Post Game Thoughts - IUP

[IthacaMatt]

Roberson was much better in the second half and finished with 14 points and 10 boards. He's our best offensive rebounder.

Lydon had a very solid floor game, and scored probably around 10 points inside, despite going 0-5 from three. I like Lydon in the high post a lot. Great fit for him at the foul line against a zone.

Thompson had a couple miscues in the second half, and JB only really played him at the four, but I could see him being an effective center for us this year. I like his floor game. When we pressed, he was in the front court and very mobile. Made some nice passes, keeping the ball moving on offense. There's a lot to like about this kid. He is going to play this year.

Glad to see Paschal Chukwu get his hoop late in the game on that alley-oop from Gillon. He was able to do that now and again at Providence. He converted an offensive board or two as well, but was not quite as far along as I was hoping.

Coleman started slowly and didn't play a lot in the first half after that "discussion" with JB, but he had a nice stretch in the low post in the second half and probably had 6 or 8 points, along with a handful of boards.

Glad to see Moyer get some run later in the second half. That three he took early on earned him a seat for the rest of the first half. He's a bit of a spaz out there right now. In HS, he reminded me more of Blackwell, but he's got to fill out more.

Frank improved in the second half, although he had a few forced turnovers trying to make passes through traffic that weren't quite there. Overall he had a decent game for Game One of the season. Had a couple decent drives in the second half, too. He will be good enough to help us, but I can't help but think that Gillon is going to be a more dynamic PG on offense.

Gillon had around 9 assists, drained a smooth three late and got into the lane and made things happen on the drive. He can keep up with small quick guards on defense. I think Frank will likely continue to start for his confidence, but Gillon is probably going to be the guy closing out games, especially with his free throw shooting ability.

Andrew White is finding his way among a bunch of new teammates. He can dribble fairly well with the left hand. He tried 2 or 3 drives into the lane. He boards very well for somebody playing guard for us. As he gets more comfortable, there are going to be games that he goes off for us this year. You can see it. He's not just a stand still shooter like Demetris Nichols was. He moved the ball well on offense, too; wasn't a black hole when he got the ball.

Tyus Battle is going to see a lot of time at guard for us this year. His shooting stroke is not quite as good as a couple of the other guys, but he is a born scorer. Plays a terrific all around floor game. He was very dynamic in the press, especially hawking the ball handler.

Taurean Thompson is a good player. He is going to make himself useful and keep himself in the rotation this year. I hope we press for at least 20 minutes a game every game this year. We will wear people out with this press, although Chukwu was not the shot blocker I was hoping to see tonight. But he is still learning the game. January can't get here soon enough for him. He needs a dozen games under his belt before we'll have a real sense of how much he can do for us this year. Also thought the zone was pretty good when we went to it in the second half.

 

[supp]

Glad to see Paschal Chukwu get his hoop late in the game on that alley-oop from Gillon. He was able to do that now and again at Providence. He converted an offensive board or two as well, but was not quite as far along as I was hoping.

Haven't seen the whole game but from what I did see, I like Chukwu's hands. I was expecting a lot worse.

 

[VirginiaOrange]

I know first game again IUP but this is no less than a Great Eight team by the end of the year. Depth at every position. Ridiculous length. NBA size. If they shoot it well they will kill people. And they can press their way back into any game - or blow someone out - with quickness and the aforementioned length. The potential is scary. JB's hardest decision will be whether to actually play 9 or 10 guys this year.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I know first game again IUP but this is no less than a Great Eight team by the end of the year. Depth at every position. Ridiculous length. NBA size. If they shoot it well they will kill people. And they can press their way back into any game - or blow someone out - with quickness and the aforementioned length. The potential is scary. JB's hardest decision will be whether to actually play 9 or 10 guys this year.

Moyer lacks conditioning right now, but with 10 guys who can play, he doesn't have to be that fit yet. He was the least impressive guy tonight, but is just getting over his turf toe.

 

[tbonezone]

a rather awkward audition tonite. never really sensed a lot of flow. then again we're packing a machete and they're brandishing a switchcomb.

 

[IthacaMatt]

a rather awkward audition tonite. never really sensed a lot of flow. then again we're packing a machete and they're brandishing a switchcomb.

Personally, I was (a) surprised to see us come out in man, and (b) was glad we got smoked early, leading us to play the press so much.

Another observation, Coleman usually struggles against these teams with little guys who out-quick him in the post. I thought he had moments when he was pretty good tonight.

 

[Jack Hall]

Loved what i saw tonite! Didnt see any weakness in this team, well other than chemistry at the moment! Lol

White and Paschal looked like they arent quite familar with system yet but Gillon and Battle look very comfortable in very short period of time with JBs system.

Thompson very intriguing in mid post! 9 man rotation!!?

JB as usual was right: looks like Battle will be in NBA for a very long time...someday...along with Lydon obviously...

Gotta be impressed and confident with/in this team so early on. Go Cuse

Edit: very impressed with IUP for a D2 team, well coached, skilled. Reminded me of that Canadian team Carleton from a few years ago who we were very fortunate to beat

 

[RF2044]

Good post, Matt. Several astute observations in there. I agree 100% with your last post, too, that this is not the type of game that makes it easy for guys like Coleman / Chukwu type big / non-scorers [i.e., having to chase around smaller players who can face up].

I have a couple of alternate perspectives--not attempting to start an argument, since we've locked horns about White before--just offering a different point of view on a few items:

• Today was a discombobulated scrimmage, with a bunch of new faces playing together in an organized game for the first time. The execution will get better once we stop making wholesale substitutions and the rotation stabilizes a bit

• Gillon looked pretty good. He also didn't look to actively score much, so it will be interesting to see what he can do when he settles down. I wonder how much we'll sacrifice defensively with him out there, because he looks like what we need at lead guard

• I think today's game provided insight into why Battle's best fit is NOT at point guard--he's too dynamic off the ball and as a scorer. Now, I don't expect him to hit threes so prolifically every game, but he clearly belongs in the starting lineup

• If Battle plays 2, then White shifts to 3. Lydon probably plays a ton of 4 / 5

• Lydon didn't have his best game tonight, but he is smooth. Seems like more of a stretch 4 in terms of his skill set than a chandler parsons-esque 3. I think he'll get the majority of his minutes at the power positions eventually, once the lineup gets established

• To your point about White not being a Demetris Nichols type stationary jump shooter, I didn't see anything to support what you saw tonight, Matt. IMO, his ball handling limitations were obvious even against a D2 team. It will be exacerbated against top flight major conference competition

• The predicted starting 5 took the court, but that unit's ballhandling and floor spacing limitations became quickly evident. The problem with that lineup is that we have two bigs who can only score in the paint [Coleman and Roberson] and have to play within the shadow of the basket to be effective, we have two wings who offer very little in terms of putting the ball on the floor or passing, and we have three potential non-primary scorers [Howard, Roberson, Coleman]. This lineup choice is the conservative play for Boeheim, but I would expect it to change in the near future as the team gets its sea legs and guys start to prove themselves a bit more. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see not just one but two changes to the starting lineup

• For those writing Howard off, I think that is extremely premature. Love the kid's game. I'm just concerned that he won't be able to "big boy" his way to positive plays like he can against smaller teams. He needs to prove that he can, but he'll settle down once he gets some more run and this group of players settle into their roles

• Thompson has a long way to go, but he looks like he belongs. Good fundamentals. He'll benefit from playing lots of different types of bigs in practice every day, and will be a major contributor his final three years

• The coaches now have game film to work on for a week. I'd expect a crisper game in exhibition #2

 

[NYCSUGrad]

Roberson was much better in the second half and finished with 14 points and 10 boards. He's our best offensive rebounder.

Lydon had a very solid floor game, and scored probably around 10 points inside, despite going 0-5 from three. I like Lydon in the high post a lot. Great fit for him at the foul line against a zone.

Thompson had a couple miscues in the second half, and JB only really played him at the four, but I could see him being an effective center for us this year. I like his floor game. When we pressed, he was in the front court and very mobile. Made some nice passes, keeping the ball moving on offense. There's a lot to like about this kid. He is going to play this year.

Glad to see Paschal Chukwu get his hoop late in the game on that alley-oop from Gillon. He was able to do that now and again at Providence. He converted an offensive board or two as well, but was not quite as far along as I was hoping.

Coleman started slowly and didn't play a lot in the first half after that "discussion" with JB, but he had a nice stretch in the low post in the second half and probably had 6 or 8 points, along with a handful of boards.

Glad to see Moyer get some run later in the second half. That three he took early on earned him a seat for the rest of the first half. He's a bit of a spaz out there right now. In HS, he reminded me more of Blackwell, but he's got to fill out more.

Frank improved in the second half, although he had a few forced turnovers trying to make passes through traffic that weren't quite there. Overall he had a decent game for Game One of the season. Had a couple decent drives in the second half, too. He will be good enough to help us, but I can't help but think that Gillon is going to be a more dynamic PG on offense.

Gillon had around 9 assists, drained a smooth three late and got into the lane and made things happen on the drive. He can keep up with small quick guards on defense. I think Frank will likely continue to start for his confidence, but Gillon is probably going to be the guy closing out games, especially with his free throw shooting ability.

Andrew White is finding his way among a bunch of new teammates. He can dribble fairly well with the left hand. He tried 2 or 3 drives into the lane. He boards very well for somebody playing guard for us. As he gets more comfortable, there are going to be games that he goes off for us this year. You can see it. He's not just a stand still shooter like Demetris Nichols was. He moved the ball well on offense, too; wasn't a black hole when he got the ball.

Tyus Battle is going to see a lot of time at guard for us this year. His shooting stroke is not quite as good as a couple of the other guys, but he is a born scorer. Plays a terrific all around floor game. He was very dynamic in the press, especially hawking the ball handler.

Taurean Thompson is a good player. He is going to make himself useful and keep himself in the rotation this year. I hope we press for at least 20 minutes a game every game this year. We will wear people out with this press, although Chukwu was not the shot blocker I was hoping to see tonight. But he is still learning the game. January can't get here soon enough for him. He needs a dozen games under his belt before we'll have a real sense of how much he can do for us this year. Also thought the zone was pretty good when we went to it in the second half.

Well written and thought out post. I'm not sure a paid writer would do better.

 

[Jack Hall]

Heres my favorite lineup:

Gillon/Howard, Battle, White, Roberson, Lydon

If thats not enough size:

Gillon/Howard, Battle, White, Lydon, DC/Paschal/TT

Is that specific enough?

 

[Cusefan0307]

I really didn't learn much today TBH. We played offense against a matchup zone. Need to see these guys against man to man.

Lydon looks poised for a huge year(effective even when he doesn't shoot well). He fills that stat sheet.

Battles shot looks solid. I know he won't shoot it that well every game, but if he shoots it good this year he will be gone.

Gillon was solid, but I need to see a larger sample size of him and Frank. Executing against zone is completely different than man. Frank played well at the end of last year so today may have been nerves.

Not judging the big guys on today. The tallest guy they had was 6-7. I will say that Chukwu doesn't look that much better than Baye on offense. That disappoints me.

I know some people were picking on DC, but we will need his size and he along with Lydon I think can be legit post options this year.

I'm sick of the lineup discussions, but I could possibly see Gillon start over Howard.

Fans who have weird dreams of Lydon coming off the bench on Twitter need to chill. JAB all but declared him our best player after the game.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I have a couple of alternate perspectives--not attempting to start an argument, since we've locked horns about White before--just offering a different point of view on a few items:

• I think today's game provided insight into why Battle's best fit is NOT at point guard--he's too dynamic off the ball and as a scorer. Now, I don't expect him to hit threes so prolifically every game, but he clearly belongs in the starting lineup

• If Battle plays 2, then White shifts to 3. Lydon probably plays a ton of 4 / 5

• To your point about White not being a Demetris Nichols type stationary jump shooter, I didn't see anything to support what you saw tonight, Matt. IMO, his ball handling limitations were obvious even against a D2 team. It will be exacerbated against top flight major conference competition

• The predicted starting 5 took the court, but that unit's ballhandling and floor spacing limitations became quickly evident. The problem with that lineup is that we have two bigs who can only score in the paint [Coleman and Roberson] and have to play within the shadow of the basket to be effective, we have two wings who offer very little in terms of putting the ball on the floor or passing, and we have three potential non-primary scorers [Howard, Roberson, Coleman]. This lineup choice is the conservative play for Boeheim, but I would expect it to change in the near future as the team gets its sea legs and guys start to prove themselves a bit more. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me at all to see not just one but two changes to the starting lineup

• For those writing Howard off, I think that is extremely premature. Love the kid's game. I'm just concerned that he won't be able to "big boy" his way to positive plays like he can against smaller teams. He needs to prove that he can, but he'll settle down once he gets some more run and this group of players settle into their roles

• Thompson has a long way to go, but he looks like he belongs. Good fundamentals. He'll benefit from playing lots of different types of bigs in practice every day, and will be a major contributor his final three years

• The coaches now have game film to work on for a week. I'd expect a crisper game in exhibition #2

Battle is going to get some time with the ball in his hands, Ryan. He won't start there, but eventually they are going to give him some time. That's why he came here, and why his dad was always in our corner. If we don't at least give that lip service, he will eventually become disgruntled.

White had 3 assists (more than Frank) and drove the lane around three times that I counted. I don't think Nichols ever did that in a game in 4 years. He's our least natural guard, and he may see some time at the three to get his shooting on the floor, but like with Battle, promises are made in recruiting to give a kid a chance at a certain position to help his future prospects. I know you don't agree, but it is what it is.

I agree that the starting lineup won't last. It simply doesn't work. I think Frank will continue to start for psychological reasons, because we need him to be good this year. Gillon is very promising, but he also over-dribbles sometimes. Gillon will become the first guard off the bench and Battle will eventually win the starting role, I believe.

I have been a big booster of Thompson since seeing some film of him from late in his senior year, when he seemed to make a big jump in his game. The summer before, he seemed a bit lethargic and not very lively as a player. Holy cow, we saw a whole new player out there tonight. His hands aren't the best yet, and he made a few mistakes, but he should play some time at center in my opinion.

I don't really want to see Lydon defending big physical guys for 10-15 minutes a game. It will take too much out of his offense and could potentially get him into foul trouble. We got "big boyed" against some of the better ACC teams when we tried to do too much of that last year. It was a major reason we only went 9-9 in conference, IMO; we just couldn't match the physicality of other teams inside when he played too much time at center.

 

[bballbeadle]

I loved Gillon and Battle tonight. Also Robey. Battle has an interesting little spin on his three-point shot. Anyone else notice that? We were not polished tonight - duh! - but we have to take into account that our opponent seemed to be pretty damn good.

We came out tight. All those first stringers seemed to be afraid to take a shot. I wish White had taken more. I am ready to like him a lot.

We may not be as good as we think we can be early in the season, but I am certain we will be great later on. I just badly need them to beat Wisconsin. Last year's loss against them was humiliating.

- Badger Beadle

 

[RF2044]

Battle is going to get some time with the ball in his hands, Ryan. He won't start there, but eventually they are going to give him some time. That's why he came here, and why his dad was always in our corner. If we don't at least give that lip service, he will eventually become disgruntled.

White had 3 assists (more than Frank) and drove the lane around three times that I counted. I don't think Nichols ever did that in a game in 4 years. He's our least natural guard, and he may see some time at the three to get his shooting on the floor, but like with Battle, promises are made in recruiting to give a kid a chance at a certain position to help his future prospects. I know you don't agree, but it is what it is.

I agree that the starting lineup won't last. It simply doesn't work. I think Frank will continue to start for psychological reasons, because we need him to be good this year. Gillon is very promising, but he also over-dribbles sometimes. Gillon will become the first guard off the bench and Battle will eventually win the starting role, I believe.

I have been a big booster of Thompson since seeing some film of him from late in his senior year, when he seemed to make a big jump in his game. The summer before, he seemed a bit lethargic and not very lively as a player. Holy cow, we saw a whole new player out there tonight. His hands aren't the best yet, and he made a few mistakes, but he should play some time at center in my opinion.

I don't really want to see Lydon defending big physical guys for 10-15 minutes a game. It will take too much out of his offense and could potentially get him into foul trouble. We got "big boyed" against some of the better ACC teams when we tried to do too much of that last year. It was a major reason we only went 9-9 in conference, IMO; we just couldn't match the physicality of other teams inside when he played too much time at center.

Matt, that promise was made to Battle when circumstances on the team were far, far different than what they ended up being in the spring--as in, JB thought Richardson would be returning. Since then, we've had Malachi leave, Gillon come, and White follow suit. Battle WILL have the ball in his hands often, because he's going to see a lot of floor time, but he probably won't see much time at lead guard, if any significant minutes there. He won't be disgruntled, because he is going to play. A lot. And he's going to get a lot of scoring opportunities. I'm not suggesting / predicting that he will, but he could very well lead the team in scoring this year. And if not, I believe that is is overwhelmingly likely that he will be one of the top 3.

I think that with both Battle and White, you are interpreting too literally what amounts to recruiting pillow talk. What we saw from White is what numerous posters have observed throughout the preseason, and what the Nebraska fan who posted first hand observations here a few weeks ago also described--he is a one dribble guy, max. When he handled the ball in transition, he looked very unnatural and resulted in some ugly shot attempts, even against D2 competition. He is the least natural guard, but more importantly he's the second best shooting guard on the team, behind Battle. Just like Battle is the third best lead guard. It just doesn't make sense to play either of them long-term at positions where there are clearly better options on the roster.

If the lineup adjusts, it is very likely that neither one of those promises will be kept--which means that it is far from "it is what it is." But the two players in question are going to play a ton, get tons of shots, and be very figural in what this team accomplishes this season. I wouldn't expect either of them to be disgruntled for that reason.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Thompson. Kid played for Bob Hurley, so he knows how to play. I'll be curious to see how he fares against bigger players his own size.

 

[OrangeDW]

I think sometimes positions are overblown. You do what you are capable of doing based on your skill set, and also on how you fit into the team. We've had shooting guards that couldn't shoot, but were good at other things, we've had point guards who were our best shooter and/or scorer, we've had small forwards that were 6'4 and small forwards that were 6'9. Just play your role and do what you're good at.

In the limited time I've seen him play, Battle looks like a guy who can potentially do pretty much everything well. He'll have the ball in his hands plenty. Whatever position he is being announced at doesn't necessarily matter, scouts aren't dumb. It's more about what his role is on the team and what opportunities he gets...which I think he'll be more than happy with. He's going to look like a million bucks here and Syracuse is a great place for him.

 

[RF2044]

I think sometimes positions are overblown. You do what you are capable of doing based on your skill set, and also on how you fit into the team. We've had shooting guards that couldn't shoot, but were good at other things, we've had point guards who were our best shooter and/or scorer, we've had small forwards that were 6'4 and small forwards that were 6'9. Just play your role and do what you're good at.

In the limited time I've seen him play, Battle looks like a guy who can potentially do pretty much everything well. He'll have the ball in his hands plenty. Whatever position he is being announced at doesn't necessarily matter, scouts aren't dumb. It's more about what his role is on the team and what opportunities he gets...which I think he'll be more than happy with. He's going to look like a million bucks here and Syracuse is a great place for him.

Oh, I agree 100% about people often putting too much stock in positions. And also that we have versatile players in a system that thrives on versatility, where position roles get blurred.

My opinion is based more upon [1] the relative skill sets of the players being discussed, and the rest of the roster composition--in particular, alternative players at the positions being discussed, and [2] which lineups provide the most complimentary skills / scoring.

 

[Briancuse]

From the little I got to see, thanks firstrow sports, Battle is a beast, and whoever ranked him 35th in the country should be embarrassed, and Gillon is going to be really good, and create a ton of shots for the rest of the team.

 

[OrangeDW]

Oh, I agree 100% about people often putting too much stock in positions. And also that we have versatile players in a system that thrives on versatility, where position roles get blurred.

My opinion is based more upon [1] the relative skill sets of the players being discussed, and the rest of the roster composition--in particular, alternative players at the positions being discussed, and [2] which lineups provide the most complimentary skills / scoring.

It's so nice to have this depth and these options, a ton of talented players, and a veteran great coach who will almost certainly find the best combinations. I honestly haven't been this excited since '03. I knew we were much better than people thought in 2010 but I didn't know we would be 1 seed material. I knew we were loaded in 2012, but we were missing a low post scorer. I knew we would be good in many of the seasons where we had strong years, and even in our down years I'm fired up. Back to '03 I knew we'd have balance and that Carmelo was awesome.

And this year I can't even come up with a reason why we won't be great. We've got everything we need. I'm fired up.

 

[OrangeDW]

From the little I got to see, thanks firstrow sports, Battle is a beast, and whoever ranked him 35th in the country should be embarrassed, and Gillon is going to be really good, and create a ton of shots for the rest of the team.

Yup, agreed. Gillon and Battle both looked like everything I hoped they'd be based on reading about them. White too.

Battle being only a freshman...I don't want to overhype him but I'm really excited for what he will be able to do. 6'6, really athletic, can shoot, finish, handle, pass, and defend. I'll take it.

 

[Jack Hall]

Matt, that promise was made to Battle when circumstances on the team were far, far different than what they ended up being in the spring--as in, JB thought Richardson would be returning. Since then, we've had Malachi leave, Gillon come, and White follow suit. Battle WILL have the ball in his hands often, because he's going to see a lot of floor time, but he probably won't see much time at lead guard, if any significant minutes there. He won't be disgruntled, because he is going to play. A lot. And he's going to get a lot of scoring opportunities. I'm not suggesting / predicting that he will, but he could very well lead the team in scoring this year. And if not, I believe that is is overwhelmingly likely that he will be one of the top 3.

I think that with both Battle and White, you are interpreting too literally what amounts to recruiting pillow talk. What we saw from White is what numerous posters have observed throughout the preseason, and what the Nebraska fan who posted first hand observations here a few weeks ago also described--he is a one dribble guy, max. When he handled the ball in transition, he looked very unnatural and resulted in some ugly shot attempts, even against D2 competition. He is the least natural guard, but more importantly he's the second best shooting guard on the team, behind Battle. Just like Battle is the third best lead guard. It just doesn't make sense to play either of them long-term at positions where there are clearly better options on the roster.

If the lineup adjusts, it is very likely that neither one of those promises will be kept--which means that it is far from "it is what it is." But the two players in question are going to play a ton, get tons of shots, and be very figural in what this team accomplishes this season. I wouldn't expect either of them to be disgruntled for that reason.

I'm looking forward to seeing more of Thompson. Kid played for Bob Hurley, so he knows how to play. I'll be curious to see how he fares against bigger players his own size.

Cant completely agree w you on White. In the first half he cleanly beat his guy off more than one dribble on an aggressive drive into lane. Now he got called for a charge so he clearly has to work on his finish but encouraging that he drove past initial defender. Worth watching if he can develop a dribble drive this season, much like Mal developed last year...

And i would rather see White on backside of zone but to me really doesnt matter, ie his defense at top of zone i thought was pretty solid, altho against a D2 team...

 

[RF2044]

Cant completely agree w you on White. In the first half he cleanly beat his guy off more than one dribble on an aggressive drive into lane. Now he got called for a charge so he clearly has to work on his finish but encouraging that he drove past initial defender. Worth watching if he can develop a dribble drive this season, much like Mal developed last year...

And i would rather see White on backside of zone but to me really doesnt matter, ie his defense at top of zone i thought was pretty solid, altho against a D2 team...

I don't want to bog down on this point, because at this point opinions / predictions will now give way to what everybody can see for themselves on the court during games, but that play is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. White--who isn't a natural nor comfortable ball handler--took the ball in too deep and made a bad play. Why? Because he was trying to do something that he normally wouldn't do during a game. What he's comfortable doing is taking a fewer amount of dribbles to create space when people come charging out at him, since he's such a good shooter.

There were several other times where he had drives that resulted in ugly, awkward shots when he had teammates who were open, as well. There is 0% chance that he'll develop a dribble drive like Malichi demonstrated last year, IMO, because that isn't part of his skill set.

Love White--I'm sure that there are some who will be disappointed by how last night's game went, but once the structure of games ratchets up a level, people will see why he was such a great "get."

 

[Cusefan0307]

From the little I got to see, thanks firstrow sports, Battle is a beast, and whoever ranked him 35th in the country should be embarrassed, and Gillon is going to be really good, and create a ton of shots for the rest of the team.

New year, same story with just about every Syracuse freshman.

Don't think Thompson is 75th either. More likely Top 50.

 

[Dave85]

I don't want to bog down on this point, because at this point opinions / predictions will now give way to what everybody can see for themselves on the court during games, but that play is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. White--who isn't a natural nor comfortable ball handler--took the ball in too deep and made a bad play. Why? Because he was trying to do something that wasn't natural to him. What he's comfortable doing is taking a fewer amount of dribbles to create space when people jump out at him.

There were several other times where he had drives that resulted in ugly, awkward shots when he had teammates who were open, as well. There is 0% chance that he'll develop a dribble drive like Malichi demonstrated last year, IMO, because that isn't part of his skill set.

Love White--I'm sure that there are some who will be disappointed by how last night's game went, but once the structure of games ratchets up a level, people will see why he was such a great "get."

I like White too. I think he played well. But I think there were times where he was trying too hard to get his touches and points. I think he just needs to have more faith in the team to get him the ball on the wing from a kick out. Catch and shoot from a kick out is going to be his game this season in my opinion.

 

[721Comstock]

I like White too. I think he played well. But I think there were times where he was trying too hard to get his touches and points. I think he just needs to have more faith in the team to get him the ball on the wing from a kick out. Catch and shoot from a kick out is going to be his game this season in my opinion.

Yes, but - he also wants to show he's not just a one-trick pony.
Having some semblance of an off-the-bounce game will be crucial for him, if he wants any shot at the NBA - and also for us, as it makes him infinitely harder to guard;
if you have to respect his drive, he'll have more open looks.