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I think the kid will be key piece this year. Lewis is solid in what he does. Freeman has expectations. I think Doorsman needs minutes this year to developed a bit more.Extremely athletic. Body is ready....kid has worked hard to transform himself.
Offense is a work in progress, but he's not lost. He is strong around the rim...will be instant impact on the boards. His hands aren't made of stone, but not soft as a pillow either.
In the small sampling I've seen this summer, I can't say Diallo stood out though. That's not necessarily a bad thing...and I'm not worried at all about it. People who've seen him far more than I rave about his game.
Extremely athletic. Body is ready....kid has worked hard to transform himself.
Offense is a work in progress, but he's not lost. He is strong around the rim...will be instant impact on the boards. His hands aren't made of stone, but not soft as a pillow either.
In the small sampling I've seen this summer, I can't say Diallo stood out though. That's not necessarily a bad thing...and I'm not worried at all about it. People who've seen him far more than I rave about his game.
Great to have "informed opinions" about Diallo based on first hand knowledge, rather than people basing their opinions on how many D5 offers did he have.
I don't mind the questions brother...
Anyway, as a straight up shooter...Goode is friggin lights out, I mean automatic (at least in practice). Last time I saw him in the gym, he was tossing up shots from the R in center court from the edges...not flinging them, shooting. This was after a vigorous full squad workout in a sweltering gym. Let's just say that range isn't his problem, as he was making them pretty routinely, even in a state of exhaustion.
Justin needs to get stronger and improve his lateral movement to get more minutes than a specialist. His defense is a little lacking, but he is willing. He may struggle to matchup with more physical players. His role, at least initially, will be heat check guy off the bench. 5-8 minutes a game depending his effectiveness. He is skilled enough to become a more complete player over time...that I'm confident of.
And as a disclaimer...my comments on the program and its players are only MY opinions, and are based on impressions I've gathered from what I've seen with my own eyes (which are always a bit Scarlet colored). Place as much or as little stock in them as you see fit.
Like Bk said, Goode will give players a breather. If he can give 4-6 points off the bench with a three or jumper in six-eight minutes, he is a huge piece to this team. The competition of this league loves to jump, and it seems like doing more of that while doing gym work would greatly benefit him.
Can we neutralize his lateral speed by running a three guard set and keeping him against a slower small forward and slide Laurent to the two at times? A three guard offense might help him take on a slower player. Definitely needs to hit the livi dining hall. I can offer suggestions.
On the offensive side, if the team can set screens for him and the 4-5s work to help create shots for him, he will be a huge asset for this team. When you see good teams, you see a long stat sheet. It doesn't drop off after the first five. If goode can be a 8th man and chip in 5-6 points, that's huge. All while improving that athleticism.
As for foreman, a lot of games last year he was a inch away from scoring 8 pts a game. His potential is huge as long as he eats. Lefty that can drive right and we saw him do that a lot last year. He basketball is an inch away from him scoring 8+ for us this year. What will effect him is his size and capability to guard his spot. Has the athleticism, needs a dining hall.
Lots to come with this team. I like what I am hearing from BK.
Good to hear about Diallo and Goode. I really expect them to be the 10 and 11 players in the rotation, so if they can contribute at all , that would be really helpful.
With experience and seasoning, I do expect a little more in future years, especially from Diallo
You make some great points. If Goode can shoot in games like he does in practice then the staff needs to find a way to give him a role. To be fair that is the job of any coaching staff, to get the most out of the players and maximize strengths while minimizing weaknesses. A shooter can absolutely have an impact on games. It sounds like this team will have some pieces. It's going to be interesting and hopefully fun watching them fit together.
Foreman has the highest ceiling of the returning players on the roster that played last year. Kid needs to learn how to use his big athletic frame
When he does...he will blossom
I'm not the only one talking about Diallo getting more minutes than Lewis.
I think you see more centers jacking threes than hitting 10 ft jumpers. It's not an easy shot to get off space-wise, and centers shouldn't typically be drifting 10-12 ft away from the basket, except for when they're setting a pick or working hi-lo post. I've gotten the stink eye from plenty of guards when I've drifted into their driving lanes. So often you hear someone say, if he could just hit the mid range jumper, he'd be in the NBA. No he wouldn't. Except for guards, that shot barely exists in the NBA or CBB. You'd have to have Pistol Pete style catch and release to get that shot off on a regular basis playing with your back to the basket. Worse yet would be looking for Lewis (or any college center) to take three dribbles to get to open space.
What Lewis can do, we've already seen. He can do it a little better, but I don't see him becoming a totally different player. Uconn had a big man that did it a few years back, but its rare as hen's teeth.
I think Lewis will be a surprise. Look for a lot of mid range jumpers. A shot he was hesitant to take but Jordan wanted him to take because he said he was a pretty good shooter. I also heard that Lewis slimmed down and will be less bulky.
Rutgers will have 15 fouls at the center position. When was the time we had that kind of depth? No more playing off guys to avoid foul trouble. Co-centers, Shaq is the banger, Lewis is the guy that can step out and hit the mid-range shot and Diallo is long, athletic shot blocker. Jordan will have options based on opponent and situation
I think you see more centers jacking threes than hitting 10 ft jumpers. It's not an easy shot to get off space-wise, and centers shouldn't typically be drifting 10-12 ft away from the basket, except for when they're setting a pick or working hi-lo post. I've gotten the stink eye from plenty of guards when I've drifted into their driving lanes. So often you hear someone say, if he could just hit the mid range jumper, he'd be in the NBA. No he wouldn't. Except for guards, that shot barely exists in the NBA or CBB. You'd have to have Pistol Pete style catch and release to get that shot off on a regular basis playing with your back to the basket. Worse yet would be looking for Lewis (or any college center) to take three dribbles to get to open space.
What Lewis can do, we've already seen. He can do it a little better, but I don't see him becoming a totally different player. Uconn had a big man that did it a few years back, but its rare as hen's teeth.
I'm not sure where the Foreman needs to gain a lot of weight came from, he is not rail thin. He just needs to get stronger...just like all players, but, he is not a bean pole. He is listed at 6'8, 230 as a true freshmen. Not bad size for a forward. He does not need to be 250 and bulky.
As a comparison, Nigel Hill of Wisconsin is listed at 6'8, 235.
Then gain five pounds. I just don't want to see this team outsized at any position because thaat is something we can control. Height,sure-no. But weight and size- make sure Sanders is 175 and not 160.