A Whole lot of not Players Reaction

[the Q]

Now that Coach Hurley is here, who actually leaves? Carlton wants to leave? Where does he go if he leaves? He has to sit out a year and then hope that things work out wherever he lands. I think that, out of all of our "developing" big men, Carlton has the most potential. Williams may have been a candidate to leave but he's had such a tortured path to get to UCONN, he may not want to move again. I don't know how high the up-side may be for Whaley and Diarra. I like their effort, but it wasn't always consistent effort. Whaley seemed to make positive contributions during the first half of the season, while Diarra seemed to make positive contributions during the second half of the season. Like Carlton, they both have trouble staying out of foul trouble. As for Polley, I thought he was going to develop during the year. I kept waiting for him to have that 15 point break-out game. It never came. Does he leave? Perhaps, I suppose.

We shall see. Kids aren't patient anymore. There are a record number of transfers each year. We shall wee.

Oh...right...do any of the RI recruits come with him? Jermaine Harris would be a nice addition, I would think.

I love our huskies. None of those bigs are irreplaceable. Carrigan would be better than all of them.

That said I’ve made it no secret I love Whaley and the metrics like him a lot too.


I like polley and I was a big fan of his dad at FSU, but again, replaceable. Although his length is what really gets me interested in his development. He could bring some versatility to both sides of the ball if the light goes on.

 

[the Q]

I agree that he wouldn't be a focal point on a great UConn team. But are you saying 5th and 6th men aren't important? Vital would thrive in a 6th man role as the first guard off the bench to give us a jolt of energy.

Just for fun. Compared him to guys on the 05/06 team (based on win shares). He was basically as valuable as Rashad Anderson. Which what his offensive role needs to look like next year.

 

[BRG 1]

New coach, he will be shaping the roster to fit his style and system...and it is always easier for an incoming recruit to become a free agent again.

expect changes

As a NY Giants Fan I am watching with interest how Dave Gettleman is putting his stamp on the roster and adjusting personnel to fit new coaching scheme.
DH will want to get "his guys" to fit his scheme.

 

[Kembacity]

Just for fun. Compared him to guys on the 05/06 team (based on win shares). He was basically as valuable as Rashad Anderson. Which what his offensive role needs to look like next year.

Wrong, Tony Robertson is what he should be doing, he's not the masked assassin

 

[mauconnfan]

Hopefully a better coach will get him more quality looks so he doesn't have to jack up 25-footers as our best option offensively.

Hopefully he becomes a better shooter because for now he's only ok.

 

[businesslawyer]

I agree that he wouldn't be a focal point on a great UConn team. But are you saying 5th and 6th men aren't important? Vital would thrive in a 6th man role as the first guard off the bench to give us a jolt of energy.

Our best teams, Vital isn't near a 6th man. He's not Rashad Anderson, or Tony Robertson, or even Kromah. He is who he is, which is on this team on of our best players.

 

[mauconnfan]

No reason he can't become a Brian Fair off the bench.

Well there is one reason and that is he will never be as good of a shooter as Fair. He does rebound and defend better, but Fair had his niche and it was a really good one. CV sill can be a very solid 6th-7th guy though no doubt.

 

[Stainmaster]

Our best teams, Vital isn't near a 6th man. He's not Rashad Anderson, or Tony Robertson, or even Kromah. He is who he is, which is on this team on of our best players.

I would disagree on Kromah. Even with his lack of control, I trust CV a bit more on the offensive end.

 

[UConnDad]

TIL the 5th/6th man is not important to a basketball team.

Maybe it's half court, 3 on3?

 

[UConnDad]

Just for fun. Compared him to guys on the 05/06 team (based on win shares). He was basically as valuable as Rashad Anderson. Which what his offensive role needs to look like next year.

Says it all about win shares!

 

[Jimdish255]

If true, it's really telling that so many of the players were considering transferring if KO remained head coach. Again, if true.

Plenty of nerves around here concerning who might leave if KO was let go. I always felt it was overcooked and that players tired of losing would welcome a change. Not all, but most.

 

[RichZ]

You're acting like someone is trying to make up a whole team of post-grad transfers. Just stop

We did start 2 grad transfers for much of the last two years. I wonder if any other team has done that 2 years in a row? The problem in 16/17 was that Sterling was a backup shooting guard at best, and KO kept trying to start him at the point to let JA play off the ball. And in 17/18, they were just two pretty awful grad xfers. Especially DO. He was mediocre in the ivy league. He sure wasn't starting material on UConn. Losing almost all our bigs to either graduation or transfer left KO in dire straights, and he had to settle for what he could drum up. But then starting a slow, one-year-stop-gap player with no motor and a limited skill set over guys who needed reps and will be here next year just didn't make a lot of sense.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Hopefully kisunas still comes here. Any similarities to Karnowski from the Zags?

 

[tzznandrew]

Sterling was a backup shooting guard at best

Sterling was much better than a backup shooting guard. He had just come off averaging 16 ppg and 44% from 3 at Seton Hall.

But...he wasn't the PG KO wanted him to be, so we agree on that aspect.

 

[imno1]

Vital was second on the team in ppg and I believe he led the team in rebounds and steals. So no he’s not a one dimensional player. I’m not always fond of his shot selection but on a better team Vital will be a better player. I can’t wait to watch him the next two years.

 

[intlzncster]

Wrong, Tony Robertson is what he should be doing, he's not the masked assassin

That's exactly the comp I was thinking of in terms of role. A TRob-lite. Tony's athleticism is way superior to Vital's. And frankly, was a much better basketball player.

Vital is a jack of all trades player, master of none. He's limited on the upside by his athleticism. Offensively, his weekness is that he doesn't pick his head up enough. He can dish, he just doesn't do it enough. That and gunning like a machine. But that should be taken care of in a better offense.

 

[intlzncster]

Hopefully kisunas still comes here. Any similarities to Karnowski from the Zags?

Way smaller than Karnowski.

 

[intlzncster]

Sterling was much better than a backup shooting guard. He had just come off averaging 16 ppg and 44% from 3 at Seton Hall.

But...he wasn't the PG KO wanted him to be, so we agree on that aspect.

He was great in his role as the 2guard at UCONN. Problem was a freshman Jalen was all we had at the point. JR Jalen plus gibbs would have been a nasty backcourt.

 

[YearoftheHusky]

Hopefully kisunas still comes here. Any similarities to Karnowski from the Zags?

He’s white, foreign and his surname starts with K. That’s probably about it.

 

[Northbound]

Only here does a thread about players reactions to the DH news devolve into a comparison of Vital/TR/RA and how Kisunas compares to a kid playing for Gonzaga.

You can’t make it up.

 

[Huskybass]

We did start 2 grad transfers for much of the last two years. I wonder if any other team has done that 2 years in a row? The problem in 16/17 was that Sterling was a backup shooting guard at best, and KO kept trying to start him at the point to let JA play off the ball. And in 17/18, they were just two pretty awful grad xfers. Especially DO. He was mediocre in the ivy league. He sure wasn't starting material on UConn. Losing almost all our bigs to either graduation or transfer left KO in dire straights, and he had to settle for what he could drum up. But then starting a slow, one-year-stop-gap player with no motor and a limited skill set over guys who needed reps and will be here next year just didn't make a lot of sense.

Gibbs was here in 15-16, not 16-17. He was plugged in to play pg and really wasn't suited to play that role, thus Daniel Hamilton essentially became the point guard by default.

 

[rich1122]

Just get somebody that can shoot above 20%.

 

[jibsey]

I’m counting on Hurley to be able to recognize what he has and what he needs. He doesn’t need to be second guessed for at least a week don’t you all think? We are in pretty dire need of talent especially shooting talent from what we’ve witnessed last 2 seasons. Desperate for a point guard because Gilbert is a total question.

 

[intlzncster]

Only here does a thread about players reactions to the DH news devolve into a comparison of Vital/TR/RA and how Kisunas compares to a kid playing for Gonzaga.

You can’t make it up.

Not to mention the efficacy of Sterling Gibbs tangent.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Carlton....the more I think about it....reminds me of Rod Sellers during his 1st year.