I fell in love with Christian Vital Saturday

[KingAG]

I agree CV should start to begin the year. With that said I think you all are severely underestimating the "dog" that rique has in him. He's a tough SOB. Him and Vital are actually very similar in that way. Terry Larrier is also a terrific competitor. This is a problem every coach in America would like to have next yr. 3 stud guards and possibly 4. We can throw waves of pressure at team constantly all game. While at the same time having shot makers on the other end. The only thing missing is a big man. Lets just pray that one of the 4 bigs on the roster become servicable. Because we could be really good. But for the mojo we'll be absolutely horrible

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

My Mount Rushmore of ignored posters has now grown to five. Time to hire a mountain carver.

Mine's a big tent: 34 and counting, no regrets. I'm overdue for additions too. One clue? Looking at who Likes some of the more ridiculous posts.

 

[RichZ]

Mine's a big tent: 34 and counting, no regrets. I'm overdue for additions too. One clue? Looking at who Likes some of the more ridiculous posts.

I've got 24 and am getting precariously close to adding another few.

 

[metsfan2323]

Vital is more like Ben Gordon than Craig Austrie.

My starting 5 would be:

Adams at the 1
Vital 2
Jackson 3 or 4
Larrier 4 or 3
Enoch or Durham at 5

I would not allow Gilbert into games until January to make sure the shoulder is fully healed.

 

[CTBasketball]

Did you guys see Larrier at the 4 early this year? We couldn't rebound against a middle school team. Unless Durham, Cobb, and Enoch take lessons from Jeff Adrien that lineup will be flawed on the defensive and offensive glass.

 

[jibsey]

everyone struggles to land elite big men. we win championships with good guard play and a serviceable center. what we really need is another shonn miller jeff adrien type who can rebound.

Is that Diarra?

 

[Matrim55]

Don't know if Vital will ever be a consistent shooter...

Dude shot 39% on 4.8 3-point attempts per game in conference play as a freshman, and made multiple 3s in 10 of his final 13 appearances. Pretty sure he's already a consistent shooter.

 

[UCweCONN]

I get a kick out of these posters penciling Enoch into the starting line up next season. So far in two seasons he's shown nothing. Well, nothing good anyway. If he's a starter next season, it's gonna be a LONG season.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

I get a kick out of these posters penciling Enoch into the starting line up next season. So far in two seasons he's shown nothing. Well, nothing good anyway. If he's a starter next season, it's gonna be a LONG season.

Who else would start?

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

Who else would start?

im hoping Cobb or Carlton. If we have a full year of Enoch we're in trouble.

 

[Hungryhusky99]

im hoping Cobb or Carlton. If we have a full year of Enoch we're in trouble.

Cobb ain't starting. We will see how good Carlton is .

 

[Kitaman]

Lets face it, experience wise, AG will still be a freshmen next season. The experience Vital received this season was tremendous.

And just as important confidence. He knows he belongs and proved he can play with the best (particularly upperclassmen). That is a huge advantage!

 

[husky429]

Dude shot 39% on 4.8 3-point attempts per game in conference play as a freshman, and made multiple 3s in 10 of his final 13 appearances. Pretty sure he's already a consistent shooter.

And that's WITH ugly freshman shots occasionally, too. Ollie will teach him a little better footwork and playing within himself some more at times. I could easily see him being a 40% + guy for the next 3 years.

Also, I'm impressed with his finishing the last 3rd of the season. He was AWFUL at layups in the beginning, but really worked hard and made better decisions at the rim, for the most part.

Obviously a coachable, likeable kid. We're lucky he doesn't have the size or length for the NBA...

Just pointing out, though it's probably not fair. He and Jackson both had better seasons than Jalen as freshman. Obviously Jalen has a much much much much higher ceiling, but numbers are numbers.

 

[Stainmaster]

Also, I'm impressed with his finishing the last 3rd of the season. He was AWFUL at layups in the beginning, but really worked hard and made better decisions at the rim, for the most part.

This x100. Definitely one of the most notable improvements of the year. I remember him blowing a few breakways at the beginning of the year, and I almost couldn't believe it was the same guy finishing through contact this past weekend.

 

[Hankster]

Kid is fearless. I trust Ollie to come up with the best lineup say by the 5-8 game of the season.

But I expect it will look like this:

Alterique
Adams
Larrier
Vance or Durham
Enoch

First Sub: Vital
Lots of playing time: Cobb

8 man lineup. Carlton comes in if Enoch piles on fouls, MAL if any of the guards need a break, Polley is Durham is not fully back to where he should be 1 1/2 years after surgery.

I think Action Jackson will get the call. He looked real good in some games, okay in others. Imo Durham didn't get enough of minutes to claim that spot. Vance looks big. You can tell the weight room was his best friend. Imagine next year. Nothing against Durham, great potential. You cannot ignore who played this year.

 

[Hankster]

I would like to bring Gilbert along slowly next year. Plus I worry about his outside shooting. I like the idea if bringing him off the bench like we did with Shabazz when he was freshman. Change of pace guard. Vital to me is exactly what this team has been missing the last couple of years. He will play a TON next year.

AND he played well with Adams. Many times during the year Adams was coaching him on the floor. It was only a couple of weeks ago when Adams put both hands on his face and looked him the eye to tell him what went wrong or you should of done this. Tough call next year. I go with Vital.

 

[Hankster]

My younger daughter is sitting next to me on the plane. She just looked over at my iPad and was trying to figure out what I am doing. She saw this thread title and said, "Dad, is Christian pretty? Does mom know you like her?"

That is funny!!! How adorable is that. Of course, what did mom say.

 

[imno1]

There's something about this Vital kid. He has leader written all over him. If we win a championship or go far in the tournament he will have a lot to do with it. His passion is awesome. His motor runs full throttle and his improvement from the beginning of the season has been remarkable. Although this season was a huge disappointment he was a reason to continue watching the games. I think he deserves a shot to start but if AG comes in healthy and ready to go it doesn't matter because CV will probably be in there when it's crunch time

 

[TRUCONN76]

Alterique will be the starting point guard next year by the time conference schedule comes up. Vital will be first guard off the bench and will play a lot in a 3 guard rotation. To play the style that Ollie wants to play he needs to have four guards constantly rotating in to keep legs fresh and get the running game going. All four guards will get plenty of PT.

In basketball more so than other sports it becomes very clear in practice who the best players are and the best will play. Vital is a tough kid, a UCONN guard who understands defense. But for anyone to say he is a shoo-in to start next year is wrong. Unless you could point to him and say he was all conference caliber there is no way you can point to him and say he is a sure starter. I do think you can point to him and say we are glad he is on the team, he brings toughness, defense and ability to provide some scoring, the type of player needed to win championships.

I think Alterique will be an all conference player, not next year but before his career is over. I do not know if Vital has that in him or not. But as I said to the coachs who will see them in practice it will be very obvious who should start.

 

[intlzncster]

Olliewood is correct. Vital is the closest thing we have to Shabazz on this team. He is the best of this freshman recruiting class in overall game and performance. He is much better than Craig Austrie and he is only a freshman. Vital has a chance to be an NBA player if he keeps improving.

There is no way Alterique who is a 5'9 with a bad shoulder should be starting over Vital. Vital is a player with swagger and the talent to back it up like UCONN legends of past. He's also got a connection with Adams. I wouldn't mess with it. Alterique and MAL would have to be NBA one and done guys to beat out Vital

What have you been smoking? Even without playing this year, AG is a better player than Vital. Not only that, playing AG allows Jalen to spend more time off the ball, where he will BLOW up.

 

[intlzncster]

Can we all stop with this Craig Austrie stuff? I'm tired of hearing how we "hope" Vital can be "as good" as Austrie. He is far and away beyond anything we got from Austrie. You're comparing our extremely underrated freshman who averaged over 9 points/game to a guy that averaged 6 points/game his entire UConn career. Vital just put up better numbers as a freshman than Austrie had in any year at Uconn.

Vital has a ceiling, but Craig Austrie is not it. If he improves his handle a bit and improves his jump shot, the kid could be flirting with the the NBA in 3-4 years.

Flirting in the NBA is a bit much. He's a 6'2 shooting guard. Basically needs to convert to a PG. I don't see him becoming a more than passable college PG at best. Realistically, he'll be a combo that spends more time in a 2 guard role.

 

[JSM1970]

By a mile. He's an elite and explosive playmaker who will speed up tempo.

Vital can spot up as a guy getting no defensive interest and make 37% 3s against terrible AAC teams.

MAL will be the 1st guard in.

What have you been smoking? Even without playing this year, AG is a better player than Vital. Not only that, playing AG allows Jalen to spend more time off the ball, where he will BLOW up.

 

[intlzncster]

Where the hell would he be going?

In terms of starters for next year, there will be a hell of a competition, something we could use more of.

The only starter etched in stone is Adams. Everyone else has to earn it. But I expect each of Adams, Vital, Gilbert, MAL, Larrier, and Jackson to earn upwards of 20 mpg, with a few above 30 mpg.

As long as he can jog up and down the court, Larrier will be starting, for the simple fact that there's no other player ron the roster like him. They don't have another real wing with that size/ability.

 

[6xChamps]

Why compare Gilbert to Vital? They're completely different players. This is a weird debate because Vital, Gilbert, Adams, and MAL will all play a lot next year and I think we could roll three of those guys at once. In that scenario I think Vital would play the three as he can rebound very well for a guard

 

[The Funster]

I loved that Vital improved from day one. He deserves to be a starter next year until someone TAKES the job away from him. Kid's got ONIONS!

 

[intlzncster]

Why compare Gilbert to Vital? They're completely different players. This is a weird debate because Vital, Gilbert, Adams, and MAL will all play a lot next year and I think we could roll three of those guys at once. In that scenario I think Vital would play the three as he can rebound very well for a guard

Very true, but we're just arguing about who'd start over who. Hence the comparison. No doubt they can play together and will.

 

[intlzncster]

I loved that Vital improved from day one. He deserves to be a starter next year until someone TAKES the job away from him. Kid's got ONIONS!

As usual, the starting job will be earned in practice. Last year is over, and does not impact at all on the next one, in terms of who earns what.

 

[JSM1970]

Job? Isn't a QB in the NFL

They will all compete and who knows, KO may change it up at times.

I loved that Vital improved from day one. He deserves to be a starter next year until someone TAKES the job away from him. Kid's got ONIONS!

 

[Rocktheworld]

I agree CV should start to begin the year. With that said I think you all are severely underestimating the "dog" that rique has in him. He's a tough SOB. Him and Vital are actually very similar in that way. Terry Larrier is also a terrific competitor. This is a problem every coach in America would like to have next yr. 3 stud guards and possibly 4. We can throw waves of pressure at team constantly all game. While at the same time having shot makers on the other end. The only thing missing is a big man. Lets just pray that one of the 4 bigs on the roster become servicable. Because we could be really good. But for the mojo we'll be absolutely horrible

I can definitely see Vital's and others' cuts melding well with Durham's passing ability.

TBH I think KO is loyal to a fault and took valuable minutes from Durham for Brimah.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Can we all stop with this Craig Austrie stuff? I'm tired of hearing how we "hope" Vital can be "as good" as Austrie. He is far and away beyond anything we got from Austrie. You're comparing our extremely underrated freshman who averaged over 9 points/game to a guy that averaged 6 points/game his entire UConn career. Vital just put up better numbers as a freshman than Austrie had in any year at Uconn.

Vital has a ceiling, but Craig Austrie is not it. If he improves his handle a bit and improves his jump shot, the kid could be flirting with the the NBA in 3-4 years.

I could absolutely see him becoming a Marcus Smart; an actualized version of Rodney Purvis's potential