I am so thankful for the development of our guards in basketball. I knew that McBrayer was going to get better.. Just through interviews and how he played last year was a good indicator.. Nate Mason has really worked on his game, on both ends of the floor.. I am thankful for Akeem Springs but wished we had him at least one more year....Amir is a talent, when healthy.. Need Hurt to develop and I think he will, in time. Wing development has to come with a commitment to off-season work on their own, whether getting up shots, conditioning, or in the weight room. I think our coaches have done a good job showing them what to work on and where the ball needs to go, at times. Giving them confidence may be the best coaching they have done with those guys.
Conversely, big men development is getting harder and more rare.. Pete Newell was a former coach at University of California and was ahead of his time in trying to develop big men at his camp..He, of course, passed away but his legacy on the game is a lasting one.. But that was in a different generation of basketball where bigs played with their back to the basket by the block. Today's bigs have to be so much more active on the perimeter so many are 'face up' players. IMO, that is why you dont see a lot of bigs that are good at the college level.. The game has gotten smaller and guys that come in that are superior athletes or bigger in size naturally, are your best players at the position.. Development of bigs is much tougher and not a lot of guys teach the ones that have NBA potential. Though he doesn't have pro potential, the lack of teaching hurts players like Bakary Konate, who really could use a guy that works with him. I think Gaston is someone that really needed big man help early as I dont know if he could even generate the confidence to play well, at this point. As good as Eric Curry is, he could use tutelage from a big man coach, as well....I give those bigs credit as a lot of what they do to get better has to come on their own. I really wish that one of the former bigs at Minnesota would come to show them a few things in the low post that would help.
By and large, I give the staff a "thumbs up" so far as the passing has gotten so much better as well as the defense... Rebounding was not great last night and that is something to work on, going forward... Probably defensive consistency as well, but guys seem to be getting better so something good is going on in the program.. Gives me hope for the future.
Conversely, big men development is getting harder and more rare.. Pete Newell was a former coach at University of California and was ahead of his time in trying to develop big men at his camp..He, of course, passed away but his legacy on the game is a lasting one.. But that was in a different generation of basketball where bigs played with their back to the basket by the block. Today's bigs have to be so much more active on the perimeter so many are 'face up' players. IMO, that is why you dont see a lot of bigs that are good at the college level.. The game has gotten smaller and guys that come in that are superior athletes or bigger in size naturally, are your best players at the position.. Development of bigs is much tougher and not a lot of guys teach the ones that have NBA potential. Though he doesn't have pro potential, the lack of teaching hurts players like Bakary Konate, who really could use a guy that works with him. I think Gaston is someone that really needed big man help early as I dont know if he could even generate the confidence to play well, at this point. As good as Eric Curry is, he could use tutelage from a big man coach, as well....I give those bigs credit as a lot of what they do to get better has to come on their own. I really wish that one of the former bigs at Minnesota would come to show them a few things in the low post that would help.
By and large, I give the staff a "thumbs up" so far as the passing has gotten so much better as well as the defense... Rebounding was not great last night and that is something to work on, going forward... Probably defensive consistency as well, but guys seem to be getting better so something good is going on in the program.. Gives me hope for the future.
Last edited:
