Purvis Returning

[Glastonhusky]

The key to next year's team might be the degree that Daniel and Rodney can come back and accept more defined and somewhat narrower roles. Neither should be primary ball-handlers or playmakers, but ones who get their points within the "flow" that we pray our offense can have.

Exactly. I'd like to see us return to the two PG system of past UConn teams, the offense next season should flow through Jalen and AG. Dham should create from the wing and should NOT be the primary ball-handler. Rodney may have to live with being our instant offense guy off the bench.

 

[Peacefrog]

Hamilton has not been the primary ball handler and has not appeared to try and usurp that role to me. Nonetheless his ball handling ability is critical for the team. His ability to snare rebounds and then quickly start the break himself is a huge weapon.

 

[JonnyRI]

For all his flaws, and there are plenty well documented on this board, anyone who seriously does not want purvis back next year is an idiot, a jerk, or both. Now if cassell wants to leave to try to play in Europe. Ah to dream.

 

[mdkhusky]

if we want anyone back it would be purvis. good locker room guy never caused any issues when moved to the bench. works his ass off

 

[RayIsTheGOAT]

I think Purvis will succeed in a more defined role, with primary ball handlers running the show. Gilbert and Soph Adams might be the right combination for Purvis to succeed consistently.

 

[gtcam]

A full season of results? Sure he's got intangibles but this guy FOLDS time and time again. Does not have a killer instinct and is one of the worst on ball defenders I can remember in a Uconn Jersey. Larrier will make us better because he'll be coming in fresh as a strong athletic role player with a similar body type who can grab the rebounds Hamilton did. Hamilton should not be the focal point of this team/offense moving into next year. I'm thinking we need to slide that over to Jalen and Alterique. Take the green light away from Hamilton until he starts to play some defense. For the rest of this year I'm completely fine with bashing Hamilton & Gibbs...they've earned it.

crazy

 

[Jaker]

Playing with a legit pg-aka Gilbert, Purvis will shine.

 

[InKembaITrust]

crazy

don't know what you're watching, I'm just happy Ollie finally pulled Hamilton for a long period of time, a good 15 min, after he made that bonehead turnover in the first half today. Looks like Hamilton will actually respond after sitting for a while too, had a good second half...Ollie should have been coaching him this way months ago....then maybe he wouldn't be averaging 17 TOs a game

 

[huskyharry]

Not at all surprised he's coming back. Outside of a recent mitigating family financial circumstance, there was no reason to think he'd go to Europe or anywhere else when his, and this program's stock is as low as it is right now.

That said, I'm glad to have him back. He's one of the lowest IQ guys I can ever remember having a prominent role on a UConn team, but he's bringing experience and has times where he hits 3-4 3's in a row and is solid defensively. I'd love to see him play with a chip on his shoulder next year and play through contact.

sometimes a small, incremental improvement in one facet of the game can make a big difference in the players overall performance. Rodney learns to go a little bit harder but also a little bit more under control on the drives and put his shoulder a little bit more into the contact he could become much more efficient at scoring. if he is able to knock out 1 unforced error per game overall, his performance will greatly increase.

 

[willie99]

I'm glad he's coming back, he's a big part of any potential success

A guy not returning that we're really going to miss is Miller, he's a man

 

[pnow15]

Lots of unfounded optimism. My observation is that what separates winning from losing lies somewhere in the mixture of gray matter and character. Guys like Jordan and Kobe
exuded it. Adams is the only guy who may exactly have that characteristic.
Part of it is that in general death and dismemberment is better than losing.
Boat had that quality. The rest of these guys don't.

 

[azescobar]

You should all want Purvis back, for everything he does on and off the court; and don't forget, how influential he is when kids visit on recruiting trips. RP is like 22 or 23. He's a grown man who is very well connected in the AAU world, and with NBA guys. He is like a real big brother to the high school kids and is the best ambassador we've ever had. He'll be great hosting Class of 2017 and 2018 visits. Oh, and he'll get you 12-15 points, play hard defense, and hopefully knock down a few more shots next year..

 

[intlzncster]

You should all want Purvis back, for everything he does on and off the court; and don't forget, how influential he is when kids visit on recruiting trips. RP is like 22 or 23. He's a grown man who is very well connected in the AAU world, and with NBA guys. He is like a real big brother to the high school kids and is the best ambassador we've ever had. He'll be great hosting Class of 2017 and 2018 visits. Oh, and he'll get you 12-15 points, play hard defense, and hopefully knock down a few more shots next year..

Well said.

 

[Rico444]

Just want to add that when Phil checked out of the game to get his final ovation yesterday, Purvis could've easily been focused on where he was supposed to be on the floor, or what his assignment was. Instead, he stood there and clapped for him. He's class all the way.

 

[HuskyHawk]

You should all want Purvis back, for everything he does on and off the court; and don't forget, how influential he is when kids visit on recruiting trips. RP is like 22 or 23. He's a grown man who is very well connected in the AAU world, and with NBA guys. He is like a real big brother to the high school kids and is the best ambassador we've ever had. He'll be great hosting Class of 2017 and 2018 visits. Oh, and he'll get you 12-15 points, play hard defense, and hopefully knock down a few more shots next year..

He's a very solid player, who I think was forced to adjust to playing with Gibbs, who turned out to be a SG not a PG. He plays hard, rebounds well and plays solid defense. His shooting has improved and if he can learn to stop avoiding contact on drives and instead to take it and then finish, he'd be tremendous around the rim (that last bit applies to Hamilton too).

 

[Dogbreath2U]

sometimes a small, incremental improvement in one facet of the game can make a big difference in the players overall performance. Rodney learns to go a little bit harder but also a little bit more under control on the drives and put his shoulder a little bit more into the contact he could become much more efficient at scoring. if he is able to knock out 1 unforced error per game overall, his performance will greatly increase.

I agree that RP cutting down unforced errors would be a big help. He was more aggressive in attacking early against UCF and I think this helped the Huskies with the flat start. I would also like to see Rodney show better ability to change speeds with the ball as well as pulling up for short shots rather than barreling to the goal at 1oo mph.

 

[nyhusky89]

so i can't read 9 pages, but here's where i stand on the entire thing. First, we need to remember that the sanctions this program faced were meant to be devastating. we are doing incredibly well considering the ollies 1st 3 recruiting classes. To maintain any national presence was incredible. The problem is Ollie runs a system that NEEDS to ball handlers on the court at all time. They are supposed to be getting-if not all the way to the basket-into the paint enough to make another defender commit. We haven't had 2 ball handlers the last 2 years. If you have 2 ball handlers, plus Gibbs/Purvis, Hamilton and Miller/Brimah you can actually kick out to rodney who can make the shot. He is not a ball handler. He is a strong defender, can score in transition and can hit 3's but he can't dribble.

Losing Miller/Calhoun /Nolan will hurt next year. The team may not be any better than this year. But if Gilbert/Adams (i think they'll look for 1 more grad transfer ball handler) can actually handle the ball i think Purvis and Hamilton will both be better for it. Now, they need to be more aggressive sometimes & actually take the shot, but Rodney will be a good piece.

 

[QDOG5]

If, before he leaves UConn, Rodney can get Dave Wingett to commit to the Huskies that should silence the haters.

 

[ktuck911]

No surprise he's returning... The young man needs to work on offensive consistency.. He needs to figure out what works best for him.. a talented, big, athletic guard who, right now needs to understand his true calling. Whether it be a spot up jump shooter, or a take it to the rack draw the foul type, who can leak out and finish on a fast break.. He's a player that needs all 4 years... It's actually a blessing for us in disguise...

3 solid backcourt kids in Purvis, Adams, & Gilbert... Handsome Cassell providing a coming presence back there too... Makes for a solid rotation for one year to back up this season... Purvis will have been here 4 total years, so his understanding of the offense, along with talented Adams in year 2 means a smooth transition for Gilbert into the rotation. I love it.. Maybe we can finally take some of the ballhandling pressure off of DHam, who I believe should stay another year too...He'd be making a mistake leaving now (my opinion). Put DHam in a position to show off his offense a little more..

The more I think about it, this team might have a better opportunity for a National Championship run next season. Brimah, Facey, and Enoch back up front and Larrier coming off his redshirt.. and I'm not even mentioning frontcourt pups coming in (Durham and Diarra), along with sharpshooter V. Jackson. (OMG)... We might be a problem for folks next year..

If we have an "everybody eats" motto, it could be magical next year folks...

Honestly, this season, I didn't see it. too much indecisiveness with all that talent... We still got a shot though... that's all we need to "shock the World" again.

 

[upstater]

About Rodney avoiding contact, how much of that do you think had to do with free throw shooting?

I mean, he was being pulled out of games earlier in the year. But he's been shooting at a 70%+ clip for a while now.

 

[Drumguy]

I'm with the optimists, very glad he'll be back. There's one thing missing from this team this year, a go to guy in the last seconds. We were very spoiled by Kemba and Bazz. RP may have that leap ahead of him. He is strong, fast, a great defender. Give Ollie another year working with him and I have high expectations for him. (he may not be the final goto guy, but could be - maybe VJ, maybe JA).

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Lots of unfounded optimism. My observation is that what separates winning from losing lies somewhere in the mixture of gray matter and character. Guys like Jordan and Kobe
exuded it. Adams is the only guy who may exactly have that characteristic.
Part of it is that in general death and dismemberment is better than losing.
Boat had that quality. The rest of these guys don't.

So if players don't have that quality, we shouldn't want them on the team..... got it. Going to be a lot of open roster spots across college basketball and the NBA if decision-makers start taking your advice.

 

[intlzncster]

So if players don't have that quality, we shouldn't want them on the team..... got it. Going to be a lot of open roster spots across college basketball and the NBA if decision-makers start taking your advice.

Only want a team of Kembas, Shabazz's and Okafors.

 

[imno1]

Can't understand why some wouldn't want a player averaging over 12ppg on 43% shooting, a player who defends well, and a player who is bound to show improvement next year on the team. Not to mention the way he represents the program. Is he NBA caliber, probably not but I'd bet he'll have a great final season for us.

 

[Gurleyman]

There's a certain "shiny new toy" phenomenon at play where people can't wait for the new players. There was once a Boneyard sentiment that it's just as well that Rip turns pro because we need his minutes for Ajou Deng.