Samson Johnson looks to make major leap in new role for UConn men next season (Arruda @ Courant)

[HuskyHawk]

That's just not true, Hurley was pretty clear about minutes at the 4 spot when he previewed the roster here

UConn men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley on the roster, toughness, and more

Hurley offers insight into several of positional battles going on during the preseason.

www.theuconnblog.com

I'm not reading what you seem to be.

"“I love the four spot right now. We’ll experiment maybe with playing Samson and Alex together with Samson at center, because those two guys make a real difference from an offensive standpoint. Samson brings different things to both backboards, with his athleticism, slashing, and above the rim play. Our fours are young but they’re talented.”

 

[navery12]

I'm not reading what you seem to be.

"“I love the four spot right now. We’ll experiment maybe with playing Samson and Alex together with Samson at center, because those two guys make a real difference from an offensive standpoint. Samson brings different things to both backboards, with his athleticism, slashing, and above the rim play. Our fours are young but they’re talented.”

I'm not surprised. But these comments came after Big East Media Day where he explicitly said Karaban has a real chance to start at the 4, and then made these comments talking about finding Samson minutes at the 5. I don't know how much more explicit people need comments to be, it's pretty obvious what was happening

 

[Dogdeacon]

Why doesn't the sophomore scrimmage trump what you saw from him as a freshman?

C'mon the question answers itself, scrimmage v games. For those of us that have only seen a player in games it isn't unreasonable for that to form entirety of view esp when for some athletes doing it in practice vs games is just different. Very often its the case in basketball that a player starts shining in practices & some period of time transpires before that translates to games.

That could be the issue here combined with injuries, with either injuries creating or exacerbating uncertainty/confidence etc when on the floor under bright lights. I agree with those saying if the coach feels confident in him we should trust that.

 

[Waquoit]

C'mon the question answers itself, scrimmage v games. For those of us that have only seen a player in games it isn't unreasonable for that to form entirety of view esp when for some athletes doing it in practice vs games is just different.

Oh, please. How a player plays currently trumps how he played the year before, whether a scrimmage or game.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Why doesn't the sophomore scrimmage trump what you saw from him as a freshman?

Does it trump what you saw from him as a freshman? And why even ask that question, because I believe you’re trying to lead me into a position that I clearly didn’t take. Are you definitively telling everyone with your question that Samson is the player we saw in an intrasquad scrimmage last fall? If so, I love your confidence.

Scrimmage against teammates for 40 minutes vs healthy, full season of NCAA game action. I believe that should answer your question.

 

[Waquoit]

Does it trump what you saw from him as a freshman? And why even ask that question, because I believe you’re trying to lead me into a position that I clearly didn’t take. Are you definitively telling everyone with your question that Samson is the player we saw in an intrasquad scrimmage last fall? If so, I love your confidence.

Scrimmage against teammates for 40 minutes vs healthy, full season of NCAA game action. I believe that should answer your question.

You didn't answer my question so I have to infer that you are saying that saying freshman game action performance will be a better predictor of Johnson's success than pre-injury sophomore scrimmage performance. I can't agree. I thought he looked much better as a soph and I expect him to be better as a junior. What he did a frosh is now moot.

 

[Samoo]

Hawkins was 0-4 from the field first game of the season too. Some guys have jitters and just have to play through them before getting comfortable.

What ever happened to that Hawkins kid after that crappy first game? I hope he gets his act together and can help whatever team he ends up on: good thing he left - he would have been killed by Kansas and Duke...

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm not surprised. But these comments came after Big East Media Day where he explicitly said Karaban has a real chance to start at the 4, and then made these comments talking about finding Samson minutes at the 5. I don't know how much more explicit people need comments to be, it's pretty obvious what was happening

In summary he's saying they are both so good they may have to play them together to get them both on the court.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What?

Which part of that generated the what? Athletically gifted? It's him or Solo Ball. Nobody else is close. Important? Singare isn't ready and I have doubts about either freshman forward backing up Alex. We would have had to get a big in the portal.

 

[navery12]

In summary he's saying they are both so good they may have to play them together to get them both on the court.

 

[karstenkibbe]

You didn't answer my question so I have to infer that you are saying that saying freshman game action performance will be a better predictor of Johnson's success than pre-injury sophomore scrimmage performance. I can't agree. I thought he looked much better as a soph and I expect him to be better as a junior. What he did a frosh is now moot.

I’m not looking for your agreement. You might be right. But you’re putting words in my mouth. Read my original post again. But if you want to trade hyperbole, then you are playing the Billy Packer role wonderfully here with some not-quite-Ajou-Deng-situation vibes.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Oh, please. How a player plays currently trumps how he played the year before, whether a scrimmage or game.

Did you not read the thread from about a year ago with many examples of players numbers in first two years being predictive of their careers? I don't want to be the negative here as I'm rooting for the kid.

Good backup bringing energy more than #s but with upside is my current estimation.
Can you provide specific projection that has you so perturbed by anyone being cautious?

 

[7774]

Which part of that generated the what? Athletically gifted? It's him or Solo Ball. Nobody else is close. Important? Singare isn't ready and I have doubts about either freshman forward backing up Alex. We would have had to get a big in the portal.

I’d guess it's the part where you said he could handle the ball, attack off the bounce, and make 3s since he's never shown any real ability to handle the ball or attack off the bounce, and he's 1/7 from 3 in his career.

But I get it, you're part of the group on this board who has decided nothing he does in an actual college basketball game counts. What he did in high school counts, what he did in an open practice counts, and what he did in a fake game against Virginia counts. But actual college basketball games? Do not count. It's an interesting approach.

 

[Waquoit]

Did you not read the thread from about a year ago with many examples of players numbers in first two years being predictive of their careers? I don't want to be the negative here as I'm rooting for the kid.

Good backup bringing energy more than #s but with upside is my current estimation.
Can you provide specific projection that has you so perturbed by anyone being cautious?

Well this escalated in hurry! I'm not perturbed in being cautious. My issue is that apparently you and kibbe are putting more stock in his first year when he didn't play over his second year where he admittedly played better before he got hurt. That's nuts. Players get better. I think he will even be better next year. Will that be good enough? I don't know. But I do know that the staff says he will and they don't seem to say stuff like that just for effect like JC used to do.

 

[QDOG5]

Our coach, who won a National Championship for us, says the kid is going to see minutes at the 4 and the 5. So, I have to believe that at the beginning of next season you will see him playing at the 4 and the 5. We'll see how it goes as the season progresses but Hurley is going to give Samson a chance to earn some minutes. I don't see why we would have a problem with that.

 

[superjohn]

Which part of that generated the what? Athletically gifted? It's him or Solo Ball. Nobody else is close. Important? Singare isn't ready and I have doubts about either freshman forward backing up Alex. We would have had to get a big in the portal.

Samson has yet to show any of what you described his game to be.

 

[husky429]

I watched him play last year. He should not be playing meaningful minutes. Karaban has to have better backup. We go small or whatever. I don't want him playing meaningful minutes in Kansas, no thanks.

The kids has played 0 minutes of meaningful D1 basketball. Drawing any conclusions from what you saw last year is just silly.

 

[RipCity]

Possibly the worst take of the year. He might be the most athletically gifted player on the roster. You wanted out highly rated 4 star 6'10" athletic shot blocker who can handle the ball, attack off the bounce and shoot 3s to leave?

By far the most important thing Hurley did for this season was convince him to stay. Reports are he spent a LOT of effort on that.

Classic absurd Johnson take from you.

Btw, he blocked 0 shots and made 0 threes this year and couldn’t handle the ball at all, so there’s that too.

I’m glad that he’s coming back, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he never produces.

 

[husky429]

Classic absurd Johnson take from you.

Btw, he blocked 0 shots and made 0 threes this year and couldn’t handle the ball at all, so there’s that too.

I’m glad that he’s coming back, but it shouldn’t surprise anyone if he never produces.

I don't understand anyone claiming to have an idea what kind of player Johnson is. He essentially hasn't played real basketball in 2 years. Hurley worked hard to keep him on campus, so clearly we envision some kind of role for him as a backup 4/5.

He's tall, athletic, and skinny. The sample size on any skill is too small to matter.

Past that I'm not sure anyone other than our coaching staff can really say what the plan is for him.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I’d guess it's the part where you said he could handle the ball, attack off the bounce, and make 3s since he's never shown any real ability to handle the ball or attack off the bounce, and he's 1/7 from 3 in his career.

But I get it, you're part of the group on this board who has decided nothing he does in an actual college basketball game counts. What he did in high school counts, what he did in an open practice counts, and what he did in a fake game against Virginia counts. But actual college basketball games? Do not count. It's an interesting approach.

He’s hardly played in actual basketball games to know. And it’s mostly no fault of his own.

His freshman year we were loaded at his position for him to get time. His sophomore year he had an injury and Hurley is known for being conservative when bringing guys back. He’s never got an actual chance to show what he can do on the court to know one way or another.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Samson has yet to show any of what you described his game to be.

So has Castle yet to show, in college, any of what people describe his game to be. I've seen clips of Johnson doing all that in HS. He was behind several guys as a freshman, and got hurt last year. He hasn't had a chance to show it.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I’m rooting for the kid and we should believe there is hope. But he’s right at no point has he looked like he was a natural on the court. Granted small samples but it’s reality. Long way to go for him one can only hope for a big jump.

I agree he hasn’t played enough to make a determination and when he did play is was only after rehabbing so that throws in another variable .
These are the facts ;

1. He was highly recruited and came in with a lot of untapped potential.
2. Whether he was a starter or not is not as relevant as he was slated as a rotation player before the injury last year.. On a NC team.
When you look at the talent on that team getting into the rotation was not that easy. In past rosters guys like Richie Springs and Apostolonos Would minimally be seeing rotation minutes not garbage ones.
Finally the job he is required to do is
backup especially the unknown minutes behind the 5 not carry a load . Anything we get beyond a competent backup is a bonus.

 

[Fatroony5]

I don't understand anyone claiming to have an idea what kind of player Johnson is. He essentially hasn't played real basketball in 2 years. Hurley worked hard to keep him on campus, so clearly we envision some kind of role for him as a backup 4/5.

He's tall, athletic, and skinny. The sample size on any skill is too small to matter.

Past that I'm not sure anyone other than our coaching staff can really say what the plan is for him.

Hate that he had that injury last season. Don’t think it changes the fact that Karaban would’ve been thrust into the starting line up, but it would’ve allowed Johnson to at least get some minutes. He was really behind the eight ball after the injury. Hard to say what he is but Hurley didn’t recruit over him in the portal, so he’s got a role to play, at least I would imagine the staff projects him carving out a role for the team. Seems like a guy they may want to intentionally get more minutes early in the season for the buy games to inject some confidence into the kid.

 

[freescooter]

I watched him play last year. He should not be playing meaningful minutes. Karaban has to have better backup. We go small or whatever. I don't want him playing meaningful minutes in Kansas, no thanks.

I’m sort of with you, Nick. There are guys who are loyal and likable and everyone hopes will have a breakout season. Rarely does that happen though. Mostly those guys aren’t playing because they aren’t good enough. Everyone thinks this guy or that guy will be the next Hilton Armstrong. But the reason everybody remembers Hilton is that he was such a unique case! I hope Samson replaces Hilton as the guy everyone mentions when talking about major improvement. I suspect he remains a bit player.

 

[gsmooth]

I just gave a like because the gif is funny, LOL