I just can't visualize someone with DD's body guarding a 2.
If, for whatever reason, we ended up having to have a 3 defend a 2, I'd have NG (who is essentially a 2) or RS (great defense, can get low) do it before I have a slender freshman do it. Then again, none of us have really seen DD's defensive work enough to make that judgment. I just know NG and RS have the skills to pull it off.
This would be my guess as well. Of course we'll all get to see things first hand if our pre season hunches are correct.
I'm very excited about this season. Not many teams have, on paper at least, the number of potential stars that UConn has. My excitement preseason does not diminish when I examine potential weaknesses with the team. Listing those weaknesses, as well as the teams strengths, allows me to analyze the developments, or failures of developments, of teams.
I felt UConn needed a replacement for CO and was uncertain about Wolf/Bradley being able to fill that role. The addition of AD completely obliterated that concern. I debated the loss of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. He would have been the second upper class man for this team. I feel the addition of DD more than offsets Jamal Coombs-McDaniel's loss. This is just a gut feeling that the trade offs in skill set will offset the loss regarding experience. I can afford this luxury knowing RS and NG can play the 3 and that the chances are very good one of these three players will offset the loss of Jamal Coombs-McDaniel. And I never felt Jamal Coombs-McDaniel was strong in his ability to encourage other players.
I like the idea that four significant players last season who were freshman are now sophomores. But this is tempered with the history of players going through sophomore slumps. I was concerned about the loss of Kemba and Donnell. This is where I still have my biggest concern. A sophomore Shabazz hopefully will be an upgrade over a very good freshman Shabazz, and RB should be an upgrade over Donnell, but this combo of SN and RB should be a significant downgrade over a junior Kemba, a senior Donnell and a freshman Shabazz. Particularly because Kemba had a extraordinary season that very few college players have or will ever have. If this team does not have any significant troubles with its ball handling or playmaking in the half court I would be mildly surprised even after I've factored in how AD and DD can help Shabazz.
I would like to add the following for some of the posters who might be trying to temper the board's expectations:
I've been following UConn men's bb team a long enough time to know that I'm as frequently surprised, both positively and negatively, about players and seasons, as I am correct about my expectations. The same applies to most posters I would imagine. So it's fun to go into the season debating how things will play out.
If the season doesn't play out as well as I expect, I'm the type of person who won't assign blame to players or the team. I'll try to critique things without the anger and resentment that some people are unable to control. I already know that if the season doesn't play out as well as some fans expect, some of them will need to blame the players or team. This small but vocal group, who insist results fit their expectations, will not consider the reality, and beauty, that futures are uncertain. Nor will they consider that perhaps the problem of failed expectations isn't only about players or teams but resides within them as well.
I've come to realize that these people can only break out of this pattern if they recognize they have this pattern and understand how it doesn't help them or society. No matter what I, or others, may say or do, it is up to these individuals to look in the mirror and determine if what people are saying is true. If a person is not ready to do this, nothing will force them to change. And even if they admit this could be a problem, it is very difficult to overcome bad habits. This holds true with any bad habit including the simple physical bad habits that we often critique players of having.
My advice to those posters who I recognize are trying to offer some restraint in expectations in an attempt to reduce this reaction, is to not let what others think or feel affect your own thoughts or feelings. Especially since others may or may not heed it. And since, from my observation, most of those offering the advice can easily move on if things go wrong, I recommend not overly concerning yourself with these other individuals with regards to how you approach this upcoming season or any season even in the way you write your posts. If you are suggesting restraint to temper yourself, that is a great idea. If you are holding back your expectations out of fear that others lack this control and/or will react negatively in the future if things go wrong, this is not in your best interest.
