Zion Williamson

[Scrutineer]

Getting past? Never happen and let me say why. While it’s great that we torched them in critical games it’s tough to ignore the unadulterated media love machine that they possess not to mention the ultra top recruiting that falls into their laps every year. Most teams’ recruiting is begging for a player on the bottom of their commit list which they don’t ever get. Combine that with K’s annoying whineyness, if a call goes against he acts like you shot his dog, and they are easy to despise. They can’t be ignored so we root against. Same for Kentucky, Kansas and Kentucky.

Add Sean Miller to the list and can anyone explain why Self gets so much hype? Is it because Dookie V lavishes the two of them with praise way beyond their achievements?

 

[AntG168]

Fun player to watch. But imo he just screams bust in the NBA

 

[Walker11]

Julius Randle's first 5 minutes in Maui was the most terrifying stretch I have witnessed. Incredibly hyped and unseen by most, he looked like a combination of Shaq and Lebron out there. I think he dunked over Okwandu, maybe Oriakhi too, hit a 3 and generally looked unstoppable. He came down to Earth afterwards but still is probably a better player than most think.

 

[auror]

...and can anyone explain why Self gets so much hype? Is it because Dookie V lavishes the two of them with praise way beyond their achievements?

Self has won a major conference title 14 straight years. He has an 82% winning percentage at Kansas... in major conference play.

He has 3 Final Fours in 24 years (including a title). Jim Calhoun didn't get to the Final Four until his 26th season. Calhoun had a 72% winning percentage at UConn... including non-conference cupcakes.

Hell he won at Illinois, which no one aside from Bruce Weber with Self's recruits could do before or after since the '80s.

 

[superjohn]

Self has won a major conference title 14 straight years. He has an 82% winning percentage at Kansas... in major conference play.

He has 3 Final Fours in 24 years (including a title). Jim Calhoun didn't get to the Final Four until his 26th season. Calhoun had a 72% winning percentage at UConn... including non-conference cupcakes.

Hell he won at Illinois, which no one aside from Bruce Weber with Self's recruits could do before or after since the '80s.

Why bring Calhoun into this? Do you honestly think Self is equal to or better than JC?

 

[aceboon]

Julius Randle's first 5 minutes in Maui was the most terrifying stretch I have witnessed. Incredibly hyped and unseen by most, he looked like a combination of Shaq and Lebron out there. I think he dunked over Okwandu, maybe Oriakhi too, hit a 3 and generally looked unstoppable. He came down to Earth afterwards but still is probably a better player than most think.

Are you confusing Randle with Terrence Jones? I remember Jones's first few games for UK being nuts and him looking better than a lot of folks anticipated.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Why bring Calhoun into this? Do you honestly think Self is equal to or better than JC?

He didn’t come close to saying that but the comparison reflects how successful Self’s been.

 

[intlzncster]

Why bring Calhoun into this? Do you honestly think Self is equal to or better than JC?

No, it's just to illustrate the fact that 3 and a Championship is not peanuts. People seem to think Self hasn't won much in the NCAAs, given how long he has coached. They discount it at any rate. Shouldn't do.

 

[navery12]

Are you confusing Randle with Terrence Jones? I remember Jones's first few games for UK being nuts and him looking better than a lot of folks anticipated.

Definitely not Ramdle, Randle was on the 2014 team we beat in the title game

 

[Walker11]

Are you confusing Randle with Terrence Jones? I remember Jones's first few games for UK being nuts and him looking better than a lot of folks anticipated.

I am completely confusing them. Good call.

 

[superjohn]

No, it's just to illustrate the fact that 3 and a Championship is not peanuts. People seem to think Self hasn't won much in the NCAAs, given how long he has coached. They discount it at any rate. Shouldn't do.

I just don't get bringing Calhoun into it. Calhoun built a program out of nothing and did it with minimal top flight recruits compared to all the other top programs. Self walked into one of the top programs of all-time and kept them at that level. Unlike Calhoun he has basically had his pick of the top recruits year in and year out.

He's done a great job of maintaining Kansas basketball and getting a bunch of #1 and #2 seeds but not sure there has ever been another coach who has been bounced more early in the tournament as a #1 and #2 seed.

This year was is best coaching job IMO but this team didn't have the horses to win it all, a bunch of his other teams did and they flamed out too early in the tourny.

The guy I'm sick of hearing about is Izzo. If you didn't actually watch college hoops and just listened to the talking heads you would think Izzo is the greatest coach of all-time.

 

[intlzncster]

I just don't get bringing Calhoun into it. Calhoun built a program out of nothing and did it with minimal top flight recruits compared to all the other top programs. Self walked into one of the top programs of all-time and kept them at that level. Unlike Calhoun he has basically had his pick of the top recruits year in and year out.

He's done a great job of maintaining Kansas basketball and getting a bunch of #1 and #2 seeds but not sure there has ever been another coach who has been bounced more early in the tournament as a #1 and #2 seed.

This year was is best coaching job IMO but this team didn't have the horses to win it all, a bunch of his other teams did and they flamed out too early in the tourny.

The guy I'm sick of hearing about is Izzo. If you didn't actually watch college hoops and just listened to the talking heads you would think Izzo is the greatest coach of all-time.

I think people are too critical of Self in general. Sure, he's not in the GOAT conversation, not near it, but he's still a great coach. Yes, he's flamed out too early too often; part of that might be a result of playing in the Big 12; overall comp isn't as good there. It's almost like people hold it against him that he hasn't won 3 championships or something.

It's so damn hard to win multiple championships. Only 14 guys have ever won more than one. And only 6 have won more than two. Jay Wright with a legitimate shot to join that group.

 

[TheChamps990411]

This video of Zion Williamson getting his vertical jump measured

After basically showing he could touch the top of the backboard one of his teamates comes and body bumps him and he then bumps the kid back and sends him flying. I noticed the kid is basically just muscle and not much fat! I figured hed be a little chunky weighing 280lbs at 6`7 but nope! All muscle. This kid is a man amongst boys physically. I would not be surprised if he puts up some Glenn Robinson stats as a frosh.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Are you confusing Randle with Terrence Jones? I remember Jones's first few games for UK being nuts and him looking better than a lot of folks anticipated.

That was my thought exactly. Jones looked like a HOF in that memorable stretch ( I have vivid images still in my head of him acting like he already had a bust in Springfield)but has completely disappeared from hoops. Maybe he’s still in the Gleague or Euro but I don’t recall him ever doing anything of night in the league. Bust in Springfield? More like bust in the draft! Randle however is a very good NBA player and was a few years later.

 

[Fishy]

I cannot imagine what that kid would be like if he got rid of the baby fat.

 

[auror]

I just don't get bringing Calhoun into it. Calhoun built a program out of nothing and did it with minimal top flight recruits compared to all the other top programs. Self walked into one of the top programs of all-time and kept them at that level. Unlike Calhoun he has basically had his pick of the top recruits year in and year out.

He's done a great job of maintaining Kansas basketball and getting a bunch of #1 and #2 seeds but not sure there has ever been another coach who has been bounced more early in the tournament as a #1 and #2 seed.

This year was is best coaching job IMO but this team didn't have the horses to win it all, a bunch of his other teams did and they flamed out too early in the tourny.

The guy I'm sick of hearing about is Izzo. If you didn't actually watch college hoops and just listened to the talking heads you would think Izzo is the greatest coach of all-time.

It's a UConn message board. People understand Calhoun's accomplishments.

It's the context needed to give proper credit to what Self has done without hashing out Self's career nitty gritty. If he's even remotely in the same ballpark (and by achieving some things quicker it's hard to deny), it stands to reason it would be worth TV talking heads discussing him as a coach with merit.

 

[HuskyFich]

I wish the kid nothing but success, but I hope he is who ends up getting duke exposed. He (like Brian Bowen) committed to Duke out of nowhere and is the most obvious 1 and done player in probably 5 years.

Please?

 

[Scrutineer]

Self has won a major conference title 14 straight years. He has an 82% winning percentage at Kansas... in major conference play.

He has 3 Final Fours in 24 years (including a title). Jim Calhoun didn't get to the Final Four until his 26th season. Calhoun had a 72% winning percentage at UConn... including non-conference cupcakes.

Hell he won at Illinois, which no one aside from Bruce Weber with Self's recruits could do before or after since the '80s.

That's all well and good, but give Calhoun some credit for raising Northeastern from D2 to D1 as part of his career and then winning three NC's at UConn, in four Final Fours, in 13 years, after taking over a basket case of a program.

UConn was not exactly a school with a long history of major success before he arrived and he came into the Big East when it was at its peak. The Big 12 doesn't hold a candle to what the Big East was during Calhoun's time.

Self should get credit for being a great recruiter, at a school with a storied history, in a mediocre league, but only one NC out of three Final Fours for all the hype he gets is hardly a match for Calhoun.

 

[Kemba'sYogurt]

I wish the kid nothing but success, but I hope he is who ends up getting duke exposed. He (like Brian Bowen) committed to Duke out of nowhere and is the most obvious 1 and done player in probably 5 years.

Please?

Just to side with the kid and point out a different perspective, the kid was looking to stay in the Carolinas. The perceived leaders were Clemson and South Carolina so maybe it could just be that he realized he could stay local and receive the best coaching.

However, it definitely does raise some eyebrows as literally nobody had any indication Duke was even in the discussion really.

 

[auror]

That's all well and good, but give Calhoun some credit for raising Northeastern from D2 to D1 as part of his career and then winning three NC's at UConn, in four Final Fours, in 13 years, after taking over a basket case of a program.

UConn was not exactly a school with a long history of major success before he arrived and he came into the Big East when it was at its peak. The Big 12 doesn't hold a candle to what the Big East was during Calhoun's time.

Self should get credit for being a great recruiter, at a school with a storied history, in a mediocre league, but only one NC out of three Final Fours for all the hype he gets is hardly a match for Calhoun.

The mistake you're still making is underrating Self. I'm not denigrating Calhoun by using him as context for Self's success, I'm complimenting Self by the flattery of even bringing up Jim's name in the same paragraph.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Just to side with the kid and point out a different perspective, the kid was looking to stay in the Carolinas. The perceived leaders were Clemson and South Carolina so maybe it could just be that he realized he could stay local and receive the best coaching.

However, it definitely does raise some eyebrows as literally nobody had any indication Duke was even in the discussion really.

Duke is ALWAYS in the discussion

 

[huskyblooz]

Cmon guys. Let’s give Self some credit. What he’s done in the Big 12 is astounding!

 

[Huskyforlife]

"Just an athlete"

 

[whosurdaddy2720]

"Just an athlete"

Yikes!

I hate dook as much as the next guy but Zion looks like a player for real. Size, strength, athleticism and he plays with intensity?!? Even his ball handling and court vision seem above average.

If he can hit that outside shot consistently he's gonna be a serious problem.

 

[kobe]

Yikes!

I hate dook as much as the next guy but Zion looks like a player for real. Size, strength, athleticism and he plays with intensity?!? Even his ball handling and court vision seem above average.

If he can hit that outside shot constantly he's gonna be a serious problem.

he's way more skilled than people give him credit for. mostly because his highlight tapes are all dunks (and rightfully so).