JJ Starling Transferring to Syracuse

[Cappy3]

Derrick Coleman averaged something like 12 points and 9 boards as a freshman. 11 ppg and 6-7 boards sounds about right.

DC played with Seikaly, Douglas, Thompson, Monroe, etc. if Freeman’s supporting cast is as good, 11 and 7 would be reasonable. But I don’t see two other starters likely to have 10 year NBA careers, do you?

 

[baggerbob]

j.j. took a back seat to mintz. whether that was scripted or not i don't know. no such excuse this year.

Everyone will be better on offense, when you don't have a ball hog at point.
Judah was talented, but the offense stagnated with his iso play.

 

[bigmike]

DC played with Seikaly, Douglas, Thompson, Monroe, etc. if Freeman’s supporting cast is as good, 11 and 7 would be reasonable. But I don’t see two other starters likely to have 10 year NBA careers, do you?

No, I don’t. Do you see him scoring and rebounding at higher levels?

 

[Cappy3]

No, I don’t. Do you see him scoring and rebounding at higher levels?

Frankly, yes I do. Freeman may have the most balanced offensive game of anyone on the team, capable of scoring in all three levels. I expect him to go for 14-16 and 6-7.

 

[two3zone]

This is pretty accurate and why there is such a huge difference in opinion on what to expect. His highs were very high and his lows where ouff as low as it gets for a P5 guard. Offensively he reminds me a bit of Brandon Triche, can do everything and sometimes does but you never know what you are going to get. (I'm just talking about offensive scoring BTW obviously Brandon was a much better defender/rebounder/passer)

I think JJ will be more consistent but still streaky. If he improves a little bit across the board and the offense and personal is a better fit as it seems to be then he should be a good player with a couple great games and a couple What games. I would be happy with that.

You articulated what I want to say much better than I could and this is it. I dont know why this seems controversial.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I think the biggest thing going for JJ next year is that he is finally healthy and will have an entire off season to get his shot right after getting it tweaked last year. His focus isn’t getting healthy, but working on his game.

 

[Cusefan0307]

This is pretty accurate and why there is such a huge difference in opinion on what to expect. His highs were very high and his lows where ouff as low as it gets for a P5 guard. Offensively he reminds me a bit of Brandon Triche, can do everything and sometimes does but you never know what you are going to get. (I'm just talking about offensive scoring BTW obviously Brandon was a much better defender/rebounder/passer)

I think JJ will be more consistent but still streaky. If he improves a little bit across the board and the offense and personal is a better fit as it seems to be then he should be a good player with a couple great games and a couple What games. I would be happy with that.

This is a bit of disrespect to Triche. He had a career PER of 17 and did not have a season below 15.8 for his career. JJ is at 12 and is getting more shots and minutes because he‘s not on as good of a team. It was Frank Howard/Kaleb Joseph territory. If he can reach Triches production we all should be happy. Triche played about 27 mpg for his career. JJ played 34 last year. We need a huge leap out of him next season.

 

[jordoo]

This is a bit of disrespect to Triche. He had a career PER of 17 and did not have a season below 15.8 for his career. JJ is at 12 and is getting more shots and minutes because he‘s not on as good of a team. It was Frank Howard/Kaleb Joseph territory. If he can reach Triches production we all should be happy. Triche played about 27 mpg for his career. JJ played 34 last year. We need a huge leap out of him next season.

No doubt Brandon was a better player.

 

[Trueblue25]

How is he being compared to Triche? Triche was arguably our most physical guard in the last 20 years and played during the most successful 4 year span possibly ever for Cuse basketball.

Brandon doesn’t get his due from this board but I’d sooner compare JJ to Elijah Hughes first year or Malachi Richardson. Fortunately Elijah, Malachi and Brandon all had more team focused pg’s.

And before the board usuals take this as me saying JJ is better than Brandon, no I’m not. I just don’t think they’re similar players.

 

[cardiac]

I think Freeman's absolute ceiling is 20-10... I am guessing he'll actually get 15-6, which will be among the better freshman seasons we've had.

A Chris McCullough, Donte Greene, O’Shea Brissett type season.

Freeman can just score in so many ways. He's going to have games where he goes right around the big guy they try to defend him with, then he'll post up the smaller guy they try next, all the while going 3-9 from three point range and shooting 7-10 from the free throw line.

I think he'll have some 25+ point games this season, in the games that count.

He also will have some freshman stinkers, which is why Davis is so important.

I would be insanely shocked is he got 20-10, im predicting 10 and 6 and he will be right on the edge of lottery to late 1st round.

 

[Niastri]

I would be insanely shocked is he got 20-10, im predicting 10 and 6 and he will be right on the edge of lottery to late 1st round.

20-10 would be if everything comes together for him. I called it his ceiling. Very few players score 20ppg or pull down 10rpg.

Almost nobody does both. 18 players averaged 10 boards per game. Only 6 guys from the power 6 conferences last season. 35 players scored 20 ppg. Only 8 from power conferences.

Only one guy did both from a power conference team, and he was player of the year.

It would be almost as astonishing for Freeman (as a freshman) to average 20 and 10 as it would be for Bell to suddenly become an NBA quality defensive player.

I'm certainly not predicting this level of production for Freeman...

Freeman would need to dramatically improve on offense, specifically his shooting and dribble penetration. I think he's already got a good ACC level post up game, the question is if he'll be strong enough to punish teams in the post.

I'd especially be surprised if he got to 10 boards... He'll really need to become a better rebounder and be so good on offense and defense that Red doesn't take him out very often.

Freeman is a very good scorer, but his defense, rebounding and shotblocking are all merely good.

He'll probably not score 20ppg, but it wouldn't shock me if he averaged, say, 5/10 on twos, 2/6 on threes, and 4/6 on free throws for the whole season.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Freeman’s biggest area in need of improvement is rebounding. I doubt he gets close to ten rebounds per game. 6-7 rebounds a game is more realistic.

 

[Sherman20]

This is a bit of disrespect to Triche. He had a career PER of 17 and did not have a season below 15.8 for his career. JJ is at 12 and is getting more shots and minutes because he‘s not on as good of a team. It was Frank Howard/Kaleb Joseph territory. If he can reach Triches production we all should be happy. Triche played about 27 mpg for his career. JJ played 34 last year. We need a huge leap out of him next season.

That’s part of why Triche’s PER was so high. He was only playing 27mpg. We had great depth so he was being used more efficiently.

 

[jordoo]

How is he being compared to Triche? Triche was arguably our most physical guard in the last 20 years and played during the most successful 4 year span possibly ever for Cuse basketball.

Brandon doesn’t get his due from this board but I’d sooner compare JJ to Elijah Hughes first year or Malachi Richardson. Fortunately Elijah, Malachi and Brandon all had more team focused pg’s.

And before the board usuals take this as me saying JJ is better than Brandon, no I’m not. I just don’t think they’re similar players.

I said JJ reminded me of Brandon in one particular way, both can/could score at all three levels, and look unstoppable when they do but also had games where none of it seemed to be working on offense.

I do agree Brandon gets far too little credit around here. he was a very good player on very good teams and won more games in four years than probably any Syracuse player ever. Also, every guard that played with him at the top of the zone benefited because they could always count on him to be in the right place doing the right thing.

 

[two3zone]

How is he being compared to Triche? Triche was arguably our most physical guard in the last 20 years and played during the most successful 4 year span possibly ever for Cuse basketball.

Brandon doesn’t get his due from this board but I’d sooner compare JJ to Elijah Hughes first year or Malachi Richardson. Fortunately Elijah, Malachi and Brandon all had more team focused pg’s.

And before the board usuals take this as me saying JJ is better than Brandon, no I’m not. I just don’t think they’re similar players.

I mean Bell was kinda compared to Luka so all bets are off pal.

 

[jordoo]

I mean Bell was kinda compared to Luka so all bets are off pal.

Let’s not forget Marek Van Horn

 

[Niastri]

I mean Bell was kinda compared to Luka so all bets are off pal.

Comparisons lost all meaning for a while there.

 

[two3zone]

Let’s not forget Marek Van Horn

Rudy Chukwu. Franklin Carter-Williams

 

[kcsu]

Freeman is the wildcard. He has to have a good season in order for us to make the dance.

 

[atlanticuse]

20-10 would be if everything comes together for him. I called it his ceiling. Very few players score 20ppg or pull

He'll probably not score 20ppg, but it wouldn't shock me if he averaged, say, 5/10 on twos, 2/6 on threes, and 4/6 on free throws for the whole season.

Wait - doesn’t that = 20?
10 + 6 + 4…

 

[Orangezoo]

Freeman is the wildcard. He has to have a good season in order for us to make the dance.

And what constitutes a good season likely depends on how effective the guys around him are. If a really good season is 10/7 then that means we are in business with other guys really improving and having strong years.

 

[Niastri]

Wait - doesn’t that = 20?
10 + 6 + 4…

Yup, that's why I said it wouldn't shock me if he hit his ceiling of 20 ppg. I think about 15 is more likely.

 

[Niastri]

And what constitutes a good season likely depends on how effective the guys around him are. If a really good season is 10/7 then that means we are in business with other guys really improving and having strong years.

Absolutely. Cam Reddish was the second highest ranked recruit in his class, but he came in to college with Williamson and Barrett on his team.

Reddish 13.5 and 3.7 at Duke because the other guys dominated the ball and the rebounding.

In the NBA, Reddish averaged almost that much...

If Freeman is pushed down to a third or fourth option on offense, that's a very good thing for Syracuse basketball. It means a bunch of Lampkin, Westry, Bell and Starling are healthy and performing very well.

 

[two3zone]

Absolutely. Cam Reddish was the second highest ranked recruit in his class, but he came in to college with Williamson and Barrett on his team.

Reddish 13.5 and 3.7 at Duke because the other guys dominated the ball and the rebounding.

In the NBA, Reddish averaged almost that much...

If Freeman is pushed down to a third or fourth option on offense, that's a very good thing for Syracuse basketball. It means a bunch of Lampkin, Westry, Bell and Starling are healthy and performing very well.

I think the opposite, I think if he's third or fourth option then it go could go your way or the complete opposite and we have a Benny freshman situation.

I think Freeman is the real deal though. I really don't see how he's not our most complete player, if he's not I think we may be in trouble, we don't have one good defender outside of him

 

[721Comstock]

I think the opposite, I think if he's third or fourth option then it go could go your way or the complete opposite and we have a Benny freshman situation.

I think Freeman is the real deal though. I really don't see how he's not our most complete player, if he's not I think we may be in trouble, we don't have one good defender outside of him

and Chance - IF healthy.