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

[the Q]

This probably seemed more clever before you typed it.

The point is it’s a ridiculous standard to have before you consider that it ignores defense and rebounding, both of which are incredibly important factors to how good a player is.

Being able to create your own shot is a fantastic skill. Arguably the most rare. And it gives you a higher ceiling. But it’s not everything.

 

[uconnbill]

Best three point shooter and a leader.
He will play a lot and being leader

He will be better than some think

 

[444JR]

 

[HuskyHawk]

The point is it’s a ridiculous standard to have before you consider that it ignores defense and rebounding, both of which are incredibly important factors to how good a player is.

Being able to create your own shot is a fantastic skill. Arguably the most rare. And it gives you a higher ceiling. But it’s not everything.

Your best player is the guy who makes things go, the guy the other team keys on, the guy who makes everyone around him better and elevates the team. If he’s a guard, he can’t do that without being able to create his own offense. Christian simply isn’t that guy, never has been and won’t be next year.

That doesn’t mean he stinks, it means he has a role to play, an important one. Hit open shots, play D, rebound and hopefully continue to improve in ball handling and ball movement/decision making. The defense is going to focus on stopping AG and Carlton. Which means CV and others have to make them pay.

 

[kemba]

A lot of weird points being made here:

-Same people saying Vital is only efficient because he just gets to shoot open shots all day are criticizing him for his shot selection. Makes no sense. Vital his first 2 years was an ineffcient scorer who should have been a backup with a short lease. Junior year Vital was a completely different player.

-Vital is not a pg and the only time he's ever played that role at all is out of sheer necessity. Don't know why he's being knocked for that, its not his role. Or why guys like Shabazz is being brought up. Yes, comparing Shabazz and Vital statistically doesn't make any sense because of their different roles. Doesn't mean that any guard who handles the ball more and attempts to create more is automatically better than Vital regardless of statistics

-Very hopeful that Gilbert, because of his talent, because of shaking off the rust last year, and because of being healthy now and get to work on his game will take a huge leap next year and become our best player. He's not as of now though. He is a highly touted recruit who has shown flashes and ability but he needs to get a lot better in pretty much every area.

-Saying if Vital is our best player next year we will be bad is fair, we need Gilbert to be a star at pg next year. We also need some other things to happen but comparing bigs and guards is hard. But if you're expecting the freshmen guards to pass Vital next year either you need to recalibrate your expectations for them or you are underrating Vital

 

[CardiacAndre7]

He’s our best player until someone takes that title from him. AG? Played about 1 full season in 3 years and although he has flashes, hasn’t CV substantially in any one facet of the game imo. Josh? Again, some flashes, but is 6’9 and has been out rebounded by CV. If you’re saying either of them is our best player next year, then we will have a hell of a better season than I think we will.

 

[Crank]

Junior Year
17.1 Points/4.4 Boards/4.6 Assists/2 steals/2.4 TOs/82% Frees/.398 3%/.488 2%
14.2 Points/5.6 Boards/2.4 Assists/1.6 steals /2.3 TOs/81% Frees/.409 3%/.514 2%

Bazz
CV

CV is numerically much better than many on this board seem to believe.

 

[superjohn]

This probably seemed more clever before you typed it.

He probably thought the ball was in Paxson's hands in crunch time for the Bulls.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He probably thought the ball was in Paxson's hands in crunch time for the Bulls.

Steve Kerr shot much better than Jordan from 3 point range too. Guess he was the better player. Had nothing to do with Jordan and Pippen occupying 3-4 defenders between them.

 

[tennmike]

The best thing for Vital is the addition of RJ. Even though he cannot play this coming season, he is a stud...mature, intelligent, competitive, and skilled. It a way, he will keep Vital on the humility tracks.

 

[bazz&boujee]

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

that’d also make him our best quarterback

 

[DaveHuskiesFan]

Steve Kerr shot much better than Jordan from 3 point range too. Guess he was the better player. Had nothing to do with Jordan and Pippen occupying 3-4 defenders between them.

It doesn't. But he was a better 3 point shooter than Jordan. There's no denying that.

 

[Kenny11]

The best thing for Vital is the addition of RJ. Even though he cannot play this coming season, he is a stud...mature, intelligent, competitive, and skilled. It a way, he will keep Vital on the humility tracks.

Lol I read this fast and thought RJ Evans was coming back

 

[nadav]

Absolutely insulting to Napier that we need to see a comparison between he and CV.

Napier book Ended two national titles and CV is never going to play in a tournament game. Last ‘best player’ you can say that about? Gerry Besselink??

 

[superjohn]

Absolutely insulting to Napier that we need to see a comparison between he and CV.

Napier book Ended two national titles and CV is never going to play in a tournament game. Last ‘best player’ you can say that about? Gerry Besselink??

I hear you but Vital has never been our best player.

 

[Waterbury]

Praying Akok is our best player next season.

 

[mauconnfan]

No matter what side of the argument (or BY discussion) you are on there is probably one thing we can all agree upon. I know at least I was very happy that he was coming back because he's a big piece no matter if he's the best or one of the best. That was a very good day when he announced he's playing his Sr year at UConn.

Glad he's here for sure.

 

[UConnStats]

Vital is an efficient scorer when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands a lot. His catch and shoot 3 is good. You just don’t want the ball in his hand for more than a couple dribbles.

The issue is that we’ve only had one player capable of scoring off the dribble on the court at a time for 90%+ of the past 3 seasons. It’s easy to look at ORtg or WS and say the highest number means the best player, but Adams was forced into hurting his numbers because there was nobody else who could create offense.

Vital is not the most talented player on the team, but he’s going to play a ton unless Gaffney sets the world on fire. The distribution of our FGA depends on how much Gilbert, Wilson, Carlton, and Polley improve, and how ready Bouknight and Akok are. Hopefully our useable depth improves and players across the board aren’t forced to take low percentage shots as often.

 

[SeattleHoop]

Vital is an efficient scorer when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands a lot. His catch and shoot 3 is good. You just don’t want the ball in his hand for more than a couple dribbles.

The issue is that we’ve only had one player capable of scoring off the dribble on the court at a time for 90%+ of the past 3 seasons. It’s easy to look at ORtg or WS and say the highest number means the best player, but Adams was forced into hurting his numbers because there was nobody else who could create offense.

Vital is not the most talented player on the team, but he’s going to play a ton unless Gaffney sets the world on fire. The distribution of our FGA depends on how much Gilbert, Wilson, Carlton, and Polley improve, and how ready Bouknight and Akok are. Hopefully our useable depth improves and players across the board aren’t forced to take low percentage shots as often.

I’m very bullish on Bouk and Gaff. I see levels in their game that our guards didn’t have these past few seasons. I think they will really create movement in our offense. Fingers crossed

 

[the Q]

Vital is an efficient scorer when he doesn’t have the ball in his hands a lot. His catch and shoot 3 is good. You just don’t want the ball in his hand for more than a couple dribbles.

The issue is that we’ve only had one player capable of scoring off the dribble on the court at a time for 90%+ of the past 3 seasons. It’s easy to look at ORtg or WS and say the highest number means the best player, but Adams was forced into hurting his numbers because there was nobody else who could create offense.

Vital is not the most talented player on the team, but he’s going to play a ton unless Gaffney sets the world on fire. The distribution of our FGA depends on how much Gilbert, Wilson, Carlton, and Polley improve, and how ready Bouknight and Akok are. Hopefully our useable depth improves and players across the board aren’t forced to take low percentage shots as often.

All true. It’s a very wide disparity though.

No one here said vital was the most talented player. But he was the most efficient and effective. The only people that were trying to compare him to bazz....were the ones saying we shouldn’t be comparing him to bazz.

I’ve said my piece on vital before. He’s not the best player on a traditional UConn team. But he’s a rashad type with better d and rebounding. Still a quite useful player. But it is an indictment on recruiting the last few years.

 

[UConnStats]

All true. It’s a very wide disparity though.

No one here did vital was the most talented player. But he was the most efficient and effective. The only people that were trying to compare him to bazz....were the ones saying we shouldn’t be comparing him to bazz.

I’ve said my piece on vital before. He’s. Not the best player on a traditional UConn team. But he’s a rashad type with better d and rebounding. Still a quite useful player. But it is an indictment on recruiting the last few years.

Hopefully there’s a few more players that put themselves in the conversation for 2nd best player like Carlton, Wilson, and Akok. The past couple years if Adams and Vital were off, it was typically a nail in the coffin because nobody else was capable of carrying the offensive load.

 

[freescooter]

My guess is he plays a lot either her at shooting guard or as the 3 in the 3 guard lineup Hurley seems to like a lot. He gives us an outside shooting threat and can rebound so he will see time since at the moment neither is a strength of this team.

 

[Danzz]

Some need to tone down their immediate expectations for our incoming freshmen.

 

[Palatine]

Vital averaged 30 and 28 minutes per game last season. So my guess is he is north of 25 minutes a game but under 30.

He will have a big role and play 27.5 minutes a game.

 

[CL82]

Hopefully there’s a few more players that put themselves in the conversation for 2nd best player like Carlton, Wilson, and Akok. The past couple years if Adams and Vital were off, it was typically a nail in the coffin because nobody else was capable of carrying the offensive load.

Sid would need to make an astronomical jump to be in that conversation. He's crazy athletic, but he just looked lost last year. With his athleticism, it's possible but I'm not sure it is all that likely.