Terrence Samuel Transferring

[Jaybo]

It's a joke due to the recent signing of Gibbs lighten up lol

 

[Jaybo]

Tsam is one of my favorite players.if your on there check out my Tweet to him on Twitter.

 

[UConnSwag11]

@VCURam2012: @AdamZagoria UConn transfer Terrence Samuel played pickup ball in Richmond with the players from VCU yesterday.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

@VCURam2012: @AdamZagoria UConn transfer Terrence Samuel played pickup ball in Richmond with the players from VCU yesterday.

Would be a solid place for him to end up. We can just swap him for Larrier.

 

[JSM1970]

Was he really a good defender or is that just something people say to rationalize why he played the minutes he did? He had a good motor, but was arguably the worse shooter in UConn history and a TO machine. I doubt he could play 30 minutes at VCU. What team that competes to make the NCAA tourney regularly wants a PG who didn't hit a 3 in 2 years.

Haven't commented on this thread yet, but I think this is a big loss for UConn, especially if Gibbs doesn't come.

Samuel was never going to be a star but the kid was going to be our back up PG, played solid D, was a decent finisher and you could always count on him to bring it every game.

He stepped up big time in the NCAAT and wouldve loved to see him end up a 4 year Husky. Much like losing Roscoe, this loss stings.

Best of luck wherever Samuel ends up.

 

[David 76]

Was he really a good defender or is that just something people say to rationalize why he played the minutes he did? He had a good motor, but was arguably the worse shooter in UConn history and a TO machine. I doubt he could play 30 minutes at VCU. What team that competes to make the NCAA tourney regularly wants a PG who didn't hit a 3 in 2 years.

Good defender. Created havoc and turnovers for us at crucial times.

 

[UConnSwag11]

Was he really a good defender or is that just something people say to rationalize why he played the minutes he did? He had a good motor, but was arguably the worse shooter in UConn history and a TO machine. I doubt he could play 30 minutes at VCU. What team that competes to make the NCAA tourney regularly wants a PG who didn't hit a 3 in 2 years.

He was fast, quick, and a great on ball defender. The championship year he had a role and did a great job with it. Last year he needed to do more and wasn't ready for it. The kid has talent, no need to be a dlck about him.

 

[CTBasketball]

Was he really a good defender or is that just something people say to rationalize why he played the minutes he did? He had a good motor, but was arguably the worse shooter in UConn history and a TO machine. I doubt he could play 30 minutes at VCU. What team that competes to make the NCAA tourney regularly wants a PG who didn't hit a 3 in 2 years.

Shooting is the easiest thing to fix in basketball - it can be deconstructed and fixed all the way down to the fundamentals. Its just repetition. Other than that TSam can be a solid player. I think he'll do a lot better once he understands his role. Freshman year (Feb - April) he had a defined role; aid Boatright and Shabazz Napier off the bench for 10-15 minutes here and there.

Sophomore year he kind of got lost in the mass confusion we had at point guard. He was expected to be a starting guard, but the team never really gelled and he fell through the cracks.

Don't let his sophomore year trick you, he was a very dependable player towards the end of his freshman season. He had some terrific plays against Florida, Iowa State, Kentucky, and Cincinnati just to name a few. The kid can definitely ball, but unless his shooting improves the offense will be at a disadvantage.

 

[Fishy]

Shooting is the easiest thing to fix in basketball.

You could not be more wrong if you were Chief.

 

[CTBasketball]

You could not be more wrong if you were Chief.

Obviously its debatable but you can fix a fundamentally poor jump shot. Actually being a consistent shooter is more mental. TSam is just struggling in both categories.

 

[aceboon]

He was fast, quick, and a great on ball defender. The championship year he had a role and did a great job with it. Last year he needed to do more and wasn't ready for it. The kid has talent, no need to be a dlck about him.

Great on the ball defender is way overboard, he was just OK at best, nothing really more than that. In the title game against UK, Calipari basically took turns isolating his perimeter guys with whoever TSam was guarding(the Harrisons, Young), he got lit up like porch lights in that game and the Young dunk over Brimah was a result of TSam getting burned on the perimeter.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Obviously its debatable but you can fix a fundamentally poor jump shot. Actually being a consistent shooter is more mental. TSam is just struggling in both categories.

The more a jump shot is fundamentally poor, the less likely it can be fixed. Some people are just not wired for it, I believe. Look at all the NBA players who have not been able to improve foul shooting.

 

[aceboon]

Shooting is the easiest thing to fix in basketball - it can be deconstructed and fixed all the way down to the fundamentals. Its just repetition. Other than that TSam can be a solid player. I think he'll do a lot better once he understands his role. Freshman year (Feb - April) he had a defined role; aid Boatright and Shabazz Napier off the bench for 10-15 minutes here and there.

Sophomore year he kind of got lost in the mass confusion we had at point guard. He was expected to be a starting guard, but the team never really gelled and he fell through the cracks.

Don't let his sophomore year trick you, he was a very dependable player towards the end of his freshman season. He had some terrific plays against Florida, Iowa State, Kentucky, and Cincinnati just to name a few. The kid can definitely ball, but unless his shooting improves the offense will be at a disadvantage.

When was TSam ever expected to be a starting guard? It was Boat and Purv, the only reason he started was because of injuries/suspension of Purvis, and when KO went small for a brief period with DHam at the 4. There wasn't any mass confusion, we knew who our backups were, they just weren't very good in their roles. Also, while TSam had his moments as a backup the latter part of his freshmen year, it wasn't like he was giving us Nova/Iowa St performances every game, some days he had it, and other days he was very ineffective and KO either played Kromah more or just rode the 3some of Boat, Bazz, and Giffey more leaving little minutes for those backup spots.

 

[mauconnfan]

Richmond or Quinnipiac are good fits for TSam and I wish him best.

I know people loved the kid but he wasn't a "great" defensive player at all. He was decent and tough, but got beat off the dribble by most quicker guards he matched up with. His jump shot is what it is, not his strength and more than likely never will be. If he can get to the basket and make some mid range shots at a mid major he can be a very nice player.

 

[huskiesnyc]

Can't fault Tsam at all for leaving there's just no spot for him here. I wish him all the best. He is a tough kid, helped with our perfect APR's and played so clutch during our tourney run. He's just more of a VCU, UMass, PC or Fordham type player than a blue blood program like UConn.

 

[willie99]

TSam could show VCU fans what a ring looks like

 

[CTBasketball]

When was TSam ever expected to be a starting guard? It was Boat and Purv, the only reason he started was because of injuries/suspension of Purvis, and when KO went small for a brief period with DHam at the 4. There wasn't any mass confusion, we knew who our backups were, they just weren't very good in their roles. Also, while TSam had his moments as a backup the latter part of his freshmen year, it wasn't like he was giving us Nova/Iowa St performances every game, some days he had it, and other days he was very ineffective and KO either played Kromah more or just rode the 3some of Boat, Bazz, and Giffey more leaving little minutes for those backup spots.

After his freshman year there was talk of him getting the reigns as the starting guard once Boatright left. That was quickly extinguished, the staff realized this, and made point guard a priority on the recruiting trail.

 

[uchusky32]

Shooting is the easiest thing to fix in basketball - it can be deconstructed and fixed all the way down to the fundamentals. Its just repetition. Other than that TSam can be a solid player. I think he'll do a lot better once he understands his role. Freshman year (Feb - April) he had a defined role; aid Boatright and Shabazz Napier off the bench for 10-15 minutes here and there.

Sophomore year he kind of got lost in the mass confusion we had at point guard. He was expected to be a starting guard, but the team never really gelled and he fell through the cracks.

Don't let his sophomore year trick you, he was a very dependable player towards the end of his freshman season. He had some terrific plays against Florida, Iowa State, Kentucky, and Cincinnati just to name a few. The kid can definitely ball, but unless his shooting improves the offense will be at a disadvantage.

Problem with that CT is it's like a boxer who tries to change his style after years, decades fighting a certain way. He changes during training but as soon as the fight starts and he gets hit what's natural to him comes back. How long is it taking Tiger to change his golf swing?

 

[djct1999]

Zach Braziller‏@NYPost_Brazille1m1 minute agoQueens, NY
UConn transfer Terrence Samuel from Brooklyn visits Hofstra tomorrow, per source. Has visited VCU. Iona and Providence also in mix.

 

[caw]

The more a jump shot is fundamentally poor, the less likely it can be fixed. Some people are just not wired for it, I believe. Look at all the NBA players who have not been able to improve foul shooting.

What basketball skill is easier to fix? Serious question. Passing? Dribbling? Rebounding? Defense? Etc.

Foul shooting is different from jump shooting and is often considered more of a mental issue.

I'd put jump shooting near the top of the list of things that can be fixed at TSams age. Dribbling near the bottom.

 

[Mano]

What basketball skill is easier to fix? Serious question. Passing? Dribbling? Rebounding? Defense? Etc.

Foul shooting is different from jump shooting and is often considered more of a mental issue.

I'd put jump shooting near the top of the list of things that can be fixed at TSams age. Dribbling near the bottom.

Without a doubt, defense is the one discipline that any basketball player can improve and with enough determination, excel at. Unfortunately, the determination, fortitude and resolve to be good at it is not always something that comes naturally to all 18 year-olds.

Beyond that, unless you're 7 feet tall, dribbling to me is the next thing that guys that actually want to improve in can do so. I was going to write rebounding next, but I've always thought that that's a skill that's more instinctual than anything.

Just one man's opinion, but tearing down a bad shooter's form and rebuilding it with more pleasing and successful mechanics is easier said than done. The sheer volume of repetition that some of these kid's have gotten used to after years of doing it one way would be hard to overcome I would think.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

What basketball skill is easier to fix? Serious question. Passing? Dribbling? Rebounding? Defense? Etc.

Foul shooting is different from jump shooting and is often considered more of a mental issue.

I'd put jump shooting near the top of the list of things that can be fixed at TSams age. Dribbling near the bottom.

Depends on what you mean by fix, I would think. Who have we seen as a Calhoun-era player who has shown really great improvement in what area? I think of Kevin Ollie, strangely enough, who improved his jumpshot a lot and he became an "adequate" shooter from inside the 3 point line. I wonder how hard he worked at it? The one I wonder about is Josh Boone. He started that routine where he held the ball out in the palm of his hand, then brought it up, then shot. It simplified his motion a great deal and he did much better. Then he stopped doing it. Why? This could have cost him some years in the NBA. Whatever. Who else has shown great improvement? I think of Kemba in his 3rd year where he was said to have worked with Blaney on his shot. Big improvement, but his shot was not bad to begin with. It is an interesting question.

 

[intlzncster]

Depends on what you mean by fix, I would think. Who have we seen as a Calhoun-era player who has shown really great improvement in what area? I think of Kevin Ollie, strangely enough, who improved his jumpshot a lot and he became an "adequate" shooter from inside the 3 point line. I wonder how hard he worked at it? The one I wonder about is Josh Boone. He started that routine where he held the ball out in the palm of his hand, then brought it up, then shot. It simplified his motion a great deal and he did much better. Then he stopped doing it. Why? This could have cost him some years in the NBA. Whatever. Who else has shown great improvement? I think of Kemba in his 3rd year where he was said to have worked with Blaney on his shot. Big improvement, but his shot was not bad to begin with. It is an interesting question.

There's got to be a definite delineation between big and perimeter players though.

On the general point, I think shooting is harder to fix than some people give credit for. Harder than many skills.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

There's got to be a definite delineation between big and perimeter players though.

On the general point, I think shooting is harder to fix than some people give credit for. Harder than many skills.

We're not talking great or even good shooter, we're talking shoot good enough that someone has to guard you.
That's fairly achievable with hard work.
The downside is
Some kids won't acknowledge a weakness therefore enough time isn't put into improving.
Also
Human nature causes people to work more on things that already have a competence in.
Accepting failure is always critical to success.

 

[Chief00]

You could not be more wrong if you were Chief.

Actually, quite frankly I have always been a pessimist when I hear poor shooters are going to fix their shot.