Naheem McLeod Transferring to Syracuse (5/15/23)

[CuseFaninVT]

I think it’s even simpler than that. My theory on big guys comes down to demographics. There are many many more people 6’ tall than there are 7’ tall. So teams take more chances on 7 footers that are athletic enough to play at this level. Most never develop and the ones that do are rare.

Fair.

Rarer still are the tall ones who were ballers before they got tall.

 

[CardiacCuse]

I'm sure it's not easy being 7'4

jesse's (lack of) footspeed used to annoy me

but he is a cheetah compared to naheem...holy cow

he just moves soo slooowly...makes it hard to scheme anything, even

I'd say just stay within 5 feet of the hoop at all times...but then that will clog driving lanes

and then on D if a big can shoot...creates another nightmare

I'd say when he is in...try to get him the ball near the hoop...he has good hands and can finish

look for him more...post him up...get him engaged and include him

treating him as an after thought in the offense cannot be helpful for his motivation.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Why is it every time someone doesn’t play or is ineffective there is some mysterious injury? He’s just not good enough to play here.

Because he's clearly good enough to be a useful piece of the defense.

 

[two3zone]

Because he's clearly good enough to be a useful piece of the defense.

Based on what? Not his play in HS, not his play in Dusquane, not his play at SU, I’m just curious where you and others get the idea that he’s a useful piece.

 

[DanielAngel]

Based on what? Not his play in HS, not his play in Dusquane, not his play at SU, I’m just curious where you and others get the idea that he’s a useful piece.

7 blocks in one game.

 

[pwong]

Exactly. Some are so quick to pass final judgement. Jesse looked like crap for a couple years, then blossomed.
If Naheim puts it all together in the near future, he'll be a big time asset to the program

Jesse wasn’t the starting center in his first two years here (and barely knew how to play basketball). Naheem is experienced (1 year of JUCO, 2 years of Florida State) and is our starting center. Theres a need for him to be better than he has shown.

 

[two3zone]

7 blocks in one game.

So one game? Jalen Carey and Matt Moyer had a good game before, and they actually had talent.

 

[atlanticuse]

Fair.

Rarer still are the tall ones who were ballers before they got tall.

Anthony Davis

 

[Cheriehoop]

Anthony Davis

Best one was David Robinson- 5’9” junior in high school, 6’6” senior year in high school. He was admitted to the Naval Academy at 6’6” which was the height limit for admittance. He grew to 6’7” by the time he arrived at the academy and grew to 7’ fall in his sophomore year there. Never could serve on any naval ships because of his height.

 

[atlanticuse]

Best one was David Robinson- 5’9” junior in high school, 6’6” senior year in high school. He was admitted to the Naval Academy at 6’6” which was the height limit for admittance. He grew to 6’7” by the time he arrived at the academy and grew to 7’ fall in his sophomore year there. Never could serve on any naval ships because of his height.

I still have the SI issue from November, 1986. For some reason, not on the SI vault site...
And... MLB preview from April, 1987, with a painful tiny image in the upper-left.
And... 2003... of course.

https://vault.si.com/vault/1987/04/06/702422-toc

 

[TexanMark]

Naheem will be inconsistent but still glad he is on the team. We need him playing against tall frontlines. I expect he'll be here three years and I also expect he'll play professionally.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Because he's clearly good enough to be a useful piece of the defense.

Hima? Not a chance. Especially playing man.

Nope.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Based on what? Not his play in HS, not his play in Dusquane, not his play at SU, I’m just curious where you and others get the idea that he’s a useful piece.

We watched the games last year

 

[CuseFaninVT]

We watched the games last year

When we played zone.

 

[two3zone]

We watched the games last year

He stunk.

 

[althea]

He stunk.

Yeah he wasn’t good but the problem with evaluating bigs is you never know if they can turn it around, especially kids like Hima who didn’t grow up playing basketball.

 

[two3zone]

Yeah he wasn’t good but the problem with evaluating bigs is you never know if they can turn it around, especially kids like Hima who didn’t grow up playing basketball.

I’m assuming the staff would’ve noticed in practice.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Based on what? Not his play in HS, not his play in Dusquane, not his play at SU, I’m just curious where you and others get the idea that he’s a useful piece.

8 blocks in 17 minutes against St. John's.

Have we ever had anyone else do something like that?

Just the potential to bring a guy off the bench for 10 minutes, who might get 2 or 3 blocks, and intimidate inside. That's why he would be a useful piece.

In 200 minutes last year - 5 forty minute games - he got 47 rebounds, 26 blocked shots and 7 steals, and he scored 27 points.

Forget the "per 40", because no center plays 40 minutes. Let's just say "per 20 minutes", because that would be his optimal contribution.

These are the numbers: 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 2.7 points per game.

Who wouldn't take that from your back-up center? The kid is not without talent.

 

[two3zone]

8 blocks in 17 minutes against St. John's.

Have we ever had anyone else do something like that?

Just the potential to bring a guy off the bench for 10 minutes, who might get 2 or 3 blocks, and intimidate inside. That's why he would be a useful piece.

In 200 minutes last year - 5 forty minute games - he got 47 rebounds, 26 blocked shots and 7 steals, and he scored 27 points.

Forget the "per 40", because no center plays 40 minutes. Let's just say "per 20 minutes", because that would be his optimal contribution.

These are the numbers: 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 2.7 points per game.

Who wouldn't take that from your back-up center? The kid is not without talent.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

8 blocks in 17 minutes against St. John's.

Have we ever had anyone else do something like that?

Just the potential to bring a guy off the bench for 10 minutes, who might get 2 or 3 blocks, and intimidate inside. That's why he would be a useful piece.

In 200 minutes last year - 5 forty minute games - he got 47 rebounds, 26 blocked shots and 7 steals, and he scored 27 points.

Forget the "per 40", because no center plays 40 minutes. Let's just say "per 20 minutes", because that would be his optimal contribution.

These are the numbers: 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 2.7 points per game.

Who wouldn't take that from your back-up center? The kid is not without talent.

WE DONT PLAY ZONE EXCLUSIVELY ANYMORE !!!!

 

[Sbucketball]

Remember the bad coach in Air Bud throwing balls at that crying kid late at night because he missed a catch? I wonder if he’s available to work with McLeod on rebounding.

 

[NineOneSeven]

Not unusual for a 7 foot tall individual but he’s extremely slow footed and a bit slow to react to shots off the rim. The blocks are there. My guess was around 3-5 ppg so that tracks too. I expected a few more rebounds though.

 

[Dcuse]

He stunk.

His motor is poor. But if you watch him when he is engaged' it's obvious he has talent. You don't need to be a trained basketball scout to see that.

 

[two3zone]

His motor is poor. But if you watch him when he is engaged' it's obvious he has talent. You don't need to be a trained basketball scout to see that.

Hima has talent? I’m not sure it’s that obvious.

 

[FrancoPizza]

Why is it every time someone doesn’t play or is ineffective there is some mysterious injury? He’s just not good enough to play here.

We have 4 centers on the roster who fit that description. Four!