I have loved Whaley as a player... | The Boneyard

I have loved Whaley as a player...

Spaceman213J

Spaceman213J

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I have loved Whaley as a player since he has arrived in Storrs. I don't know if he's injured or what, but he is not the defenseive player he was just a year ago, and he's a big liability on offense as well. Why is he in over Akok at the end of the game on either end.

Also, Johnson needs to get some of his minutes earlier on. It's time to start developing the guy. If Whaley starts showing shades of the player he was last year, then great, give him more time on. But until then, it's time to move on a little.

I love his toughness and the energy he usually plays with, but right now he looks lost.
 
It’s nonsensical, especially since Whaley has regressed this year on both ends.

I’m all for giving your veterans their due, but when you have more talented underclassmen who are already better players, they should get their fair share of playing time as well.
 
He doesn’t look as bouncy as he used to. He is dunking much less and not even jumping sometimes on defense.

I know he started off the year with an ankle injury. He had a rough game but I think he will be fine.
 
Spaceman213J said:
I have loved Whaley as a player since he has arrived in Storrs. I don't know if he's injured or what, but he is not the defenseive player he was just a year ago, and he's a big liability on offense as well. Why is he in over Akok at the end of the game on either end.
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Because he’s a better defender.
 
Kenny11 said:
He doesn’t look as bouncy as he used to. He is dunking much less and not even jumping sometimes on defense.

I know he started off the year with an ankle injury. He had a rough game but I think he will be fine.
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Yeah think combination of banged up and not in best shape (likely had COVID, said he was on a minutes restriction today).
 
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Whaley didn't start for the first time in almost 2 years and didn't get many minutes until Sanogo hit foul trouble. I wouldn't say he had too many minutes today, despite a poor game. Akok doesn't have the physicality to bang down low in a game like this and Johnson doesn't yet either. That's why Whaley was in late.
 
I commented in the first game this year that he looked slower than last year with less quick-twitch movement. I hoped it was an injury but now I'm not so sure. Both his legs/feet and arm/hand movements are slower. Does anyone know if he bulked up over the off-season? He just looks so sluggish. His quickness used to create so many blocks and contested shots but this season you can go entire games without much if any of that.

Where has the DPOY Isiah gone?
 
I still like Akok on the floor with the way Whaley had played this game and the vast majority of this season. Whaley has been more "sieve" than "wrench" this season. I'm not putting the loss solely on him. Hurley did not coach a very good game. I'm not a bash Hurley guy, but he clearly was outcoached today. Hopefully he learns from this. Coaches aren't finsihed products either.
 
kansashusky said:
He has been down right awful lately. No offensive ability and he struggles catching the ball. You have to develop Akok and Samson.
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Maybe he misses Carlton
Not only room mates but I’m sure a guy who pushed him in practice.
I understand he has also fought illness.
Passing out after the Auburn game is unusual and might be something that shouldn’t be shrugged off. Does the team have a competent Dr other than Ortho?
 
kansashusky said:
He has been down right awful lately. No offensive ability and he struggles catching the ball. You have to develop Akok and Samson.
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Couldn't disagree more - he has the quickest hands for a big man, and he has never been a great 1v1 defender, in fact no UConn player is even a good 1v1 defensive player. Whaley causes a lot of problem when he is allowed to freelance defensively as he has the last 2 years but not this year. He is not UConn's problem defensively - by far
He has been fighting illness/injuries this year
 
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Spaceman213J said:
I still like Akok on the floor with the way Whaley had played this game and the vast majority of this season. Whaley has been more "sieve" than "wrench" this season. I'm not putting the loss solely on him. Hurley did not coach a very good game. I'm not a bash Hurley guy, but he clearly was outcoached today. Hopefully he learns from this. Coaches aren't finsihed products either.
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For $2 plus million he had better become better "finished" asap
His MO has always been a good recruiter not so much on game prep or in game coaching
 
gtcam said:
Couldn't disagree more - he has the quickest hands for a big man, and he has never been a great 1v1 defender, in fact no UConn player is even a good 1v1 defensive player. Whaley causes a lot of problem when he is allowed to freelance defensively as he has the last 2 years but not this year. He is not UConn's problem defensively - by far
He has been fighting illness/injuries this year
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You see Kadary take him one on one several times?
 
mauconnfan said:
Anyone thinking we’re better with Akok on the floor than Whaley is whacked. Like them both but we lose so much defensively without Whaley out there its awful. But you’d have to see the little things which are important to understand.
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Akok has been a liability on defense this year. Which is a shame because he has been great for spacing on the offensive end with his 3 point shooting.

I actually liked our starting lineup today with Akok in over Whaley. Thought it gave the offense a good early boost. But defensively need Whaley in there down the stretch.
 
Spaceman213J said:
I have loved Whaley as a player since he has arrived in Storrs. I don't know if he's injured or what, but he is not the defenseive player he was just a year ago, and he's a big liability on offense as well. Why is he in over Akok at the end of the game on either end.

Also, Johnson needs to get some of his minutes earlier on. It's time to start developing the guy. If Whaley starts showing shades of the player he was last year, then great, give him more time on. But until then, it's time to move on a little.

I love his toughness and the energy he usually plays with, but right now he looks lost.
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Whalley has been terrible defending in the post this season. Hes been unbelievably bad.
 
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McLovin said:
Akok has been a liability on defense this year. Which is a shame because he has been great for spacing on the offensive end with his 3 point shooting.

I actually liked our starting lineup today with Akok in over Whaley. Thought it gave the offense a good early boost. But defensively need Whaley in there down the stretch.
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'I actually liked our starting lineup today with Akok in over Whaley.'

me too, and as far as today's Huskie 'news,' this would be it.
now, where are the 'slow start' whiners?
big game away, and we came out lit. noice.

does this move by coach today qualify for the 'everrthing dan does is wrong' thread?
 
kansashusky said:
You see Kadary take him one on one several times?
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Fair. Once Dan Hurley switched from Martin to Whaley covering Richmond, I expected big changes that never happened. Whaley definitely did not seem as strong as usual in the post, especially against a guy who is 6'6 200.

Whaley is probably my most favorite player in at least five years and I just want him to get better fast. Can't wait to cheer my butt off for him on Senior Night.
 
Hey Adrien! said:
Fair. Once Dan Hurley switched from Martin to Whaley covering Richmond, I expected big changes that never happened. Whaley definitely did not seem as strong as usual in the post, especially against a guy who is 6'6 200.

Whaley is probably my most favorite player in at least five years and I just want him to get better fast. Can't wait to cheer my butt off for him on Senior Night.
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Everyone had trouble with Richmond one on one. Whaley made many other very good defensive plays during the game, he was far from the issue. I’m with you his impact is much more positive than anything else.
 
mauconnfan said:
Everyone had trouble with Richmond one on one. Whaley made many other very good defensive plays during the game, he was far from the issue. I’m with you his impact is much more positive than anything else.
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No one person was going to stop him at that point. Hurley needed to stop the bleeding per say and find some other type of defense to slow him down and it was not to put a different defender on him. Whaley is a plus for this team.
 
His stats look similar to last season but he looks nothing like the same player. He doesn't do anything on offense which is nothing new but he now routinely gets beat on defense. That final Kadary match-up would have been a Ricky Moore moment last season, instead it was Whaley letting a guard back him down and giving up the and 1.

He was the heart and soul of the team last season, not seeing any of that this year.
 
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I'm not gonna hold yesterday against him, he was clearly not healthy. But he's definitely looked noticeably worse this year. The stats don't back that up and he's been one of our more valuable players by most advanced stats, but he needs to pick it up if we're going to make a deep run
 
Greathusky said:
That foul on Aiken with the shot clock down to almost zero made me scream.
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That wasn’t his fault. We botched getting a loose ball like 4 times that possession. That was the most aggravating sequence from yesterday, just shows low BBIQ and not wanting it more than the other team.
 
I really think this is late January/February team and I think in a week or so, IW will realize he has only has so many games left and we will see a different more aggressive energy.
 
Don't know the reason but Isaiah is not as fast this year. On defense, off the floor on the jump, running the floor. Sometimes there are mismatches and he is guarding quicker players. Hurley really needs to step up when he is getting slammed into when he is holding position and the refs let it go or call the foul on him. Take a T and get your monies worth. If we tried that you know the result. Offensive foul.
 
superjohn said:
His stats look similar to last season but he looks nothing like the same player. He doesn't do anything on offense which is nothing new but he now routinely gets beat on defense. That final Kadary match-up would have been a Ricky Moore moment last season, instead it was Whaley letting a guard back him down and giving up the and 1.

He was the heart and soul of the team last season, not seeing any of that this year.
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Posted this in another thread, if Whaley isn't playing like the Defensive Player of the Year he was, what does he bring?

1 three-pointer every other game? You can't dump it into him down low to get a bucket so our offense is perimeter orientated and easy to defend when he's at the 5. He's regressed. Either he has to improve or Hurley needs to have someone down low who can get a bucket.
Whaley doesn't even try to face up and hit a mid-range jumper anymore. He doesn't box out a majority of the time.

Edit: If he has no post-up game, he could at least face up and shoot a jumper. Otherwise, his minutes need to be halved for Akok or someone else who can get rebounds and box out. I would leave him be if his defense was up to what we expect from him and if he was getting his hustle points and plays. We are a completely different team when we have Sanogo at the 5. When Whaley is at the 5 we have no inside presence and it's even worse when Gaffney is in with him.
 
BuffaloHusky said:
I really think this is late January/February team and I think in a week or so, IW will realize he has only has so many games left and we will see a different more aggressive energy.
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I'd hope, but three years of the same end of game meltdowns has me not so optimistic. Also, our subs for Sanogo and Cole are major drop-offs, which needs to be addressed
 
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