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4/17/2019 9:25 pm  #51


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

applecorps wrote:

duq81 wrote:

phil95 wrote:

I don't like Weathers at the 3 or the stretch 4. I don't see how his 3pt shooting can improve the enough to make this work. Other posts that speak about his form & confidence are correct; these are the main issues. He also doesn't have the ball handling skills. He is nearly 22 years old, had an entire, healthy transfer year to work on his shot, & still didn't quite get to 25% on 50+ largely uncontested attempts. ( I guess his dramatic improvement at the FT line does offer a bit of hope.)

If Weathers doesn't play the 3, who will? There's really no one else. A 3 has to be Dambrot's prime target for next year's class.
 

The play of Weathers continuously got better during the year, and he shook off the shooting woes. The guy can shoot, and I don't think that he has a problem handling the ball. He seems comfortable with that, and he has some nice moves in a one-on-one situation. Style-wise he is not like Williams, who always drives full-speed towards the rim. Weathers uses tempo changes. I believe KD will keep him in the starting lineup, and Weathers will have a good season.

He absolutely got better & better. His 3pt shooting did not. I have no doubt he will be noticeably improved this season. He just isn't a 3pt shooter & that is what is required of stretch 4s & SFs in today's game. Even if he improved by 30% year over year his percentage would still be less than 32%. That is a poor trade-off for a guy hitting 56% of his 2s.

EW was the team's best 3pt shooter last season & when he combined with TDM, Frankie, & Sin their collective ability to stretch the floor was not nearly impactful enough to force opponents to unclog the lane for drives, pounding the ball successfully into the post, or offensive rebounding. Running Weathers at SF is asking too much of an otherwise productive player & damaging to the rebounding efforts.

In my opinion, the lone failure of this recruiting class is the lack of bona fide shooting from distance.  It would be less of an issue if somebody that is a dead eye shooter, (39% + please), supplanted FHughes as the starting 2 or TDM & Sin both shot 37% next year. It would be a sea change if both happened.

No miracle is needed for TDM & Frankie to improve to 37%. Disciplined shot selection would likely do the trick. Frankie has a long way to go before 6.8 attempts from 3 is efficient.

Certainly Sin understands that to be the best PG in the conference he has to stay healthy & make incremental progress in 3pt shooting. At 35% he is a load. At 39% he is player of the year material.

Norman's percentage is very promising albeit with a limited sample.

While I know that MHughes is a center at heart, I think it is an interesting idea to get him 12-16 feet away from the hoop a bit when Steele is in. Mike has a nice stroke & a growing array of 2 dribbles to the hoop moves. I also think he can handle some high low playmaking for Steele to soften up zones. 

 

4/18/2019 6:13 am  #52


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

I'd be very surprised if Eric ends up in the NBA.

 

4/18/2019 8:32 am  #53


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

WashPaRick wrote:

I'd be very surprised if Eric ends up in the NBA.

How would it be surprising? You would have different thoughts if he were at Duquesne still. Kid is 19 and had a great two years even with his ups and downs... you guys downplay him a lot on this board. Sad sad

 

4/18/2019 9:31 am  #54


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

It's extremely hard to make it to the NBA.

 

4/18/2019 9:38 am  #55


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

I'd also be surprised if any of the current players make it to the NBA. Hey they're still on the team. You might want to check out the high level athletes that are playing in the NBA.

 

4/18/2019 10:37 am  #56


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

EWJr. certainly plays the NBA-style game. I can see him making a roster in 2-3 years. I have never underestimated Eric Williams. Dude is a baller. Will probably make a better pro than college player because of his attitude, mentality and demeanor.

 

4/18/2019 10:47 am  #57


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

Crosseye wrote:

EWJr. certainly plays the NBA-style game. I can see him making a roster in 2-3 years. I have never underestimated Eric Williams. Dude is a baller. Will probably make a better pro than college player because of his attitude, mentality and demeanor.

Plus 3 years in a Power 5 weight and conditioning program.
 

 

4/18/2019 3:25 pm  #58


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

Gents you are SO over estimating EW’s game. Aaron Jackson has never seen the court in a NBA game. EW needs to significantly improve his ball handling, shot and attitude.

 

4/18/2019 3:54 pm  #59


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

The Dome wrote:

Gents you are SO over estimating EW’s game. Aaron Jackson has never seen the court in a NBA game. EW needs to significantly improve his ball handling, shot and attitude.

Aaron Jackson played for the Rockets last year. Where on earth have you been?
 

 

4/18/2019 4:05 pm  #60


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

It is a fairly long shot for all but the 5 star recruits, but I think EW can make the league. I think the likelihood depends on where he ends up. Some programs are much better than others at getting their guys ready to be good NBA players, despite not being top notch recruits.

 

4/18/2019 6:56 pm  #61


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

Of course how could I forget that 30 second stent. Be serious!!!

 

4/18/2019 7:26 pm  #62


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

I've seen longer shots than EW make the league, but the NBA is very difficult to make if you're not 6'10" or taller. Pitt had a 15 year run of ranked teams, and the only somewhat impact player they put in the league is Steven Adams, who was only at Pitt for one year. Aaron Gray hung on as a big providing depth. Sam Young, and DeJuan Blair hung in there as limited role players long enough to qualify for a pension. Lamar Patterson had a cup of coffee, and Brandin Knight had a 10 day, and played in one game. This is for a team that was frequently ranked, and almost always in the tournament. Point being, it's hard to make the NBA. Not many spots open up each year, and not only are you competing with other guys coming out of college, but with Euros, and G-League guys. Eric will need to go to a good program, get in the starting lineup, and be an impact player in order to even get an invite to one of the camps, or to play on a summer league team. If he can't do that, then he'll be crushed by even borderline NBA guys.

 

4/18/2019 10:57 pm  #63


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

The Dome wrote:

Of course how could I forget that 30 second stent. Be serious!!!

Aaron played in 8 games last year, including 7 playoff games, and a game in which he saw 34:30 minutes of action. Hardly a career, but not worthy of a dismissive comment from you. Most of us were very happy for Aaron that he got to live his dream, even if it was only for a few weeks.
 

 

4/19/2019 6:25 am  #64


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

The Dome wrote:

Gents you are SO over estimating EW’s game. Aaron Jackson has never seen the court in a NBA game. EW needs to significantly improve his ball handling, shot and attitude.

Actually AJax did get picked up late last season and I saw him play in some late season games for the Houston Rockets and he was on the bench in the playoffs. 

Otherwise Dome, I agree that most of the posters here are highly overrating Williams.  Eric can jump, but that won’t get him into the League.  His can’t create his own shot, can’t handle the ball, he shoots a set shot, unproven jump shot, and he’ll get eaten alive on defense.  We might want to recall the games last year that the Dukes lost and Eric didn’t show up.

 

4/19/2019 7:33 am  #65


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

81 I was not being dismissive of Aaron but you made my point. He was a great player that couldn’t crack the NBA for an extended period. BTW going the European or whatever foreign league isn’t all that many think it is. Once again all you hear are the success stories and not the grinds that many American players face.

 

4/19/2019 8:37 am  #66


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

duq81 wrote:

I've seen longer shots than EW make the league, but the NBA is very difficult to make if you're not 6'10" or taller. Pitt had a 15 year run of ranked teams, and the only somewhat impact player they put in the league is Steven Adams, who was only at Pitt for one year. Aaron Gray hung on as a big providing depth. Sam Young, and DeJuan Blair hung in there as limited role players long enough to qualify for a pension. Lamar Patterson had a cup of coffee, and Brandin Knight had a 10 day, and played in one game. This is for a team that was frequently ranked, and almost always in the tournament. Point being, it's hard to make the NBA. Not many spots open up each year, and not only are you competing with other guys coming out of college, but with Euros, and G-League guys. Eric will need to go to a good program, get in the starting lineup, and be an impact player in order to even get an invite to one of the camps, or to play on a summer league team. If he can't do that, then he'll be crushed by even borderline NBA guys.

The reasons why i'd be surprised if Eric made the NBA are everything you put in your post.

 

4/19/2019 9:37 am  #67


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

WashPaRick wrote:

duq81 wrote:

I've seen longer shots than EW make the league, but the NBA is very difficult to make if you're not 6'10" or taller. Pitt had a 15 year run of ranked teams, and the only somewhat impact player they put in the league is Steven Adams, who was only at Pitt for one year. Aaron Gray hung on as a big providing depth. Sam Young, and DeJuan Blair hung in there as limited role players long enough to qualify for a pension. Lamar Patterson had a cup of coffee, and Brandin Knight had a 10 day, and played in one game. This is for a team that was frequently ranked, and almost always in the tournament. Point being, it's hard to make the NBA. Not many spots open up each year, and not only are you competing with other guys coming out of college, but with Euros, and G-League guys. Eric will need to go to a good program, get in the starting lineup, and be an impact player in order to even get an invite to one of the camps, or to play on a summer league team. If he can't do that, then he'll be crushed by even borderline NBA guys.

The reasons why i'd be surprised if Eric made the NBA are everything you put in your post.

It's a hard league to crack. That's why I give all the credit in the world to Mike James, who played on bad college teams, and wasn't drafted, yet carved out an NBA career that lasted over a decade, and while he wasn't a star. he was a regular rotation guy for the bulk of his career.
 

 

4/19/2019 9:47 am  #68


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

The Dome wrote:

81 I was not being dismissive of Aaron but you made my point. He was a great player that couldn’t crack the NBA for an extended period. BTW going the European or whatever foreign league isn’t all that many think it is. Once again all you hear are the success stories and not the grinds that many American players face.

Dome, I know you’re not being dismissive of AJAX, but it was his choice not to play in the NBA. Most of the decision revolved around money. Over the past 6-7 years, he was offered guaranteed high 6 figure, low 7 figure contracts with all of the tax free benefits and housing/car/travel perks of playing overseas. As I understand it, there were no guarantees being offered by NBA teams except for small signing bonuses and the league minimum if you make the team. There is no doubt in my mind that Aaron had the talent to play in the NBA. But the financial payoff wasn’t there for him compared to overseas, unless everything fell his way; injury free, stabile coaching staff and philosophy, etc. over a 5+ year period. Aaron has done exceptionally well financially and I am happy for him.

 

4/19/2019 12:06 pm  #69


Re: Next Year’s Starting Five

PhoenixRising2 wrote:

The Dome wrote:

81 I was not being dismissive of Aaron but you made my point. He was a great player that couldn’t crack the NBA for an extended period. BTW going the European or whatever foreign league isn’t all that many think it is. Once again all you hear are the success stories and not the grinds that many American players face.

Dome, I know you’re not being dismissive of AJAX, but it was his choice not to play in the NBA. Most of the decision revolved around money. Over the past 6-7 years, he was offered guaranteed high 6 figure, low 7 figure contracts with all of the tax free benefits and housing/car/travel perks of playing overseas. As I understand it, there were no guarantees being offered by NBA teams except for small signing bonuses and the league minimum if you make the team. There is no doubt in my mind that Aaron had the talent to play in the NBA. But the financial payoff wasn’t there for him compared to overseas, unless everything fell his way; injury free, stabile coaching staff and philosophy, etc. over a 5+ year period. Aaron has done exceptionally well financially and I am happy for him.

I wouldn't say he chose not to play in the NBA. What's more accurate is that he chose a sure thing, with good money, over a chance to play in the NBA. Trying to make an NBA team would have been a gamble, as no team was guaranteeing him a roster spot. I have no doubt that playing overseas can be a grind, but he's set himself up to not have to grind after the age of 35. He appears to have a good head on his shoulders, and has made enough money to live comfortably the rest of his life. Europe, and now China, can be a good move for a guy with a plan. Lionel Billingy nade a career over there. So did Chevy Troutman. Bobby Mo star Jeremy Chappel went over there at the same time as AJax, and has done well for himself. On the other hand, Mike James used Europe to tighten up his game, then came back and took a shot at the NBA, which worked out, probably beyond his wildest dreams.

 

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