OT: Juwan Durham to Notre Dame

[HuskiesAllDay]

I think Durham found an excellent spot for the way he plays. He will be able to post low in a slower game at ND.

I do not believe Enoch found a better spot though. I know Louisville will be one of the top teams in the nation and in the ACC, and Pitino is excellent. But there is a lot of desperation in Louisville for big men currently, and their fans are up in arms at the lack of development of big men, and their inability to play defense or "make a layup." Although Louisville is flying high, their recruitment of Enoch was about desperation for bigmen. They are throwing anything they can at the wall.

I have nothing against either of these kids, but I believe Durham will have much success at ND, while Enoch will not succeed at Louisville.

There goes that narrative again that we play fast.

Last year kenpom adjusted tempo we were 303. Notre dame was 232. Adjusted offense we were 156 and notre dame was 18.

2016 tempo we were 292. Notre dame was 328. Adjusted offense we were 59 they were 9.

2015 tempo we were 299. Notre dame was 236. Adjusted offense we were 99. Notre dame was 6.

We don't play any faster than they do. We both play pretty slow. They just run a much better/ more efficient offense. He will probably excel there.

 

[UConnJim]

I think Durham found an excellent spot for the way he plays. He will be able to post low in a slower game at ND.

I do not believe Enoch found a better spot though. I know Louisville will be one of the top teams in the nation and in the ACC, and Pitino is excellent. But there is a lot of desperation in Louisville for big men currently, and their fans are up in arms at the lack of development of big men, and their inability to play defense or "make a layup." Although Louisville is flying high, their recruitment of Enoch was about desperation for bigmen. They are throwing anything they can at the wall.

I have nothing against either of these kids, but I believe Durham will have much success at ND, while Enoch will not succeed at Louisville.

I think both players realized that they needed a year off to develop their games.

Enoch was young and raw when he started at UConn and never developed, especially defensively. He now has a year to figure out what he needs to do differently and become a defensive asset rather than a liability. Louisville's style is not a good fit for him unless he changes his game, but I believe it's up to him if he becomes a good player at Louisville as he has the physical size.

Durham seems to have the basketball instincts to be a very good player, but he was coming off injury and we never really saw his potential at UConn. I think ND's style of play is a good fit for Durham and if he stays healthy, it will turn out to be a good pick up for ND.

Someday, we are going to know the full story of what went down this season and why all of the kids left. Obviously, some things were not right and it seemed to start from the beginning when the freshmen starts calling themselves "Top 5" as that has never happened at UConn in the past.

 

[upstater]

There goes that narrative again that we play fast.

Last year kenpom adjusted tempo we were 303. Notre dame was 232. Adjusted offense we were 156 and notre dame was 18.

2016 tempo we were 292. Notre dame was 328. Adjusted offense we were 59 they were 9.

2015 tempo we were 299. Notre dame was 236. Adjusted offense we were 99. Notre dame was 6.

We don't play any faster than they do. We both play pretty slow. They just run a much better/ more efficient offense. He will probably excel there.

When we play badly, we play slow. And we don't post up that much. You can't use one horrific year as the standard of everything Ollie does and has/will ever achieve(d).

Regardless, he is definitely more suited to ND.

He is nimble with the ball, but he actually doesn't move around that well.

 

[huskiesouth]

No reason not to wish him good luck at ND.

Maybe we can concentrate on the 11 kids who will be playing for UConn this upcoming season, leave the past in the past and critique the coaching staff as the team hopefully progresses and improves.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

When we play badly, we play slow. And we don't post up that much. You can't use one horrific year as the standard of everything Ollie does and has/will ever achieve(d).

Regardless, he is definitely more suited to ND.

He is nimble with the ball, but he actually doesn't move around that well.

I gave you the numbers for the last 3 years. How is that using one year?

2014 our tempo was 239 and adjusted offense was 39. Notre dame was 275 and 40.

2013 our tempo was 315 and adj offense was 55. Notre dame was 315 and 17.

That is the entirety of ollies time as coach. We've never played at a fast pace. Not even above average. And we've never had a great/ efficient offense. Notre dame has never played fast but they have a great/efficient offense every year except 2014 (40th).

I agree he is much better suited at notre dame but it isn't because they play much slower than us as you suggested. It's because they run a much better offense.

 

[LStudfellow]

It wasn't nearly all him. A good coach makes it work here.

Yeah... which is why no one ever transferred from UConn under Coach Calhoun. Oh, wait. Another totally misleading point by you Waquoit.

At least you are consistent in your taking pot shots at Ollie at every turn. Durham obviously didn't want to be here. Best of luck to him.

Anyone who wants to take shots at Ollie for Jackson or Enoch transferring I have less of an issue with. But Durham? All Ollie did was look out for the guy throughout last season, and protect him after 2 major knee injuries, even when he desperately could have used him playing significant minutes.

Durham played soft and scared most of last year. How that or his subsequent transfer from a coach and program that obviously put his health before the needs of the team makes Ollie "less than a good coach" is beyond me.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

There goes that narrative again that we play fast.

Last year kenpom adjusted tempo we were 303. Notre dame was 232. Adjusted offense we were 156 and notre dame was 18.

2016 tempo we were 292. Notre dame was 328. Adjusted offense we were 59 they were 9.

2015 tempo we were 299. Notre dame was 236. Adjusted offense we were 99. Notre dame was 6.

We don't play any faster than they do. We both play pretty slow. They just run a much better/ more efficient offense. He will probably excel there.

And everyone ripping on/ blaming our big men should look at these stats. It's no wonder they all underachieved. Brimah, facey, and Durham are not suited to a slow paced half, grind it out half court offense.

Enoch maybe was but he had the offensive skills to do better in an offense that moves the ball. He didn't shoot it great but that's because he Barely ever got any open looks. Most of his shots came from us dumping it down low to him when he was covered. I can picture him excelling in an offense that moves it around and he can get some space for some quick open looks from 5-6 ft.

Which once again supports my argument that we are either not recruiting the right players for our slow offense. Or we are not running the right system for the players that we have.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

Yeah... which is why no one ever transferred from UConn under Coach Calhoun. Oh, wait. Another totally misleading point by you Waquoit.

At least you are consistent.

How many top recruits left Calhoun? My memory says that most of them that left were the 3 star rob garrison types who weren't good Enough and never should have been signed in the first place.

We just had 3 top 60 recruits leave. Did Jc have that many in his entire tenure?

 

[Huskyforlife]

We'll miss him the most this year and beyond. Kid hadn't played competitive basketball in two years, still showed flashes of athleticism, and post proficiency. Plus we know he'll learn to shoot.

Still, screw him for leaving, we showed loyalty to him, and that apparently didn't mean much too him.

 

[upstater]

I gave you the numbers for the last 3 years. How is that using one year?

2014 our tempo was 239 and adjusted offense was 39. Notre dame was 275 and 40.

2013 our tempo was 315 and adj offense was 55. Notre dame was 315 and 17.

That is the entirety of ollies time as coach. We've never played at a fast pace. Not even above average. And we've never had a great/ efficient offense. Notre dame has never played fast but they have a great/efficient offense every year except 2014 (40th).

I agree he is much better suited at notre dame but it isn't because they play much slower than us as you suggested. It's because they run a much better offense.

They must be recruiting deficient then. Because they certainly don't advance far in the NCAAs.

UConn's offense is guard driven and ND's isn't. ND is more deliberate in feeding the big men. "We've never played at a fast pace." Really? Come on.

 

[LStudfellow]

How many top recruits left Calhoun? My memory says that most of them that left were the 3 star rob garrison types who weren't good Enough and never should have been signed in the first place.

We just had 3 top 60 recruits leave. Did Jc have that many in his entire tenure?

Seriously... you guys are unbelieveable.

First of all, Oriahki, Curtis Kelly and Roscoe Smith were all top 60 recruits. And they all transferred out within Coach Calhoun's last 4 years as coach. And yes, I know Oriahki and Smith left because of the APR ban. So, once again, you and your trolling sidekick Waquoit are proven wrong. But please, do not let the truth stop you from your continued blind attacks on our current head coach.

Didn't even include Nate Miles who was forced to leave but also is technically included as a transfer. Edit: Or several others right below your arbitrary "Top 60" cutoff line, as correctly noted by Upstater.

The fact is, to blame Ollie for Durham transferring is a freaking joke. If Durham had been my son, or any one of us with a half a brain, we would be thankful to Kevin Ollie and the coaching staff for keeping his best interest at heart even as the need for him to play big minutes became desperate.

Frankly, you guys make me sick. Our coach shows that he puts a kid's best interests at heart over his own and the team's, and you still want use it as another attack against him. 7+ months of your attacks on virtually every new thread on this forum. And the worst part is that you all cross over from truth right into blatant lies whenever it suits you. My rebuttals are always supported by truth.

Maybe you should all try sticking to the truth 100% of the time... it would be a refreshing change.

 

[upstater]

How many top recruits left Calhoun? My memory says that most of them that left were the 3 star rob garrison types who weren't good Enough and never should have been signed in the first place.

We just had 3 top 60 recruits leave. Did Jc have that many in his entire tenure?

Uh, yes. Roscoe Smith, Alex Oriakhi, Curtis Kelly, Jamal Coombs-McDaniels, Darius Smith, Marcus Cox, Doug Wiggins, Socttie Haralson, Nate Miles, Ater Majok, and that was in the last 10 years. Don't even need to go back into history to talk about the LeBlancs, Marcus Whites, Antonio Kelloggs, Marcus Johnsons, etc.

 

[Tenspro2002]

Kid is soft and obviously has no regard for loyalty, but KO deserves plenty of blame as well for failing to retain a talented player who was in line for major minutes.

Something was/is rotten inside the program and I hope we find out what.

 

[Austin316]

I liked Juwan and wish him the best. I think he had lots of potential but with those knee injuries you just never know. I like the guys we picked up over Juwan but he's a good egg.

 

[uconngb]

If he doesn't want to play for the school that I went to and root for, then honestly, I couldn't care less about him. I would rather not see him succeed though because we took a chance on him and he rewarded that by leaving. So as far as I'm concerned, , we move on with the guys that want to be here.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

Uh, yes. Roscoe Smith, Alex Oriakhi, Curtis Kelly, Jamal Coombs-McDaniels, Darius Smith, Marcus Cox, Doug Wiggins, Socttie Haralson, Nate Miles, Ater Majok, and that was in the last 10 years. Don't even need to go back into history to talk about the LeBlancs, Marcus Whites, Antonio Kelloggs, Marcus Johnsons, etc.

Thanks. So Calhoun had some as well.

But miles never came here, harralson was a 3 star recruit (assuming you meant hazeltine) and majok went pro not transferred. Also wasn't Antonio Kellogg also a 3 star recruit? And Marcus white was a top 60.

Doesn't matter. Takeaway is Calhoun had some but that was also the course of almost 30 years. Hopefully we don't have many More in the future

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

Seriously... you guys are unbelieveable.

First of all, Oriahki, Curtis Kelly and Roscoe Smith were all top 60 recruits. And they all transferred out within Coach Calhoun's last 4 years as coach. And yes, I know Oriahki and Smith left because of the APR ban. So, once again, you and your trolling sidekick Waquoit are proven wrong. But please, do not let the truth stop you from your continued blind attacks on our current head coach.

Didn't even include Nate Miles who was forced to leave but also is technically included as a transfer. Edit: Or several others right below your arbitrary "Top 60" cutoff line, as correctly noted by Upstater.

The fact is, to blame Ollie for Durham transferring is a freaking joke. If Durham had been my son, or any one of us with a half a brain, we would be thankful to Kevin Ollie and the coaching staff for keeping his best interest at heart even as the need for him to play big minutes became desperate.

Frankly, you guys make me sick. Our coach shows that he puts a kid's best interests at heart over his own and the team's, and you still want use it as another attack against him. 7+ months of your attacks on virtually every new thread on this forum. And the worst part is that you all cross over from truth right into blatant lies whenever it suits you. My rebuttals are always supported by truth.

Maybe you should all try sticking to the truth 100% of the time... it would be a refreshing change.

Come on man. Using stats to point out his deficiencies is not attacking him. Referencing the recent under performance (3 years now not just 1) is not attacking him.

He makes a ton of money and inherited one of the top 5 programs of the last 20 years. The last few years track record suggest he deserves criticism. Personal attacks I don't agree with but I don't see much of/ any of that.

What I find More offensive is people actually attacking the kids that left and calling them weak/ soft / awful/ no skills when none of them appeared to have effort or attitude issues. That, to me, is much worse.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Can't wait for Juwan Durham to shoot 40% from 3 two years from now. There's some talent there; between him, Facey, Brimah, and Enoch he seemed the most likely to have touched a basketball before the age of 16.

Interesting that some of the board cheerleaders are in here trashing Durham yet laud the addition of David Onuorah, despite the fact in what will now be Onuorah's fifth year as a college basketball player his per minute stats are nearly identical to freshman Durham's who played sparingly coming off two ACL injuries. But as @mauconnfan says, no talent of course.

Per minute stats are misleading at best and useless at worst when the kid averaged 8 mins a game.

I don't know a thing about David Onuorah and unless anyone on this board is going to claim they watch Cornell hoops, I doubt anyone else does either.

Onuorah was a good pick up for one year, because there is no downside. As for Durham? I never really saw it in him. Seemed extremely slow and there may have been 10 moments over the entire course of the season where he did something that could be looked at as being hopeful.

Who knows though? Enoch went to Louisville and Durham chose ND over Nova, so people that know a lot more about hoop than everyone on this board combined may just know more than us.

 

[LStudfellow]

Come on man. Using stats to point out his deficiencies is not attacking him. Referencing the recent under performance (3 years now not just 1) is not attacking him.

He makes a ton of money and inherited one of the top 5 programs of the last 20 years. The last few years track record suggest he deserves criticism. Personal attacks I don't agree with but I don't see much of/ any of that.

What I find More offensive is people actually attacking the kids that left and calling them weak/ soft / awful/ no skills when none of them appeared to have effort or attitude issues. That, to me, is much worse.

I am not picking at the post you made with the stats you used - in fact I agree with your point that our offense, particularly our half-court offense was mostly unwatchable this year. And the stats obviously back that up. My come backs and argued support are specifically about comments like the one where in your "memory" that no top recruits left JC, where you are using that measurement as another one to illustrate that Calhoun was great while Ollie is bad.

Except that as Upstater and I gave ample examples of, your statement is utterly false, even by your arbitrary measurement of "Top 60" recruits. We had ample "Top 60" recruits during Calhoun's tenure transfer, as well.

As for my rebuttal toward Waquoit: "A good coach makes it work here." I have no more patience to see another thread used to take pot shots at Ollie, particularly when in this particular situation Ollie deserves praise for how he handled Durham this year, not another shot at his coaching ability. I wonder out loud if any of us would have stuck to our morals and done the right thing by this kid as this season was circling the drain. How many of us would have pushed him onto the court in our desperation, saying to hell with the caution he needed to be treated with?


As for calling Durham's play soft... I actually choose my words carefully when referring to any collegiate athlete. We are talking about 18 to 22 year-old kids to young men here, not adults. That is why I called Durham's play soft this last year, but not him as a person. Nor would I ever say he had no skill. He obviously does. I have no right nor desire to attack him personally. I agree with you that the personal attacks of the young man are offensive.

You do make a good point though. From this point forward if I ever make reference to his play again in a thread I will use a better word: tentative. Durham's play this last year was by-in-large tentative. I am sure this must have been a tough year for him, and it showed. I do wish him luck, and good health, moving forward.

 

[superjohn]

I think Durham found an excellent spot for the way he plays. He will be able to post low in a slower game at ND.

I do not believe Enoch found a better spot though. I know Louisville will be one of the top teams in the nation and in the ACC, and Pitino is excellent. But there is a lot of desperation in Louisville for big men currently, and their fans are up in arms at the lack of development of big men, and their inability to play defense or "make a layup." Although Louisville is flying high, their recruitment of Enoch was about desperation for bigmen. They are throwing anything they can at the wall.

I have nothing against either of these kids, but I believe Durham will have much success at ND, while Enoch will not succeed at Louisville.

Play slower at Notre Dame??? Notre Dame is always one of the most explosive offenses in the country. There is absolutely nothing slow about the way they play, they are always getting up and down and make our style look like we're playing in mollases. ND is like the Warriors offense compared to ours and they certainly run more stuff for and use their bigs better.

 

[CL82]

My gut tells that Durham is going to get healthy and have a good college career. It's tough to know how to feel about that. I don't wish bad things for him, but it is tough to root for him. I can't even say "he's dead to me" because I will follow him. It's just a disappointing result that he left UConn after the program stood by him.

 

[nomar]

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

 

[DonaldDraper]

I think both players realized that they needed a year off to develop their games.

Enoch was young and raw when he started at UConn and never developed, especially defensively. He now has a year to figure out what he needs to do differently and become a defensive asset rather than a liability. Louisville's style is not a good fit for him unless he changes his game, but I believe it's up to him if he becomes a good player at Louisville as he has the physical size.

Totally agree. I can't wait to see Enoch play for Pitino. Pitino goes beast mode on the full court pressure and I don't think Enoch is ever going to be in good enough shape to keep that up for the # of minutes that he plans on playing. He also always seemed to be a full to a half step behind on his team defense rotations which is what got him in foul trouble. Louisville is a very shift team on D and needs Enoch to know where to be or he'll be riding the pine. Then he needs to get some more touch on his baby hook, which he shows great flashes with, but could never really outplay a respectable defender.

These are all correctable issues but you see a ton of kids who never get over the hump and make this progress on both ends of the floor. I wish him the best, I can't root against a Connecticut native who suited it up for the pups but didn't really gel with the program. This is his one shot at big $$$ and I can imagine anyone saying he was on an NBA path in a husky uniform.

Oh ya, this is a Durham thread, he seemed too complacent. If he could have transferred in conf he should have gone to Cincy and had Mick the insane Irishman pump some piss and vinegar in his veins. I'll forget Durham was ever on a uconn team in 3 years.

 

[Walker11]

Holy cow, so many dumba____ in this thread, in all shapes in sizes. We've got it all, from the Ollie sycophants, to the folks who act like we were providing food and shelter to a destitute kid. I cringe every time I read someone type that the kid is soft or disloyal or owes UCONN anything. We lost 3 talented players, all who were lined up to receive major minutes on a team that could have been pretty damn good. There have been troubling rumors surrounding the team and coaching staff. Maybe lets not blame the players who left a dumpster fire and are ending up in better situations?