The Wing Conundrum

[shadow force]

If all these 6'6 and taller wings on the team can actually handle the ball, shoot well, make plays for themselves and others, AND defend opposing guards Payne may have something.

If they can't, you're going to see a similar situation as last season where opponents back courts blow by our taller but slower players with ease and our guys can't penetrate because they're too slow. It'll lead to stagnant offense and porous defense yet again.

At least Evans is a rim protector this time and Skyy has some experience as PG, but both lack experience. It's a huge gamble all around.

 

[Thecycle27]

Really look at the roster. Tell me who you would get rid of and replace with a veterans. Only look at the top 7-8 players because more than likely that will be the rotation.

 

[RealStateBird]

If all these 6'6 and taller wings on the team can actually handle the ball, shoot well, make plays for themselves and others, AND defend opposing guards Payne may have something.

If they can't, you're going to see a similar situation as last season where opponents back courts blow by our taller but slower players with ease and our guys can't penetrate because they're too slow. It'll lead to stagnant offense and porous defense yet again.

At least Evans is a rim protector this time and Skyy has some experience as PG, but both lack experience. It's a huge gamble all around.

Isn’t that exactly what was said at the beginning of last year?

 

[shadow force]

Isn’t that exactly what was said at the beginning of last year?

By some, yes, and it failed spectacularly. Most of us were very concerned with only having one guard and could see it was going to be a problem, yet Payne claimed we were "fine" at guard.

 

[jmac1029]

KP is just wingin’ it, literally!

 

[RealStateBird]

By some, yes, and it failed spectacularly. Most of us were very concerned with only having one guard and could see it was going to be a problem, yet Payne claimed we were "fine" at guard.

I guess I worded it wrong. Before last year’s exhibition EVERYBODY was singing pain’s praise. How he retained the best players from the previous year, how good Louisville was going to be. Yes there were concerns about guard play but Ellis was actually the only one who showed up imo. Giving pain another year was pure politics and nothing else.

 

[RealStateBird]

KP is just wingin’ it, literally!

Milking is the term I use. Paid big money to do nothing.

 

[TheRealVille]

I, like everyone else, want to see a couple more guards with a good handle of the rock. However, that doesn't necessarily mean if it doesn't happen, it's going to be like last season.

Basketball IQ was the biggest problem with the 4 win team. They didn't collectively have much of any and teams took advantage. If the new players have a good hoops IQ, it should mitigate a lot of the unbalance with the roster. It's not idea to have only one true ball handler, but it doesn't portend that the team will lose 20+ games.

But then again, the coaching needs to have the ability to teach basketball IQ.

 

[Ipartiedwithhopgood]

When you win 4 games an entire season you have multiple giant problems.

 

[achilles992000]

UConn's championship lineup was mostly wing type players except for their power forward. San Diego State was similar. it's the new way of playing basketball.

with Dennis Evans, we can easily play 3-4 wing type players.

 

[Thecycle27]

I agree and that is what KP is doing with this roster. However I am afraid they are screwed if Clark goes down or isn’t very good.

 

[achilles992000]

we have a good chance at Tre White.
this could be a scary team with him.

potential starting 5 would be
Skyy Clark, Trentyn Flowers, Tre White, Okorafor and Evans.

and a nice bench with Mike James, BHH, Traynor, Danilo, Koron Davis, Curtis Williams, Kaleb Glenn,

 

[Cardiac Red]

Look, we won 4 games last year. We're not trying to win 15 games this year we need to make the tournament and 15 wins ain't gonna get that done. He's going to have to win 5 times the games he won last year. Anybody think this team is 5 times better than last year ?

I don't.

 

[OldhamCard335]

Look, we won 4 games last year. We're not trying to win 15 games this year we need to make the tournament and 15 wins ain't gonna get that done. He's going to have to win 5 times the games he won last year. Anybody think this team is 5 times better than last year ?

I don't.

I just can’t get my mind to go there. It’s not comfortable. For me, there are just too many unanswered questions regarding the coaching staff. I believe we had far better talent last year than a 4-28 shows. I hope I’m wrong, but until I see a better prepared team than we have seen so far I’m sticking with my prediction that we may have a 10 win ceiling this year.

 

[shadow force]

We all know what Payne is seemingly trying to do with the players he is recruiting. The problem is he failed so spectacularly in his first season that it is really hard to believe in his vision and coaching ability.

4-28 does not give you the benefit of the doubt, especially when there is nothing else to show in your favor as a head coach. He will get this season to prove fans right or wrong, but he flat out has to win a ton more games to change the narrative about him. I hope he does, but until then I'll remain skeptical.

 

[Thecycle27]

Until they play the game we don’t know. We also don’t know if the players are better. Haven’t seen them play together. We don’t know if they are 2-3-5-10 times better than last year. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t discuss.

The biggest difference between last year and this coming year is practices should be much more competitive. There is solid depth-competition 2-5. The freshman are team players according to the recruiting gurus. By all accounts practices last year weren’t competitive enough. It has the potential to be a really good roster. See what they add and it could be a fantastic roster.