Are we underestimating DaJuan's impact?

[shizzah]

It may just be the excitement of Noel possibly coming here but it seems like people are sleeping a bit on the impact DC2 will have. At least offensively I don't think there is any question that Coleman is far and away the more impactful player.

I suppose what I'm saying is that I'd be beyond happy if we got Noel but the more I think about how good DC2 is, the more I feel I'll be ok if NN goes elsewhere.

For the longest time I thought it was possible that Coleman was overrated...and he may have been early on... but now? He has developed so much.

He may be better already than a senior AO, he's definitely more diverse. That is a BIG deal. He may have the ability to have an impact on a slightly lower level than Sullinger did. If you think this is heresy take a look at this video. It changed my mind.

 

[jekelish]

I think the fact that we've had him locked up for so long (even before his commitment), coupled with the fact that he's slipped a bit in the rankings has some people forgetting about him to an extent.

But the fact is, I fully expect him to come in and be our best rebounder from day one, as well as our most offensively polished big man in YEARS. I think a lot of people here would agree with that, too. If he starts next year, I could absolutely see him averaging a double double next year.

 

[iommi]

Two concerns I have with Coleman are conditioning and the competition he plays against. I do think it will be great to have some bulk inside, regardless of how ready he is for the Big East.

 

[OttoMets]

Better than Arinze already?

Good god, it'll be a minor miracle if that kid can get through 25 minutes of college basketball action per night.

I don't doubt he has ability, but it takes a lot more than that to be a force at this level of the sport.

 

[DoctorBombay]

Yes.

 

[iommi]

What's the deal: Is it DaJuan or Dajuan? :noidea: I've seen it both ways.

 

[jekelish]

Two concerns I have with Coleman are conditioning and the competition he plays against. I do think it will be great to have some bulk inside, regardless of how ready he is for the Big East.

High school competition is a little overblown I think, because you have to remember these kids are playing dozens of games against top notch competition over the summer in camps and AAU play.

 

[jekelish]

What's the deal: Is it DaJuan or Dujuan? :noidea: I've seen it both ways.

ESPN has him as DaJuan, so that's what I go with.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think he'll be good for 10 and 6 assuming he gets starter minutes.

 

[cpatrocks]

I think he'll be good for 10 and 6 assuming he gets starter minutes.

...just not Freshman Starter minutes like RAK and Melo last year

 

[NailstheCusefan12]

Two concerns I have with Coleman are conditioning and the competition he plays against. I do think it will be great to have some bulk inside, regardless of how ready he is for the Big East.

I think the conditioning is a good point, but he's shown his value on the AAU circuit playing against the best players in his age group. The video above you can tell he's playing against other D1 prospects.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

...just not Freshman Starter minutes like RAK and Melo last year

Good call.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think the fact that we've had him locked up for so long (even before his commitment), coupled with the fact that he's slipped a bit in the rankings has some people forgetting about him to an extent.

But the fact is, I fully expect him to come in and be our best rebounder from day one, as well as our most offensively polished big man in YEARS. I think a lot of people here would agree with that, too. If he starts next year, I could absolutely see him averaging a double double next year.

That's putting a lot of expectation on a frosh big man, especially when they are typically slow to develop. and he looks a bit out of shape. I expect an Arinze like trajectory for his career, which would be very, very good.

 

[ROCorange]

Haven't seen much video on the kid. I'll admit I was in the camp of thinking he would be too slow and lacking conditioning (and I'm not saying that isn't still a legit concern), but he looks a lot more mobile in the video than I was expecting. Even seems to have a pretty good handle for a big man in that one clip around the 30 sec mark

 

[John]

Who's the last freshman big man to have a serious impact for Syracuse in their first year?

 

[arrow2arinzesknee]

ESPN has him as DaJuan, so that's what I go with.

So if ESPN has it that way its probably wrong

 

[General20]

Who's the last freshman big man to have a serious impact for Syracuse in their first year?

The last guy named Coleman. Coincidence?

Seriously though, I have seen DJuan Coleman play quite a bit and I think he will contribute meaningfully from day 1.

Think about this, Kentucky was hard after him and they dont recruit projects.

 

[EastCoast2]

1) He's definitely significantly more athletic than Arinze ever was.

2) Slightly less than what Sullinger put up last year? Maybe not quite... Sully put up 17 and 10 as a frosh in the B1G for the #1 team in the country most of the season. Cuse will have way too many offensive weapons back next year for DaJuan to get even 8 ppg... Not to mention if Melo comes back and/or Noel comes... FTR I think Melo is 80% gone

 

[moqui]

I don't know about Coleman, but judging from this thread, people have already forgotten just how good Arinze was in the post.

Even as a sophomore, he was one of the national leaders and hitting over 60% from the field. Arinze was as polished a low post scorer as SU has ever had manning the 5 spot.

Perhaps Coleman will be a better rebounder than Arinze; almost by default he will be a better free throw shooter. But it is unlikely that, as a freshman, he is going to be anywhere near as automatic on the blocks as Arinze was.

 

[BostonOrange]

Who's the last freshman big man to have a serious impact for Syracuse in their first year?

Probably Forth.
I'll make one point re Coleman - a lot of young big men are of the 'raw athlete' type. Like, to varying degrees, Baye, Melo, Etan, Watkins, Warrick, Terrence Roberts. They usually take a couple years to develop. Coleman is more in the Sean May, Sullinger, Samardo Samuels, Carlos Boozer (he was a lot fatter in college), Dejuan Blair camp. That type of player - who has already developed physically and has a soft touch offensively, is much more apt to be an impact frosh (though might have a lower upside). Take Samuels...I remember him as kind of a bust but he averaged 12 pts and 5 boards as a frosh on 58% shooting from the field...not bad.

 

[jekelish]

Most of the bigs we've brought in, as has been noted, have been more of the "freakish, but raw, athlete" mold. I honestly don't remember the last big we've brought in who has been this polished offensively at such a young age. You really might have to go back to Coleman v1.0 to find that.

 

[orangefan13]

Agree forth played like 30 mpg as a freshmen I thought.

I don't think people realize just how much dribble coleman has added to his game. He is really working hard and developing a bounce.
Rak and Keita could learn a few pointers on that from him. Especially Rak in the offseason.

Listen to the comparisons for himself.
I heard as tall as 6'10 as little as 6'81/2 hope he grows clsoer to the 6'10-7'

 

[Garbs]

I don't know about Coleman, but judging from this thread, people have already forgotten just how good Arinze was in the post.

Even as a sophomore, he was one of the national leaders and hitting over 60% from the field. Arinze was as polished a low post scorer as SU has ever had manning the 5 spot.

Perhaps Coleman will be a better rebounder than Arinze; almost by default he will be a better free throw shooter. But it is unlikely that, as a freshman, he is going to be anywhere near as automatic on the blocks as Arinze was.

correct me if I am wrong but Arinze as a 'sophomore' was really a junior

 

[sufandu]

I don't think people are sleeping on his impact. It think it's more that once a kid signs people move on to the next possible prospect. Combine that with the fact that it's the number 1 recruit in the class and it's all people are gonna talk about. When Coleman gets here in the fall, accompanied by Noel or not, people will talk about him again. I'm excited about the idea of having them both. Coleman using that big body to push people around on both ends and Noel swatting people from behing on defense or flying in for follow-up dunks on offense.

 

[orange03]

Agree with what Moqui said--AO was a helluva offensive player on the block. I don't think there's any question we cut down the nets a couple years ago with him healthy. I think DC2 will the best offensive big we have by a long shot when he gets here, but if he's anything close to what AO was his last couple years we'll have a heck of a player.