James Bouknight is good at basketball | Page 3 | The Boneyard

James Bouknight is good at basketball

UCTitleTown said:
Donyell Marshall was pretty good in college..... He could do it all.
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I’ll throw in Caron as someone who belongs in the conversation.

That said, amazing to think this but I don’t think there’s ever been a UConn player who was talented in as many ways as Bouk. Effortless talent.

Not usually into hyperbole but the closest comparison i can think of reminds me of a mini version of young Jordan.
 
superjohn said:
We've hardly seen Bouknight compared to our other all-time greats, I'm not at all convinced we've ever had a more talented player.
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Talent without accomplishment means little. Until he demonstrates that he can carry the team deep into the NCAA Tournament, Elite Eight at a minimum, Final Four or Championship, he falls short in comparison to Ray, Rip, Kemba or Shabazz regardless of he pretty he looks on the floor (and he sure looks plenty pretty out there). I’d love to see him put this team on his back in a run through the BE and NCAA Tourneys.
 
He’s doing this and his jumper is still a bit more erratic than it’ll be in a year or two. I feel good in saying that nobody we’ve had has ever been as good around the rim - his putback will get the highlights, but that, his two “and ones” and his reverse in the second half are four plays combined that I don’t think anybody else we’ve ever had would have made (some would have made one or two, but not all four). The bank shot for the “and one” took such body control and touch while going full speed. Was way more difficult than it looked.
 
Fore! said:
Talent without accomplishment means little. Until he demonstrates that he can carry the team deep into the NCAA Tournament, Elite Eight at a minimum, Final Four or Championship, he falls short in comparison to Ray, Rip, Kemba or Shabazz regardless of he pretty he looks on the floor (and he sure looks plenty pretty out there). I’d love to see him put this team on his back in a run through the BE and NCAA Tourneys.
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He and the team were rolling last year when covid shut everything down. And this year hasn’t played out yet. And he’s been injured for over half the season. A bit harsh saying he hasn’t accomplished anything when he literally has not had an opportunity yet to do so.
 
UCTitleTown said:
Donyell Marshall was pretty good in college..... He could do it all.
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To me he’s the one guy that was probably better overall. I think you can say Emeka and Ben, but they had each other. Plus, you can’t really judge bigs the same way. They don‘t get to create offense. But Donyell dominated games on both sides of the ball, something Bouk doesn’t quite do yet. His defense tonight was terrific though. He’s starting to use his preternatural awareness on the defensive end. Emeka simply erased the rim from the other team. He did that while averaging close to 20 on offense. Caron was pretty amazing as well.

Bouk is probably the most gifted offensive player I’ve seen at UConn. His impact on D lags some of those greats.
 
Above all else, there won't be anyone or anything to challenge him to get better as a player if he returns to college. Any improvements and refinements require NBA players as his daily competition in practice.
 
MuchoDogYears said:
He and the team were rolling last year when covid shut everything down. And this year hasn’t played out yet. And he’s been injured for over half the season. A bit harsh saying he hasn’t accomplished anything when he literally has not had an opportunity yet to do so.
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Not intended to be harsh; just stating the harsh reality of how greatness is judged. I’ll reserve the throwing of rose petals at his feat and anointing him the best talent ever until I see him perform under tourney pressure dragging the team to victory. Do I think he is capable? Absolutely!
 
NDakotaHusky said:
He's definitely a hybrid between RIP and Ray for me. Or maybe even a combination of both their skills. Which has probably been said before.

Probably the best evidence he's better than both is he's out after 2. They both needed 3. If he was around for three he would be almost exactly a combination of both.... with a quicker first step than both
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Just a different era. There isn't a snowball's chance in hell Ray Allen would be in college for three years in 2020. Probably doesn't even stay for year two.
 
Fore! said:
Talent without accomplishment means little. Until he demonstrates that he can carry the team deep into the NCAA Tournament, Elite Eight at a minimum, Final Four or Championship, he falls short in comparison to Ray, Rip, Kemba or Shabazz regardless of he pretty he looks on the floor (and he sure looks plenty pretty out there). I’d love to see him put this team on his back in a run through the BE and NCAA Tourneys.
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You completely missed the point. Ray never made a final four and he's way more talented than Shabazz and Kemba. No matter how our season ends James is way more talented than Bazz and Kemba.
 
fatlucy said:
And Scotty......
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Burrell was as good an athlete as will ever put on a UConn uniform. Vastly batter defender than Bouknight and very much a forward, not a guard in college. But he didn’t have the offensive game that James has. The game has changed and the modern game really suits what Bouk does. It isn’t really fair to compare. We are blessed to enjoy these guys.
 
HuskyHawk said:
To me he’s the one guy that was probably better overall. I think you can say Emeka and Ben, but they had each other. Plus, you can’t really judge bigs the same way. They don‘t get to create offense. But Donyell dominated games on both sides of the ball, something Bouk doesn’t quite do yet. His defense tonight was terrific though. He’s starting to use his preternatural awareness on the defensive end. Emeka simply erased the rim from the other team. He did that while averaging close to 20 on offense. Caron was pretty amazing as well.

Bouk is probably the most gifted offensive player I’ve seen at UConn. His impact on D lags some of those greats.
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Different positions, & Bouk has the ball in his hands more than Donyell ever did. He’s Rip, with Caron’s grit, and the craftiness of a Kemba or Bazz.
The only thing left to judge is his Alpha ability to lead a team to the promised land. Is he a true Alpha? I think so. But time will tell.
 
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superjohn said:
You completely missed the point. Ray never made a final four and he's way more talented than Shabazz and Kemba. No matter how our season ends James is way more talented than Bazz and Kemba.
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It’s apparent you completely missed my point. I suggest you re-read my post. I agree he has great skill set, but until he demonstrates the leadership and ability to perform under tournament pressure his “skill set” is incomplete.
 
Just finished watching the game and came here to post essentially what you all just said - I think Bouk is as good or better than them all. His combination of explosiveness, body control and fluidity are hypnotic.

Also, I see Martin playing in the league some day.
 
UCTitleTown said:
Donyell Marshall was pretty good in college..... He could do it all.
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i
superjohn said:
You completely missed the point. Ray never made a final four and he's way more talented than Shabazz and Kemba. No matter how our season ends James is way more talented than Bazz and Kemba.
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i just want tyrese maxey yo

let emiid & simmons do their thing, and score/defensd
 
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Enjoy him for the last several games that he's here. He's an unbelievably special talent.

Really sad it will only be 5 to14 more games we'll see him in a husky uniform.

Here's to hoping it's the higher end of that spectrum.

He'll represent us well in the league for many many years.
 
superjohn said:
We've hardly seen Bouknight compared to our other all-time greats, I'm not at all convinced we've ever had a more talented player.
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Basketball evolves and humans continually improve. I think he's legitimately the best player to play at UConn at his age. I think some of our other guys were better relative to their time period peers.
 
auror said:
Basketball evolves and humans continually improve. I think he's legitimately the best player to play at UConn at his age. I think some of our other guys were better relative to their time period peers.
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Don't think that's it. Ray and Rip were amazingly talented scorers but they weren't incredible dribblers, drivers, and finishers compared to the best. I think Bouknight is compared to the best.
 
I think all the "most talented" talk is warranted, but tough to argue Ray, Donyell, Ben ... he's in that discussion for pure scorer though with those guys.

PS: Reading through this, it's a great discussion that I want to dive into more when I have time, but some people are severely underrating or just forgetting how good and smooth sophomore Ray, Ben, Rip etc. were.
 
Some of those guys we had were helluva shooters. Ray, Rip, Ben, Donyell were no slouches. Bouk from the outside we just haven’t seen enough but his around the rim inventiveness and touch no one can touch for sure and that’s where most of his damage is done. I’d like to see him come off screens and be as deadly as Rip.
 
superjohn said:
Don't think that's it. Ray and Rip were amazingly talented scorers but they weren't incredible dribblers, drivers, and finishers compared to the best. I think Bouknight is compared to the best.
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Ray and Rip were in school 25-30 years ago. It's just easier to improve skill portfolios now than it was then. All the credit to Bouk. He did. He's incredible. He's so good. He worked his ass off during a pandemic with trainers.

But what would Ray have been like with the same resources, knowledge bases, support and game teaching available now 25 years later?
 

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