What is going on with Jayden Ross

[husky429]

The IQ isn't there. The game is too fast for him. Just not quite on our level yet.

He wanted to stay and get better instead of going to some 50-100 ranked program with all the PT in the world. We'll see if that was the right decision next fall.

 

[aceboon]

does he have a baseline measure of performance that we should be comparing his current play to? he's a borderline top 100 recruit seeing his first real minutes of game action, it's ok if he struggles

 

[boog204]

As others said he’s essentially having his freshman year (which is why I always advocate for freshman to have some roles to get their feet wet, otherwise we’re just wasting a year of a development).

So you wanted Ross to take minutes away from Newton, Cam and Castle last year? For real?

 

[hardcorehusky]

Right now, he has the ability to be used like Andre Jackson if he can improve defensively. He has spring and athleticism and needs pt to have the mental part catch up to the physical.

 

[Palatine]

So you wanted Ross to take minutes away from Newton, Cam and Castle last year? For real?

No. I want him to get minutes this year.

He looks like he could be an A+ defender which would be very valuable to this team. He will need some game time reps for him to do it. I hope Hurley makes sure to get him the minutes he needs to develop. And if his offense improves at all, he could be an impact player.

 

[Deleted at users request]

So you wanted Ross to take minutes away from Newton, Cam and Castle last year? For real?

I promise it’s possible for everyone to play and we’ve done it before. And we wouldn’t have lost doing so.

We were literally winning games by 20. These guys aren’t that bad to make a 20 point difference.

 

[Seamus84]

We need a defender against 1-4 taller shooters. Period. With all the shooting and offense we have we can afford to have an elite defender off the bench who can come in when needed to shut down elite taller shooters. Looking backward we had both Castle and Andre Jackson before him who were both 6-6 and excellent as defenders. If it's not Ross at this point then let's see what Abraham can do as well. There is time to experiment with this before year end tourneys and of course next year as well. I agree with the in game learning. The lights are a lot brighter with 10,000+ screaming fans than at practice so mistakes are going to happen. We will undoubtedly have to face that kind of talent at tourney time.

I like the idea of him coming off the bench for 5 minutes to shutdown (or at least disrupt) a hot shooter, especially on the road…eg Ashworth at Creighton, Jones at Marquette, Richmond at SJU, etc.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

Antric Klaiber?

such an odd reference. He averaged less than 1 pt a year as a frosh and never left JC's doghouse in his career, except to let Funchess have a turn.

 

[aburks41]

The game looks like it’s moving too fast for him at times because of the lack of playing experience. We saw the same thing with Solo last year. I can confidently tell you that Ross is not a 15% 3pt shooter or whatever his stats are right now. He just needs more time to adjust to the game speed. I suspect that he’ll be an important contributor off the bench by mid February

 

[Captbluefin]

With the transfer rules one has to pray that any of these players understand that their Jr and Sr years are where all this work and patience pays off for both themselves and the team.

With teams poaching and promising time in their ear it makes trusting the process very difficult for them..

 

[cp176]

Right now, he has the ability to be used like Andre Jackson if he can improve defensively. He has spring and athleticism and needs pt to have the mental part catch up to the physical.

Just what I've been thinking. Watching Jackson develop, I couldn't help but wonder who tried to teach him shot mechanics. But that being said, he was able to lead through superior athleticism and a desire to be a shut down defender and a major disrupter of other team's offenses. Ross's value really looks to be on the defensive end of things. The carrot on the stick for this kid - Your best defender should start. It's a dirty job.

 

[housekeys]

I am glad he plays for UConn.

 

[AllHusky]

For this years team, tell

I like the idea of him coming off the bench for 5 minutes to shutdown (or at least disrupt) a hot shooter, especially on the road…eg Ashworth at Creighton, Jones at Marquette, Richmond at SJU, etc.

Absolutely should be his role for the time being. Build a defense first player who gradually will acquire the skills/experience offensively. Give him a month with that mentality and play Texas again, see if he doesn't shut down Johnson. Someone mentioned Abraham similarly, why not. We can score on you, can we stop you!

 

[ucp990411]

Give him space and time. This year should be a development year for the whole team.

Tell that to Hassan and Samson

 

[Umami Zen]

We were spoiled last year by some elite defenders now playing in the NBA. Ross has a ways to go and needs to contribute when he's on the floor -any way he can. If he could begin to impact/disrupt on the defensive side of the ball-rebounds/tips/50-50 balls/steals. In the minutes he gets- It could really help this team. Once he's put a few games together with some consistency as a defensive disruptor- Other things could very well fall into place.Seems to be over-playing a little bit on D and taking some chances to facilitate the breakaway dunk if possible. Stay in front of your guy and get possession of the ball for your team first. And then-Explode down the court and try to beat your guy with your speed. You'll get rewarded with the ball on offense if you're getting stops on defense.

Gotta see the ball go through the net within the flow of the game and when open. Will help his confidence.

 

[Iluvsuebird]

Ross will get better. But will he get better with us? Next year we will have a log jam at the position. Nowell will play. The two freshmen sharp shooters will play. Mahaney will play. Despite contentions to the contrary, Stewart isn't going to the League after this year. And Liam is supremely interesting. He will probably go pro. He is a stud. But from a basketball standpoint, he can make the case that he should return. He is shooting 34% from 3, respectable but not close to elite. And he is not always able to get his jumper off. His lateral movement is ok, not elite, and has been exposed at times in the first 10 games. He probably will go, but there is an argument to be made that he should return, its all I am saying. And if that happens, Ross will not play next year either.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

Ross is going to be fine. He’s one of those rotation players that will routinely play better at home for now. Next year, I think you will see real shades of Jackson and Castle and if he’s still here as a senior, he could be an AA.

 

[boog204]

Jayden Ross? This guy has a world of talent and he has disappeared. Is this another case of the Klaibers?

Just spitballin' here, but... He's a guy who was a bit of a late-bloomer/potential guy (ranked 75-120) who played less than 100 minutes TOTAL last year and produced at a 27/09/40 clip in that time. This year, coach speak pumped him up to a stupid level and members of our fanbase had absolutely ridiculous expectations based upon that (Reggie Lewis?). Kinda like the JStew is a first round pick nonsense of the offseason.

Ross is an okay bench piece. He needs to shoot it a bit better, obviously, and stop gambling so much on defense. He also needs to slow everything down. He rushes absolutely everything.

 

[Jbirdp5]

I think Ross is playing at about the level we all would have expected if Hurley didn’t start coming out with quotes that he looks like a first round pick at the beginning of the season breakfast. He was always an upperclassman big impact kinda kid

 

[cp176]

Getting up on your man - getting over or though screens - keeping the ball in front of you - taking face cuts away - getting into passing lanes - boxing out and just in general communicating in my experience doesn't require a "high basketball IQ". Teaching it is demanding and not a lot of fun for most kids but the good ones will do it. It is a job Ross should be able to do right now.

 

[Jaydumo20]

The IQ isn't there. The game is too fast for him. Just not quite on our level yet.

He wanted to stay and get better instead of going to some 50-100 ranked program with all the PT in the world. We'll see if that was the right decision next fall.

I like this a lot. You implied what I've always thought about "basketball IQ". Yeah, some people, like Sarah Strong, have a sixth sense but they are very very rare...sports IQ is learnable and teachable, although, like all learning, results aren't guaranteed.

In non sports, the IQ test completely ignores the teacher student relationship: the very relationship cbb coaches rely upon.

We need a new term.

 

[PAHusky]

No. I want him to get minutes this year.

He looks like he could be an A+ defender which would be very valuable to this team. He will need some game time reps for him to do it. I hope Hurley makes sure to get him the minutes he needs to develop. And if his offense improves at all, he could be an impact player.

Not sure I agree here. What games going forward do you see giving us the luxury of developing a player like Ross? I think if anything the cupcakes we already played would be where he gets his sea legs, and he had some opportunities there and played up and down. This team isn't nearly good enough to be giving minutes to anyone still figuring it out.

As someone said above, I think what's hurting our analysis of him is Hurley and this board hyping him up to outrageous levels. I get why (wanting to make sure he sticks around for Dan Hurley and total lunacy for this board) but right now it looks like he's pretty clearly a four year player whose mental game hopefully comes together with his physical gifts down the road in a UConn jersey.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

He’ll hopefully be helpful down the road but the expectations that he was the second coming of Hawk, AJax, Reggie Lewis or whoever after summer practice highlights and the first three games vs Bishop Sycamore, Naugatuck Valley Community College and the Valley YMCA All-Stars was simply not realistic considering he scored 15 points (total) last year.

 

[Zonepress]

Ross is going to be fine. He’s one of those rotation players that will routinely play better at home for now. Next year, I think you will see real shades of Jackson and Castle and if he’s still here as a senior, he could be an AA.

Wow rotation player to all American

 

[RuffRuff]

With the transfer rules one has to pray that any of these players understand that their Jr and Sr years are where all this work and patience pays off for both themselves and the team.

With teams poaching and promising time in their ear it makes trusting the process very difficult for them..

In particular when you have a class of top guards coming in that could make you redundant. But as we’ve seen, experience tends to rule.

Very good, not great athlete. Unrefined.