Class of 2025 PG Luke Fennell (Australia) COMMITTED & SIGNED TO SYRACUSE (10/23/24)

[Fly Rodder]

I think you've nailed a key issue several times in here -- which is the mental aspect of the game. We have a lot of "soft" players and a lack of leaders. Freeman has tons of athletic skills but seems to be missing an "IT" factor. Hopefully he develops it here next year. JJ isn't a leader. The hardest working guy we have is a freshman in Choppa and his defensive skills kept him on the bench too much.

So much of high major basketball success is communication and awareness. A 1/2 step late or failure to recognize the play and it's an easy bucket for the opposition. Eddie talks a lot on the court and definitely has gotten into some faces, but a lot of the team seems to struggle with coordination and awareness.

 

[richmondcuse03]

So much of high major basketball success is communication and awareness. A 1/2 step late or failure to recognize the play and it's an easy bucket for the opposition. Eddie talks a lot on the court and definitely has gotten into some faces, but a lot of the team seems to struggle with coordination and awareness.

they seem to be a "dumb" basketball IQ team. And I'm not saying they're not smart off the court, but on the court...yikes.

 

[CardiacCuse]

Poor man’s Chris Mullin is the take of the century. Nothing about their game is similar. Mullin wasn’t a pg

agreed...Chris Mullin was literally on the Dream Team...he was a GREAT player. One of the best shooters I can think of...amazing player. ...and he wasnt a PG...even though he was a great passer

Havent watched Fennel but from reports his style doesnt seem similar to Mullin at all

 

[721Comstock]

agreed...Chris Mullin was literally on the Dream Team...he was a GREAT player. One of the best shooters I can think of...amazing player. ...and he wasnt a PG...even though he was a great passer

Havent watched Fennel but from reports his style doesnt seem similar to Mullin at all

He does have *one* similarity.

 

[Todoubled23]

He does have *one* similarity.

 

[CuseMan4]

agreed...Chris Mullin was literally on the Dream Team...he was a GREAT player. One of the best shooters I can think of...amazing player. ...and he wasnt a PG...even though he was a great passer

Havent watched Fennel but from reports his style doesnt seem similar to Mullin at all

Fennel is the purest point guard we’ve had since Ennis. Fennel isn’t going to blow you away with his speed or athleticism. But he makes the right play, he’s highly skilled, high IQ and fundamentally sound. He’s a good ball handler, good passer and can shoot good but not great. He can run when need be as well. He’s a legit PG. Fennel is a tall PG as well. This is going to sound absurd, I’m not saying he’s Luka by any stretch. But the way he plays is similar. Neither are super athletic or fast. But they are high IQ players, that know angles, how to use their bodies in the right spots, know how to get past their guy and they do a little bit of everything. You are going to see stat lines with Fennel like 11 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds with a couple steals in a game frequently in my opinion from day one. I think he’s good enough to do that day one.

 

[IthacaMatt]

agreed...Chris Mullin was literally on the Dream Team...he was a GREAT player. One of the best shooters I can think of...amazing player. ...and he wasnt a PG...even though he was a great passer

Havent watched Fennel but from reports his style doesnt seem similar to Mullin at all

Chris Mullin at Xaverian was not Chris Mullin at Golden State.
Don't you understand how recruiting works? Mullin was a 6 year pro when he was selected for the Dream Team.

He was a pimply kid who has transferred high schools before getting a scholarship to St. Johns'. He said that he modeled his game on Earl Monroe and Clyde Frazier, combo guards who shared the point for the Knicks.

People look for a type, and they bet on that kid making continuous improvements. Not all kids have the necessary work ethic, or good coaching, or may get injured, or just fall out of love with the game.

Why do you think Donnie Freeman was a McDonald's AA? Because he's so freaking great right now, or because he has a body type, and an offensive skill set that is better than most players of his size?

Is Donnie Freeman the next Kevin Garnett? Only time will tell. But that's what talent evaluators were looking at. While something like 40% of Mickey Dee's eventually get drafted, that's still only 8 or 9 guys from any particular year's all-star game of the guys who are literally considered the very best players in high school. And just because they get drafted doesn't mean they stick.

Most guys don't make it. Just like in every sport. But if the guy pans out, works hard, etc., what's his upside? Only 2-3% of all Division 1 college players make the NBA, and even those who are drafted in the first round, 80% fail to stick in the league for 5 years.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Fennel is the purest point guard we’ve had since Ennis. Fennel isn’t going to blow you away with his speed or athleticism. But he makes the right play, he’s highly skilled, high IQ and fundamentally sound. He’s a good ball handler, good passer and can shoot good but not great. He can run when need be as well. He’s a legit PG. Fennel is a tall PG as well. This is going to sound absurd, I’m not saying he’s Luka by any stretch. But the way he plays is similar. Neither are super athletic or fast. But they are high IQ players, that know angles, how to use their bodies in the right spots, know how to get past their guy and they do a little bit of everything. You are going to see stat lines with Fennel like 11 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds with a couple steals in a game frequently in my opinion from day one. I think he’s good enough to do that day one.

Yes, Ennis is a pretty good comp, but Fennell seems more willing to run the break. Ennis almost single-handedly ended the Syracuse fast break. Fennell has 2-3 inches on him in height, too, so I think Fennell will finish better at the rim.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Fennel is the purest point guard we’ve had since Ennis. Fennel isn’t going to blow you away with his speed or athleticism. But he makes the right play, he’s highly skilled, high IQ and fundamentally sound. He’s a good ball handler, good passer and can shoot good but not great. He can run when need be as well. He’s a legit PG. Fennel is a tall PG as well. This is going to sound absurd, I’m not saying he’s Luka by any stretch. But the way he plays is similar. Neither are super athletic or fast. But they are high IQ players, that know angles, how to use their bodies in the right spots, know how to get past their guy and they do a little bit of everything. You are going to see stat lines with Fennel like 11 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds with a couple steals in a game frequently in my opinion from day one. I think he’s good enough to do that day one.

Ginobli is another NBA comp. Same size, good outside shooters, get to the rim, able to see and deliver a pass.

 

[Cuse_NYC]

Can we stop finding comps for this kid until we see him in an actual live game? Even if we saw him in like the Hoop Summit, that would be different. This is getting ridiculous. If he is half as good as Ennis, we are in for a treat. Ginobli? Lol. This needs to stop

 

[IthacaMatt]

He does have *one* similarity.

Go screw yourself. It's not a race thing. Most guys in the NBA who are 6-6 and are black simply have far superior athleticism to Fennell. Do you disagree? Give us 4 or 5 examples, then.

Why don't you go back and look at early Mullin tape? I was watching the first 10 minutes of their 1984 game against UConn (link below).

Mullin defended UConn's PG. He shared bringing the ball up with Mike Moses, St. John's PG, against the UConn press. Moses averaged 4.1 assists that year, and Mullin averaged 4.0. Mullin leads the fast break and converts, he passes for an assist - all in the first 5-10 minutes of the tape.

Mullin was a playmaker for that team, just like Walt Frazier was a playmaker for the Knicks. Was Frazier the PG? Or was Earl Monroe? It didn't matter.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Neither are super athletic or fast. But they are high IQ players, that know angles, how to use their bodies in the right spots, know how to get past their guy and they do a little bit of everything. You are going to see stat lines with Fennel like 11 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds with a couple steals in a game frequently in my opinion from day one. I think he’s good enough to do that day one.

You are comparing to him Luka, I was comparing to Mullin, but we both see similar things about Fennell's game. Great vision, gets to the rim, can hit the outside shot. Not fast but a good handle.

Mullin, as a freshman, put up 13 pts, 5-6 rebounds and 4 assists a game. A very well-rounded player. Fennell most likely won't be that good, at least right away, but he's playing on the Australia National Team for a reason. He's very good.

I think Fennell will need to play with a smaller, quicker guard to provide us with better defensive matchups, and let Fennell play the 2G or SF on defense.

Mullin, as a young player, used to guard the other team's PG in college. Go watch him cover Karl Hobbs in the UConn game I linked earlier.

Or you could compare him to Ginobli. The Ennis comp wasn't bad; they both share good fundamentals, really good vision, ability to hit the outside shot. I don't recall Ennis getting to the rim that much. I remember him almost always pulling the ball out when we had fast break opportunities. Used me to drive me crazy.

But Fennell is 3 inches bigger, like MCW's size. Better handle and a better shot than MCW at a comparable stage. But great vision and the ability to deliver a pass. MCW used to dribble so high as a frosh. It wasn't until he hired that shot coach the summer before his rookie year that he ever was able to hit the 3 consistently.