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There is a good write-up on Marcus at KUSports.

Is there still fans out there thinking Marcus doesn't deserve playing time or when we play Marcus we are eventually doomed?

It seems that many voices against Marcus started to die down last year, before Marcus was hurt when he drove to the basket with ease. Marcus started to show us he can be an offensive threat.

Does Marcus have potential at the next level? I think he does. He's doing an excellent job in the areas of the game that are hard to coach up players on. When he leaves Kansas, he will have a lot more time to work on his game, on his jump shot, on his handles. He will have access to specialty coaches who can help polish his game. I know most people don't look at the NBA as a place where defense is valued. But defense counts, especially in June.

Self is open in praising Marcus and how he loves to coach him. That says something we should all listen to. And I bet it will carry some weight at the next level.

Marcus is the perfect candidate to take a trip next summer to hook up with someone like a John Lucas who can guide him through his shooting mechanics, and also help polish his finishes at the rim.

Marcus is a team guy. He makes other players look better. He makes defense look better and he's a good passer who sees the game well. He fills in some areas on the stat line to help the team look better. I bet his time on the court shows a positive gain on the scoreboard.

If we go far in March this year we will have Marcus to thank for that. He's a glue guy who makes the team better.

Snacks should go hang out with John Lucas this summer too.

@dylans

Not a bad idea. What we need is our assistant coaches to spend time with Lucas. Learn how to teach our players better.

It all feeds into my concept of having the best developmental program in America! Let that be our recruiting card. Then when we hit the recruiting trail, let recruits know their game has a long ways to go and Kansas is the place to get them there. That should help weed out some of the headcases thinking their poop doesn't stink while helping us land the smart players that have a grip on the game and where they stand and desire to get better.

I think Mason and Graham are pretty good examples of KU's ability to develop guards. Have you seen Devonte recently? Dude is looking like an All Star!

Devonte is smoking the league. He's like a magician. The real test for him will be next year or maybe even by the end of this year. Teams are just starting to realize him as a threat and spending the time doing deep scouting. All his tricks will be learned and he'll have to adjust to being figured out.

But here is the thing... I think Devonte is the guy that truly has some magic! He will continue to go to his hat and pull out new tricks. He reminds me of Andy Reid at the Chiefs. Every year teams think they finally have him figured out and then he rebrands his offense with new plays.

I've always been a Marcus backer/fan. -Have caught a lot of flack for it All the talk about how he hurts us , on the offensive end , how teams can slack off Marcus , and to be honest ya that's probably true - -he had flashes of being able to shoot a little better , kind of vanished some now BUT

I just don't think you can put a value on what this kid does on the defensive end of the floor. - -By far the best defensive player we have , hands down. Marcus has been given the job of defending usually the other teams best offensive threat and usually getting it done well.

Marcus can rebound the ball, excellent defense 90% of the time an can drive the ball. I just think the way this team is made up , this what he lacks on the offensive end doesn't stick out as much with the other players we have. Marcus means a lot to this team , with what he can bring - so smooth on the defensive end , quick -I am behind him 100 %

I'd love to see DG get traded to a contender. Sixers could really use him...

@Kcmatt7 They have spacing issues he’d help with big time!

dylans said:

@Kcmatt7 They have spacing issues he’d help with big time!

He could play off ball and backup PG. They desperately need both...

@jayballer73

Teams are learning they can't just back off Marcus because he'll pick up speed and drive to the rim. And without pressure on him he can make very precise passes.

Every once in a while he'll try the trey, and well he should. Sometimes.

I'd like to see him become a better shooter as the year progresses.

drgnslayr said:

@jayballer73

Teams are learning they can't just back off Marcus because he'll pick up speed and drive to the rim. And without pressure on him he can make very precise passes.

Every once in a while he'll try the trey, and well he should. Sometimes.

I'd like to see him become a better shooter as the year progresses.

I typed something very similar to this earlier today but got side-tracked and didn't end up posting it.

He's not the black hole he was a year ago. You saw it click in B12 play last year, but it's even better this year.

If you're going to give him the space, he's going to drive you downhill and all he has to do is make one move and he's at the rim. You can't recover if he beats you and there is no way help can get there in time. If you sag just a little, his guy can't help on the pass and he is able to make easy passes still. If his guy does leave for the double, he's making the easy cut.

You have to pressure him this year, and he doesn't even have to take a 3 to make you do it.

I have to disagree. You can play great defense vs. a drive by sagging off multiple feet. Gives significant time to react. Marcus would be a very easy guy to guard. Sag off and shade his right hand. Marcus just picks his spots and that's when he scores which is absolutely fine. Perhaps I'm missing something but I see a guy whose only threat offensively is driving to this right.

HighEliteMajor said:

I have to disagree. You can play great defense vs. a drive by sagging off multiple feet. Gives significant time to react. Marcus would be a very easy guy to guard. Sag off and shade his right hand. Marcus just picks his spots and that's when he scores which is absolutely fine. Perhaps I'm missing something but I see a guy whose only threat offensively is driving to this right.

You can. And that is what happened last year. But I'll offer one reason why it isn't working the same this season.

Doke.

As Dragon mentioned, if you sag you cannot pressure the feed into the post. So you give Garrett a free lane to throw it in to Doke this way. (And to Big Dave to a lesser extent).

If you sag too far off, you give Garrett room to create on the drive. If you get too close he'll blow by you. Sure he is picking spots. But everyone does in a Bill Self offense. And yes he's easier to defend than Dotson or Ochai or Moss. That's obvious. But that isn't what I'm trying to say.

Compared to the Garrett of a season ago, he's been significantly more of an offensive threat. My eyes told me this, and the numbers seem to back that statement up.

HighEliteMajor said:

I have to disagree. You can play great defense vs. a drive by sagging off multiple feet. Gives significant time to react. Marcus would be a very easy guy to guard. Sag off and shade his right hand. Marcus just picks his spots and that's when he scores which is absolutely fine. Perhaps I'm missing something but I see a guy whose only threat offensively is driving to this right.

Maybe, but I STILL just have to say this with the make up of this roster that we have this year , I just don't see it - - I don't see how having Marcus in the line up playing major quality minutes is going to be the difference between us winning or getting to a final four.

With the one's he plays with most the time Dotson - - -Moss - - - Ochaji - -& Doke I just can't and haven't seen it where it hurts us to the degree where we have to take him out. - -The way we are spacing the floor with those four plus Doke - -taking away his defense when he is on the floor out weighs having him on the floor, -Last year we didn't have Moss we didn't have Doke for most the Season last year just a whole different mix this year

Kcmatt7 said:

HighEliteMajor said:

I have to disagree. You can play great defense vs. a drive by sagging off multiple feet. Gives significant time to react. Marcus would be a very easy guy to guard. Sag off and shade his right hand. Marcus just picks his spots and that's when he scores which is absolutely fine. Perhaps I'm missing something but I see a guy whose only threat offensively is driving to this right.

You can. And that is what happened last year. But I'll offer one reason why it isn't working the same this season.

Doke.

As Dragon mentioned, if you sag you cannot pressure the feed into the post. So you give Garrett a free lane to throw it in to Doke this way. (And to Big Dave to a lesser extent).

If you sag too far off, you give Garrett room to create on the drive. If you get too close he'll blow by you. Sure he is picking spots. But everyone does in a Bill Self offense. And yes he's easier to defend than Dotson or Ochai or Moss. That's obvious. But that isn't what I'm trying to say.

Compared to the Garrett of a season ago, he's been significantly more of an offensive threat. My eyes told me this, and the numbers seem to back that statement up.

me too -- I think it's just different this year - -we have Moss - -We have Doke, makes a big difference

@HighEliteMajor I feel like a remember a commentator talking about how Garrett can only go right and was then proven wrong twice in a row with left hand drives by MG. Not saying he is as comfortable going left, but he can do it. The other thing I see this year is that Garrett is not hesitating at all when they sag off of him to shoot that three ball. Yes he is still struggling, but I like the confidence and in any game if he makes 2 it's going to be hard for the d not to have to shift back.

HighEliteMajor said:

I have to disagree. You can play great defense vs. a drive by sagging off multiple feet. Gives significant time to react.

Historically, you are right on. But today, and also with refs preferring to eliminate almost all contact, it's harder for defenders to stop those drives. The drivers also realize their advantage, plus they are becoming more aggressive how they drive. Marcus drives aggressively. And he realizes he doesn't have to finish right at the rim. He often does a "drive by." Where he just has to finish in the lane and use the backboard, even from some distance.

More players are (finally) realizing they don't have to finish right at the rim. Driving by and using the backboard at the proper angle almost guarantees a score. Meanwhile, defenders are often trying to guard the rim and thinking they can maybe catch up at the rim.

Marcus is a cleaver player. A lot more cleaver than people give him credit for being.

Back to history... in the past, I always felt like it is best to give a player space to start his drive. I've changed my mind with the changes in officiating and drivers being swift of foot to slightly change their directions.

Self has masterfully taught our guys how to use a "curl drive" where they curl into a driving lane. This has been one of his big time achievements and I feel like in years ahead he will be recognized for this as much as the chop.

I'm torn on Garrett. He has certainly become a better offensive player, which makes him an extremely valuable collegiate player. But for everything that he has done to improve offensively, he is still only shooting 27% from three, 47% from the field and 62% from the line. Those are all career highs for him.

What has really set him apart this year as opposed to other years isn't his shooting, though. It is his passing. Garrett had never averaged 2 assists per game prior to this season. He's averaging over 4.5 assists a game this year. That's a huge jump, and is much more valuable than the moderate improvements that he has made shooting the basketball.

All of this still doesn't make him an NBA player, though. Garrett will return to Lawrence for his senior year, which is great for KU because, as I said, he is extremely valuable as a KU player. In some ways, Garrett (and to a lesser degree Azubuike) are the perfect type of four year players. Skilled, but flawed enough that they are almost certain to stay for four years because they don't have great prospects for a pro career. Marcus Garrett could be an All Conference player next season at KU. He would struggle to make a G-League roster because of his shooting struggles unless he improved substantially.

But Garrett could be a key cog in a couple more March runs.

@justanotherfan Frank, Graham, Perry and Dave (hopefully) look like good examples as well. Though Graham is shocking everyone in the NBA this year.

BShark said:

@justanotherfan Frank, Graham, Perry and Dave (hopefully) look like good examples as well. Though Graham is shocking everyone in the NBA this year.

I pointed to Marcus because he is prototypical size and strength. Devonte as well. Perry was undersized as a 4 and not quick enough to be a three.

Dave might be a good example, but we will have to wait to see. I could see Big Dave improving enough to be a three year guy.

Even if Marcus had improved his shooting considerably this season (up to 35% for example) he probably would not have been an NBA prospect, but that would make him a superb college player given his other skills. In other words, Marcus could be playing even better and he would still be in Lawrence next year.

We are going to see Marcus on his senior night (And I will be wearing my number 0 Garrett jersey while I watch),
And he will be an overseas player, hopefully bank some good $, (a lot of those teams pay all the taxes on your salary and give you housing and transportation ), and eventually he will get into coaching ... he will either work for Self, or Self will make sure he gets into a good coaching situation