Jeremy Lamb needs to grab this team by the balls.

[hungry husky]

Everyone's knock on UConn is their lack of leadership. If Jeremy is easily the best player on the team, why can't he just man up and start being "the guy" in crunch time?

 

[Kitaman]

He's a first team AA so he is and will be continually keyed on. He's doing fine if you ask me. Think about it, on the opposing team's clipboard during a late timeout, who's name do you think is circled, highlighted and strategically managed?

Also we don't need a 'Kemba' this year our options are greater. There are 5-6 guys (e.g. SN, RB, JL, AO, AD, RS, DD) that are capable of making 'that shot' depending of course if its a 2 or 3 needed.

If you ask me he will be more dangerous as a late game decoy than the savior this year. If necessary he will take the shot but its great to have the options this club has.

 

[Donyell]

Also only 7 games into his soph. year. Young.

 

[bobbygt]

Jeremy strikes me as being in the mold of Rudy.

I think it's obvious for a number of reasons that this is SN's team. Although the team is loaded with just sophmores, I think the chemistry has been formed.

I think SN being Kemba's understudy, his natural personality, and him being the pg has pushed him into this role. This seems to have been a smooth transition. I think it's been a relatively smooth transition for Olander: work hard and you'll get some pt.

It seems like AO and RS have not yet (i) figured out their place on/within the team yet; or (ii)have not pushed themselves hard enough (ala Daniels/Drummond/ Olander).

Giffey, unfortunately, just seems buried on the depth chart.

Then there is Lamb.

He looks just as he did toward the end of last year, but with even more confidence. However, I think it would be great to see him become a Hamilton to Shabazz' El-Amin. I think if he can work on getting his shots when not going one on one and jacking up contested threes, he's going to once again find his niche. It seems like both he and Napier are trying to be Kemba.

This is just conjecture and opinion!

 

[huskyhal]

He's a first team AA so he is and will be continually keyed on. He's doing fine if you ask me. Think about it, on the opposing team's clipboard during a late timeout, who's name do you think is circled, highlighted and strategically managed?

Also we don't need a 'Kemba' this year our options are greater. There are 5-6 guys (e.g. SN, RB, JL, AO, AD, RS, DD) that are capable of making 'that shot' depending of course if its a 2 or 3 needed.

If you ask me he will be more dangerous as a late game decoy than the savior this year. If necessary he will take the shot but its great to have the options this club has.

I tend to disagree in this sense: Regardless of depth of talent, I believe every team needs to have 'the guy' ... the one for whom they run plays when the 'turning points' occur (and note that, often, those turning points come at times other than the end of games). If you look at our NC teams, '99 had Rip, '04 had Ben, and last year, of course, had Kemba. These were guys that, at crucial times, seemed to take games over for a possession or two when things were starting to unravel, and right the ship. Also, I believe that what cost us NC's in seasons where there was great talent ('06, for example) was that there wasn't a clearly defined 'the guy'. I do believe that, ultimately, Jeremy will be 'the guy' on this team. Right now, JC is in experiment mode, and is approaching these games with a much different mindset than he will once the BE season gets rolling. If anything, this section of the schedule is analagous to spring training in baseball ... you want to win the games, but player and team development is much more the goal than winning.
I do agree with you that this team benefits from having other weapons, so that teams can't just defend Jeremy, just as those other teams had other weapons as well. I also think that, just because a play is run for Jeremy it doesn't mean he has to be the guy that ultimately takes the shot. All 3 of the guys I mentioned (Rip, Ben, and Kemba) were willing and able to pass off to someone who had a better shot if need be.

 

[hungry husky]

The other first team AA are all counted on in crunch time.

 

[UConn3432]

Lamb should get more looks late in games, but they have to run offense for him. They have to move him around and set screens, so he can shoot or up-fake and drive. Bazz and Boat can't just dribble out the clock without trying to get him involved. That was the Kemba offense.

Lamb was 7-9 shooting against Florida State. He only took 4 shots in the last 10 minutes and overtime, when FSU erased a 10 point lead. That can't happen for this team to be successful. People have criticized Lamb's 4 turnovers, but they all happened in the first half because he barely had the ball in the second half. They have to share the ball and run offense.

 

[eos91]

He was relied on too heavily to relieve Shabazz at the point and wore himself out during games... with Boat playing, he will have less focus on ball-handling and will be able to be our end-of-game scorer... especially as the two PGs will be able to penetrate and kick.

 

[huskyhal]

As I indicated in my reply above to Kitaman, part of the equation here is recognizing that the crucial point of the game is not always the end. If, when UCF's run, or FSU's run was at 5 or 7 points, the team was willing to say, 'ok, Jeremy, take over', and Jeremy was willing to take over, the end-of-game situation would likely have never been necessary. That's what made Kemba so good last year: his ability to recognize those situations, and take matters into his own hands. I don't think any sport is more affected by momentum than college basketball, and if you nip momentum in the bud, you often eliminate the need for end-of-game decisions. And, again, he wouldn't necessarily have had to take the shots, but the ball, and the decision-making should have been in his hands at that point.

 

[gibhunter]

I think Napier is slowly becoming the leader. I don't think Lamb has it in him to lead this team.

 

[babysheep]

Not nearly vocal or charismatic enough to be a leader. Napier will lead from the point, with Boatshow providing that vocal aspect to get guys hyped up and playing hard.

Nobody on his team (at least not yet) is that guy that you can put a game in his hands like Kemba.

 

[huskyhal]

We may be confusing the terms 'leader' and 'go-to-guy'. In '99, Khalid was the leader, and, generally you want your point-guard to be. Your 'go-to-guy' is the one who is the first option for plays at crucial times, which, in '99 was Rip. In '04, Taliek was the leader, Ben Gordon was the go-to-guy. Last year was unique, in that Kemba was both. So far, on this team, I want Bazz to be the leader, and JL to be the go-to-guy.

In '99, Rip was a match-up nightmare for opponents ... he was too big for a guard to handle, and too quick for a forward to handle. And he was great at taking advantage: he'd catch-and-shoot over a guard, and blow by a forward. I believe Jeremy is similar, which is why, ultimately, he would be my choice as go-to-guy.

Note that that doesn't mean he's the one bringing the ball up. It means he's the one for whom the play is designed to get the ball. And, again, that doesn't mean that he has to be the one to take the shot ... just that I want him to be the first option, and the one I want making the decision.

 

[Huskies04Life]

I have a feeling the Boatshow is gonna have the ball in his hands alot at the end of games with Napier and Lamb on the wings. He gets in the lane at will and can create so much for everyone else. He may not be taking the final shot but he can open things up at ease for everyone else.

I don't think we will see another end of game player like Kemba for a while, that just doesn't happen too often.

 

[UCONN4life]

Everyone's knock on UConn is their lack of leadership. If Jeremy is easily the best player on the team, why can't he just man up and start being "the guy" in crunch time?

I know its early but Lamb doesn't look like he will be the go to guy for UConn. He is passive and seems disengaged at all times. We need to see Lamb become more aggressive. I think Boat ad Bazz will be our main guys with the ball in their hands at crunch time. Lamb i think is more effective playing off the ball like a traditional 2 as he was last year and he will be a monster for us. Lamb is great and looking for him to be Big East Player of the Year and an All American

 

[jibsey]

I think in crunch time we are going to see RB taking it to the rack to score dish or get fouled but I don't want to get too far ahead because it's only been 30 minutes. He's got the moxie.

 

[ford82]

We may be confusing the terms 'leader' and 'go-to-guy'. In '99, Khalid was the leader, and, generally you want your point-guard to be. Your 'go-to-guy' is the one who is the first option for plays at crucial times, which, in '99 was Rip. In '04, Taliek was the leader, Ben Gordon was the go-to-guy. Last year was unique, in that Kemba was both. So far, on this team, I want Bazz to be the leader, and JL to be the go-to-guy.

In '99, Rip was a match-up nightmare for opponents ... he was too big for a guard to handle, and too quick for a forward to handle. And he was great at taking advantage: he'd catch-and-shoot over a guard, and blow by a forward. I believe Jeremy is similar, which is why, ultimately, he would be my choice as go-to-guy.

Note that that doesn't mean he's the one bringing the ball up. It means he's the one for whom the play is designed to get the ball. And, again, that doesn't mean that he has to be the one to take the shot ... just that I want him to be the first option, and the one I want making the decision.

I agree with this. Jeremy doesn't need to be the leader, but does need to be the first option at the end of games. Shabazz needs to realize this. The proof is in the pudding, Jeremy made a number of clutch shots last year during critical points in Tournament games. Shabazz will improve as the season goes on, but during the Florida State game he made a number of poor choices. Jeremy has proven to be clutch and everyone on the team should remember to get him the ball. However, during late game situations Jeremy might be more effective running off screens than trying to create off the dribble. Jeremy and Shabazz have both been dribbling the ball too much this year in my opinion.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

However, I think it would be great to see him become a Hamilton to Shabazz' El-Amin.

Good point, surprising I haven't seen anyone else mention that comparison, but it seems like it could develop into a similar combo.

 

[champs99and04]

We may be confusing the terms 'leader' and 'go-to-guy'. In '99, Khalid was the leader, and, generally you want your point-guard to be. Your 'go-to-guy' is the one who is the first option for plays at crucial times, which, in '99 was Rip. In '04, Taliek was the leader, Ben Gordon was the go-to-guy. Last year was unique, in that Kemba was both. So far, on this team, I want Bazz to be the leader, and JL to be the go-to-guy.

In '99, Rip was a match-up nightmare for opponents ... he was too big for a guard to handle, and too quick for a forward to handle. And he was great at taking advantage: he'd catch-and-shoot over a guard, and blow by a forward. I believe Jeremy is similar, which is why, ultimately, he would be my choice as go-to-guy.

Note that that doesn't mean he's the one bringing the ball up. It means he's the one for whom the play is designed to get the ball. And, again, that doesn't mean that he has to be the one to take the shot ... just that I want him to be the first option, and the one I want making the decision.

You hit it right on the head. We don't need Lamb to be a leader, I don't think that's his personality. Coming into the season, I thought we would have two good leaders in Shabazz and Alex, but unfortunately Alex has not seemed to embrace that role. Shabazz is the guy that needs to take control of the team when the other team makes a run. That doesn't mean he needs to score, but he needs to organize the bunch and put his teammates in a position to succeed.

 

[ctchamps]

A lot of great thoughts expressed. I prefer waiting a few more games to see if any other individuals step up and present themselves as the "go to player". But the Shabazz as leader and Lamb as the go to guy is certainly is a great option.

BTW given todays environment with Cuse and PSU, people really need to think before they come up with a title like the one in this post. Of course I'm not being serious. But I'm certain more than one person had cringed when they read the title.

 

[Prezidint]

Lamb is Lamb. He won't, IMO, ever be a vocal leader. He's a silent assassin, and I'm fine with that. I want him coming off more screens to the ball - too much of the 1 on 1 out by the 3 line makes him easier to guard for the whole game. Movement, screens, flashes, cuts, and so on.

It's early. JC's teams, in general, have an ebb and flow. They morph. They're always evolving, devolving, adapting, amalgamating.

This team, more than any other we've ever had, I'm going to venture, will undergo more change prior to the final state than any previous team.

And why not? Dynamic, young team, extremely deep. Lots of overlapping and some interchangeable parts.

The and NCs are nice.

But the ride - watching the team grow/change/adapt/improve/learn to dominate - is, for me, the very fun part.

 

[Dribbles]

Also only 7 games into his soph. year. Young.

Very very young....

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Three pages and no reach-around bandit jokes? You guys are slipping.

 

[sparky]

As last year was Kemba's team this year it's Bazz's team. This team is more difficult to try and identify a go to leader because we have many more options than just watching Kemba chew someone up and spit them out. Lamb is Lamb ( a dagger in sheep's clothing ). That being said, we do dribble too much, but by the same token the dribble is a weapon and we have boat and bazz that use it as such. This team is evolving and as AD goes so will Uconn.

 

[nomar]

In light of recent events, let's not talk about grabbing anyone's balls, ok?

Nobody can replace Kemba. It's going to have be a team effort. Shabazz is probably the vocal leader.

 

[freescooter]

Some guys are great players, some guys are great leaders and a few are both. My sense of Lamb is that he is on the road to being a great player, but I'm not sure he has the personality to be the guy who is the leader in the sense of being the vocal guy or the guy that gets other fired up, except with his play. UCONN has been really fortunate to have had several guys who were leaders and top players, Kemba being the obviouls example but also ElAmin and Okafor. I would say Lamb is more similar to Gordon or maybe RIP Hamilton ...guys who make critical plays, maybe are even the best players on their teams (RIP was for sure) but aren't necessarily the leaders.