Today's First Practice

[Kenny11]

2 years ago Hurley said Akok was our best player...this was early in the season. Bouknight was playing but still in the doghouse.

 

[imno1]

'I've never felt comfortable with a coach declaring outright "he is our best player." Maybe for an individual game, but it's a dumb thing to say.

Yeah who what to hear a coach tell you what he really thinks

 

[elmcityboy]

2 years ago Hurley said Akok was our best player...this was early in the season. Bouknight was playing but still in the doghouse.

he also repeatedly referred to jalen adams as our best player in his first year. it must be intentional in some way -- i ain't questioning it.

 

[Psolo12]

he also repeatedly referred to jalen adams as our best player in his first year. it must be intentional in some way -- i ain't questioning it.

Best player = emotional/on court performance leader?

 

[Waquoit]

Is it just me or does Borges' takeaway in the first paragraph not line up with Hurley's comments right after?

Well, one way Hurley can "put him in a position by the end of this year where we feel like he can really help us the following year" is by giving him some minutes this season.

 

[SouleMan]

'I've never felt comfortable with a coach declaring outright "he is our best player." Maybe for an individual game, but it's a dumb thing to say.

Fwiw - Just listened to the press conference (Thank you @4xChamps). Hurley said Sanago has been the best player, is usually the best player. Which is different than he is the best player.

Edit: Whoops - got to the end and Hurley does label Sanogo the team's "best player." So turns out my fwiw wasn't worth much.

Regardless - pumped for the season!

 

[gtcam]

'I've never felt comfortable with a coach declaring outright "he is our best player." Maybe for an individual game, but it's a dumb thing to say.

Couldn't agree with you more Tom. I have many years coaching under my belt.
Dan Hurley has diarrhea mouth- a lot - he doesn't think about what is coming out at times. Now, Adama might very well be the best player at some things but you don't come out and say that one kid is better than all the others - that stinks of favoritism and it takes a long time to get back some of the motivation that players will naturally lose hearing/reading that quote. Coaching 101 - a class that Dan Hurley has missed in many areas. I have said many times that he really needs to hire himself a well seasoned former coach to mentor him in some areas. Certainly not in recruitment, but in game coaching and interaction with the press may be a good start - everyone can use a mentor no matter what level they are sitting.

 

[Get a Job]

Couldn't agree with you more Tom. I have many years coaching under my belt.
Dan Hurley has diarrhea mouth- a lot - he doesn't think about what is coming out at times. Now, Adama might very well be the best player at some things but you don't come out and say that one kid is better than all the others - that stinks of favoritism and it takes a long time to get back some of the motivation that players will naturally lose hearing/reading that quote. Coaching 101 - a class that Dan Hurley has missed in many areas. I have said many times that he really needs to hire himself a well seasoned former coach to mentor him in some areas. Certainly not in recruitment, but in game coaching and interaction with the press may be a good start - everyone can use a mentor no matter what level they are sitting.

I agree that such a mentor would be wonderful, but let's be serious. Where is he gonna find one?! It's not like he can just go his parents' house and be like, "Hello? Any legendary coaches here?!"

 

[navery12]

Well, one way Hurley can "put him in a position by the end of this year where we feel like he can really help us the following year" is by giving him some minutes this season.

Sure, but I think it's pretty clear from Hurley's comments he was talking about practice. Maybe he does play some spot minutes to get his feet wet, but Hurley specifically said that they have 10 guys vying for rotation spots right now

 

[superjohn]

Sure, but I think it's pretty clear from Hurley's comments he was talking about practice. Maybe he does play some spot minutes to get his feet wet, but Hurley specifically said that they have 10 guys vying for rotation spots right now

If we're strictly going by his words Floyd, Diggins, and Springs aren't vying for rotation spots right now.

 

[navery12]

If we're strictly going by his words Floyd, Diggins, and Springs aren't vying for rotation spots right now.

That's my assumption on the 3 as well, though Diggins seems the most likely to play his way into the rotation somehow during the year

 

[UConniki]

Ive coached since 1988. No good has ever come from telling the press that one player is better than all others, and it does nothing to motivate.

Saying a player was better in a particular game, or a small stretch of games, perhaps.

While you might be right, Hurley is getting paid 3 mil to coach UConn and your not.

 

[CL82]

That's my assumption on the 3 as well, though Diggins seems the most likely to play his way into the rotation somehow during the year

Why?

 

[businesslawyer]

If we're strictly going by his words Floyd, Diggins, and Springs aren't vying for rotation spots right now.

If you assume we’re not really playing more than 10 unless injuries hit, that those three are candidates to be odd men out shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Add the fresh big and those are the most likely candidates.

 

[navery12]

Why?

Assuming you mean the Diggins part. I view it this way:

Springs - 80 minutes at the 4/5 and Hurley has already mentioned the battle for minutes between Akok and Johnson. So presumably you're looking at 2 guys to pass plus the potential for Martin/Polley minutes at the 4

Floyd - 80 minutes at the 2/3 and the rotation presumably consists of some combo of Gaffney/Hawkins/Martin/Jackson/Polley. Someone is probably getting squeezed out of minutes with only 80 so again takes passing 2 guys to crack the rotation

Diggins - have Cole and Gaffney at PG, and a good portion of the board doesn't view Gaffney as someone capable of running the team and wants him at the 2. I have no problem with Gaffney at PG and expect a big season from him, but that's only 1 guy to pass to get 10 minutes at backup PG

 

[XLCenterFan]

We haven’t had this kind of talent in the 5 position forever. I’m stoked.

Pump your brakes. "Forever" is a long time.

 

[AtlantaHusky]

So stoked to see Adama this season. 15 and 8 ?

14/10

 

[Chin Diesel]

14/10

14 and 7.5 seems about right to me.

 

[temery]

While you might be right, Hurley is getting paid 3 mil to coach UConn and your not.

What'd Ollie make?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Couldn't agree with you more Tom. I have many years coaching under my belt.
Dan Hurley has diarrhea mouth- a lot - he doesn't think about what is coming out at times. Now, Adama might very well be the best player at some things but you don't come out and say that one kid is better than all the others - that stinks of favoritism and it takes a long time to get back some of the motivation that players will naturally lose hearing/reading that quote. Coaching 101 - a class that Dan Hurley has missed in many areas. I have said many times that he really needs to hire himself a well seasoned former coach to mentor him in some areas. Certainly not in recruitment, but in game coaching and interaction with the press may be a good start - everyone can use a mentor no matter what level they are sitting.

Could you imagine the trauma if Phil Jackson would have told the Bulls team that Michael Jordan was their best player?

These aren't fourth graders, they're high level D1 basketball players and letting everyone on the team know the player whose characteristics are viewed by the coach as being the best provides clarity to everyone else. The kumbaya crap of everyone is equal and will have equal minutes and scoring opportunities is funny.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

Assuming you mean the Diggins part. I view it this way:

Springs - 80 minutes at the 4/5 and Hurley has already mentioned the battle for minutes between Akok and Johnson. So presumably you're looking at 2 guys to pass plus the potential for Martin/Polley minutes at the 4

Floyd - 80 minutes at the 2/3 and the rotation presumably consists of some combo of Gaffney/Hawkins/Martin/Jackson/Polley. Someone is probably getting squeezed out of minutes with only 80 so again takes passing 2 guys to crack the rotation

Diggins - have Cole and Gaffney at PG, and a good portion of the board doesn't view Gaffney as someone capable of running the team and wants him at the 2. I have no problem with Gaffney at PG and expect a big season from him, but that's only 1 guy to pass to get 10 minutes at backup PG

agreed, i think diggins has a fairly easy path to minutes (if he is the real deal). gaffney is not much of an obstacle.

 

[temery]

Could you imagine the trauma if Phil Jackson would have told the Bulls team that Michael Jordan was their best player?

'But did he? Jackson coached massive egos, and knew what he was doing. From what I've read, he believed he was always team MVP, and may have been right.

I wonder if he ever sold Kobe as the best player in LA.

 

[Huskybass]

What'd Ollie make?

Most of us really unhappy.

 

[Palatine]

What's interesting is that most coaches can talk for an hour and say absolutely nothing. Compare that to Hurley who seems to have a purpose for everything he says.

So if he says Sanogo is out best player, there's a reason.