Dear Rakeem,

[Flacusian]

You've been putting on the Syracuse Basketball uniform for nearly 2 seasons now and over this period of time there can be no mistaking that you possess both talent and formidable athletic ability. The team is at an important milestone right now as we head toward the conclusion of the Big East season and move into the post season. One of the most important things the team will need for success is improved play from our bigs. You could be the difference between the team having a "nice season" or potentially having a "great season". It's time for you to shine and show everyone that you can play with intensity and passion each and every game. We watched you step in last year in Melo's absence and provide us with an appetizer of what you can bring to this team. We've watched you demonstrate your ability to block shots, alter shots, and be a formidable presence in the zone. We've seen you, after being screamed at by Coach, come back in and make a huge impact on the following possessions.

We have also seen games where you have been completely ineffective and played without any passion or intensity. We need you to play the way that most fans believe you can play to help this team really make some noise as we head into March and April. Perhaps you can mention to some of the other guys that it would be nice if they brought their BEST game to EVERY game for the balance of the season.

Regards,
A fan

 

[RF2044]

I'm not going to throw Rak under the bus like so many seem willing to. Yes, he has all of the athletic tools to excel in our system at the 5. And yes, his productivity has been subpar, and his offensive contributions have been relatively negligible.

But to the point of the OP, I think I'd be pretty happy if he would just go out there and play like a rebounding specialist. Get the 8 RPG his physical tools suggest he can get, block a few shots, and don't worry about offense unless it comes in the flow--an offensive put back, a fast break conversion, an alley oop, etc.

Completely agree with the OP that Rak could be the difference between this being a good versus great season. Rak deciding that he's going to focus on rebounding / playing tough D would go a long way toward helping this team actualize its potential, no matter how many / few points he scores.

And I'm not overstating how important him making that shift would be in terms of how it would impact how far our team can go.

 

[Marsh01]

I just dont see the consistency in intensity with him. I will say it again, he is a Mookie Watkins type player. One great game, you think he will suddenly turn the corner and then back to 3 mediocre games. I am not knocking him or putting him down I just dont see how all of a sudden he is going to turn the corner in mid February and become the answer. I expect the same type of play we are getting from him.

I hope I am wrong.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think our guards decide how well Rak plays.

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[SoBeCuse]

I just dont see the consistency in intensity with him. I will say it again, he is a Mookie Watkins type player. One great game, you think he will suddenly turn the corner and then back to 3 mediocre games. I am not knocking him or putting him down I just dont see how all of a sudden he is going to turn the corner in mid February and become the answer. I expect the same type of play we are getting from him.

I hope I am wrong.

I hear ya but Watkins was nowhere near as invisible as Rak often is. Watkins definitely had the lack of motor at times but Rak is in a class by himself with a guy with those physical skills, imo. Watkins/Roberts were a big reason defensively especially we beat Pitt in that 2006 BET championship.

 

[Toga]

Rak
Just introduce me to your aunt and we're all good. Thanks in advance.

 

[Marsh01]

I hear ya but Watkins was nowhere near as invisible as Rak often is. Watkins definitely had the lack of motor at times but Rak is in a class by himself with a guy with those physical skills, imo. Watkins/Roberts were a big reason defensively especially we beat Pitt in that 2006 BET championship.

Oh absolutely. I would kill for rak to be the defensive player waktins was.


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[tptcuse]

Rak
Just introduce me to your aunt and we're all good. Thanks in advance.

Now, you are a man who knows how to keep things in perspective!

 

[anomander]

this is tough for me to say because i have probably been the biggest Rak supporter/fan there is, but even I am starting to get frustrated. Coming out of HS i never expected him to be an offensive threat, but he was supposed to be a defensive stopper, and a rebounding machine. Now we have seen glimpses. He was arguably the best player on the court. He basically shut down Gody JR the entire game. He got some cheapies at the end, but for 35 minutes he was very physical with him, and looked like he really frustrated him. He has had a few games like that this year where you just think if he could do this consistently he is one of the best centers in the country. The one thing that frustrates me is he isn't the rebounder I thought he could be, and that mainly comes down to a low motor. I do contend that he is at very worst an average defender. He will get you a couple blocks a game, and change numerous other shots. Finally no matter how bad he is playing, he is still much better then the alternative. I feel he has to play 30 mins/game if we are to have a chance down the stretch. BMK just can't get off his feet. Can't rebound, has no hands, and flops way too much. Total liability if he has to be out there more then 10 min/g. My last question about Rak is maybe JB needs a new approach? Rak is a laid back guy, maybe he doesn't respond well to the yelling? It seems he's more a guy who needs his confidence built up, rather then torn apart? You can see after every negative play he looks towards the bench to see if he is getting the hook. imo you can't play like that. you play tight, and played scared. I am not giving up on Rak just yet, and really pulling for him to come through

 

[hoopsupstate]

I wish Rak had half the motor that Coleman has. The biggest mistake JB did with this team is not let Coleman play through his mistakes earlier in the year. He is the ONLY big that resembles any kind of post up game. He is also the best rebounder of the group. He makes some mistakes on defense, but have you watched Southerland lately? He's been horrible.

 

[BostonOrange]

I just dont see the consistency in intensity with him. I will say it again, he is a Mookie Watkins type player. One great game, you think he will suddenly turn the corner and then back to 3 mediocre games. I am not knocking him or putting him down I just dont see how all of a sudden he is going to turn the corner in mid February and become the answer. I expect the same type of play we are getting from him.

I hope I am wrong.

I went back to the stats and it's sort of tough to compare because Mookie played behind Forth until his junior year. Mookie played 14 minutes a game as a soph and 29 as a jr, Rak is playing 22 as a soph. Their production per minute though does support the 'Mookie like' argument. They are very similar in production per minute in most respects. Mookie's per minute production only improved marginally later in his career, but a lot of big guys do develop later so I could see Rak developing into a 12 pt 8 board 3 blk guy if he stays 4 years. Course he is going to have to fight off DC2 for minutes.

 

[NineOneSeven]

You've been putting on the Syracuse Basketball uniform for nearly 2 seasons now and over this period of time there can be no mistaking that you possess both talent and formidable athletic ability. The team is at an important milestone right now as we head toward the conclusion of the Big East season and move into the post season. One of the most important things the team will need for success is improved play from our bigs. You could be the difference between the team having a "nice season" or potentially having a "great season". It's time for you to shine and show everyone that you can play with intensity and passion each and every game. We watched you step in last year in Melo's absence and provide us with an appetizer of what you can bring to this team. We've watched you demonstrate your ability to block shots, alter shots, and be a formidable presence in the zone. We've seen you, after being screamed at by Coach, come back in and make a huge impact on the following possessions.

We have also seen games where you have been completely ineffective and played without any passion or intensity. We need you to play the way that most fans believe you can play to help this team really make some noise as we head into March and April. Perhaps you can mention to some of the other guys that it would be nice if they brought their BEST game to EVERY game for the balance of the season.

Regards,
A fan

How about you direct this to the guards.

For the 73826284th time: FEED.RAK.THE.BALL.

 

[007]

I think our guards decide how well Rak plays.

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I think our guards are not keeping Rak from displaying skills he does not have.

 

[anomander]

feed him the ball? for what? he doesn't have a post game. if that's what people are expecting from him then your going to keep getting frustrated. his offensive game is offensive rebound put backs, alley oops, and the occasional catch and score. he was known as a defensive stopper coming out of HS, an supposed elite defender too, but never an offensive threat.

 

[kuethstheman]

feed him the ball? for what? he doesn't have a post game. if that's what people are expecting from him then your going to keep getting frustrated. his offensive game is offensive rebound put backs, alley oops, and the occasional catch and score. he was known as a defensive stopper coming out of HS, an supposed elite defender too, but never an offensive threat.

IDK. Both times they threw it to him this year, he made a nice move.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

feed him the ball? for what? he doesn't have a post game. if that's what people are expecting from him then your going to keep getting frustrated. his offensive game is offensive rebound put backs, alley oops, and the occasional catch and score. he was known as a defensive stopper coming out of HS, an supposed elite defender too, but never an offensive threat.

I kinda disagree. He has good hands. He has a few nice moves. He's got good touch. He just doesn't get the reps to polish it all and to keep him in the form and with the confidence to make it comfortable. Remember how, when James came back, his first game back, in the first half — how rusty and 'slightly off' he looked? Imagine trying to build your timing and form when never getting actual game touches. That's why it comes so sporadically.

We just don't have guards who look to feed the post, so at some point, your mental focus for offense is going to atrophy. I wouldn't blame him for being frustrated, but of course the way back into good graces is to hustle on the other fronts.

We have had situations where Rak has been fed the ball, made a move or two and swished a short shot with beautiful form. Next possession, MCW's jacking up a deep three with 20 seconds on the clock because 'it's his turn.' Not a lot of intellect. Rak has had mismatches and advantages, but, our scheme seems to be that we have no scheme. Southerland will get fed if he's hot, but that's easy. He's uncontested on the outside. If your guards have no confidence in your bigs, there's no way for them to develop. Add to that a 'laid back' personality, and we've got what we've got.

I sincerely wish we would get a real big man coach. Hopkins may be the next HC, but look at it this way — Hop has only ever played guard. He's only ever been coached by JB. And that's it. Aside from his Olympic experience — and we have little to go on about that — he's had precious few mentor coaching voices from whom to learn, and how much of that has been instrumental toward advancing our power players? The converse would never be entertained: let's bring back Arinze or Otis to coach our point guards... That dog doesn't hunt. Even if we give Mike the benefit of the doubt — maybe he's got a feel for it/has been studying 'big man stuff' on youtube privately... whatever — i'm still betting there's, at least, a slightly better option somewhere.

 

[anomander]

I kinda disagree. He has good hands. He has a few nice moves. He's got good touch. He just doesn't get the reps to polish it all and to keep him in the form and with the confidence to make it comfortable. Remember how, when James came back, his first game back, in the first half — how rusty and 'slightly off' he looked? Imagine trying to build your timing and form when never getting actual game touches. That's why it comes so sporadically.

We just don't have guards who look to feed the post, so at some point, your mental focus for offense is going to atrophy. I wouldn't blame him for being frustrated, but of course the way back into good graces is to hustle on the other fronts.

We have had situations where Rak has been fed the ball, made a move or two and swished a short shot with beautiful form. Next possession, MCW's jacking up a deep three with 20 seconds on the clock because 'it's his turn.' Not a lot of intellect. Rak has had mismatches and advantages, but, our scheme seems to be that we have no scheme. Southerland will get fed if he's hot, but that's easy. He's uncontested on the outside. If your guards have no confidence in your bigs, there's no way for them to develop. Add to that a 'laid back' personality, and we've got what we've got.

I sincerely wish we would get a real big man coach. Hopkins may be the next HC, but look at it this way — Hop has only ever played guard. He's only ever been coached by JB. And that's it. Aside from his Olympic experience — and we have little to go on about that — he's had precious few mentor coaching voices from whom to learn, and how much of that has been instrumental toward advancing our power players? The converse would never be entertained: let's bring back Arinze or Otis to coach our point guards... That dog doesn't hunt. Even if we give Mike the benefit of the doubt — maybe he's got a feel for it/has been studying 'big man stuff' on youtube privately... whatever — i'm still betting there's, at least, a slightly better option somewhere.

i'm not going to argue with this, and like i said there probably isn't a bigger rak fan then myself. i agree he definitely shouldn't be shunned. he should get at least 4 or 5 touches a game in post position. all i'm saying is i don't think rak is developed to a point where we can expect to throw him the ball 10 times a game and get solid production. it's not like we were feeding fab in the post last year. rak needs to be like fab, catch alley oops and put the occasional offensive bucket in.

 

[Rocco]

I'd love it if Rak played with Jeremy McNeil's intensity. Punch a player in the face every once in a while while going for a block.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

i'm not going to argue with this, and like i said there probably isn't a bigger rak fan then myself. i agree he definitely shouldn't be shunned. he should get at least 4 or 5 touches a game in post position. all i'm saying is i don't think rak is developed to a point where we can expect to throw him the ball 10 times a game and get solid production. it's not like we were feeding fab in the post last year. rak needs to be like fab, catch alley oops and put the occasional offensive bucket in.

We are in complete agreement. I wasn't suggesting, at all, that we run the offense through him, like we did with Arinze/Rick/Otis. Just suggesting more involvement, with a plan of involvement, and early involvement. "4 or 5 touches a game" sounds good to me, with the proviso that it continues as long as it's efficient and productive to do so. If he's hot and is a problem matchup, keep going until the well dries up. But, yeah, not a primary option on offense. As someone said earlier, Rak should be trying to play like Fab did last year. Run the break, catch lobs, offensive rebound and finish. More activity and assertiveness would give him his own opportunities.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I think our guards are not keeping Rak from displaying skills he does not have.

This is arbitrary and probably too quick and dirty to be worth much, but Rak has taken 5 or more shots only 13 times this season and is averaging 4.6 shot attempts per game. That means that even if he's perfect from the floor he's not hitting double figures. The most shots he's ever taken in a game for us is 9.

Know how many shot attempts per game Cooney averages? 4.5. Think about that for a second in relation to how many shot attempts Rak gets.

Rak's a big guy. He's not going to create off the dribble or generate offense for himself short of grabbing an offensive rebound and trying to stick a shot up. His guards need to make the game easy for him. They don't. He's better than he's been given the chance to show he is.

Magic Johnson used to say that if Kareem didn't see the ball early he'd pick up a couple of cheap fouls because his teammates were telling him they didn't need him that night. I'd like our guards to show Rak that they need him.

 

[br801]

I think our guards decide how well Rak plays.

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Our guards may decide how involved he gets offensively, but the rest is up to Rak. There's no reason he can't be a consistent defensive force in the middle and be a major contributor to this team's success (and IMO many times he has).

However, if people are going to judge his performance this season strictly on points and rebounds, they will surely be disappointed because he will almost always be the last option on offense, and our guards and wings are mostly excellent rebounders which tends to keep his numbers down.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Our guards may decide how involved he gets offensively, but the rest is up to Rak. There's no reason he can't be a consistent defensive force in the middle and be a major contributor to this team's success (and IMO many times he has).

See, I think with Rak one feeds on the other. Get him involved on offense and he'll play well on defense. If he's playing well on defense, the guards should reward him on offense.

Keita's kind of different because he can be a complete non-factor on offense and still provide something on defense. I'm just not convinced Rak is that kind of player. He needs to be kept in the flow.

 

[Marsh01]

See, I think with Rak one feeds on the other. Get him involved on offense and he'll play well on defense. If he's playing well on defense, the guards should reward him on offense.

Keita's kind of different because he can be a complete non-factor on offense and still provide something on defense. I'm just not convinced Rak is that kind of player. He needs to be kept in the flow.

Would it kill Rak to at least hit the offensive boards and have a putback or two during the game? I get what you are saying and I wish he were more involved but for him with his athleticism not to have 4-6 garbage points a game on putbacks alone tells you all you need to know.

 

[br801]

See, I think with Rak one feeds on the other. Get him involved on offense and he'll play well on defense. If he's playing well on defense, the guards should reward him on offense.

Keita's kind of different because he can be a complete non-factor on offense and still provide something on defense. I'm just not convinced Rak is that kind of player. He needs to be kept in the flow.

I think to an extent your first statement holds true for most big men, but I'd like to believe anyone playing at this level can find the motivation to play hard and focus on all areas of their game most of the time. And I agree that he should get rewarded with touches, but in these slower-paced, meat grinder kind of games that limit our transition opportunities, it's harder to get him involved in the offense consistently.

 

[Ghost]

Our guards may decide how involved he gets offensively, but the rest is up to Rak. There's no reason he can't be a consistent defensive force in the middle and be a major contributor to this team's success (and IMO many times he has).

However, if people are going to judge his performance this season strictly on points and rebounds, they will surely be disappointed because he will almost always be the last option on offense, and our guards and wings are mostly excellent rebounders which tends to keep his numbers down.

I hear what you're saying, but it's just not the same for a big man. Why does everyone get so excited by Baye's hustle, he's just doing what he's supposed to do, no?

It's because big men tend to be less involved, and they also tend to fall out of a flow of a game more. It doesn't happen with guards because they touch the ball every time down court. If you're posting up and being ignored, if you're pretty much just a placeholder on offense, it takes a lot to keep your motor going. It's like that kid in Little League that sits in right field and by the fourth inning is picking flowers. You can get mad at him, but what's he supposed to do - he's bored as ****. He's not picking flowers because he loves flowers, he's not in the flow of the game - unless a left hander comes up, that little bastard is only going to have the ball hit to him once every couple games.

It takes a special kind of player to LOVE rebounding enough to just make that his lifeblood.

Rewatch last game, the kid posts up, and he was making much more of an attempt to box out than anyone else on the team. He's not just running up and down the court wishing he was picking flowers.

The guards don't do a phenomenal job of making others better imo - they just don't. They refuse to feed the post, they often go away from the hot hand - MCW especially, the big men are the biggest weakness on this team by far, but the guards getting a pass isn't exactly fair either.