Jesse Edwards returning

[MDCuse]

I'm with you. Edwards has the potential to be our best two way center since Rak.

It's not crazy to envision him averaging double figures between a few designed touches each game, being the recipient of playmaking from other guys, and getting garbage points from offensive rebounds. The skill is there.

I look at a kid like Keve Aluma at Va Tech (I use him because he went to HS right near where we live haha) as a guy that jumped up to 15 PPG in his third season with the program. I don't see why a jump to 10 points is so outlandish. Just think about what a difference having any sort of inside presence would do for Buddy, JGIII and Swider.

 

[Niastri]

We’d be thrilled if Jesse could give us a Fab Melo-esque presence in the middle, right?

Especially as a foreign-born player who came to basketball later in his youth?

Fab Melo

Syracuse University basketball profile for Fab Melo, player for the Orange. NBA player for Boston.

www.orangehoops.org

Big East DPOY Fab Melo averaged under 8, 6, & 3 in a smidge over 25 minutes / game during his breakout Soph season.

Amazing how important a player can be without contributing mightily in the stat column. Jesse can be instrumental to a very good season without scoring or even rebounding much at all.

(also insert Craig Forth mention)

 

[shandeezy7]

The major unknown factor is what the center rotation is going to look like with Sidibe back this year. Of course, his inability to stay healthy during his tenure with the Orange also comes into play.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I look at a kid like Keve Aluma at Va Tech (I use him because he went to HS right near where we live haha) as a guy that jumped up to 15 PPG in his third season with the program. I don't see why a jump to 10 points is so outlandish. Just think about what a difference having any sort of inside presence would do for Buddy, JGIII and Swider.

Yeah, Edwards has also shown that he has some ability to get a shot with his bucket to the basket, or on a short line drive.

I'm bullish.

 

[Bball44]

I look at a kid like Keve Aluma at Va Tech (I use him because he went to HS right near where we live haha) as a guy that jumped up to 15 PPG in his third season with the program. I don't see why a jump to 10 points is so outlandish. Just think about what a difference having any sort of inside presence would do for Buddy, JGIII and Swider.

Playing next to a capable big should help Benny ease into his role.

 

[capeorange]

We’d be thrilled if Jesse could give us a Fab Melo-esque presence in the middle, right?

Especially as a foreign-born player who came to basketball later in his youth?

Fab Melo

Syracuse University basketball profile for Fab Melo, player for the Orange. NBA player for Boston.

www.orangehoops.org

Big East DPOY Fab Melo averaged under 8, 6, & 3 in a smidge over 25 minutes / game during his breakout Soph season.

Don't forget the charges he took. He controlled the paint. NEVER SHOULD HAVE SELF REPORTED...sigh

 

[CuseBlock]

Still surprised it took JB as long as it did to realize Edwards was worth playing. We were glaringly better at times with him in there.. of anyone on the team I think one could argue Edwards has the ability to make the biggest jump from last year to this year

 

[UD1954]

Still surprised it took JB as long as it did to realize Edwards was worth playing. We were glaringly better at times with him in there.. of anyone on the team I think one could argue Edwards has the ability to make the biggest jump from last year to this year

Lol...it was the sports commentators who questioned why he wasn't playing more that got him on the court.

 

[pearl31]

Lol...it was the sports commentators who questioned why he wasn't playing more that got him on the court.

OK.

 

[tbonezone]

laugh all you want about about JB's short bench strategy. it has and will continue to cause transfers.

 

[dasher]

laugh all you want about about JB's short bench strategy. it has and will continue to cause transfers.

Just like every other major program has

 

[AngryOtto]

I am a big MD fan but we gave up a lot when he was forced to play center.
If Jesse and frank have put on weight we could finally have stability at the center position. I’d like to see frank at PF but that is going to Jimmy.

 

[OrangeDW]

laugh all you want about about JB's short bench strategy. it has and will continue to cause transfers.

Short bench is fine as long as it’s the right guys on the court the most.

Kids transfer out, kids transfer in. I think we’ve won the productivity war easily if you compared who transferred out vs. who transferred in.

We had like 3-4 kids transfer the year before we won the NC.

 

[RF2044]

I am a big MD fan but we gave up a lot when he was forced to play center.
If Jesse and frank have put on weight we could finally have stability at the center position. I’d like to see frank at PF but that is going to Jimmy.

Agree about MD. Loved the kid, appreciate that he spent four years sacrificing his body having to play out of position, but it had a detrimental impact defensively.

...which could change in a big way if:

• Jesse comes back for year 3 ready to build upon the flashes he showed last year
• Sid is able to contribute in some capacity in his final season
• Frank improves
• Jimmy can contribute in some capacity at either 4 or 5 [or both]

Could be a much different situation in the pivot this upcoming year.

 

[Cusesky8214]

Swipe for some clips of Jesse over the summer working out at home. Let's hope he has a big year for us!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Swipe for some clips of Jesse over the summer working out at home. Let's hope he has a big year for us!

Are they playing with a nerf ball?

 

[kcsu]

Looks like a different player. Biggest improvement I saw in the clips were his hands and his physicality. Looks like Jesse is catching up to his body. Kids got a chance to be very good

 

[NateW]

Swipe for some clips of Jesse over the summer working out at home. Let's hope he has a big year for us!

We need him to be able to get us easy twos. I’ll have a wait and see attitude. His footwork was off last year in the post - not comfortable ball handling for extended times in the post it seemed.

Hopeful as a mofo tho. Let’s go Jesse!

 

[bigmike]

Can I start dreaming of entry passes into the low post?

 

[PauliePeppas]

going to have a big year

 

[Walshjfii]

Obviously not live game stuff but got to like his aggressiveness with the ball.

 

[Niastri]

Swipe for some clips of Jesse over the summer working out at home. Let's hope he has a big year for us!

Just call him Jesse "Elvir" Edwards.

Boom, five three point threats on the court at once. The ball never needs to get to the ACC logo (at least not on offense).

 

[Timonen]

Swipe for some clips of Jesse over the summer working out at home. Let's hope he has a big year for us!

Hopefully the guy posting isn’t the Dutch Rutgers Al

 

[two3zone]

He got more passes in that clip in the post than he will all year. Kid can be good with the right opportunity.

 

[TheHaze315]

It’d be hard to not look good in that setting, those kids were making him look like Dwight Howard in his prime.