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

[Nick2005]

Our guys do seem to get better so there's that. Plus Johnson had a pretty major injury last year and he was never really 100% recovered. We'll see whether he's better this season.

Yeah I don't want to crush the kid. Him staying means he thinks, and coaches as well, that he can be impactful player. I watched him, and didn't like anything he did. Stiff, uncoordinated, nervous, slow, just tall at best. Im surprised and disappointed he didn't leave. I want back to back championships. This guy will get killed by Kansas and duke, let's be real. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

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.

Did you go to the open scrimmage practice? He showed out quite nicely.

Everything good that happened in that practice translated to the regular season for all the players I watched. Everything…

Except for Samson, who had the foot injury after limited minutes in the first game of the season. His spot minutes the rest of the season were not great, but understandable given the injury.

People down on him are borderline clueless/full-on clueless. It’s that simple.

 

[Samoo]

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.

Way to give the guy a chance after a major injury.

 

[Waquoit]

Way to give the guy a chance after a major injury.

Yeah I don't want to crush the kid. . Stiff, uncoordinated, nervous, slow, just tall at best. Im surprised and disappointed he didn't leave.

Geez, I wonder what you'd be saying if you did want to crush the kid. Actually, I don't. Ignore.

 

[7774]

Did you go to the open scrimmage practice? He showed out quite nicely.

Everything good that happened in that practice translated to the regular season for all the players I watched. Everything…

Except for Samson, who had the foot injury after limited minutes in the first game of the season. His spot minutes the rest of the season were not great, but understandable given the injury.

People down on him are borderline clueless/full-on clueless. It’s that simple.

The flaw in this is that in the first game of the season, when he wasn't injured, he still had the same issues from freshman year. Hopefully he will improve, because that would be a huge benefit to the team, and the fact he's still on the roster says alot about the staff's belief that he can.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Yeah I don't want to crush the kid. Him staying means he thinks, and coaches as well, that he can be impactful player. I watched him, and didn't like anything he did. Stiff, uncoordinated, nervous, slow, just tall at best. Im surprised and disappointed he didn't leave. I want back to back championships. This guy will get killed by Kansas and duke, let's be real. Hope I'm wrong.

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.

 

[7774]

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.

Your takes on Samson Johnson make your takes on other subjects look almost rational.

 

[Waquoit]

The flaw in this is that in the first game of the season, when he wasn't injured, he still had the same issues from freshman year.

I disagree. I saw good progress in a small sample.

 

[7774]

I disagree. I saw good progress in a small sample.

He committed 4 fouls in 16 minutes against some team that finished in the 330's in Kempom. He's never playing real minutes if he continues to do that.

 

[NJHusky]

He committed 4 fouls in 16 minutes against some team that finished in the 330's in Kempom. He's never playing real minutes if he continues to do that.

It was the first game of the season....ya think it's possible he was trying to do a bit too much...especially on D..since that is a key for Hurley. He's had a full Fr season and 1/2 Soph season....practicing against the National Champs...You don't think it's possible he's progressed and is ready for a breakout JR year?

 

[Deleted at users request]

The flaw in this is that in the first game of the season, when he wasn't injured, he still had the same issues from freshman year. Hopefully he will improve, because that would be a huge benefit to the team, and the fact he's still on the roster says alot about the staff's belief that he can.

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.

 

[Mr. Hand]

Yeah I don't want to crush the kid. Him staying means he thinks, and coaches as well, that he can be impactful player. I watched him, and didn't like anything he did. Stiff, uncoordinated, nervous, slow, just tall at best. Im surprised and disappointed he didn't leave. I want back to back championships. This guy will get killed by Kansas and duke, let's be real. Hope I'm wrong.

This has to be a troll.

Nobody can be this much of an @zzhole and not know it.

 

[g_smith]

If that was true he would’ve transferred on his own or been guided by the staff to find a fresh start somewhere else. Him being on the roster says that Hurley believes in him. With so much talent in the portal I think we would’ve gotten a quality transfer at the 4 if we needed to. I know there are always going to be busts but I really don’t think that Samson was so highly rated for no reason.

Hurley believes but we just don’t know if it’ll work out. This the nature of the sport.

 

[Chin Diesel]

I admit, I keep forgetting he earned a starting role last year before he got hurt.

I feel like any time someone posts this it needs the asterisk of Karaban nursing an injury in preseason and Johnson being the starter by default.

I have yet to read anything from the UConn coaches suggesting a healthy Johnson was ever ahead of a healthy Karaban.

 

[karstenkibbe]

I attended the Blue & White scrimmage. I loved what I saw from Samson. He appeared aggressive, comfortable, confident and incredibly athletic. Yes, it was a scrimmage. I get it. But it offered a glimpse of his potential. I also watched a freshman year where he seemed lost on switches and disappeared/was a step late on help defense. Will his apparent lack of defensive understanding/positioning catch up to his offensive potential? I don’t know. But I trust Hurley. A healthy full season will answer most questions about Samson. Let’s be patient and let it play out.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I feel like any time someone posts this it needs the asterisk of Karaban nursing an injury in preseason and Johnson being the starter by default.

I have yet to read anything from the UConn coaches suggesting a healthy Johnson was ever ahead of a healthy Karaban.

Well Hurley said he and Hawkins were the best players in the scrimmage. I don't think there is any conclusion we can reach other than that it was probably pretty close between them. I've not seen anything saying Karaban had won the starting job either.

This is a good problem to have. Not sure why some here (not you) keep rooting for people to fail.

 

[superjohn]

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.

What?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Well Hurley said he and Hawkins were the best players in the scrimmage. I don't think there is any conclusion we can reach other than that it was probably pretty close between them. I've not seen anything saying Karaban had won the starting job either.

This is a good problem to have. Not sure why some here (not you) keep rooting for people to fail.

I definitely want Samson to succeed and a front court with Clingan, Karaban and Johnson is a great way to start a front line. I do think Samson can back up both 4 and 5. There's definitely at least 20 mpg to be had beyond Clingan and Karaban.

 

[Waquoit]

I attended the Blue & White scrimmage. I loved what I saw from Samson. He appeared aggressive, comfortable, confident and incredibly athletic. Yes, it was a scrimmage. I get it. But it offered a glimpse of his potential. I also watched a freshman year where he seemed lost on switches and disappeared/was a step late on help defense.

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

 

[navery12]

Well Hurley said he and Hawkins were the best players in the scrimmage. I don't think there is any conclusion we can reach other than that it was probably pretty close between them. I've not seen anything saying Karaban had won the starting job either.

This is a good problem to have. Not sure why some here (not you) keep rooting for people to fail.

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

 

[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.