Who has surprised you the most so far this year? Poll

[Vancat]

Who has surprised you the most so far this year?

 

[UCLJ0211]

Adams, and it’s not even close

 

[Mister P]

Has to be Adams.

After last years tentativeness on the offensive side he has really stepped up his game going hard to the hoop along with his outside shot.

I saw the heart and hustle last year but it’s amazing what a years difference makes. He will be a solid 4 year player.

 

[UC1995]

Akok has such a great basketball IQ. He truly understands what he needs to do. I love watching him without the ball. He does those little things that allow the team to win the battle. I wish more players understood this at all levels.

 

[Kenny11]

Akok. I knew he was very talented and his numbers are almost exactly what a lot of us predicted. I just didn't know how freaking hard he plays, how enthusiastic he is, and how fast he is. The way he runs the floor is so impressive.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Akok has such a great basketball IQ. He truly understands what he needs to do. I love watching him without the ball. He does those little things that allow the team to win the battle. I wish more players understood this at all levels.

Went with Akok as well. Adams performance compared to last year is night and day.

But Akok has a feel for the game we aren't used to seeing in our players, especially freshmen. He looks like he has been playing stretch four his entire life and never seems overwhelmed by the situation. Calm and collected is his calling card.

 

[AuRevoirAAC]

For me, it's Bouknight.

I knew he was a good recruit, but had no idea he would be an absolute stud from the beginning. You'll be seeing this kid on SportsCenter for the next 15 years.

 

[jibsey]

8 boards for Akok, he’s cemented in there. Adams had been good till yesterday, 5 points, no rebounds, 3 TO’s in 20 minutes

 

[Tenspro2002]

Went with Adams. Last year he looked like a nice kid, good practice player, 12th man on the bench kind of guy. This year he looks like a legitimate rotation player.

Also, Whaley's baseline jump shot looks exactly like Charles Oakley's from the early 1990's Knicks.

 

[elmcityboy]

i assumed that adams was going to take a jump this year, even if he took a bigger one than expected.

i never imagined that bouknight would score 15 ppg on 75% shooting in his first four games, though.

 

[UConNick]

Got to be Adams. I always thought he'd wind up being a consummate program guy, someone who provided a strong presence at the end of the bench and stepped in for a couple minutes when we needed it. Instead, so far this year, he's been a huge contributor, yesterday notwithstanding. For the rest: Polley and Carlton were always expected to improve, and markedly at that. You could argue they've both even exceeded expectations, but they had some expectations in the first place. If anything, Gilbert has been underwhelming this season, but the Iona game was hopefully the first glimpse that he's righted the ship, because boy, do we need him. As for the freshmen, they've both been great and probably better than advertised. But again, they came into the season with some expectations of major contributions; Adams did not. Here's hoping he continues to channel his older brother and keep improving.

 

[upstater]

For me, it's Bouknight.

I knew he was a good recruit, but had no idea he would be an absolute stud from the beginning. You'll be seeing this kid on SportsCenter for the next 15 years.

I would have picked Bouknight if I hadn't caught some of his games over the last year. I was blown away, so I can't say I am surprised. So I voted for Akok. I'm not sure what I was expecting but I guess it was something Roscoe-ish, and Akok is so much more than that.

 

[Vancat]

as the responses illustrate, lots of surprises this year.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

I'm surprised/not surprised that a guy could lead the team in minutes, points, rebounds, FT%, steals, and be 2nd in 3-pointers & assists...and not be listed as an option in the Poll (because such stats aren't really surprising)...and still have running mention that he's not really all that good ("4th best guard"), and that there are contexts in which his stats (except FT%) aren't really as good as they look. I'm grateful for what CV is, and accepting for what he's not

Maybe he comes off poorly in interviews. Give a look. There's an easy link close by in another thread. Plot spoiler: he knows whose team it is, and what his role is.

PS - He's human too. And he knows it.

 

[superjohn]

I'm surprised/not surprised that a guy could lead the team in minutes, points, rebounds, FT%, steals, and be 2nd in 3-pointers & assists...and not be listed as an option in the Poll (because such stats aren't really surprising)...and still have running mention that he's not really all that good ("4th best guard"), and that there are contexts in which his stats (except FT%) aren't really as good as they look. I'm grateful for what CV is, and accepting for what he's not

Maybe he comes off poorly in interviews. Give a look. There's an easy link close by in another thread. Plot spoiler: he knows whose team it is, and what his role is.

PS - He's human too. And he knows it.

He's not listed in the poll because outside of rebounding and ft's his numbers are the same as last year except he's shooting a significantly worse fg% this year. He seems more in control this year and I think he's better but it isn't anything like the night and day difference we see in Adams.

 

[Vancat]

I didn't list him because I didn't think he was one of the more "surprising" guys, not because I don't think he's good. I kind of expected him to be this good this year.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

I'm surprised/not surprised that a guy could lead the team in minutes, points, rebounds, FT%, steals, and be 2nd in 3-pointers & assists...and not be listed as an option in the Poll (because such stats aren't really surprising)...and still have running mention that he's not really all that good ("4th best guard"), and that there are contexts in which his stats (except FT%) aren't really as good as they look. I'm grateful for what CV is, and accepting for what he's not

Maybe he comes off poorly in interviews. Give a look. There's an easy link close by in another thread. Plot spoiler: he knows whose team it is, and what his role is.

PS - He's human too. And he knows it.

yes, this! after some knucklehead here tried to 'explain away' cv's rebounds ('anyone could get them') I went back and watched his boards in the buffalo game. tenacity, grit, and toughness defined. dude just plays hard all the time, and it's contagious.

 

[Lefty2one]

Akok, even though the numbers don't show it.

I'm always wary of highly touted big men, especially those who are supposed to be able to shoot and stretch the floor. This kid can shoot, can block shots, and has a great work ethic and intangibles. He has to get stronger and put it all together (poor splits of .391/.308/.500) but he has a chance to be the classic three-year stud that this program has had many times in the past.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

He's not listed in the poll because outside of rebounding and ft's his numbers are the same as last year except he's shooting a significantly worse fg% this year. He seems more in control this year and I think he's better but it isn't anything like the night and day difference we see in Adams.

Oh for sure, he has no place whatsoever in the poll.

If the surrounding cast of characters (and he is NOT the center) continues to grow, then his shooting attempts, scoring and minutes will go down, and that may mean a rise in FG%. That would be my fondest hope.

Actually, even fonder, I'd love it if he were to be identified (AG as well) in March as the type of Senior/leadership guards that are indispensable to NCAA Tournament performance.

For now, one game at a time, and continued patience & growing delight with development shown by the coaching staff, the players, the team as a whole, and even this community where you and I share common passion.

 

[superjohn]

Oh for sure, he has no place whatsoever in the poll.

If the surrounding cast of characters (and he is NOT the center) continues to grow, then his shooting attempts, scoring and minutes will go down, and that may mean a rise in FG%. That would be my fondest hope.

Actually, even fonder, I'd love it if he were to be identified (AG as well) in March as the type of Senior/leadership guards that are indispensable to NCAA Tournament performance.

For now, one game at a time, and continued patience & growing delight with development shown by the coaching staff, the players, the team as a whole, and even this community where you and I share common passion.

Things are coming along nicely. We should be undefeated right now but I think both losses in different ways provided valuable lessons and we've improved/responded really well to both situations. This team has a chance to be very good as the season progresses, IMO.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Things are coming along nicely. We should be undefeated right now but I think both losses in different ways provided valuable lessons and we've improved/responded really well to both situations. This team has a chance to be very good as the season progresses, IMO.

If you saw DH's post game interview, he directly said (maybe even twice) that they would have lost to Iona if not for the more experienced players. And that's a game with a proper 18-point margin, (on a 12.5 spread fwiw).

Disclosure: I still haven't seen the St. Joe's game. I know I won't see Bouknight or Gaffney, and I'm expecting a horrifying first half showing that gave DH a checklist he called, "I have so much to work on" from that post-game interview.

AG is playing far more in accordance with what everybody called for after Xavier. And, it took a too-deep-to-realistically-defend 3 to give X the tie that brought overtime, and thus the chance that they capitalized on. Yes, lots of poor execution after that.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

How could Akok be a surprise as highly rated as he was as a prep .
Adams hands down. Especially after a freshman year that looked like he didn’t belong.

 

[Huskyforlife]

If you saw DH's post game interview, he directly said (maybe even twice) that they would have lost to Iona if not for the more experienced players. And that's a game with a proper 18-point margin, (on a 12.5 spread fwiw).

Disclosure: I still haven't seen the St. Joe's game. I know I won't see Bouknight or Gaffney, and I'm expecting a horrifying first half showing that gave DH a checklist he called, "I have so much to work on" from that post-game interview.

AG is playing far more in accordance with what everybody called for after Xavier. And, it took a too-deep-to-realistically-defend 3 to give X the tie that brought overtime, and thus the chance that they capitalized on. Yes, lots of poor execution after that.

The worst part is Adams actually contested it too. Just horrible luck for us.

 

[GHSWolverines]

Akok has such a great basketball IQ. He truly understands what he needs to do. I love watching him without the ball. He does those little things that allow the team to win the battle. I wish more players understood this at all levels.

A great hustler and a tremendous asset on defense. I am confident he also has an offensive game. He just doesn't seem comfortable on the offensive end. In time it will come.

 

[GetTheFacts]

Has to be Adams. I think a lot of us thought he would only see 10 minutes or less per game this season, and he has turned out to be one of their best players. Did not see that coming at all.