him consistently using those moves to get by a defender and swinging it to the open man, or running a fast break to get other guys shots. Those are the PG skills he doesn’t have, not handles

I would agree his NBA calling card is to play CG, not just SG. I think I’ve said it before here but if he develops just basic PG skills on top of his shooting, that’s a much more interesting prospect. If he doesn't, we’ll still be an amazing team and he’ll be competing for All BE teams, but the NBA upside is more limited

6’6 Jordan Hawkins was projected first round/lottery most of the year and made 106 threes at 38.8% (16.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.8 APG). 6’3 Solo, in the same role, wasn’t on draft boards after making 99 threes at 41.4% (14.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG). Positional size matters for the next step

 

[RuffRuff]

Late to the party but Solo actually does have a tight handle. He’s never been primary playmaker but he was able to get the ball into the offense without turning it over and even tossing in some between the leg or behind the back dribbling. The handle is solid

In between the swarm of him coming off screens for threes, I don’t remember him consistently using those moves to get by a defender and swinging it to the open man, or running a fast break to get other guys shots. Those are the PG skills he doesn’t have, not handles

I would agree his NBA calling card is to play CG, not just SG. I think I’ve said it before here but if he develops just basic PG skills on top of his shooting, that’s a much more interesting prospect. If he doesn't, we’ll still be an amazing team and he’ll be competing for All BE teams, but the NBA upside is more limited

6’6 Jordan Hawkins was projected first round/lottery most of the year and made 106 threes at 38.8% (16.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.8 APG). 6’3 Solo, in the same role, wasn’t on draft boards after making 99 threes at 41.4% (14.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG). Positional size matters for the next step

Hawkins had height and could elevate, quickly, over a defender.

Solo will never be a PG. Disagree he has a tight handle, at least he didn't last year. His way to the NBA will be an ability to stave off the close out with some ability to consistently create off the dribble, whether that be a middy game (which he started showing), or by taking it to the rim (which he struggled with). AND showing some ability to stay in front of his man as a defender. I don't care what he shoots from 3, at the NBA at 6'3" (in shoes), you're not going to do much as just a shooter who can't defend.

 

[imno1]

Late to the party but Solo actually does have a tight handle. He’s never been primary playmaker but he was able to get the ball into the offense without turning it over and even tossing in some between the leg or behind the back dribbling. The handle is solid

In between the swarm of him coming off screens for threes, I don’t remember him consistently using those moves to get by a defender and swinging it to the open man, or running a fast break to get other guys shots. Those are the PG skills he doesn’t have, not handles

I would agree his NBA calling card is to play CG, not just SG. I think I’ve said it before here but if he develops just basic PG skills on top of his shooting, that’s a much more interesting prospect. If he doesn't, we’ll still be an amazing team and he’ll be competing for All BE teams, but the NBA upside is more limited

6’6 Jordan Hawkins was projected first round/lottery most of the year and made 106 threes at 38.8% (16.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.8 APG). 6’3 Solo, in the same role, wasn’t on draft boards after making 99 threes at 41.4% (14.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.6 APG). Positional size matters for the next step

Did Hawkins grow a few inches?

 

[REB1094]

Hawkins had height and could elevate, quickly, over a defender.

Solo will never be a PG. Disagree he has a tight handle, at least he didn't last year. His way to the NBA will be an ability to stave off the close out with some ability to consistently create off the dribble, whether that be a middy game (which he started showing), or by taking it to the rim (which he struggled with). AND showing some ability to stay in front of his man as a defender. I don't care what he shoots from 3, at the NBA at 6'3" (in shoes), you're not going to do much as just a shooter who can't defend.

For what it’s worth, the only players drafted in the first round last year who were under 6’5 (I incorrectly said before Hawkins was 6’6):

7. Jeremiah Fears (6’4 PG)
18. Walter Clayton (6’2 PG, F4 MOP)
19. Nolan Traore (6’4, 19 year old international but I think a PG or CG)
25. Jase Richardson (6’0 SG, or was he a CG with the other Fears brother?)

There were a lot the year before that - Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Devin Carter, Bub Carrington, Jared McCain, Isaiah Collier. But mostly freshman and mostly guys that played some PG/CG (exception being Devin Carter)

I’m sure there are a lot of really good scorers in college at 6’3 that can shoot and create off the dribble but NBA teams don’t seem to be taking them first round unless they also play some PG

We have 3 PGs (two being REALLY strong) so forcing Solo to play PG won’t maximize the team’s success. He’ll be in the same role + more scoring versatility. If he does really well expanding his game and the team is successful, he probably is on draft boards. But I don’t know many successful 6’3 NBA players who can’t play a little PG

 

[jibsey]

For what it’s worth, the only players drafted in the first round last year who were under 6’5 (I incorrectly said before Hawkins was 6’6):

7. Jeremiah Fears (6’4 PG)
18. Walter Clayton (6’2 PG, F4 MOP)
19. Nolan Traore (6’4, 19 year old international but I think a PG or CG)
25. Jase Richardson (6’0 SG, or was he a CG with the other Fears brother?)

There were a lot the year before that - Reed Sheppard, Rob Dillingham, Devin Carter, Bub Carrington, Jared McCain, Isaiah Collier. But mostly freshman and mostly guys that played some PG/CG (exception being Devin Carter)

I’m sure there are a lot of really good scorers in college at 6’3 that can shoot and create off the dribble but NBA teams don’t seem to be taking them first round unless they also play some PG

We have 3 PGs (two being REALLY strong) so forcing Solo to play PG won’t maximize the team’s success. He’ll be in the same role + more scoring versatility. If he does really well expanding his game and the team is successful, he probably is on draft boards. But I don’t know many successful 6’3 NBA players who can’t play a little PG

Shooting guards do point guard stuff all of the time whether they are called point guard or not and I’m sure Solo will.

 

[87Xfer]

It’s the same way they didn’t start telling Andre to be aggressive finishing and cutting until halfway through his junior year (when we were losing games because he couldn’t make 3s) or when they didn’t push for Sanogo to pass the ball more until that year as well.

Even though everyone on the board saw Sanogo being a black hole when he got the ball for awhile. There’s a pattern of these things man. If you don’t agree fine but I’ll say my perspective on this pattern I see with our player development.

You're just making stuff up at this point. You have no idea what or when the staff tells players.

 

[navery12]

What HW611 thinks he looks like in this thread:

What HW611 actually looks like in this thread:

 

[Mr. French]

You're just making stuff up at this point. You have no idea what or when the staff tells players.

That's the most bothersome to me.

He literally sees something change and concludes "this was never discussed prior, and now the coaching staff realizes it's a need" as opposed to "they probably were talking about this a lot but it never quite materialized."

It indicates a low level of experience or knowledge of actual sports coaching, playing and development. Coaching or playing almost any level above 5 years old would make you understand that sometimes things are emphasized for 2 years and they NEVER develop. That doesn't mean it wasn't worked on, emphasized and thoroughly dissected.

Also, you don't just let every player work on every weakness they have in game until they "figure it out." This is a national championship aspiring program every year, that's not at all how it works. If Solo or any other player doesn't show with utmost confidence that he can do something, it won't be pushed in a game setting.

They work on these things IN PRACTICE where HW611 has no clue what's emphasized.

 

[HW611]

That's the most bothersome to me.

He literally sees something change and concludes "this was never discussed prior, and now the coaching staff realizes it's a need" as opposed to "they probably were talking about this a lot but it never quite materialized."

It indicates a low level of experience or knowledge of actual sports coaching, playing and development. Coaching or playing almost any level above 5 years old would make you understand that sometimes things are emphasized for 2 years and they NEVER develop. That doesn't mean it wasn't worked on, emphasized and thoroughly dissected.

Also, you don't just let every player work on every weakness they have in game until they "figure it out." This is a national championship aspiring program every year, that's not at all how it works. If Solo or any other player doesn't show with utmost confidence that he can do something, it won't be pushed in a game setting.

They work on these things IN PRACTICE where HW611 has no clue what's emphasized.

You all are right. The staff was working on Sanogo’s passing for 4 and a half years in practice and he just finally got comfortable enough to do it after our losing streak.

What great timing for him to finally learn how to pass the ball after 4 years of our staff working on it with him.

 

[slepers]

This back and forth is getting very old

 

[Edward Sargent]

You all are right. The staff was working on Sanogo’s passing for 4 and a half years in practice and he just finally got comfortable enough to do it after our losing streak.

What great timing for him to finally learn how to pass the ball after 4 years of our staff working on it with him.

Since Adama was at UConn for 3 years I think your thesis falls apart