James Bouknight is good at basketball | Page 5 | The Boneyard

James Bouknight is good at basketball

I don't even think he's hit his offensive peak yet either. Hasn't been particularly good shooting outside - on 3s and long 2s he's 19/60, or 32%. And yet he's still averaging 20ppg.

If he rises to what you'd expect him to do with his jumper, we're going to have some fun down the stretch.
Yeah I was going to say his jumper wasn’t even falling and he was killing it. The play for me that made me get up off the couch was when he first came in he helped double down on one of providences bigs in the paint and came at him real crazy and fast , forcing the providence player into a bad shot or turn over - then grabbed the ball , accelerated up court and then glided to the left , clutched it and got the and one- I believe on David Duke - pretty off the glass - that was when I was like “wow he’s back!”
 
Best player on the floor last night by a very wide margin. I was once playing on a playground in Boston and Bailey Howell one of the Celtics stopped by and asked to play with us. He took the youngest and smallest guys and played 4 on 5. They won like 22-4. Then the street lights came on and Billy had to go home. It was his ball. We were thrilled of course Until I had to guard him. He was wearing loafers, no less. Well Bouknight looked like Howell and PC guys trying to guard him looked like a Jr high me.
 
The most exciting thing is that we are a 4-4 Big East team WITHOUT Bouknight, who, I really believe, is going to be the best player on the court for every game we play for the rest of the season. And our best win of the season came right before one of the best players in the country came back.

The guys around Bouknight have improved so much in his absence. Things open up so much for other guys when Bouknight is on the floor. It's been a rocky season, and it's hard to expect a deep NCAA run, but talent wise... sky's the limit.
 
Last night was the best ever return to the lineup performance by a UConn player. The fact that Bouk mixed in 4+ highlight reel plays was astounding. The way he announced his return with the dunk was legendary. 3-4 just wizard-like layups. Made the game so fun to watch.

I would like to tap the brakes on all-time comparisons. We've had some great wings. Ray wowed us with athleticism many, many times. RIP just scored and scored. Caron led the team in so many tough games always making winning plays. Donyell was a physical force of nature in college, years ahead of his time with inside & outside dominance.

Bouk's performance last night vaulted him into the conversation with those all-time greats, NOW let's go win some games - after we can talk about enjoying popsicles.
 
I'm 22 and have been a Husky fan since I was 9. I see many people on this board who are older than me telling the younger guys how players like Khalid and Caron were tough. I am so happy that I can tell the future generation of Husky fans that we had someone like Bouknight came back from an elbow surgery and still drove to the hoop, did a putback dunk and played like nothing ever happened to him first game back
 
He is so head and shoulders talent wise above everyone else that was out there(no disrespect to anyone wearing a Uconn uniform of course) but it was like David Duke who. He just won Big East player of the week and he looked like he didn’t belong on the same court as Bouk. What a special special talent James is!!!

Just for fun, I scanned the PC board during the game last night, and their fans were saying the same thing.... "Bouk is so much smoother than Duke, and 10x better..... "
 
Best player on the floor last night by a very wide margin. I was once playing on a playground in Boston and Bailey Howell one of the Celtics stopped by and asked to play with us. He took the youngest and smallest guys and played 4 on 5. They won like 22-4. Then the street lights came on and Billy had to go home. It was his ball. We were thrilled of course Until I had to guard him. He was wearing loafers, no less. Well Bouknight looked like Howell and PC guys trying to guard him looked like a Jr high me.
The world may will never again see a Bouknight - Baily Howell comparison.

And, no criticism meant.
Nice memory & story.
Loafers . . .
 
Just for fun, I scanned the PC board during the game last night, and their fans were saying the same thing.... "Bouk is so much smoother than Duke, and 10x better..... "
Considering that a week ago their team had driven much of this board to the ledge, their accurate assessment and integrity in expressing it is admirable.
 
just wanted folks to forget about AJ's put back slam of the other night.. It's a dunk off.
The world may will never again see a Bouknight - Baily Howell comparison.

And, no criticism meant.
Nice memory & story.
Loafers . . .
Wow - I'm pretty old & have lived in Boston long enough to work with people born AFTER I moved here, but I've never heard of Bailey Howell. I did work with a guy that ran the corporate challenge (3M Chase sponsored road race up & down Comm Ave) in loafers.
 
Yup. The infamous elite 8 game against Lonnie Baxter cornball steve Blake and Chris Wilcox. I believe that game was in carrier dome. Caron and Calhoun got into it at halftime. Caron I believe ended up dropping 30 in second half. Lol.
That one showed sitting with 2 fouls isn't always the move.
 
The most exciting thing is that we are a 4-4 Big East team WITHOUT Bouknight, who, I really believe, is going to be the best player on the court for every game we play for the rest of the season. And our best win of the season came right before one of the best players in the country came back.

The guys around Bouknight have improved so much in his absence. Things open up so much for other guys when Bouknight is on the floor. It's been a rocky season, and it's hard to expect a deep NCAA run, but talent wise... sky's the limit.
While I agree with the optimism for most part, I’ll be the one to remind that 40 from Bouk wasn’t enough to beat the jays. The support cast has clearly improved and I’d bet the farm that 40 out of Bouk is enough to win every game we play from here on out, but it needs to be said.

Jackson is the most exciting addition. Adding lockdown D, creating offense and really playing well within himself as a frosh.

With all that taken into account, were a hot Polley away from 5.
 
While I agree with the optimism for most part, I’ll be the one to remind that 40 from Bouk wasn’t enough to beat the jays. The support cast has clearly improved and I’d bet the farm that 40 out of Bouk is enough to win every game we play from here on out, but it needs to be said.

Jackson is the most exciting addition. Adding lockdown D, creating offense and really playing well within himself as a frosh.

With all that taken into account, were a hot Polley away from 5.
Man if Polley can get hot in March it’s hard seeing a team in the country that can beat us. We really have all the tools to compete at this point.
 
When Bouknight is on the court you just know something special is about to happen. I go back to the Corny days, so I am old. Other people have Bouk's athleticism, but they can't do what he does. They do not even see plays like he does. What a treat to watch him play ball...and to be such a good, unselfish teammate.
 
You said compared to their peers. There were plenty of guys who had better handles than Ray and Rip and could finish at the rim better than them, I don't think that's the case with Bouknight. Ray made his bones as the best shooter in the world, he did it by coming off screens and creating for himself to get to his jumper, Rip was the best mid range shooter in the world by being the best conditioned player and running off screens.

Again, I think you're forgetting how insanely good Ray Allen was. He wasn't known as "the best shooter in the world" as a sophomore in college, he was an athletic, smooth finishing, overall package stud. Like Bouknight but a better shooter. He became the best shooter in the world mid-late in his NBA career.

PS Bouknight is on his way to becoming one of my favorite players of all time, so saying he isn't quite Ray Allen yet is no slight. He's in the discussion.
 
You have to add Rip to that list.
I will grant you that Rip was an exceptionally talented scorer and a fierce competitor, but from an athletic standpoint and pure upside, I don't thing he was on par with those four. I actually considered Ray, Deandre and the other Hamilton before Rip
 
Wow - I'm pretty old & have lived in Boston long enough to work with people born AFTER I moved here, but I've never heard of Bailey Howell. I did work with a guy that ran the corporate challenge (3M Chase sponsored road race up & down Comm Ave) in loafers.
When he came to the Celtics as a later-in-his career name player, he introduced me to the concept of "garbage points," earned by box outs and put backs. Joyous stuff.

A worthwhile read...

 
I’m a ‘91 Alum, as a kid I watched Corney, McKay and Kelly. Was there when Cliff ran the show and the dream team took UConn to new heights. Watched as an adult Rip, Rudy, Caron, Lamb, Kemba, Shabazz, Ben, Ray, Okafor, and others shine.
This kid has the potential to be the best of the best. Easily the most explosive and athletic.

I just feel as a UConn fan cheated. Shortened season last year, injury/COVID schedule this year. I’m just going to enjoy all that I can while he’s here.
 
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I just feel as a UConn fan cheated. Shortened season last year, injury/COVID schedule this year. I’m just going to enjoy all that I can while he’s here.
My sentiments exactly.
He always said the plan was two seasons of college, then the league. Unfortunately, in these two particular seasons, we will only get to enjoy him for about one seasons worth of memories.
 
Apropos of nothing, I was just remined of the fact that our two favorite towns when we visited New Zealand a few years ago were named after UConn champions. Hamilton and Napier.
 
I'll put this out there.

Bouk reminds me a bit of a taller Allen Iverson (Cue the "practice? we talkin' 'bout practice?").

No way am I suggesting Bouk is better than a HoF guard. At least not yet. He's also about 4" taller than Iverson and can obviously has a much higher top height when he jumps.

But..............

Much like Iverson, Bouk has a way of creating space when he gets to the rim to get off his shot against bigger players. He knows how to use his body, shield the ball and how to use the opposite side of rim to negate taller players.
Bouk has a good pull up game where he gives a hard dribble to the rim and pulls up for J's. Bouk has a much higher percentage of clean looks on pull up J's in the half court than most other players. The defender has to respect the ability to get to the rim and the hard jab step and dribble creates space.
Bouk is a good rebounding guard and has no problem getting a defensive rebounding, navigating through the transition and finishing at the rim.
They are both lithe in build and get knocked down a bunch near the basket. It's the nature of their game.
Both have the combo of old school and athleticism to change pace, throw a hedge or get defender off balance and then use superior athleticism to finsih the play. Once they get the advantage on a defender their athleticism prevents any recovery from the defender.
Both finish strong at rim for And 1 opportunities

Iverson is a 4-time scoring champ and a HoF player so obviously he is more accomplished. Averaged

As most have posted in this thread, it's tough to nail down a perfect Bouk comp, but every comp we have tried to make is that of elite, generational talents.
 

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