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Message: [QUOTE="Towney007, post: 3450356, member: 5832"] I'll eat a lot of crap on Whaley - and do so enthusiastically. I didn't see anything that made me nuts about him in any way, shape or form and I was definitely one of those 'I wonder if things would be better off for him at another program' people. Heading into the season - he was the one guy who I thought would leave and maybe should. 100%. I wasn't wrong - I was wrong about him in every way I could possibly have been wrong about him. The only comfort I get in that is that I wasn't alone- and I think he's even caught the staff by surprise. I really didn't move off it either - although I'll admit during the Saint Michael's game - I started to wonder if something was there. But being buried on the bench and so drunk on my own bias towards him - I kinda casually discarded the thought. What's unusual about him is how fast his hands are - and his anticipation on defense is pro-level. He's an incredibly smart player and while he's not the most gifted athlete -he's just so smart that he's able to overcome it. This whole thing now where he hits baby jumpers has made him an actual offensive asset. But it's the defense, disrupting passes, his timing... his motor... that's what makes him so good. It's legitimately insane how many passes and plays he breaks up in the paint. And it's not even debatable that when he's in the game - the entire pace, intensity and energy of how we play on both ends of the court it just waaay different than when he's not out there. I'd say he's cleanly the most improved guy on the team - but during this resurgence, he might actually be our MVP outside of Bouknight. I love him - he's impossible to not like. [/QUOTE]

Verification: First name of men's bb coach