Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Scotch, post: 1228310, member: 700"] The discussion around Kaleb has rightly focused on the fact that he's very young, and has been thrust into major playing time at least a year before the coaching staff planned on. He's in a tough spot, and there are examples of other Syracuse players, especially at the PG position, that have taken major leaps between their freshman and sophomore years (Jason Hart, MCW). A lot of posters I respect sound really confident that Kaleb is going to make a similar leap, but I just don't see it. He doesn't possess the handle, or mindset of a PG. He lacks difference-making quickness and size. He doesn't regularly beat his man off the dribble and get into the lane. His shooting - admittedly NOT the reason he was recruited - looks below average at best (in terms of form, quickness of release, etc.). The decision-making is tough, because that's where freshman struggle the most, but wow. The kid has a long way to go in almost every area. I don't think it's unfair to expect a higher level of play, even from a freshman, at this point. College basketball is getting younger and younger, and freshman are contributing big, effective minutes across the country. Comparisons to Ennis are unfair - that kid played like a college senior from Day 1. But look back at Triche's freshman year. The kid ran the point solidly, he made smart decisions, effectively handled the ball, and regularly got into the lane and made plays. Billy Edelin was even more effective as a freshman. And we're not talking about lottery picks here. If we were, we can go back to Flynn's fantastic freshman year - you could see the quickness. Or MCW, even in limited playing time, you could see the flashes. You could see the size and athleticism. I realize I'm comparing him to some pretty special players, but we're Syracuse, we have a standard of special players starting for us. The comparison that seems to make the most sense at this point is Scoop. Scoop had a rough freshman year, and I honestly doubted if he would ever be a contributor for us. I was wrong. But I've also seen Josh Wright come through the program. I'm not ready to call the kid Josh Wright, but I'm certainly not ready to call the kid a 4-year starter either. He's young, it's early, but that doesn't mean it's crazy to have concerns about Kaleb at this point in time. I wish I was seeing more flashes. He seems like a great kid with a great work ethic, and we can all agree on hoping he figures it out. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?