Storrs Central: Self Scout Series: Jaylin Stewart

[Chin Diesel]

Stewart is going tonget 15-25 minutes depending on match ups, foul trouble, and injuries.

I put him closer to 9-10 ppg. I see him as a spark off the bench who puts pressure on the defense every second he is in the game.

And next season he jumps up to 25mpg+ and 15ppg.

 

[jibsey]

Maybe I have this wrong about Stew but he brings physicality and muscle that we will need mixing it up with opposing strong players. Need him to fight it out and rebound along with Alex. Couldn’t download the article, did they mention that?

 

[NewBlood]

Positions 3 and 4 are going to be a 3 man rotation (Liam, AK, Stewart) with a sprinkling in of Ross and Abraham. With this depth I don't think having "starters" is really going to matter considering the depth and options.

Stewart is a key piece in the 3peat and a lead dog his junior year pushing for #4 in a row

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Honestly, I think that would be a bad mix. Even with our excellent sets, you still need guys who can make the right play and read the action. That was what was so incredible about our starting lineup last year. We literally started five guys who were strong decision makers with the ball in their hands. I'm not sure Ball, Jaylin, and SJ are there yet. And that's why I'd be shocked if its not Aiden and Liam as your 2 and 3 and I also think it's likely that Reed is your starting 5.

The lineups can go a lot of ways depending on what the coaches want to value. The exciting thing is that we’ll find out very soon.

Last year had the best of both worlds when it came to ballhandlers, decision makers, shooters, and defenders.

I can’t remember the last time we had this much uncertainty in our starting lineups.

 

[JerseyAlum]

Ultimately there will be a starting 5 for game 1, and it will not be the same starting 5 for game 10.

A lot of this is chemistry so I can see ten minutes of Diarra and Nowell each paired with Ball and Maheney and analyze which ten minutes was best and try that for several games. But there will be 3 guard combos and 3 post combos.

Let's see how the first few games go and I'm sure we'll all feel better about the starters.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Ultimately there will be a starting 5 for game 1, and it will not be the same starting 5 for game 10.

A lot of this is chemistry so I can see ten minutes of Diarra and Nowell each paired with Ball and Maheney and analyze which ten minutes was best and try that for several games. But there will be 3 guard combos and 3 post combos.

Let's see how the first few games go and I'm sure we'll all feel better about the starters.

Maybe, but Dan tends to stick with his starters.

 

[JerseyAlum]

Maybe, but Dan tends to stick with his starters.

True, but last year it was a pretty deep drop off in talent after the starters. Other times like this year your bench could have Maheney and Reed Jr who were both starters last year at their respective schools. Go back to even 2022-2023 you had Clingan and Joey California as well off the bench. I think he has a cut line on who's my Tier 1 players and sometimes it's 5 and sometimes it's 7 or 8. That tier gets the significant minutes while Tier 2 gets a few, etc.

 

[superjohn]

True, but last year it was a pretty deep drop off in talent after the starters. Other times like this year your bench could have Maheney and Reed Jr who were both starters last year at their respective schools. Go back to even 2022-2023 you had Clingan and Joey California as well off the bench. I think he has a cut line on who's my Tier 1 players and sometimes it's 5 and sometimes it's 7 or 8. That tier gets the significant minutes while Tier 2 gets a few, etc.

Last year's starting 5 was absurd. We had the best defensive player down low in the country and the best perimeter defender in the country. We had the most efficient guard I've ever seen in college and we had a power forward who was flirting with 40/50/90. Oh yeah, the other guy was a 1st team All-American. If people haven't figured it out yet I think they will eventually, that was the best starting 5 and team of the modern era.

 

[Huskyforlife]

Last year's starting 5 was absurd. We had the best defensive player down low in the country and the best perimeter defender in the country. We had the most efficient guard I've ever seen in college and we had a power forward who was flirting with 40/50/90. Oh yeah, the other guy was a 1st team All-American. If people haven't figured it out yet I think they will eventually, that was the best starting 5 and team of the modern era.

Either them, or 2018(?) Nova. Both teams were ridiculous.

 

[superjohn]

Either them, or 2018(?) Nova. Both teams were ridiculous.

That was a truly great team and those guys have really proven themselves in the NBA. We were even more dominant than them IMO.

 

[444JR]

 

[jibsey]

I like the way his shot looks.

 

[REB1094]

I’m super excited for Jaylin. I don’t know how I feel about this chatter about him as a SG but he’s going to be a really solid backup 3/4. He showed last year that he can be a really physical and aggressive guy towards the rim. Once the shooting gets more consistent then he’ll be SO versatile as a wing

And in high school we saw him get the ball in the midrange and break a guy down for a bucket. Iso midrange isn’t a good shot in a Hurley offense, but it’s good to have it in case of emergencies

 

[JerseyAlum]

I’m super excited for Jaylin. I don’t know how I feel about this chatter about him as a SG but he’s going to be a really solid backup 3/4. He showed last year that he can be a really physical and aggressive guy towards the rim. Once the shooting gets more consistent then he’ll be SO versatile as a wing

And in high school we saw him get the ball in the midrange and break a guy down for a bucket. Iso midrange isn’t a good shot in a Hurley offense, but it’s good to have it in case of emergencies

ISO midrange is dangerous tool we saw in Allen, Rip, and others...it begs for the defense to move and becomes yet another offensive weapon for Stewart to use or dish from.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

ISO midrange is dangerous tool we saw in Allen, Rip, and others...it begs for the defense to move and becomes yet another offensive weapon for Stewart to use or dish from.

I was surprised to hear JJ Reddick talking about Rui using more of his midrange (a role player) this year in a recent interview.

I hope we can find a way for Stewart to continue to grow his midrange game which is a really big weapon for him.

Found the interview:

 

[awy]

just dunk the ball

 

[husky429]

I will never understand why these skills trainers have kids taking so many fang mid-range shots. 75% of this video is 15 foot jumpers. It's not a part of what we do at UConn. Taking 25 dribbles makes sense to me even if it doesn't happen in games. Gotta have a feel for the ball. But taking shots you won't be taking? You've lost me. Use those footwork drills to get off a long-range J, please.

Regardless, JS has a great shot, a basketball body, and plenty of athleticism. He's making some noise this year if he's put in the work this off-season.

 

[jibsey]

I will never understand why these skills trainers have kids taking so many fang mid-range shots. 75% of this video is 15 foot jumpers. It's not a part of what we do at UConn. Taking 25 dribbles makes sense to me even if it doesn't happen in games. Gotta have a feel for the ball. But taking shots you won't be taking? You've lost me. Use those footwork drills to get off a long-range J, please.

Regardless, JS has a great shot, a basketball body, and plenty of athleticism. He's making some noise this year if he's put in the work this off-season.

I don’t have the playbook, our scoring has been 3’s and inside but Hurley had Sanogo and Clingan. If we don’t get the same production from Reed and Johnson what is wrong with Stew knocking down 15-18 footers? We have other players that will hit the 3 though he can too. Can’t wait to see what he does.

 

[husky429]

I don’t have the playbook, our scoring has been 3’s and inside but Hurley had Sanogo and Clingan. If we don’t get the same production from Reed and Johnson what is wrong with Stew knocking down 15-18 footers? We have other players that will hit the 3 though he can too. Can’t wait to see what he does.

The mid-range jumper is a counter or last-minute option in our offense and always will be. It's not an effecient shot compared to 3s or layups. A mid-range heavy team won't win it all.. It's always what our guys need to make it to the league.

 

[jibsey]

The mid-range jumper is a counter or last-minute option in our offense and always will be. It's not an effecient shot compared to 3s or layups. A mid-range heavy team won't win it all.. It's always what our guys need to make it to the league.

Didn’t say the team had to be mid range heavy but if we are shut down at the rim and covered for 3’s and Stew finds an open spot he should take it in situations. Charles Oakley did.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I don’t have the playbook, our scoring has been 3’s and inside but Hurley had Sanogo and Clingan. If we don’t get the same production from Reed and Johnson what is wrong with Stew knocking down 15-18 footers? We have other players that will hit the 3 though he can too. Can’t wait to see what he does.

Clingan especially made it easy for layups as teams had to respect him being a lob threat at the rim and couldn’t help off of him leaving driving lanes open. Samson may provide a similar threat.

I do agree with Stew having the leash to take those middys and have that in his arsenal. If there’s something I didn’t like about the workout is that there’s way too much dribbling to do it.

Should take 3 dribbles max to get to whatever move you need to get to.

At the end of the day we should be looking to maximize whatever players shot profiles already are and not try and remove shots they are already good at out of their game.

 

[husky429]

Didn’t say the team had to be mid range heavy but if we are shut down at the rim and covered for 3’s and Stew finds an open spot he should take it in situations. Charles Oakley did.

Charles Oakley could be Jaylin's grandfather. What is the relevance here?

The mid-range 3 is a counter. Pump fake, 1 dribble, shoot. All of the 7 dribble Kobe s#$^ isn't good basketball

 

[navery12]

I don’t have the playbook, our scoring has been 3’s and inside but Hurley had Sanogo and Clingan. If we don’t get the same production from Reed and Johnson what is wrong with Stew knocking down 15-18 footers? We have other players that will hit the 3 though he can too. Can’t wait to see what he does.

Because if Stewart is shooting those 18 footers well enough that it's a positive value shot (>50%) then it's worth it to move a few feet back and take the 3 for an even better shot at a marginally lower percentage

 

[Huskyforlife]

I'd imagine Stewart was doing his friend a favor by being in his Youtube video, I'm sure he knows most of it doesn't translate to UConn.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I'd imagine Stewart was doing his friend a favor by being in his Youtube video, I'm sure he knows most of it doesn't translate to UConn.

The Seattle basketball community is pretty tight. With one of the leaders being Jamal Crawford.

Seems like Seattle hoopers are going to get built and trained a certain way.