I'm not sure that I see Jerem Grant's NBA

[Garbs]

I'm with you right up until PG. I love Red, and his 2nd half vs. Missouri is one of my favorite Orange performances ever . . . but I think Ennis is a different kind of cat altogether. It's not something you can point to on a stat sheet, but we all see it game after game - just absolute mastery on the court; he has the control and he bends the game to his will. He is like a Jedi or a Ninja or whatever metaphor you want to come up with. I wrote after the Pitt game that he plays the game like Neo in The Matrix; he is seeing something that the rest of us cannot, and is just able to effortlessly make things happen.

also Christmas is way underrated and he was absolutely a better defender than Otis and Otis was one of my favorite Cuse players of all time

 

[OrangeDW]

Kind of read my mind - I was thinking many of those things after watching the 1994 game against Lafayette a couple weeks ago. (I also believe that Scott McCorkle is a really player comparison for Cooney; McCorkle is underrated by current fans and likely would have been a solid contributor if he hadn't been constantly injured and also in Boeheim's doghouse.)

Anyway, the 1994 UConn game is one of my ten favorites, 1994 was a very deep and talented team, and most of those guys would play heavy minutes for many SU teams, even in recent years. Even Reafsnyder was more skilled than all three current SU centers.

I was fortunate to grow up watching teams in that era. They made college basketball fun to watch. I love our current success, but the game isn't played at such a high level and it's not quite the same.

Agreed. I loved those teams. And good point on McCorkle. If I remember, he played more as a freshman than he did as a soph/junior, though he had some injuries. Then he finally got PT again as a senior, when he was a pretty good contributor to that 94 team.

Random thought, but I remember thinking Charles Gelatt was going to be really good when he was getting time early in that season. He left and then barely played the rest of his career at DePaul, due to academics. Too bad, I liked his game.

By the way, when is Moten's jersey retirement? I remember last summer they said they were doing it this year. Has a game been picked yet? #21 is still the only jersey I have...I will be there and I will be wearing it when they retire Moten's!

And Wallace better be next.

 

[OrangeDW]

also Christmas is way underrated and he was absolutely a better defender than Otis and Otis was one of my favorite Cuse players of all time

I am a big fan of Christmas, and meant no slight to him. I appreciate what he brings to the team, and agree that he is underrated.

I also think Hill has become a bit underrated over time, and think he was a better, more skilled player than Christmas.

 

[OttoMets]

also Christmas is way underrated and he was absolutely a better defender than Otis and Otis was one of my favorite Cuse players of all time

Christmas is my favorite player and I've been driving his bandwagon for three years on this board.

As overall players, though, Hill was better as a redshirt freshman than Rakeem is now. Granted, they played a lot of man in 1994, but Otis was a capable defender and an adequate rebounder. Not as good as Christmas, sure, but Hill was so much more advanced offensively (footwork, positioning, and better touch than the guy who has very underrated touch, as you note) that that makes up for any defensive disadvantage.

An argument could be made for Ennis over Autry, but I'd pick Ennis, if only to see him distributing the ball to Jackson, Moten, Wallace, and Hill. Not sure if Ennis would maintain their preferred pace, but that team would be difficult to guard.

 

[OttoMets]

Agreed. I loved those teams.

By the way, when is Moten's jersey retirement? I remember last summer they said they were doing it this year. Has a game been picked yet? #21 is still the only jersey I have...I will be there and I will be wearing it when they retire Moten's!

And Wallace better be next.

Good point - Moten mentioned it himself. I wonder if his coaching job has gotten in the way?

 

[LennX6]

Yesterday's first half was indicative of why he isn't quite yet ready for the NBA.

Love his potential, though, and think he'll be a lottery pick whenever he goes. Just hope he decides that he could use another year... because he really needs it.

He is one of these kids that will could go home over the summer and come back as Kevin Durant, if he stays. High bar, hell yeah. But if it happens it'll kind of make sense. Same thing with Roberson. We remember the slow tedious growth of DCII and Rak, and forget that almost as often a player jumps exponentially moving up a year. (re: Fab Melo, Andy Rautins) Tyreke Evans was a better player a Sacramento than he was at Memphis and has more to do with his development as opposed to "more suited to the NBA game".

 

[Cuse'91]

Jerami needs to get a lot, and I mean, A LOT stronger to withstand the grueling NBA 82 game season... He averages 3-4 fall downs per game... I am assuming he doesn't have to come out to financially support his family, so why would he not stay to improve his strength, handle, and shooting?

Plus, this coming draft is ridiculously loaded, there are a half a dozen kids that would be number 1 overall picks in this class...
Embiid, Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Gordon, Smart, Exum,
Heck, I would pick Kyle Anderson over all of them maybe...

 

[LennX6]

Jerami needs to get a lot, and I mean, A LOT stronger to withstand the grueling NBA 82 game season... He averages 3-4 fall downs per game... I am assuming he doesn't have to come out to financially support his family, so why would he not stay to improve his strength, handle, and shooting?

Plus, this coming draft is ridiculously loaded, there are a half a dozen kids that would be number 1 overall picks in this class...
Embiid, Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Gordon, Smart, Exum,
Heck, I would pick Kyle Anderson over all of them maybe...

Anderson, Exum, and Embiid, then throw the rest in a hat.

 

[pearl31]

man I love me some Jerem Grant

 

[Knicks411]

I think it is a given that basketball at the college and professional levels is weaker than it was 20 years ago. Kids stayed in college back then, and became exceptional players, that way when they walked into the league, they were already great players ready to contribute and a higher percentage of players could carve out a career in the league instead of a random year or two then 5 in the NBADL before they quit or go to Europe.

College game, sure. NBA, I don't think I buy that.

Definitely right though that when players stayed in college longer they generally came into the league more ready to contribute.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Yesterday's first half was indicative of why he isn't quite yet ready for the NBA.

Love his potential, though, and think he'll be a lottery pick whenever he goes. Just hope he decides that he could use another year... because he really needs it.

I thought this might be the breakout year for Jerami Grant.
He's improved...but he's showing us what can lie ahead.

Add a consistent jump shot and a little better ball skills and he becomes almost unstoppable...at least on the college level.

He can be one of the best we've ever had.
Maybe right behind DC at PF.
And I think he's quicker than DC was.

 

[Garbs]

Jerami needs to get a lot, and I mean, A LOT stronger to withstand the grueling NBA 82 game season... He averages 3-4 fall downs per game... I am assuming he doesn't have to come out to financially support his family, so why would he not stay to improve his strength, handle, and shooting?

Plus, this coming draft is ridiculously loaded, there are a half a dozen kids that would be number 1 overall picks in this class...
Embiid, Wiggins, Parker, Randle, Gordon, Smart, Exum,
Heck, I would pick Kyle Anderson over all of them maybe...

because he can work on these things full time with NBA players and NBA coaches in the NBA??!!??

 

[Garbs]

I am a big fan of Christmas, and meant no slight to him. I appreciate what he brings to the team, and agree that he is underrated.

I also think Hill has become a bit underrated over time, and think he was a better, more skilled player than Christmas.

agree to disagree, I would say Hill and Christmas are a wash

I think you are underrating this years team as a whole defensively, and the '94 teams prowess on offense maybe makes them look better.

 

[CiceroCuse]

He is quite possibly the most athletic wing player in the country right now. But, he's not strong enough to play the 4 and not skilled enough to play the 3 at the next level. I really hope his dad and uncle, who know that better than anyone, convince him to stay and work on his skill set one more year.

His position at the next level with be a 3 but he really has to work on his shot and ball handling to get there. He needs to do what CJ did with his shot ... expand it a bit every year. Unfortunately for CJ, I'm not sure he can put the ball on the floor well enough to play the 3 at the next level.