Shabazz's Post-Game Quotes

[UCDaveD]

From http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/

Jim Calhoun was asked if there is currently a lack of on-floor leadership with UConn right now.

"There's not a lack of it," he responded, curtly. "There's none."

With words like that, all eyes immediately turn to Shabazz Napier, the sophomore point guard and team co-captain (along with Alex Oriakhi). Napier had some very interesting words after Saturday's loss to Rutgers, acknowledging that Calhoun may have largely been centering the criticism on him.

“I took it a little personally, but I understand what he’s saying," Napier said.

He then went on to say how his teammates don't always respond to him the way he'd like.

"I try to tell the guys, I feel as if I’m their best leader. Sometimes they give me a chance, sometimes they don’t," Napier continued. "That’s just how it is. It’s just basketball, I guess. Losing like this, I’m not here to … be the captain because it gives you an ego boost. I’m here to win games. I hate losing games as much as anybody in the world. I try my best to be a leader, even though guys don’t give me a chance to be that person. It shows in the game, I can’t lie. When we have a tipped ball and big guys get the ball and I’m yelling for the ball back out, we’ve got a new shot clock and they go back up … that shows I’m not that much of a leader. When a play starts breaking down and I’m yelling, ‘Bring it out, bring it out,’ and Boat or Jeremy takes a shot, that just shows that I’m not a leader. It sucks, because we lose games like that. But I try my best. I’m just a human being, I try to do my best in helping my teammates out. If they don’t want me to do it, that’s on them, but I’m still going to be scratching and trying to do it, because I hate losing. That’s the worst thing ever.”

Napier added:

“I’m not saying (some players) have their own agenda, I just feel they don’t understand what’s going on. I feel as though I’m the closest to Coach. I feel as though I understand what Coach is thinking about. I understand how to play along with Coach, because I’m the point guard, so I have to be the coach on the court. Sometimes the guys don’t listen to me. It sucks, but hopefully this practice on Sunday and this game on Monday go well, because I don’t understand why we’re losing games. I feel we have one of the best teams in the country. You keep on losing games, you’re selling yourself short.”

Napier said he addressed the team in the locker room after the game, before Calhoun came in.

"I just was really focused on what we did last year as a group. I told them our problem, some players only have one identity. You score a lot in the previous game, you come to this game with that same identity. I told the guys, each game is different, you have differnet roles. You have to transform into that differnet role during the game. You score 30 points one game and come back, you’re not going to score 30 points the next game … these guys don’t understand that, they think if they score 30, they’re going to score 30 the next game. Or if you get 20 rebounds, they’re going to get 20 rebounds the next game. Once you have that one identity, you’re not as good as a team any more.”

 

[SJ]

Whoa. Lots of words. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I really like Shabazz. Obviously, we don't hear all that is being yelled out on the court. Obviously, everyone wants to be on the same page. It seems to me that they have played the best with his leading. Of course, I was listening to those crappy announcers tonight, and they were going on about Kemba. He did have a great personality, cheerful, which I think helps inspire. Shabazz seems like a more serious person, just less of that quality that draws people to him in his personality. This is not to insult him; I've always liked his quiet, humble self. If people were half the time putting me in a role, and then not honoring that role, I might not be too cheerful and/or inspiring either. I really like this guy, and I'm feeling bad for him. Ryan will become a leader someday, I believe, but at this point, I think he's a little wild.

 

[champs99and04]

Whoa. Lots of words. Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I really like Shabazz. Obviously, we don't hear all that is being yelled out on the court. Obviously, everyone wants to be on the same page. It seems to me that they have played the best with his leading. Of course, I was listening to those crappy announcers tonight, and they were going on about Kemba. He did have a great personality, cheerful, which I think helps inspire. Shabazz seems like a more serious person, just less of that quality that draws people to him in his personality. This is not to insult him; I've always liked his quiet, humble self. If people were half the time putting me in a role, and then not honoring that role, I might not be too cheerful and/or inspiring either. I really like this guy, and I'm feeling bad for him. Ryan will become a leader someday, I believe, but at this point, I think he's a little wild.

I guess you could say a little bit of both, but I'm leaning towards this being a bad thing. It definitely seems like guys are not on the same page, or even the same chapter. These comments are the ones that concern me the most:

"I try to tell the guys, I feel as if I’m their best leader. Sometimes they give me a chance, sometimes they don’t," Napier continued. "That’s just how it is. It’s just basketball, I guess. Losing like this, I’m not here to … be the captain because it gives you an ego boost. I’m here to win games. I hate losing games as much as anybody in the world. I try my best to be a leader, even though guys don’t give me a chance to be that person. It shows in the game, I can’t lie. When we have a tipped ball and big guys get the ball and I’m yelling for the ball back out, we’ve got a new shot clock and they go back up … that shows I’m not that much of a leader. When a play starts breaking down and I’m yelling, ‘Bring it out, bring it out,’ and Boat or Jeremy takes a shot, that just shows that I’m not a leader..."

It seems like Shabazz is trying to lead, but at least in his mind, guys don't trust him. Who knows, maybe the problem on this team isn't the lack of leadership, but that everybody wants to be a leader. Obviously last year with Kemba being a junior, and everybody else being freshman or sophmores, it was easy to determine a leader. This year it is a completely different story. Some say it's Shabazz, some say it's Lamb, others say it's Oriakhi. Nobody has the authority that Kemba had last year, so who knows, maybe Shabazz is a great leader, but just hasn't gotten the guys to buy in. Drummond made the comment about everybody leading, but I think sometimes you really need one voice to stand out above all, otherwise you got five different guys doing five different things.

 

[ford82]

Too much talking.

 

[zls44]

Even I think Shabazz needs to shut up.

 

[huskyharry]

Disturbing. Sounds like SN lacks insight that he is a big part of the problem...driving into traffic and getting stripped, dribbling off his knee, stupidly reaching around the opponents PG for a purposeless foul then blaming your teammates for not following your instructions to pass the ball out???

 

[Tenspro2002]

I think a lot of us are right. It's hard to lead verbally when you don't first lead by example. I think that's probably at the heart of JC's comments about us having zero leadership.

 

[champs99and04]

Disturbing. Sounds like SN lacks insight that he is a big part of the problem...driving into traffic and getting stripped, dribbling off his knee, stupidly reaching around the opponents PG for a purposeless foul then blaming your teammates for not following your instructions to pass the ball out???

I know, wtf. I guess in Shabazz's world he has the ball in his hands for all 35 seconds before he chucks up an off balance shot as the clock expires.

 

[HuskyFan32]

His numbers suggest hes been good this year, but watching the games reveal otherwise. Bazz has been pretty bad at times this year. His d has been awful. He takes far too many bad shots and turns it over wayy too much to be an effective point guard. He overdribbles, never dumps it down low (not that theres much offense down there anyway, but at least do it from time to time), and just makes too many dumb passes. He makes a ton of great plays(fadeaways, alley oops) but so many bad ones, and when you factor in his defense hes pretty much been negative overall most games.

 

[HuskyFan32]

Pretty funny how hes calling out Boat and Lamb for bad shots when he jacks up a three five seconds into the shot clock three or four times a game and generally takes about 6-8 bad/dumb shots a game.

 

[Ts5034]

Thats a BIG problem right there and i think that could explain why they are playing so bad right now. No reason for Shabazz to volunteer that info but since he did i think everyone can read in between the lines.

 

[temery]

Are you related to dog mania?

From http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/

Jim Calhoun was asked if there is currently a lack of on-floor leadership with UConn right now.

"There's not a lack of it," he responded, curtly. "There's none."

With words like that, all eyes immediately turn to Shabazz Napier, the sophomore point guard and team co-captain (along with Alex Oriakhi). Napier had some very interesting words after Saturday's loss to Rutgers, acknowledging that Calhoun may have largely been centering the criticism on him.

“I took it a little personally, but I understand what he’s saying," Napier said.

He then went on to say how his teammates don't always respond to him the way he'd like.

"I try to tell the guys, I feel as if I’m their best leader. Sometimes they give me a chance, sometimes they don’t," Napier continued. "That’s just how it is. It’s just basketball, I guess. Losing like this, I’m not here to … be the captain because it gives you an ego boost. I’m here to win games. I hate losing games as much as anybody in the world. I try my best to be a leader, even though guys don’t give me a chance to be that person. It shows in the game, I can’t lie. When we have a tipped ball and big guys get the ball and I’m yelling for the ball back out, we’ve got a new shot clock and they go back up … that shows I’m not that much of a leader. When a play starts breaking down and I’m yelling, ‘Bring it out, bring it out,’ and Boat or Jeremy takes a shot, that just shows that I’m not a leader. It sucks, because we lose games like that. But I try my best. I’m just a human being, I try to do my best in helping my teammates out. If they don’t want me to do it, that’s on them, but I’m still going to be scratching and trying to do it, because I hate losing. That’s the worst thing ever.”

Napier added:

“I’m not saying (some players) have their own agenda, I just feel they don’t understand what’s going on. I feel as though I’m the closest to Coach. I feel as though I understand what Coach is thinking about. I understand how to play along with Coach, because I’m the point guard, so I have to be the coach on the court. Sometimes the guys don’t listen to me. It sucks, but hopefully this practice on Sunday and this game on Monday go well, because I don’t understand why we’re losing games. I feel we have one of the best teams in the country. You keep on losing games, you’re selling yourself short.”

Napier said he addressed the team in the locker room after the game, before Calhoun came in.

"I just was really focused on what we did last year as a group. I told them our problem, some players only have one identity. You score a lot in the previous game, you come to this game with that same identity. I told the guys, each game is different, you have differnet roles. You have to transform into that differnet role during the game. You score 30 points one game and come back, you’re not going to score 30 points the next game … these guys don’t understand that, they think if they score 30, they’re going to score 30 the next game. Or if you get 20 rebounds, they’re going to get 20 rebounds the next game. Once you have that one identity, you’re not as good as a team any more.”

 

[dogpause]

I think Shabazz is going through the same growing pains that many of our past PG's have experienced. JC is stepping harder on the pedal now, so I expect to see major improvement in lots of areas.

 

[TheRogers]

I think it is a step in the right direction. I do not consider my self an uber Bazz supporter but all what he said is spot on. Everyone wants to create their own identity but the question is if the pieces of the individual identities makes for a better team. The answer is no. If Lamb or AO want to lead this team, clarify that with everyone on the team the way Bazz is doing. Bazz is putting all his cards on the table. It's time the others do as well.

 

[Prezidint]

Take Shabazz off the team and we have zero or a couple wins.
Perhaps too much was said. Perhaps not.
Somebody thinks his stats don't reveal his play?
He's getting 15 points and 4.3 boards a game. That 4.3 is 4th on the team, and the 15 is 2nd on the team.
His assist to TO is a little less than 2 to 1. Not ideal, but not horrible.
He's shooting 410 from 3, and 442 overall.

Not sure how good/bad his D is - I probably don't pay enough attention.

Overall, it's hard to imagine that anybody should be coming down on this kid.

Drummond had 7 TOs and not much energy for most of the game.

Giffey got the start and got his first InstaHook bonehead play within the 1st minute.

Alex Oriakhi is playing head games with himself and comes and goes like a stray dog.

Lamb is not being assertive, took himself out last night with silly fouls, and is settling for the 3 ball more than he should be.

Team defense is not there, and as Fishy noted, we're not getting our signature stops when we need them.

If I had to line up the guys in order of who's responsible for us not playing well, Napier would literally be the last guy on the list.

 

[CBallfan]

From http://borgesblognhr.blogspot.com/

Jim Calhoun was asked if there is currently a lack of on-floor leadership with UConn right now.

"There's not a lack of it," he responded, curtly. "There's none."

With words like that, all eyes immediately turn to Shabazz Napier, the sophomore point guard and team co-captain (along with Alex Oriakhi). Napier had some very interesting words after Saturday's loss to Rutgers, acknowledging that Calhoun may have largely been centering the criticism on him.

“I took it a little personally, but I understand what he’s saying," Napier said.

He then went on to say how his teammates don't always respond to him the way he'd like.

"I try to tell the guys, I feel as if I’m their best leader. Sometimes they give me a chance, sometimes they don’t," Napier continued. "That’s just how it is. It’s just basketball, I guess. Losing like this, I’m not here to … be the captain because it gives you an ego boost. I’m here to win games. I hate losing games as much as anybody in the world. I try my best to be a leader, even though guys don’t give me a chance to be that person. It shows in the game, I can’t lie. When we have a tipped ball and big guys get the ball and I’m yelling for the ball back out, we’ve got a new shot clock and they go back up … that shows I’m not that much of a leader. When a play starts breaking down and I’m yelling, ‘Bring it out, bring it out,’ and Boat or Jeremy takes a shot, that just shows that I’m not a leader. It sucks, because we lose games like that. But I try my best. I’m just a human being, I try to do my best in helping my teammates out. If they don’t want me to do it, that’s on them, but I’m still going to be scratching and trying to do it, because I hate losing. That’s the worst thing ever.”

Napier added:

“I’m not saying (some players) have their own agenda, I just feel they don’t understand what’s going on. I feel as though I’m the closest to Coach. I feel as though I understand what Coach is thinking about. I understand how to play along with Coach, because I’m the point guard, so I have to be the coach on the court. Sometimes the guys don’t listen to me. It sucks, but hopefully this practice on Sunday and this game on Monday go well, because I don’t understand why we’re losing games. I feel we have one of the best teams in the country. You keep on losing games, you’re selling yourself short.”

Napier said he addressed the team in the locker room after the game, before Calhoun came in.

"I just was really focused on what we did last year as a group. I told them our problem, some players only have one identity. You score a lot in the previous game, you come to this game with that same identity. I told the guys, each game is different, you have differnet roles. You have to transform into that differnet role during the game. You score 30 points one game and come back, you’re not going to score 30 points the next game … these guys don’t understand that, they think if they score 30, they’re going to score 30 the next game. Or if you get 20 rebounds, they’re going to get 20 rebounds the next game. Once you have that one identity, you’re not as good as a team any more.”

I think these comments made by Napier will either pull this team together or pull them apart.
Let's see what happens Monday night!

 

[OkaForPrez]

The defense is failing on the perimeter and Bazz and Boat have been a big part of that. We are dead last in the conf guarding the 3. We are lazy coming off curls which is why the announcers were calling for repeated off ball screens last night. If Bazz was truly the closest to coach, he wouldn't be talking about the offensive side of the floor, and he would be saying the blame starts with me.

Put me in the this is bad camp.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Take Shabazz off the team and we have zero or a couple wins.
Perhaps too much was said. Perhaps not.
Somebody thinks his stats don't reveal his play?
He's getting 15 points and 4.3 boards a game. That 4.3 is 4th on the team, and the 15 is 2nd on the team.
His assist to TO is a little less than 2 to 1. Not ideal, but not horrible.
He's shooting 410 from 3, and 442 overall.

Not sure how good/bad his D is - I probably don't pay enough attention.

Overall, it's hard to imagine that anybody should be coming down on this kid.

Drummond had 7 TOs and not much energy for most of the game.

Giffey got the start and got his first InstaHook bonehead play within the 1st minute.

Alex Oriakhi is playing head games with himself and comes and goes like a stray dog.

Lamb is not being assertive, took himself out last night with silly fouls, and is settling for the 3 ball more than he should be.

Team defense is not there, and as Fishy noted, we're not getting our signature stops when we need them.

If I had to line up the guys in order of who's responsible for us not playing well, Napier would literally be the last guy on the list.

It doesn't take a gun pointed at me to acknowledge that I agree with this much more than I disagree with it.
I also agree that as both too much talking and what's needed to be said, these remarks will either blow up or work.
On the other hand, if the other co-captain wants to step up, recruit allies, weigh in and/or take over, I'm all for that.

 

[upstater]

This team would improve tons with another scorer on the wing to take the emphasis off Lamb.

 

[selles]

The defense is failing on the perimeter and Bazz and Boat have been a big part of that. We are dead last in the conf guarding the 3. We are lazy coming off curls which is why the announcers were calling for repeated off ball screens last night. If Bazz was truly the closest to coach, he wouldn't be talking about the offensive side of the floor, and he would be saying the blame starts with me.

The last sentence is dead on.

It takes Bazz forever to navigate screens and when he gets on the other side he tends to just stand there. There was a play last night where Lamb was left alone with two guys. He had no good option, but he quasi-hedged off his man and toward Bazz's while waiting for Bazz to make it through. But Bazz just stood there and the guy drained a jumper. The announcers called out Lamb, but I'm not sure what he was supposed to do. Bazz has also been poor at stopping penetration, which lets the other team break down the defense. And he has a tendency to float away from his man to help when it's not needed, again leading to open jumpers (Lamb is bad about this too).

I think Bazz is a good kid, has a lot of heart, understands that he needs to be the leader, and is trying his best.

But as of right now he has no clue how to actually lead. Start by setting an example on the defensive end. On offense, ease up on the reins. Stop trying to micro-manage. Never tell Jeremy Lamb to pass the ball back out. That kid doesn't shoot enough and it's your job to push him to shoot more. Also, don't be afreaid to pass the ball to a guy inside the 3 point line who is not in position to shoot. That's a pass that Bazz doesn't seem to ever want to make, but it's a crucial piece of a functioning offense.

 

[zls44]

Reminder: Shabazz Napier is a sophomore.

Not a junior, not a senior...a sophomore.

 

[uchusky32]

He is young, however most teams in college basketball are young. The first thing that should have came out of Shabazz's mouth was that as a leader I need to take responsibility for my short comings on the court. On offense I didn't get guys the ball in position to score as a point guard that my responsibility. 2nd I should have encourage AD to shot or go to the basket when he got the ball on the baseline. I dribbled the shoot clock down to nothing to many times without anyone else touching the ball. It's my responsibility to get the offense flowing and to get the guys to recognize man to man or zone defense.

On defense I failed personally to fight thru screens. To many times I gave up open 3's. I didn't set a good example for Boat or Jeremy the effort it takes to defend and get thru screens.

 

[huskymagic]

Disturbing. Sounds like SN lacks insight that he is a big part of the problem...driving into traffic and getting stripped, dribbling off his knee, stupidly reaching around the opponents PG for a purposeless foul then blaming your teammates for not following your instructions to pass the ball out???

Shabazz is out of touch. You are completely right that Shabazz has been a big part of the problem because he hold the ball too much, gets stripped all the time when he tries or attempts to drive or crossover someone, and goes for useless behind the back strips that almost always resort to fouls. How in the world can this dude blame guys like Lamb and Boat. Shabazz is a great shooter who is more suited to play the 2 guard spot but who is stuck in a point guards body. Shabazz needs to be benched for Boatright in order for this team to really reach their potential like I have been saying. Boatright is an unselfish player with vision and a good personality fit for a leader.

Napier obviously doesn;t have the pulse of this team or the respect and command of the other players if you are saying stuff like this.

 

[gibhunter]

It's Bazz's fault. Look at Kemba's quotes after loss to Marquette:

“Turnovers. I got two big turnovers at the end of the game. I was a little careless with the ball and they were able to take those turnovers and make them into baskets.”

Now look at Shabazz:

“I’m not saying (some players) have their own agenda, I just feel they don’t understand what’s going on. I feel as though I’m the closest to Coach. I feel as though I understand what Coach is thinking about. I understand how to play along with Coach, because I’m the point guard, so I have to be the coach on the court. Sometimes the guys don’t listen to me.

Shabazz is blaming everyone but himself, Kemba blamed himself before of anyone else. That's a mark of great leader. Shabazz is far from being one.

 

[UConn990411]

Reminder: Shabazz Napier is a sophomore.

Not a junior, not a senior...a sophomore.

It's amazing how easily people forget that. Or that he's a better player that Kemba was at the same stage.

Instead, people have found a way to trash him about everything (even in the alley-oops thread) this season.