Whaley/Polley/Carlton Watch

[HuskyBoi]

Whaley coming back means Springs not getting minutes? I wonder if that weighs on the decision for Hurley to urge the Metallica man to go make money

 

[Dogdeacon]

The extra year is available b/c of the pandemic, when assessing that how do posters forget leagues around the world might also be affected AND people (PLAYERS & POSTERS ALIKE!) are less able & willing to travel?!

 

[UCSouth]

Lol, amazing! Gaffney shot 50% from 3 in a NCAA tourney game!!!

There you go, we have solved our 3pt shooting issues ??

 

[Improviser]

The extra year is available b/c of the pandemic, when assessing that how do posters forget leagues around the world might also be affected AND people (PLAYERS & POSTERS ALIKE!) are less able & willing to travel?!

Could impact the salaries overseas teams are willing to pay players with expiring contracts, and of course, new players joining them.

 

[Mwh213]

This could mean absolutely nothing but under Brendan’s post saying he’s transferring Polley wrote
”Gonna miss you fam”
which might be a somewhat odd thing to say if he was also leaving

 

[ZackB05]

Any chance you have of bringing back the conference's defensive player of the year you do it. Whaley has been great for us. Would welcome Polley back as well with hope he develops his consistency, ball handling and foot speed now that he'll have a fully health offseason. Carlton has been a great teammate and serviceable at times but probably time to move on. Will support them all in whatever decision they/the program make. The future is bright.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Could impact the salaries overseas teams are willing to pay players with expiring contracts, and of course, new players joining them.

Not to mention some leagues may not play, some teams will go kaput (getting pd has always been a prob), some countries are high-risk, other countries won't admit foreigners etc..
I bet New Zealand leagues are getting lots of applicants!

 

[dennismenace]

Vital was a guard who did the same

Boat and Bazz were good rebounders too.

 

[ucp990411]

CARLTON!!!!!!!

His illegal screen at the top of the key that Bouk didn't use then made the 3 was just a terrible play. Bouk makes that we get momentum and he gets confidence in his shooting.i have always said 1 play in a ten point game can cost a game

 

[Psolo12]

His illegal screen at the top of the key that Bouk didn't use then made the 3 was just a terrible play. Bouk makes that we get momentum and he gets confidence in his shooting.i have always said 1 play in a ten point game can cost a game

Okay I have talked about Carlton's faults as much as anybody but to put that awful game on him because of one bad screen is preposterous.

 

[phillionaire]

You have to imagine next season is going to be tough for players even if Covid isn't as rampant. A single positive test means you have to shut down, and the virus isn't going to be completely gone by the end of the year. Potentially having to deal with Covid restrictions might play into their decisions.

 

[Improviser]

Not to mention some leagues may not play, some teams will go kaput (getting pd has always been a prob), some countries are high-risk, other countries won't admit foreigners etc..
I bet New Zealand leagues are getting lots of applicants!

They are pretty smart over there. I dunno, but maybe they are restricting admitting non-resident, non-New Zealanders for their team sports.

If not, they are likely insisting on strict protocols, like a quarantine period and multiple testing, I would think.

 

[Ant3411]

You have to imagine next season is going to be tough for players even if Covid isn't as rampant. A single positive test means you have to shut down, and the virus isn't going to be completely gone by the end of the year. Potentially having to deal with Covid restrictions might play into their decisions.

If the entire team/staff is vaccinated will they even be getting tested regularly? What would be the point if we've reached herd immunity by then.

 

[phillionaire]

If the entire team/staff is vaccinated will they even be getting tested regularly? What would be the point if we've reached herd immunity by then.

I guess it would depend on NCAA/state/team guidelines. Just something that might weigh into decisions to come back versus going pro.

 

[businesslawyer]

If IW wants to come back, you take him gladly. As would most power conference teams. Even if he isn't a starter (and here if Akok takes his role from him great, but no one can count on Akok coming back better than IW).

I can't imagine Josh wanting to come here as a pure back up Center ----make money overseas or go to GW or UNC Wilmington and start and score double figures -- but if he does, assuming we lose IW, great. The odds that we get a transfer big ready to come here for 8 to 10 minutes a game who is better than Josh are really low.

Mixed views on Tyler Polley. If he is who he is, and we're sure Akok will be like freshman Akok next year, I'm not sure we can't do better. On the other hand, most people here don't seem to give credit to three things: (i) he did shoot over 40% from 3 on fairly high per game volume last year before the injury; (ii) players who blow out their knee sometimes aren't their best the first year back, but are still struggling for confidence and might be better the following year; and (iii) for all his faults, he was Big East 6th Man of the Year and while he may have been overrated coaches obviously thought he was an important role player. My guess, however, is that if he plays another year of college ball, he will want to be a starter somewhere.

But I have nothing beyond common sense behind any of those.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I'm trying to put myself in Whaley's shoes. If I'm a guy who's definitely on an NBA roster or in an NBA organization next year I probably bounce because, from a development standpoint, I'm going to improve more in that environment. IW is not going to be on an NBA roster next season but he could be in the G League. The question is whether you take the chance that you're in a pro organization next year with a great chance to develop against the risk that you end up bouncing from Qatar to Bulgaria to Greece or you take the sure thing and spend another year getting coached by Hurley, developing, and maybe taking one more shot at college glory. I don't have enough insight into how he's thought of by people that matter so just based on the above considerations I'd probably lean toward another year in Storrs.

But honestly I'm so thrilled for the kid that pro ball is even an option and the letters "NBA" are being mentioned as a potential part of his future that I'll be happy for him no matter what he chooses.

 

[uconngb]

If IW wants to come back, you take him gladly. As would most power conference teams. Even if he isn't a starter (and here if Akok takes his role from him great, but no one can count on Akok coming back better that IW).

I can't imagine Josh wanting to come here as a pure back up Center ----make money overseas or go to GW or UNC Wilmington and start and score double figures -- but if he does, assuming we lose IW, great. The odds that we get a transfer big ready to come here for 8 to 10 minutes a game who is better than Josh are really low.

Mixed views on Tyler Polley. If he is who he is, and we're sure Akok will be like freshman Akok next year, I'm not sure we can't do better. On the other hand, most people here don't seem to give credit to three things: (i) he did shoot over 40% from 3 on fairly high per game volume last year before the injury; (ii) players who blow out their knee sometimes aren't their best the first year back, but are still struggling for confidence and might be better the following year; and (iii) for all his faults, he was Big East 6th Man of the Year and while he may have been overrated coaches obviously thought he was an important role player. My guess, however, is that if he plays another year of college ball, he will want to be a starter somewhere.

But I have nothing beyond common sense behind any of those.

This is the Boneyard......not only is common sense frowned upon, it's downright heresy!!

 

[ZenConn]

His illegal screen at the top of the key that Bouk didn't use then made the 3 was just a terrible play. Bouk makes that we get momentum and he gets confidence in his shooting.i have always said 1 play in a ten point game can cost a game

I remember this play but didn't look closely enough to see whose fault it was. Illegal screens are not always the screener's fault - sometimes the fault lies with the ball handler.

 

[ucp990411]

Okay I have talked about Carlton's faults as much as anybody but to put that awful game on him because of one bad screen is preposterous.

He's a 4th year player. He pushed the defender. I am sure he's a great person but..... That was just a bad play. He .never played again.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I'm trying to put myself in Whaley's shoes. If I'm a guy who's definitely on an NBA roster or in an NBA organization next year I probably bounce because, from a development standpoint, I'm going to improve more in that environment. IW is not going to be on an NBA roster next season but he could be in the G League. The question is whether you take the chance that you're in a pro organization next year with a great chance to develop against the risk that you end up bouncing from Qatar to Bulgaria to Greece or you take the sure thing and spend another year getting coached by Hurley, developing, and maybe taking one more shot at college glory. I don't have enough insight into how he's thought of by people that matter so just based on the above considerations I'd probably lean toward another year in Storrs.

But honestly I'm so thrilled for the kid that pro ball is even an option and the letters "NBA" are being mentioned as a potential part of his future that I'll be happy for him no matter what he chooses.

This. ^^^ Of course we take him back if he wants to come. I think he needs to go through the exploratory phase with the NBA and get feedback. I think he should talk to people about the Euro leagues as well, because he can make some money there. He isn't getting any younger and I'd be surprised if he develops more here than in any pro league. The only reason to come back, really, is that he loves it and enjoys it. That's it.

 

[businesslawyer]

I'm trying to put myself in Whaley's shoes. If I'm a guy who's definitely on an NBA roster or in an NBA organization next year I probably bounce because, from a development standpoint, I'm going to improve more in that environment. IW is not going to be on an NBA roster next season but he could be in the G League. The question is whether you take the chance that you're in a pro organization next year with a great chance to develop against the risk that you end up bouncing from Qatar to Bulgaria to Greece or you take the sure thing and spend another year getting coached by Hurley, developing, and maybe taking one more shot at college glory. I don't have enough insight into how he's thought of by people that matter so just based on the above considerations I'd probably lean toward another year in Storrs.

But honestly I'm so thrilled for the kid that pro ball is even an option and the letters "NBA" are being mentioned as a potential part of his future that I'll be happy for him no matter what he chooses.

He has the long term potential to play in the NBA. He has a lot of development to go. Because he's not a huge scorer, and thus not going to be a star in a big time European League, if I were him I'd be starting in the G League. Whether he wants to do that next year or spend an extra year having more fun at college and developing under Hurley, I have no idea.

 

[superjohn]

I guess it would depend on NCAA/state/team guidelines. Just something that might weigh into decisions to come back versus going pro.

Everyone who wants the vaxx will have access to it by summer in this country, we'll have to stop shutting things down by then and testing everyone constantly. The rest of the world will take more time which could factor in with decisions about pro careers overseas.

 

[6xChamps]

I think Polley might be the most likely to return. Someone (maybe Borges?) had an article where they interviewed his mom and she said he was really struggling with the decision of whether or not to come back. She even said she had talked with the coaching staff about the possibility.

Flash forward to today (this is more of a stretch), and he commented something along the lines of "I'm going to miss you" on BA's post about transferring. If Polley was leaving too, it would be weird to say that on the post since they would both be gone.

 

[Kolumbo]

Has anyone from Uconn shot better then Rashad did from 3 in the tourney??

I went to the books and couldn't find if there was a section dedicated to postseason. Overall though Rashad has the most 3-point FG made, second on attempts, but doesn't make the top 6 in percentage. I think they only listed >40%. I would like to see his postseason numbers though.

I'm looking at Page 125.

2020 21 UCONN MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA GUIDE (PDF) - University of Connecticut Athletics (uconnhuskies.com)

 

[Ajs120102]

Whaley was liking a slew of posts on Twitter of people saying bye so I don’t think it’s Whaley. Carlton, maybe? Gotta remember springs is in the wings and he’s put his due in to become a relevant player. Polley I think would be very welcomed back and if I were a betting man I’d say it would be him. Also have a feeling one of them might transfer. Carlton maybe. Whaley maybe. Polley closer to home. I think one comes back. Polley is my guess.