Props to MCW from Grantland

[Upstate]

5. Syracuse

Remember last week when I said that Georgetown's Otto Porter and Maryland's Alex Len were going to be neck and neck for this year's Andrew Bogut Award (the fake award that goes to the nation's most improved sophomore)? Well, what I meant to say was that they would be neck and neck for second place, because Syracuse's Michael Carter-Williams is running away with it. In fact, I'd even go so far as to say that if the season ended today, Carter-Williams would also get my nonexistent vote for first-team All-American. Those who haven't watched Syracuse play probably think I'm crazy, which is why I should mention that the 6-foot-6 point guard is currently averaging 11.5 points and 6.5 rebounds, while his 9.5 assists and 3.7 steals per game are first and second in the country, respectively.


If Carter-Williams had any semblance of a jump shot, he'd be a lock for a top-10 pick in the NBA draft next year. Even though Syracuse's James Southerland tied a school record by hitting nine 3's at Arkansas last Friday and finished with 35 points, Carter-Williams was the best player on the court. He not only handled the Razorbacks' pressure defense better than expected, but he also damn near put up a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. He's like a younger, not-quite-as-good-yet version of Evan "The Villain" Turner when he was at Ohio State. This is a compliment in that The Villain was National Player of the Year in 2010 and was a tall point guard who could do pretty much anything asked of him, but it's also an insult in that The Villain still owes me 20 bucks and once gave my wife an unsolicited hug. Carter-Williams is somewhere between "terrible" and "meh" at shooting, but if I were a Syracuse fan this wouldn't bother me because it means the Orange might get a third year out of him. With that in mind, is it too early to start the Michael Carter-Williams for 2014 National Player of the Year campaign?

I think he's got a better jumper than he's shown so far

 

[jekelish]

I realize Titus is a pretty solid writer, but what exactly makes him an expert other than being a walk on who was a notoriously terrible walk on?

Don't get me wrong, I read his stuff and most enjoy it, but it's clear he has never really watched MCW before. His shot has been shaky, but he's far from a terrible shooter.

 

[triplethrea]

Titus is a "hipster" writer. Even when he is complimenting he has to throw some negatives in there. I really don't like his brand of journalism and it is becoming very common, especially among the younger writers at Grantland. They like to subtly tell you how smart they are by showing how self-aware they are. I personally think it is try-hard.

Yes he said nice things about MCW, but so is everybody else. I just get the feeling he hasn't watched us that much but wants to give the impression that he really "knows" college basketball. I skim through his stuff now, not a big fan regardless of what he says about the team.

 

[MyMeloMyMan]

Titus is a "hipster" writer. Even when he is complimenting he has to throw some negatives in there. I really don't like his brand of journalism and it is becoming very common, especially among the younger writers at Grantland.

It's just blogosphere culture. All the up and coming internet writers are cut from the same exact cloth. Do a couple google/youtube searches, add in an 80's cliche to fit your point and boom..you have an article.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

MCW's not a bad shooter.

 

[br801]

MCW's not a bad shooter.

And there's no chance he will be the 2014 National PoY.

 

[cusetown1]

And there's no chance he will be the 2014 National PoY.

Maybe he meant 2014 NBA rookie of the year?

 

[br801]

Maybe he meant 2014 NBA rookie of the year?

Much better chance of that happening. A true snarky hipster would have been all over that.

 

[anglerman]

MCW's not a bad shooter.

No but he could be the 2013 POY!

 

[cusetown1]

Much better chance of that happening. A true snarky hipster would have been all over that.

I came away from that article thinking the guy might have watched 1 half of a Syracuse game this year.

 

[OttoMets]

The kid's not between terrible and meh as a shooter. That the writer made that assessment doesn't give me a ton of faith in his college hoops acumen (or he just doesn't watch a ton of Syracuse games).

Mike's got some areas in which he'll improve. Shooting is one of them. That characterization was off, though.

 

[HOFCeluck]

39% and 17% from 3 sounds pretty meh to me.

 

[OttoMets]

39% and 17% from 3 sounds pretty meh to me.

Maybe I just have a semantic quibble with this writer - I wouldn't say that Mike "is somewhere between terrible and meh at shooting," it's just that he's a decent shooter who's currently in a slump.

Either way, we could do without any more 5-16 performances. Historically, regardless of makes, Syracuse struggles when its point guard takes 16 shots in a game.

 

[LennX6]

Maybe I just have a semantic quibble with this writer - I wouldn't say that Mike "is somewhere between terrible and meh at shooting," it's just that he's a decent shooter who's currently in a slump.

Either way, we could do without any more 5-16 performances. Historically, regardless of makes, Syracuse struggles when its point guard takes 16 shots in a game.

I can give MCW a bye on 3 shots. There were 3 shots where MCW froze his defender at the foul line, took a humungous first step and that left his defender 5 feet behind him, and then finger rolled a shot the that the basket puked back out of the net.

 

[OttoMets]

I can give MCW a bye on 3 shots. There were 3 shots where MCW froze his defender at the foul line, took a humungous first step and that left his defender 5 feet behind him, and then finger rolled a shot the that the basket puked back out of the net.

There was a very nice one in the first half where he drove baseline, elevated like he was going to dunk, then had a finger-roll kick off the back iron. Very impressed at his ability to get to the rim so far. This was an area of concern coming into the season; dribble penetration didn't look to be a strength for our guards, at least compared to last season. So far, so good.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Titus is a "hipster" writer. Even when he is complimenting he has to throw some negatives in there. I really don't like his brand of journalism and it is becoming very common, especially among the younger writers at Grantland. They like to subtly tell you how smart they are by showing how self-aware they are. I personally think it is try-hard.

Yes he said nice things about MCW, but so is everybody else. I just get the feeling he hasn't watched us that much but wants to give the impression that he really "knows" college basketball. I skim through his stuff now, not a big fan regardless of what he says about the team.

Blame Bill Simmons. Everything I have ever read at Grantland is like a witer doing an impression of Bill Simmons. A poor impression. On top of that, Simmons' style, which was entertaining for a while, became very tired about 3 years ago.

 

[jekelish]

Regarding Simmons, it's funny that he has mocked Al Pacino for basically doing variations of one Al Pacino character for the last 20 years when, in fact, that's basically all Simmons himself does now. He has become a caricature of himself.

 

[triplethrea]

I agree, I'm not liking his football picks/mailbag for a while. I'm a fan for his NBA knowledge which is terrific.