Brandon Huffman and Walker Miller

[Archer2]

Indeed. I would have Redshirted him. And Joel James and Walker Miller

I disagree. All three are what they are, marginal ACC caliber players. And I don't say that to denigrate these young men, they have accomplished more by making a UNC basketball team than 99% of us will ever accomplish athletically. But the fact of the matter is that the ACC is the best basketball conference in the country, bar none, and UNC is annually a top 5 program nationally. It is difficult enough to earn one of those coveted 13 scholarships, let alone play major minutes or heaven forbid, start for a UNC.

So guys like Big Joel, Walker, and Huff are projects. Every now and then one of them will turn out to be a diamond in the rough, but it is pretty rare. HST, I think Huff can give us 6-8 solid minutes off the bench. For a player of his caliber, that entails going to the boards hard, scoring off putbacks, establishing position down low and always having his hands ready to receive the pass. It also entails playing positional defense and giving up a few hard fouls if beaten, not dirty fouls but not allowing the offensive player to get the ball up to the rim for a possible 3 point play.

I see no reason why Huff can't do that. He's not fumbling the ball as much so he's obviously been working on seeing the ball all the way into his hands. In the last game someone fired a hard pass to Huff under the basket, and while he fumbled it a bit, he had enough concentration to regain control under pressure and dunk the ball. Last year he would have fumbled that ball out of bounds once he didn't initially catch it cleanly, or he would have shuffled his feet and traveled. And he's obviously been working on that baby hook which has become his best scoring move.

Bottom line is I see significant improvement, certainly enough to allow Huff to help us off the bench. Let's be frank, Sterling may not step on the court this year wearing anything but a suit. And Walker is probably going to play only in mop up situations, barring any more injuries. And much like Big Joel, Huff is a great teammate who lightens the mood and keeps things in their proper perspective.

 

[Barry 24]

Good points. But my thinking is that you either don't use the scholarship on a project, but if you do, utilize the redshirt so that when the project flourishes, you get another year

 

[midline]

? Huh ?
You have seen him, haven't you? Doesn't have the physical gifts to compete against top flight competition.

Surely, you jest. I will dare say that Huff is the most physically imposing player we have on the team. Maybe what you are trying to say, is that he does not possess the needed coordination and combined IQ that would allow him to compete with top flight competition. That, I might would agree with.
Then, we all need to understand that Huff started basketball much later than most and is still on his learning curve. He may never be what we all want him to become, and he has made progress..., just not enough to get consistent minutes. Roy has stated such.

Huff is big, and imposing. Would be a great tackle on the football team probably. Bitbdoesnt run the floor well. Quickness and agility are nil. Doesnt catch the ball well. Little offensive capabilities. Great kid to have on the team. Can give someone a short blow. But not a contributor at the level UNC needs to compete.

 

[carolinablue34]

You guys really over estimate Huff.

I love the kid, but he’s a huge liability on the defensive end. The only reason he played meaningful minutes is because Armando went down. That’s it.

 

[Heels5150]

I love Huff because he is a Tar Heel but he scares me to death when he gets the ball. He is such an imposing player but his coordination hasn’t caught up to his size yet. Could you imagine if it did?! PHe is a fantastic teammate and the kid truly tries

 

[Tarheel75]

You guys really over estimate Huff.

I love the kid, but he’s a huge liability on the defensive end. The only reason he played meaningful minutes is because Armando went down. That’s it.

I disagree with ya here. His major contributions have been on defense and rebounding. It's his limited playing experience along with basketball acumen,
that limits his contributions to the team.

 

[carolinablue34]

I disagree with ya here. His major contributions have been on defense and rebounding. It's his limited playing experience along with basketball acumen,
that limits his contributions to the team.

Did you not watch the last game we played? All UNCW had to do was run a pick and roll against him and they scored more often not.

He can provide a few minutes here and there but his ceiling is much lower than we are used to. He’s simply too slow and not as coordinated.

Again, I love Huff and his personality but we have to be realistic about what he can bring to the table.

 

[Tarheel75]

Did you not watch the last game we played? All UNCW had to do was run a pick and roll against him and they scored more often not.

He can provide a few minutes here and there but his ceiling is much lower than we are used to. He’s simply too slow and not as coordinated.

Again, I love Huff and his personality but we have to be realistic about what he can bring to the table.

Did I watch it? I was there and saw it in person. Bacot & Brooks got pick & rolled 7 times between them. Huff got P & R'd 4 straight times before he finally come off his hedge and got back in a position that kept them from doing more damage. Brooks followed suit when he came back into the game. Huff intimidated the driving UNCW guards and had at least 1 good defensive block and several misdirected or altered shots to his credit.

He has improved some on both sides of the ball, but Roy stated that he had not improved enough to get consistent minutes. If he continues to progress, he will get more floor time.

 

[carolinablue34]

Did I watch it? I was there and saw it in person. Bacot & Brooks got pick & rolled 7 times between them. Huff got P & R'd 4 straight times before he finally come off his hedge and got back in a position that kept them from doing more damage. Brooks followed suit when he came back into the game. Huff intimidated the driving UNCW guards and had at least 1 good defensive block and several misdirected or altered shots to his credit.

He has improved some on both sides of the ball, but Roy stated that he had not improved enough to get consistent minutes. If he continues to progress, he will get more floor time.

I just think you over estimate his ceiling. He’s a role player and has no problem being one. If he had that hard of a time against a really bad mid major team, his ACC minutes should be limited.

Give me 3-5 solid minutes of hustle per game which you know he can give. But 15 minutes against teams like Duke or UVA? No way.

 

[Tarheel75]

I just think you over estimate his ceiling. He’s a role player and has no problem being one. If he had that hard of a time against a really bad mid major team, his ACC minutes should be limited.

Give me 3-5 solid minutes of hustle per game which you know he can give. But 15 minutes against teams like Duke or UVA? No way.

Not over estimating his ceiling at all. Just pointing out where he has progressed and as I stated, Roy needs to see further improvement for him to get more playing time. If he does, then that means he has stepped up his game and can be a serious contributor. Will that happen? I don't know, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility is it?

Given that Huff started playing basketball very late, meaning around 14 years or so, or 9th grade, something like that, it should not surprise any of us that he is behind in his development. He has some tools to work with, and has shown a great deal of improvement over just last year. If he can continue on that path, he can and will make viable contributions to the team. Personally, I hope he does just that. It would make a great story and also show how dedication and determination can win the day. Not to mention how this could play out in the media.

 

[ajklum]

back in high school my coach was kind of a tool. We play this team st maria Goretti in Hagerstown, MD. They had this kid Rodney Monroe that was pretty good. . Our only hope of containing RM was being physical...very physical. We had 10 people on our team, but for the Goretti games we had 13. 3 meatheads from the football team would use 5 fouls apiece. Now I am not condoning that...but I wouldnt mind unleashing Big Huff against the likes of Hurt Carey stanley or Moore. Carey did not like it when against Kansas he was smaller then their entire front line. Not hurt anyone but get physical.

 

[mjrocks23]

This season is the last chance that Huffman and Miller have to distinguish themselves and earn playing time. With Sharpe and Kessler arriving next season, and Bacot possibly coming back, they will be buried on the bench.

 

[heelmanwilm]

Came in as a Raw talent on a steep learning curve. Roy is obviously not comfortable giving him much pt so that tells me a lot about where he is. To my unskilled eye; he has no shot, looks lost on both ends, gets caught out of position, doesnt run to the rim well with the ball. But as dean said “you cant teach height”. He has that. Very imposing and can defend the rim and be aggressive down low. But without developing any other aspect to his game i dont think we’ll see much of him barring injuries.

 

[carolinablue34]

Not over estimating his ceiling at all. Just pointing out where he has progressed and as I stated, Roy needs to see further improvement for him to get more playing time. If he does, then that means he has stepped up his game and can be a serious contributor. Will that happen? I don't know, but it's certainly not out of the realm of possibility is it?

Given that Huff started playing basketball very late, meaning around 14 years or so, or 9th grade, something like that, it should not surprise any of us that he is behind in his development. He has some tools to work with, and has shown a great deal of improvement over just last year. If he can continue on that path, he can and will make viable contributions to the team. Personally, I hope he does just that. It would make a great story and also show how dedication and determination can win the day. Not to mention how this could play out in the media.

Plenty of people don’t start playing basketball until their teens and end up being far better prospects. That has nothing to do with it.

Huff is what he is. He will never see serious playing time and that’s fine. If he can give 5 minutes of space eating and hustle I will take it. His personality is infectious and that’s something you want for chemistry as well.

But there were literally people on here saying he was NBA caliber when he committed to us. Not everyone turns into a Luke Maye. If Huff can give us some scrappy minutes then I’m a happy camper. It’s a nice thought to go beyond that but don’t hold your breath.

It’s not a good idea to have him out there too long during ACC play.

 

[Tarheel75]

Plenty of people don’t start playing basketball until their teens and end up being far better prospects. That has nothing to do with it.

Huff is what he is. He will never see serious playing time and that’s fine. If he can give 5 minutes of space eating and hustle I will take it. His personality is infectious and that’s something you want for chemistry as well.

But there were literally people on here saying he was NBA caliber when he committed to us. Not everyone turns into a Luke Maye. If Huff can give us some scrappy minutes then I’m a happy camper. It’s a nice thought to go beyond that but don’t hold your breath.

It’s not a good idea to have him out there too long during ACC play.

We've spent too much time discussing the merits of Huff, as it's most likely he will not be a regular rotational player. A big man will not develop like others when comes to basketball, generally, their games mature at a slower pace, and especially if they lack the time and experience that others have had since they were old enough to bounce the ball, and it has a lot to do with their development as a basketball player. I should know....., I went through it myself. Let's just say..., time will tell.

Oh....,and refresh my memory, name me some that started late that were top prospects.

 

[Ozheelfan]

This discussion has been done over a thousand times on this board... Byron Sanders, Mike Copeland, Jackson Simmons, Desmond Hubert, Joel James and now Huff and Miller.

All those guys were role players who had their part to play on the team. All those players benefitted by Roy giving them extra minutes early in the season, allowing them to learn on the job.

the reasoning is simple, play them early, in games that matter less, IN CASE they are needed later when it really matters.

I don’t believe playing Garrison 36min per night is sustainable and hence the reserves need to play now and be ready later.

 

[Barry 24]

It probably doesn't sound like much. I was really impressed tonight in the first half of the Gardner Webb game. Somebody passed the ball to Huffman when he was running full speed on the break near the foul line. The pass should not have been thrown, but Huffman handled it easily. He kept his pivot foot and calmly passed to Platek. Progress!

 

[itstartedwithmj]

We've spent too much time discussing the merits of Huff, as it's most likely he will not be a regular rotational player. A big man will not develop like others when comes to basketball, generally, their games mature at a slower pace, and especially if they lack the time and experience that others have had since they were old enough to bounce the ball, and it has a lot to do with their development as a basketball player. I should know....., I went through it myself. Let's just say..., time will tell.

Oh....,and refresh my memory, name me some that started late that were top prospects.

Tim Duncan immediately comes to mind, but I agree that it's extremely rare. He may be a unicorn.

 

[carolinablue34]

Tim Duncan immediately comes to mind, but I agree that it's extremely rare. He may be a unicorn.

Tim Duncan? Are you kidding me??

 

[Tarheel75]

Tim Duncan immediately comes to mind, but I agree that it's extremely rare. He may be a unicorn.

Tim Duncan didn't pick up basketball until he was about 14, which is a similar age to when Huffman began playing. I believe Duncan wasn't but so regarded coming out of high school, but he obviously became a top NBA prospect while at Wake Forest. He was 17 for the duration of his freshman season in college, whereas Huffman was already 19 when he got to Carolina.

Joel Embiid is another example of someone who picked up the sport later than most players (age 15), but who became a top prospect.

I think Huffman's a great guy to have in the program, but it speaks volumes that Roy plays him so sparingly despite this Carolina team's need for someone who can soak up minutes at center.

Those are some good examples and I appreciate both of you putting those out here. Point is: It is very rare to have a player who has not had the benefit of experience and normal development to come to the college game and play like a Tim Duncan did....very rare, and a great example. Embid is also a good example, but even he had to take more time and get more experience before he developed into the player he became. Injuries slowed his development, or he may have taken a similar path to Tim.

 

[DSouthr]

Those are some good examples and I appreciate both of you putting those out here. Point is: It is very rare to have a player who has not had the benefit of experience and normal development to come to the college game and play like a Tim Duncan did....very rare, and a great example. Embid is also a good example, but even he had to take more time and get more experience before he developed into the player he became. Injuries slowed his development, or he may have taken a similar path to Tim.

Well of course you are right, big men just do develop slower than others physically as well as skill wise. Of course a later start delays that even more, not sure why that has become a debate.

No one is suggesting Huff is or will be a great player and no one is looking suggest critique of any player is a problem as long as it is accurate but the line between reasonable critique and criticism is blurred far to often and that is unfortunate in my view. Let them develop in to becoming the best player they can be but as well recognize development when you see it. In Huff I see a kid that is awkward, he is not a fluid athlete and I know I am not going to expect him to magically become Tim Duncan fluid, he is what he is, a bit of a bull in a china shop but a bull that breaks less china now than he did 2years ago.

Huff has a very key role for us this season and I really hope when the wheel turns to him that he can fill that role. We have a big man depth problem on this team, if Bacot and/or Brooks find foul trouble we need someone to come in at either the 4 or the 5 and fill in time. I see peirce right now doing a very nice job at that filling in at the 4 which allows Brooks to move to the 5 when Bacot gets foul trouble but what happens if brooks gets in to foul trouble or either get dinged up, then you are looking at Peirce and someone else (that someone else kind of has to be either Huff or Walker). Clearly that is a concern but just as clearly to me is that BOTH Huff and Walker put in a lot of off season work to be as good as they can be at this point in their development to step to that role. It is not rocket science to realize that neither are exactly ready today, at least not as ready as say Peirce is by a simple glance at the minutes on a box score sheet. But today is not tomorrow and none of us know what tomorrow in the development of a player will look like yet we do know a kid that stays with us and embraces Roy and his staff's teachings, becomes better with time and most find regular rotation time later in their careers with us unless there are big time talents at their position. .

This season is the window of opportunity for Huff (Walker as well) because I do not think many will expect a ton of court time for him next season with Sharpe, Kessler, Brooks, and maybe even Bacot back. But we have this season to deal with before we worry about the next one and unless manley gets able to play, Huff becomes a vital role player for us if he can step in and give us 3-5mins stretches of holding par, I think he is close to being able to do that.

 

[itstartedwithmj]

No one is suggesting Huff is or will be a great player and no one is looking suggest critique of any player is a problem as long as it is accurate but the line between reasonable critique and criticism is blurred far to often and that is unfortunate in my view. Let them develop in to becoming the best player they can be but as well recognize development when you see it. In Huff I see a kid that is awkward, he is not a fluid athlete and I know I am not going to expect him to magically become Tim Duncan fluid, he is what he is, a bit of a bull in a china shop but a bull that breaks less china now than he did 2years ago.

Just so there's no confusion, my post about Tim Duncan had nothing to do with Huff's development. It was simply a reply to the post I quoted. Of course, Huff won't become another Tim Duncan nor will the vast majority of players. There's a reason Duncan was the only player that I immediately thought of, when I read the post I quoted. Players like him don't grow on trees.

I'm pleased with Huff's development over the off season. IMO, he has improved, since last year. Hopefully, with more practice & playing time, he'll continue to improve.