Our "Lottery Pick"

[OttoinGrotto]

But, again, why would we feature him at all when he has simply not been able of late to finish around the rim whatsoever? He's just not very good right now and we need to win games.

Because you believe giving him those chances will snap him ou t of it faster.

It's so funny. It's a guard's game. If a guard is missing, you tell him to keep shooting, even though offense from guards is less efficient. If a big man struggles, the answer is to stop giving him the ball, even though the big man's game is much more efficient.

 

[pearl31]

Because you believe giving him those chances will snap him ou t of it faster.

It's so funny. It's a guard's game. If a guard is missing, you tell him to keep shooting, even though offense from guards is less efficient. If a big man struggles, the answer is to stop giving him the ball, even though the big man's game is much more efficient.

But he has had opportunities, including today, and he just cannot do anything with them. And now is not the time for experimenting and hoping.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

But he has had opportunities, including today, and he just cannot do anything with them. And now is not the time for experimenting and hoping.

He took two shots, and turned it over on a fast break. He has to convert all three? When else was he even in position to do anything?

 

[pearl31]

He took two shots, and turned it over on a fast break. He has to convert all three? When else was he even in position to do anything?

No, today's not a good example - you're right. The other reality that has to be accounted for, though, is that Roberson was playing great and we pretty much have to have G on the floor, so that just kind of excludes CM then by default.

 

[Bayside44]

Because you believe giving him those chances will snap him ou t of it faster.

It's so funny. It's a guard's game. If a guard is missing, you tell him to keep shooting, even though offense from guards is less efficient. If a big man struggles, the answer is to stop giving him the ball, even though the big man's game is much more efficient.

Kaleb's been shooting it less.

 

[Bayside44]

He took two shots, and turned it over on a fast break. He has to convert all three? When else was he even in position to do anything?

If he cannot convert those, hard to have confidence in anything else if a guy cannot finish layups.

If we had Grant and Coleman he'd barely play.

 

[007]

He took two shots, and turned it over on a fast break. He has to convert all three? When else was he even in position to do anything?

I think it's a little more complicated. I think that JB would like to run high-low sets for CM with Rak at the high post. Part of the issue is that CM is being pushed out of position way too easily. He needs to gain strength and he needs to be way more aggressive fighting for position, demanding the ball, and finishing hard. He is not getting touches because he cannot create or hold position long enough for the guards to get him the ball. And when he does get the ball, he has become much more tentative. Part of that is strength and confidence, and, as hoopsupstate pointed out, part of that is motor and desire.

At the end of the day, I think CM has the most talent on this team. I thought he would develop into the go to scorer. But he is not there yet.

 

[cuseguy]

We have no depth at C so JB has to be careful playing Rak/McCollough/Roberson with Cooney/Gbinije. McCollough is likely gone no matter how much JB says publicly he is more likely to win the lottery.

He's only gone because he was told he was a pro two years ago and therefore had no desire to play a minute of college ball.

He's coming back.

He needs to realize that.

 

[cuseguy]

He's gone. Look at a draft board, the whole first round of the upcoming draft is a freshman and sophomores. After the top 5-7 picks, it will be all about "potential" except for Montrez, Kaminsky and Dekker.

He's back.

 

[Alsacs]

Anybody expecting McCollough back for 2015 is setting themselves up to be disappointed. This kid has been hyped as our best recruit since Carmelo and now people are talking about if Grant returned he would be riding the pine talk about revisionist history. McCollough's scholarship is being earmarked for Thomas Bryant.
If he doesn't perform up to people's expectations blame McCollough and the coaching staff. The kid has first round talent no matter how many times it has to be said NBA teams don't draft finished products they draft upside and potential. I don't like it but that is how NBA teams draft.
Now we will get people responding with if Chris leaves he will ride buses in the D league. Players don't typically stay in school. Enjoy the season and this kid's talent.

 

[Eagles20]

Anybody expecting McCollough back for 2015 is setting themselves up to be disappointed. This kid has been hyped as our best recruit since Carmelo and now people are talking about if Grant returned he would be riding the pine talk about revisionist history. McCollough's scholarship is being earmarked for Thomas Bryant.
If he doesn't perform up to people's expectations blame McCollough and the coaching staff. The kid has first round talent no matter how many times it has to be said NBA teams don't draft finished products they draft upside and potential. I don't like it but that is how NBA teams draft.
Now we will get people responding with if Chris leaves he will ride buses in the D league. Players don't typically stay in school. Enjoy the season and this kid's talent.

What if he averages 5ppg in conference play?

 

[Alsacs]

What if he averages 5ppg in conference play?

Again NBA teams don't care about stats they care about upside/potential. I want McCollough to stay but he is going to go unless he gets hurt. He is struggling now which we need him to turn around but it is almost seems like people want him to struggle to stay. If McCollough did stay JB would have to either tell Coleman sorry your gotta go or push another kid to transfer if he wanted to go after Bryant.

 

[Eagles20]

Again NBA teams don't care about stats they care about upside/potential. I want McCollough to stay but he is going to go unless he gets hurt. He is struggling now which we need him to turn around but it is almost seems like people want him to struggle to stay. If McCollough did stay JB would have to either tell Coleman sorry your gotta go or push another kid to transfer if he wanted to go after Bryant.

I'm not saying he will average only 5, was playing the what if game. So his HS ranking will get him drafted?

 

[two3zone]

Again NBA teams don't care about stats they care about upside/potential. I want McCollough to stay but he is going to go unless he gets hurt. He is struggling now which we need him to turn around but it is almost seems like people want him to struggle to stay. If McCollough did stay JB would have to either tell Coleman sorry your gotta go or push another kid to transfer if he wanted to go after Bryant.

Ehhhh. He averages 5 ppg there is no chance he gets drafted in the first round and he stays.

 

[orangefan13]

Again NBA teams don't care about stats they care about upside/potential. I want McCollough to stay but he is going to go unless he gets hurt. He is struggling now which we need him to turn around but it is almost seems like people want him to struggle to stay. If McCollough did stay JB would have to either tell Coleman sorry your gotta go or push another kid to transfer if he wanted to go after Bryant.

McCullough is very very skinny he would be in the d league as a freshmen no chance he plays in the nba as a rookie, none.
I think his isolation scoring will also be questioned. He operates 95% of his baskets in halfcourt transition that doesn't translate to nba ready.

NBA drafts on potential but he is very raw, and far away ready for the nba, it could hinder his nba groth drastically.

I feel he is in a different situation then Grant in this reguard, grant took it one on one and posted up midpost, and finished strong against contact in the post as a sophmore and put on alot of strength in the offseason. Although McCullough has more jumpshooting potential in the longrun, Huge Difference.

 

[Alsacs]

I wish McCollough does stay I just find it high unlikely and expecting it sets us up to be disappointed.

 

[SUbear]

Ehhhh. He averages 5 ppg there is no chance he gets drafted in the first round and he stays.

I frankly do not give a fat rat whether he stays or goes. He will not make the major bucks on potential alone, that might get him signing money, but not the mega bucks a NBA career can generate and is really what these young kids are after. Signing money is okay, but you may jeoprdize your longer term earning potential. These young guys really need to look into where they want to end up.
He is neither strong enough, aggressive enough, or skilled enough for an NBA career(heck he is not even high D1 at this point). He would profit greatly remaining in college beyond this year, but he talked about leaving after one year, even before he got here, so se la vie he does what he does.

 

[Eagles20]

I frankly do not give a fat rat whether he stays or goes. He will not make the major bucks on potential alone, that might get him signing money, but not the mega bucks a NBA career can generate and is really what these young kids are after. Signing money is okay, but you may jeoprdize your longer term earning potential. These young guys really need to look into where they want to end up.
He is neither strong enough, aggressive enough, or skilled enough for an NBA career(heck he is not even high D1 at this point). He would profit greatly remaining in college beyond this year, but he talked about leaving after one year, even before he got here, so se la vie he does what he does.

Fat rat? Never heard that one. Might have to try that out at some point and see what I get out of it

 

[Bayside44]

Someone (Ed Tapscott) drafted Frederic Weiss...however this kid is tough to defend when a contract is up for the guy drafting him and CM is no where near ready.

 

[Shark58]

Someone (Ed Tapscott) drafted Frederic Weiss...however this kid is tough to defend when a contract is up for the guy drafting him and CM is no where near ready.

Tap was the coach while I was at AU. I knew him as well as a random student could. My brothers were big supporters of the hoops squad and I spoke with him several times and even guarded him in a few pick up games. That draft pick just confirmed what I thought about his basketball acumen. I'm flat out amazed that he got a sniff at an NBA paycheck. Just more Dolan anti-midas touch.

 

[SaltLakeOrange]

Play the team that gives us the best potential to win the game and stop
Talking about how the NBA drafts on potential. Right now, CM is playing like TR did as a freshman. Timid and unfocused. It's up to him to get better...

 

[Cuse_1999]

I think it's a little more complicated. I think that JB would like to run high-low sets for CM with Rak at the high post. Part of the issue is that CM is being pushed out of position way too easily. He needs to gain strength and he needs to be way more aggressive fighting for position, demanding the ball, and finishing hard. He is not getting touches because he cannot create or hold position long enough for the guards to get him the ball. And when he does get the ball, he has become much more tentative. Part of that is strength and confidence, and, as hoopsupstate pointed out, part of that is motor and desire.

At the end of the day, I think CM has the most talent on this team. I thought he would develop into the go to scorer. But he is not there yet.

A high low with CM at the high post and Rak down low could work well. CM can make that jumper and Rak can obviously hold the position in the post. Having CM down low in the high low makes no sense cuz he is not strong enough to hold the position. We ran a ton of high low with Arinze on the low post in 2010. Against Butler JB had Wes trying to be the low man in the high/low and he repeatedly got shoved out of the lane. It was driving me crazy

 

[AZOrange]

I haven't seen a player hit the deck as much as Cmac since devo. It's incredible. He gets the ball stripped on the break and still falls.

If he does come back I'm not sure where he fits even.

 

[jekelish]

I haven't read any posts so apologies if I'm repeating anything, but about McCullough: he's easily our most talented player. But it cannot possibly be overstated how weak he is. If he was even half as strong as Rak, he would be absolutely obliterating dudes right now. Unfortunately he's just nowhere near physically ready.

 

[007]

A high low with CM at the high post and Rak down low could work well. CM can make that jumper and Rak can obviously hold the position in the post. Having CM down low in the high low makes no sense cuz he is not strong enough to hold the position. We ran a ton of high low with Arinze on the low post in 2010. Against Butler JB had Wes trying to be the low man in the high/low and he repeatedly got shoved out of the lane. It was driving me crazy

First, my point was that CM struggles to get and keep position, which limits the O. I said IF he was better at this, we would see more high lows with Rak at the top because of the way Ds play him and because he is a very good passer. If you are going to call someone out, you need to understand the point being made.

Second, it makes sense to use Rak at the top when they are fronting Rak and doubling down from the weakside. One counter is to clear out the bottom, slide Rak up beyond the mid post and have CM on the weakside. Once the high post entry is made, the weakside player will slide to Rak, and CM will slide down to the low blocks. If they counter that by playing behind Rak, you enter the ball to Rak; if they continue to front but don't double down, Rak seals his man and looks for the lob. You force the D to make a decision. This has the potential to INCREASE the number of post/paint entries for Rak (but only if CM can get that position and make them pay).

The guys on ESPN are not going to spell that out for you. But some guys here understand the game better than you think.