What will Samson Johnson bring to the team when he returns?

[Kitaman]

I'm not that familiar with his game, other than he started this season before being injured. What will he add to the team, besides another tall body?

Should expectations be high, low or moderate?

 

[smoothcriminal]

I’m not sure how he fits into the rotation mid year when we are undefeated and he’s mostly unproven. Nonetheless a good asset to have on the bench if really needed due to injury or foul. Feels like next year is his time to shine at this point.

 

[elmcityboy]

i think he'll be similar to diarra -- he's behind karaban and clingan in the rotation, but there will be nights when he matches up well with the other team and sees minutes over those those guys.

hurley has the guys bought in to this rotation where minutes aren't guaranteed and that opens the door up for playing time for end-of-the-bench guys when they are overperforming. if samson comes back this year and looks good, he will definitely play.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I'm not that familiar with his game, other than he started this season before being injured. What will he add to the team, besides another tall body?

Should expectations be high, low or moderate?

The two biggest things he’s bringing are the ability to moderate Karaban’s minutes so he’s not burnt out by the end of the season, and a bigger body on defense for the matchups where Karaban is getting pushed around a bit.

 

[Chin Diesel]

i think he'll be similar to diarra -- he's behind karaban and clingan in the rotation, but there will be nights when he matches up well with the other team and sees minutes over those those guys.

hurley has the guys bought in to this rotation where minutes aren't guaranteed and that opens the door up for playing time for end-of-the-bench guys when they are overperforming. if samson comes back this year and looks good, he will definitely play.

He needs to bring energy. Run hard, aggressively rebound, defend the rim and attack the offensive glass.

I'm not expecting much from Jim as far as timing or meshing well on the offensives sets this year but he can make rhe opponent expend a lot of energy accounting for his whereabouts when he is on the floor.

 

[caw]

Lob threat, some length, depth at the four and small ball five.

Love Karaban but there might be a game where he gets in foul trouble and a fourth big as athletic as Johnson would help immensely. Even if he isn’t as good as Karaban (he won’t be after his injury, for awhile, if ever) it helps a ton if UConn can have him as the backup four instead of Jackson, or Springs.

A team with a good solid post four could wear Karaban out and potentially get him in foul trouble. While UConn could play Adam’s and Clingan together it would hurt the depth advantage. Playing Jackson at the four is OK in a pinch but it’s not ideal. Johnson should be able to fill that gap. I thought he looked decent in the game he played and his highlights from summer practices show promise. I would be happy if he could provide defense, rebounding and a lob threat from the four for 10-12 a night.

 

[prankster]

PLEASE! No one take this as an invitation to begin the "Why don't we play Clingan and Sanogo at the sale time?" Time wasting game.

I can see opportunity, when we decide to play a bit smaller, to play Karaban and Johnson as twin forwards.

Against teams with smaller front courts, they could be a tough matchup

 

[SoFla Steve]

Shot blocking.

 

[mauconnfan]

Karaban was very good last night, needed to get the ball more. Not sure about the rush to get him back other than when people are in foul trouble. Nice athlete but we have those. He couldn't guard a chair last year or first game this year. Wait until he's fully healthy everything is fine.

 

[BuffaloHusky]

Over the last two games it is obvious from my vantage point that we need some more length for defensive rebounds. Karaban has done a great job with positional rebounding but sometimes it helps to have someone (besides our centers) who has longer arms than everyone else to snare a board when everyone is pushing and shoving to get position.

 

[Stinger92860]

The two biggest things he’s bringing are the ability to moderate Karaban’s minutes so he’s not burnt out by the end of the season, and a bigger body on defense for the matchups where Karaban is getting pushed around a bit.

Samson is listed at 6-10 215. In comparison Springs is listed at 6-9 235, Alex 6-8 210, and Andre is 6-6 210. Samson is taller but he is not bringing a bigger body Into the mix. This is a yard false narrative. He is bringing minutes and fouls, maybe. Anything else is a bonus.

Danny loves what Alex brings to the floor. If you need a bigger body and fouls, it would seem that Springs is your guy, yet he is not seeing the floor.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I'm not that familiar with his game, other than he started this season before being injured. What will he add to the team, besides another tall body?

Should expectations be high, low or moderate?

High motor, length, and 5 more fouls

 

[Vuce]

He wasn’t wearing a boot last night. Hurley can ease him back in. No reason to rush because the rotation is working out pretty well right now. Johnson will have some rust to work out and these next few games will be tough to get him in to do that

 

[Ricker]

Offensively, Alex is constantly setting screens, resetting, then moving to receive the ball, then finding the next right player to have the ball, then boxing out, ... I expect Johnson to more bury himself in the corner or at the rim, (more how Akok plays), and I'll be pleasantly surprised if he can make plays for others. We'll see if the offense can have the same flow. He should make 30%ish on spot up 3's, and snag some offensive RBs with put back finishes.

Defense, he will be that bigger body despite the earlier post that relies on the roster listings, because he has significantly greater hops than Richie. I expect mistakes in assignments that we will have to live with until he gets a large number of games under his belt.

Last night we went real small 2x-3x with Alex or Andre as our only 'big'. In my view that didn't work, but it could have with Johnson because he is quick enough. He also does give us the option of going real big as Hurley has said, with Johnson, Karaban, and a center. That is just one more situational strategy for another team to deal with.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Samson is listed at 6-10 215. In comparison Springs is listed at 6-9 235, Alex 6-8 210, and Andre is 6-6 210. Samson is taller but he is not bringing a bigger body Into the mix. This is a yard false narrative. He is bringing minutes and fouls, maybe. Anything else is a bonus.

Danny loves what Alex brings to the floor. If you need a bigger body and fouls, it would seem that Springs is your guy, yet he is not seeing the floor.

Then I’m expecting a fat bonus this season. Some of y’all don’t realize just how good Samson is/can be. Man’s got talent and is an athletic 6’10”, 215. He’ll contribute immensely this season once he’s back.

 

[eos91]

Samson is listed at 6-10 215. In comparison Springs is listed at 6-9 235, Alex 6-8 210, and Andre is 6-6 210. Samson is taller but he is not bringing a bigger body Into the mix. This is a yard false narrative. He is bringing minutes and fouls, maybe. Anything else is a bonus.

Danny loves what Alex brings to the floor. If you need a bigger body and fouls, it would seem that Springs is your guy, yet he is not seeing the floor.

And he has a 7’5” wingspan. AK struggled against the long, 6’10” wings and Samson will help a lot with that.

 

[BlueMAB]

I'm not expecting much from Jim as far as timing or meshing well on the offensives sets this year but he can make rhe opponent expend a lot of energy accounting for his whereabouts when he is on the floor.

What about Samson?

 

[Palatine]

And he has a 7’5” wingspan. AK struggled against the long, 6’10” wings and Samson will help a lot with that.

And he moves like someone much smaller. Watch his energy, his agility, he even shows bit of a handle.

 

[AdamaNation]

He needs to bring energy. Run hard, aggressively rebound, defend the rim and attack the offensive glass.

I'm not expecting much from Jim as far as timing or meshing well on the offensives sets this year but he can make rhe opponent expend a lot of energy accounting for his whereabouts when he is on the floor.

Clingan Samson and Dre will be shot blocking terrors when on the floor together. Add diarra and hawk/alleyne defensively we look like UVA with our mostly second squad!!!

 

[WhereistheDove?]

Samson is listed at 6-10 215. In comparison Springs is listed at 6-9 235, Alex 6-8 210, and Andre is 6-6 210. Samson is taller but he is not bringing a bigger body Into the mix. This is a yard false narrative. He is bringing minutes and fouls, maybe. Anything else is a bonus.

Danny loves what Alex brings to the floor. If you need a bigger body and fouls, it would seem that Springs is your guy, yet he is not seeing the floor.

So you’re saying he brings 2-3 extra inches of height in addition to what seems to be a considerable wingspan advantage and his extra athleticism but he’s not a bigger body that will help with stronger guys? Got it…

Clearly Springs is significantly behind these two in terms of ability, so I’m not sure what he has to do with the conversation.

 

[InTheRed]

The two biggest things he’s bringing are the ability to moderate Karaban’s minutes so he’s not burnt out by the end of the season, and a bigger body on defense for the matchups where Karaban is getting pushed around a bit.

This is exactly it. Karaban played the most minutes last night. He will wear out. It would be nice for Johnson to come in to play 6 to 8 minutes of that time.

 

[Conndog]

Does he have much offensive ability? Is he considered a good shooter at all?

 

[MuchoDogYears]

Danny loves what Alex brings to the floor. If you need a bigger body and fouls, it would seem that Springs is your guy, yet he is not seeing the floor.

I’d like to see Springs for a few minutes when the other team is pounding us on the boards and in the paint. Just curious what it’d have looked like with Springs helping Adama in the paint last night.

 

[alphasigko]

If you recall the Stonehill game, it seemed to me that he was lost and overwhelmed/mesmerized by the speed of the game. Not sure he would bring much to this team at this point in the season. But then again, he just might be a surprise. Is it worth the risk to insert him into a high pressure game?

 

[Palatine]

If you recall the Stonehill game, it seemed to me that he was lost and overwhelmed/mesmerized by the speed of the game. Not sure he would bring much to this team at this point in the season. But then again, he just might be a surprise. Is it worth the risk to insert him into a high pressure game?

What! In his first game as a starter he didn't dazzle and dominate. Guess he'll never amount to anything.