What to make of Gaffney?

[Jluc]

I said in my initial post I understand why both sides had to move on. But on the floor he would be our best PG option right now. This season. And it’s not close.

He wasn’t even our best point guard option last year.

 

[freescooter]

I get it. I think a bunch of us fans are having to adjust our expectations for player's on this year's teams from based on what we saw last year and projected for this and what we read in the offseason to what we are seeing in the first four games.

What you say? Off season reports are overhyped? Is that what you are suggesting? Heaven forbid. I can’t believe that could happen...why every off season report I read had me expecting a front court of Bird and Jordan with a young Bill Russell at center and a back court of Magic and LeBron.

 

[August_West]

He wasn’t even our best point guard option last year.

He wasnt our best option to "be the man" Thats for sure. Which is what he tried to do at the beginning of the year.

Who was our best option? Freshman Gaffney? He was steady. which was great at end of year as starter, but Al played a ton of minutes off bench spelling him and was a huge net positive in that run. And that upswing at the end of the year was Vital actually being an all conference player and bouknight being an All American in waiting. With a healthy knockdown shooting Polley and Whaley emerging as a the most unique player I can think of. We still have Whaley, we still have Boat. The other two are sorely missed. Right now. After 4 games.

 

[Chin Diesel]

What you say? Off season reports are overhyped? Is that what you are suggesting? Heaven forbid. I can’t believe that could happen...why every off season report I read had me expecting a front court of Bird and Jordan with a young Bill Russell at center and a back court of Magic and LeBron.

Why you would construct a god awful front court of Bird and Jordan when you could have Bird and Lebron. Same with the backcourt. You have Magic and Lebron when it should be Magic and Jordan.

And then you put the second best center of his generation on that squad? Put a rebounding machine like Wilt or a scoring machine like Kareem on that team.

 

[8893]

A hat, a broach, a pterodactyl?

 

[superjohn]

Thats's OK.

I have to ask though. Who would be better than Alterique? Cole or Gaffney?

Think all three of them are about the same. All bad once they get in the lane. Gilbert and Cole play faster than Gaffney so a little more turnover prone. All streaky from deep with bad percentages, I think Cole is probably the best shooter.

 

[MexicoHusky]

At the moment, I'd describe Gaff as a KO guy. Someone who doesn't improve or put in the work in the offseason. He earned a starting job last year. Looked like someone who would help anchor the team with Bouk. Then we recruit a pretty average PG in Cole and Gaff is sitting. Justifiably so.

My assumption is he didn't put in proper summer work.

 

[LIuconn]

put in the work in the offseason.

Look at his body last year compared to this season. He 100% put work in. His ceiling looks lower than what we were hoping for

 

[bendm]

My assumption is he didn't put in proper summer work.

you know what they say about assumptions. makes an ass out of you, and umptions.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Look at his body last year compared to this season. He 100% put work in. His ceiling looks lower than what we were hoping for

I guess.... His shot is obviously off. To me that looks like rust. A sign that someone hasn't been playing a ton. I'd also add he lost his starting job to a pretty average player. Another sign he didn't put in the work. But I guess he's bigger. That's cool

 

[bendm]

A sign that someone hasn't been playing a ton.

this would be quality sarcastic humor if you werent serious

 

[MexicoHusky]

this would be grade A sarcastic humor if you werent serious

I'm not sure what you are talking about

 

[bendm]

I'm not sure what you are talking about

clearly

 

[Improviser]

In hindsight, Gilbert would have been the best PG now. Hurley wanted to develop Gaffney and Cole and thought they would fill the bill.

With the current roster construction, their best chance is to play ugly and if they can keep the game in the 60-70 range, and Polley can shoot around 40% off the bench, and Gaffney can make an incremental increase in his 3 point shooting (even to 25 to 30%), they can win some games.

However, with Bouk scoring at a normal clip in the 20's, only if they play like they played against USC, can they be successful.

Creighton was a better team than most. But, most of the other teams in the BE are on par with USC, so there is not much of a margin of error.

When will Akok be back? His shotblocking and shot altering, even without a lot of scoring should help.

 

[UConnJim]

I think people are overthinking things. It is early season and the team hasn't really played with each other much this year. Give it time for the PG play to jell.

As for 3 point shooting, many young players take time to develop their shot in high level college basketball. Here are some UConn players first year in college 3 point shooting:

Marcus Williams 0.176
Brendan Adams 0.235
Donyell Marshall 0.242
Taliek Brown 0.250
Akok Akok 0.261
Jalen Gaffney 0.264
Kemba Walker 0.271
Jalen Adams 0.273
AJ Price 0.273
Craig Austrie 0.303
Tyrese Martin 0.311
Jerome Dyson 0.326
Shabazz Napier 0.326
John Gwynn 0.333
James Bouknight 0.347
RJ Cole 0.359
Christian Vital 0.366
Richard Hamilton 0.376
Ryan Boatright 0.377
Chris Smith 0.385
Ray Allen 0.402
Tyler Polley 0.417

The list tells me that players will improve their 3 point shooting over time and that the current roster has 3 or 4 potential shooters: Polley, Cole, Bouknight, and maybe Martin.

 

[Fishy]

He's good.

Alterique Gilbert was awful - he's still awful.

Nice kid, blah, blah, but he can't throw the ball in the ocean and he's the only person who doesn't realize that.

There's a reason he left and that reason was that he's not as good as Gaffney.

 

[Palatine]

He's good.

Alterique Gilbert was awful - he's still awful.

Nice kid, blah, blah, but he can't throw the ball in the ocean and he's the only person who doesn't realize that.

There's a reason he left and that reason was that he's not as good as Gaffney.

Gilbert could take over games. Gaffney has shown nothing close to that.

 

[navery12]

Thats's OK.

I have to ask though. Who would be better than Alterique? Cole or Gaffney?

Cole. And I don't think it's particularly close either

 

[Kemba Time]

He's good.

Alterique Gilbert was awful - he's still awful.

Nice kid, blah, blah, but he can't throw the ball in the ocean and he's the only person who doesn't realize that.

There's a reason he left and that reason was that he's not as good as Gaffney.

This take is what’s awful. Literally every word of it is inaccurate except for when you typed “Nice kid”

 

[fatlucy]

It’s odd to say, but RJ being brought into the program carrying the stamp of “grestness” from senior Hurley has disrupted rather than improved the team. At leader for the beginning of the season while he’s finding his way.

ifRJ hadn’t been signed, thus team would’ve had a carryover of Gaffney running the point from last year. The starting five, and sub rotation, would’ve been cemented and the play of everyone improved.

Now they’re a team with a scoring guard playing PG, and shooting like a scorer , but not putting the ball in the basket like a scorer.

If RJ ever plays like advertised then the plan will work. But right now, his taking a starting position has been disruptive to what should’ve been great chemistry on the floor.

This is completely wrong. Stop posting.

 

[LIUCHusky]

At the moment, I'd describe Gaff as a KO guy. Someone who doesn't improve or put in the work in the offseason. He earned a starting job last year. Looked like someone who would help anchor the team with Bouk. Then we recruit a pretty average PG in Cole and Gaff is sitting. Justifiably so.

My assumption is he didn't put in proper summer work.

Wow! Quite an assumption. You know what they say about assuming. LOL

 

[JB75]

Isn’t it ironic that everyone thought AG wud of been our third best point guard this year if he stayed but the way things are starting , Ag is averaging 15 a game /Gaffney’s remained the same (actually regressed) and the jury is still out on Cole -wouldnt we love to have this years AG? Especially his defense and break down ability. Little bit of a hot take because it’s so early in the season but always loved AG

 

[Fishy]

Gilbert could take over games. Gaffney has shown nothing close to that.

Your New Year's resolution is to stop being wrong on the internet.

Gilbert took over nothing last year which is why he is living out in a cornfield somewhere in Kansas.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Wow! Quite an assumption. You know what they say about assuming. LOL

No... what do they say?

You and the other guy with the same sweet joke should hang out.

 

[Ajs120102]

Imo what to make of any of these players outside of Bouknight is that it’s been 4 games in a season with 2, 14 days pauses. The fan base has been a little unreasonable. UConn needs to get into a groove. Need to play like 5 uninterrupted games to make even a remote judgment call on progress.