Open Practice Today

[RuffRuff]

Some recruits are late bloomers and/or just don't get as much exposure. Sometimes they play on a stacked team and don't get the touches to show what they can do. Lastly, many of the events where exposure is at its greatest they tend to favor the players who can handle and create their own shot, elite shot makers and the bigger and stronger bigs who dominate at the rim and/or step out and knock down Js and 3s.

Granted there seems to be a lot more opportunities to view players within their High School or Elite pre-college teams where coaches cans see recruits execute within some sort of offense and defensive schemes. I think coaches now have a little bit better idea what a player might be than it was a number of years ago.

Props to the staff that has been able to identify players like Abraham and Ross. My guess Abraham was one of those athletes that they noticed could shoot, good feel for the game but probably needed time to develop his handle and other parts his game. Ross was one that showed a lot of game, good shooter and very good handle (was a PG or CG that had huge growth spurt from what I've heard) but needed to fill out, get stronger and refine his game.

Every year you see some very talented players throughout the country that were not ranked very high and wondered where the heck they came from. The problem with the ranking system is that some players just don't get the exposure while others simply need more time to develop their game and body. Props to the programs that spot talented kids that others didn't.

I tend to think the point you touch on that is most accurate is that the system favors the on ball kids that can create their own shot and draw attention via offense. The Meleek Thomas’ of the world, the Jasper Johnson’s.

I watched some Abraham in HS and he was generally a team kid, took the open 3, played defense. He was not putting the ball on the floor and trying take his guy off the dribble with a lot of iso. There wasn’t a ton of wow factor in his on ball. That said there are some visible aspects of his game that you just can’t bypass when assessing: his ridiculous hops/athleticism, his size/strength and perfect shot mechanics. He also plays in a very controlled and efficient manner. It’s hard to teach these things, and this is as a freshman. I’d expect this kid to break out in a major way as a sophomore/junior.

 

[aburks41]

anybody have pics from the practice?

No pics or videos were allowed during the actual practice. They were running real plays and scout team defense for the game tomorrow so they did not allow anyone to film or take pics, otherwise you'd be kicked out.

Who was playing on the first and second units?

The usual starters + Ross would sub in and out for first unit.

 

[jibsey]

No pics or videos were allowed during the actual practice. They were running real plays and scout team defense for the game tomorrow so they did not allow anyone to film or take pics, otherwise you'd be kicked out.

The usual starters + Ross would sub in and out for first unit.

Ross looked good?

 

[HooperScooper]

Any word on how abraham’s cousin pat N prep year is going at Duke

I think he's been hurt. He's played 11 minutes in 1 game, a blowout over Wofford.