The backcourt

[Nomadic1]

You have to feel pretty good about point guard with Guyn and Caupain. .
After SK, who is the team's best 2?
Is there anybody who makes you feel confident?

 

[TheLivingLegend]

KJ is going to be very good.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

You have to feel pretty good about point guard with Guyn and Caupain. .
After SK, who is the team's best 2?
Is there anybody who makes you feel confident?

KJ has shown me alot. Obviously young and needs to work on his jump shot. Defensively he might end up being our best defender, especially in the press. The 2 spot looks bright after this season. While there will be growing pains with him this year, luckily SK can play 35-38 minutes if needed. I think vs. our better competition, SK will play 37-38 minutes. There are plenty of options besides KJ, I think if needed Sanders/Shaq can play the 2/3 positions or even Guyn/Caupain can be on the floor at the same time at the 1/2. Most people will chime in with Davis, but I'm hard pressed to believe he'll see any significant minutes this year. In a pinch Lawrence could even slide to the 3 to play anyone else at the 2. I honestly don't see Mick ever putting 3 bigs in the game at once because of foul situations and needing to keep Lawrence/Dave ready for when JJ and Titus get in foul trouble, which will happen plenty. Last night was a prime example of scrambling to even keep two bigs on the floor the whole game due to foul concerns. Honestly I think it's a moot point because for the most part SK stays out of foul trouble and can play nearly the whole game if necessary.

 

[waterhead]

You have to feel pretty good about point guard with Guyn and Caupain. .
After SK, who is the team's best 2?
Is there anybody who makes you feel confident?

I think I agree with the TYZ on this one. We don't HAVE to have a SG in the game when SK is not but I think KJ will do just fine for the minutes available there. Like TYZ said we can play GG and TC, we can play Thomas, Sanders, or Lawrence. We have the option of playing JDIII.

Just put the guys out there who are the most effective on that day. Quality backup minutes concern me much more behind JJ who will play as little as 20 minutes in some games where he gets in foul trouble. When he can play 30+ we should be fine with DN, TR, and JL.

Other than his shooting woes I am a big fan of KJ. Before season's end I think his outside shooting will get much better and he will become more of a weapon. I think he has just about all the other tools which are valuable. Quickness, athletecism, defense, ball handling, movement without the ball, passing, BB IQ, rebounding etc etc. He's already very useful and will become even moreso when he stops rushing his shot and his shooting confidence grows.

 

[JasonS]

People shouldn't be too worried about KJs shooting woes yet. He has nice form and the jumper is smooth. I think he will be a fine shooter in time. He is an explosive athlete as well. He will be a good player for this team.

 

[JumpinJack5]

I'm gonna go with Morman. KJ will be good with time, but I think Morman will make an immediate impact next year. He just looks like a Bearcat. Johnson has more scoring potential than Morman, IMO, but you need tough players and I think Morman fits the bill. If JD3 can get on the court, I think he has lots of potential. Lots of options, I expect one or two of them to really step it up next year.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

I'm gonna go with Morman. KJ will be good with time, but I think Morman will make an immediate impact next year. He just looks like a Bearcat. Johnson has more scoring potential than Morman, IMO, but you need tough players and I think Morman fits the bill. If JD3 can get on the court, I think he has lots of potential. Lots of options, I expect one or two of them to really step it up next year.

KJ is good now... By end of the year will be best on ball defender. And is explosive.

 

[JumpinJack5]

KJ is good now... By end of the year will be best on ball defender. And is explosive.

His shot has potential, but that is where he will continue to have to work. Right now and in high school, he was very streaky. He is great at getting to the rim, and as his shot continues to gain more consistency, I expect him to become a good player for us. He has been good so far, but I think this is just the beginning.

 

[waterhead]

I'm gonna go with Morman. KJ will be good with time, but I think Morman will make an immediate impact next year. He just looks like a Bearcat. Johnson has more scoring potential than Morman, IMO, but you need tough players and I think Morman fits the bill. If JD3 can get on the court, I think he has lots of potential. Lots of options, I expect one or two of them to really step it up next year.

I can't disagree with Mormon next year (although we will still need to see him in more action to determine)...but I think this question had to do with this year and Mormon won't play this year.

 

[JumpinJack5]

I can't disagree with Mormon next year (although we will still need to see him in more action to determine)...but I think this question had to do with this year and Mormon won't play this year.

It's an easy answer unless JD3 can get more playing time, it has to be Johnson. Also, forgot to ask this yesterday, but did anyone notice that Zach Tobler looks like Kenny Frease when he runs?

 

[Bearcatboy]

I can't disagree with Mormon next year (although we will still need to see him in more action to determine)...but I think this question had to do with this year and Mormon won't play this year.

I agree that the 2 spot next year will be Morman's in less we get Graham then he would be the starting 2.

 

[Patrick Bateman]

KJ is good now... By end of the year will be best on ball defender. And is explosive.

I think that it is funny that the other thread being posted on now is about our weak schedule to date and this one is about how great our frosh look. Years ago a reporter once said that Hicks was going to be all American and Huggs replied that everyone looks like an all American against weak OOC opponents.

I think that KJ has definitely shown he has good great instincts on defense, great quickness and above average defense. All against sub par competition. It is definitely refreshing to see our young players have higher bball IQ than we got in the past. He will have a nice career here but I am reserving judgment until after this next stretch of games to see him play against higher competition. KJ and Lawrence have both improved since stepping on the court the first game this season.

The other issue is that this team needs shooters badly, really badly. Sanders has a slow draw, JD3 is buried on the bench getting the Jaquon Parker treatment and all the attention is on SK. It was really good to see Troy hit some threes. KJ plain and simply is not a 3 point shooter and man does he like to shoot it. Against sub par competition he is 1-14 on the season, which is in Titus and Ibrahima territory. He needs to focus on the things that he does well which is getting to the rim and finishing or making a dish to an open player. In the mean time he needs to be shooting before and after practice every day and all night. He has airballed several shots and others are not even close. He did hit one Tuesday but also missed 3.

Lastly, if JD3 is going to permanently be behind KJ he will never see minutes the rest of his career unless he steps up his game.

Next year the press should be deadly with KJ and Mormon. Mick had a quote saying that some teams may not be able to get the ball past half court with those two. Now we need a defensive shot blocker and rebounder along with a deadly shooter.

 

[Robert]

I like KJ, but he doesn't need to be shooting 3's right now, period. He was a sub-30% 3-point shooter in high school and he is 1-14 so far this season. Whatever the reason, he hasn't figured out how to knock down the long jumpers yet.