Honest question. Is Swider everything we expected?

[IthacaMatt]

If benny is our starting forward next year we're in trouble. I think jb will go to the portal to get a starter in his place. benny can continue to hopefully improve and, unlike this year, be productive in limited minutes when he gets in. His time is 2-3 years away.

Right now, it's (1) Swider, (2) Benny, (3) Maliq Brown, (4) Chris Bunch, who could be the Bobby Braswell of this group. Brown could be the Tyler Roberson.

That's kind of how I see them. I think Benny will start, and if anyone takes his job it will be Brown, because we need the extra rebounding.

 

[Manleymen]

I am sorry but playing well against horrible teams is not impressive. Doing well against elite teams would be.

 

[kcsu]

When Copeland gets either his hips or his shoulders past a defender, he owns the lane. He sees really well, and he can finish with authority. He can't make a three, but we've had lots of guys like that these past 10 years.

If you're a soccer fan, there is this Brazilian defender named David Luiz, who is about retired now. But at his peak, he was a high-risk, high-reward kind of player. Lots of moxie, sometimes made bad decisions, even decisions that could cost you games. But he could also win games all by himself.

Copeland is going to be one of those kinds of guys, kind of like Scoop Jardine or Michael Carter-Williams. He's not quite at their respective levels right now, but he's in a great teaching environment, playing with a true friend so he doesn't get homesick. IMG is his prep school this year. He is getting good competition, and really good practices, with other talented players who all want to make it to the next level. He will contribute next year. Book it. I make a lot of good calls on players.

I think he and the 5 have the most upside of the five incoming freshman

 

[IthacaMatt]

I think he and the 5 have the most upside of the five incoming freshman

Carey runs well, and looks agile and fluid. Of course he's skinny, but isn't everyone we get?

 

[Sherman20]

Cole has already hit 5 this season. If he's back next season, 7 is hardly unreasonable.

Only a handful of our greatest shooters have made 7 threes in a game - GMac, Shump, Southerland, probably Andy, I think Buddy has hit that number a couple times. How many more are there?

Cole’s been shooting it better and with more confidence lately. His form looks great and he’s hunting his shot and moving to the open spaces. Love to see it. I hope he keeps it up and then some, with Jesse out for the season. do you think he’ll return next year?

 

[IthacaMatt]

Cole’s been shooting it better and with more confidence lately. His form looks great and he’s hunting his shot and moving to the open spaces. Love to see it. I hope he keeps it up and then some, with Jesse out for the season. do you think he’ll return next year?

I certainly hope both Jesse and Cole are back next year.

 

[RF2044]

I'm late to this thread.

To me, Swider isn't what I expected. Watching him at Villanova, I expected a deadeye marksman shooter, a subpar rebounder, and a guy who would be better inside than what many posters expected. Not that he was going to remind anybody of Arinze, just that he showed more skill in limited duty in the paint, even though that wasn't how Villanova utilized him.

He's been a little up and down shooting the ball, but now that he's performing well, that may have been attributable to him having to get acclimated to a new set of teammates, and his role in a new offense. How he's shooting the rock now, he certainly checks that box.

He's a much better ball handler than I expected, and shows more versatility with his ability to put it on the floor than what I expected him to be able to do, seeing him at Villanova.

He's also a better rebounder than I expected, and has been so consistently all year long.

And given that he seems to have been more focused on showcasing his SF capabilities [such as the aforementioned ball handling], he hasn't been as much of an inside scorer as what I thought he'd be.

Pleasantly surprised in many respects. Unconcerned about not doing much around the paint, as Jesse's development and JB3 also being nifty around the hoop have us covered in that respect [to date, obviously that changes now that Jesse is injured and out for the rest of the year].

 

[Giants1973]

I'm late to this thread.

To me, Swider isn't what I expected. Watching him at Villanova, I expected a deadeye marksman shooter, a subpar rebounder, and a guy who would be better inside than what many posters expected. Not that he was going to remind anybody of Arinze, just that he showed more skill in limited duty in the paint, even though that wasn't how Villanova utilized him.

He's been a little up and down shooting the ball, but now that he's performing well, that may have been attributable to him having to get acclimated to a new set of teammates, and his role in a new offense. How he's shooting the rock now, he certainly checks that box.

He's a much better ball handler than I expected, and shows more versatility with his ability to put it on the floor than what I expected him to be able to do, seeing him at Villanova.

He's also a better rebounder than I expected, and has been so consistently all year long.

And given that he seems to have been more focused on showcasing his SF capabilities [such as the aforementioned ball handling], he hasn't been as much of an inside scorer as what I thought he'd be.

Pleasantly surprised in many respects. Unconcerned about not doing much around the paint, as Jesse's development and JB3 also being nifty around the hoop have us covered in that respect [to date, obviously that changes now that Jesse is injured and out for the rest of the year].

I hope he returns next year!!!!

 

[cuseincincy]

Swider's biggest problem has been having to play an undefined role because he is not a small forward. But neither is Jimmy and with him on the court Cole has had to figure out what to do. I think he has been the shooter I expected despite what the % might say. He has also been more athletic and fluid than I expected. I expected a little more rebounding but when there is already a center and power forward underneath there is not much room. Either Benny or Bunch or even JT will be a better option for Cole to partner with than Jimmy has been.

 

[Giants1973]

Swider's biggest problem has been having to play an undefined role because he is not a small forward. But neither is Jimmy and with him on the court Cole has had to figure out what to do. I think he has been the shooter I expected despite what the % might say. He has also been more athletic and fluid than I expected. I expected a little more rebounding but when there is already a center and power forward underneath there is not much room. Either Benny or Bunch or even JT will be a better option for Cole to partner with than Jimmy has been.

Syracuse forward are duel forward