Lubin Transferring

[Dogbreath2U]

Purvis came on as the season progressed and became our best player, yes, best player. He also clearly assumed leadership of the team. It's his team now. I'd like to see what he can do.

Well, I don't know who the rightful leader on the team is now, but I do not see Rodney as being ready to take on that role. I don't know if anyone we have is ready for that role, but if I had to choose, I would give the reins to Jalen and live with the freshman mistakes. Daniel would be second as he could mature into a positive leader if he can calm down and make better decisions. Rodney goes up and down like a yo-yo emotionally and a team leader needs to be steady to weather the difficult times.

 

[Stainmaster]

Well, I don't know who the rightful leader on the team is now, but I do not see Rodney as being ready to take on that role. I don't know if anyone we have is ready for that role, but if I had to choose, I would give the reins to Jalen and live with the freshman mistakes. Daniel would be second as he could mature into a positive leader if he can calm down and make better decisions. Rodney goes up and down like a yo-yo emotionally and a team leader needs to be steady to weather the difficult times.

I don't know him personally so I may be off the mark, but I think the "up-and-down" here is an assumption due to the fact that his on-court performance can be described that way. I thought he came across as very mature in the late-season interviews, and I think he has what it takes. To be a leader means you have to gain the respect of your teammates as a superior, something I don't think any freshman in the country can do. Quinn Cook is Duke's leader, not Jones or Okafor.

 

[8893]

To be a leader means you have to gain the respect of your teammates as a superior, something I don't think any freshman in the country can do.

I don't know if Purvis has what it takes, but I am hoping Adams does. I understand that Khalid was special, but he certainly was the leader from Day 1. IMO it's best when the point guard is the leader.

 

[Stainmaster]

I don't know if Purvis has what it takes, but I am hoping Adams does. I understand that Khalid was special, but he certainly was the leader from Day 1. IMO it's best when the point guard is the leader.

Agreed, but we need to have open minds. The KEA/Kemba/Bazz/Boat archetype dominates the narrative of the past 15 years of UCONN basketball, but we shouldn't treat having the PG as the leader as an absolute requirement. It's whoever steps up to the plate.

 

[Matrim55]

I don't know if Purvis has what it takes, but I am hoping Adams does. I understand that Khalid was special, but he certainly was the leader from Day 1.

Khalid was the vocal, public leader. But Ricky & K-Free ran that locker room, and were supported (in his way) by Rip, who was the best player on the team.

It really was the perfect mix. I'd put that '99 UConn team up against pretty much any team from any school over the last 30 years.

 

[UC990411]

Montrezl Harrell of Louisville.

I know who Montrezl Harrel is, and he is not Rakim Lubin. Harrel is an athletic freen, Lubin is a donut. As much as I like Rock and thought he would be a serviceable grinder her, he was not becoming Montrezl.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Khalid was the vocal, public leader. But Ricky & K-Free ran that locker room, and were supported (in his way) by Rip, who was the best player on the team.

It really was the perfect mix. I'd put that '99 UConn team up against pretty much any team from any school over the last 30 years.

Re-watching a game from that year the other day, I thought that they might have the best chemistry of any UConn team ever.

 

[Matrim55]

Re-watching a game from that year the other day, I thought that they might have the best chemistry of any UConn team ever.

They were a phenomenal group to spend time around - I was very lucky. And I can't stress this enough: they had zero doubt they were going to beat Duke. It wasn't arrogance, just a completely professional confidence in the system, each other, and individual ability to execute.

I really should have bet on that game. I wasn't even nervous.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Honestly...I see it as 2 bad/mediocre recruiting classes.

Boatright/Deandre - good class
Omar/Nolan - bad. Omar was a big miss. He was supposed to be a big time player.
Facey/Samuel/Brimah - Brimah worked out better than we hoped, but haven't gotten much else from anyone else.
Hamilton - Hamilton is the best we've had in awhile
Transfers: Purvis/Cassell - Purvis is a player. He needs to get a bit smarter at basketball and work on his jump shot trajectory, but he's athletic and can really penetrate. Cassell seemed to struggle getting used to the pace of play. I think he'll be improved next yr. Needs to build confidence.
Jalen/Enoch - TBD

So the point is that we have 2 recruiting classes of guys who can't score. Once Omar and Phil graduate, we'll be in much better shape, if we continue to recruit the way we have the last 2 yrs with Hamilton and Adams.

Go back and look at the classes in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 etc.
2007: Donnell Beverly
2008: Scottie Haralson, Nate Miles, Kemba Walker, Chuck Okwandu
2009: (great on paper) Jamaal Coombs McDaniel, Oriakhi, Darius Smith, Jamal Trice
2010: Michael Bradley, Jeremy Lamb, Napier, Olander, Roscoe Smith

Four years and I'd argue that Calhoun hit on three guys, maybe four with Oriakhi. Yet we won a title. Right now, Ollie has hit on Hamilton. Purvis was a strong transfer, already better than all but three of the guys on the list above. Brimah is better than most of those guys too.

2011 was a hit with Boatright, Daniels and Drummond. The point is: Don't Panic. It's entirely possible that Adams and Enoch are hits not misses, and if they are, we have a very solid team.

 

[KembaStepback]

Go back and look at the classes in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 etc.
2007: Donnell Beverly
2008: Scottie Haralson, Nate Miles, Kemba Walker, Chuck Okwandu
2009: (great on paper) Jamaal Coombs McDaniel, Oriakhi, Darius Smith, Jamal Trice
2010: Michael Bradley, Jeremy Lamb, Napier, Olander, Roscoe Smith

Four years and I'd argue that Calhoun hit on three guys, maybe four with Oriakhi. Yet we won a title. Right now, Ollie has hit on Hamilton. Purvis was a strong transfer, already better than all but three of the guys on the list above. Brimah is better than most of those guys too.

2011 was a hit with Boatright, Daniels and Drummond. The point is: Don't Panic. It's entirely possible that Adams and Enoch are hits not misses, and if they are, we have a very solid team.

Agree 100%.
The one difference I'd say is that in 2009 we were a VERY deep team. We still had Price, Thabeet, Sticks, Dyson as the core.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Agree 100%.
The one difference I'd say is that in 2009 we were a VERY deep team. We still had Price, Thabeet, Sticks, Dyson as the core.

Agreed. My point is that UConn hasn't really ever been like Duke, Kentucky or North Carolina, landing strong class after strong class every year. We have hits and misses. Thus far, getting Hamilton and Purvis last year is definitely a hit, not a miss. If there was no fear of Hamilton going to the NBA after next year, I'd hope most of us would look at 16-17 as a potentially very strong team.

 

[UofCT]

We need a 2007-2008 type campaign out of the team next year.

 

[Deadrody]

So says his mother, via Twitter

Kinda hard to blame him, don't you think ?

With the sometimes horrid post presence this team had, Lubin could barely get on the court. And when he was on the court, he was hardly worse than Nolan / Brimah.

 

[MattMang23]

Go back and look at the classes in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 etc.
2007: Donnell Beverly
2008: Scottie Haralson, Nate Miles, Kemba Walker, Chuck Okwandu
2009: (great on paper) Jamaal Coombs McDaniel, Oriakhi, Darius Smith, Jamal Trice
2010: Michael Bradley, Jeremy Lamb, Napier, Olander, Roscoe Smith

Four years and I'd argue that Calhoun hit on three guys, maybe four with Oriakhi. Yet we won a title. Right now, Ollie has hit on Hamilton. Purvis was a strong transfer, already better than all but three of the guys on the list above. Brimah is better than most of those guys too.

2011 was a hit with Boatright, Daniels and Drummond. The point is: Don't Panic. It's entirely possible that Adams and Enoch are hits not misses, and if they are, we have a very solid team.

Don't forget Niels and Enosch in 2010, too.

 

[James]

You know 'good locker room guys'? Lubin wasn't one of those, got into it with nearly every teammate during the year. This is first hand ish, and he DEF was not the most studious i'll just leave it at that. no shade just facts

 

[aceboon]

Kinda hard to blame him, don't you think ?

With the sometimes horrid post presence this team had, Lubin could barely get on the court. And when he was on the court, he was hardly worse than Nolan / Brimah.

Nope

 

[HuskyHawk]

Don't forget Niels and Enosch in 2010, too.

Yes, right. Niels was rated 40 by ESPN. How wrong was that.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Yes, right. Niels was rated 40 by ESPN. How wrong was that.

That just means he wasn't rated. Which I guess was also a mistake, to some degree, though he wasn't a major contribute for a few years.

 

[joober jones]

I wish I could be the kind of joke who has an NCAA championship ring on his finger.

 

[pnow15]

I can't buy into the chicken little argument. I just can't.
Hamilton was the best UConn freshman I'd seen seen Rudy Gay. Incredible talent.
Purvis came on as the season progressed and became our best player, yes, best player. He also clearly assumed leadership of the team. It's his team now. I'd like to see what he can do.
Brimah was defensive player of the year in conference as a sophomore, who barely played before he arrived. He has gaping holes in his game, but clearly has ability to make a big impact.
Facey was a rebounding machine, and flashed some offense. If he can play better fundamental defense he can be very good.
Calhoun is a shooter, with improved D this season. His poor shot fundamentals means he needs to be wide open to shoot.
Samuel plays strong, like Taliek. Solid depth at PG who will get better with experience.
Nolan is the classic UConn big who gradually improves up to an eventual strong senior year. If you subtract the phantom fouls (about 25-30% of his fouls never happened) he'd look much better.

That talent doesn't stink. What I saw last year wasn't bad players, it was a bad team. Sometimes it happens, but those guys weren't able to play together, they didn't mesh. Maybe these players, plus some new ones will function better as a team. Ollie needs to recruit, but rare was the year when Calhoun had deep strong recruiting classes. What he did very well was find kids that were underrated.

I have seen this movie.

Calhoun is a shooter with a heart, Facey is a courageous rebounding machine, Samuel plays smart.

OK.

Now stand up. Look at those red slippers on you feet. Knock the heals together.

And repeat. "There is no place like home, there is no place like home, there is no place like home."

 

[Eskapeesto]

Quite frankly,

I've solved the mystery. Chief00 is the sockpuppet of Stephen A. Smith. His catchphrase is "quite frankly" and he claims to be friends with everyone (e.g. Drummond). Coincidence? I think not.

 

[lange10]

Western Kentucky apparently at the top of the list. Nice fit for Rock, IMO.

http://www.bgdailynews.com/blogs/hi...cle_45308534-f2c5-11e4-aa4c-77c868b2ab3b.html

 

[Matrim55]

Western Kentucky apparently at the top of the list. Nice fit for Rock, IMO.

http://www.bgdailynews.com/blogs/hi...cle_45308534-f2c5-11e4-aa4c-77c868b2ab3b.html

Interesting. I would've guessed that Georgia State was a lock.

Regardless, good luck to the kid. Hopefully no more weight room concussions.

 

[scrappy2.0]

Lubin from the one game I watched him in HS looked like he was 6-8 260 and a much better athlete. He was actually closer to 6-5 I believe and although I think he played the way I thought he would in some fashion(an enforcer type) he was not nearly the player I thought we were getting. That being said hes going to be a really good player inside for a smaller college. He gets to work on his body and develop his game and he will be fun to watch develop from a far.

 

[David 76]

Good luck Rock!