Chukwu

[Brooky03]

What were everyone's expectations for Paschal?

He seems to be doing exactly what he was projected to be doing, or at least what I thought he'd do, but a lot of people seem down on him. What is the expectation that he's not living up to?

 

[HoustonCuse]

What he did tonight is what I was hoping for. He just looked excellent blocking those shots and most of them he was able to catch the shot he blocked. I still want to see him against teams with more size but holy cross actually had a pretty big front court and he still was totally dominant in the paint. If JB can figure out the rest of the zone, he will just be an incredible force. Also saw him using his long arms to disrupt passing lanes a few times tonight. Really excited about what I saw from him this evening.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Blocks and Rebounds.

Any scoring we get from him is a bonus.

 

[Briancuse]

Still need to see more, maybe a Brimah type player.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Boeheim on Chukwu tonight..."I hope he gets there...in my lifetime."

I mean he has a LONG way to go. I will say he has good hands and passing skills. I think because he can move well he will be more effective going out there and challenging bigs who can make a short jumper than he can defending around the basket. I don't think he'll play much come ACC time unless there is rapid development. Who knows.

 

[two3zone]

What were everyone's expectations for Paschal?

He seems to be doing exactly what he was projected to be doing, or at least what I thought he'd do, but a lot of people seem down on him. What is the expectation that he's not living up to?

I'd like to see him more fluid when he's moving around, but outside of that, just expected him to be a presence in the paint who alters shots picking up a solid amount of blocks.

The problem is, like with many guys we get, the legend of that player starts before they wear a uniform for us. 72 went from a transfer from Providence who couldn't see the court for them into a possible Rudy Gobert within a year. WITHOUT PLAYING A GAME

I don't think fair fans expected much more than what he's delivering right now.

 

[dasher]

Boeheim on Chukwu tonight..."I hope he gets there...in my lifetime."

I mean he has a LONG way to go. I will say he has good hands and passing skills. I think because he can move well he will be more effective going out there and challenging bigs who can make a short jumper than he can defending around the basket. I don't think he'll play much come ACC time unless there is rapid development. Who knows.

he will play in ACC time.

 

[HoustonCuse]

He looked very good on several defensive sets. The thing I saw was he reacted very late a couple times and still blocked the shot. Against ACC caliber players he will need to react quicker and will have to stand his ground more, but that 7'9" wingspan is a weapon in our defense, make no mistake about that. He has had a big impact on every game we've played so far and that will only increase.

 

[supp]

What were everyone's expectations for Paschal?

He seems to be doing exactly what he was projected to be doing, or at least what I thought he'd do, but a lot of people seem down on him. What is the expectation that he's not living up to?

He sure ain't no Sean Williams. I'm excited about him. He still having a hard time getting out of his own way on offense and defense but he's not just a really, really tall guy. He's well-coordinated, he can move, and he's going to be tough to score on once he realizes where to be on the court. He's a rich man's Baye right now with quite a ways to go.

 

[Shark58]

I'd like to see a few 'oops on O

 

[SoBeCuse]

he will play in ACC time.

Ha. I didn't say he won't. We'll see. I love these confident almost ultimatum-like rebuttals without any reasoning.

 

[Brooky03]

Ha. I didn't say he won't. We'll see. I love these confident almost ultimatum-like rebuttals without any reasoning.

He'll play because he's a 7'2" rim protector which will be invaluable against bigs in the ACC. We don't really need offense from the 5, so that's a non-issue, and Lydon or a freshman (TT) playing at least slightly out of position at Center for long stretches isn't a much better option, if it's better at all.

Those would be my reasons. I can't speak for dash.

 

[two3zone]

I'd like to see a few 'oops on O

I'd like to as well, but even with his size, I don't think it's "easy" for him to pull off in traffic. What I have seen of his hands, they're not great, and the way he moves it seems like it would be tough for him to move around to get to an oop unless he is in perfect position facing the hoop and the pass is perfect.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

He's out of position more often than not on the defensive end. He should just stand under the basket and swat crap instead of trying to be too cute. Less is more.

 

[MSOrange]

What he did tonight is what I was hoping for. He just looked excellent blocking those shots and most of them he was able to catch the shot he blocked. I still want to see him against teams with more size but holy cross actually had a pretty big front court and he still was totally dominant in the paint. If JB can figure out the rest of the zone, he will just be an incredible force. Also saw him using his long arms to disrupt passing lanes a few times tonight. Really excited about what I saw from him this evening.

I'm not sure I would quite say dominant but I saw the same thing you did. After watching the exhibition games and the Colgate game, I wasn't sure what we might get from him this year. But I was encouraged by tonight. He seemed more aggressive and sure of what he wanted to do than the first few games. It will probably be an up and down season for him, but I saw some promise tonight.

 

[SoBeCuse]

He'll play because he's a 7'2" rim protector which will be invaluable against bigs in the ACC. We don't really need offense from the 5, so that's a non-issue, and Lydon or a freshman (TT) playing at least slightly out of position at Center for long stretches isn't a much better option, if it's better at all.

Those would be my reasons. I can't speak for dash.

Hope you're right. In theory that is all true. It all hinges on his development. JB simply won't deploy him if he is going to get pushed around too easily, out of position, drop his arms, screen poorly, etc. He's not ready now but he certainly could be. I'll be interested to see him vs Wisconsin. Happ and Hayes are really good.

 

[HoustonCuse]

I'm not sure I would quite say dominant but I saw the same thing you did. After watching the exhibition games and the Colgate game, I wasn't sure what we might get from him this year. But I was encouraged by tonight. He seemed more aggressive and sure of what he wanted to do than the first few games. It will probably be an up and down season for him, but I saw some promise tonight.

I say dominant because honestly no other team we have played even bothered going in the paint when he was in the game. HC had more size and went in there and he basically blocked everything they challenged him with. To me that is dominating the paint.

 

[jordoo]

Chukwu will blockwu

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Chukwu will blockwu

so when he blocks a shot so hard that it makes a tang noise on the board, is it called a Wutang?

 

[orangefan13]

He was a different player tonight. Much better imo.

 

[SUalldway]

He looked very good on several defensive sets. The thing I saw was he reacted very late a couple times and still blocked the shot. Against ACC caliber players he will need to react quicker and will have to stand his ground more, but that 7'9" wingspan is a weapon in our defense, make no mistake about that. He has had a big impact on every game we've played so far and that will only increase.

It's a very over-used phrase, but You can not teach a 7'9" wingspan.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I'd like to see him more fluid when he's moving around, but outside of that, just expected him to be a presence in the paint who alters shots picking up a solid amount of blocks.

The problem is, like with many guys we get, the legend of that player starts before they wear a uniform for us. 72 went from a transfer from Providence who couldn't see the court for them into a possible Rudy Gobert within a year. WITHOUT PLAYING A GAME

I don't think fair fans expected much more than what he's delivering right now.

Some folks on here sounded like he would be Ewing-esque on defense.
He is serviceable. He will just get pushed out of the way against mature teams. Remains to be seen what happens when skilled guys go right at him.

 

[OttoMets]

I'd like to as well, but even with his size, I don't think it's "easy" for him to pull off in traffic. What I have seen of his hands, they're not great, and the way he moves it seems like it would be tough for him to move around to get to an oop unless he is in perfect position facing the hoop and the pass is perfect.

I like his hands, but I think the problem is that he reacts rather than anticipates. More game experience should help, but he's not a natural like some of his teammates.

 

[DoctorBombay]

He sure ain't no Sean Williams. I'm excited about him. He still having a hard time getting out of his own way on offense and defense but he's not just a really, really tall guy. He's well-coordinated, he can move, and he's going to be tough to score on once he realizes where to be on the court. He's a rich man's Baye right now with quite a ways to go.

Every big we've had has gone thru growing pains, from Rosie Bouie, to Danny Schayes, to Rony Seikaly, to Billy Celuck, to Ovicina, to Otis Hill, to Craig Forth, to D. Watkins, to Fab Melo, to Baye Keita, et al.
Each one got better with time, notwithstanding the "nattering nabobs of negativism" heaping scorn upon them as they struggled to figure things out.
When, not if, the light bulb goes on for PC, he will be an invaluable piece of our defensive puzzle. He can only get better with more time and more reps, & should that "Eureka" moment happen this year...well, the sky will be the absolute limit. JMHO

 

[RF2044]

Every big we've had has gone thru growing pains, from Rosie Bowie, to Danny Schayes, to Rony Seikaly, to Billy Celuck, to Ovicina, to Otis Thorpe, to Craig Forth, to D. Watkins, to Fab Melo, to Baye Keita, et al.
Each one got better with time, notwithstanding the "nattering nabobs of negativism" heaping scorn upon them as they struggled to figure things out.
When, not if, the light bulb goes on for PC, he will be an invaluable piece of our defensive puzzle. He can only get better with more time and more reps, & should that "Eureka" moment happen this year...well, the sky will be the absolute limit. JMHO

Otis Thorpe? ; )