Who will be our starting point guard next season?

[AntG168]

Yikes.

There is no way Hurley does not go get a couple transfers. If he doesn’t I’ll start to lose hope. Because it’s so obvious. If it winds up being either of those predictions than Hurley is not the guy.

 

[bigknight3]

Is the answer Jesus?

Is Jesus Shuttlesworth in the transfer portal?!

 

[t8per]

Huge yikes.

It'll be a rebuilding year for sure

 

[auror]

Over the last 7 games, Jackson had 31 assists to 4 turnovers. I don't know if he'll actually play PG, but he'll be a key facilitator for us.

 

[AntG168]

It'll be a rebuilding year for sure

No it wont. With Sanogo, Jackson, and Hawkins you aren’t rebuilding. All you need is guard play and shot creators. Next season can be much better than this season if he’d just stop being stuck in his ways

 

[bigknight3]

Shuttlesworth has no eligibility

Beat me to it!

 

[AntG168]

Over the last 7 games, Jackson had 31 assists to 4 turnovers. I don't know if he'll actually play PG, but he'll be a key facilitator for us.

He’s a perfect secondary facilitator next to an actual pg who can score and facilitate. I wouldn’t mind Jackson being the pg for the second unit next season. But we need 2 guards who can penetrate and shoot the rock if Cole leaves. I’ll be okay with one if he stays

 

[storrsroars]

We can’t speculate on players leavening. BUT…..some feelings need to be hurt and changes made

If don't know for certain, but if Gaff went from a pita to a boule, I think that would be a good thing, no?

 

[bigknight3]

Over the last 7 games, Jackson had 31 assists to 4 turnovers. I don't know if he'll actually play PG, but he'll be a key facilitator for us.

How many missed opportunities from difficult passes that shouldn't have been made (but didn't result in turnovers) or passing the ball to other players when he's 3ft from the basket and should be trying to score?

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Over the last 7 games, Jackson had 31 assists to 4 turnovers. I don't know if he'll actually play PG, but he'll be a key facilitator for us.

That’s fine. His passing is pretty good, sometimes tries to do too much but I don’t have an issue with that. But we’re going to actually NEED him to score next year. Playing 28 minutes and taking 3 shots as a guard is borderline unacceptable. Give him a little break, but his prep for next season has to start very soon.

 

[Frank06830]

He'll be 23 next season... I'd be shocked if he's back. Time to make some $$ overseas.

Teddy Allen, a junior, will be 24 in June
Caleb Daniels of Nova will be 26 soon.

 

[karstenkibbe]

Is the answer Jesus?

 

[navery12]

Teddy Allen, a junior, will be 24 in June
Caleb Daniels of Nova will be 26 soon.

Caleb Daniels is 22

 

[boog204]

Teddy Allen, a junior, will be 24 in June
Caleb Daniels of Nova will be 26 soon.

True! But they're the outliers, no? Teddy Allen is now at his 5th school. West Virginia, Wich St, Juco, Nebraska, and NM St. Crazy.

 

[karstenkibbe]

We can’t speculate on players leavening. BUT…..some feelings need to be hurt and changes made

You just reminded me that I’m less than a month away from that annual run to Stop & Shop for the Manischewitz 5lb matzah box.

 

[8893]

Teddy Allen is now at his 5th school.

And after listening to him speak for less than five seconds there was no mystery why.

 

[Phoenixhusky]

He'll be 23 next season... I'd be shocked if he's back. Time to make some $$ overseas.

Teddy Allen is 24. Covid and Russian war has evaporated some overseas opportunities.

 

[auror]

That’s fine. His passing is pretty good, sometimes tries to do too much but I don’t have an issue with that. But we’re going to actually NEED him to score next year. Playing 28 minutes and taking 3 shots as a guard is borderline unacceptable. Give him a little break, but his prep for next season has to start very soon.

I agree. Next year's team is definitely looking light on scorers. But I'm not sure Andre's got the skill baseline to really make a jump in his scoring with 1 offseason. And if he's off ball, his spacing is still going to be a liability with Sanogo.

It might be best if he IS the point guard. Then he can facilitate without needing to be a scorer or spacer. Play Jackson like Florida St used Scottie Barnes last year.

Presumably Hawkins will be our primary scorer. I think he'll get his 3pt shot dialed in and be a real good shooter on volume.

Akok and Samson will battle for starting 4, presuming Akok is healthy. That allows us to keep up elite rim protection (important for defense) while spacing the floor better than we did this year. I expect Samson to be an impact player next year (if not perfect).

So if Jackson is the 1, then our hole is at 2/3. Floyd should be able to defend day 1. If Floyd can shoot, he might get a shot to play a lot of minutes in a freshman Vital role.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I agree. Next year's team is definitely looking light on scorers. But I'm not sure Andre's got the skill baseline to really make a jump in his scoring with 1 offseason. And if he's off ball, his spacing is still going to be a liability with Sanogo.

It might be best if he IS the point guard. Then he can facilitate without needing to be a scorer or spacer. Play Jackson like Florida St used Scottie Barnes last year.

Presumably Hawkins will be our primary scorer. I think he'll get his 3pt shot dialed in and be a real good shooter on volume.

Akok and Samson will battle for starting 4, presuming Akok is healthy. That allows us to keep up elite rim protection (important for defense) while spacing the floor better than we did this year. I expect Samson to be an impact player next year (if not perfect).

So if Jackson is the 1, then our hole is at 2/3. Floyd should be able to defend day 1. If Floyd can shoot, he might get a shot to play a lot of minutes in a freshman Vital role.

To be fair this will be his 3rd offseason. If the staff can’t get him to a point where he trusts his otherworldly athleticism in the paint, we are in for a long, long year. There is absolutely no reason for him to be as timid as he is in the lane, other than hitting his head on the rim.

He needs to be able to give us 10+ ppg and 8 or so shots.

 

[UConnDad]

Last off-season Hurley kept mentioning "building from recruiting" AKA "no transfers"

If that continues then it'll probably be pre-season battle between Gaffney/Sool/AJax.

My money is on Gaffney, with a starting five of Gaff/Hawkins/AJax/Akok/Sanogo.

Oh no! We can’t have this. Who needs tix?

 

[auror]

To be fair this will be his 3rd offseason. If the staff can’t get him to a point where he trusts his otherworldly athleticism in the paint, we are in for a long, long year. There is absolutely no reason for him to be as timid as he is in the lane, other than hitting his head on the rim.

He needs to be able to give us 10+ ppg and 8 or so shots.

He was at 7 per this year. I think he'll definitely get to 10 or close, but he's not getting to 12 or 14 which is what we'd need from an off-ball leader upperclassmen getting big minutes.

That's why I think the best fit for the roster in general is with him at PG.

 

[Horatio]

RJ has to come back and we then need to a transfer guard with the same skill set. Then you integrate the freshman guards in. If RJ doesn’t come back it’s going to be a development / rebuild season.

 

[Tenspro2002]

I expect Gaff to go into portal. What's the point of him staying?

There are a handful of decent PGs in the portal: Sam Sessoms (PSU), Jaelin Llewellyn (Princeton), Antonio Daye (Fordham), Tyreke Key (Indiana State) all entered this week. Sessoms would be an interesting add who'd likely be the best to fit in immediately and has more size than RJ did. Llewellyn is also interesting but more of a CG. Both have better scoring efficiency than Cole and are better 3pt shooters.

One "positive" about the last few games is that whatever chance Adama had of being drafted in 2nd round has likely vanished.

Hurley is going to hit the portal no matter what.

You can see inklings of it in comments throughout the year, he knows it was a gamble to avoid it and rely on continuity, and he knows it was a losing bet.

The question is whether he gets 1 guard or 2, and how high a ceiling they have.

Sanogo is a 4 year guy. A below-the-rim, back to the basket center with no outside game is not going anywhere. He will be a very good, maybe even dominant, college player, but that's it. And that's OK.

 

[t8per]

Scottie Barnes had 10/4/4 as a freshman while AJax had 7/7/3ast this year.

I think AJax at PG could average 10/7/5ast next season if Hurley gives him a long leash. That is probably our highest upside PG option (sans transfers).

Whether or not Hurley is comfortable with that has yet to be seen.

 

[CTBasketball]

I might be the only one on here but I think we will be better next season.

As much as I love Whaley, Martin, and Polley they were extremely one dimensional on offense. None could get their own shots and it showed on teams tendencies to hound Sanogo. We will be better with players that are more multi-use.

Even if that means struggling early in the year I think the end of season result will be better.