Samson

[gtcam]

….this post I’m guessing was just pure trolling. Obviously the dunk on what is essentially an asst coach isn’t what people are focusing on. Also, why insult Mamadou for no reason? While you’re at it you might as well take shots at some other players who failed to meet expectations for whatever reason
If he wasn’t considered raw with his skills and body type he would have been a 5 star. He was always going to take time. Samson hasn’t had the chance to show us what he has for a variety of reasons including injuries and losing his spot due to injury to historically good freshman on a championship team. Most players would have transferred out, especially knowing he’s not going to start this year. That alone hurts the program having highly ranked recruits who are unhappy leave. Instead he’s showing everyone he wanted to stay regardless.

There were a lot of ways to make your point and you chose to be a straight up dick.

Also pointing out he’s 21 and saying baby steps in the same thought is contradictory.

WOW

I didn't think player reps could post in the BY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[bfs3]

WOW

I didn't think player reps could post in the BY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m not a player rep guy. It’s about being respectful when talking about teenagers and students. If anything I was defending mamadou who has been great for us despite a career ending injury.

 

[HuskyHawk]

https://x.com/uconnmbb/status/1708219100218974657?s=46&t=GxyKHfOVOezGhGiqOa-D1w

There's a reason Dan said his biggest priority was convincing Samson to stay. Critical player this year. I know we're all rooting for him to finally show what he can do.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I like that Samson seems to have embraced his traditional big role more so this off season. He’s bigger, fighting for boards harder, and playing tough at the rim on both ends from what I’ve seen in practice/highlights. Being able to occasionally step out and hit a 3, or put the ball on the floor should be gravy to the SJ experience.

 

[mauconnfan]

Hey I’m the first to admit in short stints he’s not impressed for the most part. He looked lost mostly although you hoped it was all due to continuing bad luck in his career.

Having said that the small samples we’ve seen from practice and the trip to Euro he looks to a be a different player, one who can contribute off the bench. How much? We will see but just the fact there’s a sense he’s heading in a direction of impact I’m really happy for the kid. And even happier for the team because an unexpected jump in his game will be huge!!!

 

[imno1]

Hey I’m the first to admit in short stints he’s not impressed for the most part. He looked lost mostly although you hoped it was all due to continuing bad luck in his career.

Having said that the small samples we’ve seen from practice and the trip to Euro he looks to a be a different player, one who can contribute off the bench. How much? We will see but just the fact there’s a sense he’s heading in a direction of impact I’m really happy for the kid. And even happier for the team because an unexpected jump in his game will be huge!!!

I’m hoping for a Whaley trajectory for Johnson

 

[Waquoit]

Being able to occasionally step out and hit a 3, or put the ball on the floor should be gravy to the SJ experience.

I'm hoping his ability to hit the 3 is a bit more than gravy. His outside shooting was being touted this time last year.

 

[jibsey]

I'm hoping his ability to hit the 3 is a bit more than gravy. His outside shooting was being touted this time last year.

We don’t expect or really need this. Rebounds, putbacks, blocks, limited fouls. Sign me up for that right now, until DC returns. Yes it would be nice if he made 3’s. Yes it would be wonderful if he had Larry Bird’s baseline moves. But we need him to do for the second unit what DC did last year or at least part of what he did.

 

[navery12]

We don’t expect or really need this. Rebounds, putbacks, blocks, limited fouls. Sign me up for that right now, until DC returns. Yes it would be nice if he made 3’s. Yes it would be wonderful if he had Larry Bird’s baseline moves. But we need him to do for the second unit what DC did last year or at least part of what he did.

And part of what we need from him with the second unit is bringing a different look, which means knocking down 3's, or at the very least being proficient enough that the defense has to respect the shot. His post game on offense is very limited, which is why he hangs out around the perimeter. As we saw with Andre Jackson last year, the defense needing to respect you on offense makes a huge difference

 

[Luna]

I think we need him to be a rim protector and rim runner…which I think DC is…I think that’s what separates DC from all those seven plus centers in the big 10… he can run and jump

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'm hoping his ability to hit the 3 is a bit more than gravy. His outside shooting was being touted this time last year.

I think he’ll be a threat from distance, but his most impactful play will come beneath each hoop, especially as a center. In that respect, his 3 ball is gravy.

 

[GameTime]

I just finished (again) watching ESPN’s 30 for 30 on the “First Ten Years of the Big East”. Of course it focussed on the Big Three…..Georgetown, Syracuse and St. Johns…..who were rightly highlighted as the prime movers of the conference’s early years. Thompson, Boeheim and Carnesseca were great coaches and (well, two of three) celebrities.

Despite those teams’ domination of the nation’s (and media) attention, only two national championships have been claimed by them……..one each by Georgetown and Syracuse. St. John’s…..zero.

UConn…………….FIVE.

Well 4 for the Big East at least.

 

[MTBingNinja]

My expectations are very tempered for Samson, more on the pessimistic side. Prove me wrong big fella, I’ll be happy to eat a big bowl crow.

 

[87Xfer]

Refresh my memory, how many yrs of elligibility does he have left?

 

[HooperScooper]

Refresh my memory, how many yrs of elligibility does he have left?

One more season after this season

 

[HooperScooper]

Sorry if someone posted this article already but I didn't see it.

“He's great in the ball-screen game offensively because of what you can do in the lob game with him,” Hurley said. “He is, I think, a tremendous ball screen defender and that is way more important than people think -- being able to disrupt that game because it's basically like 80 percent of what we have to guard with the way other teams play offensively.”

Why junior forward Samson Johnson key to UConn's rotation

Samson Johnson was injured in 2022-23 and hasn't played much for UConn in two seasons. He now has the opportunity to help the Huskies.

www.nhregister.com

Alternate access:

Why junior Samson Johnson could be key to UConn men's basketball this season: 'He's in a great spot'​

 

[CL82]

“He's in a great spot,” Hurley said. “I think he's a great one-two punch right now at center with Donovan. He's a different type of center. He's obviously a movement center, playing way above the rim in the ball-screen game and brings an element of quickness. And you can do some different things defensively when he's in the game. I just think he's going to be around a lot of shooting and a lot of passing and a lot of skill. So he's in a great spot.”

I think the change up between Adama and Donovan is part of what made them so successful. You're banging away Downlow against a beast of a player in Adama, and all of a sudden you have to face a giant with good foot work. It had to have been disheartening.

This year you're banging away against the monster and when he goes to the bench you have to match up with a 6' 10" guy with a 7 foot plus reach and incredible hops. Again, that's got to be brutal for opposing team defenders.

 

[jibsey]

“He's in a great spot,” Hurley said. “I think he's a great one-two punch right now at center with Donovan. He's a different type of center. He's obviously a movement center, playing way above the rim in the ball-screen game and brings an element of quickness. And you can do some different things defensively when he's in the game. I just think he's going to be around a lot of shooting and a lot of passing and a lot of skill. So he's in a great spot.”

I think the change up between Adama and Donovan is part of what made them so successful. You're banging away Downlow against a beast of a player in Adama, and all of a sudden you have to face a giant with good foot work. It had to have been disheartening.

This year you're banging away against the monster and when he goes to the bench you have to match up with a 6' 10" guy with a 7 foot plus reach and incredible hops. Again, that's got to be brutal for opposing team defenders.

I've never seen a big man supercharge a second unit the way Clingan did. Sanogo had streaks of dominance and then Clingan came in and just shut down offenses and pushed our leads. Can't expect that from Samson.

 

[uconnfan68]

I've never seen a big man supercharge a second unit the way Clingan did. Sanogo had streaks of dominance and then Clingan came in and just shut down offenses and pushed our leads. Can't expect that from Samson.

We can hope though. I’d be thrilled if DC played like Adama. Strong and skilled.

 

[CL82]

I've never seen a big man supercharge a second unit the way Clingan did. Sanogo had streaks of dominance and then Clingan came in and just shut down offenses and pushed our leads. Can't expect that from Samson.

Agree, I don't expect him to be Clingan, just the same way I didn't expect Donovan to be Adama. I do think he's a big physical presence with good athleticism. I think he's gonna have an impact this year.