RJ Cole Expectations

[Watchdog]

You don’t think he’s been underwhelming? Sure if he has an unreal offseason he should be in the rotation. But if he’s competing for a starting spot? We are in trouble. One cause I dont Think he’s good enough and two it means Cole isn’t that good.

There was a great deal of hope for "how great Gaffney was going to be this year" and there may be some fear being expressed that he won't be the player we wanted him to be.

 

[UConnDad]

People expect Gaffney to compete for a starting spot? Curious to what this is based on?

Based on the belief that Gilbert may leave and that Cole is the newest Ferrari.

 

[donyell34]

Boneyard all over the place with Gaffney. I'm one who believes Gaffney will be a good player for us as early as next year. Got off to a slow start missing practice and just can't quite catch up. I like the kid and want to believe in him. Some seem to be giving up on a kid who has only played in about 12 games.

 

[pj]

Point guard is tough for freshmen and Gaffney seems to be the type who defers a bit. I think for him the jump he needs is more mental than physical, he has adequate physical tools, when he makes the mental leap and gets comfortable with the college game, he could jump in performance very quickly.

 

[Huskybass]

Gaffney is going to be good. He got off to a slow start due to the ankle injury. But the kid can ball. The doubters will look silly next season.

 

[uconnric]

The kid is a player. Funny how his 3 point shot reminds me of the guy from Fairleigh Dickinson we ran into in the first round of the 1998 NCAA's, Elijah Allen. We won but he dropped 43 on us. 9 for 11 on three's.

I also expect all the freshman to show improvement the rest of the season and break out next year.

 

[HanDurley]

Some info for you all. Gilbert is gone next year. Cole is solidified starting at point guard. Gaffney can push him all he wants, I know for a fact that he is starting next year. He is a really really good, and has been dominating practice. There is a reason Hurley was quoted saying, "We need RJ," there is a reason he was on Cliff's instagram post representing UConn. He's good, and we should expect good things.

 

[fatlucy]

Based on the Georgetown video, he’s hands down our best player right now. His jukes remind me of a young Kemba.

 

[Chief00]

Some info for you all. Gilbert is gone next year. Cole is solidified starting at point guard. Gaffney can push him all he wants, I know for a fact that he is starting next year. He is a really really good, and has been dominating practice. There is a reason Hurley was quoted saying, "We need RJ," there is a reason he was on Cliff's instagram post representing UConn. He's good, and we should expect good things.

Also they know each other from Jersey. Chief00 knows the Grind.

 

[superjohn]

Sure if he has an unreal offseason he should be in the rotation.

He's in the rotation right now.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I think Cole is a much better distributor than Gibbs, who really wasn't a point guard. Gibbs was really a spot up shooter. Cole creates for others more and can go to the basket pretty well.

Gibbs was a good point guard at Seton Hall. He only struggled when he was playing in a broken offense.

 

[imno1]

I've never seen RJ play so I'm hoping Fred Vanvleet level game

 

[Huskybass]

Gibbs was a good point guard at Seton Hall. He only struggled when he was playing in a broken offense.

Cole averaged 6 assists his Freshman and Soph Years. Gibbs was much more of a scorer than a facilitator, averaging 4.2 and 3.8 assists and 16.3 points per game (his Junior season) at Seton Hall before coming to UConn. I stand by my statement that Gibbs was far more of a spot up shooter than a facilitator.

 

[Waterbury]

I've never seen RJ play so I'm hoping Fred Vanvleet level game

This is the kinda optimism we need on the boneyard. Every thread is doom and gloom. Cole is going to be nothing short of a stud PG who gives us 28 productive minutes per game. Book it.

 

[imno1]

This is the kinda optimism we need on the boneyard. Every thread is doom and gloom. Cole is going to be nothing short of a stud PG who gives us 28 productive minutes per game. Book it.

I always go the optimistic route until proven otherwise. Caveat: I was on the Ollie bandwagon longer than many

 

[Apollo]

Some info for you all. Gilbert is gone next year. Cole is solidified starting at point guard. Gaffney can push him all he wants, I know for a fact that he is starting next year. He is a really really good, and has been dominating practice. There is a reason Hurley was quoted saying, "We need RJ," there is a reason he was on Cliff's instagram post representing UConn. He's good, and we should expect good things.

Source?

 

[intlzncster]

He'll average 11 and 5 in 28 mins by the end of the season. He'll have to prove that he can hoop at this level. Big East isn't the conference he played in.

I'd signed up for that in an instant. I care most about turnovers and intelligently running the offense. And not getting bitched on D

 

[superjohn]

Source?

Himself aka Dan Hurley.

 

[businesslawyer]

Cole averaged 6 assists his Freshman and Soph Years. Gibbs was much more of a scorer than a facilitator, averaging 4.2 and 3.8 assists and 16.3 points per game (his Junior season) at Seton Hall before coming to UConn. I stand by my statement that Gibbs was far more of a spot up shooter than a facilitator.

Gibbs was a 1.5, a "second" point. Like Chris Smith next to Tate George. He was never a pure 1. That's not a knock -- just the way it is.

 

[Fatroony5]

Honestly I’m not expecting a lot. He was player of the year for a really low mid major. If he had t played for aDaddy Hurley I suspect he doesn’t get a return phone call. My guess is he is a depth player. 5-10 minutes/game to spell the starting point.

“He was the best player in New Jersey. We beat every post grad team in NJ all guys going to high majors, and he would go out and score 35, Being guarded by guys who were going to a higher level than he was, he would just torch them.” -Bob Hurley Sr.

Bob Hurley doesn’t just say stuff like that. I think projecting stats is kind of silly, but it’s clear we’re getting a guy whose not just going to play 5 minutes a game. He was recruited to play significant minutes at the point. Who knows what that translates into stats wise, but we’re getting a guy who has a High Basketball IQ and who will put players in position to succeed. It’s something UConn guards have lacked For way too long now. It helps explain 3 losing seasons in a row.

 

[Rico444]

“He was the best player in New Jersey. We beat every post grad team in NJ all guys going to high majors, and he would go out and score 35, Being guarded by guys who were going to a higher level than he was, he would just torch them.” -Bob Hurley Sr.

Bob Hurley doesn’t just say stuff like that. I think projecting stats is kind of silly, but it’s clear we’re getting a guy whose not just going to play 5 minutes a game. He was recruited to play significant minutes at the point. Who knows what that translates into stats wise, but we’re getting a guy who has a High Basketball IQ and who will put players in position to succeed. It’s something UConn guards have lacked For way too long now. It helps explain 3 losing seasons in a row.

I wouldn't take his post too seriously. I'd be willing to bet if you asked for his opinion of Gilbert or Gaffney he wouldn't have a very high opinion of them either, but someone they're both much better than Cole who would only earn "5-10 minutes/game."

 

[BFieldHusky]

Source?

@HanDurley has good info. Trust his source.

 

[Huskybass]

Gibbs was a 1.5, a "second" point. Like Chris Smith next to Tate George. He was never a pure 1. That's not a knock -- just the way it is.

But Ollie tried to cram him into the point guard spot, and it didn't work. Daniel Hamilton became the point forward by default.

 

[businesslawyer]

But Ollie tried to cram him into the point guard spot, and it didn't work. Daniel Hamilton became the point forward by default.

will this KO stuff never stop. He tried to "cram him" into the point? He didn't have another point. The only other option he had was freshman Jalen Adams, who was also a combo guard and it's not like Gibbs and Adams didn't spend a bunch of time on the court together sharing the duties, as we basically went with the two of them and Purvis in a 3-man, 2-position rotation. And Daniel Hamilton was a point forward because that is who he was. He was a point forward the year before when we didn't have Gibbs also.

I beg some of you -- we know you think KO is the worst thing since the AIDS virus, but could we please stop trying to fit every evaluation of everybody into that one lens? He's been gone for almost 2 years now. I don't even care if you get over it -- just stop forcing it into everything.

 

[HuskyHawk]

But Ollie tried to cram him into the point guard spot, and it didn't work. Daniel Hamilton became the point forward by default.

Honestly, KO was able to attract one of the best players in the Big East in a year when we didn't have a PG. That was a freaking amazing get to be honest. As BL says, he's a combo, like Smith or frankly Boatright. Hamilton became point forward because he was great at it. Does Golden State really have a point guard? Both Durant and Draymond Green had more assists than Curry last year.

I fully expect and hope that Andre Jackson plays some point forward for us next year. I think Hurley is counting on it.