Jalen Gaffney - Ceiling/Floor

[bmayuc]

Boneyard Fam, you crazy lunatics.

I'm interested in seeing what people think expectations should be for Jalen this year. He seems to have the widest delta between folks who love his game and those who really doubt him.

My take - I was very high on Jalen as a recruit, but he seemed to come into the year very raw and with low confidence. No doubt his ankle injury set him back - Its tough to be a PG and take charge without the time to prove yourself, and you could really tell that early in the year. The first few games he was just painfully hesitant. With that said, and despite some really atrocious turnovers from time to time, he was a pretty steadying influence in the second half of the year, and has the ability to really find an open man if given space. I think he also showed glimmers of being a good shooter if he has the space.

Positives - I think he is a good shooter, despite what the stats say, he can pass it if given space, and he started to make a few "splash" plays later in the year as he got healthy and gained confidence on the floor. He has a pretty good "feel" for passing lanes and his vision and pass-ahead ability show this. He has the respect of his teammates, no question.

Negatives - His handle is really weak for a lead guard, and he struggles to blow by initial defenders or even initiate the offense against a really strong defensive bulldog. Lots of picked pockets, open court turnovers and stalled possessions due to this and it will be the real key for him developmentally. He struggles to finish around the rim, but there was some development here as the year went along. Finally, a lot of this is tied to his confidence - if you are getting your pocket picked or KNOW you might, its really hard to feel good on the court.

Takeaway - I think Jalen's progression is one of the biggest question marks or upsides for the team this year. I will admit that I am skeptical in his overall skillset as a lead guard, as he has major strides to make in his skill package. Luckily, we will not be completely reliant on Jalen to be the man at the point, but if he can step up his game over the summer, having another dynamic player in the backcourt, especially one with size, could be a real game-changer and take us from that "others receiving votes" area to top 20.

Realistic expectations - I think that Jalen will play 15mpg as a backup to RJ Cole. I think that his best case this year is like young Craig Austrie - solid, unspectacular, makes open shots and free throws, etc. If he can play with more confidence and produce maybe 6ppg and 3apg while upgrading his defense I'll be ecstatic.

Wonder what you all think?

 

[CL82]

I had some doubts early on. You could tell that the opposition did as well as they always were aggressive with him. By the end of the season he seemed a lot more comfortable. I agree that he calmed the team town. I fully expect that we'll see a soph jump at the start of next season.

 

[Kenny11]

Jalen is a much better athlete than Austrie, though he didn’t show it until the end of the season because like Austrie, he plays cautious. I think he will also prove to be a much better shooter. I think Jalen’s ceiling is an excellent college guard as a junior and senior that misses the nba and makes a lot of money overseas. He’s not as talented as Jalen Adams but I think his ceiling is only a little below current Jalen Adams.

 

[rip7774]

Couldn't agree more.

Positives:
Really encouraged with his shooting. I think he's a really good shooter, better than I anticipated.

Great foul shooter. Will close out games.

Great at getting in passing lane and stealing the ball.

Our team turned around when he went in and Al to the bench

Negatives:
Really disappointed in his handle for a lead guard and so many nervous turnovers like "get the ball out of my hands" plays even after he had played a while. Don't really see that in the great ones, you see overpenetration and/or playing too fast - not "I'm scared to have it" vs. pressure.

Also, seemed to throw down dunks as a recruit with authority didn't see that kind of explosiveness.

Really seems slow-footed for a lead guard. Like crazy slow for a lead guard. Hoping it was tentativeness but not sure.


I think he's more of a 6th man type for a great team, a starter on a solid team. I didn't read your last paragraph when I started writing this and thought he's a more athletic Austrie and better pure shooter as well. I think his upside is more than Austrie for sure, but I don't see him starting over Cole and I hope we bring in an explosive 2 at some point (Bouk maybe is 2 this year?). I DO think it's likely he could def outperform, but as a freshman the negatives really lowered my potential ceiling for him. Maybe he was injured or just so nervous that he never played fast.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Floor: Craig Austrie
Ceiling: AJ Price

 

[Fishy]

We started winning when he started playing more.

He's a freshman.

Kinda like the idea of three more years with a player whose presence seems to cause winning.

 

[pj]

We started winning when he started playing more.

He's a freshman.

Kinda like the idea of three more years with a player whose presence seems to cause winning.

This - he seems like a winner - he has flaws but they seem like things he can work on. He's more likely to reach his ceiling than his floor, and his floor seems higher than Craig Austrie.

 

[Kitaman]

He was a freshman and played like a freshman. He's not expected to have NBA Kemba handles against older, better and more athletic guards in his first year.

With that said its evident he will have more scoring options next year (as opposed to Vital and Bouk), so I see assists increasing, added with a little offensive punch, and now with AG gone a bigger leadership role. With the increased PT towards the end of the season, I feel his confidence won't be an issue.

Just saying he'll be a good one, and should be one of our top UConn PGs in a couple of years. At this point its a matter of his off season workout, strengthening and dedication to his craft that matters most. We'll see if he is committed to improving.

 

[Jbirdp5]

The only thing that’s hard to account for in development is will these kids get a chance to workout properly all summer and in the fall. Will have an impact on his ceiling for this coming season

 

[CL82]

The only thing that’s hard to account for in development is will these kids get a chance to workout properly all summer and in the fall. Will have an impact on his ceiling for this coming season

Exactly. I wonder how Hurley is monitoring it. I'm not sure how much you can really work on while social distancing.

 

[SubbaBub]

No idea. The range is so great he could be a guy they recruit over or he could be an all timer. A lot will be how he improves over this offseason. Right now, I have no problem with him coming into any game. Someone also needs to take the starting PG spot from him, having no idea how hard that will be seeing as the other options are unknown at this point.

 

[freescooter]

I thought Gafney was fine later in the year once he got the keys. He ca shoot a bit which helps as a pg. he handled the ball nicely. Didn’t turn it over stupidly. I agree that other guys played better once he was the point guard, which is what you want in that position. I know this board is all in on a transfer from the lowest of low D1 leagues who is the best player on the team based on zero evidence. But my hunch is that when the 2020-21 season opens the ball handling duties will go mainly to Gafney.

 

[Huskybass]

I like Gaffney alot. I would not be surprised to see a big jump next season. I think he has a shot at making an NBA roster some day. Floor much higher than Austrie, ceiling a little lower than AJ Price.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

not seeing these aj price comparisons (even as a ceiling for him). aj was a whole different beast. jalen adams as well.

gaffney is a completely different type of player. he won’t ever be the alpha. it’s not his style. i think a rich man’s austrie is spot on. upperclassmen starter on a solid team, but never the lead guard unless something drastically changes.

a robin to bouk’s batman.

 

[superjohn]

Gaffney is way better than Austrie.

 

[freescooter]

not seeing these aj price comparisons (even as a ceiling for him). aj was a whole different beast. jalen adams as well.

gaffney is a completely different type of player. he won’t ever be the alpha. it’s not his style. i think a rich man’s austrie is spot on. upperclassmen starter on a solid team, but never the lead guard unless something drastically changes.

a robin to bouk’s batman.

You know what? That’s fine. We have had may good to very good teams where the point was 2nd banana to someone else. Kevin Ollie was not the star. Ray Allen was. Brown was almost the most hated man on a championship team. The point guard needs to do his job well and make others better. He doesnst need to be the star.

 

[JimHurley]

Floor: 15mpg, 4ppg, 3apg, 40%dog, 30% 3pt

Ceiling: 25mpg, 10ppg, 5apg, 45%fg, 40% 3pt

 

[navery12]

I think people are really underrating Gaffney. By junior and senior year he's going to be one of the best PGs in the Big East and the best PG we've had since the Shabazz/Boatright years

 

[joober jones]

Floor: Current Jalen Gaffney
Ceiling: Sterling Gibbs

(If we're talking about just the 20-21 season)

 

[Huskyforlife]

I think people are really underrating Gaffney. By junior and senior year he's going to be one of the best PGs in the Big East and the best PG we've had since the Shabazz/Boatright years

This. He might be the best college player from our 2019 class.

 

[UCFan1513]

This. He might be the best college player from our 2019 class.

What have you seen thus far to indicate this?

 

[Huskyforlife]

What have you seen thus far to indicate this?

Our teams offensive efficiency went up with him on the floor as a freshman. He has above average athleticism for a point guard, and he was a much better shooter in highschool, so I think that will come around.

And even though I hate arguments like this, you can sorta just see it with him. But I understand if you didn't.

 

[navery12]

Our teams offensive efficiency went up with him on the floor as a freshman. He has above average athleticism for a point guard, and he was a much better shooter in highschool, so I think that will come around.

And even though I hate arguments like this, you can sorta just see it with him. But I understand if you didn't.

Yeah I'm not quite sure how to describe it because it didn't show up in stats for him but you could tell he was completely comfortable and poised which gives me a lot of hope

 

[Wordbomar]

Floor: 15mpg, 4ppg, 3apg, 40%fg, 30% 3pt

Ceiling: 25mpg, 10ppg, 5apg, 45%fg, 40% 3pt

I agree here, I could see a

22mpg, 8.7ppg, 4.1apg, 42% fg, 38% 3pt

 

[Chin Diesel]

High: Close to all-conference as a senior.

I'll repeat, I already have Gaffney pegged for the Kevin Ollie / Taliek Brown award of being benched by the fans due to a better player coming in to take his minutes. In spite of fans' eye for talent and game management, Gaffney starts the next three years.

Soph-23 mpg, 8.5 points, 4.5 assists, 40% FG, 32% 3Pt FG, 78% FT, 1.5 steals, 1.5 TO
Jr- Numbers go up a bit.
Sr- 29 mpg, 12.5 pts, 5.5 assists, 46%/35%/80%, 2 steals, 2 TO.

Floor? Never does develop ability to get around strong defenders and can't consistently get offense going, isn't an elite athlete or speedster and ends up a 12-15 mpg as a back PG and role player in a 3 guard offense.