Kansas Crimson

BiggDick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:43 pm combo guard, supposed to be equally as effective on or off the ball, 6'5" with 6'10" wingspan

apparently his 3 point shot is still a work in progress tho...that alone makes me think we have a chance.

Exactly the kind of guy dajuan needed to compliment him the past few years

wait, I thought the exact compliment/s to Dajuan was shooters to spread the floor?

BiggDick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:49 pm wait, I thought the exact compliment/s to Dajuan was shooters to spread the floor?

No no that's to make up for KJ's inadequacies and to give space for hunter.

To make up for dajuan's inadequacies we need an explosive playmaker who can beat guys off the dribble to make plays for himself and others. But he has to able to shoot too, to also make up for KJ's inadequacies at the same time

Basically what we need zeke, coit, storr and moore to do this season

KJ hurts our spacing. Not Dajuan. Going under ball screens (what they do to DH) is NOT the same as sagging 8ft off into the paint (what they do to KJ).

Yea KJ might hurt it more.

But, a pg for whom opponents can get away with going under ball screens - which is to say, a pg who isn’t a particular threat to shoot (not to mention OR to drive) - prob doesn’t exactly help the spacing, either.

No, not might. He does. Watch the Arkansas game.

What teams are figuring out to do to KJ is not even remotely the same as going under ball screens.

randylahey wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 1:09 pm

BiggDick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:49 pm wait, I thought the exact compliment/s to Dajuan was shooters to spread the floor?

No no that's to make up for KJ's inadequacies and to give space for hunter.

To make up for dajuan's inadequacies we need an explosive playmaker who can beat guys off the dribble to make plays for himself and others. But he has to able to shoot too, to also make up for KJ's inadequacies at the same time

Basically what we need zeke, coit, storr and moore to do this season

sigh…

Never seen a guy so concerned about a player that is top 20 at his position in the entire country (for college basketball).

We've got much bigger issues going on.

It’s less concern about a player that is top 20 at his position in the entire country, and more concern about maybe the whole “top 20 at his position in the entire country” thing is fool’s gold.

We’re talking about a career 6ppg guy, after all.

And maybe we do have much bigger issues going on. But the truth is, elite guard play is one of thee biggest factors toward accumulating hardware, perhaps more so than any other position.

Well, dajuan already has the ultimate piece of hardware. And has a chance this year to get another

Top 3 issues facing the KU team this year in my opinion:

(Not in order of importance)

1. Only 3 key returnees (assuming McDowell redshirts, and even though Clemence has been here for years he doesnt have much meaningful game experience, and he still looks pretty loat out there). Self's offense and defense takes time to learn. 1 or 2 guys off/unsure or out of sync impacts the entire team and effectiveness of our schemes on both sides of the ball. Those great plays Self has shown the ability to draw up over the years ONLY works if everyone is on the same page. We're going to have, at minimum, 2 first year contributors on the court at all times.

2. Frontcourt depth. Again.

3. A go to perimeter scorer. This may not actually be an issue. We should know in the next few weeks. Griffen looked awesome. Storr hasn't. Could be either one of those guys.


If go to perimeter scorer isn't an issue then the hard schedule becomes issue 3 for me. Self has 20 years of evidence showing us that he won't lose games in an effort to develop guys during game minutes. Which isn't a method I disagree with. He's a competitor. Team sports also have a player dynamic component. The guys who deserve minute play. Thats earned in practice. Otherwise you can lose the locker room. It's always about the team and it's always about winning. That is preached from a young age. Thats how you get everyone to buy in.

BiggDick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 2:28 pm But the truth is, elite guard play is one of thee biggest factors toward accumulating hardware, perhaps more so than any other position.

Kevin Pritchard
Russell Robinson
Dajuan Harris

Not a single one of those previous national champions were the best player on their team.

Elite players, at any position, is "thee" biggest factor.

Kevin Pritchard is going back damn near 40 years.

Russ had 2 more talented guards to play alongside/in his place.

Dajuan’s ring came under circumstances very similar to Russ.

And, don’t get me wrong, Dajuan is a good piece to have! I just dunno if he is thee piece to have (in like a 35mpg role, yet again)

Re: 3 key returnees, yea it would be nice to have more key returnees. But it would also be nice to have the 3 key returnees we do have to be more complete players by now.

So, again, here’s to some final-season-in-the-program magic.

And maybe my gripe, more than singling out or collectively criticizing the 3 key returnees we DO have, is worrying the storyline for this season might be more so the one key returnee we DON’T have.

BiggDick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 2:46 pm Kevin Pritchard is going back damn near 40 years.

I picked the last 3 KU national title winning starting PGs.



Players without national titles:

Devonte Graham
Frank Mason
Devon Dotson
Tyshawn Taylor
Kirk Hinrich
Jacque Vaughn



We understand how you feel about DH. We also understand you don't understand basketball that well.

I promise, it'll be easier for you around here if you didn't make everyday all about letting us know you don't like DH. We know you like Landen Lucas and Sasha Kaun more than HD. We know KJ still can't shoot. We get it. You're repeating yourself.

Scoring should not be an issue with this team.

Returned:
Hunter: 17.9
KJ: 12.6
Dajuan: 8.5

Added:
Zeke:18.8
Storr: 16.8
Coit: 20.8
Griffen: 11.2
Moore:7.9

Those 8 guys averaged 114 pts a game last season. The scoring ability is there

I think another big issue the last handful of years is simply missing on guys on the recruiting trail or not being able to keep them around.

The NCAA punishment nonsense was a factor. Adidas had to back off. That's over now. We are good at the NIL game and transfer portal, but some of our depth issue is caused by misses 2 and 3 years ago.

I think this will get better moving forward for the next 5 or 6 years until Self retires or begins to consider it. We need to continue to sprinkle in the 1 and done Gradey type guys will the multi year guys and transfer portal mercenaries.

Bidunga was a start. But he knows he's raw and that why he's okay sitting behind HD for a year and playing 10-12mpg.

We need more of the ready made contributors. I think we will begin getting the Wiggins type, top 5 recruits, on a more regular basis now that we are back on equal footing.

BiggDick wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01, 2024 2:46 pm is worrying the storyline for this season might be more so the one key returnee we DON’T have.

I missed this.

LOL

Go figure you'll make this entire season about an injured guy who wasn't very good last year. An endless hypothetical. Just your style.

Elmarko being hurt absolutely hurt us. But, if they're all healthy, the combo of Coit/Moore and also Mayo pretty much fully replace him in my opinion.

I like Elmarko too. He's going to be big for us the next 3 years. But he wasn't a top 5 key for us this season.

Yea it’s a shame those doods don’t have natties.

But, in featured roles on their respective teams all those doods came very close to it. Some within even just a couple shots. Devon in particular, despite being in such a good situation, didn’t even get the chance, thru no fault of his own*

Dajuan in similarly featured roles has repeatedly failed to get part the first weekend.

But prob shouldn’t have said any of that.

What I DID wanna say tho, is my last post is less a gripe about Dajuan and more a gripe about injuries.




*if Devon DID get that chance would we be counting it as another ring for Dajuan right now too?

Elmarko, for me was a lot like Tyshawn Taylor.
Equal parts "how did he do that?" and "why did he do that?"

lol yes

And Elmarko, like Tyshawn, was and is a good piece to have for a run