KJo II

[cuseincincy]

How good can Joseph be? He obviously has a lot to learn still. But anytime you can get 13 pts, 7 assists and 1 turnover from your true freshman PG you can't complain too much. Playing in the 2/3 should help him to improve for SU's purposes into a pretty good defender. I'm glad we are likely to see him for another 3 1/2 years.

 

[iommi]

I think he can be an upper-tier of the ACC PG. Not the best, but in the top 5 discussion for our league.

 

[Eric15]

If he continues to improve (which I believe he will) I think he could end up in that 2nd tier of all-time SU point guards with guys like Autry and Jason Hart.

 

[albanycuse]

How good can Joseph be? He obviously has a lot to learn still. But anytime you can get 13 pts, 7 assists and 1 turnover from your true freshman PG you can't complain too much. Playing in the 2/3 should help him to improve for SU's purposes into a pretty good defender. I'm glad we are likely to see him for another 3 1/2 years.

Hes going to be very good. Hes still learning how to run a team and play within the system. Hes shown the ability to hit the midrange shots and make athletic plays. He plays with emotion and once he figures it all out hes going to be one of the best pgs in the ACC , if not the country by the time he graduates.

 

[cuseincincy]

I think he can be an upper-tier of the ACC PG. Not the best, but in the top 5 discussion for our league.

Statistically speaking he is already there.

 

[iommi]

Statistically speaking he is already there.

But he's not. When JB routinely trusts him in crunch time, he's able to aggressively look for and make an outside shot and finish at the rim, then he'll be in that tier.

 

[jordoo]

Lots of good and going on with him but also lots of bad, still. You can almost see him concentrating and focusing on one aspect at a time then implementing it into his game.

We watched his turnovers drop off incredibly but also his offensive aggressiveness. The aggressiveness is starting to be reinserted while maintaining the low turn over rate.

He's got to be close to 2 to 1 Assist to Turnover now for the season.

I have seen some changes in the defense and small improvements there as well.

Still has a lot to work on in transition, finishing, decision making to the game situation, defensively and controlling his emotions.

Once he puts it all together I think he's going to be very good. He can do all the things you want he just doesn't seem to have figured out when to do what and how to play a complete game.

 

[iommi]

The crazy thing about his trouble finishing is if you watch his high school clips, he routinely flushes with authority. Now, he has trouble going left and finishing on either side without getting packaged. I know high school is not college but...

 

[Orangezoo]

The crazy thing about his trouble finishing is if you watch his high school clips, he routinely flushes with authority. Now, he has trouble going left and finishing on either side without getting packaged. I know high school is not college but...

It really looks partially to be a confidence thing to me. Its almost like he underestimates himself a bit taking it to the rim. That and he needs to look for contact vs avoiding it. You can see what he brings when being more aggressive vs passive.

 

[Cusefan0307]

The crazy thing about his trouble finishing is if you watch his high school clips, he routinely flushes with authority. Now, he has trouble going left and finishing on either side without getting packaged. I know high school is not college but...

He's fine going right. He just needs to know when to pull up. Honestly I think this is Cooney's issue as well. Why go all the way to the basket if you can get a clean look 5 feet away. He's lights out with this floater type shot, now if he can use his left next year he can turn into a great player for us before long I believe.

 

[jec1521]

He'll be fine. I was excited about what he could do for us before this season, until I saw him in uniform on the court. Doesn't take much to realize that he's still a baby, both physically and mentally.

The positive is that he looks like a 4 year starter for us. He'll be great by his senior year.

 

[Ghost]

Eh, I'm still not seeing it as a PG. I think he'll be good, but that's about it. Probably will end up being a better SG, although he'll never play that spot. I just don't think he's ever going to be much of a creator on offense.

 

[reedny]

He'll be a 3-4 year guy and will improve every year. I'd like to see him get stronger in the weight room to play through contact and be able to cut left with the ball. And while he's lifting, he can do some S/C work on his quickness and explosion for defense at the top of the zone. The shot's already pretty good and will get better as his confidence and range expand. Decision making is an issue this year ... he's not playing instinctively for the most part, and he's tentative on fast breaks. In years 3/4, he can get both hands going and do damage inside as he gets comfortable putting the ball high up on the glass. He has flashed all these abilities .. just a matter of when he explodes. The kid was brought in (hand-picked) to spell Ennis for a few minutes a game. So being a starter with the keys to a fast car was pretty big leap.

I'm not making a comparison (other than looks), but:

 

[wiCuse]

I'd compare him to MCW mentally. I think he's going to be a lot more consistent next year with his jump shot and get better going to his left, but will have those MCW What moments with really bad turnovers.

 

[Trueblue25]

Next year we'll be comparing him to Dion.

My prediction for the day.

 

[jdubs30]

He's our 4th starting PG in the last 4 years. I predict he'll be starting for 2 more years here (finally some consistency), I actually think he'll leave after his junior year and be a 1st round pick; I'm not sure why I think that, but I do.

 

[orangefan13]

imo, He needs alot of work in the physicallity and strength department upper and lower body,
but hes going to develop alot of multidimentionality to his game.

 

[timkay99]

He's our 4th starting PG in the last 4 years. I predict he'll be starting for 2 more years here (finally some consistency), I actually think he'll leave after his junior year and be a 1st round pick; I'm not sure why I think that, but I do.

This is where I sit as well.

Stroke is fine, has quickness to the get to the rack (I think Jonny Flynn spoiled us with PG's finishing drives as freshman) and has the ability to be a playmaker. His defense isn't great this year (or probably good).

He has improved (for me) a lot from the beginning of the season. I actually want him to start taking some more of these 3's teams are giving him (mainly b/c it will open the post a little bit).

 

[jordoo]

This is where I sit as well.

Stroke is fine, has quickness to the get to the rack (I think Jonny Flynn spoiled us with PG's finishing drives as freshman) and has the ability to be a playmaker. His defense isn't great this year (or probably good).

He has improved (for me) a lot from the beginning of the season. I actually want him to start taking some more of these 3's teams are giving him (mainly b/c it will open the post a little bit).

And if not the three then at least that one dribble step in pull up that he looks money on from 18'

 

[RF2044]

And if not the three then at least that one dribble step in pull up that he looks money on from 18'

Really like his mid-range jumper. It bodes well that he's already got that in his offensive repartoire.

 

[jordoo]

Really like his mid-range jumper. It bodes well that he's already got that in his offensive repartoire.

I think its his best shot and his form is simply much more comfortable looking a step inside the line than out, but also as you mention he has really good form on the pull up which is very important for a PG.

 

[RandygoCuse]

If he continues to improve (which I believe he will) I think he could end up in that 2nd tier of all-time SU point guards with guys like Autry and Jason Hart.

Sounds about right...obviously Pearl and Sherm are first tier. Who else do you include? Ennis?

 

[jordoo]

Sounds about right...obviously Pearl and Sherm are first tier. Who else do you include? Ennis?

Pearl and Sherm were both 3 year starters and that's why it will be hard to become a 1st tier PG for anyone in the future. IMO Give Jonny a 3rd year, MCW and Ennis 3 years as starters and they would all be 1st tier even with only modest improvements each season. After that was Gerry a PG or a 2G he did average almost 5 assists per game. But you then have guys like Scoop, Autry, Hart ect and if you look at their raw numbers and early seasons all those guys struggled and got better. If Joseph is here for 3 years as a starter he's likely to be pushing toward the top 5 in assists and likely a better shooter than most of that second tier judging by his jumper as a freshman being more advanced than most of these guys. (Scoop was actually a better shooter than Red or Jason) If he is a 4 year starter he may be second or if he really gets good at dropping dimes pushing toward Sherm's mark.

 

[RF2044]

Sounds about right...obviously Pearl and Sherm are first tier. Who else do you include? Ennis?

Obviously, those two are the top tier--hands down, the best lead guards in program history. I think that Adrian Autry agruably belongs in that grouping [as opposed to second tier]. Possibly MCW, as well, even though he was only here for two.

Everyone else [including Flynn] are a cut behind those guys, IMO.

 

[jordoo]

Obviously, those two are the top tier--hands down, the best lead guards in program history. I think that Adrian Autry agruably belongs in that grouping [as opposed to second tier]. Possibly MCW, as well, even though he was only here for two.

Everyone else [including Flynn] are a cut behind those guys, IMO.

How can you have Autry clearly ahead of guys like Jonny & Scoop? I think its a bit of remembering the past more fondly than it was. I love your insights and respect your knowledge and posting but you may want to look at what Red's career again.

1.5 - 1 assist to turnover rate, 41.6% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 1.8 steals, 3.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 12.7 points, 33.4 minutes (RED)
2 - 1 assist to turnover rate, 45.5% FG, 35.4% 3PT, 2 steals, 2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 9 points, 24.9 minutes (SCOOP)
2 - 1 assist to turnover rate, 45.9% FG, 33.3% 3PT, 1.5 steals, 2.7 rebounds, 6 assists, 16.6 points, 36.5 minutes (JONNY)

Obviously Red was the best rebounder and probably the best defender of the 3 but Jonny and Scoop shot it better and took care of the ball better. If you look at minute per game you see that Scoop would have likely put about the same points and assists numbers per up that Red did if he player another 8.5 minutes. I know numbers do not tell the whole story and I didn't just realized I left of FT% which I'd bet Scoop was the lowest on. I know Jonny was an excellent FT shooter and my recollection of Red was that he too was excellent, both probably close to 80% or so. I don't remember Red as well because I was in my crazy young adult (not acting at all like an adult) stage of my life but I remember enough to know he drove me crazy quite as often as he was amazing. I particularly remember him really going out with a bang and carrying to team back, hitting the shot that didn't count from his knee's and doing everything in his power to win that last one although it was not to be.

I am curious as to your take on why Red of all the others not being Pearl and Sherm should be in that top tier.