Mamadou Diarra Video

[Thirty Three]

I think this is new. Nice clip of his senior highlights. He really looks like he has a lot of Jeff Adrien in him.

 

[mauconnfan]

So good stuff there huh? He finishes with authority especially right handed. The fact he has a jump hook he can get to the rim is already better than what we have LOL

Going to be a fan fav I bet.

 

[rayrayfor3]

I don't think they put enough plays of him dunking

 

[sdhusky]

I like guys who dunk like they are mad at the rim.

 

[KeepWinning]

Who is a better dunker-him or Philip Nolan? I can't tell from the video

 

[rayrayfor3]

Who is a better dunker-him or Philip Nolan? I can't tell from the video

I don't know man, Phil's layup line dunks are pretty impressive

 

[KeepWinning]

I don't know man, Phil's layup line dunks are pretty impressive

Haha yea they are actually. Unfortunately in game the rim blocked his dunks about 75% of the time. Still a Husky favorite though!

 

[JonnyRI]

I think this is new. Nice clip of his senior highlights. He really looks like he has a lot of Jeff Adrien in him.

Not meant to be a dig but I can't help thinking that this is the 6th jeff adrien since the real one (reference unbelievable hype for lubin).

One day we will really get the second coming of him I hope.

 

[mauconnfan]

Not meant to be a dig but I can't help thinking that this is the 6th jeff adrien since the real one (reference unbelievable hype for lubin).

One day we will really get the second coming of him I hope.

I don't think anyone thought Lubin was even close to Jeff but were hopeful he could be. It was fairly obvious minus a great run vs Cincy at a home game, he wasn't going to be him real soon in his career. Who are the other 4?

 

[UConnStats]

People definitely overhyped Lubin. He was in the 300s in national rankings, was probably 6'6, and his physique was nothing like those filtered pictures we saw around the time that he committed.

Diarra is different though. He's longer (around the same height), more athletic, is ranked in some top 100s, and most importantly has produced against much higher levels of competition than Lubin did.

 

[Kitaman]

This UConn recruit looks like Tim Duncan (just saying):

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

LMAO at Nolan and Lubin being cautionary tales vis-a-vis that highlight video.

Diarra is on a whole different level athletically. People like to make comparisons to past players as much to try to project a possible role for the new guy rather than to project the new guy's effectiveness on day one.

His explosion off the floor is effortless, similar to Adrien. Is his second and third jump just as effortless? That's what seperated Adrien from the crowd and made him seem so relentless. If it is, he actually has a bigger upside than Adrien, IMO.

 

[JonnyRI]

M

I don't think anyone thought Lubin was even close to Jeff but were hopeful he could be. It was fairly obvious minus a great run vs Cincy at a home game, he wasn't going to be him real soon in his career. Who are the other 4?

A bit of an exaggeration on my part. Just amusing how often Adrien is used as a reference. I'm still just a little scarred still from some of the Boneyard (some, not everyone) hype on Lubin last year (compared to how he ended up looking like Jamarcus Russell playing basketball).

 

[CallMeBruce]

LMAO at Nolan and Lubin being cautionary tales vis-a-vis that highlight video.

Diarra is on a whole different level athletically. People like to make comparisons to past players as much to try to project a possible role for the new guy rather than to project the new guy's effectiveness on day one.

His explosion off the floor is effortless, similar to Adrien. Is his second and third jump just as effortless? That's what seperated Adrien from the crowd and made him seem so relentless. If it is, he actually has a bigger upside than Adrien, IMO.

What separated Adrien was a tremendously high level of skill, something that Diarra doesn't really show.

 

[HuskyFich]

This UConn recruit looks like Tim Duncan (just saying):

This is crazy. If we had this production last year, it could have supplanted one of the biggest missing elements of the team. I'll blame this, along with everything else, on DHam's constant need to dominate the ball.

(I clearly know not to expect this level of production, but hopefully the flashes we've seen can turn into an 8 and 7 avg.)

 

[RichZ]

I'm still waiting on the 2nd coming of Kirk King.

 

[mauconnfan]

What separated Adrien was a tremendously high level of skill, something that Diarra doesn't really show.

Skill, really? He was strong, tough, competitive and learned to be a better player but he wasn't overly skilled. Awful passer and couldn't handle the ball. Toughness = Adrien and he turned himself into a 50-60% shooter from the high post which was excellent.

 

[selles]

Skill, really? He was strong, tough, competitive and learned to be a better player but he wasn't overly skilled. Awful passer and couldn't handle the ball. Toughness = Adrien and he turned himself into a 50-60% shooter from the high post which was excellent.

My recollection is that Adrien came in with a relatively polished offensive game, including a decent short jumper. I think that's probably what Bruce is getting at.

 

[RipCity]

Adrien had a better college career than many McDonalds All Americans. When can we finally stop comparing every undersized 4 to him?

Diarra is ranked around what Facey was (I know, different play styles). Facey isn't a star, but he's a valuable to the team. Diarra may be better here than Facey has been, but I think people set unfair expectations and forget that if every recruit panned out as planned, you'd have the best team in the country every year.

 

[mauconnfan]

My recollection is that Adrien came in with a relatively polished offensive game, including a decent short jumper. I think that's probably what Bruce is getting at.

Not arguing his point but he wasn't tremendously skilled at any point of his career from what I saw. He certainly got better after arriving and came in with a toughness needed for the Huskies and that never wavered.

Anyway if Diarra plays like him at all it will be welcomed.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

What separated Adrien was a tremendously high level of skill, something that Diarra doesn't really show.

I'm not going to be cornered into disparaging a former player I happen to like, but let's agree to disagree on that.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

My recollection is that Adrien came in with a relatively polished offensive game, including a decent short jumper. I think that's probably what Bruce is getting at.

If that's what he meant, he should back off a tad on the hyperbole.

 

[JonnyRI]

I'm still waiting on the 2nd coming of Kirk King.

Does he still have the uconn record for consecutive made baskets? Wasn't it like 18 in a row? Someone help me out with this random trivia.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Not arguing his point but he wasn't tremendously skilled at any point of his career from what I saw. He certainly got better after arriving and came in with a toughness needed for the Huskies and that never wavered.

Anyway if Diarra plays like him at all it will be welcomed.

No offense, but no one's going to look to you for an objective take on Adrien. He came to Storrs with a pretty polished post game that, honestly, makes him look like Kevin McHale compared to Diarra. And that's not a slight on Diarra, who I think will contribute. Adrien was just far more skilled and he's one of those guys who's underrated in the retelling.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

he's one of those guys who's underrated in the retelling.

I think he gets plenty of love, personally.

Kevin McHale, huh? See, that's what I'm talking about. It is possible to make a contrary point without the massive overstatement. That's insane.

I think people remember the Adrien from 2009 and forget the Adrien from 2006. He had good touch around the basket, decent footwork, and a high motor. Those happen to be things often said about Diarra.