No need for Chukwu

[maineuconnfan]

As much as I love the traditional big man and think that Uconn has had some successful big men in the past, having a super dynamic low post presence will not be essential to us winning a title. Tough minded guard play will be the key for us. I think the Emeka teams were the exception in which the big man was not only a great defensive presence but also averaged quite a few points down low. Who did we win the title with in 2011...okwandu...All we need are some bigs that can play some d, rebound and get some put back lay ups in. I really, truly think that in the next couple of years the trio of Nolan, Brimah and Facey will be just that, while the other guys can score and they can sit and rebound. Guard and Wing play will and has been the key to Uconn success over the years. Just because uconn has sent many bigs to the Nba, does not mean all of them have been talented scorers. They were, for the most part big guys, who were mobile, could block shots and pull down boards.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

As much as I love the traditional big man and think that Uconn has had some successful big men in the past, having a super dynamic low post presence will not be essential to us winning a title. Tough minded guard play will be the key for us. I think the Emeka teams were the exception in which the big man was not only a great defensive presence but also averaged quite a few points down low. Who did we win the title with in 2011...okwandu...All we need are some bigs that can play some d, rebound and get some put back lay ups in. I really, truly think that in the next couple of years the trio of Nolan, Brimah and Facey will be just that, while the other guys can score and they can sit and rebound. Guard and Wing play will and has been the key to Uconn success over the years. Just because uconn has sent many bigs to the Nba, does not mean all of them have been talented scorers. They were, for the most part big guys, who were mobile, could block shots and pull down boards.

If they thought they ever had a chance a Chukwu they wouldn't have signed Brimah.
If Facey is eligible than the PF position is not a problem.
A three to replace DD(unless Hamilton is a three) and backcourt depth are the biggest issue.
This team will be fine

 

[ctchamps]

Why did I open this thread believing Abu announced he was heading UConn's way?

 

[Jaybo]

Hopefully we have facey more then 2 years,but I like going into next year with Nolan and tolk as juniors, facey and brimah as sophomores playing the 4/5 along with hopefully another stud in 14 to go with Samuels purvis Dham and maybe Calhoun and a 14 gaurd.Throw in a 2/3 or a 3/4 guy were good.

 

[husky99]

I'm pact of a center is downplayed on this board. With a strong center teams have to change their game plan and try to hit outside shots. They lose that easy basket underneath which help on runs

 

[Hoophound]

I'm pact of a center is downplayed on this board. With a strong center teams have to change their game plan and try to hit outside shots. They lose that easy basket underneath which help on runs

Or they use beefy undersized guys with actual skills to eat our center alive, which seems to happen more often than not.

 

[mauconnfan]

It may not be essential but having Chukwu and Brimah would've almost guaranteed a few years of solid defensive play from the post........it certainly helps. While he wasn't a must-get he would've been a very nice addition and his upside looks tremendous to me.

 

[david]

Maybe I'm a hopeless optimist, but I have high hopes for Brimah. The staff were basically astonished at how developed his game was for someone that had been playing as long as him.

Also, between Brimah and Facey you have 2 guys that are still at the very beginning of their developlent curve but with very high potential. Maybe the staff didn't think another big-man project was as important as some other positions

 

[maineuconnfan]

my whole point is that those three will be a solid trio in the upcoming years. The bigtime recruits sometimes make a quicker impact, but I think by next season the three will be a very solid rotation. It is true Husky99 that it is a game changer, and I think we will see them be a game changer, they just might not score a lot of points, which really is not completely essential if we have enough scoring depth. I think the biggest thing that will put a wrench in our plans in 2014 is what will happen with DD. Will he be gone, if so we really need either Larrier or Robinson. to play that stretch still forward. second biggest question is boatright. We will still have some solid guard play left, but freshman point guards do not often lead to titles, they can but they do not usually. I almost think that having a championship team many times really has to do with the timing of recruits coming in and leaving and actually having a couple of late bloomers that come into their own later in their career. This year I think we will be quick and have multiple scoring options and if the big guys can at least be solid enough not to foul on every possession, clean the boards when available...this team will win 25 games plus. With an experienced team like they will have this year, I really think this year is going to be the better chance to win a title not 2014. We will have napier, giffey, olander all from a title team. boatright and daniels two break out juniors. Calhoun who could break out at anytime especially after the surgery. And some size down low with brimah, facey and nolan. last but not least, some good additional depth in samuels, and kromah. If the chemistry works out and they are able to rebound and defend down low...my prediction is a top 8 finish in the country....I wont predict n.c., just because that is so hard to win, even when you are good.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I'm pact of a center is downplayed on this board. With a strong center teams have to change their game plan and try to hit outside shots. They lose that easy basket underneath which help on runs

Who is the Miami Heats Center? The best basketball team in the world.
College basketball is even more guard oriented than pro.
That's why Ollie will be successful.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Who is the Miami Heats Center? The best basketball team in the world.
College basketball is even more guard oriented than pro.
That's why Ollie will be successful.

Look at the stats of Davis/Kentucky and Dieng/Louisville the last 2 National Championship teams.

 

[caw]

Look at the stats of Davis/Kentucky and Dieng/Louisville the last 2 National Championship teams.

Davis was/is a freak but he's also not really a center. Dieng is a classic center and was a senior.

Chukwu isn't Davis but could be a Dieng.

 

[CTBasketball]

Davis was/is a freak but he's also not really a center. Dieng is a classic center and was a senior.

Chukwu isn't Davis but could be a Dieng.

He was a college center. If you're over 6'10" you are a college center, in most cases. But at UK he played the 5, Jones played the 4, MKG played the 3, then Teague or Lamb played the 1/2.

But I agree with the fact that a center changes the gameplan. I'd rather have a dominating center than a dominating wing player.

 

[selles]

Look at the stats of Davis/Kentucky and Dieng/Louisville the last 2 National Championship teams.

Then go back and look at the National Championship teams 3 and 4 years ago though. There are all different ways to build a National Champion, a dominant shot blocker can help but is certainly not a requirement.

 

[upstater]

Thabeet made a huge difference on a team that couldn't score once Dyson went out. A guy that can block shots makes up for a lot of defensive deficiencies.

 

[mauconnfan]

Then go back and look at the National Championship teams 3 and 4 years ago though. There are all different ways to build a National Champion, a dominant shot blocker can help but is certainly not a requirement.

Yeah there was one of the FF teams but generally I like stability in the middle. Jake was big, strong, could guard and pick while Emeka could do it all and Thabeet scared the crap out of anyone who went to the hole. Yeah 2010 was special and Kemba was great w/o a true center but I would prefer the big guy or lots of size. We don't really have it this year as we speak so let's see!

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

Then go back and look at the National Championship teams 3 and 4 years ago though. There are all different ways to build a National Champion, a dominant shot blocker can help but is certainly not a requirement.

Sure a player like EZ-Pass can mitigate the lack of an interior presence. The guy was a lottery pick ( arguably the best player ever at UConn) and brought every intangible known to mankind as a team leader including cooking west indian food at team meetings.

I agree that there are different formulas to win National Championships. My point was simply a counter to the "No need" language by OP in the subject heading. Only time will tell how Chukwu develops at the next level. I have always been very very very bullish on Chukwu. Konchalski thinks it was a "big get" for PC and I agree with him.

Time to move on though and snag some spicy delicious wings.

 

[Gurleyman]

Before Anthony Davis, the previous national championship centers were AO, Greg Zoubek, Deon Thompson and Darnell Jackson. The runners up those years were Andrew Smith, Matt Howard, Goran Suton, and Robert Dozier.

But Davis, Okafor and Noah have won them too in the last 10 years, so as pointed out above, there isn't one formula to win. Other than having some NBA-level talent somewhere on the floor. Been a long time since a team won without that.

 

[Chief00]

The bottom-line is 3 of our Final 4 teams had centers who played in the NBA (Jake, Okafor and Thabeet). 2011 was a Championship on the back of a 5-10 guard, yet we did have a borderline NBA rooster center/pf in Alex O.

 

[CTBasketball]

The bottom-line is 3 of our Final 4 teams had centers who played in the NBA (Jake, Okafor and Thabeet). 2011 was a Championship on the back of a 5-10 guard, yet we did have a borderline NBA rooster center/pf in Alex O.

He outplayed everyone that tournament. Had a double double in the championship game and 10 rebounds vs. UK.

 

[BLUEDOGHOUSE]

He outplayed everyone that tournament. Had a double double in the championship game and 10 rebounds vs. UK.

Do you have any good medicine for Chukwu Withdrawal Sydrome (CWS)? That is what I am suffering from ! I think the best treatment meds would be the one sponsored by 99. Its called the Larrier/Robinson vitamins!

 

[CTBasketball]

Do you have any good medicine for Chukwu Withdrawal Sydrome (CWS)? That is what I am suffering from ! I think the best treatment meds would be the one sponsored by 99. Its called the Larrier/Robinson vitamins!

Love both those players, but I feel like we get either Robinson or Larrier. I could use both though!

 

[Gurleyman]

The bottom-line is 3 of our Final 4 teams had centers who played in the NBA (Jake, Okafor and Thabeet). 2011 was a Championship on the back of a 5-10 guard, yet we did have a borderline NBA rooster center/pf in Alex O.

Those teams all had more than NBA centers. At full strength, the 2009 team could roll out a lineup with six NBA guys (AJ, Dyson, Kemba, Sticks, Adrien, Thabeet - granted Sticks didn't quite make it). If we stayed healthy, I think that the 2009 team could have been just as good without Thabeet and using Sticks-Adrien at the 4-5 with Gavin backing them up. We were fine without Sticks the first half of the year and fine without Dyson the second half.

We were also a steal and a foul shot away from Rod Sellers and Eric Hayward being on our list of FF centers (and an Arizona 3 away from having no exceptions at all).

 

[maineuconnfan]

There is not doubt you do not need somewhat of a good center...if not a really good center, but we do not need one that will score and be a dynamic player...that is the point. We need one or two or three that can rebound and play solid defense. I think the trio we have has great potential to do just that. That is what Uconn has done with its centers for the past 25 years. Taken centers that were not the studs out of high school taught them to hold down the fort so the guards/wings can do the work, that will make the team successful and provide an opportunity for the NBA....now Davis, Noah and Okafor were powerhouses, and of course I would take a player like that in a heartbeat...just not a necessity.

 

[maineuconnfan]

2009 team was the best team in the country until dyson was gone...I hate thinking about that team, cause those guys could play some serious lockdown defense...comeone Kemba off the bench was a great thing....it is too bad the next year they did not give the keys to Kemba, that team had potential if it had a leader...it did, I guess he just was not ready to lead.