Purvis Returning

[Point6]

Thank god I did not have to read negative bulls*it like what is in this thread when I was a 20 year old kid. If the kid is willing to come back, awesome. Can he be a Husky great? He can make that list this year. There are plenty of big shots left to be made.

I remember having debates about whether Ollie could ever get into the NBA. I loved his guts as a UConn player. The consensus was no - not NBA material.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Hopefully this is true. Having another senior leader guard to go along with our senior front court can only help the team. Purvis will be an excellent kick out option for Adams on drives, or whoever is our go to post up player next year. He represents the program off the court in a great way, and is an excellent recruiter. Hopefully our other players improve, the freshmen contribute something, so Purvis doesn't need to be a vocal point. Now it's up to Ollie to help Purvis be the player we all know he can be, and make good money in Europe.

 

[lange10]

I don't mind Purvis coming back if Ollie learns to run sets that gets guys open 3's with their feet set (wish we were doing it this year with Gibbs). Purvis is a shaky ball handler and Adams/Alterique need to be running the show next year.

1. Adams
2. Purvis
3. Hamilton
4. Enoch/Larrier/Facey
5. Brimah

6th man: Alterique

Sure, playing Brimah and Enoch at the same time may be a bad idea but I think it could work. Enoch has shown a nice stroke. If he learns KO's defensive principles I think he can play the 4.

 

[tentoes4rings]

i almost feel like Purvis needs to drop some muscle and lean up a bit. He seems so stiff at times like his own body is getting in his way of being smooth at the rim.

Is it the extra muscle or did he just peak athletically at a very young age? Early 20s is awfully young to lose explosive athleticism, but the RP we've seen doesn't even resemble the athlete in the mixed tape.

 

[Scoe]

How is this bad move and its a smart decision on Purvis part, he's not gonna play in the NBA.

 

[UConnfan8]

@UConnfan8

You mean elite level talent like this? Remember Purvis was an AA, and we only have one of those coming in next year.

damn. if only he stayed that good.

 

[Huskyforlife]

@lange10 I'd like to give Facey a chance to be the full time starter, but trust me, I'm very prepared to hand the keys to Enoch if he under preforms.

 

[lange10]

@lange10 I'd like to give Facey a chance to be the full time starter, but trust me, I'm very prepared to hand the keys to Enoch if he under preforms.

I think we need to have more of a low post presence moving forward (see last night: 25 of 47 shots taken were 3's). Someone who we can dump the ball down to and get a bucket (Miller for us this year). Facey is all hustle and incredible on the glass, but he is very limited offensively so I see Enoch more as that guy down low. But if he doesn't get the defensive principles down, I'd start Facey as well.

 

[QDOG5]

I think that if the tried (and most often true) axiom that older teams are better than younger teams then having Rodney back would be a plus. I think he will be back, btw. Lots of chatter about the incoming freshmen and I'm excited too but...every new level presents new challenges. Look at JA, he was an elite recruit and should turn out to be a great player but teams have found weak spots (can't shoot three well, leaves the floor on every head fake) and we should realize that the new guys aren't going to lead by themselves. I think Rodney can help them and the team next year.

 

[Huskyforlife]

@lange10 You're right about that, hopefully Brimah or Facey improves their post game.

 

[jibsey]

We have a lot of talent on paper coming but we had a ton of talent this year, so regardless of what their hype is we have to see the rubber actually meet the road. This year I was sadly mistaken as to what we had, why and how? well the smoke hasn't cleared yet but something went badly wrong.

 

[TheRogers]

Glad to have you back one more year!!!

 

[JimHurley]

Still don't think he'll start next year. I think it should be Adams, Gilbert, Larrier, Hamilton, Brimah.

 

[80shusky]

This is a good thing even though a house cleaning wouldn't be bad either. Purvis is a great ambassador for the program, we will need some senior leadership and another guard. Also, I think even with Purvis returning we still have a left over scholarship. If we didn't and some five star center wanted to come here I might feel a little differently.

 

[intlzncster]

Good god if we give the keys to Purvis and Hamilton instead of Gilbert and Adams next year, I may go postal.

Dude, come on. They are giving the ball to the PGs. You don't think Ollie wants to have dynamic, skilled PGs? That would 'magically' fix a LOT of our issues this year.

 

[SubbaBub]

Nobody on this team is getting drafted.

 

[dennismenace]

Still don't think he'll start next year. I think it should be Adams, Gilbert, Larrier, Hamilton, Brimah.

Agree. Think it will be hard to keep Larrier out of the starting lineup or equivalent minutes. Looking forward to seeing him in action next year.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Is it the extra muscle or did he just peak athletically at a very young age? Early 20s is awfully young to lose explosive athleticism, but the RP we've seen doesn't even resemble the athlete in the mixed tape.

I've wondered the same thing. He just does not seem to have the jumping ability that I expected and that is shown on the video. I don't remember any reports of injuries. It would be fun to seem him throw the ball down like in the video when attacking the rim.

 

[krinklecut]

For the past week everyone on here has been telling me how stupid I am for saying there's no way he's leaving. Love the vindication.

 

[Locustsalsa]

I don't think Rodney was the problem this year. Lack of leadership is killing them. One would think that one or both of the grad students would have stepped up in this regard. As newcomers they were perhaps reluctant to do so. As it turned out others on the team may have deferred to the grad students because of their experience and age. Result - everybody deferring and no leadership. Rodney and Daniel should be more comfortable with leadership roles next season as they will be upper classmen. Both have potential to become really good with the players they will have next year. But someone needs to be a leader. No more playing less than 40 minutes and blowing big leads to teams that they should be blowing out!!

 

[tzznandrew]

I hope he is back next year. His shooting is good, his attitude is better. Love the kid, and as @Dove said he's had an unclear role.

Adams as the starting PG with experience, Purvis a shooter and--potentially--a driver if he could finish, Hamilton being the 2nd or 3rd to initiate the offense, Facey at the 4, Brimah at the 5.

Gilbert comes in pretty quick for either Purvis or Hamilton and gives us the traditional UConn look. Larrier comes in for either Hamilton or Facey.

Again, I'm going to temper my expectations, but that team should be able to improve upon this year.

So much of this team's problem is its inability to get into the lane and get easy shots. Adams is the only one who can, and I think Gilbert will be able to as well.

 

[Tenspro2002]

If true, this is key for our depth. As others have pointed out, the backcourt would be quite thin next year since aside from Gilbert, the new guys are mostly 3-4-5's. The only question is whether KO can properly handle the rotations.

If Purvis is willing to play the Tony Robertson role off the bench, great. If KO or he thinks that he's going to be an on-ball leader merely by virtue of seniority, we're no better off than this year with the Gibbs/Adams debacle.

 

[tzznandrew]

If true, this is key for our depth. As others have pointed out, the backcourt would be quite thin next year since aside from Gilbert, the new guys are mostly 3-4-5's. The only question is whether KO can properly handle the rotations.

If Purvis is willing to play the Tony Robertson role off the bench, great. If KO or he thinks that he's going to be an on-ball leader merely by virtue of seniority, we're no better off than this year with the Gibbs/Adams debacle.

Agree with the bolded part. KO needs to do better with his rotations.

On the second part, I think Gilbert's better as a change of pace guy. We'll see, for sure. But talented freshman guards make a lot of mistakes, and one goal of the coaching staff is to ween them into their position so that they succeed more than fail.

Starting Adams--provided he can shoot better, which again we should all expect he will--should provide enough dribble penetration early in the game and allow us to bring in Gilbert in less stressful situations and as a change of pace guy.

This is particularly true if he--like Adams and Napier and many other freshmen--struggles from the 3 in his first season.

Reports say he and Jackson are great 3 point shooters. They said the same about Napier, Lamb, Daniels, Adams and a host of others. It takes time for those kids to adjust (Lamb being the only one who came through). Giffey was a terrible shooter, and then he wasn't. Napier was mediocre and then great. Unless Adams is a much better shooter, or Gilbert comes in blazing like KEA, Gordon, or Anderson, we have to be careful of starting Adams-Gilbert-Hamilton for spacing purposes.

 

[intlzncster]

Nobody on this team is getting drafted.

...this year.

You honestly think you know how Adams, Hamilton or even Enoch will turn out?

 

[intlzncster]

For the past week everyone on here has been telling me how stupid I am for saying there's no way he's leaving. Love the vindication.

It was more the fact that he was hinting at leaving all year and he'd have his degree. Appears he changed his mind.