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Wolf's Development

He is a backup center next year. Maybe he plays alongside Cliff in OOC if we see zone and he can go high low and get Cliff easy buckets.

There is a huge need for production from a backup 5 and him improving would help us a lot.

He isn't and never will be a 4 and that is fine. The year is 2023.
 
He is a backup center next year. Maybe he plays alongside Cliff in OOC if we see zone and he can go high low and get Cliff easy buckets.

There is a huge need for production from a backup 5 and him improving would help us a lot.

He isn't and never will be a 4 and that is fine. The year is 2023.

I agree here. He is a backup 5 this year and will contend for the starting 5 next year against Sommerville (and maybe a 1% chance of Cliff).
 
. . . . If he can prove to shoot from the outside, it would . . . .
You could use this intro for any player who hasn't been an outside shooter, and what would follow would be something stating that the player would then be a much more productive player. Insert Cliff, Hyatt, Simpson, Chol, others.
 
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He is a backup center next year. Maybe he plays alongside Cliff in OOC if we see zone and he can go high low and get Cliff easy buckets.

There is a huge need for production from a backup 5 and him improving would help us a lot.

He isn't and never will be a 4 and that is fine. The year is 2023.
at 6'8" he is not big enough for a true center and the 4 would be a much better fit for him.
 
I think the key to Wolf getting more PT is to be a guy we can run some offense through.
Other than simple handoffs or straight pick and rolls, Cliff isn't very useful in that regard and he seems to pick up fouls on screens more than most players do.

Wolf could find some time as a guy who creates shots for Griffiths or Noah or maybe even Chol. Adama Sanogo was really good at this with Hawkins, setting, then resetting screens or getting short passes into handoffs for 3's for Hawkins. Wolf seems to have an excellent feel for that sort of thing, reading defenders and throwing the right passes/making the right decisions. When teams hard hedge, Wolf could be a guy who leaves early and makes decisions in the middle of the floor. Few college teams have a guy who can do that. IF Wolf can develop like this, he could be a very valuable player.

Not many teams play both a 4 and a 5 that don't shoot 3's but I can see Pike doing it IF Wolf can become a facilitator and defend 4's. I see that as a more likely path to PT for Wolf than either him or Cliff making 3's.
Really interesting take. We haven't had a big man playmaker, but Wolf has some skills for it. He can score in the post and is agile and can pass well it seems with a good feel for the game
 
I think Wolf's development can be a huge factor this season. If he can prove to shoot from the outside, it would allow him to play at the 4 and change our whole dynamic.

Supposedly, he's been impressing in summer workouts.
He didn't even take mid range jumpers last year let alone a true outside shot. I doubt we see him chucking 3's and in the 2023 you want your 4 to be able to shoot the 3
 
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I don’t think you can make a generalization, especially at the four and five, as to who can cover this position and who can cover that position. It’s all about the individual team And the matchup’s they present. This is certainly the case with Wolf.
 
That's beyond irrelevant. Teams will list a starting 5 with 3 guards and 2 forwards. One of those forwards is playing the 5
I agree in the sense that if the other team has a "5" someone has to guard him. I also agree that few teams play 2 guys at the same time who don't take 3's. BUT Pike does stuff you don't see many other coaches do. How many other teams pressed as a normal part of their game last season?

I could see an offense with Wolf being a screener/handoff/passer at the top of the arc and Cliff being in the dunker spot. Instead of rolling to the hoop after a ball screen/handoff Wolf screens away.
 
I agree in the sense that if the other team has a "5" someone has to guard him. I also agree that few teams play 2 guys at the same time who don't take 3's. BUT Pike does stuff you don't see many other coaches do. How many other teams pressed as a normal part of their game last season?

I could see an offense with Wolf being a screener/handoff/passer at the top of the arc and Cliff being in the dunker spot. Instead of rolling to the hoop after a ball screen/handoff Wolf screens away.
The 4 is a big wildcard. Mag's health. Hyatt's poor play. Chol unknown raw talent with upside....

If all these guys are healthy and play well then it will be tougher for Wolf to get minutes there. If Mag has a setback, Hyatt struggles like he did when he got benched for Oskar, and Chol still isn't ready for this level.... Wolf may have a bigger role there

I wonder if we don't pursue a 4 if that is a signal for Mag's health and/or Wolf playing some 4

I'm not totally against Wolf getting some spot minutes at the 4, but I don't see that as optimal for long stretches and would prefer a more perimeter player
 
The 4 is a big wildcard. Mag's health. Hyatt's poor play. Chol unknown raw talent with upside....

If all these guys are healthy and play well then it will be tougher for Wolf to get minutes there. If Mag has a setback, Hyatt struggles like he did when he got benched for Oskar, and Chol still isn't ready for this level.... Wolf may have a bigger role there

I wonder if we don't pursue a 4 if that is a signal for Mag's health and/or Wolf playing some 4

I'm not totally against Wolf getting some spot minutes at the 4, but I don't see that as optimal for long stretches and would prefer a more perimeter player
Yeah- we should have a lineup/rotation thread because there is a lot of interesting stuff to talk about there.
 
I agree in the sense that if the other team has a "5" someone has to guard him. I also agree that few teams play 2 guys at the same time who don't take 3's. BUT Pike does stuff you don't see many other coaches do. How many other teams pressed as a normal part of their game last season?

I could see an offense with Wolf being a screener/handoff/passer at the top of the arc and Cliff being in the dunker spot. Instead of rolling to the hoop after a ball screen/handoff Wolf screens away.

The problem is if the screener isn't a shooting threat.
If Wolf slides off but isn't a threat to shoot then the defense can stay with the ballhandler.
Or if Wolf gets the pass back - the defense doesn't need to rotate and jump out on him if they'll let him shoot.

Same thing that happened with Clif last year.
 
The problem is if the screener isn't a shooting threat.
If Wolf slides off but isn't a threat to shoot then the defense can stay with the ballhandler.
Or if Wolf gets the pass back - the defense doesn't need to rotate and jump out on him if they'll let him shoot.

Same thing that happened with Clif last year.
If Wolf sets a good screen, the defense either has to hedge it or switch it. That's different this year.
We have Gavin Griffiths and Noah Fernandes coming off those screens - they're looking for 3's off them
I can't wait to see someone try drop coverage with their bigs against us

If they hard hedge, Wolf leaves early, gets the ball in the middle of the court - go to the hoop, kick to shooters or hit the guy who gave it to him on relocation - Bam, Draymond - it's stuff you see in the NBA all the time. Most college centers aren't versatile enough w/ballhandling and decision making to do this. Wolf could develop into that type of player.
 
If Hunter Dickinson can develop a respectable 3 ball, why can't Wolf over time?
Because Hunter Dickinson was a much more polished player when he got to college and could already shoot, it was just a matter of pushing out his range. I think Wolf has potential to be a significant contributor, but mainly around the basket. He has great footwork for a relatively raw player, but don’t expect him to start shooting 3s.
 
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Because Hunter Dickinson was a much more polished player when he got to college and could already shoot, it must just a matter of pushing out his range. I think Wolf has potential to be a significant contributor, but mainly around the basket. He has great footwork for a relatively raw player, but don’t expect him to start shooting 3s.
Dudes that aren’t used to playing on the perimeter are only used to shooting over people. So, it Makes it tougher for them to just start making 3-balls off the bat.
 
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Maybe we fans should hope for Woolfolk to get his free throw percentage above 45% before we start sending him to the 3 point line to shoot like Dickinson.

The kid's a banger. I don't get how anyone can see that and then say, hey, let's put him out by the three point line.

Oh, the off season.
 
For the love of god people, did you not see his dribbling skills at the end of last season? The dude is absolutely without a doubt a PG. End of story!!!!! 😂 😂 😂


But seriously what is the perverse fascination with trying to shoehorn every backup center into the 4 spot? This isn't 90s basketball. Having 2 centers that can provide offense is what you need.
 
I personally wouldn't be shocked to see Wolf as the breakout player for us this year
He is new to basketball but has very good instincts on the court
Combine that with good footwork and good hands in a '6'8" 240lb man and anything can happen
He is a tremendous athlete for his size
Watching him shoot in warm ups, he definitely has some thing to work with when you talk about shooting
You can teach mechanics but you can't teach touch
He seems to have decent touch
Wolf could end up being a very important player here
I think it's at both the 4 and 5
 
Wolf would be better off working on a spinning off-hand jump hook than an outside shot. Neither is going to happen, but the spinner would be more fun. He definitely has a place as the back up 5 with his skill set as an off speed pitch. He's faster and more physical than Cliff. While the game has moved outside, a talent like Wolf can still make a living and can improve. Cliff has been surprisingly durable so far. If he goes down, we are in trouble.
 
That's beyond irrelevant. Teams will list a starting 5 with 3 guards and 2 forwards. One of those forwards is playing the 5
Last year’s Big Ten starters at the 5 and their listed position. More than half of them are listed as Forwards.

Illinois: Dain Dainja (F) 6’9” 270
Indiana: Trayce Jackson Davis (F) 6’9” 245
Iowa: Filip Rebraca (F) 6’9” 230
Maryland: Julian Reese (F) 6’9 230
Michigan: Hunter Dickinson (C) 7’1” 260
Michigan State: Mady Sissoko (C) 6’9” 240
Minnesota: Joshua Ola Joseph (F) 6’7” 215
Nebraska: Derrick Walker (F) 6’9” 245
Northwestern: Matthew Nicholson (C) 7’0” 255
Ohio State: Zed Key (F) 6’8” 255
Penn State: Kebba Njie (F) 6’10” 237
Purdue: Zach Edey (C) 7’4” 295
Rutgers: Cliff Omoruyi (C) 6’11” 240
Wisconsin: Steven Crowl (F) 7’0” 245”
 
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How do we have the only fans who shrink the size of our players but believe the size of opposing players to be factual?
No Way Wtf GIF by Harlem
 
Last year’s Big Ten starters at the 5 and their listed position. More than half of them are listed as Forwards.

Illinois: Dain Dainja (F)
Indiana: Trayce Jackson Davis (F)
Iowa: Filip Rebraca (F)
Maryland: Julian Reese (F)
Michigan: Hunter Dickinson (C)
Michigan State: Mady Sissoko (C)
Minnesota: Joshua Ola Joseph (F)
Nebraska: Derrick Walker (F)
Northwestern: Matthew Nicholson (C)
Ohio State: Zed Key (F)
Penn State: Kebba Njie (F)
Purdue: Zach Edey (C)
Rutgers: Cliff Omoruyi (C)
Wisconsin: Steven Crowl (F)
Can you re-do this list with their heights and weights along with Wolfs
 
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Last year’s Big Ten starters at the 5 and their listed position. More than half of them are listed as Forwards.

Illinois: Dain Dainja (F) 6’9” 270
Indiana: Trayce Jackson Davis (F) 6’9” 245
Iowa: Filip Rebraca (F) 6’9” 230
Maryland: Julian Reese (F) 6’9 230
Michigan: Hunter Dickinson (C) 7’1” 260
Michigan State: Mady Sissoko (C) 6’9” 240
Minnesota: Joshua Ola Joseph (F) 6’7” 215
Nebraska: Derrick Walker (F) 6’9” 245
Northwestern: Matthew Nicholson (C) 7’0” 255
Ohio State: Zed Key (F) 6’8” 255
Penn State: Kebba Njie (F) 6’10” 237
Purdue: Zach Edey (C) 7’4” 295
Rutgers: Cliff Omoruyi (C) 6’11” 240
Wisconsin: Steven Crowl (F) 7’0” 245”
Interesting.

Current trends seem to be positionless basketball with a focus on more rounded skills. Nova under write won a Naty with an undersized center. However, as time goes not there may be a shift back to bigger bodies in the middle driving things.
 
Last year’s Big Ten starters at the 5 and their listed position. More than half of them are listed as Forwards.

Illinois: Dain Dainja (F) 6’9” 270
Indiana: Trayce Jackson Davis (F) 6’9” 245
Iowa: Filip Rebraca (F) 6’9” 230
Maryland: Julian Reese (F) 6’9 230
Michigan: Hunter Dickinson (C) 7’1” 260
Michigan State: Mady Sissoko (C) 6’9” 240
Minnesota: Joshua Ola Joseph (F) 6’7” 215
Nebraska: Derrick Walker (F) 6’9” 245
Northwestern: Matthew Nicholson (C) 7’0” 255
Ohio State: Zed Key (F) 6’8” 255
Penn State: Kebba Njie (F) 6’10” 237
Purdue: Zach Edey (C) 7’4” 295
Rutgers: Cliff Omoruyi (C) 6’11” 240
Wisconsin: Steven Crowl (F) 7’0” 245”
If there were a place to bookmark/sticky single posts - this should be there
Nice work
 
The fact that Wolf has looked great in preseason workouts can only benefit us if he plays at the 4 or 5. He has athletic ability from his football days and can dribble and if he can hit the 10-15 foot shot efficiently 50+ percent that will help. I am not expecting any threes out of him but making two’s consistently makes sure we do not go on long scoring droughts . I am also sure he will get his free throw % up as well.
This is also tremendous news for next year and Wolf and Sommerville will be battling for the starting spot along with Big O.
 
I'm not totally against Wolf getting some spot minutes at the 4, but I don't see that as optimal for long stretches and would prefer a more perimeter player
The optimistic view of Wolf potentially playing 4 is him improving his game to the point of warranting more minutes then just backup 5 would provide.

I thought he showed some signs late last year, but I also thought Reiber showed some signs the year prior as well. Dean tailed off rather then taking that building on that prior season, hopefully Wolf can step up.
 
Yes, in the 1980's
There is truth to this, but the Big 10 does seem to play more of that old style b-ball then most conferences.

I do wonder how a smaller team would fare in a full season of conference play. Without breaking down each team in the league and seeing how they do relative to their size, seeing Purdue at the top of the charts this year, and Illinois in previous years, it does seem that big men led teams do have that regular season in conference advantage.
 
The optimistic view of Wolf potentially playing 4 is him improving his game to the point of warranting more minutes then just backup 5 would provide.

I thought he showed some signs late last year, but I also thought Reiber showed some signs the year prior as well. Dean tailed off rather then taking that building on that prior season, hopefully Wolf can step up.
Wolf has the game of a 5, not a 4. And as the primary backup he can’t play with Cliff and risk them both picking up fouls. Ogbole is very raw and has only played against a very low level of competition. I am not expecting him to contribute anything next year.
 
There is truth to this, but the Big 10 does seem to play more of that old style b-ball then most conferences.

I do wonder how a smaller team would fare in a full season of conference play. Without breaking down each team in the league and seeing how they do relative to their size, seeing Purdue at the top of the charts this year, and Illinois in previous years, it does seem that big men led teams do have that regular season in conference advantage.
Penn State last year played a very small lineup. They only had one player in the rotation taller than 6’8 (Njie who is 6’10”) and he only played about 15 minutes per game.
 
Penn State last year played a very small lineup. They only had one player in the rotation taller than 6’8 (Njie who is 6’10”) and he only played about 15 minutes per game.
Middle of the road team. So maybe that plays to the point.

Were they taller in the 1-3 positions like we were though?
 
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