"Play to your identity": Andre Jackson but maybe others too

[Improviser]

The phrase is Hurley's from the article below, but does this apply to any other players on the team who should stick to what they do best, refine their existing skills, and not try to be what they are not?

Why UConn needs Andre Jackson to trust his unique athletic ability: ‘Play to your identity’

UConn sophomore Andre Jackson is working to improve his jump shot, but his ability to...

www.nhregister.com

 

[MDHuskFan]

The phrase is Hurley's from the article below, but does this apply to any other players on the team who should stick to what they do best, refine their existing skills, and not try to be what they are not?

Why UConn needs Andre Jackson to trust his unique athletic ability: ‘Play to your identity’

UConn sophomore Andre Jackson is working to improve his jump shot, but his ability to...

www.nhregister.com

In games this should be the motto for everyone.
You should also Use the Off-season/other time to improve your skill set with guidance so your “what you do best” can evolve

 

[Umami Zen]

Sounds like this may become one of DH's mantras for the season.

Serious question- What does "play to your identity" mean? Does it mean the identity the coaching staff has determined as your role for this year with this roster? Or does it mean what the player thinks their talents are on any given night as defined by the player? Self-assessment.

Could mean different things to different people. Always great to have the coach's confidence in your game to utilize your instincts/talents/skills. Curious what Yarders think it means.

 

[LIuconn]

My take: Maximize your role within the team. And if that means a player expects 5 mins a game - play great and earn that 6th minute, that 10th minute going forward.
DH's juggling the most talent we've seen in a long time. Gotta set expectations early

 

[superjohn]

 

[Palatine]

Love the anticipation by Jackson.

Hate the TO by Whaley.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

Love the anticipation by Jackson.

Hate the TO by Whaley.

Maybe he was used to AJ being on the 1st team with him from closed practices prior to the open practice scrimmage...

 

[businesslawyer]

Sounds like this may become one of DH's mantras for the season.

Serious question- What does "play to your identity" mean? Does it mean the identity the coaching staff has determined as your role for this year with this roster? Or does it mean what the player thinks their talents are on any given night as defined by the player? Self-assessment.

Could mean different things to different people. Always great to have the coach's confidence in your game to utilize your instincts/talents/skills. Curious what Yarders think it means.

You're kidding, right? It means the identity the coaches have given you for the year. If it meant the identity a player sees for himself, you'd need multiple basketballs on the court at all times. Seriously, do you think Jake Voskuhl started playing youth basketball and said "my goal is to develop into the most solid screener in the country?"

 

[RichZ]

do you think Jake Voskuhl started playing youth basketball and said "my goal is to develop into the most solid screener in the country?"

He may not have set out in that direction, but (with perhaps a bit of a nudge from JC) at some point, he realized that his shoulder was an impassable wall to 90% of the defenders his guards and wings would face.

 

[Viet Vet]

Love the anticipation by Jackson.

Hate the TO by Whaley.

Hate the travel by Jackson.

 

[Umami Zen]

You're kidding, right? It means the identity the coaches have given you for the year. If it meant the identity a player sees for himself, you'd need multiple basketballs on the court at all times. Seriously, do you think Jake Voskuhl started playing youth basketball and said "my goal is to develop into the most solid screener in the country?"

Not kidding. Was not talking about youth BB players opinions of themselves.. Talking about CBB players and a theme that has been recently quoted by their HC that was unclear to me but obviously not to you. Seems to me that DH is trying to empower his guys to be more assertive on the floor.

Always fascinating to hear some barrister humor thrown at a legit question

 

[superjohn]

You're kidding, right? It means the identity the coaches have given you for the year. If it meant the identity a player sees for himself, you'd need multiple basketballs on the court at all times. Seriously, do you think Jake Voskuhl started playing youth basketball and said "my goal is to develop into the most solid screener in the country?"

Jake out of the womb, "I want to be a 7 foot basketball star who never scores 20 points in his life but sets a mean screen."

 

[Improviser]

On Voskuhl, what always amazed me, was that his stats were nothing special, but his brilliant screening and as I remember, his space eating inside, impacted the game as much as it did. He would catch the ball inside and pass off to the right player at the right time.

Credit JC for empowering him to be assertive and to play to his talent, and maybe Hurley can similarly motivate AJ too.

Voskuhl's 4 year stats below:

 

[husky429]

Hate the travel by Jackson.

That's a no-call 99/100 times.

 

[superjohn]

On Voskuhl, what always amazed me, was that his stats were nothing special, but his brilliant screening and as I remember, his space eating inside, impacted the game as much as it did. He would catch the ball inside and pass off to the right player at the right time.

Credit JC for empowering him to be assertive and to play to his talent, and maybe Hurley can similarly motivate AJ too.

Voskuhl's 4 year stats below:

View attachment 70717

One of my all-time favorite players. Never scored 20 points in a game at any level but won a national championship and carved out a nearly 10 year NBA career because he always played his role and did the dirty work. When he was at UConn people from other teams would think he's the pretty boy surfer guy and then he would get out on the court and flatten them with screens. Always made the right pass always set the proper screen.

 

[superjohn]

That's a no-call 99/100 times.

100/100 times.

 

[Umami Zen]

One of my all-time favorite players. Never scored 20 points in a game at any level but won a national championship and carved out a nearly 10 year NBA career because he always played his role and did the dirty work. When he was at UConn people from other teams would think he's the pretty boy surfer guy and then he would get out on the court and flatten them with screens. Always made the right pass always set the proper screen.

Jake was under-appreciated at UConn but was a total team player. BTW.. Had enough talent to spend app.10 yrs in the NBA. Was a JC fav.

Not bad for a " screen-setter". Not my words.

 

[jibsey]

We all know he can do this with his eyes closed but it sounds like his shot is still an issue and wasn’t cured over the summer. He can score without a jump shot we all know that too but it would be nice for him and us both.

 

[Viet Vet]

That's a no-call 99/100 times.

Are you saying it's not a violation of the rules?

 

[husky429]

Are you saying it's not a violation of the rules?

I mean maybe if I slowed it down and looked for exactly when the pick up turned into control... but live, full speed no one is making that call. Looks perfectly fine.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

Are you saying it's not a violation of the rules?

It's not a violation of the rules.

 

[Improviser]

Not playing the same position as Andre, but some players in the NBA never seem to develop a jump shot. Like Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond, Mitchell Robinson.

More critical for a guard/wing player to have one, though. Even there, still some poor jump shooters in the NBA who are guards. I don't know if taking hundreds in practice day after day will make a difference. Even with that, some players make them in practice but it doesn't transfer over into the game.

Years ago, the Knicks had a player named Renaldo Balkman with overall athleticism who couldn't shoot a jumper. His stats showed a good FG %, but not from outside shooting when I watched him play. He played about 8 years in the NBA and still plays as a professional basketball player for Mets de Guaynabo of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional in Puerto Rico.

So, will AJ ever develop one?

Time will tell. Still may not hinder his getting drafted at some point and contributing to an NBA team.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Jake out of the womb, "I want to be a 7 foot basketball star who never scores 20 points in his life but sets a mean screen."

One of my all-time favorite players. Never scored 20 points in a game at any level but won a national championship and carved out a nearly 10 year NBA career because he always played his role and did the dirty work. When he was at UConn people from other teams would think he's the pretty boy surfer guy and then he would get out on the court and flatten them with screens. Always made the right pass always set the proper screen.

Except he did score 20 points in an NBA game. April 6, 2002 Phoenix v. Minnesota

Suns vs Timberwolves, April 6, 2002 | Basketball-Reference.com

PHO (104) vs MIN (108). Get the box score, shot charts and play by play summary of the Suns vs Timberwolves, April 6, 2002.

www.basketball-reference.com

 

[Dove]

Andre is The Answer.