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

[2B20Again]

The latter. Naithan George will start and probably get 32+ minutes. Red has shown he's comfortable with JJ there for a spell too. Fennel would have to be pretty special to get much.

It is my feeling the JJ is pg only if he’s had to do to injury or Fennel being ineffective. When JJ is at point there is not much flow to the O. It I have the ball I need to score. Everyone in the building knows he’s going to try to get to the hoop. Rest of the team stands around. JJ needs to be an option not the option. Peace

 

[Tony DeFranco]

Dont see how he is not playing a ton mins from those vids

 

[kcsu]

Luke has been my favorite frosh recruit from day one. I believe he is going to play a significant role next season. He has the skills that we need and can play three positions. I see him as our number two point and also see him getting minutes at the two and three.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Luke has been my favorite frosh recruit from day one. I believe he is going to play a significant role next season. He has the skills that we need and can play three positions. I see him as our number two point and also see him getting minutes at the two and three.

If he plays JJ at point over Luke this year, that's a bad mistake.
Keep JJ at the 2, and give Anthony 10 of his minutes.

 

[007]

His body control going to the hoop is really impressive. What a find.

Not trying to be a contrarian here - all our opinions are only based on highlight tapes - but I thought he looked a little awkward with his footwork after picking up his dribble on moves to the rim.

I do think that he has extended his range to well past the 3 line. FWIW - admittedly not much until we see Luke play at this level - I see him more as a SG or point forward type.

 

[hoopsupstate]

Not trying to be a contrarian here - all our opinions are only based on highlight tapes - but I thought he looked a little awkward with his footwork after picking up his dribble on moves to the rim.

I do think that he has extended his range to well past the 3 line. FWIW - admittedly not much until we see Luke play at this level - I see him more as a SG or point forward type.

I agree. He seems to take a couple of baby steps setting up his jump shots. He does appear to be a good shooter and can put the ball on the floor. He also looks like he has a long wingspan.

 

[CardiacCuse]

Is he gonna push for major minutes or still a year away

i hope the playing time isnt pre-decided...or based on personality like it has been with carlos, taylor, etc etc

and is simply based on who plays best

with guys like anthony, fennell and white,...theres a good chance one or more are better than the supposed starters at their positions...if so they need to start

 

[jsshap]

It is my feeling the JJ is pg only if he’s had to do to injury or Fennel being ineffective. When JJ is at point there is not much flow to the O. It I have the ball I need to score. Everyone in the building knows he’s going to try to get to the hoop. Rest of the team stands around. JJ needs to be an option not the option. Peace

All is fair except one sentence. The notion that JJ is selfish player is completely ridiculous.

 

[baggerbob]

I'm of the opinion that Red would prefer JJ not be the backup PG, which would open the door a bit for Fennell.

Hopefully JJ never has the opportunity to play the PG, at any time this year.

 

[Jake]

All is fair except one sentence. The notion that JJ is selfish player is completely ridiculous.

JJ is not selfish. He’s also not a very good PG. Red got very frustrated with JJ’s decision making at the end of the last season.

Red didn’t think he had options down the stretch (he didn’t).

I think JJ will have to earn his minutes this year.

 

[007]

JJ is not selfish. He’s also not a very good PG. Red got very frustrated with JJ’s decision making at the end of the last season.

Red didn’t think he had options down the stretch (he didn’t).

I think JJ will have to earn his minutes this year.

The point about Red not thinking he had options is spot on, IMO.

It seems like Red will have multiple options this coming season. How good those options ultimately are remains to be seen. But I think it's a safe bet that George will be a significant upgrade at the PG position and this will result in a ripple effect on the rest of the roster. This includes allowing JJ to concentrate on the things he does best. I suspect he will have a LONG leash.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

But I think it's a safe bet that George will be a significant upgrade at the PG position and this will result in a ripple effect on the rest of the roster.

 

[Niastri]

I agree. He seems to take a couple of baby steps setting up his jump shots. He does appear to be a good shooter and can put the ball on the floor. He also looks like he has a long wingspan.

My other critique is that he goes to the Euro step floater a lot… I think that shot gets blocked a lot in college.

However, Fennell is a good passing 6’6 guard with good long range three point shooting. I’ll happily accept that as our first or second guard off the bench!

George, Starling, Kingz, Anthony and Fennell is a really good guard group. I think they’re going to get 100+ minutes a game between them.

 

[ar inj]

JJ is not selfish. He’s also not a very good PG. Red got very frustrated with JJ’s decision making at the end of the last season.

Red didn’t think he had options down the stretch (he didn’t).

I think JJ will have to earn his minutes this year.

Hope you are right about needing to earn each and every minute, but to be clear, he is not a point guard even when there are no other point guards on the floor. JJ please do what you do well and hopefully nobody will ask you to do what you are not capable of doing.

 

[DomeHolmes]

Not trying to be a contrarian here - all our opinions are only based on highlight tapes - but I thought he looked a little awkward with his footwork after picking up his dribble on moves to the rim.

I do think that he has extended his range to well past the 3 line. FWIW - admittedly not much until we see Luke play at this level - I see him more as a SG or point forward type.

Looks to me like a guy who is not a great athlete but as another poster said, has good body control. If you watch Larry Bird take a guy off the dribble, it did not look dissimilar.

The step back 3 at the 25 second mark of that video was a skill no one on our team had last year.

Being 6’6” and a threat to drive should give him good looks. My only concern is his highlights here and elsewhere dont really show him playing much “point” (driving and dishing). So I’m not so concerned if he can play at the next level, but can he play point at the next level?

 

[Jake]

Looks to me like a guy who is not a great athlete but as another poster said, has good body control. If you watch Larry Bird take a guy off the dribble, it did not look dissimilar.

The step back 3 at the 25 second mark of that video was a skill no one on our team had last year.

Being 6’6” and a threat to drive should give him good looks. My only concern is his highlights here and elsewhere dont really show him playing much “point” (driving and dishing). So I’m not so concerned if he can play at the next level, but can he play point at the next level?

Agreed on the step back theees. That jumped out at me on tape, kinda like Judah’s mid range game.

TBH. If you if you looked at all of our players on tape, and didn’t take into consideration “where” they played last year, you could argue for a George/Fennel back court.

Fennel’s shooting appears to be his calling card, not plsymaking.

 

[JonB]

Dont see how he is not playing a ton mins from those vids

He is as ready as any frosh we have had in many years. Hes getting at least 15 mins a game. He’s talented .

 

[JonB]

Hope you are right about needing to earn each and every minute, but to be clear, he is not a point guard even when there are no other point guards on the floor. JJ please do what you do well and hopefully nobody will ask you to do what you are not capable of doing.

Idk. If Cuse has this guy instead of Carlos last year, I see a 500 team.

 

[walsh2012]

The latter. Naithan George will start and probably get 32+ minutes. Red has shown he's comfortable with JJ there for a spell too. Fennel would have to be pretty special to get much.

Honestly I'm so high on the fennel pack i wouldnt be surprised if he is that special

 

[walsh2012]

He is as ready as any frosh we have had in many years. Hes getting at least 15 mins a game. He’s talented .

The level of competition he's playing against is better than any HS league in America by a good margin

 

[althea]

The level of competition he's playing against is better than any HS league in America by a good margin

Is it though?

 

[walsh2012]

Is it though?

He's playing adults so I think so

 

[2B20Again]

i hope the playing time isnt pre-decided...or based on personality like it has been with carlos, taylor, etc etc

and is simply based on who plays best

with guys like anthony, fennell and white,...theres a good chance one or more are better than the supposed starters at their positions...if so they need to start

Starting doesn’t matter it’s who finished that’s important.

 

[Niastri]

Is it though?

I looked up the roster for the team they played last week, their best player is 24 years old and played for Texas Rio Grande in the WAC last year… His stats are a bit better in the NBL1 than in Division 1. Fennell is playing against experienced pros, some of whom have four years of D1 basketball.

I’d say the quality of competition is as good or better as what Kiyan Anthony and Sadiq White are playing against. The highest end talent might not be there, most of the kids in the EYBL are going to play D1, and some are going to play in the NBA. But many of the players in the NBL1 are definitely making up for that difference in raw talent with their experience and being grown men instead of high school kids.

 

[jsshap]

JJ is not selfish. He’s also not a very good PG. Red got very frustrated with JJ’s decision making at the end of the last season.

Red didn’t think he had options down the stretch (he didn’t).

I think JJ will have to earn his minutes this year.

Agreed and to suggest that he was selfish as so many have done is lazy at best. If you or others said his teammates thought he was selfish and it impacted team morale, lockerroom culture, etc. I would have a different view - but have not heard that, did not see anything suggesting that, and everything appears to suggest JJ is a good guy and a good teammate. This board is quick to piss on players who don't meet that criteria, it is reckless to do so with a guy like JJ in my view.