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The Future Is Bright

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What's cool about Whaley is that we haven't had any players like him that I could think of. A skinny 6'8 forward who specializes in rebounds and blocks? Weird profile, but a very fun guy to root for.

Whaley's stats in 7 2018 games: 5.3 p, 4.4 r, 2.3 b
 
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I get the Carlton piece of this, but I don't think that Whaley has shown that he is a basketball player. He is more of a great athlete that is opportunistic and I don't know much more he can stuff the stat sheet just doing that. He is going to have to go outside his comfort zone and shoot the ball against defenders. He's only taken 36 shots in 285 mintues of play. I'm very supportive of players (especially freshman) knowing their role, but someone on this team needs to step up and put the ball in the hole. Jalen is dying for us to have another offensive threat so they can stop playing Jordan rules on him.

The announcers commented in the second half last night that KO told them he doesn't want Whaley shooting more. He wants him to play the energy guy role and that's it. So I think Whaley's lack of offense is in part a function of what he is being told to do (and not to do) by the coaches.

The kid is quick off the floor and coordinated and put up good scoring numbers against excellent high school competition. He also has a good sense for the game. I think he'll be capable of providing at least competent offense down the road, especially once he gets stronger. It will help if he practices that little 12 foot jumper Rudy Johnson used to take all the time.
 
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I get the Carlton piece of this, but I don't think that Whaley has shown that he is a basketball player. He is more of a great athlete that is opportunistic and I don't know much more he can stuff the stat sheet just doing that. He is going to have to go outside his comfort zone and shoot the ball against defenders. He's only taken 36 shots in 285 mintues of play. I'm very supportive of players (especially freshman) knowing their role, but someone on this team needs to step up and put the ball in the hole. Jalen is dying for us to have another offensive threat so they can stop playing Jordan rules on him.

Agree on a lot here, but I think Whaley has shown he's a basketball player no doubt, the instincts on both ends are very good. But he does need to round that off with an offensive game. I believe he will be a serious alley pop threat for the next 3 years, if we get smart enough passers. Would love to see a little jump hook worked on, 1,000 shots a day from 12 feet and in using the backboard from the side. There is a ton to uncover in this young man and eventually could be a diamond in the rough. He's already smarter on D as far as fouling, Agau got an offensive rebound and ball faked, Whaley stayed on his feet until he did go up but when he did, Whaley kept away from contact and just waved his hand over the shot making sure the ref had nothing to call. 4 games ago it wold have been#4 and he would've been sitting. Little things every game he's doing, he and Carlton are exciting. Carlton had 2-3 rebounds he ripped away from SMU players, getting an edge love that.
 
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Do you use facts to form your opinions or just make crap up?

Gilbert had Dislocated his shoulder ONE time before he committed to UConn. The 2nd time was the Jordan Classic after he had ALREADY committed to UConn. Nobody backed off a McD AA for the reason of "damaged goods" because of a single HS shoulder separation.

So your premise is that the Huskies should have laid off a kid for a single shoulder separation in HS and they should have been able foresee 3 more incidents after?

No, but I'm saying that's why they got him. And how is that working out?
 

Waquoit

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So we got him because other teams supposedly backed off because of a recurring injury that hadn't actually recurred yet. Do you know how stupid that sounds?
True. It was worth the risk to get him. But once the shoulder separated for a second time, his absence can no longer be used honestly as an excuse or an "if only".
 
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Please stop with the Gilbert hopefulness. He arrived in Storrs as damage goods coming out of high school. Probably why the Huskies got him (other programs stopped being interested). He hasn't play well or long into the season for two years now. Better to lament Jerome Dyson being hurt in the 09 Final Four. His loss really was damaging since we all knw he could play.
You're wrong about why Altrique came here. It's certainly fair game to ask why we didn't bring in any insurance for him other than Anderson.
 

CL82

NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champions - Again!
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The youngsters are growing up, folks. There's a lot to be excited about, with players like Whaley, Carlton, Vital, and others. They are learning to play together and they are getting better. The growth is there. The improvement is there. And the future is bright.

Pride. Heart. UConn.

(If Jalen comes back, the future is even brighter...)
@UConnDan97 is a great poster but if there ever was a post that spits in the face of mojo, this surely is one.

Of course it could also have been @August_West offering to eat mojo sandwiches and then not following through. Mojo gods hate a false offering.
 

August_West

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Of course it could also have been @August_West offering to eat mojo sandwiches and then not following through. Mojo gods hate a false offering.

when was this?
 

August_West

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Last game, amirite?

Nope you are wrong. And it was a close call.

If you go back to that thread I said "If we were up 6 or more points at half I will eat turkey and ketchup throughout 2nd half to bring the win home"

To my blessed fortune we missed 3 of 4 foul shots right before half be that couldve made that happen and still won the game.

Win/win
 

CL82

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I will make a deal with the mojo gods.

I will have Turkey and Ketchup in the house. I will eat Turkey and Ketchup throughout the 2nd half and bring this win home.

(Okay, I edited that just a bit. You are correct.)
 
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The announcers commented in the second half last night that KO told them he doesn't want Whaley shooting more. He wants him to play the energy guy role and that's it. So I think Whaley's lack of offense is in part a function of what he is being told to do (and not to do) by the coaches.

The kid is quick off the floor and coordinated and put up good scoring numbers against excellent high school competition. He also has a good sense for the game. I think he'll be capable of providing at least competent offense down the road, especially once he gets stronger. It will help if he practices that little 12 foot jumper Rudy Johnson used to take all the time.

I agree with both you and @August_West , but the comment I was responding to was discussing Whaley as AAC first team and I can't see that at this point. Whaley doesn't need to be The Man, but I think he needs to impose himself a bit more. Take a shot or two and see if he can get hot. Vital is a streaky shooter and Larrier tends to impact the game in bursts, and when both of them aren't having an impact someone needs to fill the void. I think Carlton needs to be the first option there, but Whaley needs to force the issue a tad more.

It is amazing how little pieces in the game totally change the dynamics. If Whaley hits two 12 footers in a 4 minute segment, now the D has to face guard and it would make a world of difference for everyone else on the floor. I'm fine with Polley playing that role as well.
 
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They played well, and all but the most irritable people are happy with the win and how we played. I just don't think the ceilings for these players is as high as the OP is making it out to be. Carlton maybe, since he's shown good footwork, hands, and an ability to rebound. But unless he shows an otherworldly development in his jump shot and offensive game, Whaley's ceiling is as an energy guy who brings defense and rebounding -- a needed role player but not a high level starter. Polley has the potential to be a versatile scorer and defender but has a very long way to go. Vital is a feast-or-famine streak shooter who, like others have said, is a good first or second guy off the bench but not someone who you can rely on every night offensively, even if I love his competitiveness. We know that Wilson is an athlete, but I hope that he's a better shooter than scouting reports have suggested.

Bottom line is that, without Adams (assuming that he is leaving), we lack a reliable go-to scorer. You can make up for that by being able to stretch the floor, but we don't appear to have the shooters to do that either. I just don't see enough guys that can make shots on a consistent basis to think that we'll be much better next year.

I agree with much of what you said. And I see where you are coming from on Vital, but how often does a guy who scores 30 in a game fall back into a 6th man role? It's an odd roster with too few guards, but lots of promise and I truly enjoy watching Carlton, Whaley and Polley play. I like Carlton because he is a player and a possible star. Whaley because you have to love his effort and his contributions as a freshman, and Polley because he so looks the part of a future star.

I am enjoying this season as mich as any other season due to watching those three.
 

UConnDan97

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This team already quit on more games than the program did in the entire Calhoun era. The above must be sarcasm.

Sure thing, fella.

If the team has already quit, well then they stayed 3 months longer than most of our ridiculous fanbase...
 

UConnDan97

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They played well, and all but the most irritable people are happy with the win and how we played. I just don't think the ceilings for these players is as high as the OP is making it out to be.

So my comment that they are growing, learning to play together, and that the future was bright was so unbelievable that I "irritate" you? That sounds like a "you" thing, not a "me" thing. It's not like I said we have Shaq and Jordan. Good God with some of you...
 

UConnDan97

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@UConnDan97 is a great poster but if there ever was a post that spits in the face of mojo, this surely is one.

Of course it could also have been @August_West offering to eat mojo sandwiches and then not following through. Mojo gods hate a false offering.

It only spits in the face of the mojo if it was opposite of what I did in 2014, 2011, 2004, and 1999...which we both know is untrue...

#ConsistencyMojo
 
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But its not.
We were one of 5 finalists.
the others were Louisville, Illinois, Texas and Syracuse .

None of those schools backed off because of shoulder.

Just stop.
He had shoulder issues before that tournament ?
I must have missed that discussion
 
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So my comment that they are growing, learning to play together, and that the future was bright was so unbelievable that I "irritate" you? That sounds like a "you" thing, not a "me" thing. It's not like I said we have Shaq and Jordan. Good God with some of you...

You twisted and misinterpreted his post to an unbelievable degree. He didnt even hint at you irritating him. He was referring to a very small subset of the board that you are not part of.

I see loads of upside and great days for the three freshmen as well (and hopefully Diarra), but of the three Carlton is the closest thing to a lock of being a star.

It's very nice to have 3 or 4 exciting freshmen to root for.
 
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So my comment that they are growing, learning to play together, and that the future was bright was so unbelievable that I "irritate" you? That sounds like a "you" thing, not a "me" thing. It's not like I said we have Shaq and Jordan. Good God with some of you...

Did I say I was irritated?


WTF?
 

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