Who is our 2nd best player? NFI

[Get a Job]

Squirrel by a mile

 

[Old school]

Hands down Whaley

 

[djct1999]

I don’t know yet if Martin is our second best player. I do know that we will be able to count on him to show up all season. I see some Shonn Miller in him. Will always help and never hurt us.

 

[Rico444]

To think Whaley was harassed by UConn fans on Twitter to transfer

Fixed that for you.

 

[I Bleed Blue]

Right now #2 has to be Whaley. I think once RJ gets in a rhythm he’ll be our #2 option on offense. USC’s length was a tough match up for him tonight. Need more offensive production for the G spot as a whole though between Cole and Gaff.

 

[ucawn]

Jon says Martin will be our 2nd best scorer.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I don't think we have one. For everyone saying Whaley, he plays hard, especially on D, rebounds fairly well and is mediocre on the offensive end. I'm glad he hit those two jumpers, and he always gets a garbage basket or two, but you can't really get him the ball in the post an expect him to do anything with it.

Talent and ability would put Akok #2. At the moment, nobody has really stepped up consistently. That's fine as long as somebody does game to game. Last night Josh stepped up. Against CCSU, Adams stepped up, and Cole. Against UHart, Martin. I suppose Whaley ranks #2 for at least being "good" in every game.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

I don't think we have one. For everyone saying Whaley, he plays hard, especially on D, rebounds fairly well and is mediocre on the offensive end. I'm glad he hit those two jumpers, and he always gets a garbage basket or two, but you can't really get him the ball in the post an expect him to do anything with it.

I disagree with that. He doesn't have the most advanced offensive game but this really underrates the talent he has for finding the open spot in the defense, which has led to a number of easy dunks and mid-range jumpers. While those look uncontested, the basketball IQ to make sure he's in those spots for his teammates to find him is very important to this team. He also brings a level of consistency in the post that we desperately need. He stays on the court, can bang down low, rebound, and will get his points.

 

[Kembacity]

I think reading this thread so far, we can all agree that there's an argument to be had as to who is #2 or #3 on this team, and thats a very good problem to have.

Right now I think my vote is for Whaley, but Cole is right there with him, and in a week or 3 I think we'll all be a lot more confused answering this question. This team has a solid like 5 guys who could be our 2nd best player any time we step on the floor. I'm thinking Akok, Cole, Whaley, Sanogo, Martin, even Jackson, Polley, and Gaffney are the type of guys where later in the season any game they might step up and have 12 points in a 5 minute span that turns the game around for us

 

[glastonbury50]

Plot twist: Second best player is Andrew Hurley. We find this out against NC State.

 

[UConnJim]

The real question is not who the 2nd best player on the team is, but who is the 2nd best scorer on the team? Whaley brings a lot to the table, but he isn't our 2nd best scoring option. I would think one of Martin, Gaffney, or Cole will have to become our second best scoring option.

 

[ucawn]

IMO at the current time these are the ranking:
Bouk
Whaley
Carlton
Martin
Cole
Gaffney
Sanogo
Jackson
Adams
Polley
Brown
Springs

Akok

 

[Excalibur]

It’s Whaley.

 

[WlfdHusky]

Right now. Whaley and I don't think it is very close. I would never thought this could be the case a year ago. He has made great progress and continues to do so. A Hilton-like improvement.

 

[Mooch82]

In order for us to actually be a good team that can make a tourney run, it needs to be Cole. But it isn't right now...it's Whaley. I truly believe Cole is the key to this team reaching it's pinnacle.

 

[SubbaBub]

We have Bouk and a lot of solid pieces. Right. The only guy you can count day in and day out is Whaley. Everyone else is situational, they can have a big game but you can't count on it.

Last night Carlton stepped up but Sanogo and Polley didn't. Gaff, Cole, and Martin all had good stretches and mistakes.

That's the way it will be, I think. Cole and Martin look like they have more in them. I'd like to see Gaff spot up a bit more. I hope Polley just had a bad night, but he may not be up to tougher competition. Sanogo, Jackson are young and whatever we get will be a bonus. Neither is going to be a game changer this year.

Akok will be a wild card. It will be interesting how that affects the Whaley/Sanogo/Polley Carlton rotation.

We've reached the point where I'm not dissappointed to see anyone check into the game. Hurley can go 10/11 deep. All the more reason to focus on defense.

 

[businesslawyer]

It varies legitimately every single night but gun to my head ... Martin . Thots?

I don't understand your confusion. Our second best player is Whaley and it's not particularly close. That doesn't mean he will be our second best player every night -- that would never be expected -- but over the course of the first three games his level is way above anyone else's other than Bouk's.

 

[rollskies]

Although I think Martin will be extremely talented, the answer is Whaley. Not only is Whaley an absolute dog on the court but he brings so much energy to a team that has struggled to create their own energy at times. We are clearly a different team with him and Bouknight on the court.

Really hoping for Whaley to get some sort of g-league deal or overseas deal. Special talent. I can’t think of many ball screen defenders better than him.

 

[MexicoHusky]

We've played 3 games. USC has been the biggest game thus far. Defense and rebounding carried us to victory in the 2nd half. Carlton was huge in both categories. Carlton has some claim to 2nd best player.

 

[Jaker]

Fixed that for you.

Haha, thanks

 

[BParkDog]

Carlton has some claim to 2nd best player.

No. No he does not.

 

[MexicoHusky]

No. No he does not.

The season is young

 

[Huskyhoops25]

Undoubtedly has to be Whaley. His hedges are textbook. He keeps four or five possessions alive each game with his hustle and he’s a beast on the offensive boards. And then there’s gravy a couple of times a game with his elbow jumpers.