" I went through – took the time – and calculated the rebound rate of every Kansas post player per minute played."
You've got "COACH" written all over you!
drgnslayr
11251 posts
I wouldn't trade Self for any other coach... from D1 to the NBA!
I would like to see him try a few more things because I fear we might grow stagnant in our results. I think all coaches, including the best, have to adjust to the times. The game is changing constantly.... players are different... skills are changing... game rules changing... nothing stays the same.
Enjoyed reading about your small town coffee shop experiences.
Chat forums definitely have a different dynamic over face-to-face.
In some ways, I think this form is more honest. In face-to-face conversations people tend to be a bit defensive so they won't share a lot of their real thoughts.
That doesn't seem like a problem here.
Since people aren't really used to sharing their real thoughts, I think they are a bit out of practice for keeping it polished and not hurting others' feelings.
I used to be a lot more open in face-to-face conversation until things have gone so tightly on being politically correct that I feel uncomfortable to talk about anything where I might set someone off.
BTW: If I have ticked off anyone in here... I apologize.
Wouldn't that be wild?! We soon find that BG has never been at full strength while at KU, and suddenly he is a different player, especially on the defensive end?
So he comes out and starts blazing from trey. Shoots a whopping 54% from trey over time, while snagging 7 rebounds a game and becoming a lock down defender?
When Self signed BG, that was his hopes. I remember him saying that BG would score a lot of points as a Jayhawk and end up in the NBA. He was thinking about THIS Brannen Greene!
Typically, I can be "Donny Downer" on many of our topics, but I still feel good about Cheick clearing.
I've got Wayne as my difference maker... for a few reasons.
First reason... when he is ON, I don't see us losing to anyone. Why? Because we usually get fairly consistent results from most of our starters then add in a hot Wayne and we become almost unbeatable.
Second reason... Wayne is a difference maker because we know he can go hot or cold and the difference between his hot and cold can be drastic. Above.. I said "difference maker" and that doesn't always mean the guy that most influences the wins.... also the losses!
I can see players like BG being a difference maker of a game or two when he gets hot. But for a season, I don't see him making that big of impact.
If Wayne can play at the level he played at WUG and show some consistency doing it, we stand a great chance of a deep run in March!
Who will be the difference maker for KU this year?
I know who I'm thinking about....
BTW: consider Diallo cleared and in your consideration.
I just think we need to be more creative on offense. Even if we had solid offensive low post scorers.
Between Hunter, Landen and Jamari... it appears Hunter is our best bet at low post, back to the basket, scoring.
Jamari has proven he can score if he catches the ball in the right spot and while in motion. If he has some space, he can then finish a small drive and kiss off the backboard. But he can't do the traditional, back to the basket, stuff.
Landen just doesn't seem to possess enough strength. He seems to get owned in the paint.
Hunter is still sort of a question mark, but he definitely showed some really nice scoring at WUG.
But what about Wayne Selden? Let's say Wayne performs this season at the 3 like he showed us at WUG. That should mean he can penetrate into the post area, and he should be learning how to draw over the defense and then get the assist to our 4 or 5. Sometimes that could also mean taking a back-to-the-basket opportunity off a Selden drive.
Actually... Frank and Devonte both can penetrate into the post area and feed our bigs.
We have players like BG and others who can bomb the 3... helping open the post area.
It seems that we have everything we need except a dominant low post scorer. Surely whoever we use in there can score under perfect conditions.
Right on! We can't thank @approxinfinity enough for giving us this opportunity!
And thanks @Red.Rooster for supporting so many of us in here!
I'm sure many of us could better frame our opinions. No doubt about it. And like I said, your timing is good for a correction in here. You just provided us with that balance we need. I know I've been trying to frame my posts better. There was a period when I think I was sounding like I was factual and with some kind of complete knowledge. Or that my experiences somehow trump other posts or posters. Hogwash! I've picked up so much info from great posts in here... a lot more than I bring to this forum!
We have a solid "meeting of the minds" here!
I know I pay close attention when someone posts... "I know I don't have the knowledge many of you have, but my thoughts are..." I enjoy these posts because often these posters bring something new to us.
I can't speak for the players or coaches... but I would think they know being in the public spotlight is always going to bring positive and negative responses/reactions. It's simple... you go public you have to accept that everything is coming your way. I think they all accept KUBuckets as a real positive because we give attention to them and what they are doing. The worst thing is a team and coach not receiving any attention at all.
I definitely don't mind the criticisms leveled in here on players and coaches. Chances are, they need to hear critical opinions from people who have no inside bias. We aren't their personal friends or family or coaches. We form opinions strictly from the outside, and that does have merit. They need to know what the outside crowd thinks and feels, even if it is uber critical.
What I don't like is for people in here to turn on each other. A big part of why I contribute to this site is the respectful connection I have with others and others to me. This place is like an oasis for me. We should all be able to exist together in here without ripping each others' heads off. I believe this is the biggest difference we have in here versus other website blogs and forums. In most places on the internet there is no civil decorum. Posters get downright crude with their personal attacks of other posters.
JamTray... I hope he has his best year. He needs to. He has been a personal project for Self since Day #1. Self mentioned how he wants to mold him into a player who can leave Kansas and make a living in basketball. No more necessity to live in a car. That is admirable. But JamTray has to lift himself. He is marginally a player who can make a living playing basketball somewhere on this planet. He needs to be shown his mistakes. That is the first step into improving. Fix what is broken. He should be able to improve his biggest broken piece (low basketball IQ) strictly by following rules that protect players from making bad mistakes. Think of him as a pedestrian walking along side a busy road. Good general IQ would tell him to not walk in the street and use the crosswalk to safely cross the street. But if he doesn't have good general IQ he can still be safe just by learning to use crosswalks as a general rule for crossing the street safely. He doesn't have to know WHY he needs to use it, just that he should. I think having a low basketball IQ can definitely be compensated for by restricting players with low basketball IQ with additional rules. JamTray needs additional rules. Other players, like Devonte, don't need those extra rules because he knows what to look for on the court in real time.
We need to stay on players like JamTray's butt. Not only for the good of Kansas basketball, but for the good of Jamari. If he never hears criticism while at Kansas, he will be in for a tragic shock when he leaves Kansas and has to make it on his own, especially if he attempts to make basketball his livelihood.
Yes.... Detroit had an awesome playground tradition. I would start at Highland Park.
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"Progress"
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"Be a Jayhawk fan and cheer for everyone that laces up their shoes this year no matter your OPINION of them, because thats all it is."
Thanks... we can use a correction in here sometimes to bring the herd back in line.
There is plenty of angst in the fan base as we approach this season. We still have a very nasty taste in our mouths from eating crow in March to the hands of WSU. WUG was like a breath mint. Tasty and helpful for a few minutes, until the crow and stomach acid work their way back up into our mouths.
I believe this will be a great year of Jayhawk basketball. Self feels the pressure from last year's loss. I hope he treats it like the Royals have done, holding on to last year's "90-feet away from a tie" mantra that has given them all the chip they need. Mets don't stand a chance.
It is important for fans to get pissed and vent their anger. I know it gets difficult to read constantly. But the push needs to be there. Someone needs to carry the chip. I hope we all stack it on to this team and they can have a Royal year! It won't happen without the chip. I don't care how much talent and experience we have.
I think the Royals experience should be every bit as valuable a lesson as WUG was, maybe more. It is all about chip.
!Detroit-Shooting-1880x1162.jpg ↗
Found this image listed under "Detroit shooting." I'm guessing it is not referring to a jump shot.
My first attempt results.... "G"
“We’ve got in zone." ~ Bill Self
Minimal communication on a big topic. He could have just said "zone!"
I'm wondering... 30-second shot clock... refs calling games close... potential hole in the post... Could this be the year that we actually employ some zone?
For that answer, I call on all you Jayhawk fans to lift your fingers off the keyboard and lightly touch your screen over the Ouija board. Relax the muscles in your fingers, hands and arms. Bring your index fingers together, touching at the tips and make a pointer. The entire time you need to repeat the word "ZONE" in your head. Close your eyes and let the magic occur. When you feel like you've frozen on a point, there is your answer.
Post your results below and let's see if the basketball Gods feel like informing us on what is coming.
Don't let the Cheick thing get you down too far. At least, don't let it get you down lower than me! ha...
I'm still staying hopeful just because it makes me feel better than when I give up.
I really don't think I have a clue on Cheick's situation. I hear the negatives... while thinking the positives... while knowing nothing.
Imagine they scheduled to make that commercial the week after Wigs faced Detroit (in the old days) and was targeted and nailed by Bill Laimbeer?
Did you know Laimbeer is head coaching NY Liberty... WNBA ball?
The Beastie Boys made a song specifically about Laimbeer...
[link text](
Seems a sharp contrast to Self's comments about how many fouls are going to be whistled this year.
We get a physical team right when the NCAA bans physicality.
"Sport is in a renaissance."
I'm starting to think "sports business" is in a renaissance and dragging the actual sports around for the ride.
I like your idea of preserving playground court (or courts) as a piece of history. Not sure how to accomplish that. I'm guessing it would take a specialized construction crew to move it. Even though I would like to see it in the original location, because it is the location that tells the rest of the story, I'm sure big business would want to move it somewhere so that it could be commercialized. One of the difficulties with a capitalist society is doing projects without a revenue stream. It is hard enough to get the original funding, but then there is ongoing maintenance.
Perhaps you should consider writing a book, a historic reference guide, on playground courts. It is your chance to still fulfill the void you suffer from missing out on the experience earlier in your life. The stories you would learn would more than make up for the actual experience because of how much great content is out there just waiting to be captured and preserved permanently. Someone needs to do it. I know I'd wait in line to buy a copy!
The time window is closing. Every day passes and many of those characters are passing on, and taking their rich cultural experiences with them.
I'm pretty sure you will find a lot more than how the game of basketball evolved through that time period. How about life in general? How about all the hip-hop culture? The Bronx, Queens... all playground court dominant.
Funny how just a few days ago we were harping about not having any early commits.
Now we are thinking it might be good to put Herard on hold until we find out the fate of others.
We know we still want a higher elite post player to commit.
Does signing Mitch and Herard turn top elite bigs off from Kansas? I think they help us recruit top elite bigs, because they know Kansas won't sign another top elite big over them. If we sign one of these top guys, our post recruiting should be complete.
“The most important thing in his decision is going to be the ability to play right away,” Shelby added. “That’s No. 1."
There are different ways to take that. I am guessing his guardian is like most of the guardians with these kids today... someone who doesn't know how to communicate to the public.
I hope he means that he wants to go to a school where there is an opening so there is at least a chance to play immediately.
Another translation: He doesn't want to have to step up to earn his minutes by going to a school where he will have to compete against other players on his own team.
“I suspect your experience with the playground was much more conventional and so relevant than mine. Mine, like so much of my life, was out of step with my times and idiosyncratic.”
I’m not sure what relevance my playground experience is… I do like to “go there” and flashback to the “hood old days.” Actually, the time period where I played “inner city” playground ball was a tough time to do it for me. I’m of mixed ethnicity, and back then, mixed races seemed to get everyone’s “short stick.” During the time when I was playing on courts that were mostly African-American there were race riots happening everywhere, including at my schools. On several occasions our entire school was maced. The police would come in and turn a bad situation worse by turning the entire school into a war zone.
I always felt the biggest issue was segregation. People living apart didn’t give anyone different a chance. And that worked the same on both sides. I like people of all colors, so it hurt me to deal with people that didn’t want to mix. That alone felt like the fuel to create hatred.
Playing playground ball required patience and control and a big dose of self-determination and fearlessness. You were going to be tested and it would take a long time before you developed real “street cred.” Guys would hit and push and try to control you through their physicality. There was something very primitive about it. You had to learn to take a physical shot while you were attempting your shot. It was gonna come, and it did. I grew to enjoy the contact. Contact became “home.” So when I see all these suits changing our game into a non-contact sport I see the game ending. But the suit people want to do business… and there is a lot more money in keeping players healthy and performing aerial acrobats to be replayed millions of times (for profit) instead of having guys “tough it out” and make their drives to the hole one of survival and triumph instead of just the triumph part. I can’t say I know the direction basketball is going to take and whether or not the viewing public will buy into it. Maybe it is for the best, but I know what I know, and that all comes from my experiences. I enjoy the high flying games of guys like Wigs. But I was always attracted to the game inside, where big guys battle for position. Moses Malone battling in the post. Aerial acrobatics are great, but by themselves it doesn’t seem like a sport anymore. It seems like ballet. And if I want to watch ballet I will go to the ballet.
Frank Mason is our stereotypical playground baller. Frank is Timex. He “takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” When you see a guy like Frank, that gets hammered and still gets his shot off with a good chance of still scoring, you know you found a street baller. Look how far he has come by being tough. I’m going to weep when he leaves Kansas. I’m also going to weep this year if the NCAA turns D1 into a powder puff game.
Dr. Naismith invented the game, and players took it to a certain level. It was street ball that lifted it to the high platform it is on today. Even the aerial acrobatics… all playground moves. All moves proving who is “king of the courts.” All part of the primitive part of determining leadership roles, street cred and who survives and comes out on top. Now the suit people want to remove the playground influences from the game. They are playing games with the natural balance of yin and yang… where ugliness meets beauty and together they create the important drama of the game.
Basketball should be more than a game. It should be entertaining (if it wants to thrive). But to thrive it needs to do more than only keep the fan bases watching their own teams. For many years the NBA was something special. It was at the peak of dramatic effect. It had ugliness and beauty mixing at high levels. Teams would come in to Detroit for a game and leave in body bags. At that time Detroit represented the ugliness, and they did it well. And they showed the world that ugly could win, too. During that period basketball really was a microcosm of the world we live in. There was a path for success, even for the ugly.
That is all leaving the sport. It’s all just becoming a media event now. Hollywood. Basketball players making crazy money and mixing with Hollywood personalities. And Drake (don’t get me started with Cal). The attempt to gloss over the stripping of the primitive aspects of basketball to make it Hollywood. Yippeeee.
Look at the fall out. Lamar Odom. He should have stayed on the courts instead of being in courts. Spun out of control. Blew a gasket on his soul. Lost because he lives in a world of the eclectic. His only ground was basketball.
Ready for another season of NBA basketball? How many times, between the whistles, will the focus be here -
Lamar Odom’s Kidneys Aren’t Functioning Correctly ↗
This is the drama trade-off because the game is in tatters.
Suits have answers.
Spin up the game.
More points. Quantity over quality.
They have missed the boat because they didn’t grow up playing playground. The real drama that attracts fans is the ugliness meeting the beauty. The ugliness that marketeers see as the problem. Take contact out and have more spectacular dunks. More highlights. What kind of highlight will it be when there is no longer a risk of getting jacked? Why is a ball necessary? Why not just put on leotards and learn pirouettes?
I grew up with a different definition of “sport.” It isn’t a sport if there is no chance of death or horrific injury. I know that concept is outdated. I know it isn’t PC. But it represents the primitive side of reality. We will always be animals. We face risks every day. That is the drama of life and basketball has always weaved through the fabric of life.
"I suspect your experience with the playground was much more conventional and so relevant than mine. Mine, like so much of my life, was out of step with my times and idiosyncratic."
I'm not sure what relevance my playground experience is... I do like to "go there" and flashback to the "hood old days." Actually, the time period where I played "inner city" playground ball was a tough time to do it for me. I'm of mixed ethnicity, and back then, mixed races seemed to get everyone's "short stick." During the time when I was playing on courts that were mostly African-American there were race riots happening everywhere, including at my schools. On several occasions our entire school was maced. The police would come in and turn a bad situation worse by turning the entire school into a war zone.
I always felt the biggest issue was segregation. People living apart didn't give anyone different a chance. And that worked the same on both sides. I like people of all colors, so it hurt me to deal with people that didn't want to mix. That alone felt like the fuel to create hatred.
Playing playground ball required patience and control and a big dose of self-determination and fearlessness. You were going to be tested and it would take a long time before you developed real "street cred." Guys would hit and push and try to control you through their physicality. There was something very primitive about it. You had to learn to take a physical shot while you were attempting your shot. It was gonna come, and it did. I grew to enjoy the contact. Contact became "home." So when I see all these suits changing our game into a non-contact sport I see the game ending. But the suit people want to do business... and there is a lot more money in keeping players healthy and performing aerial acrobats to be replayed millions of times (for profit) instead of having guys "tough it out" and make their drives to the hole one of survival and triumph instead of just the triumph part. I can't say I know the direction basketball is going to take and whether or not the viewing public will buy into it. Maybe it is for the best, but I know what I know, and that all comes from my experiences. I enjoy the high flying games of guys like Wigs. But I was always attracted to the game inside, where big guys battle for position. Moses Malone battling in the post. Aerial acrobatics are great, but by themselves it doesn't seem like a sport anymore. It seems like ballet. And if I want to watch ballet I will go to the ballet.
Frank Mason is our stereotypical playground baller. Frank is Timex. He "takes a licking and keeps on ticking." When you see a guy like Frank, that gets hammered and still gets his shot off with a good chance of still scoring, you know you found a street baller. Look how far he has come by being tough. I'm going to weep when he leaves Kansas. I'm also going to weep this year if the NCAA turns D1 into a powder puff game.
Dr. Naismith invented the game, and players took it to a certain level. It was street ball that lifted it to the high platform it is on today. Even the aerial acrobatics... all playground moves. All moves proving who is "king of the courts." All part of the primitive part of determining leadership roles, street cred and who survives and comes out on top. Now the suit people want to remove the playground influences from the game. They are playing games with the natural balance of yin and yang... where ugliness meets beauty and together they create the important drama of the game.
Basketball should be more than a game. It should be entertaining (if it wants to thrive). But to thrive it needs to do more than only keep the fan bases watching their own teams. For many years the NBA was something special. It was at the peak of dramatic effect. It had ugliness and beauty mixing at high levels. Teams would come in to Detroit for a game and leave in body bags. At that time Detroit represented the ugliness, and they did it well. And they showed the world that ugly could win, too. During that period basketball really was a microcosm of the world we live in. There was a path for success, even for the ugly.
That is all leaving the sport. It's all just becoming a media event now. Hollywood. Basketball players making crazy money and mixing with Hollywood personalities. And Drake (don't get me started with Cal). The attempt to gloss over the stripping of the primitive aspects of basketball to make it Hollywood. Yippeeee.
Look at the fall out. Lamar Odom. He should have stayed on the courts instead of being in courts. Spun out of control. Blew a gasket on his soul. Lost because he lives in a world of the eclectic. His only ground was basketball.
Ready for another season of NBA basketball? How many times, between the whistles, will the focus be here -
Lamar Odom's Kidneys Aren't Functioning Correctly ↗
This is the drama trade-off because the game is in tatters.
Suits have answers.
Spin up the game.
More points. Quantity over quality.
They have missed the boat because they didn't grow up playing playground. The real drama that attracts fans is the ugliness meeting the beauty. The ugliness that marketeers see as the problem. Take contact out and have more spectacular dunks. More highlights. What kind of highlight will it be when there is no longer a risk of getting jacked? Why is a ball necessary? Why not just put on leotards and learn pirouettes?
I grew up with a different definition of "sport." It isn't a sport if there is no chance of death or horrific injury. I know that concept is outdated. I know it isn't PC. But it represents the primitive side of reality. We will always be animals. We face risks every day. That is the drama of life and basketball has always weaved through the fabric of life.
Gosh... hard to say about his general education and proficiency just based on his ability to speak 4 languages.
Liked your post. In law the terminology is "letter of the law" and "spirit of the law" and both are clearly defined for a reason, because both usually carry some weight and the determining factors are usually in the details and by situation.
I know many of us Kansas fans have an ax to grind with the NCAA. I do and for reasons dating far back into the 70s and probably before. For many reasons I am doubtful that any of us can post unbiased content here and we are mostly venting our frustrations. I know that describes me and my posts.
If you asked ol' biased me, the NCAA practices both "letter of the law" and "spirit of the law" and they usually apply "letter of the law" to Kansas, and "spirit of the law" to schools like Duke, Kentucky, Syracuse and UNC. That is my biased opinion.
In this case, "letter of the law" is being followed and Diallo will have to come up with more than enough proof of his past education, even if it has no true merit to his case.
The NCAA practiced "spirit of the law" on the Skal case... assuming he was (is) being exploited by his handler. But by the "letter of the law" he received benefits by playing for a team in a league that was not sanctioned by the NCAA as having "amateur status." Therefore, everything from uniforms, to shoes, to transportation to games... all illegal benefits that should have crushed his amateur status. Those expenses are deemed "actual expenses" by the NCAA when they want to apply the "spirit of the law" and are not considered benefits. But if it was on a Kansas player, my ol' biased self thinks the NCAA will apply the "letter of the law" and count all those things as benefits.
Bravo!
You could be right, that KU is challenging the call.
But if he was denied, and it is a dead issue, the NCAA would let out the news. There is no benefit to them just dragging their feet.
I'm not saying I agree or disagree that Diallo has already been denied and Kansas is challenging the call. But "it ain't over until the fat lady sings."
I'm curious if his summer course work at KU makes a difference?
Every kid going through the qualification process has a unique situation.
Perhaps Diallo didn't pass mustard first go around and they are looking for a better pathway to get him qualified. His summer school could be all or part of that. Or... perhaps his Mali transcripts can not be qualified. Perhaps his course work is adequate, but there is no way to qualify the transcripts as being legit and not tampered with. For example... since I lived abroad, when I had to file documents with other governments they did not accept our local notary system. I had to drive to Topeka and have everything certified with an apostille and the only way to get that was directly in Topeka.
In this case... the long time to get a ruling could mean they are actually trying to verify his records directly in Mali. Something that may take time. African countries are notorious for bad records and everyone knows how easy it is to bribe officials or doctor records.
BTW: Getting anything done in Mali is going to take a long time. There is quite a bit of violence going on there, too:
Violence on the Rise In Mali ↗
U.N. deploys troops around northern Mali town after clashes ↗
I think it really does take Late Night to help us with many recruits.
When Duke or UK fart, the smell is broadcast on national TV. UK's practice is on national TV. Kansas.... we are getting more ranking love in recent years (perhaps) but our farts are not news to the outside world.
Recruits have to come to Lawrence and have the "KU experience" before really considering us... especially recruits from places outside the Big 12.
Even though we OWN a big chunk of the heritage of the game... some kid from Georgia (or wherever) really doesn't know anything about Kansas until he visits, and Late Night is our #1 selling point outside of having them visit during the season for a game because they need to experience AFH.
"Are we all resigning ourselves to the increasingly distinct possibility that Cheick wont see the court for KU this season? "
No.
I think if another month goes by and we haven't heard news, then I'll think his chances are reduced.
I'm of the opinion we will learn something within the next couple of weeks.
It is just frustrating having to wait.
My read on it is that we had to send other information from Africa for their decision, and that happened only recently.
I think we have a solid chance of having him gain his eligibility only because Self predicted an answer soon. That indicates to me that they have found and submitted the information the NCAA needed.
I'm reading within the tea leafs on that one.
"I think the visit to KU helped us, did it do enough to sell him and did the staff do enough to sell him a spot, a day 1 spot…I really hope we did enough, it seems almost too easy to sell 3 guys in your position leaving. How much more can it take, it’s Kansas"
I just don't see how we can miss with an elite recruit visiting our campus who is looking for post minutes and we have so many to give. Add in Late Night... and they get a real taste of what AFH is like for a game. Now... the best luxury dorms in D1...
When players visit a school they also meet the current team and get an idea of what life will really be like at that school. Before that, it is all just listening to old guys recruiting them. We've got a great bunch of guys...
How can we miss guys? How?
"I wish we could just stop judging them on their NBA readiness before they’ve even made a college shot!"
Amen to that!
We catch that now and then, not quite as dedicated to that one.
"When is it our turn for a "Package Deal?""
You left out a step... the below "package deal" has to happen first -
"Single elimination tournament" - one bowel movement and you are out!
You said the magic word... playground! Where guys go risk serious injury by playing on asphalt or concrete with chain nets. And they do it for nothing more than pride.
Everything is about "fantasy sports" these days... why do they even have to play a real game? Why don't we just recruit our players and have them all sit around on a basketball court with gameboys and play other schools?
I'm pretty sure there is a growing population that would prefer that over a real game anyways. There would be live tweets to add more drama and excitement. Whoppeeeeeee!
Are you peeking into our windows at night?
My wife made me start watching "The Voice" a few years ago. Now I enjoy it, too. She also made me start watching "So You Think You Can Dance"... Now I'm just as addicted as she is.
Tonight is the beginning of the "win virus"... spreading north of Lawrence, at Kauffman Stadium. Rumors think the virus will spread quickly down into Lawrence and reach it's peak in the first week of April.
That is the conventional wisdom.
But... might things have worked out better for Embiid had he stayed?
The more I think about it, the more I wonder. JoJo would have redshirted a year, and then, if necessary, couldn't he receive a medical redshirt for another year?
I know he would still be at zero with a paycheck, but he would have plenty of eligibility to fight his way back on the radar of NBA scouts. Sure, it would have taken longer for him to buy a fancy car and house. I do think it might have worked for him to stay. He would have more time and a great support crew to help him get his game back. Now... if there is no chance he can ever play a game again, then he definitely made the right choice.
How many young players today can't play any longer after an injury? I'm sure many have a hard time fighting back to the level of play they were playing before they went down.
I'm still thinking conventional and agreeing he left at the right time, but a small part of my brain continues to question it.
Right now my focus is on only one thing....
No... not that!
Ha... still no!
Keep it clean!
One clue: 7:07pm tomorrow night!
I still think Udoka is the one single recruit I would pick first.
I say that, but not sure how he will do with refs calling every touch...
October 26, 2015
BREAKING NEWS: In order to bring further safety to college basketball, the NCAA injected additional safety rules that will be enforced in the 2015-2015 seasons for both D1 and D2, men's and women's basketball.
The main additional safety rule will require all players to wear a plastic bubble around their upper body. Nike Inc., has been contracted as the sole manufacturer and distributor of the new plastic bubble wear and will also control all school mascot and uniform brand licensing.
Basketball sports analysts across the country have been commenting about the new rule change.
"I am finally satisfied that the game I once tried to play, has been revamped to only consider safety concerns," said Jay Bilas.
"The new rules will help level out the game and create complete parity. Finally, Kansas will lose their conference streak," said Fran Fraschilla.
"Duke was prepared for this rule change and started a farm system of players using the new bubbles several years ago. I expect that to pay off big and for Duke to win several National Championships in a row now," replied Dick Vitale.
I'm not insinuating Mitch can become a Manu while in college. The only player I see in college with the possible level of court awareness would be Simmons at LSU. The guy is a freak! I hope LSU takes it to Kentucky this year.
Young developing players do well to see a player to emulate (as much as possible). Mitch should be developing his ability to know what he needs for scoring space and how to get it. That is what makes Niang so dangerous. He knows what to do in the post and he has several moves to create his scoring space. He likes a baby hook or step back and likes to bank it in from about 8 ft away. Manu likes to finish at the rim, either beating his man by a nanosecond, or use his body between the defender and the ball.
This is the part of basketball I really enjoy. When guys can be that precise and be effective without having 7'6" reaches or insane athleticism. I hope Mitch can develop into that kind of player and contribute a lot at Kansas (as a player). I think it would do our fan base some good to see a guy be effective without the reach and uber athleticism. Seems we sometimes focus too much on that part of the game, and we don't respect the guys who are actually effective. We just think that the long reach and athleticism should fix everything.
Right on... I'm a huge Manu fan, too!
I recall posting a story about Calipari where I discussed BigShoe and a player agency firm.
I wonder if they have injected the need to make D1 a "finesse sport" without contact? It should knock down injuries, which favors the interests of both of these money monsters.
I hope this isn't a year determined by the refs more than the players. I'm starting to have my doubts.
Thanks for that. Yes... Manu was more athletic when he was younger. Think I'm more referring to his play today. He can still score almost at will on a single defender.
He is great at knowing (and creating) just the right amount of distance to get his shot off. Almost unstoppable on his drives. He is still a better inside scorer than Wigs... but give Wigs time to develop more tools.
Really worthwhile read. Thanks for linking us up to your story! He sounds like a great coach and I'm anxious to see him develop KU women's basketball!
If it was me, trying to make a comparison of Mitch to another player, and what he could develop into being, it would be Manu Ginóbili. I'm not saying he is the next Ginóbili.
But if you watch Ginóbili play, he often doesn't look athletic, often even looking slow... but dominates in the league because he is scrappy and smart. He has found areas of the game where he can get his numbers, and he does.
I don't think Mitch will play like most of the post players we have brought in, but I'm okay with that. What matters is production. Can he produce at Kansas?
There is another good read on him over at the other site. This article talks a lot about his competitiveness.
Perhaps he develops a bit like Svi is developing. Has potential but needs to strengthen up. I'm willing to wait a season to see a stronger Mitch Lightfoot.
According to Self... it sounds like Mitch is more the future than bringing in a big, bruising post player because the NCAA is going to be whistling pretty much all contact this year. I'm glad we will be putting energy into a finesse player.
Thank you! It's confirmed! :-)
"Everything reported was hearsay though"
I'm definitely not against Lab.
But how does that work? It is a matter of record that his handler developed a team/league for him to play in. Who sponsored that? If it isn't sanctioned with approval from the NCAA like AAU and HS ball is, why isn't the entire thing considered a benefit? It is definitely a benefit on many levels. Who paid for their uniforms, gym rentals, shoes, cost of transportation to and from, probably hotel rooms somewhere, etc.?
Neither of those guys can hold a candle to a Steph Curry when it comes to footwork. But I heard Devonte is a pretty good dancer... so their is hope!