Jalen - wheres the urgency

[Ewekon]

There are times during the game when Jalen looks like he just does not really care. 3/4's effort is OK with him. I can see him on the bench if he continues to do the stuff he did against Manhattan and it won't be because Smith is better. At this point it is on him. Hurley can only provide so much guidance and coaching.

Well I guess he doesn't care about dollars because he is throwing millions of them away. He is going to get a UConn degree so good for him
But......

 

[Purple Stein]

Jalen was a 5 star (#23 on Rivals) who hasn't lived up to that ranking thus far.

FWIW, here are the 5 players above and below JA and their current roles

18. Tyler Dorsey - NBA
19. Caleb Swanigan — NBA
20. Jalen Brunson — National POY, NBA
21. Carlton Bragg — Junior at New Mexico - long, painful backstory
22. Dwayne Bacon — G League/NBA shuttle
23. Jalen Adams — 17/4/3 at UConn
24. Justin Simon - 10/5/3 at St. John’s
25. Luke Kennard — NBA
26. Deyonta Davis - G League
27. Thomas Bryant — NBA
28. Tyler Davis - G League/NBA 2 way

If JA had declared (and good for us he didn’t), he’d be in the G League right now. Several of his peers (Kennard, Bryant, Brunson) are on the verge of NBA breakthroughs, so JA is certainly behind that pace. I had no idea he was averaging 17 ppg.

 

[cowboysnation]

From my perspective...the problem with Jalen is anxiety and nerves.

I have seen this kid go up against NBA players and beat them. I have seen him dominate practices.

Off the court he is a very humble and charismatic.

But on gameday...the nerves get him. I’ve seen it first hand. He repeats the same words over and over again. He usually starts games slow because of his nerves. I’ve even seen him nervous in the post game. How many times do you see him say “most definitely” in interviews?? Watch him in pregame and you will see the nervous energy.

I’m sure KO and Hurley are wondering why the dominance and play in practice doesn’t translate into the game. It’s all mental. And this being Jalen’s final year has probably amped the nerves to another level.

 

[Ewekon]

From my perspective...the problem with Jalen is anxiety and nerves.

I have seen this kid go up against NBA players and beat them. I have seen him dominate practices.

Off the court he is a very humble and charismatic.

But on gameday...the nerves get him. I’ve seen it first hand. He repeats the same words over and over again. He usually starts games slow because of his nerves. I’ve even seen him nervous in the post game. How many times do you see him say “most definitely” in interviews?? Watch him in pregame and you will see the nervous energy.

I’m sure KO and Hurley are wondering why the dominance and play in practice doesn’t translate into the game. It’s all mental. And this being Jalen’s final year has probably amped the nerves to another level.

Wow

 

[Chief00]

The 4-pt first half, 20-pt second half was Shabazz's stock in trade. Maybe Jalen would have shown up if his services had been required. Struck me that Jalen is unused to playing basketball at 8 o'clock on a Saturday night, and the later the hour got, the more his reflexes seemed to say, "Hey man, where are we?"

I think he is used to being up way past 8pm.

 

[CTBasketball]

“Our 5-star senior PG only averages 17/3/3 and will score >1700 career points but he’s a bust and has underperformed here.”

Anyone, does this make sense? He’s a great college player so leave it at that until season’s end.

 

[mauconnfan]

“Our 5-star senior PG only averages 17/3/3 and will score >1700 career points but he’s a bust and has underperformed here.”

Anyone, does this make sense? He’s a great college player so leave it at that until season’s end.

Great he's not. Good he is. For UConn to have a really good year he needs to be really good not even great. He's fallen short of that but there's time we will see.

 

[CTBasketball]

Great he's not. Good he is. For UConn to have a really good year he needs to be really good not even great. He's fallen short of that but there's time we will see.

I can see the argument here for sure. If he plays well UConn does well. Maybe more efficient is the better word to use, because his turnovers (and the teams) are an issue.

 

[mauconnfan]

I can see the argument here for sure. If he plays well UConn does well. Maybe more efficient is the better word to use, because his turnovers (and the teams) are an issue.

Bingo. He can be great I'm with you on that he does some special stuff and has taken over games. Not as much this year and we need him to while getting more efficient with the ball. Basically an enigma of sorts. He's the key on Nova and the league he really is.

 

[CTBasketball]

Bingo. He can be great I'm with you on that he does some special stuff and has taken over games. Not as much this year and we need him to while getting more efficient with the ball. Basically an enigma of sorts. He's the key on Nova and the league he really is.

He’s his own worst enemy. Not many can stop him if he’s on his game.

 

[Vancat]

Is Chief trying to tell us he's a partier?

 

[8893]

Is Chief trying to tell us he's a partier?

 

[Yup!]

Bro - you are a senior. It is now or never if you want to make the cheddar. Have some GD pride out there! Completely unacceptable game tonight for a player of his caliber. This is what he was more concerned about pregame:

He’s really immature and I’ve been saying this since day one. I get his freshman year, but this kid is a senior now, there’s no excuses. What bothers me a ton with Adams is that he has the potential to takeover a game if HE WANTS TO and always starts off slow and turns up later or starts off fast and slows down later in the game. Inconsistent at best and I believe it’s immaturity

 

[Palatine]

“Our 5-star senior PG only averages 17/3/3 and will score >1700 career points but he’s a bust and has underperformed here.”
Anyone, does this make sense? He’s a great college player so leave it at that until season’s end.

That is a fair point. But it is also fair to say that Jalen has not approached his ceiling. You watch him do things that other guys on the court simply cannot do and he often does it making it look easy. Then, he throws a pass to other team, a lazy cross court pass that gets picked off and run out for a dunk. And it drives a lot of crazy including his coach.

 

[Letsgohuskies11]

From my perspective...the problem with Jalen is anxiety and nerves.

I have seen this kid go up against NBA players and beat them. I have seen him dominate practices.

Off the court he is a very humble and charismatic.

But on gameday...the nerves get him. I’ve seen it first hand. He repeats the same words over and over again. He usually starts games slow because of his nerves. I’ve even seen him nervous in the post game. How many times do you see him say “most definitely” in interviews?? Watch him in pregame and you will see the nervous energy.

I’m sure KO and Hurley are wondering why the dominance and play in practice doesn’t translate into the game. It’s all mental. And this being Jalen’s final year has probably amped the nerves to another level.

what makes you think its anxiety and nerves?

 

[CL82]

It’s also silly to ignore that his prior coach also suspended him for being a bonehead and it seemed to have little impact, or that some players don’t develop the way we hope they would have for a variety of reasons. Calhoun’s style didn’t work for everyone, and Hurley has said—in reference to Sid iirc—that sometimes the more physically gifted players get lazy and coast for periods, and that those players are frequently not a good match for his style.

I don’t discount the potential impact of good coaching, but at this point I’m not convinced that Jalen is a good match for that same reason, or that he has a strong enough constitution to have survived four years under Jim Calhoun.

No way to tell for sure, but Jalen isn't the only player who didn't develop under KO. It's fair to wonder if a different coach might have been better match for him.

We are where we are though. I hope a light goes on for him, or if there is something physical bothering him that it resolves. He had to carry this team on his shoulders for the bulk of his career here. I'm rooting for him.

 

[Chief00]

I can see the argument here for sure. If he plays well UConn does well. Maybe more efficient is the better word to use, because his turnovers (and the teams) are an issue.

More efficient, less sloppy, better shooting via extra hours after practice and leadership.

 

[Kenny11]

Is Chief trying to tell us he's a partier?

Well he certainly was at the beginning of his UConn career. At the start of his sophomore year I know he was playing behind Gilbert in practices on the second team because coaches weren't happy with him (more as a message than a plan for the season). But as far as I know, he has been a hard worker in the second half of his college career and is well liked by coaches, students, faculty etc. He is just not wired like others where he is going to go all out and all times.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Bro - you are a senior. It is now or never if you want to make the cheddar. Have some GD pride out there! Completely unacceptable game tonight for a player of his caliber. This is what he was more concerned about pregame:

Really. Well I'm glad you made it a point not to take it personally....

 

[mauconnfan]

No way to tell for sure, but Jalen isn't the only player who didn't develop under KO. It's fair to wonder if a different coach might have been better match for him.

We are where we are though. I hope a light goes on for him, or if there is something physical bothering him that it resolves. He had to carry this team on his shoulders for the bulk of his career here. I'm rooting for him.

I think it’s beginning to look more fair that he didn’t recruit a lot of UConn style players as much as the development. Heck most here were telling me how much better Enoch was going to be after getting Pitino and Mack right? The only thing that separates him now from his sophomore year at UC is he’s 2 years older same player. Not much different for any that left.

Kids get better if they really want to and understand what it takes and it depends on how smart they are too on the court. KO wasn’t really good last few years I’m not trying to defend him hardly, but many here are trying to throw too much on him and not enough on the kids themselves. They need to man up and realize what it takes to be a better teammate and help your team to win games.

 

[BlueDogs]

...This guy has suffered here his entire career, give him a break.

This part is 100% true. He’s carried a lot of water in a system that was falling apart at the seams and did him no favors. He’s kind of gone to seed with no identity. Under KO he was the tragic hero scoring to keep them in the game... easy to go down fighting, fatigued with no winning expectation. Now, he has to play in a real system with purpose and discipline, and the pressure of team execution and pressure to hit shots when they count. Just not developed in him. I put this on the adults not the kid. KO used him and gave him little back other than platitudes.

 

[CL82]

I think it’s beginning to look more fair that he didn’t recruit a lot of UConn style players as much as the development. Heck most here were telling me how much better Enoch was going to be after getting Pitino and Mack right? The only thing that separates him now from his sophomore year at UC is he’s 2 years older same player. Not much different for any that left.

Kids get better if they really want to and understand what it takes and it depends on how smart they are too on the court. KO wasn’t really good last few years I’m not trying to defend him hardly, but many here are trying to throw too much on him and not enough on the kids themselves. They need to man up and realize what it takes to be a better teammate and help your team to win games.

Respectfully disagree. Coaching matters and great coaches develop their players. That was where I think KO had his biggest blind spot. He treated these guys like pros. ("Coach, what do I need to do in the off season?" "Get in the gym.") They aren't they are kids. Really think you a few others are undervaluing the coaches role in developing his players.

 

[jibsey]

Question. Why can’t Ray Allen develop and put in place a shooting practice program that can be individualized for these players to follow in the offseason? He might like that and Hurley wouldn’t object to that and would probably welcome it. That’s better than get in the gym.

 

[UofCT]

Question. Why can’t Ray Allen develop and put in place a shooting practice program that can be individualized for these players to follow in the offseason? He might like that and Hurley wouldn’t object to that and would probably welcome it. That’s better than get in the gym.

Ray lives in Miami

 

[jibsey]

Ray lives in Miami

If Hurley asked he’d probably be there the next day. I think he can afford the plane ticket (if he doesn’t already fly private). He doesn’t have to be around to supervise it, just get it going.