CTBasketball
Former Owner of the Pizza Thread
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2012
- Messages
- 10,649
- Reaction Score
- 39,145
This freshman class might be the best we’ve seen in over 20 years.
That dude with a solid jump shot/three pointer would make many millions in the NBA.looking into his stats he can't shoot at all tho, not even FTs. As an older player it's hard to stick or even enter the league as a connector/role player without a shot.
And Flagg should be in this class.it's funny to see the negative "American basketball development" debates that have been going around social media the past few weeks when we're currently watching the best freshmen class we've ever seen and it's nothing but Americans that are dominating, and this is coming off the heels of a great class that is currently playing well as rookies now and it's mostly Americans as well. These same guys have also been destroying the world in the U19 and below age groups the past few years. Team USA won't be going anywhere for awhile despite the doom and gloom.
He can play defense according to his stats. And is rebounding/assist machine. That said, it's the Sun Belt.If he can't play defense, I don't think he’ll have much of a shot.
If he can play defense I think he can find a role with his athleticism if he is a good finisher at the rim. Think that held Andre back more than anything else to go along with his shot of course.
You just have to be able to contribute something offensively scoring wise while the trainers work on improving the jump shot.
*Conference USAHe can play defense according to his stats. And is rebounding/assist machine. That said, it's the Sun Belt.
Would like to see what he could do with a P5. Maybe he plays a year as a grad student for a power conference squad.
hadn't heard of this guy until today, these plays are ridiculous
You are right about that. In this NBA Mock Draft the first 18 players are American. I wonder when the last NBA draft was without a foreign born player in the top 18.it's funny to see the negative "American basketball development" debates that have been going around social media the past few weeks when we're currently watching the best freshmen class we've ever seen and it's nothing but Americans that are dominating, and this is coming off the heels of a great class that is currently playing well as rookies now and it's mostly Americans as well. These same guys have also been destroying the world in the U19 and below age groups the past few years. Team USA won't be going anywhere for awhile despite the doom and gloom.
Nothing he says makes senseEveryone's schedule gets tougher coming up and everyone is going to lose. Banking on Arizona being the overall #1 and Duke a 1 while saying you can't pencil UConn in as a 1 makes no sense.
The commentary has mostly come from the top 5 players in the league all being foreign born and before last year, a lot of the top picks being so as well.it's funny to see the negative "American basketball development" debates that have been going around social media the past few weeks when we're currently watching the best freshmen class we've ever seen and it's nothing but Americans that are dominating, and this is coming off the heels of a great class that is currently playing well as rookies now and it's mostly Americans as well. These same guys have also been destroying the world in the U19 and below age groups the past few years. Team USA won't be going anywhere for awhile despite the doom and gloom.
That commentary is also flawed because SGA always gets grouped under "international development" and he's Canadian, Canadian development is the same as American, their top guys play on the sneaker circuit, attend prep schools and go to American colleges. SGA went to prep school in TN, played for an Arkansas based EYBL team, and then went to UK. Before injuries knocked him from the top 5 people used to do the same thing with Embiid and he didn't even know how to play basketball until he moved here and played AAU and went to an American prep school. As long as the top guys are still committed to playing in the Olympics I'm rolling with whoever we put out there in '28.The commentary has mostly come from the top 5 players in the league all being foreign born and before last year, a lot of the top picks being so as well.
These past two classes are looking to fix that like you said. But 2028 is still looking spooky. More than anything else America needs Bigs (Clingan?)
Haha yeah those points are very valid and it's funny how that works when it comes to SGA and Embiid.That commentary is also flawed because SGA always gets grouped under "international development" and he's Canadian, Canadian development is the same as American, their top guys play on the sneaker circuit, attend prep schools and go to American colleges. SGA went to prep school in TN, played for an Arkansas based EYBL team, and then went to UK. Before injuries knocked him from the top 5 people used to do the same thing with Embiid and he didn't even know how to play basketball until he moved here and played AAU and went to an American prep school. As long as the top guys are still committed to playing in the Olympics I'm rolling with whoever we put out there in '28.
Yeah they’re not a team to really worry about. Or all that interesting to watch. I haven’t found Brown must watch.Louisville is not a serious basketball team
They live and die with the 3. When they are making them in bunches, they look great. When they aren't, they look terrible. Not a great defensive team, not much size.Louisville is not a serious basketball team
26 of their 41 shots are 3s. They're getting killed on the boards. They are an exquisitely boring watch as all they do is launch.They live and die with the 3. When they are making them in bunches, they look great. When they aren't, they look terrible. Not a great defensive team, not much size.
I agree on Louisville. Just not a good team and not well coached. I know people like Kelsey, but they just jack it up. I don't see a ton of coaching. With regard to Duke the stunning thing is how much bumping and physicality they get away with. You look up and they have 2 fouls with 10 minutes left in the half. I think the key to playing them is making Boozer defend and trying to get him off the floor. They are a totally different team when he is not out there.26 of their 41 shots are 3s. They're getting killed on the boards. They are an exquisitely boring watch as all they do is launch.
Duke is Boozer, Evans & some Ngongba. The rest of the team is not great. Khamenia is super unathletic for a kid that was considered top 20.
I'm not sure where Duke loses in the ACC. They have UVa and Clemson at home. Maybe at UNC? I could easily see them sweeping the thing.
There is no player in the country more relied on than Boozer. He's the NPOY.I agree on Louisville. Just not a good team and not well coached. I know people like Kelsey, but they just jack it up. I don't see a ton of coaching. With regard to Duke the stunning thing is how much bumping and physicality they get away with. You look up and they have 2 fouls with 10 minutes left in the half. I think the key to playing them is making Boozer defend and trying to get him off the floor. They are a totally different team when he is not out there.
I think UConn's offensive movement would make Duke work a lot harder on D. If UConn's shooters come to play, I love our chances frankly. So long as the game is called fairly, UConn's D would be quite disruptive to Duke's O. I would relish the chance to play them if it works out that way.There is no player in the country more relied on than Boozer. He's the NPOY.
I just don't know if we have anyone that could make him defend. He'd be matched up with Alex - maybe Alex could pull him away from the basket some, but not sure he poses enough of a threat to really throw him off. And I'm not sure how Alex would defend him - he'd be a problem. He plays like more of an athletic undersized 5, and can shoot the 3.
UM is going to be an interesting matchup because Morez does have the kind of size to face up with Boozer, and Mara can protect the rim.
Mikel Brown's number are not good - 40% from the field and 28% from 3 doesn't look like a lottery pick.