Lukas Kisunas Commits to UConn

[Kitaman]

Happy Happy! Boneyard lets all dance!!

 

[80shusky]

Yeah, the Blaze strategy is blazing hot. Let’s celebrate the moment and enjoy. This is the night after the win - only thinking one thing - time to party!

I will say the time horizon is longer than most are comfortable with on this board for step 2 - but as Chief predicted step 1 in is the books and step 2 will come.

So, is the Blaze strategy to:

• Prioritize positions needed.
• Recruit players to fill positions.
• Keep calling, visiting and watching their games.
• Close.

Because that seems totally logical to me.

 

[Husky68]

Watching the video I was expecting to witness an almost unheard of no dunk mix tape but he got one very late. Even when he's uncontested under the rim he lays it in. Guys are gonna send that back in his face if he doesn't go hard. I expect he'll make that adjustment once he starts practicing at UCONN.

Lot to be said for positioning and using body and knowing where defenders are. St Joe team that Brimah saved us from ate us up inside without a guy who could dunk. Just like Shabazz with his fakes, if you got it boy you are hard to guard, even as an inside guy.

 

[3rdbass]

Think of all the project players we've had, hoping they would learn the basic skills to be effective players on the college level. Now consider Kisunas:
> looking at the two tapes which were 1 year apart, he went from laying the ball up to dunking emphatically, going up very strong;
> he shows a great left hand - there's going to be a lot fewer missed 'bunnies' than we've seen recently;
> his footwork under the basket is excellent, and he can play with his back to the basket or facing it;
> he's got a good shooting touch and likes the bank shot;
> looks to be a solid passer;
> only negative is that he's not fleet of foot, but at 6'10" 256, who cares?

He's so solid fundamentally and he's bringing these skills the minute he steps on campus. I think he'll contribute like Giffey did, only sooner. It may take him til sophomore year to get 20-25 minutes per game, but I can see 10 pts, 8 reb, 2 blocks and 2 assists per game from him.

So you are comparing him to Giffey because he is a white guy from Europe? Two different types of players. Giffey was a shooter who was a decent athlete who could keep guards in front of him with his lateral quickness. This guy is big and strong looking that can set picks and who might not get moved around easily inside. This guy doesn't have Giffey's athletic talent so not sure how he is going to adjust to the faster game.
I think we should be happy that the staff got someone they wanted but temper the expectations of 2nd round NBA draft pick and 10 point scorer in his second year. Let him play and see what we got.

I personally still like Carlton from this years squad best of all the big men we have or will have on the team and he was rated around 174. Not sure if Josh will have an impact this year but he might next.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Remember when Royce White beat us with Drummond and AO? This kid is big enough to bang down low and can move well enough to come out to the perimeter and move his feet

 

[UConnSwag11]

Everybody keeps talking about his toughness, bulk, screening abilities, etc. You know what I like about him? Passes his his hands and don't bounce off. That's what I like. He catches the damn ball and he sticks it in the hole.

He catches them with his and not his wrists

 

[Hoophound]

I thought it was interesting that Lukas said that he was told he could start. Of course, he said he would have to earn it, but we never hear people say anything in regard to being told they can start. Blaze strategy?

 

[Waquoit]

Lot to be said for positioning and using body and knowing where defenders are. St Joe team that Brimah saved us from ate us up inside without a guy who could dunk.

Good point. We lose if he doesn't foul out.

 

[Ricker]

What do Syracuse, Oregon, Wake Forest, West Virginia, and UConn have in common? All the schools have recruits playing for Brewster this year, and Nate Roberts @ approx. #195 hasn't committed yet. This year's talent at Brewster is much more weighted to the frontcourt on paper so we'll see if the guards can get the most out of the team strength. Kisunas will be going every day against: 6'11 #195 Nate Roberts, 6'8 2017 #90 Derek Culver who apparently is doing a post grad year, (West Virginia commit), 6'10" Miles Norris #54 (Oregon commit), a 6'10 kid from the Netherlands I haven't seen, and 6'8 #64 Isaiah Mucius (Wake Forest commit). My point is, that between game competition at an elite level, and practice against quality competitors, Kisunas will be battle tested against other kids who will play solid roles at D1 schools. He should be able to provide UConn with results that mirror what he accomplishes at Brewster.

As an aside, I think most of the expectations posters have expressed are in line with his actual play. Last year he did not dominate play, but the comments others have made about being the type of player that might be on Wisconsin, or a key 4 year player on a Bucknell, are spot on in my mind. As I said early in his original thread, he is a team player rather than an impact player. Last year he was 235lbs and wasn't a leaper but was very mobile, not a plodder at all. Now at 256lbs I'll be interested to see if he still has that motor. I typically get to 4-6 games a season at Brewster and will do my duty and report.

 

[BUConn10]

Awesome commit.

Would it be out of line to say that this kid may have a better offensive skill set than any starting 5 we have had since 2012?

 

[Kembacity]

I thought it was interesting that Lukas said that he was told he could start. Of course, he said he would have to earn it, but we never hear people say anything in regard to being told they can start. Blaze strategy?

I took that as them telling him "You might be able to start" meaning if he's the best option after seeing results in practice, they're not going to say "You definitely wont get ahead of ____"

I think the message we give there is always, playing time is earned, we're not going to tell you that if you commit you'll be starting

 

[Bagel&Cheese]

Great Get! Looks like a fundamentally sound back to the basket type guy we haven't seen in quite some time. Impressed with this pick/roll play as well and was stronger dunking the ball in the 2nd video I saw. I don't like making comparisons but looks like he sets a pick a lot like big Jake V. Now maybe we get lucky and get a 'blue chipper" to fall our way in the class 2018. If not, still a very solid 2018 class. If we get ranked this year and play well, then we have to go all in after the top recruits in class of 2019. We still have a ways to go but it look like UConn is trending upward on paper.

 

[pj]

I think Jake Voskuhl is a good comparison. Center is the weakest position competition-wise, so it's not out of the question he could start right away. Eric Cobb is his main competition.

 

[Whtdmd]

I am okay with this pick up. He is a winner and is way more advance now then all of our big man except Cobb. The issue is that his upside is so so and he is not too much different from Carlton or Cobb. We might see a transfer next yr. Anyway, from the one game that I saw him. He is a big body who sets devastating screens n controls the boards. He is not a shot blocker n we need that. I have a funny feeling about Mathis also with this committ. He might be here if Rutgers has a bad yr

 

[BUConn10]

I am okay with this pick up. He is a winner and is way more advance now then all of our big man except Cobb. The issue is that his upside is so so and he is not too much different from Carlton or Cobb. We might see a transfer next yr. Anyway, from the one game that I saw him. He is a big body who sets devastating screens n controls the boards. He is not a shot blocker n we need that. I have a funny feeling about Mathis also with this committ. He might be here if Rutgers has a bad yr

Disagree. While Cobb and Carlton appear to me as bruisers, enforcers, and defensive rebounding specialists. This kid looks like he will be a focal point of the offense when he is on the court, more skill and finesse than physicality. He will be central to the PnR with Jalen/AG and his turn around game in the post looks like something I really haven't seen Cobb or Carlton show much of in their highlight tapes.

 

[UCDaveD]

 

[MSGSeven]

Disagree. While Cobb and Carlton appear to me as bruisers, enforcers, and defensive rebounding specialists. This kid looks like he will be a focal point of the offense when he is on the court, more skill and finesse than physicality. He will be central to the PnR with Jalen/AG and his turn around game in the post looks like something I really haven't seen Cobb or Carlton show much of in their highlight tapes.

Just giving you the benefit of the doubt that you probably haven't watched too many Carlton highlights he has very solid low post moves, good/soft hands and good footwork...

 

[ElPresidente]

Lukas KISUNAS at the FIBA U18 European Championship Division A 2017 - FIBA.basketball

Don't know if his recent summer stats were posted. Our boy gained steam towards the end if the FIBA U18 tournament.

 

[BUConn10]

Just giving you the benefit of the doubt that you probably haven't watched too many Carlton highlights he has very solid low post moves, good/soft hands and good footwork...

I've seen that vid. Compared to LK's, Carlton is facing the basket much more. In LK's video he posts up into a dream shake or drop step in a significant part of the vid.

 

[HooperScooper]

Well one good thing. We have some more beef to throw around when we play Cincinnati.

 

[MSGSeven]

I've seen that vid. Compared to LK's, Carlton is facing the basket much more. In LK's video he posts up into a dream shake or drop step in a significant part of the vid.

I see two different styles of big men which is good and I think both have potential and will be effective for UConn. By your posts it just seems you're overrating LK's offensive game while underrating JC's.

 

[pj]

Carlton seems more like a forward to me, Kisunas is clearly a center. Carlton may fill in for us at center because minutes are more available there, but if he develops as we hope his best spot may be power forward.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Yaassss

 

[bmayuc]

To be good, you need a bunch of solid, bought-in, #100-#200 ranked players. Those are your 4-year program players. You have 5-6 of those, you will have roster stability, toughness, and continuity. Those are your workhorses. A few pop and become players(Hilton, etc), but mostly they are just the backbone of your roster/program, doing the hard work to fill the stat sheet.

Then, you go get your Top 50 guys like Jalen, Hamilton, Alterique, kemba, Rudy.

That's what we lost in the transition from Calhoun-->Ollie. Continuity & Roster Strategy.

GREAT GREAT GREAT to see the staff get it now.

 

[Whtdmd]

I am now all in on Kisunas. My prefer pick Dimon Carrigan is in JUCO m not going to be eligible till 2020. Hoping Sid or Kwintin develope into weakside shot blockers like Andrei Kirilenko