I'm a rotten speller. At 83 yr old, UNC class of 1964. Remember fans are fickle, remember Dean Smith was hung in effigy early in his career.
I like the spirit needed to hang a coach in effigy. When my son was a sophomore at Duke, I encouraged him to burn football coach, Carl Franks,in effigy. My wife told him that he shouldn't. Unfortunately, he listened to his mother.
While I absolutely agree, I do think he gets a bit of a bad rep for his defense. For sure, absolutely needs to dedicate to the weight room, have to keep in mind, he started out behind this past season being covid protocal and then got one of those high ankle deals that just take you out. Folks were quick to deride his defense without considering the kid had very little PT to learn from.To me, Puff should work on strength/conditioning and overall D. He needs to develop the concept of team D and work on anticipation/rotations/and footwork! I bet he will be fine in the shooting department and will have the will necessary to be an adequate rebounder!
Yeah, right there with ya on that Arch but I see Hubert stressing shooting much more than Roy did. Dang, I really hope our offensive rebounding does drop, it would mean we miss fewer shots. Folks loved our offensive rebounding numbers but truth is there is no offensive rebound to be had on a made shot. I would rather we made shots than to have huge offensive rebounding numbers.Our rebounding was great, our defense was decent, but our shooting(from the field and the line) was poor. We have been the "gang that couldn't shoot straight" for the last two years. I pray that changes.
Like you, I think Puff may earn more time than many seem to think. Hubert has evidently placed a premium on shooters who can consistently knock down shots at a high rate. I;m confident Puff can. I think our rebounding will suffer some, and you can't run without the ball. Hopefully, our shooting percentages will improve across the board.
I'd love to see a lineup of Love/Walton/Puff/Mancek/Bacot get some run.
Whoa. Let’s rein it in a little there. Do you know how hard it is to go from one of the worst shooting teams to a top 25 shooting team? If we’re in the top 75, I’ll be happy. Baby steps.I guarantee our offensive rebounds number comes down. No way we can shoot that poorly again!😲
I truely believe our shooting goes from an absolute weakness to one of the top 25 shooting teams in the nation next season.
Clarification alert, I said Puff had a ankle sprain, it was in fact a toe issue that hampered him and put him in a walking boot after the covid protocal stuff.While I absolutely agree, I do think he gets a bit of a bad rep for his defense. For sure, absolutely needs to dedicate to the weight room, have to keep in mind, he started out behind this past season being covid protocal and then got one of those high ankle deals that just take you out. Folks were quick to deride his defense without considering the kid had very little PT to learn from.
I am gonna be that guy, you know, that same guy that told you that Kenny Williams was going to be a big time player for us when all folks would say after his freshman season was that he was what 1 of 11 from trey for the season? Yeah, I got crickets when I reminded folks of that in his soph season, I enjoyed the cricket chatter! LOL
Well folks, telling you now, I 100% expect Puff to be a big time contributor for us next season, I expect him to make a real solid case for being our starting wing 3. I do think he is at least as good a shooter as his brother was and I dare you to consider if he is what that means to this team over all but for me it is a HUGE deal!
Hope my words about Leaky's play is not taken as my bashing him because that is not what they are. I am critiquing his play and frankly, I do that with most of our players. If I see something that IMO effects the team over all, I am going to talk about it. To me, bashing a player should be more about bad off court behavior unless it is a tripper like deal or some other version of poor sportsmanship. I have never seen anything from Leaky that deserved his being bashed, I have seen a good deal deserving of honest even if hard critique.Hopefully, peeps know by now that I NEVER give up on or bash players' potential! I think Puff will be a great player for us at some point. I think next season we will get a better idea of how long his development will take. I know his shooting and overall play was hampered by injury and the weird off-season, but I also know when a player doesn't seem to know his place in the defensive scheme. (PT/reps will cure this) Strength/conditioning/health are what he needs most, but he also needs to get more intuitive by gaining time working with his teammates on D! Shooting will be there immediately and he will look much better in the O & D. I expect him to be starter level as his floor very soon! His ceiling is TBD!
We will shoot a percentage in high 30's if not 40 %Whoa. Let’s rein it in a little there. Do you know how hard it is to go from one of the worst shooting teams to a top 25 shooting team? If we’re in the top 75, I’ll be happy. Baby steps.
Considering these 3-pt percentages the last five years, your prediction would thrill me, if true.We will shoot a percentage in high 30's if not 40 %
Granted last few were not good.Considering these 3-pt percentages the last five years, your prediction would thrill me, if true.
2017 36.6%
2018 36.4%
2019 36.5%
2020 30.4%
2021 31.7%
Was Kenny ever a big time player? He topped out as a 5th starter. On a championship caliber team he wouldn't start. Throwing fire a bit but I wouldn't call that big time. He was a good find for a player outside the top 100 though.While I absolutely agree, I do think he gets a bit of a bad rep for his defense. For sure, absolutely needs to dedicate to the weight room, have to keep in mind, he started out behind this past season being covid protocal and then got one of those high ankle deals that just take you out. Folks were quick to deride his defense without considering the kid had very little PT to learn from.
I am gonna be that guy, you know, that same guy that told you that Kenny Williams was going to be a big time player for us when all folks would say after his freshman season was that he was what 1 of 11 from trey for the season? Yeah, I got crickets when I reminded folks of that in his soph season, I enjoyed the cricket chatter! LOL
Well folks, telling you now, I 100% expect Puff to be a big time contributor for us next season, I expect him to make a real solid case for being our starting wing 3. I do think he is at least as good a shooter as his brother was and I dare you to consider if he is what that means to this team over all but for me it is a HUGE deal!
Maybe, but Brooks/Sharpe/Leaky to Garcia/Manek/Davis is a pretty big upgrade if we go that way.Whoa. Let’s rein it in a little there. Do you know how hard it is to go from one of the worst shooting teams to a top 25 shooting team? If we’re in the top 75, I’ll be happy. Baby steps.
Yeah, I do think Kenny was a big time player for us, he was rock steady for us and was without question our starting 2 for his last 2 years. While he was not a great scorer and did at times pass up more shots than maybe he should have he was never a guy you gave the open look to. He was one of the better defenders from the 2 spot that Roy had at UNC, maybe the best, if not the best 2 guard defender definitely in the discussion.Was Kenny ever a big time player? He topped out as a 5th starter. On a championship caliber team he wouldn't start. Throwing fire a bit but I wouldn't call that big time. He was a good find for a player outside the top 100 though.
Maybe, but Brooks/Sharpe/Leaky to Garcia/Manek/Davis is a pretty big upgrade if we go that way.
You talking about RJ Davis or did you mean to say Bacot? If you are talking RJ Davis then I don't understand your point. Brooks/Sharpe/Leaky is 2 power forwards and a 3?Was Kenny ever a big time player? He topped out as a 5th starter. On a championship caliber team he wouldn't start. Throwing fire a bit but I wouldn't call that big time. He was a good find for a player outside the top 100 though.
Maybe, but Brooks/Sharpe/Leaky to Garcia/Manek/Davis is a pretty big upgrade if we go that way.
I'm just taking a guess, bit if Davis makes a big sophomore leap forward I think our starting lineup mid-season may be Love/Davis/Walton/Garcia/Bacot with Manek as 6th man, compared to last year we're essentially subbing Leaky/Brooks/Sharpe for Davis/Garcia/Manek. It's a defensive downgrade but could be an enormous offensive upgrade.You talking about RJ Davis or did you mean to say Bacot? If you are talking RJ Davis then I don't understand your point. Brooks/Sharpe/Leaky is 2 power forwards and a 3?
Brooks out of the equation now is to me an upgrade because I really didn't like how he meshed with Bacot, Kessler, or Sharpe. He hung out in the paint a lot more than he should have which contributed to the congestion in the paint. That was not the best on court chemistry I have seen for sure and I do believe some of those chemistry issues bleed over to the locker room.
I do know that Hubert now has more talent he can call on at the 3 spot now than Roy did and I do believe that our front court guys will mesh much better as players than what we saw last season. I do consider that an upgrade.
It could happen, Hubert has a lot of options, a lot. I think he’ll start out playing a lot of players(9-10) early on And pare it down a little later on.I'm just taking a guess, bit if Davis makes a big sophomore leap forward I think our starting lineup mid-season may be Love/Davis/Walton/Garcia/Bacot with Manek as 6th man, compared to last year we're essentially subbing Leaky/Brooks/Sharpe for Davis/Garcia/Manek. It's a defensive downgrade but could be an enormous offensive upgrade.
Personally I don't think Leaky is a great defender. He gets blown by too much 1:1 and loses his man off-ball to cuts. He's a good help defender and rebounder, but it takes more than that. He's best on slower and big wings, but not able to stay with quick 3s. Hence why I think he could lose his starting spot to Davis or Harris, with Walton moving up to play undersized 3.
I kinda agree, just not sure I want both Caleb and RJ to start, not that I don't see rotations where both are in just don't love it to start the game, kinda want my primary back up at the point to see the game for a little bit before coming in. I like Walton at the 2 as a starter, hope his D ramps up. If I want to go small ball, then I think early on I like it with Ant at the 3 and think Dunn moves in to that discussion as he adjusts to the college game. Mark my words on this, either Styles or McKoy will surprise folks with what they can give us out of the 3 spot by mid season (my bet is on Styles).I'm just taking a guess, bit if Davis makes a big sophomore leap forward I think our starting lineup mid-season may be Love/Davis/Walton/Garcia/Bacot with Manek as 6th man, compared to last year we're essentially subbing Leaky/Brooks/Sharpe for Davis/Garcia/Manek. It's a defensive downgrade but could be an enormous offensive upgrade.
Personally I don't think Leaky is a great defender. He gets blown by too much 1:1 and loses his man off-ball to cuts. He's a good help defender and rebounder, but it takes more than that. He's best on slower and big wings, but not able to stay with quick 3s. Hence why I think he could lose his starting spot to Davis or Harris, with Walton moving up to play undersized 3.
There will be rotations when Caleb and RJ are in together and acknowledge that how they played together last season should not indicate how they will play together this season because you expect them to play better together as sophs than they did as frosh. My main concern is having both of your PGs in the game together means you have all your PGs with taxed legs. Why do that when you have so many other options at the 2? RJ is going to get some run at the 2, he has to because he needs (deserves IMO) more PT than will be available backing up Caleb, I just hope that is not long stretches of RJ at the 2.I'm just taking a guess, bit if Davis makes a big sophomore leap forward I think our starting lineup mid-season may be Love/Davis/Walton/Garcia/Bacot with Manek as 6th man, compared to last year we're essentially subbing Leaky/Brooks/Sharpe for Davis/Garcia/Manek. It's a defensive downgrade but could be an enormous offensive upgrade.
Personally I don't think Leaky is a great defender. He gets blown by too much 1:1 and loses his man off-ball to cuts. He's a good help defender and rebounder, but it takes more than that. He's best on slower and big wings, but not able to stay with quick 3s. Hence why I think he could lose his starting spot to Davis or Harris, with Walton moving up to play undersized 3.
Sounds about right.Sharpe and Kessler were elite rebounders. Manek and Garcia are slightly below average rebounders. We will average three fewer defensive rebounds and 2.5 fewer offensive rebounds because Sharpe and Brooks won't be missing point-blank attempts
Having both on the court at the same time didn't seem to work that well for much of last year, but I do think it was clicking much better by the end of the season.not sure I want both Caleb and RJ to start
Totally agree. I don't think Davis starting at 2 is ideal due to the defensive issues it'll cause (Walton isn't an ideal 3 too), just don't know if we have a better option. The one thing the team could really use is a good big wing. Would love it if Puff could be that guy.I kinda agree, just not sure I want both Caleb and RJ to start, not that I don't see rotations where both are in just don't love it to start the game, kinda want my primary back up at the point to see the game for a little bit before coming in. I like Walton at the 2 as a starter, hope his D ramps up. If I want to go small ball, then I think early on I like it with Ant at the 3 and think Dunn moves in to that discussion as he adjusts to the college game. Mark my words on this, either Styles or McKoy will surprise folks with what they can give us out of the 3 spot by mid season (my bet is on Styles).
But as you know, I am the guy saying I am expecting a solid season for Puff and if we get that the point becomes moot to me because he is my sweet shooting long wing that has to figure out how to stay in front of his man while Walton figures that out from the 2 spot. But we have the depth to cover if their lack of defense is a bigger problem than what they bring in offense is not able to cover.
There will be rotations when Caleb and RJ are in together and acknowledge that how they played together last season should not indicate how they will play together this season because you expect them to play better together as sophs than they did as frosh. My main concern is having both of your PGs in the game together means you have all your PGs with taxed legs. Why do that when you have so many other options at the 2? RJ is going to get some run at the 2, he has to because he needs (deserves IMO) more PT than will be available backing up Caleb, I just hope that is not long stretches of RJ at the 2.
I don't think Leaky is a great defender based on the last couple years, I do think he is a + defender but he isn't Kenny, Theo, or Jackie. What I do like most about Leaky as a defender is he is effective when he plays denial, his reach makes it real hard to get the ball to his assignment. Yeah, he does get blown by at times by quicker wings as you would expect to happen to a 6'8" kid out front trying to check a 2 guard in a small ball package. Leaky may not be a great defender but I would suggest he has been our most effective defender which should tell you something about our defense over all. Leaky playing with so many freshmen did not help the way his defense looked, he had to help way to much and that took him out of good position.
If you have a sore tooth, it must be fixed. If you have a small forward who is not adequate, he must be replacedSometimes ya'll are like having a sore tooth! You just can't help messing with it even though you know it will hurt! Why are peeps so willing to work so hard to find viable lineups without Leaky? Leaky is our starting 3, get used to it and it will hurt less. In the meantime, maybe pick someone else for a bit to replace in the lineup.
I think we will use RJ at 4; Manek at 2; and Bacot as a backup PG! Maybe start with only 4 players since anything is better than Leaky playing! Walton will start at 2 and Leaky will start at 3, simple and protects the rotations. I expect Leaky and Walton to improve significantly and to surprise the naysayers with O and D respectively!
But if they don't, luckily Hubs has multiple options!