Class of 2020 SG/SF Alan Griffin (NY / Illinois) TRANSFERRING TO SYRACUSE

[All4SU]

its hard to take the 1pt guard and the 1 shooting guard and the 1 three we have out when you have no real options..

watch that 2003 game again. when you take out gerry you put in a better 1 or slide him to the 2 or put in a 2 that can do other things. JB is more than willing to sub but he doesnt want way worse when he does it..

We could have slid Hughes to the 2 more but most of the time we didnt have 2 forwards since the centers were already in foul trouble. We can take JG out but then the 1 becomes a place holder at best. Goodine was the only upside answer and he was hurt for most of the spring.

This kid is the better 2 than we had last yr and we need to find a way to get a better 1 option. We have 4 forwards now and 3 guard options now.

good post, but I think Girard will be just fine at the PG spot

 

[Trueblue25]

Dirty 2.0 with rebounding abilities?

 

[upperdeck]

I think he will too.. but I think if he could play some at the 2 it would also be good. he would get less beat up and have better chance to take on guys

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Girard
Buddy
QG
Marek
Sid

JBA
Griff
Woody
Richmond
Edwards
Braswell
Tapé?

I'm suddenly a lot more bullish for next year. I think JB is going to Ben a lot more willing to play JG and BB less with a capable shooter able to back them up.

If you want our 5 best on the floor you're likely going

Girard
Jackson
Griffin II
Guerrier
Marek

You could realistically play 4 out with Guerrier as your inside scorer/garbage man, 3 shooters, and Marek orchestrating the offense.

That could actually be a lot of fun.

 

[Jasoncuse]

If Tape also decides to come, it’ll be interesting to see how him and Griffin pick up the zone. Assuming we will have a season but there won’t be any summer activity, they’ll basically have a month or two to work with their new teammates. We know how tough it can be for first year players to pick up the nuances of the zone.

We’re already looking like another poor defensive team due to the guard play and mediocre interior play, so this obviously will not help.

I hope we can be better next year but nothing really points to that unless we get huge leaps from Girard and QG. Eli to AG is likely a downgrade, especially in terms of playmaking and size. MD/Sid won’t be any bigger so can they learn to play without fouling as seniors? The guards will still lack the necessary athleticism for a high end D. A lot of warts that are tough to overcome still.

The pieces are looking better than a week ago, there’s hope for individual improvement, but the weaknesses that killed us this past year are still looking to be there for next year, coupled with a likely better ACC. And I wish our guys could have the summer development period that many in the past have benefited from. QG working on his jumper/handle, the bigs their post moves and strength, playing with each other, new guys getting acclimated and so on.

It’s great we are adding a very talented and mostly proven player in AG - we needed that. But talk of top 15-25 I’m seeing seems quite crazy...what am I missing?

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Dirty 2.0 with rebounding abilities?

He's a bit smaller.

 

[HOFCeluck]

Still think Griff isn’t coming here to come off the bench. We’ll see, and as Dion can tell you, minutes matter more than starting.

He might not! Which would mean Marek or QG come off the bench. Doubtful he starts at 1 or 2.

If he’s in a Dion Waiters role that also portends good things for the team.

All good problems to have tbh.

 

[HOFCeluck]

If you want our 5 best on the floor you're likely going

Girard
Jackson
Griffin II
Guerrier
Marek

You could realistically play 4 out with Guerrier as your inside scorer/garbage man, 3 shooters, and Marek orchestrating the offense.

That could actually be a lot of fun.

Wait who’s Jackson

 

[Jasoncuse]

Still think Griff isn’t coming here to come off the bench. We’ll see, and as Dion can tell you, minutes matter more than starting.

Agreed. QG will be 6th man and the preseason leader for that award in the ACC. I like his energy off the bench and he can come in for 4 of the 5 starters. And I expect him to still get 25-28 mpg.

 

[jdubs30]

Wait who’s Jackson

That’s Buddy’s first name

 

[IlliniMike]

Illinois guy here. You all are getting a very good player. We’re sad to see him go but he was looking for a bigger role and probably wasn’t going to start for us next year either with a borderline 5* coming in to replace Ayo if he ends up deciding to go pro. His parents are separated and his mom was openly critical of Brad Underwood for not playing him enough but Alan’s dad wanted him to stay at Illinois. His playing time was a major contention among our fans as well because the guy starting and playing in front of him was essentially a non scorer but was our best defensive player. Alan was our second guy off the bench most nights and was probably our most consistent shooter. He backed up the 2 and played some 3 for us. He’s aggressive and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Don’t let the Purdue incident shape your view of him. He’s not a bad guy. It can be quite the adventure with him sometimes on defense. He can lose his assignment or man sometimes but he did improve as the season went on. He’s gonna be one of your best players next year, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s your leading scorer. He can be streaky but he’s talented. Check out his Northwestern tape if you haven’t yet.

 

[HOFCeluck]

That’s Buddy’s first name

I had literally no idea. I guess it’s more reasonable than thinking Jim and Juli names their son “Buddy.”

 

[Ozone!]

 

[orangebabe]

you know that quickness is mostly god given ability right? Whatever improvements he’s made with workouts he’s probably very close to the ceiling of what he can bring defensively. This isn’t a dion waiter’s situation where he just has to get into game shape and lose the spare tire. Now if he can convince his old man that it’s okay to rest him a few minutes here and there, now that would be a news story.

Yes I do, but he can still work on it lol. You either have athleticism or you don’t. I was trying to be nice

 

[Trueblue25]

He's a bit smaller.

On the bright side, looks like he plays bigger.

 

[Cuse1055]

He might not! Which would mean Marek or QG come off the bench. Doubtful he starts at 1 or 2.

If he’s in a Dion Waiters role that also portends good things for the team.

All good problems to have tbh.

Absolutely agree.

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

View attachment 179245

I don’t consider a commitment official until I see the sparkly graphic post from Ozone!

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Wait who’s Jackson

Buddy. VT started calling him Jackson and I'm running with it.

 

[SWC75]

Rules? In a knife fight?

NCAA basketball at it's finest!

 

[Cuse1055]

Illinois guy here. You all are getting a very good player. We’re sad to see him go but he was looking for a bigger role and probably wasn’t going to start for us next year either with a borderline 5* coming in to replace Ayo if he ends up deciding to go pro. His parents are separated and his mom was openly critical of Brad Underwood for not playing him enough but Alan’s dad wanted him to stay at Illinois. His playing time was a major contention among our fans as well because the guy starting and playing in front of him was essentially a non scorer but was our best defensive player. Alan was our second guy off the bench most nights and was probably our most consistent shooter. He backed up the 2 and played some 3 for us. He’s aggressive and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Don’t let the Purdue incident shape your view of him. He’s not a bad guy. It can be quite the adventure with him sometimes on defense. He can lose his assignment or man sometimes but he did improve as the season went on. He’s gonna be one of your best players next year, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s your leading scorer. He can be streaky but he’s talented. Check out his Northwestern tape if you haven’t yet.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated. Btw don’t think that sending us Griffin and Ryan Blackwell makes up for 1989 ;-)

 

[W'boro'Cuse315]

Buddy. VT started calling him Jackson and I'm running with it.

I got more of a kick out of “Griffin II”, assuming you’re just going to run with him being Allen’s son. There’s people out there who will believe it, likely the same people who are forever convinced Josh & Dayshawn Wright are related & that DaJuan is Derrick’s son, no matter how many times they’re told other wise.

Or, maybe were just thinking of his little bro, Adrian Griffin II?

 

[SWC75]

Illinois guy here. You all are getting a very good player. We’re sad to see him go but he was looking for a bigger role and probably wasn’t going to start for us next year either with a borderline 5* coming in to replace Ayo if he ends up deciding to go pro. His parents are separated and his mom was openly critical of Brad Underwood for not playing him enough but Alan’s dad wanted him to stay at Illinois. His playing time was a major contention among our fans as well because the guy starting and playing in front of him was essentially a non scorer but was our best defensive player. Alan was our second guy off the bench most nights and was probably our most consistent shooter. He backed up the 2 and played some 3 for us. He’s aggressive and plays with a chip on his shoulder. Don’t let the Purdue incident shape your view of him. He’s not a bad guy. It can be quite the adventure with him sometimes on defense. He can lose his assignment or man sometimes but he did improve as the season went on. He’s gonna be one of your best players next year, and I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s your leading scorer. He can be streaky but he’s talented. Check out his Northwestern tape if you haven’t yet.

First highlight: I rest my case on where he's likely to play.

Second highlight: he'll fit right in here.

 

[mickbird44]

perhaps he plays both spots, but I don't see him starting at SG over buddy, he's not a pg, so the default spot is sf. I do see him playing sg for buddy, hopefully at least 7 mins a, 20 mins at sf, and Guerrier playing both of the forward spots. Guerrier could also potentially lose minutes and a starting spot in all of this. Whoever works the hardest starts and that's a good thing. No one should be handed a spot like girard and buddy were this year.

Neither were “handed anything”

 

[CuseMan4]

JG3
Buddy
Griffin
Marek
Quincy
Sidibe
Tape

All 7 of those guys could start and nobody would complain. We essentially have 7 starters (assuming Tape comes here). That’s a good problem to have and something we took for granted from 2008-2013(ish). Don’t think this is a top 5 squad which might be obvious but I certainly think of everyone makes some progress this off season with the additions this off season we are certainly top 15/20.

 

[Cuse1055]

JG3
Buddy
Griffin
Marek
Quincy
Sidibe
Tape

All 7 of those guys could start and nobody would complain. We essentially have 7 starters (assuming Tape comes here). That’s a good problem to have and something we took for granted from 2008-2013(ish). Don’t think this is a top 5 squad which might be obvious but I certainly think of everyone makes some progress this off season with the additions this off season we are certainly top 15/20.

Yep, my hope is a configuration similar to 2010 where we had 7 “starters”. Not to mention a guy like Kadary who could be the wildcard 8th player.