Class of 2022 PF Maliq Brown (VA) COMMITTED/SIGNED TO SYRACUSE

[rrlbees]

A few plays of Brown playing football as a freshman on varsity.

 

[Orangezoo]

A few plays of Brown playing football as a freshman on varsity.

Interesting. Even lined up a corner for a snap. Speaks to his athleticism and mobility for sure.

 

[Sbucketball]

Maliq's going to bring Bully Ball back to Cuse and I couldn't be happier about it.

 

[Orangezoo]

Maliq's going to bring Bully Ball back to Cuse and I couldn't be happier about it.

Top 20-30 adjD efficiency is what I want and what we need. Win games again with our defense so it lightens the load on a team full of youngsters.

 

[Sbucketball]

Top 20-30 adjD efficiency is what I want and what we need. Win games again with our defense so it lightens the load on a team full of youngsters.

Agreed - we'll need to force low-scoring games next year to win consistently. And that's getting back to the true meat and potatoes of Cuse basketball.

 

[cuseincincy]

Since the beginning of time the best way to earn early playing time under JAB is to be able to defend your position. Maliq doesn't really need to bring more than that to be a valuable rotational player this season.

 

[Sbucketball]

Since the beginning of time the best way to earn early playing time under JAB is to be able to defend your position. Maliq doesn't really need to bring more than that to be a valuable rotational player this season.

It's so tough to tell whether he's ready to contribute. He dominated low level competition. People write him off because he played at a lower level, but maybe they're wrong to do so. Maybe he could have dominated high level competition last year, but we'll never know. He's physical yet raw. Joe dominated low level competition in high school and ended up starting freshman year. However, they are obviously polar opposite players and dominated in very different ways.

I'm confident he'll be a fan-favorite eventually, but I'm not confident he'll see much run until his sophomore year. I guess it mostly depends on need (i.e. does Benny take the sophomore leap; and are Bunch/Taylor ready). It probably helps that he is a different type of player and no one on the team duplicates what he brings to the table. Either way I'm excited for his development and I really hope he sticks with Cuse his entire college career.

 

[RF2044]

It's so tough to tell whether he's ready to contribute. He dominated low level competition. People write him off because he played at a lower level, but maybe they're wrong to do so. Maybe he could have dominated high level competition last year, but we'll never know. He's physical yet raw. Joe dominated low level competition in high school and ended up starting freshman year. However, they are obviously polar opposite players and dominated in very different ways.

I'm confident he'll be a fan-favorite eventually, but I'm not confident he'll see much run until his sophomore year. I guess it mostly depends on need (i.e. does Benny take the sophomore leap; and are Bunch/Taylor ready). It probably helps that he is a different type of player and no one on the team duplicates what he brings to the table. Either way I'm excited for his development and I really hope he sticks with Cuse his entire college career.

Agree in the main. Level of competition is something to pay attention to contextually, but in and of itself not a very strong indicator of how players will perform or how ready they are to contribute.

A lot depends on Benny, IMO. If Benny finds his shooting touch and shows that he is a wing, then a player like Brown might get more opportunities to play alongside him. If Benny is a combo trending more towards a 4, then Taylor / Bunch will be better fits next year.

Agree that down the road, Brown has the makings of a multi-year starter.

 

[rrlbees]

Interesting. Even lined up a corner for a snap. Speaks to his athleticism and mobility for sure.

I liked the one where the receiver was coming off the line and Brown just pushed him over.

 

[Orangezoo]

I liked the one where the receiver was coming off the line and Brown just pushed him over.

Save that for Duke

 

[Sbucketball]

Agree in the main. Level of competition is something to pay attention to contextually, but in and of itself not a very strong indicator of how players will perform or how ready they are to contribute.

A lot depends on Benny, IMO. If Benny finds his shooting touch and shows that he is a wing, then a player like Brown might get more opportunities to play alongside him. If Benny is a combo trending more towards a 4, then Taylor / Bunch will be better fits next year.

Agree that down the road, Brown has the makings of a multi-year starter.

Absolutely. This team will go as far as Benny takes it. Every different Benny scenario results in a completely different style of play for the entire team and different rotations.

 

[longtimefan]

Absolutely. This team will go as far as Benny takes it. Every different Benny scenario results in a completely different style of play for the entire team and different rotations.

I hope not.

 

[Niastri]

I hope not.

If Benny Williams is the 5* we all imagined we had coming in last year, it could be amazing for the team.

We had scouting reports that his handle was like a guard's, that he could shoot 3s at a high percentage, that he would be a great (not good) shotblocker, that he rebounded like a PF out of the SF position and that he could finish at the rim at an elite level.

If that guy shows up to be a great first or second option, this team everybody is writing off becomes a top10 team midway through ACC play.

I don't really expect him to "take" us anywhere, but if his potential is realized, he sure could.

 

[Cuse'91]

If Benny Williams is the 5* we all imagined we had coming in last year, it could be amazing for the team.

We had scouting reports that his handle was like a guard's, that he could shoot 3s at a high percentage, that he would be a great (not good) shotblocker, that he rebounded like a PF it of the SF position and that he could finish at the rim at an elite level.

If that guy shows up to be a great first or second option, this team everybody is writing off becomes a top10 team midway through ACC play.

I don't really expect him to "take" us anywhere, but if his potential is realized, he sure could.

Yeah, if THAT Benny shows up, we're cooking with gas.

 

[walsh2012]

A few plays of Brown playing football as a freshman on varsity.

Lol this school was in my conference in HS they’re some farm boys for sure

 

[Orangezoo]

Lol this school was in my conference in HS they’re some farm boys for sure

I went to a farm boy school- ain't nothing wrong with that and we could ball

 

[longtimefan]

If Benny Williams is the 5* we all imagined we had coming in last year, it could be amazing for the team.

We had scouting reports that his handle was like a guard's, that he could shoot 3s at a high percentage, that he would be a great (not good) shotblocker, that he rebounded like a PF it of the SF position and that he could finish at the rim at an elite level.

If that guy shows up to be a great first or second option, this team everybody is writing off becomes a top10 team midway through ACC play.

I don't really expect him to "take" us anywhere, but if his potential is realized, he sure could.

Except--we now have a full season of results that shows very little, if any, of that skill level.

It would be great to see that sort of "sophomore leap", but expecting Benny to be the player described above is asking a lot.

 

[Sbucketball]

I hope not.

For better or worse, I believe that to be true. If he's elite next year, I think the team can be a top 25-40 team. If he's not, they'll be fighting to get on the bubble. Not opining whether I think he'll be elite next year, just stating that I think he's the difference maker in this group.

 

[pearl31]

For better or worse, I believe that to be true. If he's elite next year, I think the team can be a top 25-40 team. If he's not, they'll be fighting to get on the bubble. Not opining whether I think he'll be elite next year, just stating that I think he's the difference maker in this group.

I get what you're saying but if, say, the Mintz/Girard/Edwards combo really flourishes (not a stretch to think that'll be the case) then we'd really only need Benny to be solid, not elite.

edit - but I certainly think he *can* be elite if the mental part comes together for him

 

[Orangezoo]

I get what you're saying but if, say, the Mintz/Girard/Edwards combo really flourishes (not a stretch to think that'll be the case) then we'd really only need Benny to be solid, not elite.

edit - but I certainly think he *can* be elite if the mental part comes together for him

It's really about the defense. A stout defense would allow for a less balanced offense reliant on 3 guys to do the majority of the work and everyone else filling in. I suspect reality is more like a top 75 defense( still improvement) and then needing Benny to be a legit 4th scorer and then getting real contributions from two of the frosh plus Symir.

 

[CardiacCuse]

Agreed - we'll need to force low-scoring games next year to win consistently. And that's getting back to the true meat and potatoes of Cuse basketball.

I understand why this seems likely - losing cole, buddy, and jimmy - seems like the offense will be in shambles and the team will have zero chance of scoring. i mean, how can you lose that many points and still be okay??? from a 16-17 team no less...

i think the offense will be fine and likely even better than last year. better balance and less iso. i think the team will have a better offense this season and "rock fights" wont be necessary, or preferred. I hope that isnt the intention from the coaches...

1st option - jesse
2nd option - joe
3rd option - judah/symir
4th option - benny
5th option - bunch/taylor/brown/carey/qc etc
6th - any surprise players

how good do the 4th and 5th options really need to truly be????

there's gonna be at least 4 or 5 players that can score next year. the offense will be fine.

 

[Niastri]

If you have any concerns about offense next year, rewatch this highlight. Then go watch the pick and roll clinic Edwards and Girard put on against Louisville before Edwards got injured.

 

[cuseincincy]

I understand why this seems likely - losing cole, buddy, and jimmy - seems like the offense will be in shambles and the team will have zero chance of scoring. i mean, how can you lose that many points and still be okay??? from a 16-17 team no less...

i think the offense will be fine and likely even better than last year. better balance and less iso. i think the team will have a better offense this season and "rock fights" wont be necessary, or preferred. I hope that isnt the intention from the coaches...

1st option - jesse
2nd option - joe
3rd option - judah/symir
4th option - benny
5th option - bunch/taylor/brown/carey/qc etc
6th - any surprise players

how good do the 4th and 5th options really need to truly be????

there's gonna be at least 4 or 5 players that can score next year. the offense will be fine.

I think the coaches may have as much to do with next season as the players do. Last year was a flawed team and I personally believe the staff underperformed last season because of it. Next years team...the parts are there. But other than Jesse, and to a lesser extent Joe, none of them have done it before. I'm looking forward to the exuberance of youth and athleticism.
My prediction is 2 out of Brown, Bunch, Taylor and Copeland are going to open eyes next season. To be honest we need it.

 

[Niastri]

I think the coaches may have as much to do with next season as the players do. Last year was a flawed team and I personally believe the staff underperformed last season because of it. Next years team...the parts are there. But other than Jesse, and to a lesser extent Joe, none of them have done it before. I'm looking forward to the exuberance of youth and athleticism.
My prediction is 2 out of Brown, Bunch, Taylor and Copeland are going to open eyes next season. To be honest we need it.

One of Brown, Bunch and Taylor are going to be starting at forward opposite Benny Williams. Another of those three is going to be the first forward off the bench.

I highly doubt Copeland gets many minutes this year.

Edwards, Hima

Williams, Brown/Bunch/Taylor, Brown/Bunch/Taylor

Girard, Mintz, Torrence

That's our team next year. Anybody else is only getting minutes due to injury or blowout basketball.

Of course, surprises do happen.

 

[Windyfly]

One of Brown, Bunch and Taylor are going to be starting at forward opposite Benny Williams. Another of those three is going to be the first forward off the bench.

I highly doubt Copeland gets many minutes this year.

Edwards, Hima

Williams, Brown/Bunch/Taylor, Brown/Bunch/Taylor

Girard, Mintz, Torrence

That's our team next year. Anybody else is only getting minutes due to injury or blowout basketball.

Of course, surprises do happen.

I know it’s easy to write off JBA, since he hasn’t had many meaningful moments or shown that he can play at an ACC level for that matter, but I personally believe he will be a contributor for us next year.
He is going to be 4 years into our system next season, which automatically makes him a valuable asset, with our young forward group and with another season of training and preparing with our coaches, we could be looking at a coming out party of sorts for him.
I heard a report a few weeks back on here, that JAB was saying that he has been practicing very well and to me this a very good sign and possible indication that the staff will be looking for him to take that next step and the spot is for the taking as the only upperclassman.

Anyway I’ll certainly be routing for him to do so...everybody on the team has always seemed to love him, he’s a great person with a great story and I think if healthy, he could end up being a fan favorite and good energy/rotational player for us.