Rothstein on Rak...

[albanycuse]

He must of dedicated himself this offseason in the gym to add the 15 pounds of muscle , because it takes a lot of hard work and the proper diet.

 

[orangefan13]

I can't think of a 2 man Center/PF combo that I have been more lost in the dark on then Rak and DC2 ever. Theres just so many questions. Not so much with development, but with how they will fit in on the floor together on both ends. I doubt JB has it figured out.

Rak was already pretty darn solid last year at Center. Fab wasn't his freshmen year.

 

[Gabjon]

I think the model for DC2 and Rak is AO and Ricky. Basketball is not rocket science although reading this board makes me wonder sometimes. One thing is sure JB has it figured out the kids still have to play though.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Hopefully Jon Rothstein is as good at predicting sports as the great Sam "Ace" Rothstein, from Casino fame.

 

[SmilinBob]

Christmas just needed playing time and getting his confidence up, I think the young man is going to be a very good player on the Hill.

 

[Knicks411]

My call for a while has been both MCW and Rak make Dion and Fab like jumps as sophs, so I'm going to stick with it

 

[albanycuse]

My call for a while has been both MCW and Rak make Dion and Fab like jumps as sophs, so I'm going to stick with it

I believe MCW would of been drafted last season if he played more.

 

[Gabjon]

My call for a while has been both MCW and Rak make Dion and Fab like jumps as sophs, so I'm going to stick with it

I thing MCW is gone after this year. Rak is only 6'9" so he needs to become a more finished product than Fab was.

 

[billsin01]

Regardless of how reliable Rothstein is, I am very confident that Christmas will be able to contribute defensively (on the wing of the zone) and with garbage scoring. I would not consider any of that a huge leap, but normal progress for a McDonald's All American.

If he can score in the post against other teams power forwards (who will almost all be physically inferior to him) then he will have made that huge jump everyone wants and Syracuse will add a another very reliable dimension to their offense - Coleman at the high post where he can hit a mid-range jump shot or pass down low to Christmas who will be a mismatch.

Yeah, I'm not sure he'll make a Fab-type leap for the simple fact that very few players make a Fab-type leap. I didn't believe Fab would make a Fab-type leap.

I'm not sure he'll ever be a really polished offensive player but I could see him eventually eclipsing what Etan Thomas was offensively in the post, which in college was pretty effective.

I like the jumper for a big guy, but I think one or two post moves would be enough to get him to around 30 mpg and somewhere in the neighborhood of 9-10 points. I was pleasantly surprised with the offensive performance last year and think it's absolutely possible he builds on that this season.

 

[billsin01]

Scoop Jardine doesn't belong on that list. He had that funky release as a frosh, but by the time his sophomore season rolled around [after he sat out as an injury redshirt] he was a solid three point shooter the rest of his career. He was far from the most deadeye marksman we've ever had, not saying that he'd be mistaken for Greg Kohls, but he had the cajones to take--and make--big shots. He played a tad out of control his soph / junior seasons, which drew lots of posters' ire, but outside shooting was never an issue with him.

Oh, and people are going to be surprised by CJ Fair's shooting this year--mark it down!

Jardine also made contested shots -- even if some of them shouldn't have been taken. I loved Janulis, for example, but part of his success was that he basically just camped at that 3-point line and shot it when it was fed to him with space. Scoop was a much better shooter than given credit for.

 

[orangefan13]

I thing MCW is gone after this year. Rak is only 6'9" so he needs to become a more finished product than Fab was.

Agree. I don't think defense alone at the 5 will sell rak as two and done. I think he will need atleast 3 years unless his offense just goes off this year. And if he jumps to PF I could see him needing a 3rd year to get really good at it, because covering ground isn't his strongspot as aggressive as he is near the rim. Then again they play m2m in the NBA you don't have to watch the perimeter at the four every play.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm not really sure what that kind of leap would look like for Rak, actually. With Fab the improvement was obvious. Rak coul improve a lot but with a much more subtle impact.

 

[Gabjon]

Agree. I don't think defense alone at the 5 will sell rak as two and done. I think he will need atleast 3 years unless his offense just goes off this year. And if he jumps to PF I could see him needing a 3rd year to get really good at it, because covering ground isn't his strongspot as aggressive as he is near the rim. Then again they play m2m in the NBA you don't have to watch the perimeter at the four every play.

The NBA is moving to a 4 out league offensively, which means teams are playing with a sketch 4 it allows elite PGs the space to get to the rim at will. Rak is not big enough to be a NBA 5 and IMO he may need all 4 years to develop than level of offensive where he can hit an NBA 3pt shot.

 

[OttoMets]

I would prefer CJ spent the summer developing his right hand. With developed right hand he would much hard to guard off the bounce and it would open up his 15ft jumper/ pull up game.

Very good point. Working on going right should be Priority #1.

 

[moqui]

He said it was a Syracuse source not an SU source. That could be anyone really.

I've been predicting a significant sophomore leap for Rak for six months now . . . maybe I'm his source

 

[OttoMets]

I've been predicting a significant sophomore leap for Rak for six months now . . . maybe I'm his source

Perhaps I am the source; Rothstein might've sought me out after I predicted that Rakeem would replicate John Wallace's sophomore season.

(Before anyone objects, I subsequently retracted the specifics of that prediction - Wallace put up something like 16 and 9 as a sophomore and no one on this roster will do that - while standing by the spirit of it: Rakeem will show the best face-up game of any SU big since Warrick, work a formidable high-low with Coleman or Keita, and be more than capable on defense.)

 

[longtimefan]

Rak. . . looks much better than last year.

His physique, or game, or both?

 

[orangefog]

Perhaps I am the source; Rothstein might've sought me out after I predicted that Rakeem would replicate John Wallace's sophomore season.

(Before anyone objects, I subsequently retracted the specifics of that prediction - Wallace put up something like 16 and 9 as a sophomore and no one on this roster will do that - while standing by the spirit of it: Rakeem will show the best face-up game of any SU big since Warrick, work a formidable high-low with Coleman or Keita, and be more than capable on defense.)

I will buy the "more than capable on defense" and maybe even the high-low with Coleman or Keita, but I am not buying the face-up game until I see it.

 

[reedny]

The extra muscle is nice to hear about .. and will probably help him with inside position for rebounds. But what's really holding (or at least what held) Rak back is between his ears. When the light turns on ... it'll be fun to watch.

 

[Gabjon]

I've been predicting a significant sophomore leap for Rak for six months now . . . maybe I'm his source

You are probably a better source than most!

 

[Gabjon]

Perhaps I am the source; Rothstein might've sought me out after I predicted that Rakeem would replicate John Wallace's sophomore season.

(Before anyone objects, I subsequently retracted the specifics of that prediction - Wallace put up something like 16 and 9 as a sophomore and no one on this roster will do that - while standing by the spirit of it: Rakeem will show the best face-up game of any SU big since Warrick, work a formidable high-low with Coleman or Keita, and be more than capable on defense.)

I think Coleman will have a better face-up game than Rak this year and I'm not sure Warrick counts as a big if he does he's the smallest big in the last 20yrs.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

I saw a recent pick up game involving mostly players. Rak has indeed put in 25lbs of muscle and looks much better than last year. I don't doubt rothsteins statement.

gotta give us more than that Jake. Is it true that Cooney shoots like Pistol Pete, handles like Pearl, and leads like R.E. Lee? Is D.C. The 2nd coming of Wes Unseld, with the offense of Elvin Hayes? Inquiring minds want to know. I have heard that MCW makes the Iceman look pedestrian.

 

[cuseincincy]

I think Rak could easily match Etan's development which as bills01 said was very good for a college player. I think it is more likely that he ends up somewhere between Etan and Kenyon Martin. Etan and KMart were very similar through 3 years but then KMart exploded as a senior and developed a 15 foot jumper that enabled him to become player of the year. If Rak stays long enough I think he can be better than Etan.

 

[djdan]

Scoop Jardine doesn't belong on that list. He had that funky release as a frosh, but by the time his sophomore season rolled around [after he sat out as an injury redshirt] he was a solid three point shooter the rest of his career. He was far from the most deadeye marksman we've ever had, not saying that he'd be mistaken for Greg Kohls, but he had the cajones to take--and make--big shots. He played a tad out of control his soph / junior seasons, which drew lots of posters' ire, but outside shooting was never an issue with him.

Man, I was prepared to debate you on this but the numbers speak to your point:

Scoop Jardine 3 pt. %:

07-8 27.8
9-10 38.9
10-11 35.7
11-12 37.9

Just for fun, here's a comparison to GMac:

02-3 35.7
3-4 38.9
4-5 34.0
5-6 33.4

For his career, Scoop shot 36.4% from three while Gerry shot 35.3. Interesting if nothing else. Makes me wonder why we all complained about Scoop so much!

 

[Gabjon]

Man, I was prepared to debate you on this but the numbers speak to your point:

Scoop Jardine 3 pt. %:

07-8 27.8
9-10 38.9
10-11 35.7
11-12 37.9

Just for fun, here's a comparison to GMac:

02-3 35.7
3-4 38.9
4-5 34.0
5-6 33.4

For his career, Scoop shot 36.4% from three while Gerry shot 35.3. Interesting if nothing else. Makes me wonder why we all complained about Scoop so much!

People complained about Gmac more