Next years team

[NatiBearcat513]

Strickland does look uncoordinated in a way, but after watching the scrimmage game i feel he does have potential to develop a nice jumper and be an above average player. He just needs to develop strength in his forearms/hands so he can catch quick passes to the post with out fumbling the basketball. In a team picture, i noticed Stricklands arms are very skinny compared to out other bigs. He should be ok. I dont see any useless bigs in this years class, like we have had in the past

 

[CPAW29]

Based on your negative views on Strickland and Sanders what do you see in Thomas that makes you think he can help lead this team?

Hopefully thomas has a hunger in his belly! This his fourth year in the system so he shouldn't have any excuses to why he's not contributing.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

Hopefully thomas has a hunger in his belly! This his fourth year in the system so he shouldn't have any excuses to why he's not contributing.

I don't have much hope that Shaq will take that next step unfortunately. I hope I'm wrong. But honestly if we're basing any opinions off the scrimmage game (which posters on here are doing) then Thomas looked like he had no business getting any minutes.

 

[jacobkdoyle]

I don't have much hope that Shaq will take that next step unfortunately. I hope I'm wrong. But honestly if we're basing any opinions off the scrimmage game (which posters on here are doing) then Thomas looked like he had no business getting any minutes.

I kind of wish Shaq was a SR this year. I could see the situation with he and Morman being a lot like Guyn and Caupain last year. Shaq may start the games, but Morman could easily get more minutes by year end and beat him outright for the starting spot next year. Shaq will still have a role, but at this point I dont think anyone should be hoping that he leads this team in any stat.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

I think Shaq realistically will improve some over his first three years in the program. He'll have his good games and some moments where he disappears. Hopefully the times when he disappears will decrease. I think to many fans assume because he occasionally will give us that wow play that he should deliver those kind of performances all the time. He just isn't physically able to do that. He isn't going to turn into David the sky walker Thompson because he can jump high. He has limits in his game and in 3 years he really hasn't changed much. If he gives us 10ppg about 3 boards and improves a whole lot defensive I'll be happy.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I think Shaq realistically will improve some over his first three years in the program. He'll have his good games and some moments where he disappears. Hopefully the times when he disappears will decrease. I think to many fans assume because he occasionally will give us that wow play that he should deliver those kind of performances all the time. He just isn't physically able to do that. He isn't going to turn into David the sky walker Thompson because he can jump high. He has limits in his game and in 3 years he really hasn't changed much. If he gives us 10ppg about 3 boards and improves a whole lot defensive I'll be happy.

I agree with this. I just don't think Shaq has what it takes to get to that next level. That's not to say he doesn't have a role and won't still contribute because he will. I just don't hold out hope that he will be a superstar.

 

[bearcat jeff]

I think Shaq realistically will improve some over his first three years in the program. He'll have his good games and some moments where he disappears. Hopefully the times when he disappears will decrease. I think to many fans assume because he occasionally will give us that wow play that he should deliver those kind of performances all the time. He just isn't physically able to do that. He isn't going to turn into David the sky walker Thompson because he can jump high. He has limits in his game and in 3 years he really hasn't changed much. If he gives us 10ppg about 3 boards and improves a whole lot defensive I'll be happy.

I agree with you. He's going to have some good games and some duds. I think he'll average somewhere in the 8-11 ppg range. I'd love to get 3-4 rebounds a game from him and solid D. I do think there will be times we will see three guards on the floor along with Sanders and a big. Mormon will get minutes, it' going to be interesting to see from what spot he gets them.

 

[PakMan]

Based on your negative views on Strickland and Sanders what do you see in Thomas that makes you think he can help lead this team?

Shaq's issues are not related to athleticism or skill. They are mental. He has labile confidence, which could go either way. This year is a transition year for him mentally as someone that is being counted on. I believe this year he will have up and down stretches, and next year things will click fully with him. 9 points 4 rebounds this year, 14 and 5 next year.

Strickland has a soft physique, no muscle tone, no vertical, he's slow and has no explosion. Plus he hasn't played in 2 years. He is supposed to offset all that with soft hands and touch, but his hands are too weak to play in traffic. Unless he becomes almost exclusively a jump shooter (from the elbow or top key), he will be a nearly worthless 4 year player.

I hope both surpass my expectations though.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Shaq's issues are not related to athleticism or skill. They are mental. He has labile confidence, which could go either way. This year is a transition year for him mentally as someone that is being counted on. I believe this year he will have up and down stretches, and next year things will click fully with him. 9 points 4 rebounds this year, 14 and 5 next year.

Strickland has a soft physique, no muscle tone, no vertical, he's slow and has no explosion. Plus he hasn't played in 2 years. He is supposed to offset all that with soft hands and touch, but his hands are too weak to play in traffic. Unless he becomes almost exclusively a jump shooter (from the elbow or top key), he will be a nearly worthless 4 year player.

Yes, he needs to get in better shape but you're off base about him being a jump shooter for 4 years. He has a knack, at least in drills and practice, of putting the ball in the basket. It may take a year but Strickland will contribute at some point. I'm not saying he will be a dominant center, but he will contribute.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

Shaq's issues are not related to athleticism or skill. They are mental. He has labile confidence, which could go either way. This year is a transition year for him mentally as someone that is being counted on. I believe this year he will have up and down stretches, and next year things will click fully with him. 9 points 4 rebounds this year, 14 and 5 next year.

Strickland has a soft physique, no muscle tone, no vertical, he's slow and has no explosion. Plus he hasn't played in 2 years. He is supposed to offset all that with soft hands and touch, but his hands are too weak to play in traffic. Unless he becomes almost exclusively a jump shooter (from the elbow or top key), he will be a nearly worthless 4 year player.

I hope both surpass my expectations though.

Fair enough. I get what you are saying, although I think athleticism can be overrated. I'd rather have execution. Mick's had plenty of athletes, he's only had one or two guys that you could count on to put the ball in the basket consistently. If Strickland or Sanders put the ball in the basket and don't give up anything defensively I'll give them plenty of playing time.

And since we're on the subject, all things considered right now I would start Sanders over Shaq. I know Sanders is hated on here, but he's smart, he's a good role player and he can knock down a shot. Plus he's great at positioning himself for rebounds. He's not a lockdown defender but he's much better than Shaq on the defensive end. Shaq's game seems to be suited for the uptempo slugfest everybody on here wants but we will never see.

 

[PakMan]

Shaq's game seems to be suited for the uptempo slugfest everybody on here wants but we will never see.

Very true, but he can also get to the rim at will and is a damn good offensive rebounder. Finishing and putting some arch on his short jumpers would really help.

 

[WAITE HOYT 2]

Saying Shaq can get to the rim at will is a bit of a stretch. Fact is when he gets there he rarely finishes. He doesn't even draw fouls. Really would like to understand how you think he is a good offensive rebounder. He is a terrible rebounder. In the biggest game of the year, Louisvile he put up a goose egg in boards. He has a lot of work to do.

 

[bearcat jeff]

Very true, but he can also get to the rim at will and is a damn good offensive rebounder. Finishing and putting some arch on his short jumpers would really help.

Shaq is not a good rebounder. He has averaged less than 3 a game in the 2 seasons he's played.

 

[ccmbearcat]

Saying Shaq can get to the rim at will is a bit of a stretch. Fact is when he gets there he rarely finishes. He doesn't even draw fouls. Really would like to understand how you think he is a good offensive rebounder. He is a terrible rebounder. In the biggest game of the year, Louisvile he put up a goose egg in boards. He has a lot of work to do.

It was hard for anybody to get to the rim and score because our bigs were not a threat to score themselves. It looks like that is about to change, which should open things up a lot for everybody else.

 

[juckerrules]

Very true, but he can also get to the rim at will and is a damn good offensive rebounder. Finishing and putting some arch on his short jumpers would really help.

Seriously? He's a weak rebounder - Sanders, not noted as a force on the boards, had more rebounds than Shaq, in fewer minutes.

If you figure minutes played/rebound, SK out-rebounded Shaq, & SK is a freaking guard!

 

[david aka the TYZ]

Very true, but he can also get to the rim at will and is a damn good offensive rebounder. Finishing and putting some arch on his short jumpers would really help.

Seems like everyone has issue with these statements. I'm not sure what you've seen in Shaq that the rest of us haven't. Again I'll say I'm more interested in execution. Getting to the rim is meaningless when you don't put the ball in the basket. More often than not vs. good competition when he puts the ball on the floor he either loses the dribble or gets pushed off his shot and can't finish and doesn't even draw the foul. College basketball is not street ball. Defenses close in quick and there's more to getting to the rim than just beating one man. Teams that will rotate a player over to pick up a driving player can easily stop Shaq because you force him to either drive through a player which he can't do, pull up and make a tough shot which he can't do, draw a foul which he shies away from contact or dish the ball to another man down low or back out. Shaq is only effective when we play an opponent that doesn't play defense. He lit up Creighton and I won't bother to look it up but I imagine he fared well both times we played Memphis. Heck Rubles put up 20 on Memphis. Shaq is athletic and that usually is helpful in offensive rebounding if your crashing the boards, but if anybody puts a body on him he is an easy box out. Numbers don't lie and there's nothing in Shaq's execution to lead me to believe he will be a difference maker or a game-changer or a guy you can really count on. And none of this even brings up his most glaring deficiency which is his defense. He can't rebound and can't find his man on switches. Cronin's defense is intense and requires alot and Shaq gets lost in it. Again I hope he proves me wrong. He still has two full seasons. But watching the absolutely meaningless exhibition game and watching him miss bunnies doesn't lead me to believe much has changed in his game. And that game was organized street ball with both teams just attacking the rim which should suit his game. Again if it were me I would play Sanders 2-1 minutes over Shaq. And I would imagine that Mormon and Clark can compete for his playing time his senior year if things don't change.

And I honestly try not to bash Shaq, but whenever I'm forced to make a point about his weaknesses they are just so glaring. I think Mick really likes Shaq and wants him to succeed based on the minutes he gives him.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

It was hard for anybody to get to the rim and score because our bigs were not a threat to score themselves. It looks like that is about to change, which should open things up a lot for everybody else.

That has been a problem for too long. I am so ready for this season to start to see if we finally get some good play down low.

 

[PakMan]

Shaq is not a good rebounder. He has averaged less than 3 a game in the 2 seasons he's played.

Shaq is a good OFFENSIVE rebounder, because he has good basketball instincts and is super athletic. He is not a great defensive rebounder. I don't have stats to back it up, but I've watched every game he's played in, and I know Mick has mentioned it multiple times as well.

 

[PakMan]

Seems like everyone has issue with these statements. I'm not sure what you've seen in Shaq that the rest of us haven't. Again I'll say I'm more interested in execution. Getting to the rim is meaningless when you don't put the ball in the basket. More often than not vs. good competition when he puts the ball on the floor he either loses the dribble or gets pushed off his shot and can't finish and doesn't even draw the foul. College basketball is not street ball. Defenses close in quick and there's more to getting to the rim than just beating one man. Teams that will rotate a player over to pick up a driving player can easily stop Shaq because you force him to either drive through a player which he can't do, pull up and make a tough shot which he can't do, draw a foul which he shies away from contact or dish the ball to another man down low or back out. Shaq is only effective when we play an opponent that doesn't play defense. He lit up Creighton and I won't bother to look it up but I imagine he fared well both times we played Memphis. Heck Rubles put up 20 on Memphis. Shaq is athletic and that usually is helpful in offensive rebounding if your crashing the boards, but if anybody puts a body on him he is an easy box out. Numbers don't lie and there's nothing in Shaq's execution to lead me to believe he will be a difference maker or a game-changer or a guy you can really count on. And none of this even brings up his most glaring deficiency which is his defense. He can't rebound and can't find his man on switches. Cronin's defense is intense and requires alot and Shaq gets lost in it. Again I hope he proves me wrong. He still has two full seasons. But watching the absolutely meaningless exhibition game and watching him miss bunnies doesn't lead me to believe much has changed in his game. And that game was organized street ball with both teams just attacking the rim which should suit his game. Again if it were me I would play Sanders 2-1 minutes over Shaq. And I would imagine that Mormon and Clark can compete for his playing time his senior year if things don't change.

And I honestly try not to bash Shaq, but whenever I'm forced to make a point about his weaknesses they are just so glaring. I think Mick really likes Shaq and wants him to succeed based on the minutes he gives him.

I guess there's multiple ways of looking at it. I would rather see Shaq being aggressive, beating his man one-on-one and missing shots he should make than seeing Jermaine Sanders being his steady, slow self. This team has had too many years of "serviceable" guys like Sanders. If he's your 8th or 9th guy, then OK. But we're talking starter minutes? I'd rather have someone who can potentially change a game, can break a defense down, forcing them to rotate and adjust, potentially creating put backs and good looks for others.

And his on-ball defense is actually pretty good from what I've seen. I remember him playing the opposing team's best scorer on several occasions when Guyn wasn't in.

Obviously, I'm a fan of Shaq and am willing to be more patient with him than others are. I can understand the disappointment with him...shit, I'm disappointed in his development....but to say Sanders should play over him is like saying you should hit on the fat chick because you know she'll say yes.

 

[Robert]

Shaq is not a bad defender. I really don't know where some people get that from. If he was a bad defender, he would not have averaged 23 minutes last season and Mick would have played a lot more 3-guard line-ups. He has mental lapses on occasion, but he gives good effort and has the athleticism and length to make up for most of his errors. He certainly could be a lot better, as there really is no part of his game he has come close to reaching his potential with. Don't know if he'll ever reach it, but he'll make some noise these last 2 years.