Our Star Is Jalen Adams?

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

We’re asking A TON of Adams and Larrier. If only we had an outstanding true point guard who could get them the ball in a position to be successful we’d be a way better team. Oh our true point guards arm fell off? How quickly we forget.

 

[superjohn]

We’re asking A TON of Adams and Larrier. If only we had an outstanding true point guard who could get them the ball in a position to be successful we’d be a way better team. Oh our true point guards arm fell off? How quickly we forget.

I love Alterique but you watched him and saw a true point guard?

I saw a player with a lot of talent who is a scorer at heart. If only we had a true point guard, a true center, a true power forward etc. etc.

 

[huskyrob1]

He looks slow and out of control if that was even possible. Really a major disappointment for this team. He’s neither a leader or the talent we thought and hoped he would be. I can’t imagine he’s out of shape but he sure as hell looks it.

You'd be slow and tired too if you lugged Ollie's golf bag around 18 holes yesterday.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

He has the most talent on the team but just isn't a high IQ player.

He's careless with the ball and his body language is abysmal.

That said, he bails us out on offense quite a bit and on a team with any semblance of an offense he'd look better I think.

 

[Hi-Low]

Agree with Walton......you need an excellent player (Bazz) surrounded by good players (so to speak).....JA is not excellent, he is very good but he's not surrounded by too many good. AZ had at least 3 excellent players, most teams don't so maybe we win some games but it's going to be a struggle against good teams.

 

[D$]

The expectations of Adams just aren't fair and will continue to set us all up for disappointment. He's not a true PG, he's not a leader and he doesn't have the mental makeup to handle the situation when things aren't going well.

He has offensive skills and he could learn to be a PG, but the othe intangibles, which this program so badly needs, just aren't there and I'm convinced won't be.

I like the guy, recognize his ability and thank him for a number of wins that he is responsible for. We should be looking for leadership from others and the coaching staff should be as well.

 

[jibsey]

Look, if we had 4 of Jalen’s quality there is no conversation to be had and we know he’s not a point guard. His handle is OK but no better. A good 3 point shooter he’s not though he can make. Can make the midrange, nice floater, and good drive and finish though he’s squashed by the trees on those at times. He’s not a good enough shooter, it didn’t happen over the summer. When he drives and is blocked there’s no dish which there should be. Akinjo will distribute next year and I hope Jalen stays to benefit from that. Where’s the consistency for him. Disappearing acts often in the first half of games all year. This team needs him to be a great player all the time.

 

[mauconnfan]

The expectations of Adams just aren't fair and will continue to set us all up for disappointment. He's not a true PG, he's not a leader and he doesn't have the mental makeup to handle the situation when things aren't going well.

He has offensive skills and he could learn to be a PG, but the othe intangibles, which this program so badly needs, just aren't there and I'm convinced won't be.

I like the guy, recognize his ability and thank him for a number of wins that he is responsible for. We should be looking for leadership from others and the coaching staff should be as well.

I agree with your assessment for the most part, but I believe he should be stepping up to be a leader because he could be. He's not a PG may never come close, but he's a junior that they look up to. He needs to stay positive on the court, be more a teacher rather than that guy looking like he's pissed at what a player did when he talks to them. A positive leader, less TO's himself while taking much better care of the ball always. Listen, the kid has a really good handle I think he just gets loose with it in traffic because he thinks he can do anything. Quite honestly there's a lot he can do if he slowed the game down when in the lane and used pump fakes as well as his mid range game. He still made some tremendous plays agin last night he's got game no doubt, just needs to be the guy we can depend on with the ball.

No doubt he'd be better with Alterique playing and that sucks.

 

[djct1999]

The worst part of Jalen's game is he doesn't make anyone around him better.

 

[bpear1600]

Half the people bashing Ollie and the program tell us Adams is leaving for the NBA next year

I can never keep up with the ever changing narrative

Is JA even good enough to play in the G League?

 

[upstater]

He is not having a good start to the year. He has even less help than last year in terms of having other facilitators out there, but he is not succeeding at what he is trying to do. As for not making other players better, the same was said of some of our more successful guards at one point in the past, until they started making other guys play better.

Opposing teams double and triple Adams because he is one of the very few who can hurt them. They don't double anyone else, even Larrier. By definition, this should be creating space for other players.

ONE MORE THING: anyone notice how true his form was when he went up for the second half 3 pointer? He left his feet, shot at the top of his jump, and the whole thing was smooth and true. Swish. None of this set shot stuff.

Someone on the staff MUST have the institutional memory to tell Jalen to go back to how he shot last year. Chillious isn't going to do it. It is up to Ricky Moore.

 

[Palatine]

Terry was nice. Instead of Adams chucking up contested shots we should have fed Larrier the ball at the foul line more. He was a moneymaker from there. I thought he was clearly the best player on the floor for us.

Larrier rarely gets open for an uncontested shot. And when he puts the ball on the floor it's an adventure. But very few of our guys make themselves available to Adams with room to shoot (unless it's very deep). As much as we hate that this team doesn't get assists. They have to work to get to good spots where Adams can get them the ball. Adams lack of assists is their fault as much as Adams.

That is the fault of the offense. How many back doors have their been this season? How often do we see a ball passed for an open jumper?

I would love to see Adams improve his handle. To develop a crossover. But even more, I would like to see an offensive concept that gets guys open.

 

[mauconnfan]

There won't be a lot of assists because we don't have any real good passers quite honestly. Some are better off just shooting or going to the hole they are such poor passers. Another phase of the game which KO and staff need to recruit better.

 

[willie99]

Is JA even good enough to play in the G League?

He's going to make his living playing professional basketball, here or abroad

 

[Greathusky]

The worst part of Jalen's game is he doesn't make anyone around him better.

Balls on correct! Jalen forces too much in the lane instead of dishing back out to a teammate. Teams are now collapsing and waiting for him.

 

[Matt1010]

Is JA even good enough to play in the G League?

Purvis scored 40 points in the G League last night. Adams is certainly good enough to play in it.

 

[BlueDogs]

Balls on correct! Jalen forces too much in the lane instead of dishing back out to a teammate. Teams are now collapsing and waiting for him.

A side effect of KO's dopey iso offense. It invites JA to take wild drives. JA is very talented but he's not talented enough to consistently put an entire team on his back, which seems to be what KO wants to rely on instead of building a highly functioning multiplayer optioned offense. It can't be screw around up top for 20 seconds, psss to the corner to see if a 3 is available, then pass to the top and JA penetrate and make something happen please.

 

[mauconnfan]

A side effect of KO's dopey iso offense. It invites JA to take wild drives. JA is very talented but he's not talented enough to consistently put an entire team on his back, which seems to be what KO wants to rely on instead of building a highly functioning multiplayer optioned offense. It can't be screw around up top for 20 seconds, psss to the corner to see if a 3 is available, then pass to the top and JA penetrate and make something happen please.

Let's not throw JA's inability to know what he's going to do with the ball when he gets doubled or cut off on KO that's ridiculous. Good players have a plan and usually find a pass to throw or don't panic and get out of the jam. He has not figured it out in 2 plus years and that's on him for the most part. Many of of his TO's are in the middle of the 30 second clock.

 

[my2cents]

Jalen is a good player , but seems to always have bad first halves.
How is he supposed to get lots of assists if the front court people he passes to fumble and kick the ball around?

 

[RipCity]

Jalen is a good player , but seems to always have bad first halves.
How is he supposed to get lots of assists if the front court people he passes to fumble and kick the ball around?

To be fair, Jalen has been fumbling and kicking too...

 

[my2cents]

To be fair, Jalen has been fumbling and kicking too...

Yes, especially last night

 

[tjc1888]

He is not having a good start to the year.

Expectations are WAY too high for JA. He quite literally has won us 2-3 games ALONE this year.

He is officially now the only true ball handler on the team. He is asked to do so much creating and scoring, you have to expect his TOs are going to be relatively high. Having AG healthy would dramatically drop his TO's.

This was not the plan for him to handle the ball so much. He was suppose to have AG and MAL help him out, but similar to last year, it's only him. He's averaging almost 19 a game, while also having to create for everyone else on the floor.

In regards to last night, he did not play well. However, similar to what another poster said, Zona played two 7 footers and clogged the lane. They knew that he was the only one that was going to hurt him and know he loves to get to the basket. If you surrounded him with another shooter, and another ball handler he would be a lot more consistent and effective.

People can say he's not a good leader but he acts similar to the way Bazz/Boat in the fact that he is very demonstrative. If this team was 9-2 with wins over Oregon and two of Cuse/Zona/Ark, we would be praising his leadership. It's pretty simple, fans think one way; you win games = best player is a leader and if you lose games = no leadership.

 

[olehead]

He has the most talent on the team but just isn't a high IQ player.

He's careless with the ball and his body language is abysmal.

That said, he bails us out on offense quite a bit and on a team with any semblance of an offense he'd look better I think.

ConnHuskBask you are right on. In the 1st half I saw him going back n forth w/ Ollie following a turnover. He's complaining about being hacked on the arm after making what seemed to be his 3rd turnover dribbling/fumbling the ball while driving in a mass of humanity down the middle of the lane. He is better than that and should hold himself to greater accountability.

 

[KingAG]

You're right. They could be pocketing it for another grad transfer or spring decommit though.

There’s some smoke that unless he goes off for the remainder of the season he’ll be back. Terry is gone

 

[Skiblets]

Adams has a decent handle but it hasn't improved in three years.

Jalen Adams approaching Taliek Brown-bashing status. Wow

 

[Tenspro2002]

It's a sad realization, but Adams is closer to Jerome Dyson than he is to Kemba and Bazz.

 

[Kenny11]

It's a sad realization, but Adams is closer to Jerome Dyson than he is to Kemba and Bazz.

I don’t find them similar but it’s funny because their outside jump shots are basically set shots with no elevation even though both guys can jump very well. I always found that strange.

 

[mauconnfan]

Expectations are WAY too high for JA. He quite literally has won us 2-3 games ALONE this year.

He is officially now the only true ball handler on the team. He is asked to do so much creating and scoring, you have to expect his TOs are going to be relatively high. Having AG healthy would dramatically drop his TO's.

This was not the plan for him to handle the ball so much. He was suppose to have AG and MAL help him out, but similar to last year, it's only him. He's averaging almost 19 a game, while also having to create for everyone else on the floor.

In regards to last night, he did not play well. However, similar to what another poster said, Zona played two 7 footers and clogged the lane. They knew that he was the only one that was going to hurt him and know he loves to get to the basket. If you surrounded him with another shooter, and another ball handler he would be a lot more consistent and effective.

People can say he's not a good leader but he acts similar to the way Bazz/Boat in the fact that he is very demonstrative. If this team was 9-2 with wins over Oregon and two of Cuse/Zona/Ark, we would be praising his leadership. It's pretty simple, fans think one way; you win games = best player is a leader and if you lose games = no leadership.

Not true at all, he was a better player last year and at times, a better leader he was trending in the right direction. If you're watching truthfully he's not as good as last year at this point and there's no doubt we should expect him to be as good or even better by his junior year. No one said he sucks, but he's not playing well now and deserves much of the criticism. I have hope he it will kick in and he will realize he needs to play better, lead in a more positive manner and take care of the ball. The back n'forth with KO was not good, it was an immature kid telling him it wasn't his fault rather then taking it in, saying my bad coach and digging in harder.

 

[Austin316]

He didn’t step up today... kept complaining to the refs, turned the ball over.... what the heck is the deal with the traveling???????

 

[HooperScooper]

There’s some smoke that unless he goes off for the remainder of the season he’ll be back. Terry is gone

The thing that makes me think Adams could just as well be back is that last year he didn't bother to enter the draft and go through work outs when he easily could have done that. Seemed like he wanted to save his free shot for after junior year. And if he continues as he's played the first part of the season there is no way he's getting drafted.

I don't think anyone thinks Larrier would get drafted after this season. I know he's been in college for 4 years but he's only played 2 seasons (after this season) and he hasn't shown he's even close to an NBA player. He can ask DeAndre Daniels and Daniel Hamilton what a rough road it can be when you're not a 1st round draft choice. I guess his only reason would be he has a college degree and he's getting older and might as well go make some money now even if it's not in the NBA.