Rothstein on UConn

[SL Husky]

Doomed.

 

[mauconnfan]

Polley has to rebound to play the 3 or 4 and get his 20-25 minutes. And if he gained confidence in his handle and getting to the hole then he will make a huge difference. His improvement in most everything except rebounding was evident last year, enough to think a larger jump is possible. People saying Sid gets little credit amazed how much negative stuff is here on Polley. He's long, he can shoot and he defends better than many here think. But hey I agree, needs to be more aggressive and rebound the damn ball. If he changes that he will play a lot of 3 and some 4 depending on the other teams lineup.

Again it's Rothstein but there are some exciting pieces and why not have some positive thoughts going into the season. We aren't far from hearing a lot more soon!

 

[jibsey]

When we needed a 3 desperately last year the offense set up for Polley. He was the number 1 option from deep if open and also looked good putting it on the floor. But he didn’t do it enough. I would like to see him assertive and look to score.

 

[johnhuskies95]

He'd need more than Kemba-like jump. His only good skill was 3pt shooting. And even that wasn't elite.

• zero rebounding
• not a good passer
• couldn't create his own shot
• Not aggressive
• train wreck when he went to the hoop
• at best an average defender. Too slight to D most fours and not quick enough for most threes. Could only guard specific players.
• tweener who doesn't quite have an established position

He's got some potential, but it's gonna take a lot for him to become a really good player. He might do it tho.

I don't know what your definition of elite is but 39% from 3 for a college player is at least pretty close.

I definitely agree that Polley has some major gaps in his game but if people can't understand the value in having your 4 man shoot almost 40% from 3 in 2019, I don't know what to say. This team is not going to overwhelm anybody with physicality, they have to take the 2014 team's playbook and just shoot better than their opponents if they're going to be successful on offense.

 

[husky429]

I don't know what your definition of elite is but 39% from 3 for a college player is at least pretty close.

I definitely agree that Polley has some major gaps in his game but if people can't understand the value in having your 4 man shoot almost 40% from 3 in 2019, I don't know what to say. This team is not going to overwhelm anybody with physicality, they have to take the 2014 team's playbook and just shoot better than their opponents if they're going to be successful on offense.

Polley is elite at the single most important skill in the game. That counts for a lot

 

[gampelcrazies]

Flights booked for Atlanta. See y’all there

 

[auror]

Polley is elite at the single most important skill in the game. That counts for a lot

Defintely not elite, but very good. 83rd percentile of qualified players on above average volume. Vital was actually elite last year: 92nd percentile on 90th percentile volume.

 

[Dove]

Defintely not elite, but very good. 83rd percentile of qualified players on above average volume. Vital was actually elite last year: 92nd percentile on 90th percentile volume.

What now?

 

[nomar]

Vital isn’t not starting

Yes he isn’t.

 

[8893]

If those things about Bouk, Akok, and Polley are true then there's no way we don't get an NCAA bid.

Post/handle

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Yes he isn’t.

Yeah odd wording on my part lol

 

[Horatio]

Pre-season Rothstein stuff again. I hate to be a buzz kill, but he does this stuff every year.

Yeah but we’re wounded and desperate fans so we need it.

 

[CTBasketball]

Did someone call Polley's shooting elite? See you all in November I'm going back into my room.

 

[intlzncster]

I don't know what your definition of elite is but 39% from 3 for a college player is at least pretty close.

but if people can't understand the value in having your 4 man shoot almost 40% from 3 in 2019, I don't know what to say.

Polley is elite at the single most important skill in the game. That counts for a lot

I think to be an elite 3pt shooter you've got to be able to do more than be a spot up shooter. Have to be able to create your own 3pt shot. Bazz was an elite 3pt shooter. He could take it off the bounce and pull up. Spot up. Do whatever.

Was he even Top 100? Serious question. I've no idea.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I think to be elite 3pt shooter you've got to be able to do more than be a spot up shooter. Have to be able to create your own 3pt shot. Bazz was an elite 3pt shooter. He could take it off the bounce and pull up.

Fair enough, but you're not going to see that out of a lot of forwards in college unless they're lottery picks, which obviously Polley isn't.

 

[intlzncster]

Fair enough, but you're not going to see that out of a lot of forwards in college unless they're lottery picks, which obviously Polley isn't.

I guess my real point was that, as a spot up shooter, I'd expect a higher percentage. Giffey was 42%, which is more what I'd think of as an elite spot up. If he's creating his own three, OK, percentage drops a bit. If that all makes sense.

I edited my post above, but was Polley even top 100 in the country in 3pt shooting? honest question. I don't have any idea.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I guess my real point was that, as a spot up shooter, I'd expect a higher percentage. Giffey was 42%, which is more what I'd think of as an elite spot up. If he's creating his own three, OK, percentage drops a bit. If that all makes sense.

I edited my post above, but was Polley even top 100 in the country in 3pt shooting? honest question. I don't have any idea.

He didn't have enough attempts to qualify last year but he would've been 77th in the country. A lot of the guys on the list are playing mid major or low major competition so I think he did pretty well.

 

[intlzncster]

He didn't have enough attempts to qualify last year but he would've been 77th in the country. A lot of the guys on the list are playing mid major or low major competition so I think he did pretty well.

Just so this doesn't get lost in the mix, I didn't say he was a bad or even average 3pt shooter. I had him as a 'good' 3pt shooter.

I'm just having trouble considering him elite in that dept.

 

[husky429]

Defintely not elite, but very good. 83rd percentile of qualified players on above average volume. Vital was actually elite last year: 92nd percentile on 90th percentile volume.

I can get on board with this. Very good seems a fair description--especially since none of it is off more than 1 dribble.

I still can believe how many people insist Vital was a gunner/inefficient/selfish last year. Even just in conversations with friends. The kid was a dynamite shooter and goes to war every single possession. He may be a few inches undersized, but the kid is the definition of a competitor.

 

[intlzncster]

Defintely not elite, but very good. 83rd percentile of qualified players on above average volume. Vital was actually elite last year: 92nd percentile on 90th percentile volume.

Some people on here just spit out their beer.

And you said better than I did what I meant about Polley.

 

[intlzncster]

I still can believe how many people insist Vital was a gunner/inefficient/selfish last year. Even just in conversations with friends. The kid was a dynamite shooter and goes to war every single possession. He may be a few inches undersized, but the kid is the definition of a competitor.

1. I think people are still scarred from years 1 and 2.
2. If AG/Jalen didn't go down, Vital might not have hit the skids like he did, played within himself, and we all might have a whole diff perspective on his game/role.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Just so this doesn't get lost in the mix, I didn't say he was a bad or even average 3pt shooter. I had him as a 'good' 3pt shooter.

I'm just having trouble considering him elite in that dept.

I think the line between very good(or even good) and elite is really difficult too. I'm just inclined to agree with @husky429 that 3 point shooting is extremely important in this day and age, and the value of it can't be overlooked. Considering the bench options we have right now at forward, Polley becomes particularly important.

 

[pj]

I can get on board with this. Very good seems a fair description--especially since none of it is off more than 1 dribble.

I still can believe how many people insist Vital was a gunner/inefficient/selfish last year. Even just in conversations with friends. The kid was a dynamite shooter and goes to war every single possession. He may be a few inches undersized, but the kid is the definition of a competitor.

Vital will be UConn's all time leading 3 point shooter when his career finishes, which is an incredible accomplishment.

If Polley can win a starting spot on the perimeter over Vital, it will be amazing. I hope he's improved enough that such a thing can even be considered.

 

[auror]

I think the line between very good(or even good) and elite is really difficult too. I'm just inclined to agree with @husky429 that 3 point shooting is extremely important in this day and age, and the value of it can't be overlooked. Considering the bench options we have right now at forward, Polley becomes particularly important.

Polley should be important as a stretch big for spacing and efficient scoring reasons. The problem is that he can't defend bigs or rebound. But he's a pretty good big wing defender. So really, he's not a stretch big. He's just a 3 that can't guard quick 3s. So we were playing essentially a 3 at the 4 and a 1.5 at the 3, and we didn't have enough size to deter people from driving and our rebounding suffered. Sid or anyone else not being defensively playable at the 4 was a big problem for us last year, obviously.

Akok & Bouknight should help fix those issues. Against teams with slow 3s (ala Cincinnati), we can play Polley at the 3 and be fine. Against teams with quick 3s, we can play Bouknight (or Sid if his defensive processing is improved). That plus Akok's general rim protection and 2nd year in the Hurley system should allow us to be a top 50 defensive team this year (we were 100+ last year).

 

[peyton1211]

We will win at least 25 games