Hurley on Josh Carlton

[BlueMAB]

If we had Kofi for three years, Josh would no longer be a starter. Correct?

I wasn't as high on Kofi as most on this board. He's huge, but he's not explosive (but has very long arms which helps) and isn't particularly agile. I've posted that there is a huge difference in game speed between HS and college. While I 100% wanted him at UConn, I wasn't sold that he'd come in and start right away, nor was I confident he could stay out of foul trouble.

Couple that with Josh's progression, and no, I'm not willing to concede that Josh would no longer start if we had Kofi. I'm not saying it's impossible, only that I don't think it's a "given".

 

[imno1]

God no. Only time I'm ok with playing more zone is when we don't have enough guys able to play (like 2 years ago).

I thought the zone was effective last game. No reason to totally discount it. I will be surprised if we don’t see it a little the rest of the year.

 

[boog204]

He has some skills. The issue will always be conditioning and doing whatever he can to improve his agility and athleticism. The footwork is there, but he is so slow in making his move that a defender can recover. He's obviously a four-year guy and if we are where we think we will be, he will be a very useful backup at the four and five.

 

[J187Money]

Obviously the offensive numbers and efficiency (153 ORtg, 10 PTS, 4-5 FG, 2-2 FT) were good vs. Cincy, but something I found just as encouraging is that he was able to play 35 minutes matched up against Brooks who was very active Saturday. Typically I'd expect him to foul out before playing that much. On the year he has averaged 6.0 PF/40. With our depth lacking in the front court, it'll be important that he stays out on the floor.

Agreed. Need to avoid the early fouls. When he gets them, he seems to shut down and be less aggressive, which feeds on itself.

 

[Palatine]

I'm not writing him off. Nor am I saying he's trash. The reality is this: limited athleticism, limited height. Those won't change. And that puts a big ceiling on what you can be.

I assume we are trying to be a top 10 team. Is that not what we expect?

In order to have a great team, we'll need a starter who is bigger, with more athleticism, higher motor, and more skills. Or a couple of those traits at least.

I assumed we were trying to get blue blood type players. If we had Kofi for three years, Josh would no longer be a starter. Correct?

Most of what you have written can be overcome with toughness. He didn't get taller or more athletic against Cinny. He simply was more willing to mix it up, to go after tough rebounds, he played tougher.

Toughness is not to be under valued. Lyman DePriest was one of the best defenders in our history. His attitude made him more than the sum his parts. The same is true of Josh. He is Easy Josh right. Tough Josh would be a very big asset to this team.

 

[upstater]

Kids with size and athleticism typically don't stick around for 4 years, so if you want a savvy senior big man, there have to be some limitations to his game.

 

[intlzncster]

Kids with size and athleticism typically don't stick around for 4 years, so if you want a savvy senior big man, there have to be some limitations to his game.

That's the point. You get kids who stick around for 2 or 3 years. Those are the kids who should be starting on a high end D1 team.

 

[intlzncster]

I thought the zone was effective last game. No reason to totally discount it. I will be surprised if we don’t see it a little the rest of the year.

A sprinkle of zone is fine. Any more, and I start to get queezy.

 

[superjohn]

Kids with size and athleticism typically don't stick around for 4 years, so if you want a savvy senior big man, there have to be some limitations to his game.

True but there is a major difference between a guy like Govan and a guy like Carlton.

 

[JMick]

I'm not writing him off. Nor am I saying he's trash. The reality is this: limited athleticism, limited height. Those won't change. And that puts a big ceiling on what you can be.

I assume we are trying to be a top 10 team. Is that not what we expect?

In order to have a great team, we'll need a starter who is bigger, with more athleticism, higher motor, and more skills. Or a couple of those traits at least.

I assumed we were trying to get blue blood type players. If we had Kofi for three years, Josh would no longer be a starter. Correct?

Agreed. I don't think even the best version of Josh is a final four caliber starting center. But I do think he can be good enough for a sweet sixteen caliber team if all the other pieces are there. Assuming he continues to improve

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agreed. I don't think even the best version of Josh is a final four caliber starting center. But I do think he can be good enough for a sweet sixteen caliber team if all the other pieces are there. Assuming he continues to improve

I don't think we have any idea what his best version is. If he develops and right and left hand hook and hits it with the regularity of Kareem, yeah, he can start on a final four team. It sure as hell isn't something that will require extreme athleticism. You can go a long way with learned skills and added strength. He can do those things. Hell, if he would just rebound, defend and draw fouls on opposing bigs and hit FTs it would be huge.

 

[Kenny11]

He will continue to develop. He can get stronger and it will help but this board is obsessed with having body builders. The game isn't played that way anymore. It would be more productive if he developed a jump shot.

 

[superjohn]

He will continue to develop. He can get stronger and it will help but this board is obsessed with having body builders. The game isn't played that way anymore. It would be more productive if he developed a jump shot.

Obsessed with having bodybuilders? We've had one of the physically weakest teams around the past several years. Saying our kids need to get stronger and wanting them to be boydbuilders are two entirely different things.

 

[superjohn]

I don't think we have any idea what his best version is. If he develops and right and left hand hook and hits it with the regularity of Kareem, yeah, he can start on a final four team. It sure as hell isn't something that will require extreme athleticism. You can go a long way with learned skills and added strength. He can do those things. Hell, if he would just rebound, defend and draw fouls on opposing bigs and hit FTs it would be huge.

I think it's safe to say he's not going to develop a hook shot that's comparable to the greatest hook shot of all-time. SMH.

 

[JMick]

Obsessed with having bodybuilders? We've had one of the physically weakest teams around the past several years. Saying our kids need to get stronger and wanting them to be boydbuilders are two entirely different things.

I swear some people don't watch anything but UConn games. We have been so small compared to the good teams in college basketball over the last few years.

 

[Kenny11]

Obsessed with having bodybuilders? We've had one of the physically weakest teams around the past several years. Saying our kids need to get stronger and wanting them to be boydbuilders are two entirely different things.

We also haven't had a big guy that can step out and shoot, which is something that many other teams have. We also haven't had big guys that could pass when the defense collapses until signs of having that this season. I want our guys to get stronger. But basketball talent matters the most.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think it's safe to say he's not going to develop a hook shot that's comparable to the greatest hook shot of all-time. SMH.

Of course not. Nor is he going to be over 7 feet tall with the long arms and ability to elevate that Kareem had.

But he made a nice little baby hook against Cinci. He can definitely improve on it, and turn it into a weapon. Its the kind of thing less athletic guys have been using to succeed for years. I think the more athletic guys often fail to really develop those old school back to the basket moves. I'm just pointing out that you can very effective in the paint without great leaping ability or quickness. Kevin McHale sure was (again...no he is not going to become Kevin McHale). I just think his ceiling, if he really, really works hard at it, is higher than you might think.

 

[Towney007]

I swear some people don't watch anything but UConn games. We have been so small compared to the good teams in college basketball over the last few years.

I don't know how anyone could watch only UConn games the past three years and NOT see the size difference.

I watched Georgetown-Providence the other day and the first thing that hit me was 'wow, compared to the AAC this looks like Men playing.'

Because, well.

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Hasn’t been a straight upward line, but he’s managed to raise the bar to a height where an incoming recruit will have to be a lot more accomplished to win the starting center position than Josh had to be last year.
Being here another 2 1/2 years allows Hurley the luxury of pursuing higher rated center prospects during that time knowing if he strikes out he’s still able to put Josh out there at center.

 

[intlzncster]

He will continue to develop. He can get stronger and it will help but this board is obsessed with having body builders. The game isn't played that way anymore. It would be more productive if he developed a jump shot.

The game is changing a bit, sure. Much more so at the NBA level though. A dominant old school banger can still crush it in college.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I think it's safe to say he's not going to develop a hook shot that's comparable to the greatest hook shot of all-time. SMH.

I was most impressed by his face up 15' baseline J against Cincy.

Making that shot a weapon from the baseline and FT line opens up offensive possibilities for the entire team.

 

[Son of Robert]

He will continue to develop. He can get stronger and it will help but this board is obsessed with having body builders. The game isn't played that way anymore. It would be more productive if he developed a jump shot.

The game is changing a bit, sure. Much more so at the NBA level though. A dominant old school banger can still crush it in college.

You're both right. Josh would help both himself and the team by developing a skill set somewhere in the middle here.

 

[husky429]

We also haven't had a big guy that can step out and shoot, which is something that many other teams have. We also haven't had big guys that could pass when the defense collapses until signs of having that this season. I want our guys to get stronger. But basketball talent matters the most.

Size and athleticism look like talent on the court. Very hard to differentiate.

 

[uconntoatl]

He desperately needs to works on his footwork and explosion. His moves are in slow motion

 

[Brandon86]

He has to work on his legs BAD. He just cant jump hardly at all. Cant even get up to attempt to challenge shots when people are driving to the basket.

 

[Brandon86]

God no. Only time I'm ok with playing more zone is when we don't have enough guys able to play (like 2 years ago).

We cant stop a nose bleed playing this man to man.

 

[jesterman]

There were a few times on defense tonight where Carlton just couldn't "flip his hips," to use the football term. Dude went right around him multiple times. It seems a combination of 1) still somehow adjusting to D1 game speed and 2) he's just not a great athlete. No lateral or rotational quickness, no vertical to speak of really. I don't know how anyone expects him to turn into a real post-up guy when he's too slow to get around a legit high D1 big man. You can't add that kind of fast-twitch athleticism in the weight room at this age.

 

[Brandon86]

There were a few times on defense tonight where Carlton just couldn't "flip his hips," to use the football term. Dude went right around him multiple times. It seems a combination of 1) still somehow adjusting to D1 game speed and 2) he's just not a great athlete. No lateral or rotational quickness, no vertical to speak of really. I don't know how anyone expects him to turn into a real post-up guy when he's too slow to get around a legit high D1 big man. You can't add that kind of fast-twitch athleticism in the weight room at this age.

Right!!! The ball is on the glass before he can even get his hands up. By time he ready to try to jump, the ball is falling through the hoop already.

 

[Palatine]

Right!!! The ball is on the glass before he can even get his hands up. By time he ready to try to jump, the ball is falling through the hoop already.

Actually, if you watch Josh, his hands are up.

 

[gtcam]

I agree his hands are up
and with his lack of foot movement and jumping ability we was robbed