THE GOOD
The sample size is limited, but a quick glance of Stockman's production last season shows two areas where he was really effective: Offensive rebounding and drawing fouls. He's a big body with long arms, which makes him a tough box-out for opponents. His offensive rebounding rate - he corralled 16.2 percent of the rebounding opportunities in his area - was actually the highest on the team, though, again, he only played 6.2 minutes per game and only appeared in 23 contests. He also drew 4.9 fouls per 40 minutes, a good number for a big man.
Stockman's potential showed up a few times last season: at Notre Dame (six points, three rebounds), vs. Syracuse (six points) and at Kentucky (two points, five rebounds). The Notre Dame game in particular stuck out - Stockman was a noticeable presence in the post for the eight minutes he played spelling an in-foul-trouble Chinanu Onuaku. Stockman's teammates raved about him after those performances, saying he dominates practices as a post scorer and shot blocker.
THE BAD
But as much as his teammates - and Pitino - rave about Stockman's practice performances, there is also something to be said about the Norwegian big fella's struggles with in-game confidence. He immediately drops his head and shoulders when he misses shots, especially layups, and Pitino has said several times that Stockman lets those small moments occupy his mind and distract him. As his minutes increase, and they will this season with Onuaku's entry into the NBA Draft, Stockman has to figure out how to forget mistakes and move on.
He got a lot better as the season progressed, but another area where Stockman has to improve is the speed with which he plays. It's all part of acclimating to the American game, which is physical and fast-paced. He tends to take a moment to think about what he's doing instead of instinctively doing it. When he locks in, which happened a few times during the team's Puerto Rico exhibition tour, Stockman can be a strong offensive player on the block. But it's not consistent enough in game situations.
FINAL WORD
With five players ready to handle Louisville's two post positions, there isn't all that much pressure on Stockman to become more than what he is right now: a 7-footer who can occupy space, block some shots and rebound as a team's 10th or 11th man. He does have potential to be more of a factor if he can carry over his individual instruction and practice performances to actual games. He has a nice touch off his post moves and is a good offensive rebounder. That's why this offseason is so important: If he speeds his game up and gets past the frustrations that bother him, Stockman can compete with Anas Mahmoud for double-digit minutes as U of L's backup center.
The sample size is limited, but a quick glance of Stockman's production last season shows two areas where he was really effective: Offensive rebounding and drawing fouls. He's a big body with long arms, which makes him a tough box-out for opponents. His offensive rebounding rate - he corralled 16.2 percent of the rebounding opportunities in his area - was actually the highest on the team, though, again, he only played 6.2 minutes per game and only appeared in 23 contests. He also drew 4.9 fouls per 40 minutes, a good number for a big man.
Stockman's potential showed up a few times last season: at Notre Dame (six points, three rebounds), vs. Syracuse (six points) and at Kentucky (two points, five rebounds). The Notre Dame game in particular stuck out - Stockman was a noticeable presence in the post for the eight minutes he played spelling an in-foul-trouble Chinanu Onuaku. Stockman's teammates raved about him after those performances, saying he dominates practices as a post scorer and shot blocker.
THE BAD
But as much as his teammates - and Pitino - rave about Stockman's practice performances, there is also something to be said about the Norwegian big fella's struggles with in-game confidence. He immediately drops his head and shoulders when he misses shots, especially layups, and Pitino has said several times that Stockman lets those small moments occupy his mind and distract him. As his minutes increase, and they will this season with Onuaku's entry into the NBA Draft, Stockman has to figure out how to forget mistakes and move on.
He got a lot better as the season progressed, but another area where Stockman has to improve is the speed with which he plays. It's all part of acclimating to the American game, which is physical and fast-paced. He tends to take a moment to think about what he's doing instead of instinctively doing it. When he locks in, which happened a few times during the team's Puerto Rico exhibition tour, Stockman can be a strong offensive player on the block. But it's not consistent enough in game situations.
FINAL WORD
With five players ready to handle Louisville's two post positions, there isn't all that much pressure on Stockman to become more than what he is right now: a 7-footer who can occupy space, block some shots and rebound as a team's 10th or 11th man. He does have potential to be more of a factor if he can carry over his individual instruction and practice performances to actual games. He has a nice touch off his post moves and is a good offensive rebounder. That's why this offseason is so important: If he speeds his game up and gets past the frustrations that bother him, Stockman can compete with Anas Mahmoud for double-digit minutes as U of L's backup center.
