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WWW.SB (What's wrong with Solo Ball)

Nostical

Nostical

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I'm no kinesiologist but take a good look at these photos. It appears to me that Solo's upper arms have become too muscle-bound. I feel his intense weight lifting has taken away the fluidity of his shots and he's using more of a "shot-put" motion. Could that be as reasonable an explanation--as all of the "lost confidence--it's in his head" theories? And yet I never hear the analysts mention it. Do any of you agree?
 

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I assume and and figured everyone else thought his wrist is still bothering him. I have seen several times where he hits the floor and winces grabbing his wrist. As recently as the Georgetown game in the BET. Would not be surprised if we hear after the season he is having a procedure on his wrist.
 
Devland said:
I assume and and figured everyone else thought his wrist is still bothering him. I have seen several times where he hits the floor and winces grabbing his wrist. As recently as the Georgetown game in the BET. Would not be surprised if we hear after the season he is having a procedure on his wrist.
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This. He’s always hurting. Had a couple of good games and didn’t have his wrist wrapped. Then he reinjured it and was expressing pain throughout the Georgetown game. That’s the problem.

I don’t call for his benching because I keep assuming it will heal up. A lot of people are really busting on him and it seems misplaced. What I don’t understand is how in this day and age they can’t give him a pain shot that will last a few weeks like they do for people with knee or back problems. This is pretty high stakes stuff and Solo came into the year a good NBA prospect. It’s a shame that a wrist injury has cost him so much.
 
Nostical said:
I'm no kinesiologist but take a good look at these photos. It appears to me that Solo's upper arms have become too muscle-bound. I feel his intense weight lifting has taken away the fluidity of his shots and he's using more of a "shot-put" motion. Could that be as reasonable an explanation--as all of the "lost confidence--it's in his head" theories? And yet I never hear the analysts mention it. Do any of you agree?
Expand ...

It’s possible, but he is shooting close to his Freshman stats, which was before his current muscle mass. Maybe he really is a sub 30% shooter from 3, thats what the data currently shows.
 
Nostical said:
I'm no kinesiologist but take a good look at these photos. It appears to me that Solo's upper arms have become too muscle-bound. I feel his intense weight lifting has taken away the fluidity of his shots and he's using more of a "shot-put" motion. Could that be as reasonable an explanation--as all of the "lost confidence--it's in his head" theories? And yet I never hear the analysts mention it. Do any of you agree?
Expand ...

I suspect that if he was raising his right arm in the picture on the right it wouldn't look all that different from the picture on the left.
 
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This was before he ever stepped foot on campus, he is not noticeably bigger than before he got here

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Nostical said:
I'm no kinesiologist but take a good look at these photos. It appears to me that Solo's upper arms have become too muscle-bound. I feel his intense weight lifting has taken away the fluidity of his shots and he's using more of a "shot-put" motion. Could that be as reasonable an explanation--as all of the "lost confidence--it's in his head" theories? And yet I never hear the analysts mention it. Do any of you agree?
Expand ...

Could be ...but getting stronger usual improves your range. Besides they have S&C guys that have taken kids through this journey before.

It was said this off season he worked on the other parts of his game (driving, dishing, defense, his handle) because he was viewed as one dimensional. He might not have paid enough attention to his money maker.

It might just be a slump.
 
.-.
Devland said:
I assume and and figured everyone else thought his wrist is still bothering him. I have seen several times where he hits the floor and winces grabbing his wrist. As recently as the Georgetown game in the BET. Would not be surprised if we hear after the season he is having a procedure on his wrist.
Expand ...
Solo hasn't shot well from 3 since the very first exhibition, he went 2/15 from 3 vs BC and Mich St. There was no wrist issue back then.
 
aceboon said:
Solo hasn't shot well from 3 since the very first exhibition, he went 2/15 from 3 vs BC and Mich St. There was no wrist issue back then.
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RuffRuff said:
You can even take it back to the last few games of last year. 29% over his last 4 games.
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Bingo. You guys nailed the Daily Double for $5000.

His poor shooting goes back to last year. It's why I shook my head when Rob Dauster said in the Field of 68 Top Dogs podcast in mid December "I will eat my hat if Solo's 3pt shooting stays under 30%". My reaction was "bon appetit, get some salt if you want". Everyone kept saying, "once Solo starts clicking this team will take off". I am just not sure that is going to happen. If it does it will be a pleasant bonus, but I am not expecting it.

He is shooting 29.6% for 3s and is 2-18 on 3s in single elimination tournament games (after loss to Marquette).

This is isn't a shooting slump, this is what his shooting is after 30+ games. Despite saying all of that, he can get on fire and make everyone forget the poor shooting before these upcoming games. On a empathetic human level I would like him to get over the mental hurdle and struggles. You can see he badly wants to, but he just feels like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.
 
Stinger92860 said:
It’s possible, but he is shooting close to his Freshman stats, which was before his current muscle mass. Maybe he really is a sub 30% shooter from 3, thats what the data currently shows.
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But can you really just have an entire outlier season?
 
.-.
I know that this is pie in the sky but I think he’s due for a couple of 5 for 6 games. He sees a few go in and all of a sudden he can’t miss. It’s what streaky shooters do. Same with Mullins.
 
gsmooth said:
Bingo. You guys nailed the Daily Double for $5000.

His poor shooting goes back to last year. It's why I shook my head when Rob Dauster said in the Field of 68 Top Dogs podcast in mid December "I will eat my hat if Solo's 3pt shooting stays under 30%". My reaction was "bon appetit, get some salt if you want". Everyone kept saying, "once Solo starts clicking this team will take off". I am just not sure that is going to happen. If it does it will be a pleasant bonus, but I am not expecting it.

He is shooting 29.6% for 3s and is 2-18 on 3s in single elimination tournament games (after loss to Marquette).

This is isn't a shooting slump, this is what his shooting is after 30+ games. Despite saying all of that, he can get on fire and make everyone forget the poor shooting before these upcoming games. On a empathetic human level I would like him to get over the mental hurdle and struggles. You can see he badly wants to, but he just feels like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders.
Expand ...
I'm just confused as to why we had a guy who was considered a slasher and athlete coming out of High School have his game become so dependant on shooting 3s.

To the point now that if he's not knocking them down he's considered struggling. It of course would be nice if he could be a 40% 3 point shooter.

I just hate that his success is almost completely dependant on that instead of doing other things well enough to get by if it's not falling.
 
Whether it's affecting his shooting or not, I've no idea, but he's significantly bigger this season. Supposedly, he gained about 10 pounds coming into this season. (He’s now listed at 200, vs 185 as a freshman.)

Far from rare that a player gains that kind of weight after getting into a college lifting program. I’d be surprised if his shooting fell off a table because he gained muscle.

Also discounting the wrist injury as a cause - he was shooting 30% from three before the wrist injury at Butler and he’s shooting 30% since the wrist injury at Butler. He was shooting 30% after the first game of the year and he’s still shooting 30% five months later. The 2025/26 version of Solo Ball is a rock-solid 30% three point shooter.

Whatever it is, it will need fixing during the offseason.
 
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Solo cannot go out with a whimper! I hope he shoots and plays angry. He has the physical skills to be a difference maker.

All the prognosticators talk about is Tarris and Alex and how UConn is comprised of damaged goods (Silas, Solo, and to some extent Braylon shooting less than 20% the last several games). Time to light it up and have fun.
 
He's always been strong.

Didn't shoot well in high school. Didn't shoot well freshman year. Didn't shoot well junior year.

I think we just need to acknowledge he's not a 40+% shooter.

If he'd just work on getting to the rim, using his pull-up, and taking wide open 3s, he'd be great for us.
 
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