Isaiah Whaley is determined to step up this season

[Kitaman]

Nice article on Isaiah, basically letting the league know he will be ready. He's not timid or shy or even unsure of using what he's got.

I think he will go into beast mode, Ben Wallace style!

UConn senior Isaiah Whaley is determined to step up this season

 

[Kenny11]

Porkchop Nation !

Imagine being a big east point guard and getting a ball screen, only for porkchop to jump out on you, steal the ball, and make you crap your pants live on foxsports.

 

[Son of Robert]

Isaiah really came into his own last year and played ridiculously well. His hedging and perimeter ball pressure as the second defender was just so effective, as well as his rim protection and defensive rebounding. On offense he played with gusto,\; he always had great timing with his offensive rebounding, and he "popped' some shots off here and there, but just his energy and his effort, it's contagious on the court.

 

[RichZ]

Whaley showed flashes the end of his first year, and because of those hints of what he could do, his sophomore campaign was a disappointment. I don't think Hurley really realized how good Whaley could be until midway through last year. The injuries to Akok and Tyler certainly helped him get more minutes, and once he did, he took advantage of it. I would guess that the stuff he showed last year, especially later in the season when the team got it together, earned him some extra minutes going into this season, but with the increased competition for minutes among the bigs this year, he's going to have to bring the intensity he plays with when it counts to the practice court, or those minutes will evaporate in a hurry. I love his enthusiasm, and he's absolutely one of my favorite players on the squad, so I hope he does consistently what we've seen from him when he's really on his game.

 

[CL82]

Good article - Alternative link here

 

[husky429]

Whaley showed flashes the end of his first year, and because of those hints of what he could do, his sophomore campaign was a disappointment. I don't think Hurley really realized how good Whaley could be until midway through last year. The injuries to Akok and Tyler certainly helped him get more minutes, and once he did, he took advantage of it. I would guess that the stuff he showed last year, especially later in the season when the team got it together, earned him some extra minutes going into this season, but with the increased competition for minutes among the bigs this year, he's going to have to bring the intensity he plays with when it counts to the practice court, or those minutes will evaporate in a hurry. I love his enthusiasm, and he's absolutely one of my favorite players on the squad, so I hope he does consistently what we've seen from him when he's really on his game.

We have 3 players who could conceivably start at the 5 at any given point this year. I don't even remember the last time we had that luxury. Certainly not since 2012, probably earlier.

 

[Waquoit]

Whaley may be the biggest reason I want to play this year. I love players that keep building their game every year. This guy made "the leap" last year, his D was no fluke; stellar on ball and off. And he can make that short jumper he gets when his man cheats. All he needs is the confidence to own the shot. Last year, I saw some "should I or shouldn't I" on occasion. I say don't think, calmly take it. Make a couple and floor opens up even more.

 

[mauconnfan]

We have 3 players who could conceivably start at the 5 at any given point this year. I don't even remember the last time we had that luxury. Certainly not since 2012, probably earlier.

Depending on the lineup maybe 4 or 5 even? Whaley, Carlton, Springs, Sanogo and JFB? Add to the potential of Martin able to play this year you could potentially see RJ or JG, Bouk, Jackson and Martin in 4 of the slots with any of these 5 being the 5. Again based on available time you will mostly see 3 or 4 of these getting time but erasing any actual 4's or 5's these guys could appear as the "big man" in the lineup. It is quite a luxury as you say and man it's been a while.