TheKnightReport - Mawot Mag on cusp of potential breakout campaign for Rutgers hoops
Mawot Mag was cited in having the best offseason of any player on the Rutgers men's basketball team
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Basketball Mawot Mag could have breakout season
- Thread starter ChrisNalwasky
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Pike is talking National Championship to his players.
Multiple articles I’ve read have our players talking about it.
We lost two really important pieces, yet I’m delusional enough to think we may be better than ever….crazy!
Multiple articles I’ve read have our players talking about it.
We lost two really important pieces, yet I’m delusional enough to think we may be better than ever….crazy!
i think the tournament is a realistic expectation for this year. And maybe the crazy optimist in me thinks the conference is there for the taking by just about anyone so why not our very experienced squad.
the Gavin G class if it adds Dylan and maybe even Papa … now a national championship is REALLY a potential
I thought we weren’t going to do the best team ever thing again this offseason? You guys are killing me. 😁
Scoring is going to be the issue, as well as someone taking over a tight game at the end like Geo often did. Geo and Ron are going to be very tough to replace. Pike will have done a fantastic job if we make the NCAAs, imo.
Mag is trying to work his way in at becoming a leadership voice on the team.
“Yeah, that’s actually one thing I want to step into, a leadership role,” Mag said. “I want to lead our team and be a more vocal person on the court.”
I tend to dislike topics like this. It seems like the interviewer prompted the comment about leadership. And people saying they intend to be more of a leader.. just doesn't sit well. Leadership is something you earn from those you intend to lead. I'd rather have 1 leader on the court at any time with others who have chosen to follow his lead than 5 players all trying to prove their leadership qualifications.
Mag's breakout is all mental to me.
Physically he has all the tools to be a good player for us, him jumper needs to be more consistent, but his ability to cut and finish around the rim is great. His defense is pretty good and we all know he has energy to burn.
He got too amped up at times and also played like a chicken with no head some times, if he can play under control he can be really good this year.
Physically he has all the tools to be a good player for us, him jumper needs to be more consistent, but his ability to cut and finish around the rim is great. His defense is pretty good and we all know he has energy to burn.
He got too amped up at times and also played like a chicken with no head some times, if he can play under control he can be really good this year.
This is all a big IF as there’s been pre-season hype on Mag every year he’s been here.
That said - if he has developed into an explosive (not just servicable) scorer, then yes, in that case we would be really really good. The line up mentioned in the article could be a national top 10 caliber defense, but it would need another consistent scorer in the mix to truly be dangerous. Just one emerging scorer in that line up is all it would take. Jalen won’t be a good offensive player but confidence usually comes from frosh to sophomore season. He’s fast so if we can turn people over he may be able to contribute in transition this season.
That said - if he has developed into an explosive (not just servicable) scorer, then yes, in that case we would be really really good. The line up mentioned in the article could be a national top 10 caliber defense, but it would need another consistent scorer in the mix to truly be dangerous. Just one emerging scorer in that line up is all it would take. Jalen won’t be a good offensive player but confidence usually comes from frosh to sophomore season. He’s fast so if we can turn people over he may be able to contribute in transition this season.
But that's really the only answer to the question "Are you looking to become more of a leader?"..... that's either a "yes", "no", or "dodge" kind of question. The boilerplate answer is exactly what he said.... it's something I want to be.
There's also not one leader and a bunch of followers - multiple people can be leading by example and have respected voices on the team. Doing the things that need to be done in practice, working hard outside of practice, buying into the program and the coaches' directions, being vocal calling out what you see on the floor.... all leadership qualities that aren't hierarchical.
Also, in basketball, if there's just 1-2 "leaders" on the team, things break down if they're both on the bench. If foul trouble and/or injury leads to some strange line ups, you need guys who can step up and be the mature presence. That's something you expect upper classmen like Mag to do.
I said all that in my message.
-"I tend to dislike topics like this. It seems like the interviewer prompted the comment about leadership."
-"I'd rather have 1 leader on the court at any time with others who have chosen to follow his lead than 5 players all trying to prove their leadership qualifications."
Yes.. you need multiple players capable of providing leadership. And it can be taught you you can choose to learn to lead. But leadership is really earned and granted by those you choose to lead... they ask you to lead in one way or another.
For many many.. too many.. years.. we had ZERO on-court floor generals. Pike has recruited several. It is really the obvious prompting for this rote response to which I object. When there is a vacuum of leadership things can get real ugly.. because there is such a thing as BAD LEADERS. But if it is earned and granted by those whose team success relies on choosing a leader.. they tend to make good choices. The wisdom of the crowd.
If the game slows down for Hyatt and Mag, they can have really good seasons - I think that is the key.
I know right 😊
But it’s me not Pike this time.
Pike is messaging his players and talking about how he likes his combinations and player improvement.
That’ s far different from saying it’s the best team he’s ever had.
All kidding aside, I really feel that we are establishing an actual program with depth now, so I don't get as freaked out when guys move on. I believe that the numbers are there and guys develop under this coach. Others will step up when guys graduate.
Paul literally has the ability to control and take over a game, he’s done it and against high level competition.
Can you imagine if his norm was what we saw for that 4 game stretch and his off nights are his normal game.
He’s too talented to have complete WTF stinker games.
Can you imagine if his norm was what we saw for that 4 game stretch and his off nights are his normal game.
He’s too talented to have complete WTF stinker games.
If either Mag or Hyatt are bust out scorers, I think it's AH. I see Mag as a "Swiss army knife" type guy, offenively, in old parlance and meant as a compliment, "a garbage man."
who has ball in their hands down by 1 with 10 seconds left? i don't even know.
And you know he's working his butt off in the offseason to do just that.
Paul, Cliff, Cam, Caleb could be options. I'm not sleeping on Derek Simpson either as the season progresses. Part of the fun of this year is the unknown- watching guys develop while veterans assume new leadership roles. FIG will kill me for posting that!
Agree on the prompting for stock answers - they're just hoping one of the players will give them something more than boilerplate responses.
But I think we have slightly different definitions of leadership.
For example, Baker getting keys to the practice facility and encouraging other players to get in more reps outside of practice. Or Mulcahy creating the Grateful4 Foundation. Or Myles Johnson creating BLKDev. No one asked them to do that - they exercised initiative and led by example.
Players lead in all kinds of ways. You can be a leader in getting guys motivated to get in extra reps outside of practice, or to get extra time in the weight room, or to have better nutrition or sleep, or to make better life choices off the court, or to be a better teammate, etc. Leadership can come from different guys for different things - and it's expected that upperclassmen (like Mag) help to guide newer players. Sometimes it all comes together in one guy, and sometimes multiple players take on different leadership roles.
But to your other point, you can definitely have bad leaders.... a guy who gets his teammates to stay out late partying and getting into trouble is also a leader (or 'ringleader'), but not the kind a team wants. Or a guy who has an adversarial attitude toward coaches and gets other players grumbling.... another example of negative leadership.
The "wisdom of the crowd" only goes so far - people fall in behind charismatic negative leaders all the time. It's incumbent on positive leaders to choose to speak. But that goes back to coaches doing their homework and bringing in guys to the roster with the right mindsets, so you don't end up with a toxic locker room.
I see Mag as more of a role player, willing to run the baseline, scrap for rebounds or take a charge. He can be a fan favorite if he continues to improve.
Mulcahy will have the ball and will need to make a play. Can he get the basket? Can he draw a defender and get Cliff open for a dunk (like against Northwestern)? Can Spencer or McConnell hit a jumper if the ball is kicked to them? That'll decide the game.
I'd posit that Caleb can too, as evidenced against Notre Dame. Both he and Paul exemplify the selfless players who CAN do more offensively but didn't have to because of Ron and Geo.
I think others have said how our program is establishing itself as a consistent program and it's nice to see we're actually reloading now, not hoping and praying for someone to step up!
Watch the Purdue game. I think his effort in that game could have been the turning point of our season. We were about to 4-5 0-2 (blown out by Illinois).
Yes Harper was the hero and he did the heavy lifting. Mag kept us in the game. That was the game Pike changed the rotation.
The surprising/disappointing thing is that Mag didn't build off that game. Injuries were probably the reason.
Yes Harper was the hero and he did the heavy lifting. Mag kept us in the game. That was the game Pike changed the rotation.
The surprising/disappointing thing is that Mag didn't build off that game. Injuries were probably the reason.
Put me in the camp that is hoping and praying for someone to step up offensively. Our roster is void of any players who have succeeded over long periods of time putting the ball in the basket against major D1 competition. Paul showed us what is possible over a 4 game stretch. Caleb showed us what is possible vs. ND. They both showed us what is possible over 3 full years plenty of times in the other direction offensively as scorers/shooters.
Caleb is the guy fans were saying should never take 3 point shots. He is a career 25% 3 point shooter with the new 3 point line.
Paul followed up his phenomenal stretch with stinkers in 5 of our last 6 games.
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I'm just hoping he can become a consistent contributor. Him and Reiber
I think Reiber is in that category now and I think Mag will get there. It's all about staying on the court and finding an effective mouth guard.
Agree with all of this and it was injuries. He got some teeth knocked out against Purdue or the next game. He also had another injury as he was calming back from that game. He plays hard so these things do happen.
I’ll root hard for all our guys, as always, but I’ll be especially behind the intensity we get from both Mag and Miller. Selfless energy, effort and toughness, always ready to give 100% when called upon. You win with guys like that.
I'm wondering- with all this potential defense, will we be like one of those UVA Tony Bennett teams? May not look pretty, but as long as it wins games... I don't really see it though with some of the guys we have. I think we'll still put up some points.
Miller is such a liability on offense unless something changes drastically you can't be playing 4 v 5 on offense when he is out there
Now Dr. Rich, he’s only going to be a true sophomore. Let’s see how much work he put in this offseason and where he’s at.
If Miller and Mag step up their offensive game (which Pike has hinted at) to where they are legitimate threats to put the ball in the hoop, watch out. With those two on the court, along with Caleb, Cliff and Paul, we’ll have an almost impenetrable defense that can also score.
Lotta ifs
I'm terrified where the scoring is coming from
I'm terrified where the scoring is coming from
I think you mean set, half-court defense. Gotta score ourselves and avoid TOs or opponents' scoring numbers will still be too high for success.
If we are talking about Miller contributing offensive side we're in a bad place
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