Lack of leadership

[HooperScooper]

“It’s been like that the whole year. You get up high then you get down low,” Ollie said. “It’s just a lack of focus, lack of leadership.”

http://www.journalinquirer.com/spor...cle_7c1e6a76-dfcc-11e5-bc8e-5fecc6ba0f7e.html

If Ollie thinks it's a problem then I guess I will take his word for it. So how can this change next season? Who steps up next year to be a good leader?

Can Adams do it as a sophomore?

Is Brimah going to be a better leader after being a captain for 2 years and looking like he's not the leader they need?

Who else?

I think Ollie needs to take some of the responsibility if he thinks it's a lack of focus. That's typically a coach's job.

 

[amory]

UConn has been really lucky to have the kind of leaders on the floor that they've had the past 5 or 6 seasons. But there are really good basketball teams that don't have a Shabazz or Kemba or Boatright. You have to make shots. To get in a good position to make shots, you have to have a coherent offense. And right now, we don't have a coherent offense. We really haven't had one since Ollie took over. Even when we won the championship in 2014, our scoring relied very heavily on Bazz/Boat/Daniels bailing us out.

That's on the coach. It's too late this year to try to reshape the whole offense, but they need to reevaluate in the offseason because what they're doing now isn't working.

 

[intlzncster]

“It’s been like that the whole year. You get up high then you get down low,” Ollie said. “It’s just a lack of focus, lack of leadership.”

http://www.journalinquirer.com/spor...cle_7c1e6a76-dfcc-11e5-bc8e-5fecc6ba0f7e.html

If Ollie thinks it's a problem then I guess I will take his word for it. So how can this change next season? Who steps up next year to be a good leader?

Can Adams do it as a sophomore?

Is Brimah going to be a better leader after being a captain for 2 years and looking like he's not the leader they need?

Who else?

I think Ollie needs to take some of the responsibility if he thinks it's a lack of focus. That's typically a coach's job.

Agree that Ollie needs to take responsibility, but unlike others, I'm glad he calls these things out. It's far better than having your head stuck in the sand in blind denial.

It's going to have to be Adams. And hopefully a seemingly mature/confident Alterique.

I think Brimah leads in his own way, but the impact is mitigated due to limited skill level and having a happy go lucky attitude.

 

[Yankees32123]

Brimah can't be the team leader. He can be a vocal leader, but the type of leadership that Ollie is talking about it "alpha dog" leadership. The type of guy you can give the ball to to break down the defense at the end of the shotclock, the type of guy who takes (and makes) the big shot in crunch time, the type of guy who is the face of the team. It doesn't need to be a Kemba or Shabazz type of leadership where the team only goes as far as they go, but it needs to be someone with the IQ of those guys, the spirit of Brimah and the skill to match.

 

[rip7774]

When best player is Debbie downer on himself it really hurts. Maybe if DHam can relax and the guards fill leadership vacuum it can change.

I'm hoping Jalen/Rique next year.

Terry Larrier seems like a very confident kid when u meet him not sure if it translates but I'm hoping.

 

[7774]

What would people like Ollie to do to make the multiple people we have on this roster in important positions, who are not mentally talented at basketball, become more mentally talented at basketball?

 

[Kitaman]

Adams is the leader he's just deferring for one year. He's got 'it'.

 

[GemParty]

The point guard is usually our leader. Question is, who is our point next year, & who is the knock down shooting guard?

 

[Marat]

Need to place a wanted ad - Looking for natural born leader.

None of Kemba, Napier, Boat were natural leaders from the freshman season. They developed the skill at UConn.

Only Khalid was a natural born leader from the beginning. Good luck finding another one like him.

But yes, Adams can develop the skill as well.

 

[rip7774]

Rique is the point. Jalen is combo and starts. Knockdown shooters gonna be tough unless we find a transfer. Vance will be one - tough to ask of him in day one. I actually think DHam could be reliable if not forced to create. Maybe not knockdown like rashad but reliable.

Cannot stress enough how getting back to two point guards will open things up! Some of most stressful/frustrating seasons are years we had 1 pg. 2014-2015, this year, 2006 loaded team.

From second hand reports, Rique seems like a natural born leader.

 

[Danzz]

We don't have that outstanding vocal PG to take over the game and manage the court. Adams can be that player next year.

 

[Rico444]

There's a few options. Kemba sure didn't look like a leader until his Junior year. Then he had one of the greatest seasons in UConn history and lead a bunch of kids to the national championship. Maybe DHam figures it out between now and November? Adams may be ready by then, too.

The real problem is talent. If this team had more flow on offense and actually made their layups and a few more open jump shots, you wouldn't be worried about leadership at all. Just have to hope DHam and Jalen mature for next season (and it wouldn't hurt if Larrier was the real deal).

 

[James]

Yeah I think "leadership" is a bit nebulous, Ollie could just mean team chemistry and "role awareness". Next year when grad transfers are shedded and purvis moves on I think the kids will play with a lot less indecisiveness ... Will we be better? with brimah back , I think adding two well rounded starters in larrier + Gilbert will give this team a chance to carve a nice identity. Gilbert also is indeed an acclaimed pg and leader(Adams was evaluated as a combo guard and that's turned out on valid)

 

[Tenspro2002]

Adams clearly should be the guy next year. My only concern is whether we have an early-career Bazz/Boat dynamic with Adams/Gilbert, where Boat had no interest in deferring to Bazz until ultimately accepting it for the good of the team his junior year.

Hamilton is not a leader -- not surprising for the youngest of 6(?) siblings. Brimah's captaincy is a joke, given his limited basketball IQ.

It has to be Adams.

 

[intlzncster]

Yeah I think "leadership" is a bit nebulous, Ollie could just mean team chemistry and "role awareness". Next year when grad transfers are shedded and purvis moves on I think the kids will play with a lot less indecisiveness ... Will we be better? with brimah back , I think adding two well rounded starters in larrier + Gilbert will give this team a chance to carve a nice identity. Gilbert also is indeed an acclaimed pg and leader(Adams was evaluated as a combo guard and that's turned out on valid)

I don't have a problem w a frosh pg as long as you have at least a vet combo next to him. See kemba/shabazz 2011. Alterique and Adams start next year.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Adams clearly should be the guy next year. My only concern is whether we have an early-career Bazz/Boat dynamic with Adams/Gilbert, where Boat had no interest in deferring to Bazz until ultimately accepting it for the good of the team his junior year.

We've got some down time. You should probably start worrying about it now.

Incidentally, your comment about Brimah's captaincy being a "joke" just makes you sound like a d i ck.

 

[InKembaITrust]

As good of individual players both Shonn and Sterling are, they definitely threw a curve-ball into cementing an individual leader for the team.

They are both the eldest on the team but are not "true" huskies, which hinders their ability to lead other Huskies whom have been with the program for multiple years.

Their seniority also hinders Brimah's ability to act as the leader b/c Shonn and Sterling are naturally expected to take on that role, so it leave the entire team in a conundrum. Also Brimah in my opinion might make a great emotional leader, but unfortunately is not a good enough individual talent to lead with his play and bball IQ.

Although Jalen will only be a sophomore next year I really hope Ollie recognizes his natural born talent and leadership qualities, and hands over the keys...