Nate Laszewski could be Brady Manek
- Thread starter IDUNK4HEELS
- Start date
You are going to end up looking as stupid as the people who wanted to fire Hubert Davis mid season.
Maybe worse.
The little bit of memory that I had of McKoy at Va was better than what we saw this year. I am hoping to see major strides in his game. He is supposed to be s superb defensive player which I never saw this year.
You know Puff will be putting up the shots this summer and working on his strength. I see him and Dontrez really stepping up next year if we don't bring another 3/4 in.
I don’t like the idea of pulling someone’s scholarship if they’re taking care of business in the classroom and representing the university well. As for McKoy, I feel he’ll be a solid bench guy. He may not get many minutes but I think once he relaxes a little, he’ll eventually help us. He’s a high character guy, you need those.
Did I say I hate the idea of pulling a scholarship?
ETA: That sounds like something the Rat would do.
Did I say I hate the idea of pulling a scholarship?
ETA: That sounds like something the Rat would do.
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McKoy I agree, I expect him to not only be improved but to be a solid guy off the bench for his role. I watched him a good bit off the ball this season, liked what I saw as a defender but I think at times he struggled in the transition from the Pacman at UVa to what Hubert wanted. He looked to me at times like he felt the pressure of knowing he was only going to get limited minutes, really struggled shooting the ball and just did not put the ball on the floor well so he is not a threat to drive. I see him more as a situational guy you put in when you need some defensive work effort at the 4. guy that can come in and play more physical than we saw this season, and not worry about picking up fouls. I want to see him play more physical.
Between Manek and Caleb, we'll be missing 31 points per game of scoring (assuming Caleb leaves). Probably even more than that if you look at numbers at the end of the season.
I expect Puff to be a critical component, and he'll need to be stronger and better from deep if he's going to be what we need. But he's not the only one who needs to step up.
Another thing we'll need is someone who can save our butts down the stretch. Caleb, Manek and RJ could both do that some, but Caleb (probably) and Manek are gone and by the end of season, it seemed clear that RJ was running out of gas toward the end of games. RJ needs both help and a bit more time to catch his breath on the bench. If he's fresher late in the game, he can be that guy.
I expect Trimble will help RJ if he backs up at point. But not if he has to start at SG. Which is another reason why Shannon could be a great fit. Or another reason why Dunn (and Kerwin?) need to make big strides.
Armando was our top scorer, and probably will be again next year, but he was seldom the guy to take over close games at the end.
One thing that worries me about McCoy and Styles as well, to a lesser extent, is their propensity to foul. Hard to stay on the court, even if Hubert wanted to when getting whistled so often. They are physical, but do not position theirself well to do so without getting whistles.
When McCoy played the last dee position against Duke in the Final Four, I told my buddies they will get free throws on this possession from a McCoy foul. Unfortunately it was an and 1 on top of it.
When McCoy played the last dee position against Duke in the Final Four, I told my buddies they will get free throws on this possession from a McCoy foul. Unfortunately it was an and 1 on top of it.
I never implied or said that he was Caleb's replacement. What I wrote was that Shannon would take his place scholarship wise. And no, he is not a guard, but could play the 2 in a pinch.
Was it styles or McKoy, that in was it the final 4 game or vs UCLA maybe, picks up like 4 fouls in around 2mins? LOL
Just curious 75, considering we have Leaky and Puff to man the 3 spot, would we really need a guy that can only play the 2 in a pinch?
When RJ or Caleb sat, Hubert went to a lineup of Puff/Leaky at the 2 and 3 spots. He doesn't seem particularly hung up on positional labels as long as the defense is solid.
Shannon can play the 2 and 3 spots, and can defend both positions.
Yeah McKoy is completely in over his head in 3 seasons of ACC play. If he had not played AAU ball with Hubert's son, I don't think he would have ever been recruited to UNC.
No. We don't do that crap at UNC. He made a commitment to McKoy. He gets to keep his scholarship until he earns his degree.
I wasn't aiming that at you. Several have said Shannon would replace Caleb, and several have also said we need him more than a Manek replacement. I like Shannon, but I respectfully disagree with both those viewpoints.
If we end up with Shannon, I fully expect him to be very good for us. If we have the scholarship room, by all means come on board.
Throughout the entire season they seemed to get an immediate whistle. They were the kid who comes in ready to dee up aggressive, over extends and gets the body call every time. Experienced scorers will draw a whistle on that over energetic type at will.
Whenever there is a talent that can play more than several positions and you have room for that talent, you take it. Why? Because no one can predict or foresee injuries, foul troubles, or just off nights. The Shannon kid is a talent and would fit within the dynamics of our team. As I have said, the best outcome is that Caleb returns, but, if not, you take the kind of talent that will make your team better overall and he would do just that. Next year I expect we will play and look similar to this year, but without Brady and his production on offense. We can rectify that when you have a player who not only can score but play Leaky type defense. That combination can help make up for Brady's absence over the course of a season.
Puff can handle the 4 for brief periods but he is not a guy I want at the 4 for long runs, Puff is a 3. I want Washington at the 4, has the length that makes it hard for anyone other than a big man to challenge his shot and love defending big men challenging long jump shots, they are not in rebounding position. Washington on defense is a 7'3" reach shot blocking force, would be a great compliment to Bacot's back to the basket game.
Totally convinced Hubert will play a much deeper bench next season and look for us to get out and run more, take the pace up. That creates tired players on both sides, that was Roy's favored attack. But I love to have a guy like Washington at the 4 and when we pull him we put in guys like Puff, Styles, Nichel, or McKoy, all of which give the defender a different type of player to have to contend with. All those different looks make it really hard for a guy to change the way he has to defend against us constantly.
I have always believed a defensive approach like a 40mins of Hell that Nolan Richardson used when combined with the all out running game on offense that Roy loved, was my preferred style but add in the extra element of stretch 3pt shooting hitting trailers on the secondary breaks is a game breaker. You must have and use a really deep bench for this, we would need either Dunn to step up as a 4th guard (between the 1 and 2 spots) or find one in the portal.
A really good game to bring up is the Baylor game. It dramatically illustrates how much we need a replacement for Manek.
Based on last season, the only guy on our roster who might come close is Puff. But he clearly isn't there yet.
I'd feel better picking up a Manek-type player who's already gotten there.
Puff is the most likely player to step into the starting lineup.
But he weighs 25 lbs less than Manek and is at least an inch shorter. He also has never consistently shown he can make 3-pointers. He shot 23% from 3pt range this season. He will have to put in a lot of work this offseason in the weight room and in shooting drills.
It should also be mentioned that Puff's single best game as a Tar Heel was the 2nd half against Kansas when he subbed in for Leaky due to foul trouble. He played his best game as a SF, not as a stretch 4.
Unfortunately, we simply don't have any better options. We could really use a true stretch 4 from the portal, but that was all dependent on Walton transferring to open up a scholarship. Walton appears intent on returning to UNC to sit at the end of the bench for another season.
To me the Baylor game was as much about not having ball handlers that could handle press than it was about missing Manek if we lose love another ball handler would be needed as well
The Baylor game was about the refs refusing to call fouls on Baylor during that 10 minute stretch of full court pressure. They were grabbing, holding, and pushing the whole time and were never once called for it.
I agree but some of it was also some panic on the part of us as well IMO
This (if he is going to play much PF).
Puff is quicker than I expected him to be. Is he quick enough to play some at SG?
Cam played the 2 when he was at Pitt but the three was his more natural position, I think same is true for Puff. UNC 2s have to switch off to both PGs and 3s a good bit so we have seen him versatile enough for that. Other than at the point, defense tends to set player positions as teams try to defend with match up size. The PG is more about ball handles and recognition of what the other teams is doing & going in to a set that counters that, Limiting TOs and getting good looks for a team mate.
When Love or RJ went to the bench, we played Leaky and Puff at the 2/3 spots. I'm not sure who was officially the SG.
If we don't pick up a Manek replacement in the portal, we'll need to fill 20 minutes at PF. Give or take, but probably more than less.
I'm assuming Shaver is good for 8-10 mpg spelling Armando.
I'm assuming Washington will average 20-25 minutes, a small portion of which will be in the post.
Styles seems small to play PF, but he's strong and athletic. So against smaller teams, he might be fine.
Otherwise it's Leaky, Puff or Nickel.
Did I miss anyone?
Leaky has the experience and good length but isn't strong. Puff looks even weaker. Although that could change over the summer.
I'm not expecting a lot from Nickel as a frosh, although I know some here think he's stronger and more advanced than he looked to me in his clips. Don't get me wrong, he looks promising. But not right away.
If any of those guys are going to play much PF, they need to put in serious work in the weight room this off-season.
If Leaky will continue to handle the toughest defensive assignment in most games, it might not be such a good idea to also make him play against guys who will certainly be trying to push him around.
I'm assuming Shaver is good for 8-10 mpg spelling Armando.
I'm assuming Washington will average 20-25 minutes, a small portion of which will be in the post.
Styles seems small to play PF, but he's strong and athletic. So against smaller teams, he might be fine.
Otherwise it's Leaky, Puff or Nickel.
Did I miss anyone?
Leaky has the experience and good length but isn't strong. Puff looks even weaker. Although that could change over the summer.
I'm not expecting a lot from Nickel as a frosh, although I know some here think he's stronger and more advanced than he looked to me in his clips. Don't get me wrong, he looks promising. But not right away.
If any of those guys are going to play much PF, they need to put in serious work in the weight room this off-season.
If Leaky will continue to handle the toughest defensive assignment in most games, it might not be such a good idea to also make him play against guys who will certainly be trying to push him around.
From the little I remember, Cam at Pitt was also a guy who stationed himself on the perimeter and waited for someone to get him the ball. He got good at moving without the ball here.
It may be my imagination, but I think Kerwin was trying to follow in Cam's footsteps. Not moving to SF, but moving without the ball more and working on different kinds of shots. Unfortunately, his outside shot suffered. And I think that's why some here want him to leave. I'm not in that group, although his departure would give Hubert more flexibility in the portal.
Not saying Shaver at 8-10 min is impossible, but that would really surprise me. Again, everything is contingent on not losing a starter for any extended amount of time.
If we don’t lose/add any additional players, we’ll have no choice but to fill Manek’s PT with multiple guys. If he doesn’t have any setbacks, I believe Washington will get 20 at PF and maybe 4-5 minutes at C. The rest of the time at PF will be filled by a combination of Puff/McKoy/Leaky/Nickel, out of necessity. We may be at a disadvantage there defensively but should have an advantage offensively. I would feel better if we could add another big guy from the Stargate. To say I’m surprised that Walton hasn’t transferred is an understatement. 😳
Some interesting posts in this thread. What I cannot fathom or understand is how anyone can pigeonhole a player or conclude that they will or will not be a factor in UNC team play next year without ever seeing them play or practice-at all.
During warm-ups in the NCAAT I watched Shaver and he fumbled a pass from a teammate against air and then proceeded to bank a 3 point shot off the glass that was not within 3 feet of the basket. My initial impression was "Oh Chit" what that hell is wrong with this guy, does he need contacts? Then, after drying his hands off with a towel supplied by one of the team managers proceeded to hit 7- 3 pointers in a row.
Big men develop at a slower pace than other positions, as I can attest to. I can say that Shaver is well above the curve in development, but again, he will have to take it to and show it on the court against the opposition.
That generally is where the rubber meets the road, as you practice with and play against teammates and former players you get comfortable and relaxed. It's a completely different animal when you go against other team's players who will make you uncomfortable and will not let you relax. That's the setting I am looking to observe.
My point is this: Do not make predictions on how any player will or will not perform UNTIL he does play. Personally, while I don't see Shaver getting many minutes per game next year, he just very well may as he will have had almost a year in our system and real growth generally takes place during the 2nd year. Why don't we all resist the urge to categorically define players abilities and worth until we at least see them in action.
During warm-ups in the NCAAT I watched Shaver and he fumbled a pass from a teammate against air and then proceeded to bank a 3 point shot off the glass that was not within 3 feet of the basket. My initial impression was "Oh Chit" what that hell is wrong with this guy, does he need contacts? Then, after drying his hands off with a towel supplied by one of the team managers proceeded to hit 7- 3 pointers in a row.
Big men develop at a slower pace than other positions, as I can attest to. I can say that Shaver is well above the curve in development, but again, he will have to take it to and show it on the court against the opposition.
That generally is where the rubber meets the road, as you practice with and play against teammates and former players you get comfortable and relaxed. It's a completely different animal when you go against other team's players who will make you uncomfortable and will not let you relax. That's the setting I am looking to observe.
My point is this: Do not make predictions on how any player will or will not perform UNTIL he does play. Personally, while I don't see Shaver getting many minutes per game next year, he just very well may as he will have had almost a year in our system and real growth generally takes place during the 2nd year. Why don't we all resist the urge to categorically define players abilities and worth until we at least see them in action.
Rush to judgement = Message Boards!
I have high hopes for both Shaver and Nichel, but I don't expect either to get more than 8-10 minutes max per game next year! I don't think this because they won't develop enough to get more, but because I don't see where more minutes can come from! I expect the banging against peeps like Hans and Bacot + access to Jonas will help increase Shaver's learning curve so he might get up to speed a bit before Tyler! Even if we do not add anyone, Tyler's position is packed with older peeps! Shaver would get more looks if we don't add since he is the only true Big to back up Bacot right now!
I have high hopes for both Shaver and Nichel, but I don't expect either to get more than 8-10 minutes max per game next year! I don't think this because they won't develop enough to get more, but because I don't see where more minutes can come from! I expect the banging against peeps like Hans and Bacot + access to Jonas will help increase Shaver's learning curve so he might get up to speed a bit before Tyler! Even if we do not add anyone, Tyler's position is packed with older peeps! Shaver would get more looks if we don't add since he is the only true Big to back up Bacot right now!
Shaver, I swear the majority of the comments seem to feel Shaver should not have even received a UNC scholly, he is treated like he should be a walk on? The kid is 6'10" 245lbs, has been going against Bacot in practice since Jan, been in our S/C since Jan, he is not now nor has he ever been a stretch and while he is our back up center that used a nice little mid range game (Like Deon had) he does not need to shoot 3pt shots? He is behind Bacot, now just how much PT is going to be available behind Bacot? Bacot wants to play 35mins a game, doubt he gets that many minutes next season because Washington is going to play some at the 5 along with Shaver.
Thanks '75.... unfortunately, no matter how sensible your post is, if people didn't rush to judge we'd have only a quarter of the posts on here!
I suppose it would be nice if people posted opinions as opinions, instead of trying to pass opinions off as facts.
Surprisingly, reading through a lot of the above posts, most people do preface their opinions with: "I believe...." or something of that nature.
Of course there is the ridiculous post about McCoy up there.... hey, if Hubert didn't believe in McCoy the guy wouldn't have played any minutes in the Tourney. He did, so its good for me.
