What is going on with Jayden Ross

[Hunt for 7]

Good perspective.

Only question I have is around your last paragraph and if players will be willing to remain role players into their upperclassman years or if they go somewhere they can get real minutes. I’d have to think there has to be a real compelling message for anyone going into their third year with little minutes, with a crew of top frosh coming in.

I guess the hard part is helping them develop enough ala Andre from not on the NBA radar to potential draft pick without major minutes. Of course that was before NIL exploded so it may not be possible to expect three years out of players who are not getting enough run to show what skills they have..

Ross is interesting as I think we are fairly certain that nba scouts did ask about him last year. Clearly he has not been able to take the game he shows in practice into real (not ETAM) competition.

The whole dynamic to your point, which is certainly credible, is that the best teams will be composed of high level freshmen and portal acquisition’s. So if a player stays for three years they more than likely would never see real playing time.

 

[Shamon30]

He reminds me a tad of Marcus Johnson

 

[woodchuck68]

I guess the hard part is helping them develop enough ala Andre from not on the NBA radar to potential draft pick without major minutes. Of course that was before NIL exploded so it may not be possible to expect three years out of players who are not getting enough run to show what skills they have..

Ross is interesting as I think we are fairly certain that nba scouts did ask about him last year. Clearly he has not been able to take the game he shows in practice into real (not ETAM) competition.

The whole dynamic to your point, which is certainly credible, is that the best teams will be composed of high level freshmen and portal acquisition’s. So if a player stays for three years they more than likely would never see real playing time.

Part of the problem is that Ross should not be on the court at same time with AM and prob JS

 

[Scrutineer]

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).

Exactly. He needs to slow down and stop trying to impress solely with his three point shots. Play great defense, drive to the basket and develop some confidence by contributing to the team. Like MSU's freshman PG who's playing well now after lots of early mistakes.

Dan Hurley lauded Ross after the Summer workouts same way he did SJ when he got here. Why that hasn't translated yet is the mystery the coaches probably can't figure out as yet.

 

[JerseyAlum]

Stewart is clearly above Ross at this point and was last season: more athletic, better shot, better defender (I know, debatable for defense).

Ross has Abraham (literally same height and weight 6'7" 205 lbs) pushing him for minutes, and I don't know if Ross's will go down and Abraham's will go up but it's going to be interesting to see who is #1 off the bench for each starter if they need to or have to sit:
1. Diarra sits = should be Nowell, but as currently injured, Mahaney
2. Ball sits = should be Maheney
3. Liam sits = should be Stewart
4. Alex sits = [help me here, we don't really have a good 4 off the bench, so this is Ross/Stewart coming in usually]
5. Samson sits = Reed, Jr.

That's a 10-deep team but Alex rarely sits...Abraham has not checked in awhile and Stewart started vs Baylor with Ross getting a little time off the bench. Ross did have a great game vs UMES, but who doesn't?

Bottom line is if we need Ross to be a 25 min, 14 pt, 11 board super defender, we have bigger problems.

 

[ctchamps]

Stewart is clearly above Ross at this point and was last season: more athletic, better shot, better defender (I know, debatable for defense).

Ross has Abraham (literally same height and weight 6'7" 205 lbs) pushing him for minutes, and I don't know if Ross's will go down and Abraham's will go up but it's going to be interesting to see who is #1 off the bench for each starter if they need to or have to sit:
1. Diarra sits = should be Nowell, but as currently injured, Mahaney
2. Ball sits = should be Maheney
3. Liam sits = should be Stewart
4. Alex sits = [help me here, we don't really have a good 4 off the bench, so this is Ross/Stewart coming in usually]
5. Samson sits = Reed, Jr.

That's a 10-deep team but Alex rarely sits...Abraham has not checked in awhile and Stewart started vs Baylor with Ross getting a little time off the bench. Ross did have a great game vs UMES, but who doesn't?

Bottom line is if we need Ross to be a 25 min, 14 pt, 11 board super defender, we have bigger problems.

You answered your own request regarding who is Alex's backup. It's Stewart. He started and played a lot of minutes in the Baylor game because Alex was injured. He doesn't get a lot of minutes when Alex is healthy. Until this team improves more we need Alex's stabilizing presence on the court. Stewart struggles playing defense against 1s, 2s and 3s. And we have the 5's covered. Stewart is next seasons starting 4.

Ross on the other hand can guard those three positions. I expect him to get more playing time when we play mediocre BE teams if we get substantial leads. He needs game experience and currently is too much of a liability on offense. If things click for him in games the way they have in practice this team will be that much better for it. One additional thing. In the preseason mens and women's showcase Stewart was the best men's 3 point shooter. He needs to become confident doing it in games.

 

[CL82]

I like Ross and I think he’s gonna be a decent player for us down the road but right now he’s too overeager, anxious , jumpy and twitchy -needs to chill a little bit let the game come to him.

That comes with time.

 

[CL82]

Also, the human brain doesn't fully mature until age 26, so let's chill.

If you are talking about the ability to delay gratification and see long-term consequences, it tends to be age 25 on average for women and 27 on average for men. So there is some biology behind the whole "hold my beer" phenomena.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

I really feel like we are doing a disservice to Jayden with this entire thread. As someone mentioned...this is really his rookie year and despite all comments about what he can't apparently do, I have no doubt he will be the catalyst for a victory or two by end of the season.

 

[coachn]

Ross stopped Johnson but last nite stopped Nembhard and we win both games. Jayden is a defensive stopper right now

 

[RuffRuff]

Ross stopped Johnson but last nite stopped Nembhard and we win both games. Jayden is a defensive stopper right now

AK, Liam and Hass looking like guys Dan Hurley gonna play 36+ minutes. Core of this team. The center 40 gets split. Right now only position giving up peripheral bench minutes is the 2. Ross will get his chance to battle that out with Mahaney and Nowell, and likely be situational.

 

[willie99]

I love our sophomores, they will all have their moments

 

[jibsey]

Andre Jackson early on had lots of “moments” with mistakes and seeing how quick Ross was on that steal and seeing him defend in spots when Mahaney couldn’t do it was very good. He’s a defensive weapon if Hurley can teach and sell that role to him.

 

[Greathusky]

He reminds me a tad of Marcus Johnson

Balls on correct!

 

[yankeewc]

His shooting will come around. He apparently shoots great at practice and it will transition to in game performance once he gets more playing time.

 

[JerseyAlum]

AK, Liam and Hass looking like guys Dan Hurley gonna play 36+ minutes. Core of this team. The center 40 gets split. Right now only position giving up peripheral bench minutes is the 2. Ross will get his chance to battle that out with Mahaney and Nowell, and likely be situational.

Yeah, it's funny sometimes you see Diarra with Ball getting bodied by guards, but other times we see Liam bringing the ball up alone or AK doing the same (I think 1x or 2x in the Gonzaga game)

Liam - can create his own shot with Euro step gaining a foot or two to the hoop for the harm or the kickout, or moves well enough for a rhythm 3. Most importantly, we saw Liam running the O on occasion. BBIQ is there and for a frosh that is huge, but he has some growth/potential to realize.

AK - kind of ditto with more BBIQ at this point (older) experience running the O and facilitating, but underappreciated defense at the 4/3/5 position and selfless. Maybe sometimes too in love with distance 3s.

Haas - never gonna be Tristen, but has flashes of being an offensive threat to drive and dish or drive for 2 and the harm or hit a 3 (I think of our 3pt shooters, he has the lowest pct but can be clutch). Defenses know he is not Tristen-dangerous which puts more pressure on the other players (AK and Liam mainly).

It's interesting to see the Ball/Stewart/Ross minutes flux: Ball is our starting 2 right now, and while his lack of defense has been well documented, his shooting is coming along not just from deep but some pull up. Stewart played for AK, but even with AK back, Stewart has the offense for 3s, pull ups, drives, and can handle the ball. Ross is perhaps our best defender (debatable with AK) but sometimes is his own undoing with early fouls on reach ins.

Most interesting was Singare coming in for Johnson - he immediately fouled then was clean for a bit but a bunch of us at MSG thought the first foul was nerves - he was walling up the player, and reached around with both hands for the obvious foul. But good to see him get some minutes and given no 5 fouled out vs Gonzaga, things at that position are definitely getting better (and we hope Samson does too).