More Drew Cannon stuff here http://kenpom.com/blog/index.php/weblog/author/2. ↗ This is really cool and a must read if you enjoy this stuff!
Statmachine
1752 posts
I have followed Drew Cannon for much of his time with Butler and he does a lot of this type of stuff and more. When HCBS hired Doc Sadler as Director of Basketball Operations I was hoping he would have hired Drew Cannon to crunch numbers for KU. You can check out this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Cannon ↗ or just google this guy and read about some of his work. Its really cool stuff!
I don't know about you guys but if the Washburn game was tonight during the Royals game I would be watching KU!!! I would check the score of the Royals game during commercials of course.
WE HAVE 4 PLAYERS IN THE TOP 35!!!
http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2014/10/28/6994593/college-basketball-top-100-players-2014-jahlil-okafor-stanley-johnson ↗ ↗
We are less than a week away boys and girls! Less than a week away from the greatest time of year for all KU fans young and old! Less that a week away from basketball heaven and one of the many ways I hope do die. I am either hoping to stroke out celebrating a national championship just before I need to be moved to an old folks home OR I want to go out being shot by a jealous husband as I am sneaking out her back door lol.
ENJOY
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@jaybate-1.0 Svi looks like he has a shrunkin head and a long neck in comparison to his teammates. His ears could pick up XM too.
@JayHawkFanToo I am extremely excited about this season and can not wait for the Washburn game!
@JayHawkFanToo We are going to figure out a starting line up! With all of our intelligent minds working together analyzing this photo we are sure to crack the code! I think Lucas might have been slouching a bit but I could be wrong?
@wrwlumpy I don't think Hudy was aware that they were taking a picture lol. Cliff Alexander looks like a goober standing as tall as possible. Coach Howard looks like he has something better to be doing because he is looking at his watch. Some other staff member, 2nd to last guy on HCBS's right is picking his nose. Starters appear to all be next to or on HCBS's left. Lets brake this photo down Jaybate style. Maybe we can read between the pixel's and find a starting rotation by possible assessing body language or team chemistry by looking at who is standing next to who? We have totally ran out of material to debate/analyze and the season cant start soon enough! Luckily the Royals are helping me to cope with the lack of KU basketball!
I think the aggression you are talking about with the 5 you listed is catching fire with the rest of the team. For example go re-watch the highlights of late night and witness Conner Frankamp actually driving to the basket! BIG Improvement and I think it comes with confidence and getting comfortable playing at the D1 level .
@jaybate-1.0 My biggest fear is that Ebola will ruin the season more so than who plays what position!
DOORS ARE OPEN!!!
@Crimsonorblue22 If I were in KS I would be sitting in AFH watching late night tonight. In fact I would be there now sitting outside waiting for the doors to open.
@Crimsonorblue22 Yes Sir! I just went there and saw that its on tonight!!!! I'm there.
http://www.kuathletics.com/news/2014/10/9/MBB_1009140344.aspx ↗
I will be watching this from TX. There is always a video up after the event but does anyone know if it will be streamed?
@Crimsonorblue22 He just might? Who knows?
@jaybate-1.0 I don't understand why HCBS cant put them in the game and say if you get scored ON or your defense is lack luster your coming out and get the 40% three ball going? I think they would focus on DEFENSE more and the scoring would come (like Releford used to say).
If your Bill Self and you need some scoring I guess you put in these 3 guys and Perry. I like what Alexander says about all you hear when they release is swish swish...
[Click here for link...](
KC Run GMC formerly KC Pump N Run WENT public with his latest venture, Drive 5 Sports Center. It is taking over the Fieldhouse of KC in OP. The most potentially exciting part of this is a basketball academy which could possibly lead to benefits for KU. We always hear of HS players heading to academies in Vegas, Atlanta, etc. Having one here in KC can't hurt at all. If he runs this place as well as he's ran his AAU team, we're going to see some big time players heading to KC for instruction. If all goes well, it could potentially raise the entire talent level in KC down the road.
@HighEliteMajor My assessment is more of an assessment of our roster. Which one of our guys on this years roster is listed as a 5? How many guys are big enough to play the 5? Who else has a history of being a terrific shot blocker? HCBS is going to be forced into using him because of his height and skill set. We have tons of scoring options but who else is taller and known for blocking shots? We have seen what a good rim protector does to the confidence of guards that like to drive the lane. We need his skill set on the court more than anyone thinks. I could be wrong but I bet he plays more than some of you might think.
@HighEliteMajor I am still scratching me head that you don't think Mickelson will start or be first big off the bench. HCBS said Mickelson will not beat out Ellis for minutes and he needs to play bigger if he wants to play. Implying that he needs to play the 5 or ride the pine. HCBS knows what motivates each player and I think he was doing so on media day. HCBS and KU NEEDS a shot blocker or rim protector and he stressed that on media day. He also said that Mickelson blocked more shots than Joel last year during his sophomore year. I completely believe that Mickelson will get the 3rd most minutes out of the bigs after Alexander and Ellis.
Interesting how they use resistance training assessments to signal weather a player is going to show improvements on the court.
@jaybate-1.0 said "Hunter: My guess here is that Self is so sure he is going to have to start Hunter Mickelson and need to rely on him in the early big games to keep KU from getting blown out inside".
Bingo!!! I have said all along he was either starting or first off the bench. He is going to HAVE to play in the UK game PERIOD. If he does well he is safe, if not we are in bad shape. He would be a senior this year if he didn't have to sit! He was in the ESPN top 100 coming out of hs with 3 years under his belt! He is going to play!
Pretty cool
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@Crimsonorblue22 Ok I would have used Traylor until HCBS said Lucas and Alexander are in a dog fight for major minutes! Alexander also said Lucas was stronger than he was.
The DSC's are Self and Manning and I highly doubt either will transfer... I believe for a change that our bench could make the NCAA tournament this year. They might be a 14 seed or something like that but they would make it for sure. The next six weeks our team will be allowed up to 30 practices/exhibition games (against each other). HCBS has said that until now he has not been able to have 5v5 practice. Freshmen teamed up with Mickelson because none of them have suited up for KU against the rest of the team. Mason, Selden, Greene, Ellis, Lucas vs Graham, Oubre, Svi, Mickelson, Alexander? Who wins?
@drgnslayr The top one.
If you scroll down past the video The Shiver has interviewed most of the players! I like hearing Alexander say that Svi has surprised him the most and that he can really play...
Just watched the interviews again. I cant tell for sure but does Oubre say they have 2 workouts and 2 practices every day? Big Cliff says he has cut 15 lbs off this summer. One of the reporters asked Frankamp if he has sent out tickets to the gun show lol. Sounds like they got a lot accomplished in the gym this summer. It also sounds like Svi has been humbled a little bit since arriving and playing with the team. Just my opinion.
http://kansas.247sports.com/Article/Kansas-basketball-media-day-31674273 ↗
Sounds like Lucas, Traylor, Ellis, and Alexander will be our front court rotation. Bill Self sounds like he Really Really likes our guards a lot! Putting Greene, Svi, or Oubre at the 4 at times to play a 4 guard line up sounds good as long as they can defend. HCBS said Wayne, Oubre, and Mason were our best defenders.
@bskeet NP it was fun. I had some help from Approx.
@Kip_McSmithers We did until Svi came to town. Now that I think about it Tharpe, AW3, Black, Embiid, and Wiggins are all gone. We only signed 4 guys so I suppose we do.
I think we will get some insight on where we stand with some of these guys today during big 12 media day. Surely someone will ask him about the fact that he hasn't signed anyone in the 2015 class. Today is really the day I have been waiting for because of big 12 media day and team practice starts tomorrow. Scouts and media should be in house at some point in the near future to watch and assess our guys and hopefully we will start to hear about some of our guys that we don't know much about and probably more about the guys we already know about but in depth.
@HighEliteMajor I am at work now and could have posted that lol. Thanks for passing that along I had forgot about it until just now.
HCBS doing stand up last night did you guys watch this? Its pretty funny... [
Big 12 media day is here. At 3:40 HCBS will be answering questions for 30 min. Hopefully it clears up some of our questions Like the pg situation and how Mickelson/Lucas are developing? I personally cant wait!
The link and count down is here:
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Kansas men's basketball coach Bill Self will discuss the upcoming season at the team's annual media day inside Allen Fieldhouse Thursday. Scheduled to speak at 3:40 from the media room, Self will field questions from the media for about 30 minutes.
@HighEliteMajor Maybe not start but I can see 3 on the floor at the same time...
@drgnslayr The mayor is at home and I don't think he wants to move any time soon. If he ever starts to pick up on the recruiting game he will give us even MORE fits for the rest of his tenure.
@JayHawkFanToo you are correct. All I have to say is that this season is going to be fun if our Bigs on the bench produce! I am not half as concerned with back court. They will have someone who can run the point I mean supposedly Svi and Selden can play a little point guard and we have 3 actual point guards.
@JayHawkFanToo BUT in Embiids case experts we calling him raw, and a project with a high ceiling. He didn't have the hype Alexander carries into this season.
@HighEliteMajor I had said Mickelson would be first BIG off the bench and many of the guys around here said it would be Traylor. Mickelson has 2-3 inches on Traylor and there will be many times that they need his height to match opponents. I am interested to see if he starts just to grab the jump ball right off the bat? If he had stayed at his last school he would be a senior. After a year in the KU system and having been at the D1 level for going on 4 years he should dominate in the paint. Training with our trainers and lifting properly adding 5-6 inches to his bounce! Mickelson should be ready for a break out season... Another thing to throw out there is he is the only 4 star ESPN top 100 BIG left on the bench after Cliff and Ellis.
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KU is Co-Favorites for Zimmerman, (Part where he talks about Zimmerman starts at 4:50). Not sure how this guy has Zimmerman's moms number?
Our NOV 18th starting 5 will probably look like our March starting 5 unless someone gets hurt. In cards you could have half the deck but your going to play your best cards to beat your opponent. I doubt HCBS is going to bluff against UK lol...
I was happy to hear HCBS tell Andy Katz and Seth Greenberg not to leave Conner Frankamp out of the conversation! ALL indications point to KU playing Small! I guess HCBS thinks our small line up will play better than a tall line up with the pieces he has? Playing small would keep all of our guards happy and I think that keeping Frankamp, Svi, and Greene happy is more important that keeping Lucas and Mickelson happy? What would y'all do? Land us 2 top BIG's in next years recruiting haul and CHA CHING!
@HighEliteMajor My analysis doesn't get that in depth atm. Gordon was not the #1 PF on the ESPN top 100 (which is weighted more than other poles).
@HighEliteMajor I have ran many numbers to figure the odds of Alexander producing the numbers I have previously posted and my way of figuring things produce a +-1. I did it on Wiggins for example and his numbers were 2 points higher than his predecessors but if you were to average minutes per game and then punch in Wiggins MPG (which were higher) its a 1 point difference using Wiggins MPG instead of the average MPG of the previous 3 SF's. MKG, Shabaz, and Barnes #s are about 1 point different than Wiggins Freshman stats. So depending on MPG Cliff should produce that 16 ppg and 10 rbg +-1. As long as he plays at least the average amount of time his predecessors did. Its a work in progress...
@HighEliteMajor Anthony Davis sported the shirt #'s don't lie in a pre draft interview lol. We will just have to see how Big Cliff does in comparison to his predecessors?
@HighEliteMajor "Remember, it's not Shepherd this next season. It's Shepherd after theoretically playing one season under Self. And you sure do have lofty numbers pegged for Alexander -- you are projecting essentially Julius Randle numbers (15.0 ppg/10.5 rpg). Heck, how many players under Self have ever averaged close to those numbers? TRob 17.7/11.9, Cole 14.9/11.1, Simien 20.3/11.0 & 17.8/9.3. I might temper those expectations a bit. Embiid was 11.2/8.1"
The last 4 to 5 #1 PF's on ESPN's top 100 in the NCAA have averaged those lofty numbers. I would imagine Alexander is going to have a long enough rope to achieve those numbers or foul out every game.