🏀 KuBuckets Archive

Udoka Azubuike, Kansas: 31” standing vert, 31.5” max vert, 12.97 lane agility, 3.49 ¾ court sprint, 3.65 reaction shuttle

There is absolutely no doubt that Azubuike is a massive human being and his explosiveness from a stand still has helped him as a terror around the hoop on offense. He actually had the highest measured standing vert reach at 11’11.5”, 4 inches higher than 2nd place finisher Kostas Antentokounmpo. While his leaping ability at his size and strength is impressive, there are a number of red flags in terms of just how he fits in the modern NBA defensively. We saw against Michigan that he struggled in space, and Azubuike managed to finish last in every running, agility drill at the combine. It seems to take his mind time to process just how to move his body and with the speed the game is played at now, one has to wonder if Azubuike fits into the equation. He could possibly be someone who gets some situational spot minutes, but it looks like it might be difficult to justify him being more than an occasional back-up.

I dont understand how people hate him. He plays 100% all the time and therefore has maximized his talent. It's what everyone should aim for. I guess we should hope our kids are born with the genetic gifts of a Lebron James and walk up the court 25% of the game.

I live in Ohio and have never been to Rupp. This may be there year since my son is now 8 and loves basketball and the Jayhawks.

Rush had 8 years with NBA pay checks. I'd be shocked if Svi and Devonte had that combined.

They all lie. Height is a joke. Length matters more anyway. WIng span and standing reach is your true basketball size.

@Statmachine It's more important than height. It really defines your true size. Svi is a streaky shooter who is basically playing with a 2 guards size. At the 2 he needs some ability besides occasionally getting hot from outside. He isnt a creator, rebounder or defensive stopper. Very good college player but there is a reason he played 4 years in college.

Svi and Korver have same height without shoes at combine. However Korver has a 6'9.5 wingspan to Svi's 6'4.75. And Korver struggles MASSIVELY to guard even with that length.

Doke has ZERO chance to defend the modern NBA pick and roll/pop iso players. He would also just be an average rim defender in the NBA.

I said all last year(before Silvio joined and Billy left), and I'm sticking to it we didn't have a single NBA player on our roster.

HighEliteMajor said:

That guys were ready to move on, and the only reason they don't, is because they may not have a good enough job.

That is 90% of working Americans too. LOL

What am I wrong about? All I did was list yesterdays measurements. I wasn't comparing them to anyone.

Measurements:

• Svi 6' 6.5'' without shoes and only a 6' 4.75'' wingspan. He is essentially a 6'5 type player. Not good.

• Newman 6'2.5 without shoes and a 6'5.5 wingspan

• Doke 6'10 without shoes and a 7'7 wingspan!!!

• Preston 6'8.75 and a 7'2 wingspan

• Devonte 6'0.25 without shoes and a 6'6.25 wingspan

Cremo to nova

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It makes me laugh that even die hard fans think Self has "seen the light" regarding shooting mostly 3s. Our team's best shooters and players last year were SENIOE DG, SENIOR Svi, reshirt JUNIOR Newman, and JUNIOR Vick. Self isn't reliant on the 3, he was and will always be reliant on guys he TRUSTS and those are usually upperclassmen. He will mold our offense to fit those guys he trusts. As tight as our lineup got last tournament he trusts Marcus.

I'd bet anything Duke goes small ball next year and will be better for it. Might even see Zion with his strength at the 5.

IMO Doke is not an NBA player. Skill is vastly more important than size in the modern NBA.

If our freshman ball out and we have this many openings, I can see us getting into a one and done cycle the next few years. Man I hope NBA ends it.

BShark said:

All I'm really saying is the players have more value than what the NCAA provides.

The top 1% do, the rest do not. Go look at the G-league attendance.

The top 1% of college basketball needs all these people to solve a non problem. Typical of where our country is headed.....Tyranny of the Minority.

If you have "market value" in basketball, then go pro and test your skills in that market. Otherwise take advantage of an ACADEMIC scholarship and STFU.

justanotherfan said:

We are getting to a point where there are two basic kinds of big men - rim runners and stretch players. If you can shoot, you're a stretch guy. If you can't, you better be able to screen and dunk lobs. If you can't do either, you really don't have a position the way that basketball is evolving.

Also the rim runner needs to be able to block shots.

Im curious to see his measurements. I’d bet he has pretty good length but a low vertical. Also I’d bet he is only 6’10

bskeet said:

Maybe this is a stupid, crazy idea. But the NCAA is going to have to think outside of the box to change the culture and environment that surrounds and permeates the sport today.

Maybe this is a stupid crazy idea but if you want to get paid go pro.

Romeo Langford is a decent kid and a good student. His plan all along was to wait until after the year so he could concentrate on school and his final year of basketball. It was nothing more than that. Part of me kind of would respect him more if he picks IU. That means he is up to being the man and trying to carry a team. I'm sick of kids acting like coward LeBron and teaming up. Do your own thing and own it. Having said all that, if he picks Kansas I wont complain.

Any school who recruits the top end guys will be tainted at some point.
Cal and UK are Trump and any slip up is front news and repeated over and over. K and Duke are Obama and any slip up gets buried. Go look at the Marvin Bagley situation.

JayHawkFanToo said:

Nobody forces them to go to college, obviously they do it because they believe is the best deal for them.

There is a trend nowadays to constantly show how EVERYONE is somehow a victim and being exploited.

I live in Ohio. I know maybe 3 people who could name a player on Kansas team this year before the final four. I cant believe the money that is out there for them. Crazy

wissox said:

Where does it end? Do we pay rowers too? Gymnasts? Swimmers? Soccer players? They put in vast amounts of time for practice, travel and whatever else goes with it. If the football player down the hall in their dorm is getting pay for play, they would feel entitled to it as well.

How would Title IX play into this? Oh you are paying basketball players? Well you have to pay the female golfers the same amount...LOL

Kcmatt7 said:

@wissox Anyone who thinks NOT paying players for their services is still a good idea doesn't understand human nature very well.

There are other options for that. Why must the NCAA change their model? 99% of NCAA basketball players are worth ZERO in a free market of professional basketball players.

Oh and BTW I'm only 44 not 80.... LOL

Kcmatt7 said:

If the NCAA would just let them fetch endorsements in the open instead of creating rules that caused this black market for recruiting to take place, we wouldn't have an issue. People want to pay the players, let them get paid. It would cost the school, literally, nothing.

Even if the NCAA allowed it how do you resolve the kid wearing NIKE at an Adidas school with Adidas jerseys? Not against it but it would be interesting.

Also the "poor inner city kid" the media always uses as an excuse to pay them are all eligible for a Pell Grant. So they have room, board, tuition, food, a stipend, and a pell grant. Poor guys. I dont know how they survive being so exploited. Oh and on top of that if they end up sucking they can get an education that at least makes them employable and a network of alumni that always helps ex-athletes.

So what are you guys saying? F it pay them? Do you think Self and co. should be involved? Is this where we are?

@Kcmatt7 What is my argument that is so tired?

@Kcmatt7 You know what I'm sick of? The soft bigotry of low expectations. I'm sick of the media and fans bad mouthing the value of an education. I'm sick of these players going to 2 plus years of college and not being able to speak proper English. You hear coaches talk about holding them accountable on the court, well how about in the classroom? How about teaching these kids REAL life lessons that most if not all of them are not going to make enough money from basketball to provide for themselves until they die at 85. The idea that you get a valuable degree first to set yourself up, then if you are good enough, playing pro ball as a bonus is gone. Whats even sicker is a lot of these kids have parents who teach them to grab the first pile of dough they can and dont worry about the future.

College basketball is becoming gross. I need a break.

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Interesting......

dylans said:

Why don’t we have boosters give all the Duke and Kentucky guys $20K apiece and make them ineligible (if that’s how the findings go)? Recruiting espionage.

Funny you bring this up....

How hard would it be to be a fake source ala Sean Miller? What if the alleged tape of him is a complete fabrication by Adidas to f with a nike school? Arizona is dead now.

BeddieKU23 said:

@mayjay

Are we going to be victims and punished for not knowing, or having the ability to be the FBI before admitting Silvio?

The NCAA cleared him. Unless coaches or university knew he got paid we cant be held accountable.

@dylans KU gets one seeds with HALF the talent of Duke. I really dont understand how people say Cal cant coach but K can. Duke has the same amount of talent as UK basically every single year.

@dylans
Really? When exactly is a resume irrelevant? How about when he is 90? Age is a factor. The dude is 71.

John Wooden was 64 when he retired. Henry Iba was 65. Dean Smith coached his last game at 66, Bob Knight at 67, and Jim Calhoun at 69. . Even the famous names who have stuck with the job into their 70s—Phog Allen, Ray Meyer, Eddie Sutton, Lou Henson, Jerry Tarkanian, Steve Fisher, and Lefty Driesell—generally haven’t lasted long once they got there, as all those listed except Henson retired before their 73rd birthday.

Go look at Dukes talent level, seedings, and results the past 5 years. K is done.

BShark said:

@mayjay The NCAA is a powerless joke.

What power would you like it to have? They basically make sure college athletic departments playing in their sports are not cheating.

If a player takes shoe money outside of the college what do you want the NCAA to do? Should they have FBI like power?

If a school(UNC) creates easy classes that ANY student can take and basically cheapens their institute of learning what power should the NCAA have?

Everyone blames the NCAA and bad mouths them. How about these punk kids who think they are pros go put their skills on the real free market and go to Europe and play for a year. Go cry to the NBA about not being able to try out for a year after graduation. It isnt the NCAAs fault you cant get paid.

@HighEliteMajor Do you really think K is the best coach right now? He couldnt get 5 great athletes to play man to man this year. He has top 1 or 2 rosters EVERY year and doesnt do much. I really think his best days are behind him and he is basically a recruiter only. And with Capel leaving the recruiting may dip too.

JayHawkFanToo said:

@Kcmatt7

Archie Miller is the best of the next generation of coaches. In the next few years he will have Indiana among the top 10 programs.

Only if he can recruit. He definitely can coach but recruiting at IU is a strange thing. The fans are OBSESSED with "recruiting the state". However kids today haven't seen IU relevant in their lifetime. The in state kids feel pressure to be the savior of IU basketball and a lot opt to go elsewhere. Romeo Langford is in this situation.

@truehawk93

Here is the thing. You are correct on the proper form of a layup, HOWEVER.....

Once you play at an elite level you MUST learn to go off the wrong foot and mix up your timing or you will always get your shot blocked. These kids are playing against the best at a younger age so they are learning this also at a younger age.
Also going off the "improper" leg makes it easier to jump into your defender and create contact and go shoulder to chest on a shot blocker.

If you only make layups with the "proper" legs you will be easier to guard.

SIlvio was too green to guard away from the basket.

I will still say that I think with our limited roster Mitch Lightfoot was our only hope defending Nova's perimeter 5s.

HighEliteMajor said:

@BShark Man, that is telling .. particularly since he's not hiring an agent in the announcement.

So, Romeo waited to announce, and if he picks Vandy or Indiana, why did he wait?

I'm in Ohio and one theory on it is he isnt going to IU and didnt want to hear about it his whole Sr season from the fans.

BShark said:

@BigBad Vick NEEDS money.

He doesnt have pro ability. He has everything he needs at Kansas and I'm sure gets a Pell Grant.

Always amazed how guys who "need money" have enough for tattoos.

The Vick situation is troubling to me. He is not an NBA player and even more so now. A huge part of college is learning how to handle adversity and to learn to perform even when you are uncomfortable. Vick is missing a great opportunity to grow as human being by staying. I dont think these kids should feel like a failure if they stay four years.

I agree small ball and a spread court is great, but are you saying there is no place in even college basketball for a Doke type?

BShark said:

Oubre and Diallo were just about Self's biggest failures at KU imo. Oubre played about as many minutes as Jamari, while Oubre was no worse than the third best player on that team. Self should have unleashed Oubre from the start, instead he stifled him and it hurt his development.

Oubre with all of his talent was not playing good enough defense and Self sat his ass. It motivated him and it worked. Go look at the guys Cal at Kentucky doesnt get to quick enough in the short amount of he has. Self has run into that a couple of times too. Some kids take a bit longer to get it mentally. When they are considered one and done there is pressure, which Self will NEVER succumb to, to play them anyway.

LOL

@Ralster

Malik never ONCE this season had more than 5 assists. In the tourney he never had more than 3. His assist to turnover ratio on the season was 2.1 to 1.5 so almost a wash. That isnt good. He is a one trick pony. The only difference between him early and late was that his 3s started falling.

Now his defense on the other hand REALLY improved and was great to see.