What are your expectations for Polley?

[UconnU]

To me Tyler Polley is the most interesting player on next years team. He is almost a perfect fit for what Hurley is looking for at stretch 4 position if he adds a little weight. Hurley wants 4 players on the floor who can dribble the majority of the time. He prefers 2 bigger guards (who can rebound and dribble penetrate), 2 wings(typically a bigger guard at the 3 and stretch 4) and a true center. Because he can shoot Polley can be used solely for spacing for our guards if he can draw 4s away from the basket. In my opinion last season Polley was underutilized and was used poorly. He never played long enough stretches to get into a groove(minus maybe the last handful of games). He should have been taking a lot more of TLs time based on how poorly TL played for stretches. I was watching some tape earlier and he actually looked really good at times, maybe a little tentative but that's to be expected from a freshman used sparsely. I honestly have no idea what to expect from him next year. He could be a starter, maybe a 8 and 5 type player, or he could ride the bench again but I think he could be the player that benefits the most from the coaching change.

 

[JimHurley]

I think he'll be the first wing off the bench next season. A reasonable expectation from him is 6 and 4.

 

[Danzz]

Polley has outstanding potential as a shooter but I don't see him as a 4, more like a 3/2. Somebody is going to have to rebound and if Polley plays the 4 we will be hurting where we are already weak. He could really help next year. I just don't think it will be at the 4.

 

[Robertelamin]

The sample size is so small it’s impossible to know and that also goes for a few other guys unfortunately.

 

[UconnU]

Polley has outstanding potential as a shooter but I don't see him as a 4, more like a 3/2. Somebody is going to have to rebound and if Polley plays the 4 we will be hurting where we are already weak. He could really help next year. I just don't think it will be at the 4.

Hurley started a 6 foot 4 guard at the 4 last year. Polley would have been the tallest player in his rotation if he were on URI's team last season. Hurley likes small ball. Zero chance he gets time at the 2 next year.

 

[Horatio]

Gradual goodness.

 

[zepfan]

I hope I'm wrong but he still seems a year away to me. I agree there is no way he plays the 4 and he's not quick enough at the 2. He must get considerably stronger and increase his aggressiveness. I think his best bet for playing time is to improve his shooting. His physicality may not ever be highly competitive, but a finesse game with a good mid and long range shot... he'd be formidable as a 3.

 

[Burnsbros23]

Him or Wilson will need to step up at the 3/4. If we r good one of them will need to be all conference type 12 and 6

 

[Chin Diesel]

Ditto the small sample size.

Polley seems to have the game that will thrive in a "system" system. I think he can be a 7-9 points and 4-5 boards guy in about 20mpg. When he gets to his spot, he shoots well and can score. He's got a good face up game and can extend the defense.

Like others I think he'll have gradual improvement. His best attribute going forward will be a willingness to be coached and to be challenged.

 

[Sphinx]

Agree that Polley is an interesting player but he cannot be used at the 4 on a team desperate for rebounding. His rebounds per minutes played was the worst on the team and that includes all the guards. Also, hard to say he wasn't given the chance -- he was KO's starting 3 in the early going and again in the two games after his 6 for 6 three-point outburst. Both times, his tentativeness earned him the bench again. (After the 6 for 6 against Tulsa and ECU, he took only seven 3-pointers in the final five games (despite going 3 for 7).

But the kid does intrigue as a face-up 3. He did shoot 42% from three, hitting 9 of his last 13, did make his foul shots, and did show a quick first step to the basket, albeit an inability to finish (the one exception being a memorable early season move from the top of the key that absolutely screamed potential.) I think a comparison to the freshman DeAndre Daniels is not out of the ballpark, although DD was both stronger and more athletic. Both were very tentative as freshmen but for different reasons. Daniels was intimidated by JC, Polley was lost under KO. Daniels needed freedom, Polley needed direction. Likely to get it under Hurley.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

1) Polley will and should mostly play all of his minutes at the 3. Too much competition at the 4 with Diarra, Cobb, Yakwe, Whaley, Williams in the mix and Polley's outside game matched with his late-season willingness to drive to the basket profiles better at the 3.

2) With that in mind, I'd expect a near even workload with Sid Wilson. By season's end, I'd expect low-20s minutes, 7 ppg, 2 boards, 40% 3, 2 FTA/g.

 

[David 76]

9 and 4

 

[microfich]

Lateral quickness. He has a decent first step which should translate to defense. He is a negative player right now. Watch some Celtics games and see what great defense is. If Aron Baynes can stay ahead of Joel Embiid then Tyler Polley can do enough to stay on the floor.

 

[Palatine]

Right now he is simply a spot up shooter. He has shown the ability to attack the rim but lacked the strength to finish when he got there. A lot depends on how fast he is able to improve his overall game. He is a high ceiling player.

 

[Ricker]

Thankyou for the first basketball thread in days.

In Polley I see a lot of Facey & Daniels. Daniels as a frosh was lost on the court and drifted to the wings. Without looking at stats I bet he got negligible rebounds. He started off hitting nothing. Ultimately he played tough, made shots, and could put the ball on the floor. Polley was lost on defense more than Daniels was on offense and guys got easy baskets. Whether it was all his fault I don't know, but neither did he. I expect that issue to be one area he improves greatly next season. As he gained confidence his shot started falling and it seemed his willingness to take a shot. He also showed he could take the ball to the hoop like Daniels and I think his success doing that will grow. Facey could also shoot but never got tenacity and strength or confidence to shoot until his senior year. Polley is ahead on the confidence scale but needs the same work on the weight scale, and hopefully before his senior year.

Unfortunately, unless he gains strength and/or tenacity, I think next year will be another underwhelming season in a progression that will result in him being a very good player for us. The reason I say this is because I think his best position will be a stretch 4 and for that he needs strength and tenacity to add something under the boards. That probably will take at least another offseason in the weight room Right now he seems to me a tweener between a 3 and a 4. Not strong enough to be a complete 4, and not quick enough to guard smaller players at the 3 position. I think it is more likely that he can gain strength rather than quickness, hence another building year for him.

With that said, my comments are made with the idea of him matching up to the other team. If he were to continue knocking down 3-4 threes a game at that 42% rate, more teams would have to match up big at the 3 position because he would be forcing the matchup. In that case he could have success at the 3, and it could be next season.

 

[len0322]

Tatum 2.0 please. In all seriousness, hoping he becomes an impactful contributor to the top 8 rotation

 

[Matrim55]

Keep shooting well behind the arc. Defend and rebound better.

If that's all he ever is he'll have been a worthwhile recruit. "Middle-class man's Giffey" would be just fine.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Tatum 2.0 please. In all seriousness, hoping he becomes an impactful contributor to the top 8 rotation

Expectation or unrealistic hope?

 

[jibsey]

At his height and shooting ability he should be a starter but only if he is getting a lot stronger and can rebound. What is his listed size and weight?

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

At his height and shooting ability he should be a starter but only if he is getting a lot stronger and can rebound. What is his listed size and weight?

6’8” 68lbs

 

[Jaker]

Kobe Bryant

 

[Chief00]

His Dad was an NFL LB - Tyler needs to weight room it up - he’s got the genes.

 

[Doctor Hoop]

He'll be fine if he's allowed to a) play the 3, and b) handle the ball a little and be a little creative (note, I wrote "a little"). If every time he gets the ball and doesn't have an open 3 he's expected to get it back to Adams or Gilbert, then his production will be what it was mid season. If he's allowed some freedom to handle and drive occasionally - which he's capable of and which he will get better at as he does it more - then he'll be even more a positive. He does need to learn to protect the ball better on drives. And as a 6-8 guy with a high release, people will have to play up on him on the perimeter due to the 3 point shooting touch (gee, it feels really good to write that about one of our players).

Regarding rebounding, despite the slender frame he has excellent hands and rises up well with good timing, grabbing the ball at the top of his jump. More lower body & core strength to hold position will help.

He won't be a superstar, but 6-10 pts per game next year is easily obtainable.

 

[Husk1881]

Only the highest

 

[Tenspro2002]

Competent bench player at the wing, but the kind of guy you have to be recruiting over if we're going to return to national prominence.