Solo's performance last night after watching replay

[HailUConn]

First off McNeeley is the dude, the star, Thor who refused to lose and willed us a curse-breaking win for Hurley and the team. Credit where credit is due.
But I'm not sure if anyone noticed or brought up in the post game thread: while playing with injured wrist and shots off at the arc, Solo started mixing it up inside, shooting mid-range jumpers, and relentlessly attacking the rims more and more... Along with that, he also logged 5 rebounds, 3 dimes, 1steal, and 1 impressive block at the rim...

My impression: we got ourselves another special kid, smart, skillful, and tough as nail. We are going to be a force to reckoned with when everyone is healthy.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Lead the team in assists!

 

[F101Voodoo]

First off McNeeley is the dude, the star, Thor who refused to lose and willed us a curse-breaking win for Hurley and the team. Credit where credit is due.
But I'm not sure if anyone noticed or brought up in the post game thread: while playing with injured wrist and shots off at the arc, Solo started mixing it up inside, shooting mid-range jumpers, and relentlessly attacking the rims more and more... Along with that, he also logged 5 rebounds, 3 dimes, 1steal, and 1 impressive block at the rim...

My impression: we got ourselves another special kid, smart, skillful, and tough as nail. We are going to be a force to reckoned with when everyone is healthy.

Improvise and survive.

 

[uconnfan68]

First off McNeeley is the dude, the star, Thor who refused to lose and willed us a curse-breaking win for Hurley and the team. Credit where credit is due.
But I'm not sure if anyone noticed or brought up in the post game thread: while playing with injured wrist and shots off at the arc, Solo started mixing it up inside, shooting mid-range jumpers, and relentlessly attacking the rims more and more... Along with that, he also logged 5 rebounds, 3 dimes, 1steal, and 1 impressive block at the rim...

My impression: we got ourselves another special kid, smart, skillful, and tough as nail. We are going to be a force to reckoned with when everyone is healthy.

He tried, but he was 4-15, 0-4 from 3. Not a great outing. The block was magnificent though.

 

[Inyatkin]

He tried, but he was 4-15, 0-4 from 3. Not a great outing. The block was magnificent though.

People so often think not shooting well is equivalent to not playing well. It's not

 

[uconnfan68]

People so often think not shooting well is equivalent to not playing well. It's not

I would have been happy with 4-15, but I don't think Solo will be happy.

 

[AllHusky]

Ball was a baller. Contributed in many ways, his focus and determination in every aspect of his game is noticeable.

Watched one defensive sequence where he fought through two picks, and his feet showed a quickness that I had not really seen before.

Get that golden wrist healthy!!

 

[Rico444]

Solo is really breaking out. His defense has improved significantly, he's making smart decisions with the ball when he was mostly a catch and shoot guy earlier in the year, and he's made a few highlight-reel blocks of layups or dunks in the last month. If he's back next year he's going to be one of the best players in the country.

 

[JesusAllen11]

The more obvious Solo being a stud next year looks. Makes me think that he clearly wont be back.

 

[MyDorona]

The more obvious Solo being a stud next year looks. Makes me think that he clearly wont be back.

I haven’t really seen what the mocks are saying, but I think he’s a little small for a modern NBA combo guard. Unless we have a FF run and he’s sensational, I think he’s almost certainly a second round pick and coming back to work on his overall game.

Since I love Solo, that’s great news. But it seems every broadcast I’m hearing this Westbrook comp and that baffles me. Westbrook is bigger, more physically imposing, and has a completely different game.

 

[MyDorona]

Just checked and this mock from last week doesn’t have Solo getting drafted

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25121691-2025-nba-mock-draft-pro-comparisons-and-2-round-predictions-post-trade-deadline

 

[superjohn]

The more obvious Solo being a stud next year looks. Makes me think that he clearly wont be back.

He'll be back

 

[aceboon]

I haven’t really seen what the mocks are saying, but I think he’s a little small for a modern NBA combo guard. Unless we have a FF run and he’s sensational, I think he’s almost certainly a second round pick and coming back to work on his overall game.

Since I love Solo, that’s great news. But it seems every broadcast I’m hearing this Westbrook comp and that baffles me. Westbrook is bigger, more physically imposing, and has a completely different game.

Westbrook was also in a completely different galaxy in regards to athleticism.

 

[JustbrewitMan]

I also rewatched the game tonight.

Although Solo needs to finish better at the rim, there were definitely two of his drives where he missed layups where if it wasn’t “perfect D” Creighton (who of course, never fouls), he should have been at the line shooting two.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Westbrook was also in a completely different galaxy in regards to athleticism.

And is one of the best guards ever attacking the rim, and is an elite playmaker. Plus, Russ has never been a good shooter. The comp is ridiculously lazy

 

[JB75]

First off McNeeley is the dude, the star, Thor who refused to lose and willed us a curse-breaking win for Hurley and the team. Credit where credit is due.
But I'm not sure if anyone noticed or brought up in the post game thread: while playing with injured wrist and shots off at the arc, Solo started mixing it up inside, shooting mid-range jumpers, and relentlessly attacking the rims more and more... Along with that, he also logged 5 rebounds, 3 dimes, 1steal, and 1 impressive block at the rim...

My impression: we got ourselves another special kid, smart, skillful, and tough as nail. We are going to be a force to reckoned with when everyone is healthy.

Just re-watched the game from the point creighton was up 14 at 3 minute mark of first half. Crazy.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I haven’t really seen what the mocks are saying, but I think he’s a little small for a modern NBA combo guard. Unless we have a FF run and he’s sensational, I think he’s almost certainly a second round pick and coming back to work on his overall game.

Since I love Solo, that’s great news. But it seems every broadcast I’m hearing this Westbrook comp and that baffles me. Westbrook is bigger, more physically imposing, and has a completely different game.

That was his comp coming out of HS when he was known more as a slasher. We’ve turned him into more of a shooter here and he’s in the process of relearning the slashing part.

Will note that Westbrook also was the secondary guard at UCLA because he played next to Collison or Holiday (can’t remember). OKC took a risk on drafting him with the plan of developing him into a PG.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

That was his comp coming out of HS when he was known more as a slasher. We’ve turned him into more of a shooter here and he’s in the process of relearning the slashing part.

Will note that Westbrook also was the secondary guard at UCLA because he played next to Collison or Holiday (can’t remember). OKC took a risk on drafting him with the plan of developing him into a PG.

Everyone who is a high recruit is a slasher in high school. That’s why you see vids of guys like Drummond and Thon Maker looking like the next KD. Solo wasn’t a slasher here for a year and a half because it wasn’t really in his bag. To his credit, he is improving.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Solo wasn’t a slasher here for a year and a half because it wasn’t really in his bag. To his credit, he is improving.

No. It just wasn’t his role.

So he took a year and a half off from it because it wasn’t necessary to winning.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

No. It just wasn’t his role.

So he took a year and a half off from it because it wasn’t necessary to winning.

You’re gonna die like 5x on this hill, that’s fine. Everyone else and theur mom can see that you’re simply wrong.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

You’re gonna die like 5x on this hill, that’s fine. Everyone else and theur mom can see that you’re simply wrong.

Again, I do not care what you all who’ve never played basketball say about whether what I’m observing is wrong or not.

The kid used to be able to slash just fine. When he came here he had Newton, Cam, Castle, Diarra, and Karaban all ahead of him as far as guys Hurley trusted to put the ball on the floor and take it to the rim.

With, what I hope, is well known about Hurley’s hesitancy to trust non one and done freshman, Solo was not going to have many chances or rope to make drives to the rim. Hurley talked up his shooting his whole freshman year because that was his role and what he wanted him to do.

So it shouldn’t be a surprise that after a year of not working on this skill it’s rusty. Does he even work on it if Liam doesn’t get hurt to make him have to do more than be a shooter?

Hurley has a lot of positives that obviously result in winning a lot. But he’s not perfect and we don’t have to be obtuse about this.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Lead the team in assists!

Lead is something toxic in old houses paint chips, and it has been banned as an additive in gasoline. Lead also stymies Superman's x-ray vision.

Many people incorrectly figure that the past tense of "lead" is "lead," because the past tense of "read" is "read."

Nope.

The past tense of the verb "lead" is "led." Trust me on this.

 

[DogMania]

We've all seen his elite 3 Pt shooting, though he still has some cold spells, like last night 0-4 and going 0 for the 2nd half in the first Xavier game...hum maybe they figured out how to stop him, but I digress.

He's now showing more ability to get into the paint and get to the rim. He's made some nice middies and creative layups, but still seems to serve up some very weak efforts when attacking the rim where he gets completely snuffed out. He looks plenty athletic to attack the rim with force, where I'd like to see him slow up bit as he gets close to the basket, protect the ball and explode to the rim.

I remember Castle struggling similarly early on after he came back from his early season injury but then put it all together during the stretch run attacking the rim like a wild Badger. I have a feeling Ball will have a similar trajectory especially if he bulks up and stays for one more year. Although he's undersized for an NBA 2, he can build himself into a very sought after combo guard in the mold of a stronger Payton Pritchett who's carved out a role for the Celtics.

Unless he catches fire this season and can show enough combo play-making ability and improved D, which deficiencies with the latter would scare off a lot of teams, he should return to improve his handle and overall game to see if he can develop into a 1st round talent. If you can't defend in the NBA, it's hard to find the floor. Opposing teams hunt for mismatches against poor and/or undersized defenders. Maybe I'm wrong and he can get drafted as a sharpshooter this summer with the "potential" to improve in other areas, but at his size and current skill set, I just don't see it happening this upcoming draft.

Don't get me wrong. I see the improvement starting to happen, which bodes well for a deep run this coming March. Just believe a summer getting stronger, improved ball handling, footwork, midrange and rim attack, and one more season to showcase his improved game will pave the way for a successful NBA career.