Sid Wilson next year

[Rico444]

Top 50 recruits are just fine as long as you have someone that can develop talent.

 

[freescooter]

Problem Jibs is it’s almost impossible in this day of ages recruiting to grab a top 10 from the ones who play the game required so well. Now Ray was a mid 100 recruit so yes we do need to play more in that area. Sid was Top 40? It shows what the knowledge is of those who rate these kids, they don’t look at the details which will be required next level for these high schoolers.

Top 10 maybe means something. After that it’s just clickbait

 

[husky429]

Did he tweak his form a little?

It's one shot. Hard to say.

All of our players can shoot well in a practice setting or goofing off in pickup like this. I am sure Sid regularly hits 70% of his 3s in pick up. The difference is the really deeply ingrained habits that come when a d1 athlete is closing out hard and you're already exhausted.

 

[Stainmaster]

Because of our talent level we seem to be always trying to turn round steak into filet mignon. We need to get back to landing the Richard Hamilton’s, Donyell’s, Rudy’s, and Ray’s to get back to competitiveness then greatness. I realize it’s difficult to near impossible now but that’s the way forward and right now we can’t even get a backup center.

You're going to be unhappy for quite some time.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Because of our talent level we seem to be always trying to turn round steak into filet mignon. We need to get back to landing the Richard Hamilton’s, Donyell’s, Rudy’s, and Ray’s to get back to competitiveness then greatness. I realize it’s difficult to near impossible now but that’s the way forward and right now we can’t even get a backup center.

Well Akok is a 5* recruit. Most of what made UConn great was that Calhoun could identify which mid-level recruits he could coach up. Hurley has a similar skill set. UConn made its name on guys like Gaffney. Bouknight is ranked similarly to Ray as a HS player I believe.

This is Hurley's first real class. I don't think we'll have a problem landing a center for 2020. After that we will be in reload mode year after year.

As for Sid, he was rated based on his ceiling. He has work to do, but the raw material is there for him to be a dominant college player.

 

[mauconnfan]

Well Akok is a 5* recruit. Most of what made UConn great was that Calhoun could identify which mid-level recruits he could coach up. Hurley has a similar skill set. UConn made its name on guys like Gaffney. Bouknight is ranked similarly to Ray as a HS player I believe.

This is Hurley's first real class. I don't think we'll have a problem landing a center for 2020. After that we will be in reload mode year after year.

As for Sid, he was rated based on his ceiling. He has work to do, but the raw material is there for him to be a dominant college player.

Can't wait to see Akok and what he can be. If he has a good understanding of the game then his 1/2 year with the team will show this coming year fairly soon although we need to be patient.

As far as Sid agree on the raw material but we will see soon enough with him. If he can get a clear understanding of how to play D and where to be he can be a difference maker on that end. On the other he needs to either learn to shoot the ball or handle it strong enough to be a finisher. If not maybe he crashes and becomes an offensive rebounder? Not sure yet for me the jury is out. I have a fear of Amida's unnatural abilities having depended on being so much more athletic throughout his HS career that the important fundamentals aren't there or were ignored somewhat. We will know as we begin play in November. I'm rooting for him he could be special.

 

[freescooter]

I think that happens with a lot of good athletes. They dominate in high school/AAU based on their athletic ability so coaches just let them go. Then when they reach college and face guys with similar abilities they really struggle. Many years ago at my first college team meeting our head coach started his welcome by saying “every one of you was the best guy on your high school team. Whether you are the best on ours depends on how hard you are willing to work.” That sentiment applies in this case.

 

[husky429]

I think that happens with a lot of good athletes. They dominate in high school/AAU based on their athletic ability so coaches just let them go. Then when they reach college and face guys with similar abilities they really struggle. Many years ago at my first college team meeting our head coach started his welcome by saying “every one of you was the best guy on your high school team. Whether you are the best on ours depends on how hard you are willing to work.” That sentiment applies in this case.

Related, sort of... I really like recruiting (especially as plan Bs) the guys that WEREN'T the #1 option on their high school team. Someone like Carlton, Gaffney until this last year, etc. Those guys always seem to be totally bought in mentally because they know what it's like to be a team player, and to play a role.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I think that happens with a lot of good athletes. They dominate in high school/AAU based on their athletic ability so coaches just let them go. Then when they reach college and face guys with similar abilities they really struggle. Many years ago at my first college team meeting our head coach started his welcome by saying “every one of you was the best guy on your high school team. Whether you are the best on ours depends on how hard you are willing to work.” That sentiment applies in this case.

And the reverse can be true as well. Sometimes a player will have an insane skill level, and lack the athleticism to play as effectively at the next level. I still recall watching a tournament as a team from Cumberland RI beat a team from Providence. Talking to a dad of one of the Providence kids about the best player on the floor, an 6th grader playing on the 8th grade team for Cumberland. He was a passing machine, knew where all 9 other people were on the court at all times, and hit shots all over the floor. He looked like a young John Stockton. This dad said, yeah, but he's not that tall, isn't fast and he can't really jump. So he'll turn that into a DII or DIII career (the kid's dad was the all time leading DIII scorer in New England college history, and his coach).

A school like UVM and the Ivies tends to focus on that high skill level with just enough athleticism. A kid like Sid, once/if he skills up, is a real difference maker. You have to take your shots with those kids to go to the next level.

 

[Kenny11]

I don't mean to be critical and I have expressed high hopes for Sid and I am very confident he is improving and will be an impact player this year........BUT:

I hate the moves he uses here to create space. It makes the shot attempts very difficult and such little room for error. I would like to see more jab step and explode to the rim with a max of two dribbles or one dribble pull-ups. He needs to use his athleticism to his advantage.

 

[freescooter]

And the reverse can be true as well. Sometimes a player will have an insane skill level, and lack the athleticism to play as effectively at the next level. I still recall watching a tournament as a team from Cumberland RI beat a team from Providence. Talking to a dad of one of the Providence kids about the best player on the floor, an 6th grader playing on the 8th grade team for Cumberland. He was a passing machine, knew where all 9 other people were on the court at all times, and hit shots all over the floor. He looked like a young John Stockton. This dad said, yeah, but he's not that tall, isn't fast and he can't really jump. So he'll turn that into a DII or DIII career (the kid's dad was the all time leading DIII scorer in New England college history, and his coach).

A school like UVM and the Ivies tends to focus on that high skill level with just enough athleticism. A kid like Sid, once/if he skills up, is a real difference maker. You have to take your shots with those kids to go to the next level.

Oh I agree with that too. Actually I remember Jim Calhoun speaking at some event very early in his UConn days. He spoke about how he didn’t necessarily focus on the best player on the floor in recruiting. He looked for kids with a high upside that he knew he could coach up. Calhoun being Calhoun he knew he was fairly confident, let’s say, that he would be able to get a guy to play at a high level.