Morman

[handwaver]

I really thought Deshaun was going to be a key part of any success UC had this year - I believed he was a crucial player who would come into his own this year ..... I guess he did too - too bad, wish him well

 

[bearcat jeff]

You don't refuse to play and you accept your role. I had very high hopes for DM but I'd he's gone he's gone.

 

[TheLongHaul]

You don't refuse to play and you accept your role. I had very high hopes for DM but I'd he's gone he's gone.

One of my biggest complaints early on with Mormon was that he wasn't accepting his role and wasn't playing within the team.

So what would Mormon do if he leaves? He already sat out a year. He would either have to go D2 or sit out lose a year of eligibility which would be very detrimental to his development.

 

[Bulldog01]

You don't refuse to play and you accept your role. I had very high hopes for DM but I'd he's gone he's gone.

I like the fight in kid. Who on earth would accept being benched for guys not even scoring 5pts? Believe me not giving Mormon pass but politics and favoritism is alive on this team. It doesn't take rocket scientist to see which players LD personally recruited.

 

[coachpipe]

I like the fight in kid. Who on earth would accept being benched for guys not even scoring 5pts? Believe me not giving Mormon pass but politics and favoritism is alive on this team. It doesn't take rocket scientist to see which players LD personally recruited.

Frank Kaminsky

 

[Bulldog01]

Frank Kaminsky

One out of thousands. He's also local so that helps.

 

[KJ's#1Supporter]

Frank Kaminsky

Kaminsky was behind Jared Berggren as a frosh. Berggren averaged 11 and 5 and shot 38% from 3 at 6'10".

 

[TheLongHaul]

I like the fight in kid. Who on earth would accept being benched for guys not even scoring 5pts? Believe me not giving Mormon pass but politics and favoritism is alive on this team. It doesn't take rocket scientist to see which players LD personally recruited.

Mormon wasn't seeing the court when Mick was still coaching. It had nothing to do with LD. It had to do with:

Mormon's inability to shoot from the outside
Mormon's inablity to play team ball
Mormon's desire to shoot as soon as he got in the game
Mormon's inability to play team defense and rather go for every steal and cheat on defense.

I liked the potential of Mormon but the fact of the matter is he wasn't doing enough to warrant significant PT. And when he did get the chance he pouted when he got pulled.

 

[Bulldog01]

Mormon wasn't seeing the court when Mick was still coaching. It had nothing to do with LD. It had to do with:

Mormon's inability to shoot from the outside
Mormon's inablity to play team ball
Mormon's desire to shoot as soon as he got in the game
Mormon's inability to play team defense and rather go for every steal and cheat on defense.

I liked the potential of Mormon but the fact of the matter is he wasn't doing enough to warrant significant PT. And when he did get the chance he pouted when he got pulled.

NOBODY on team was at G. We had a SR/JR that couldn't get you 5pts gm. For this supposed to been so called lost year. The lost players surely didn't play. We were last in aac in possessions and 340ish in county. No other guard on team could've helped more than Mormon.

 

[JasonS]

NOBODY on team was at G. We had a SR/JR that couldn't get you 5pts gm. For this supposed to been so called lost year. The lost players surely didn't play. We were last in aac in possessions and 340ish in county. No other guard on team could've helped more than Mormon.

You have completely overvalued Mormon. If he was as good as you claim him to be, he would have played. He didn't cut it here. Wish the kid well and it's time to move on.

 

[KJ's#1Supporter]

Mormon wasn't seeing the court when Mick was still coaching. It had nothing to do with LD. It had to do with:

Mormon's inability to shoot from the outside
Mormon's inablity to play team ball
Mormon's desire to shoot as soon as he got in the game
Mormon's inability to play team defense and rather go for every steal and cheat on defense.

I liked the potential of Mormon but the fact of the matter is he wasn't doing enough to warrant significant PT. And when he did get the chance he pouted when he got pulled.

I just keep going back to...why did we even bother recruiting Morman if he has to conform 100% to our slow style before he can see the floor? We certainly knew what kind of player he was coming in. I heard an interview with Coach K saying his style is different every single year bc of the players he has. He doesn't make the players play one certain way no matter what. That's the difference between him and Mick. Shaq would be borderline NBA if he was the best player on Coach K's team. But Mick has spent 3 years playing Shaq on the wing against zone defense and leaving him stuck in a system that doesn't fit his game. You gotta be flexible. Mick always tries to fit a square peg in a round hole.

 

[Bulldog01]

You have completely overvalued Mormon. If he was as good as you claim him to be, he would have played. He didn't cut it here. Wish the kid well and it's time to move on.

He was only freshman. I bet my house by JR/SR he would've been better than Cobb, Shaq and Sanders. Kentucky players were garbage in Nov-jan it didn't matter, they were being developed to be at best by march. You can't develop players on offense by holding ball for 32sec.

 

[Bulldog01]

I just keep going back to...why did we even bother recruiting Morman if he has to conform 100% to our slow style before he can see the floor? We certainly knew what kind of player he was coming in. I heard an interview with Coach K saying his style is different every single year bc of the players he has. He doesn't make the players play one certain way no matter what. That's the difference between him and Mick. Shaq would be borderline NBA if he was the best player on Coach K's team. But Mick has spent 3 years playing Shaq on the wing against zone defense and leaving him stuck in a system that doesn't fit his game. You gotta be flexible. Mick always tries to fit a square peg in a round hole.

It's not basketball. High schools score more.

 

[JasonS]

I just keep going back to...why did we even bother recruiting Morman if he has to conform 100% to our slow style before he can see the floor? We certainly knew what kind of player he was coming in. I heard an interview with Coach K saying his style is different every single year bc of the players he has. He doesn't make the players play one certain way no matter what. That's the difference between him and Mick. Shaq would be borderline NBA if he was the best player on Coach K's team. But Mick has spent 3 years playing Shaq on the wing against zone defense and leaving him stuck in a system that doesn't fit his game. You gotta be flexible. Mick always tries to fit a square peg in a round hole.

What was Mormon going to offer this team beyond what you got from Troy, Cobb and even KJ this year? Riddle me that.

Playing TEAM defense is critically important for a team that struggled to score. Mormon wasn't going to improve your offensive efficiency. He couldn't make a free throw let alone hit outside jumpers. Sorry but I just never saw the upside from the kid. I would rather take the time to develop Troy, Cobb and KJ over Mormon. I think those three have a bigger upside. You only have so many minutes a game. Not everyone can play.

 

[rogerOH]

Mormon's skill/talent/hustle didn't get him suspended just his attitude/sulking about playing time/lack of respect for his coaches did.

 

[#BearcatNation]

I like the fight in kid. Who on earth would accept being benched for guys not even scoring 5pts? Believe me not giving Mormon pass but politics and favoritism is alive on this team. It doesn't take rocket scientist to see which players LD personally recruited.

Wasn't he asked to go in a game and he simply told the coach "no"? That's what you want to see in a kid? I'll pass.

 

[KJ's#1Supporter]

What was Mormon going to offer this team beyond what you got from Troy, Cobb and even KJ this year? Riddle me that.

Playing TEAM defense is critically important for a team that struggled to score. Mormon wasn't going to improve your offensive efficiency. He couldn't make a free throw let alone hit outside jumpers. Sorry but I just never saw the upside from the kid. I would rather take the time to develop Troy, Cobb and KJ over Mormon. I think those three have a bigger upside. You only have so many minutes a game. Not everyone can play.

KJ was struggling as badly as I've ever seen anyone getting regular time in a UC uniform struggle. But Morman still didn't get a chance bc he didn't fit Mick's system. My point about the Coach K comment is that he'd adjust to the player. If Morman can't play zone bc he can't sit back and be disciplined, then switch to man defense and always play him with DeBerry, since he struggles in zone too. Let him play full court. We hold players back bc they don't fit the scheme. But if that's how it is, I just don't see why we even bother recruiting that certain player. Morman could've scored more than KJ in a man defense lineup with Cobb, Morman, Shaq, Clark and DeBerry. But we'd never try anything like that in a million years bc our program is built to make players change for us and not the other way around.

 

[JasonS]

KJ was struggling as badly as I've ever seen anyone getting regular time in a UC uniform struggle. But Morman still didn't get a chance bc he didn't fit Mick's system. My point about the Coach K comment is that he'd adjust to the player. If Morman can't play zone bc he can't sit back and be disciplined, then switch to man defense and always play him with DeBerry, since he struggles in zone too. Let him play full court. We hold players back bc they don't fit the scheme. But if that's how it is, I just don't see why we even bother recruiting that certain player. Morman could've scored more than KJ in a man defense lineup with Cobb, Morman, Shaq, Clark and DeBerry. But we'd never try anything like that in a million years bc our program is built to make players change for us and not the other way around.

So cater to one individual who hasn't shown anything at a detriment to other individuals and the team? We were one of the best defensive teams in the country and you want to change the philosophy for this team because one guy doesn't fit?

As for KJ, there's a difference between struggling with your shot and not having a good shot. KJ has the potential to be a good shooter and he started to show it as the year went on. Mormon never showed that he could stretch the defense. I just don't feel that he should have been vaulted above anyone. I think the myth is better than the actual player.

 

[KJ's#1Supporter]

So cater to one individual who hasn't shown anything at a detriment to other individuals and the team? We were one of the best defensive teams in the country and you want to change the philosophy for this team because one guy doesn't fit?

As for KJ, there's a difference between struggling with your shot and not having a good shot. KJ has the potential to be a good shooter and he started to show it as the year went on. Mormon never showed that he could stretch the defense. I just don't feel that he should have been vaulted above anyone. I think the myth is better than the actual player.

Change your philosophy as a coach all game, every game for one player? No. Change things up for stretches every now and again to play towards some of your players' strengths? Yes.

Morman is not the only one on the roster better suited in a different style of play. We as a program are not flexible enough on that imo. At the core, I think we'd rather have a guy shoot 15% and "do the right things", than give another guy a chance who might give up a few easy looks. I don't always agree with that. I think KJ is fine too overall, but go back and look at his rough stretch last year. It was beyond brutal.

 

[Mcginnjw]

I haven't seen anything official about Morman transferring. Has there been a statement or is everyone still speculating that he is transferring?