What to make of Gaffney? | Page 3 | The Boneyard

What to make of Gaffney?

BigErnMcCracken said:
If Jalen Gaffney was dominating RJ Cole in practice he would probably be starting.
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Maybe. But I’d find it difficult to believe that Whaley didn’t stand out in practice and he had to wait until two starting front court players were sidelined by injury before he started.
I think Dan Hurley is very loyal to his players and once you’re a starter you’re given the benefit of the doubt. It’s why it took so long for AG to finally lose his starting position.
it’s not a bad thing, being loyal. Most times it pays dividends.
 
EBonz30 said:
What is the rush as far as coming to conclusions with these players- it’s been 4 games & the team has been going through COVID-19 practices & play this year. Can we at least give the kid a dozen games before we say he’s not what we expected, lol. You usually are pretty practical when it comes to this stuff- surprised by this thread.
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The first second that people starting to bring Gilbert up as being a better option, we all should have just laughed and punched out of the conversation.
 
Fishy said:
The first second that people starting to bring Gilbert up as being a better option, we all should have just laughed and punched out of the conversation.
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well, it's about time you did some 'wildly whispered, rarely displayed' throat punching. so that's what it actually looks like. noice. you had me at the kansas cornfield eulogy. lazerlike.
 
The Gaff/Cole situation reminds me of KOs sophomore year. Competing for pt against transfer Cupp Cormier. Cormier was a bit of a train wreck by the end of the year I think. He wasn't that great and may of had some disciplinary issues. Tough to remember at this point.

Regardless, we had 2 PGs. Neither real great. But KO won the job. Seems like Gaff should of been able to do the same. I'm surprised is all. After starting much of his freshman year. I hope for more development. The job was right there for the taking.
 
Al is an awesome kid but he killed our ball movement by overdribbling. And he's still doing that in Wichita.
 
Gaffney's issues are confidence based. I imagine he will work out the kinks sooner rather then later. Until then we will have to rely on Cole. I'm not convinced Cole cannot be the guy either. He will realize that his style of play has to change and hopefully adapt to being the facilitator we need. Hurley is on it.
 
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I think Cole will shoot it much better from deep, he’s had a lot of shots that look good that have been rattling out. I think that will improve.
As far as gaff I think the OP said it best he just defers too much and plays to not make mistakes rather than to make plays. Showed something by draining both free throws tho
 
Fishy said:
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.
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i dont see that at all. Is gaffney a better defender than al? Better shooter? Better passer?
 
Gilbert is the same player he's always been...

I know 5 games but... 12.8 and 3.4 shooting 36/30/72
His best season at UConn he was 12.6 and 3.6 38/33/77

He was a solid defender but he was not a good point guard. The problem is Cole is what people who didn't drink the Kool-Aid thought he was, an ok player on a very bad team (27-40 in two years) and Gaffney is a year three or four guy. He's just not that good yet and we knew that coming in. My prediction is that Diggins will be our PG from day one.
 
Chin Diesel said:
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.
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Russell was the best of all time. He basically redefined the position and was literally a coach on the floor. And a championship one at that. I just wanted to list 5 greats. Other than Russ, Put ‘em wherever you want they would beat you!
 
I think Gaffney could be a decent player at UConn. My two issues with Gaffney is that A) he is only a sophomore, and kids take time to develop, and B) Gaffney would be better if he wasn't forced to play the 3 so much. He is too short, it is hard to create against athletic 6'6 players, and he ends up parked in the corner.
 
NDakotaHusky said:
The Gaff/Cole situation reminds me of KOs sophomore year. Competing for pt against transfer Cupp Cormier. Cormier was a bit of a train wreck by the end of the year I think. He wasn't that great and may of had some disciplinary issues. Tough to remember at this point.

Regardless, we had 2 PGs. Neither real great. But KO won the job. Seems like Gaff should of been able to do the same. I'm surprised is all. After starting much of his freshman year. I hope for more development. The job was right there for the taking.
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My only difference is that I’m not sure the job was completely open. Coaches, even pretty good ones, get enamored with certain guys. I truly think Hurley is enamored with Coles, who I suspect was given the starter job from day 1. And certain guys react differently. The returning starter, who really contributed to last year’s turnaround is suddenly on the bench. It seems to have made him more tentative almost like he is trying to avoid any mistake rather than make plays.
 
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nelsonmuntz said:
I think Gaffney could be a decent player at UConn. My two issues with Gaffney is that A) he is only a sophomore, and kids take time to develop, and B) Gaffney would be better if he wasn't forced to play the 3 so much. He is too short, it is hard to create against athletic 6'6 players, and he ends up parked in the corner.
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At some point this becomes a Gaffney problem. He's 6'3, athletic, and ripped, he should be able to drive on 6'6 defenders if it's within his skill set.
 
Chin Diesel said:
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.
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If you needed more evidence about freescooter knowing nothing about basketball other than the hundreds of examples he's already left us, he thinks Jordan was a frontcourt player and thinks Russell is the best player ever.
 
superjohn said:
If you needed more evidence about freescooter knowing nothing about basketball other than the hundreds of examples he's already left us, he thinks Jordan was a frontcourt player and thinks Russell is the best player ever.
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Let me guess, he also enjoys set shots and a good two-handed chest pass.
 
NDakotaHusky said:
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.
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he is known as a kid that really really really puts the work in.
 
NDakotaHusky said:
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.
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From his play to date do you think Cole put in the proper summer work? Both are shooting about 30% from the field and Cole gets far fewer rebounds (effort?) and way more turnovers (basketball IQ?) but lot more steals (quickness?).
Both Gaffney and Cole need to play better. Neither is currently playing well (not talking about shooting which has been way under par but is distinct from playing well) enough to be a top 25 team point guard.
I would start Gaffney with Cole coming off the bench. Hunt shots for Bouk and Polley early. Cole comes in and team trys to get him shots. Play determines game minutes where one plays or both play together a lot.
 
freescooter said:
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.
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I couldn’t believe it when Bill Russell asked to be released from his NLI last summer...thought we were gonna have something special in that one...
 
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Fishy said:
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.
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Well, he took over occasionally, it was just usually to the detriment of our team...
 
I have no idea why Gilbert is coming up in this thread, but there’s a reason last year’s team turned a corner when Gaffney replaced him in the starting lineup.

He’s not the most dynamic point guard we’ve seen at UConn, but the offense runs a lot smoother when he’s on the floor. If nothing else, his first instinct isn’t to take quick shots that really should be going to Bouknight.
 
nelsonmuntz said:
I think Gaffney could be a decent player at UConn. My two issues with Gaffney is that A) he is only a sophomore, and kids take time to develop, and B) Gaffney would be better if he wasn't forced to play the 3 so much. He is too short, it is hard to create against athletic 6'6 players, and he ends up parked in the corner.
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Please let me know when he plays the 3?
 
David 76 said:
Every one should relax. We probably will never see Gaffney, Martin, Adams and Cole all shoot that poorly again.
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seriously, 17 days off playing a top 10 team. could be worse, golden state not looking so good
 
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Husky68 said:
From his play to date do you think Cole put in the proper summer work? Both are shooting about 30% from the field and Cole gets far fewer rebounds (effort?) and way more turnovers (basketball IQ?) but lot more steals (quickness?).
Both Gaffney and Cole need to play better. Neither is currently playing well (not talking about shooting which has been way under par but is distinct from playing well) enough to be a top 25 team point guard.
I would start Gaffney with Cole coming off the bench. Hunt shots for Bouk and Polley early. Cole comes in and team trys to get him shots. Play determines game minutes where one plays or both play together a lot.
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Who knows. Maybe not.

My comments about Gaff are just a theory of course. Based on the fact that Gaff started last year. Seemed to be developing into a solid 4 year guy. He should of been in the drivers seat for the starting role. Suddenly he's on the bench and seems to have taken a step backwards. Benched by a transfer who isn't playing particularly well himself. I'm a bit puzzled.

Maybe its just Covid. Maybe Covid took away the normal summer leagues and camps. I understand he put on some muscle. Spent time in the gym.

I like Gaff. A lot actually. Coming into the season i thought he'd be one of the leaders of the team. So far he's not so great. Hoping he turns it around.
 
Kenny11 said:
he is known as a kid that really really really puts the work in.
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Yeah, I don't pay a ton of attention to the off-season news. Others have suggested he put in a decent amount of time in the weight room.
 
I was confident Gaffney would hit the free throws and he did. I was not confident that Cole would and he didn’t. Other than being in control when he’s on the court. Nothing else stands out to me about his game. I wish it was Gaffney at the line instead of Cole though.
 
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