Frank Howard YoY Progress

[texascpa]

(Year over Year for the non-financial folks).

Has any player in recent memory made such a leap in YoY contribution, confidence and skill display as Frank Howard has from last year to this year? He just looks like a totally different player.

 

[mgurtz79]

Rakeem Christmas junior to senior year

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

Christmas was never as vilified as Howard has been. It's great to see his improvement. I have to believe a lot of it is due to the much better chemistry he seems to have with this year's squad. These guys really look like they like playing together. It's early still and the next three games will tell us a lot about Frank's improvement. I hope it continues and that the team continues to succeed.

 

[bballbeadle]

From goat to hero! I LOVE it! Those mid-court jumpers are awesome and he’s not the only one on the team making them. I have never seen the like (or can’t remember when I’ve seen the like)!

 

[DoubleDee]

I remember reading here how he was going to be gone after last season. What happened with that?

He is playing great.

 

[RICuse44]

Didn't he play like this at the beginning of last year though?

 

[realorange]

Didn't he play like this at the beginning of last year though?

NO. He played well, but not with the confidence, leadership and shooting stroke he is showing this year.

 

[SUMBA]

Didn't he play like this at the beginning of last year though?

Yes.

 

[bballbeadle]

Yes.

I don’t think so. His mid-range jumpers in particular are better. I don’t remember him taking them, let alone making them, last year. He and Battle make a great team!

 

[721Comstock]

(Year over Year for the non-financial folks).

Has any player in recent memory made such a leap in YoY contribution, confidence and skill display as Frank Howard has from last year to this year? He just looks like a totally different player.

Fab Melo - R.I.P.

Rak Xmas - Jr to Sr

Cheating: Wes Johnson - DNP to AA

 

[pearl31]

eh those saying he didn't play like this (or close to this) early on last year are remembering wrong - he wasn't quite scoring like this but he had crazy assist numbers and was shooting lights out from 3 - until we played S.Carolina.
I love what I'm seeing so far but the coming weeks will tell us how improved he is.

 

[texascpa]

eh those saying he didn't play like this (or close to this) early on last year are remembering wrong - he wasn't quite scoring like this but he had crazy assist numbers and was shooting lights out from 3 - until we played S.Carolina.
I love what I'm seeing so far but the coming weeks will tell us how improved he is.

I checked his stats from his first 5 games last year and you are right. He was playing about 20 minutes per game. That said, I can't say I was as impressed with him last year as I am with him this year. Maybe because most of the focus was on Lydon, maybe it's because he wasn't playing 38 minutes a game or maybe it's something else. But, he surely seems like a totally different player.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Frank is making this for me. Not sure it's fully ready yet, but if it gets there, I will be happy to ingest. I will be happy to share.
Well done by him, so far.

 

[PoppyHart]

I don’t think so. His mid-court jumpers in particular are better. I don’t remember him taking them, let alone making them, last year. He and Battle make a great team!

I hear they want to make those shots worth 4 points!

 

[Oakland]

Coach says things, posters say things.

I remember reading here how he was going to be gone after last season. What happened with that?

He is playing great.

 

[cuseinseattle]

Etan Thomas made a big jump. Frank looks completely different this year. It will make a big difference both this year and next

 

[Orangtiz]

I hate to burst bubbles, but I'm pumping the brakes on Frank. He looked good against bad teams last season, while I do think he's gotten a lot better, we will see against KU and Devontae' Graham.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Didn't he play like this at the beginning of last year though?

Certainly not as well as this, but it doesn't look like Geno (or anyone) will be taking his job this year. That allows him to play with more confidence and hopefully not force it so much, or make so many knucklehead decisions.

 

[orangeinnyc]

I hate to burst bubbles, but I'm pumping the brakes on Frank. He looked good against bad teams last season, while I do think he's gotten a lot better, we will see against KU and Devontae' Graham.

i disagree with this, he looks a lot better this year than last year, his jumper is night and day as well is his maturity, i cant say that enough, he looks like he went from an immature teen last year to a mature man this year, he is the leader of this team and i couldnt be happier about it, no sulking whatsoever, always looks engaged and listening to boeheims coaching, just because he played well in a few cupcake games last year doesn't meant he looks the same

 

[orangeinnyc]

i disagree with this, he looks a lot better this year than last year, his jumper is night and day as well is his maturity, i cant say that enough, he looks like he went from an immature teen last year to a mature man this year, he is the leader of this team and i couldnt be happier about it, no sulking whatsoever, always looks engaged and listening to boeheims coaching, just because he played well in a few cupcake games last year doesn't meant he looks the same

also i forgot to mention his D, he is challenging shooters, getting his hands up in the passing lanes, i saw at least 3 or 4 deflections from him las night as well...also most encouraging is right when tyus when out frank took over, nailed a few jumpers, made good decisions with the ball and didn't panic, exactly what we want/need in the leader of our team/pg

 

[Cusefan0307]

eh those saying he didn't play like this (or close to this) early on last year are remembering wrong - he wasn't quite scoring like this but he had crazy assist numbers and was shooting lights out from 3 - until we played S.Carolina.
I love what I'm seeing so far but the coming weeks will tell us how improved he is.

He never had this jumper off the dribble last year and most of his assists were to White, Lydon, and Battle making jump shots.

 

[JoeySimz]

i disagree with this, he looks a lot better this year than last year, his jumper is night and day as well is his maturity, i cant say that enough, he looks like he went from an immature teen last year to a mature man this year, he is the leader of this team and i couldnt be happier about it, no sulking whatsoever, always looks engaged and listening to boeheims coaching, just because he played well in a few cupcake games last year doesn't meant he looks the same

I agree. How about that play when the shotclock was running down? Marek or Oshae left the high post so Frank, ran in there and made the turnaround jumper. Quick thinking. If that's not a strong, smart, confident leader, I don't know what is.

Watch the highlights. He had some sweet assists and a had a nifty-dribbling crossover and pull-up in an iso situation.

He's an excellent defender and his shot is beautiful. Frankie is doing it all. Love his game.

 

[moqui]

sample size is too small to say anything definitive, but offensively it looks like a wash. defense is a different matter entirely.

as an aside, i don't think assists are that good a stat - it often says a lot more about your teammates than yourself, and i think that was the case last year where the team was taking and making more threes hence more easy assists. synergy provides data on passes that led to a good shot attempt, whether it falls or not, which is a better measure of passing ability & court sense. however, that is proprietary data and i'm not willing to pay for it.

i also should have included turnovers per minute; there is virtually no difference there - one turnover per .072 minutes last year, on per .073 this year.

 

[bozophobe]

Lazarus Sims really improved by his senior year - virtual non-turnover machine.

 

[realorange]

I hate to burst bubbles, but I'm pumping the brakes on Frank. He looked good against bad teams last season, while I do think he's gotten a lot better, we will see against KU and Devontae' Graham.

Graham is going to have all he can handle with Battle.