Why Samson Johnson is primed for breakout year

[WhereistheDove?]

Johnson in 2023-24

16.1 min/game
3.0 fouls/game

He fouled out of 3 total games last season: St. Johns, Marquette, Purdue.

Let's give him a bit of a break that he will work hard to reduce fouls and let's give the coaching staff a break that they can help.

Maybe I’ve missed it, but I’m not sure I’ve seen someone being unfairly negative to SJ. It is very fair to discuss this as a question mark for this year’s team. Everyone on this board is certainly rooting for him to take a big step forward in that area this year.

 

[Palatine]

In about a week we'll see how Dan Hurley wants to used Reed.

 

[HooperScooper]

Does SJ have a 5th year of eligibility?

No. The Covid year was 2020-2021. Johnson was a freshman in 2021-2022 so this year is his 4th and last year. In hindsight it probably would have been a good idea to redshirt his sophomore year after the foot injury since he played sparingly once he came back. He played a total of 46 minutes in 12 games that season so I don't think he qualified for a redshirt after playing in that many games.

 

[uh-no]

In about a week we'll see how Dan Hurley wants to used Reed.

ehhhh I think this year, far more than last, we won't necessarily see the team's final form until later into the year.

 

[Samoo]

Absolutely not. There's already not enough minutes for Karaban, Stewart and Abraham at the 4 spot, there's no need to plug in a worse option instead of those guys

So no chance Reed and Johnson see time together during cupcake season?

 

[KingAG]

So no chance Reed and Johnson see time together during cupcake season?

No

 

[HuskyHawk]

So no chance Reed and Johnson see time together during cupcake season?

Why would you do it? Unless Johnson has found his 3 pt shot, which Dan hasn't suggested, neither of them are 4s. The guys I expect to see in cupcake season are Ross and Abraham.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Who couldve guessed that a thread titled "samson johnson primed for breakout year" would turn out like this

Who wouldn't?

I'm wondering how many posters who 19 months ago thought Hurley couldn't coach big games, or that it was great that we had 15 fouls to give at the center position with Johnson & Singare backing up previously foul-prone Clingan are freely commenting in this thread as though they never said any such things.

And then we have the guys who argued or approved of the notion that without it being okay to voice confident, predictive opinions about things that cannot yet be known but will be increasingly better known in the next couple months why bother having a message board.

No

Is your "No" a double negative that results in a Yes answer that we will see two bigs?

 

[jibsey]

Every season is like this now where we have great new players mixing with returning guys who are stepping up in PT and responsibility. It will take a few weeks to start to get some answers but that’s not going to stop many who profess to “know” from telling us all how it’s going down.

 

[gtcam]

Jeez, so many negative people out there. Give Hurley and the coaching staff some credit. A lot of the fouls Johnson commits are easily fixable. He has abilities that you cannot teach. He is a freakish athlete. He has a motor that doesn't stop. I firmly believe if he plays more like Igohdaro, he's someone that could be a lottery pick. He has so much ability and if his skills have improved as this story has eluded to and if he is able to improve his positioning and has learned some better habits the sky is the limit for this kid. I know it's a lot of if's but I think he can do it.

without a mid-range shooting game, he isn't going to the league,
When he first came to Storrs we were told the kid would be a NBA prospect due to his athleticism and his perimeter and mid-range shooting ability.
So far, that shooting ability has not been seen.
Hopefully that is being worked on.

 

[JerseyAlum]

without a mid-range shooting game, he isn't going to the league,
When he first came to Storrs we were told the kid would be a NBA prospect due to his athleticism and his perimeter and mid-range shooting ability.
So far, that shooting ability has not been seen.
Hopefully that is being worked on.

Supposedly they are working on him as a facilitator 6-8 feet out of the rim to shoot or dish. We'll see what becomes of this, but if effective could see him, Reed Jr, and Karaban in the frontcourt sometimes (not even suggesting a starting lineup) with Mahaney and McNeeley as guards would make a tall lineup of deadly 3 shooters and big men mixed.