Karaban Consistency

[UCLJ0211]

Let me start by saying that I do not want this thread to be a knock on Karaban. He’s one of the most decorated UConn players ever and was a major reason for our B2B. I could also see him as a great coach when his playing days are over!

I have noticed that he tends to go into these shooting slumps for extended periods of time. If I recall, it’s happened each season he has been here and he’s in the midst of one now. He was 1-6 on 3s last night (all good looks) and is now 4-30 on 3s in his last 6 games.

I’m curious to see what everyone’s take is on his inconsistency? Is it a mental thing? Does he feel too much pressure of needing to be this year’s alpha and a player of the year candidate? B2B championship hangover? Is it something else?

Again, please keep this constructive as it is not my intention to talk negatively about any player.

 

[JRDBWK]

Consistently using him the same way is not going to help him get past the slump I think what they need to do is legitimately bench him and start Stewart since Liam is back, have him play Off the Bench and hope that will get him out of the slump

 

[Conndog]

His shooting mechanics are bad, but they’ve always been this way. Not sure his career average from 3, but I’d bet it isn’t great.

 

[Palatine]

His confidence looks shot. He is very tenative and passing up open looks.

 

[UCLJ0211]

His shooting mechanics are bad, but they’ve always been this way. Not sure his career average from 3, but I’d bet it isn’t great.

Agree his mechanics are a little unorthodox, but it’s worked for him so far. He’s shot 38.2% in 3 years at UConn.

 

[Lynyrd]

Consistently using him the same way is not going to help him get past the slump I think what they need to do is legitimately bench him and start Stewart since Liam is back, have him play Off the Bench and hope that will get him out of the slump

I understand what you’re saying but benching is a little harsh and I am not sure what that accomplishes. He definitely needs to have his minutes reduced and Stewart should be the recipient. Not only is Karaban’s shot not falling but every aspect of his game appears impacted. Seems to have lost confidence. Wish I had an answer for how to fix but contemplation can’t hurt.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

2 comments. First, he needs to find other ways to impact the game. I didn't see his stats from last night, but I'm guessing there weren't many assists.
Secondly, stop taking shots 4 feet behind the line when you're slumping.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

Consistently using him the same way is not going to help him get past the slump I think what they need to do is legitimately bench him and start Stewart since Liam is back, have him play Off the Bench and hope that will get him out of the slump

He does so much than just score. He needs to be on the floor.

 

[Glastonhusky]

I understand what you’re saying but benching is a little harsh and I am not sure what that accomplishes. He definitely needs to have his minutes reduced and Stewart should be the recipient. Not only is Karaban’s shot not falling but every aspect of his game appears impacted. Seems to have lost confidence. Wish I had an answer for how to fix but contemplation can’t hurt.

Agree, I don't think benching is the answer. Has to be a confidence thing, last night it looked like he didn't even want to take a big shot. He has reputation as a hard worker, he just needs to get back in the gym and work it out. Whatever it takes to get the confidence back.

 

[dogpause]

I understand the love and loyalty, but this is the second year in a row that Alex has suffered a prolonged slump. His one superpower is his long range shooting, but it's not there, hasn't been there for much of the past two seasons, and it's enabling teams to mostly ignore him and double team our other players.

I think he needs to come off the bench. It will take some pressure off of him, and put his focus on earning his way back into the starting lineup.

 

[Brochacho]

Take out the buy games and he’s shooting 40% from the field and 32% from 3. He’s had good games and he’s had bad games but we probably need to readjust expectations for the rest of the year and minute allocations. I’d like to see more time for Stewart.

 

[temery]

Again, please keep this constructive as it is not my intention to talk negatively about any player.

Yeah, that always works.

Karaban didn't carry the team to win his first ring. Karaban didn't carry the team to win his second ring.

There would be no championship in '23 or '24 without Karaban.

Fans have three options:

1) Choose your words very carefully if you wan't to criticize the man who has helped win two championships.

2). STFU and move on to bitch about something else.

3). STFU and leave.

It's not coincidence that the same balloon knot only show up to post after a loss. I can very easily do something about that, and plan to.

 

[Mets8692]

As much of a slump that he is in, he needs to keep shooting.

Dan in his post-game said that it was a night that Karaban going 3 for 14 would be okay. He can't only take 6 shots. He is to important to this team.

 

[TeasenDonut]

Wish Alex developed some sort of post game. Would have really opened things up for him

 

[RuffRuff]

AK is a guy that needs space to feel comfortable uncorking his square and load 3. His confidence starts with the 3. When he’s focused on and played tightly, it makes him uncomfortable and given the unique nature of his shot mechanics, he misses badly. When you start missing badly your confidence further depletes and the cycle persists. That open 3 swing to Diarra yesterday was a clear case of him now having ghosts in his head.

The thing about AK, if you look at his numbers last year, is that a LARGE majority of his big games were against the DePauls and Gtowns. Much less so against top teams. He benefits by being the downstream recipient of more talented guys being focused on. StJ just has so many good defenders it doesn’t matter in their case. He’ll probably get some mojo back against a Seton Hall type team. I’m not expecting him to turn this around at Creighton, whom he had a bad game against in Storrs. For now we have to get back to working the O through Liam and getting that clicking again.

 

[TheHorde]

His confidence looks shot. He is very tenative and passing up open looks.

I think it’s this and he’s pressing. I’m sure nobody is more frustrated by this than Alex himself.

 

[my2cents]

Let me start by saying that I do not want this thread to be a knock on Karaban. He’s one of the most decorated UConn players ever and was a major reason for our B2B. I could also see him as a great coach when his playing days are over!

I have noticed that he tends to go into these shooting slumps for extended periods of time. If I recall, it’s happened each season he has been here and he’s in the midst of one now. He was 1-6 on 3s last night (all good looks) and is now 4-30 on 3s in his last 6 games.

I’m curious to see what everyone’s take is on his inconsistency? Is it a mental thing? Does he feel too much pressure of needing to be this year’s alpha and a player of the year candidate? B2B championship hangover? Is it something else?

Again, please keep this constructive as it is not my intention to talk negatively about any player.

More like 0-6 last night.

 

[sdglast]

AK is a guy that needs space to feel comfortable uncorking his square and load 3. His confidence starts with the 3. When he’s focused on and played tightly, it makes him uncomfortable and given the unique nature of his shot mechanics, he misses badly. When you start missing badly your confidence further depletes and the cycle persists. That open 3 swing to Diarra yesterday was a clear case of him now having ghosts in his head.

The thing about AK, if you look at his numbers last year, is that a LARGE majority of his big games were against the DePauls and Gtowns. Much less so against top teams. He benefits by being the downstream recipient of more talented guys being focused on. StJ just has so many good defenders it doesn’t matter in their case. He’ll probably get some mojo back against a Seton Hall type team. I’m not expecting him to turn this around at Creighton, whom he had a bad game against in Storrs. For now we have to get back to working the O through Liam and getting that clicking again.

Totally on point. He struggles against better defenders who are all playing him to shoot the 3. Teams are defying him to put the ball on the deck and go by them, and he can't. The last 2 years he was like the number 4 option, so he was the recipient of a ton of drives and dishes for wide open looks that he could step into. This year, he is struggling as a premium option, as teams are able to take him away more easily. If Karaban wants to play at the next level, he needs to get strong, be able to play at time with his back to the basket against smaller defenders, and work on his speed and agility to get a bit quicker first step. I agree on sitting more at times like last night. He gave you nothing in the 2nd half, and Hurley could have gone to Stewart just to get more athleticism on the floor. Will be interested to see if AK comes back next year, as the NBA seems like a pipe dream for a players who has not played great against better teams this year for the most part.

 

[uchusky32]

His confidence is shot. The weight of the preseason. All American honors. The NBA draft. He was our 4th option last year. And now he was supposed to be our first option. But he can't create for himself. Has problems with dribble penetration. And doesn't have a post up game. Now we run our motion but he doesn't want to shoot. That doesn't lead to efficient offense. You saw it last night. We run the clock down running our stuff that leads to a force hairball on many possessions. Can't continue to run this offense with the makeup of this team.

 

[REB1094]

Confidence confidence confidence. With Liam back and Solo breaking out, hopefully the gameplan can be shifted to allow Karaban to play his glue guy role and build back his confidence. We've seen how he does in a role that's more fitting for his playstyle. If we can find a way for Liam/Solo to be the main guys (which is a big IF), then I think we see AK quickly turn his game around

He's been slumping, but in that slump he's still delivered 15 points on 50% against Marquette, 19 points in a close win vs. Butler, 19 points in a close win @ GTown, and 20+ in both of our close wins to open BE play. Without Alex Karaban, we probably have 3 extra BE losses right now and are out of the tournament picture

Not trying to downplay his struggles because they're very real and a big part of why we aren't where we want to be, but I think we're being very harsh on a guy that's been a big part of championships here and represents the school perfectly

 

[RuffRuff]

More like 0-6 last night.

His FG% is down over 6% this year. Hes shooting a pretty average 36% from 3. Feel for him, Hurley disciple. His value crested when deficiencies were masked last year.

His confidence is shot. The weight of the preseason. All American honors. The NBA draft. He was our 4th option last year. And now he was supposed to be our first option. But he can't create for himself. Has problems with dribble penetration. And doesn't have a post up game. Now we run our motion but he doesn't want to shoot. That doesn't lead to efficient offense. You saw it last night. We run the clock down running our stuff that leads to a force hairball on many possessions. Can't continue to run this offense with the makeup of this team.

For a kid known for his IQ, really shows no craftiness at all. He’s binary - either takes the three or does his head down drive. The latter of which is low %. Much of what he does feels premeditated, makes his decision before he even catches it.

All his other points are off back cuts or offensive rebounds.

Yesterday’s matchup offered him a size advantage. It would have been the kind of game, if he had any type of low post game, to use it.

 

[BGesus4]

Yes, he’s in a brutal slump. Yes, we could’ve won last night if he shot it better.

No, his play is not why we aren’t a contender right now.

His shooting will come around. The real thing to fix is the driving his head down and letting the secondary defender strip him on what seems like more than half of his drives.

 

[auror]

He's 4/30 from 3 since he rolled his ankle in the Creighton game.

 

[HooperScooper]

His shooting mechanics are bad, but they’ve always been this way. Not sure his career average from 3, but I’d bet it isn’t great.

Actually it's pretty good. 40.2% his freshman year, 66-164 (2nd most taken on the team), and 37.9% last season, 81-214. He was shooting in the low to mid 40s% from three earlier this season but is now at 36.2%, 47-130.

He was never the focus of defenses the 2 years before this and had a lot of very good players around him. It's a different world now. McNeeley being back will help as will Ball breaking out. Teams will have a hard time stopping all 3. Need Diarra healthy and back to the version we saw earlier this season.

 

[UConnTrumbull]

You could kind of tell something is up by the way he hugged Liam right after the Marquette win. He played well, we got a big win on the road. And yet that image felt more like a sigh of relief than excitement.