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

[jr4750]

I do really think if he’s willing to play the 3 he’ll come here

Hopefully we show him that EH ran the offense from the 3 position. So its not as if he will be forced way outside his comfort zone and actually can work on his handle and passing for the next level.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm excited about the possibility of adding this guy but I'm a bit confused about the assumptions that he walks right in (he may still need to sit a year) and immediately becomes the man (I'm not convinced he's better than Girard/Buddy/Marek/Guerrier).

 

[SUFan44]

The key is going to be whether the NCAA legislation passes to allow immediate eligibility to transfers.

If it does, he's a very good fit for next year to replace Hughes.

If he doesn't, how does that impact a guy like Benny Williams and his recruitment?

 

[littlereg]

Hopefully we show him that EH ran the offense from the 3 position. So its not as if he will be forced way outside his comfort zone and actually can work on his handle and passing for the next level.

Hughes arguably shouldve ran the offense more as well.

 

[Footey04]

I think we’re recruiting him under the assumption he will be able to play next year!!!

 

[moqui]

I'm excited about the possibility of adding this guy but I'm a bit confused about the assumptions that he walks right in (he may still need to sit a year) and immediately becomes the man (I'm not convinced he's better than Girard/Buddy/Marek/Guerrier).

you are of course correct

but to a large extent what's happening on the recruiting board these days is a form of fantasy basketball

 

[Footey04]

He would instantly be one of our top 3 players in my opinion!

 

[cuseguy]

I'm excited about the possibility of adding this guy but I'm a bit confused about the assumptions that he walks right in (he may still need to sit a year) and immediately becomes the man (I'm not convinced he's better than Girard/Buddy/Marek/Guerrier).

Well, think about floor spacing and scoring next year with Quincy instead of Hughes. Quincy needs to play a prominent role, but we’re going to need another ballhandler and shooter. It’s not going to be Braswell and it would be nice to have someone with a little experience rather than Newton or Richmond.

 

[General20]

I'm excited about the possibility of adding this guy but I'm a bit confused about the assumptions that he walks right in (he may still need to sit a year) and immediately becomes the man (I'm not convinced he's better than Girard/Buddy/Marek/Guerrier).

People seem to think we will need an Eli clone next year. I disagree. Eli had to be the primary ball handler (at least in late game and tough situations) and the primary scorer. A huge workload that I don't think we will need any one player to duplicate because guys are going to get better and expand their games from year to year.

Girard had a great handle, we needed Eli to be the primary ball handler because Girard made a lot of bad decisions, which is understandable when you consider he jumped from playing low level high school basketball right to ACC starter. I believe Girard will improve a lot in the decision making department with a year of experience under his belt, and we will be fine without a de facto second point guard playing forward.

As for Eli's shooting. You can never have too much certainly, but I don't believe we will be short on shooting with Girard, Boeheim, Guerrier, and Dolezaj. Guerrier was coming of a year not playing organized basketball and his shot wasn't falling, but he has the potential to extend his range and I believe he will. Generally freshman who put up the kind of numbers he did have good sophomore seasons. Dolezaj has shown capable of playing farther out from the basket than he did this past year. We didn't need him behind the three point line last year, we needed him around the basket, but he can increase his range too.

The way I see it, we've got five potential double digit scorers in Girard, Boeheim, Guerrier, Dolezaj and Sidibe. If Griffin were to play next year (god knows what will happen with those rules) we'd have a sixth. He could play some guard and some forward and add another shooter and another athlete. There would be room for all six guys to play starter type minutes. It would work out well, and I think they'd be a better team than last year's team, but it will look different. There won't be one guy that everything goes through, there will be six (maybe even seven if Richmond is able to contribute right away, I'm still not sure what to make of him) guys who are all pretty much equally capable of hurting you based on the match ups.

 

[moqui]

People seem to think we will need an Eli clone next year.

also weird: people are disappointed with the results of this season. some of the same people want to re-create that roster with an eli clone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i'm looking forward to a different approach. to the extent that there is much difference between forwards in jb's system, i think marek becomes the 3. he has all the attributes you want from a playmaking forward other than never having consistently demonstrated a deep shot. but he'll be able to run the offense from the high post with interior finishers quincy & bourama and deep threats buddy & joe. he'll have an advantage over most defenders - able to pass or shoot over a lot of small forwards with his midrange shot or put the ball on the floor and drive past bigger, less agile forwards.

 

[Orangefan1]

I feel braswell can easily average 15 a game if given the minutes

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Well, think about floor spacing and scoring next year with Quincy instead of Hughes. Quincy needs to play a prominent role, but we’re going to need another ballhandler and shooter. It’s not going to be Braswell and it would be nice to have someone with a little experience rather than Newton or Richmond.

Pfft, floor spacing. I got 80 minutes of floor spacing with Joseph and Jackson's names on it.

 

[dasher]

I feel braswell can easily average 15 a game if given the minutes

can easily? We haven't had that many 15 pt a game guys. I like Braswell a lot. But for him to easily average 15 pts a game ...

 

[jdubs30]

I feel braswell can easily average 15 a game if given the minutes

Since 2009 we’ve only had 8 different players average 15ppg or more.

To think there’s a guy on our bench who’s barely played who could “easily” do it seems like a stretch

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

I feel braswell can easily average 15 a game if given the minutes

15 sprints up and down the floor?

 

[orangejunkie]

I think Braswell is a "project". I hope I'm wrong but I don't see him as being anything more than a marginal contributor for a couple seasons.

 

[cuse10]

I like his quote about the recruitment process. He knows his worth. If you were truly interested, you'd have reached out much sooner than you did. Syracuse may not be closing the deal, but they are trying.

 

[Cusefan0307]

I think it's really hard to have a successful offense if your front line all has to play within 15 feet of the basket. It's going to make it harder for Marek or Quincy to get to the basket and for Sidibe/C to operate. Our most successful teams always seemed to have one forward that could stretch the floor. Wes. Joseph. Southerland...etc..Not saying it can't be done, but that is more the exception than the norm these days.

 

[Melancer46]

also weird: people are disappointed with the results of this season. some of the same people want to re-create that roster with an eli clone ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

i'm looking forward to a different approach. to the extent that there is much difference between forwards in jb's system, i think marek becomes the 3. he has all the attributes you want from a playmaking forward other than never having consistently demonstrated a deep shot. but he'll be able to run the offense from the high post with interior finishers quincy & bourama and deep threats buddy & joe. he'll have an advantage over most defenders - able to pass or shoot over a lot of small forwards with his midrange shot or put the ball on the floor and drive past bigger, less agile forwards.

I would love for Dolezaj to finally be unleashed, but that's seemed more like a Dolezaj mentality issue than a team makeup issue. It's really up to Dolezaj whether or not he can finally take that step; he's certainly talented enough to do it.

 

[Grbac]

I feel braswell can easily average 15 a game if given the minutes

I don’t know about that. I see Braswell as a Southerland clone. Long, bouncy, can defend, and shoot the 3. He definitely needs more minutes than what he has been given. But as talented as Southerland was he really didn’t get to play a ton until his senior season and averaged 13pts per game.

 

[RF2044]

I think Braswell is a "project". I hope I'm wrong but I don't see him as being anything more than a marginal contributor for a couple seasons.

I disagree, but certainly agree that there hasn't been much floor time to judge.

 

[Zelda Zonk]

I would love for Dolezaj to finally be unleashed, but that's seemed more like a Dolezaj mentality issue than a team makeup issue. It's really up to Dolezaj whether or not he can finally take that step; he's certainly talented enough to do it.

Yeah, it’s not about trying to ‘duplicate’ this season. More about finding the best way to have less of a drop off when losing our best and only dynamic scorer, with no obvious successor on the roster. If we actually could match eli’s Production, ostensibly we would be a better team because of expected progression and development and experience from everyone else. It’s all a guessing game, but I’m guessing the pieces we already have aren’t going to make up for the losses.

 

[Orangefan1]

Since 2009 we’ve only had 8 different players average 15ppg or more.

To think there’s a guy on our bench who’s barely played who could “easily” do it seems like a stretch

I just like his potential and he hasn’t really had the chance to play yet.

 

[moqui]

I think it's really hard to have a successful offense if your front line all has to play within 15 feet of the basket. It's going to make it harder for Marek or Quincy to get to the basket and for Sidibe/C to operate. Our most successful teams always seemed to have one forward that could stretch the floor. Wes. Joseph. Southerland...etc..Not saying it can't be done, but that is more the exception than the norm these days.

marek showed possible 3 pt range in limited chances his sophomore season. it wasn't needed this past year, but his improved ft shooting indicates to me that he'll be able to step out, take & make a reasonable number at a reasonable pct.

 

[007]

I would love for Dolezaj to finally be unleashed, but that's seemed more like a Dolezaj mentality issue than a team makeup issue. It's really up to Dolezaj whether or not he can finally take that step; he's certainly talented enough to do it.

MD brings a unique skill set relative to his length, the best of which, IMO, are his passing and overall court awareness. The other thing he does exceptionally well is initiate the fast break off of his own rebound. I'd love to see a lot more of that next season. I'm talking about when he rebounds and immediately heads up the floor and takes it all the way to the rim or kicks out to the shooters. He is a real weapon in this sense.

I think we also need to understand that MD was never the focus of opposing defenses. People underestimate how much attention was focused on taking BB's shot way, along with trying to contain Eli. Some of that focus will switch to MD next year. It will be interesting to see how he responds.
His assertiveness and confidence will need to take a big jump.