Found this quote from HCBS pretty interesting.
“I told our guys the other day, ‘Hey, as a freshman, you’re learning. As a sophomore, you’re stubborn. As a junior, well, you just don’t get it.’ I’m not talking about Brannen. I’m talking about anybody in general. So if you’re still fighting certain things as a junior or senior, then it’s not stubbornness, you just don’t get it.”
@SoftballDad2011 Even though he said he was not.....think he may have been talking about Brannen
We then have to seriously worry about Jamari's rebounding as a senior!
According to Self, Perry has up'd his game a big notch for this year. He looks more physical and will play with more physicality.
If that is true, I think we can exempt Perry from this comment.
Brannen on the other hand... I think when Self recruited him he was enticed by his size and shooting ability... so he thought he could help him round out his game to be a complete player, and a future NBA prospect. It seems Brannen may not be "polishing out" like Self imagined he would. I'm speculating here... maybe Brannen will step it up a big notch this year.
I do like how Self finally backed up one of the comments I have had about Brannen since Day #1.... "bend those knees!"
It would seem that bending knees would be an easy fix, but turns out it isn't. A part of it is genetics. The way a guy is built. Bones, tendons... muscles... and the composition of muscles. I never realized that before until someone straightened me out on it. Of course, it can't be used as a total crutch. Players can learn to adjust their stances to some degree. For Brannen... he severely needs to lower his center of gravity, bend his knees and widen his stance. By doing so, he will become a lot more explosive and capable. I hope it happens, but I'm not holding my breath.
When a defender stays upright, you get them going one direction, then cross them up...much harder to do against a guy with a low stance, knees bent. Why? Because the bent knee stance is storing kinetic energy. Whoever above mentioned "more explosive out of a knees-bent stance"...is exactly right!
But you don't develop those thigh muscles and back muscles unless you practice it.
Jeez, GET Russell Robinson in here as an assistant coach, teach these kids his devastating technique of on-ball D. Nobody better as a man2man defender in the Bill Self era at KU than #3.
IMO Never saw a better player with bent knees, wide stance and explosiveness like one Mr. Darnell Valentine. Would love to see him teach a thing or two to this "team."
I wondered if it was something as simple as Self using the media - who you know is being read by current KU players - to remind his team that as juniors and seniors they should be experienced enough to know it's Self's way or it's the bench. Don't question it, just do what I say.
@SoftballDad2011 One of these days he'll be saying "Hey, as a freshman, you're learning. As a sophomore, you're stubborn. If you're a junior or a senior you should be on another team because all of the kids that age have already left Lawrence for the NBA".