How big a role do think Vital will play next season?

[CL82]

I've seen discussion about Gilbert, Bouknight and Gaffney, Akok, Carlton, and Polley and even Whaley, but what about CV? He's a senior. I'm sure he envisions himself in a key role. What does everyone think?

Also any news about who is organizing things on campus? Who's stepping into the early leadership role?

 

[Stainmaster]

Probably a bigger role than the Boneyard would like.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Role? He's our best player.

 

[superjohn]

I've seen discussion about Gilbert, Bouknight and Gaffney, Akok, Carlton, and Polley and even Whaley, but what about CV? He's a senior. I'm sure he envisions himself in a key role. What does everyone think?

Also any news about who is organizing things on campus? Who's stepping into the early leadership role?

Less off a role than his previous seasons. Ideally he will be a 3 and D 6th man but since we haven't addressed our rebounding we still may need rebounding from a 6'1 guard which scares the hell out of me.

 

[Hurleyman216]

Fairly big

 

[WrenchFan69]

He's going to play 30+ mpg and probably be our leading scorer and probably our best defender

 

[Mister P]

I think he will still be a big factor on where this team goes. He's proven he can score,rebound,dish assists,etc. and these talents are needed until the 3 incoming freshmen can prove themselves. CV and AG both need to show leadership, verbally and demonstrably.

 

[Kenny11]

He will be Vital to our success. Now give me some damn likes.

 

[Husky68]

He and AG (and Jalen had issues also) need to be much more efficient with the ball. CV will get plenty of playing time, he needs to be part of orchestrating good plays not forcing plays where there isn't an advantage. Last year way too many lost scoring opportunities because of bad decisions and plays. Part of issue was his own selection of shots and times to shoot. But a lot had to do with his skills. Just like Ben Gordon was a much better spot up shooter than ballhandler/driver, CV just isn't a good enough ball handler to attack the rim or try and tread passes as he does.
A better ball handling, shot selecting CV will be the best player on the team, the 2018/19 CV will cost a few games the 2019/20 team should have won.

 

[Candyman]

Role? He's our best player.

He's not our best player. He's not our best on ball defender either. Lets pray for UConn's upcoming season that Vital is not the best player we have. He is a good shooter and rebounder for his size and has the biggest heart and desire but not best player.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

The heart and soul of the entire program and a top 50 all time scorer. I’m guessing he plays a pretty big role.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I expect he will likely start at SG early on. I don't think we'll see him playing SF again, thank God. I expect minutes to be down among all the guards and wings, except AG, as we press more and rotate guys more frequently.

My guess is that Bouknight or Gaffney will be starting at SG by January, and Vital will be our instant offense off the bench 6th man. A lot will depend on whether Bouknight and Gaffney are playing solid defense. He's a limited guy, with high motor. He shoots well off the catch and rebounds well. His handle is sub-par for a 6' guard and he doesn't generate offense off the dribble (shooting or driving).

In short, he can't generate his own offense. Hopefully the team can generate some for him.

 

[JB75]

Our best player? Geez I hope not. He deff improved last year from his first two seasons but ideally he comes off the bench. He scores a lot because he takes 50 shots a game. He’s like a fantasy qb stat filler. 2tds/300 yards passing /3 ints/and 1 rushing td. Cam newton type

 

[HuskyHawk]

What a revealing thread. Some widely varying positions on Vital. I think we all agree on the heart and effort. I don't think we all agree on talent.

He scored a ton of points, because he played on two teams that had no more than three healthy scholarship guards on the active roster (and sometimes just two). Even last year, he got additional minutes when AG and Jalen were hurt. When they were both out, he saw lots of defensive attention for a change and they shut him down.

 

[SubInATub]

Breakout year. Time for stardom for Christian.

 

[Stainmaster]

Our best player? Geez I hope not. He deff improved last year from his first two seasons but ideally he comes off the bench. He scores a lot because he takes 50 shots a game. He’s like a fantasy qb stat filler. 2tds/300 yards passing /3 ints/and 1 rushing td. Cam newton type

Nope

 

[JB75]

By end of November hopefully our best players are:
1) AG
2) Carlton
3) vital
By end of February:
1)ag
2)Carlton
3) polley/bouknight
4) vital/gaffney/sid

 

[husky429]

His role will be bigger than some here expect. Experience and toughness are huge in the college game.

I'm not sure people realize how much his efficiency improved last year either. If he has a similar jump, he could be one of the top guards in the conference.

Last year--40.9% from 3
51% from 2
81% FT
45% FG overall.
2.4/2.3 AST/TO

His lead guard ability is not great and it showed when AG and Jalen were both down especially. Those games were real clunkers if I remember correctly. But he is tough as nails, rebounds extremely well, and hits the long ball.

If he isn't getting a lot of minutes, Bouknight/Gaffney are exceptional, or he's injured.

 

[SubbaBub]

Role? He's our best player.

This.

 

[Kenny11]

Vital made 79 3 pointers last season. If he has 79 again he will set the record for 3 pointers made at UConn. Right now Rashad and Shabazz are number 1 and 2. You know sniper is going to go after that record.

 

[Mano]

He will be Vital to our success. Now give me some damn likes.

Demanding adulation, how very un-Christian of you.

 

[KembaStepback]

I really really really really hope he has worked/is working on his handle. If he does that that'd be a huge boost.

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

He's not our best player. He's not our best on ball defender either. Lets pray for UConn's upcoming season that Vital is not the best player we have. He is a good shooter and rebounder for his size and has the biggest heart and desire but not best player.

Have you seen his advanced stats? He's by far our best offensive player and defensive player.

- Last season he had an offensive rating of 114. The last UConn guard to have an offensive rating like that was Shabazz in 2014.
- He shot 41% from 3 (171st in the country)
- 81% from the line (206 in the country)
- Had a true shooting percentage of 61.2% (134th in the country)
- A 17.8% defensive rebounding rate (444th in the country, and thats as a guard)
- A 3% steal rate (146th in the country).
- He had a defensive rating of 99.6 which was by far the best of any guard on the team last year (And about 500th overall for all of D1 at any position).

He was by far our best player last year. Yes he turns it over a lot, but beyond that he's a very good player.

 

[JB75]

We ll see -hope he continues to improve. Very strong jump from sophomore to junior year and glad he came back but unless he makes another large leap this offseason, if he’s our best player come March - that’s not going to be good

 

[superjohn]

If Vital is even in any sort of discussion of being your best player you're going to have a losing record.