Starting lineup prediction thread.

[Edward Sargent]

You hit on a good point when you say “shaky shooting guards” and as bad a shooting team as we had last year there is no evidence yet that it’s going to be fixed. Always hope for that great leap of improvement over the summer but it’s a huge question mark again for this team. I’m not really worried about rebounding as much as shooting.

I think its more the coaching we've seen the last few years. We never saw year to year improvement so we are kind of holding our breath hoping for some this year.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

You hit on a good point when you say “shaky shooting guards” and as bad a shooting team as we had last year there is no evidence yet that it’s going to be fixed.

IMO, Polley and Brendan Adams will be the two guys who will help transition this team to a better outside shooting team.

Before I expand on that, here's a list of our current players and their 3P% based from most recent to oldest season:

Polley: 41.7%
J. Adams: 32.4%, 35%, 27.3%
Tarin Smith: 33.3%, 21.2%
Vital: 31.8%, 36.6%
Gilbert: 22.7%, 22.2%

Here's some words about Sid Wilson and Brendan Adams and their shooting:

Sid Wilson's self-assessment: "My strengths are my athleticism, I can score in different ways, I can play on both ends of the court. My weakness is my shooting ability.”

Jaylen Adams on his bro Brendan: “He’s a scorer first,” Jaylen said. “A real big guard, good at using his body, getting into the lane. But he can score at all three levels and we kind of play opposite. Me, I was a point guard first. He was a scorer first, and a point guard. He brings those intangibles while just learning how to score. He’s a way better scorer than me. … [At UConn], they’re going to fall in love with his jump shot.”

I'm still open to see what Wilson can show with his jump shot, but it sounds like B. Adams and Polley are our best bets to develop as our long-term, knock-down 3 point shooters. Hopefully Vital stabilizes his outside shot, and you know Jalen will always take his shots, but I'm hoping Gilbert and Smith focus more on distributing, penetrating and working on a mid-range game than settling for outside shots.

Wilson quote: Sid Wilson: The Transition from the CHSAA to the NEPSAC
Adams quote: What Can UConn Expect From Brendan Adams? Just Ask Big Brother Jaylen

 

[UconnU]

IMO, Polley and Brendan Adams will be the two guys who will help transition this team to a better outside shooting team.

Before I expand on that, here's a list of our current players and their 3P% based from most recent to oldest season:

Polley: 41.7%
J. Adams: 32.4%, 35%, 27.3%
Tarin Smith: 33.3%, 21.2%
Vital: 31.8%, 36.6%
Gilbert: 22.7%, 22.2%

Here's some words about Sid Wilson and Brendan Adams and their shooting:

Sid Wilson's self-assessment: "My strengths are my athleticism, I can score in different ways, I can play on both ends of the court. My weakness is my shooting ability.”

Jaylen Adams on his bro Brendan: “He’s a scorer first,” Jaylen said. “A real big guard, good at using his body, getting into the lane. But he can score at all three levels and we kind of play opposite. Me, I was a point guard first. He was a scorer first, and a point guard. He brings those intangibles while just learning how to score. He’s a way better scorer than me. … [At UConn], they’re going to fall in love with his jump shot.”

I'm still open to see what Wilson can show with his jump shot, but it sounds like B. Adams and Polley are our best bets to develop as our long-term, knock-down 3 point shooters. Hopefully Vital rebounds, Jalen will always take his shots, but I'm hoping Gilbert and Smith focus more on distributing, penetrating and working on a mid-range game than settling for outside shots.

Wilson quote: Sid Wilson: The Transition from the CHSAA to the NEPSAC
Adams quote: What Can UConn Expect From Brendan Adams? Just Ask Big Brother Jaylen

Both Brendan Adams and Polley are interesting plays at the 3. Adams can make it into the starting lineup as long as he can shoot and defend. We need someone on the floor who can shoot, for spacing.

 

[Bonk]

Both Brendan Adams and Polley are interesting plays at the 3. Adams can make it into the starting lineup as long as he can shoot and defend. We need someone on the floor who can shoot, for spacing.

Agreed. Adams is a taller guard and seems to have a good build. Would love to see him be a tenacious defender as he develops

 

[UconnU]

Agreed. Adams is a taller guard and seems to have a good build. Would love to see him be a tenacious defender as he develops

A Sidney Wilson is not gaining any weight. He should have been in the gym every day while he sat out.

 

[the Q]

if Hurley is a big analytics guy, he's gonna find some time for Whaley in there.

 

[UconnU]

if Hurley is a big analytics guy, he's gonna find some time for Whaley in there.

Problem with Whaley is that he is a position-less player.

 

[husky429]

A Sidney Wilson is not gaining any weight. He should have been in the gym every day while he sat out.

He was. I think its a diet and genetics thing with him. He's just naturally super wiry.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Jalen, Vital, Wilson, Polley, Cobb if we go small

Jalen, Vital, Wilson, Cobb, Carlton if we go big

Gilbert first off the bench

 

[JimHurley]

Jalen, Vital, Wilson, Polley, Cobb if we go small

Jalen, Vital, Wilson, Cobb, Carlton if we go big

Gilbert first off the bench

Hurley said he’s struggling whether to go small with Polley/Wilson at the 4 or go big with Yakwe/Whaley at the 4 which makes it sound like he’s set on starting 3 guards. My guess at the starting 5 is Gilbert, Adams, Smith, Wilson, Carlton. I would swap Wilson for Diarra if he was ready.

 

[NJHoops]

Guards are the strength of this year’s team, and the starting line-up will have three of them.

 

[AfgHusky15]

Jalen, Vital, Wilson, Polley, Cobb if we go small

Jalen, Vital, Wilson, Cobb, Carlton if we go big

Gilbert first off the bench

There is no way Vital is starting over Gilbert.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Hurley said he’s struggling whether to go small with Polley/Wilson at the 4 or go big with Yakwe/Whaley at the 4 which makes it sound like he’s set on starting 3 guards. My guess at the starting 5 is Gilbert, Adams, Smith, Wilson, Carlton. I would swap Wilson for Diarra if he was ready.

There is no way Vital is starting over Gilbert.

Vital will start at the beginning but might not by mid-year. Gilbert is coming off of two years not playing, they’ll ease him in. I know he could start and then limit the time but I don’t see that being the case.

Did Hurley have three guards start for his URI squads? Were the teams he faced bigger than his? I know he wants to play guards if possible. Being serious

 

[Tyler2Rings]

J Adams, Vital, Smith, Polley, Cobb.

I think Dan Hurley is a guy who values experience early in the season. Gonna make Alterique and Wilson earn their way to a starting role. They will still get more minutes than Smith and Polley

 

[TheRealKBuks]

The problem with this is that our guards do not rebound as well as the guards he had last year did.

we were plagued with poor rebounding throughout the entire KO era, I'm wondering if this improves just by having a new head coach.

 

[Palatine]

5 Carlton
4 Yakwe
3 Polley
2 Adams
1 Gilbert

 

[husky429]

5 Carlton
4 Yakwe
3 Polley
2 Adams
1 Gilbert

That seems highly unlikely to me. Perimeter defense would be awful in that lineup.

 

[the Q]

Problem with Whaley is that he is a position-less player.

Maybe offensively.

Defensively he’s arguably our best and most versatile defender. The second part is less arguable than the first.

 

[Danzz]

Gilbert
Adams
Wilson
Carlton
Cobb

This is also my lineup with the key being Cobb. If Cobb improves enough to start we may have something.

 

[Son of Robert]

5 Carlton
4 Yakwe
3 Polley
2 Adams
1 Gilbert

This is the lineup I first went with in this thread on page 2 on July 8th. I'm beginning to think that Isaiah Whaley will start at the 4 instead of Yakwe. I'm thinking that Isaiah is working, working, working to earn this spot and thru his defensive ability, athleticism, mobility, and effort he will become the first option at the 4.

Remember last year he started, and it was his offensive rebounding, ability to alter/block shots, speed up and down the court, and tenacity on D which got him the start. I think Isaiah is one player who will indeed benefit from this better, more intensive, and well planned coaching, plus the physical maturation and strength and conditioning this past off season.

I still think Cobb comes off the bench to shake up the opponents defense and change our look.

October 4

Carlton
Whaley
Polley
Adams
Gilbert

 

[Son of Robert]

Carlton
Polley
Wilson
Adams
Gilbert

This lineup looks pretty lethal, but I worry about Carlton drawing early fouls as the only rim protector with the perimeter man defense that Hurley is said to run.

 

[tcf15]

Start of the season
Tarin Smith
Jalen Adams
Christian Vital
Kassoum Yakwe
Josh Carlton

By end of season sub Gilbert in for Vital and rest of lineup stays the same.

 

[ctchamps]

Start of the season
Tarin Smith
Jalen Adams
Christian Vital
Kassoum Yakwe
Josh Carlton

By end of season sub Gilbert in for Vital and rest of lineup stays the same.

My starting line up also if Yakwe fully recovers.

My wishful hope is that by mid season Gilbert starts instead of Vital, Wilson starts instead of Smith and Polley starts instead of Yakwe.

 

[3rdbass]

Like others have mentioned are strength is in the guards and SF so I can't see us playing 2 bigs at the same time unless Diarra who can hit that outside baseline shot and is mobile recovers. I see us going with Carlton, Polley, Gilbert, J Adams and Vital. Small but it will be a very good offensive team. I could see Wilson breaking into this lineup too an have Vital sit but it will depend on Gilbert's health. Diarra is the wild card. If he is healthy I'm going with Carlton, Diarra, Gilbert, J Adams and Vital.

 

[CL82]

Vital will start at the beginning but might not by mid-year. Gilbert is coming off of two years not playing, they’ll ease him in. I know he could start and then limit the time but I don’t see that being the case.

Normally, I'd agree but he is a singular talent (if healthy) filling a specific need. Jalen playing the 2 is good for the team and good for his NBA designs. AG at the point lets that happen. I think he starts with a careful eye on his total minutes.

Does CV move to the three spot or is he first off the bench?