Why are so many of you, like Henny & Coke, so positive about next year's team? Can we count on freshman making an immediate impact? Can we count on DaJuan? do we know Bryant is coming? We are losing our number one option and bringing back the underwhelming sophs. G and TC are what they are, with their plusses and minuses.
So explain why we are going to be much better next year?
Well, start with returning 2 pretty important pieces/players in Gbinije & Cooney - players who provide this team with decent outside shooting, which is a skill that usually takes a player 1-2 seasons of regular playing time to become consistent with.
And Gbinije especially, to me, has me excited to see what his game can be like as a 23 year-old 5th year Senior - a 6-7 guy who can dribble, shoot, rebound, drive, score, assist...he can do it all, and right now we are seeing him really start to put it all together (ACC play he is averaging 12.6ppg, 7.2rpg, 3.6apg and shooting 416% FG & a sizzling 611% from 3pt! Since this is 1st season he is playing at this high level, he'll be prone to inconsistent play...but that should be what improves next year for him.
Cooney in ACC play so far is averaging 16.2ppg and 2.4spg. Sure, his shooting percentages are not where they could be, and he is also struggling to be consistent in his game...but he has made improvements in this area from last season, where he would have a long streak of really bad games in ACC play. This year he has seemingly limited those stretches of poor play. Again, next season he should be even more consistent, given that he will also be a 23 year-old 5th year Senior.
Players that I will be looking to turn their potential into production next season include Tyler Roberson, Chris McCullough, and Kaleb Joseph. The two forwards ooze talent - Roberson is already rebounding at a pretty high level (averaging 10.6rpg in ACC play!), but IMO his main problem is that his nerves are holding him back, even in his 2nd season. I guess you could attribute it to this being his 1st season in which he's getting real playing time...but I feel like next year, his 3rd in the program, he will have built more comfort with his role, his playing time and with JB...and this will allow Roberson to really play to his high potential. In fact, I'm hoping he is able to continue improving this season too, but not holding my breath that the improvement will be great enough this year.
McCullough will be coming off a major injury, but the guy is talented. Big time talented, as evidenced by his early season play. In his first 8 games this year he scored in double figures in all of them, and also had 3 double-doubles!! That's pretty remarkable. Yes, he hit a major slump shortly thereafter...but there may not be a more talented returning forward in the entire country next year.
And Kaleb Joseph...I have to admit that his play so far this season has been disappointing to me...and yet, his averages of 6.7ppg and 4.8 apg (in ACC play Kaleb is averaging 3.8apg vs only 1.0tpg) at least provide something we can work with. And, since I do subscribe to the theory that PGs improve a lot from 1st to 2nd year, I think that Kaleb will prove to be a much better floor general next year, even if he still isn't taking games over with his scoring. But, we may not need that from him, considering we will have Cooney, G, McCullough, Roberson, and even Richardson that should be able to fill the points column next year.
So right there, you have 5 players that I feel are at least "good"...and all have the potential to be "very good", with another year of experience & growth.
Then, if DaJuan comes back at close to 100%...well, I know I may be in the minority here in thinking that DaJuan is/was close to being a pretty good player for Syracuse...at the very least I feel he is a high level rebounder & does have a knack for scoring around the hoop. Again, DaJuan will be a 23 year old 4th year Junior.
Add in a recruiting class that JB has said is one of the best he's ever had...one that includes a possible "immediate star-type" player in Richardson...a guy with good size who can really shoot the ball & by all accounts has a knack for scoring...
And really, any contributions that guys like BJ, Buss, Chino can add to this already very solid core (these players will all be in their 3rd year in the system)...and any contributions that the other recruits like Diange, Lydon, Howard can make...these things are all a bonus, IMO. Good/great if they happen, but not even really necessary, IMO.
Then, the impact that all these older, experienced guys with multiple years in the system will have on the zone...we may be looking at a season similar to 2012-13, where experienced guys like Triche, Southerland, Keita, Fair, MCW really started to master the zone defense, leading us to a Final Four birth...I can see a similar type of thing happen for next year's team.
And finally, even something like the level of competition at practices next year...due to fact that there will be 13 legit players available to practice with, as opposed to the 8 scholarship players we currently have...
I think it all adds up to the potential for a very special season next year.
