Witherspoon

[sys]

Babb.

is bc recruiting babb now?  'cause if he is, then i agree, ksu should sign him.

[michigancat]

BC is recruiting everyone in the country, I think.

[catzacker]

I guess it's either far easier to do it the conventional way or coaches just aren't good enough to do it the Majerus/Rusty way.  Rarely does a coach get elite results out of non-elite recruiting.  I would throw Maryland's NC team in the success w/out elite recruiting, but that's off memory without really going back and looking at that team. 

I guess I don't mind the Majerus/Rusty way, because what it usually does is it throws your best athletes on the court at once, even if they aren't "elite".  But having very few teams that fit this criteria leads me to believe it's quite difficult to pull off. 

I think the biggest problem is that coaches, in both high school and college, are reluctant to coach "skills".  They have no desire to spend time with Jeremiah Massey to extend his range beyond the three point line, or spend time teaching Lance Harris post moves so you can have him dominate smaller guards that he often faced.  I don't know why that is...maybe it's easier to sell an AD on something like a Triangle Offense or the High Low than it is to say, "I want to run a simple offensive and defensive system so I can spend more time on skill development".  Maybe it's a pride thing?  Maybe they're just regurgitating what they were taught?
The fact that not many subscribe to it that theory (in America) doesn't mean it doesn't work.  Remember when everyone laughed at Billy Beane and Bill James?  Yeah, not so much any more.  Also, look at the success Europeans have had in international play and individually in the NBA.  My dream system is very "European".

Coaches, for both reasons, won't play zone, so I assume this extends to their respective coaching methodologies/philosophies.  But I agree.  I'd throw into that why in the hell no one thought to teach Cartier to take the ball to the basket until it was too late.  

[michigancat]

I'd throw into that why in the hell no one thought to teach Cartier to take the ball to the basket until it was too late. 

That is a perfect example.  Why shouldn't Cartier know how to dribble/drive?  That's an area he actually regressed in while he was at KSU.

[sys]

i mildly agree w. rusty.  but i also very much think players should play to their strengths, not their weaknesses.  eg.  martin should shoot lots of 3s and try dribbling much less.

[BMWJhawk]

Coaches are going to coach to a player's strengths.  They're not going to spend time trying to improve player's weaknesses.  That's just not the way it works.  ku's coaching staff will never spend time trying to improve Sasha Kaun's long-range shooting ability.  They realize his limitations and are going to primarily focus on what he does best.  

Same goes for guys like Lance Harris.  The coaching staff would rather work on his shooting ability than spend time trying to mold him into a David Hoskins-type of player.  

[michigancat]

i mildly agree w. rusty.  but i also very much think players should play to their strengths, not their weaknesses.  eg.  martin should shoot lots of 3s and try dribbling much less.

I agree that players should play to their strengths, but I think they should practice everything.  If Martin got to a point that he could dribble, then he could use dribbling in games.

Coaches are going to coach to a player's strengths.  They're not going to spend time trying to improve player's weaknesses.  That's just not the way it works.  ku's coaching staff will never spend time trying to improve Sasha Kaun's long-range shooting ability.  They realize his limitations and are going to primarily focus on what he does best. 

Good.  Sounds like ku has a dumb coaching staff.

[catzacker]

There's no reason a 6'8" shooter didn't, over the course of 4 years, learn how to create his own shot.  If Huggins was Cartier's coach for 4 years, he would have been drafted. 

Another example is Shawn Rhodes.  Dude was 6'10" and couldn't play with his back to the basket. 

You don't just coach to a player's strengths, you're supposed to make them a more complete player. 

[sys]

I agree that players should play to their strengths, but I think they should practice everything.  If Martin got to a point that he could dribble, then he could use dribbling in games.

yeah.  i think that too.

[michigancat]

Another excellent point I forgot:

There is a (false) perception that at a certain point a player either has a jump shot or doesn't have a jump shot.  This is usually for freshmen in high school.  Lots of coaches won't do anything to modify a players shooting form after this point.

[waks]

Bottom line is that we lost Witherspoon months ago and you rejects failed to see it.  I saw it.  Maybe Waks will remember when I crossed him off of our list of 08's in a very visual post?  Well it's time to pay the piper.  And by piper I'm speaking of Chris Piper, the man who claimed that the Octagon was/is louder than AFH.  We have to pay him, then the recruits will flow to us like the salmon of Capistrano.

I don't remember that, Clams. However, I do agree with you. We lost Witherspoon the second I made him my avi (same thing happened with Kadji, fwiw). Luckily though....that won't happen again. As you can see, I've put myself in my avi. I just hope Frank Martin isn't looking for any 5'7" white guys that can't play a lick of basketball.

[cas]

We could slide Hoskins over to the point. 

That would be nice. Hos would be deadly, posting up smaller, weaker PG's. 

[sys]

outstanding article by martin btw.  with updates on both witherspoon and gilchrist.  maybe he does read by blog comments.

[BullHawkWheel]

Witherspoon is ku's to lose.  his dad is basically saying that he wants to go to ku, just make sure ku really wants him.

[BullHawkWheel]

 

[waks]

Witherspoon is ku's to lose.  his dad is basically saying that he wants to go to ku, just make sure ku really wants him.

Comedic GOLD. kudos to you, Coolhawks.

[pissclams]

Bottom line is that we lost Witherspoon months ago and you rejects failed to see it.  I saw it.  Maybe Waks will remember when I crossed him off of our list of 08's in a very visual post?  Well it's time to pay the piper.  And by piper I'm speaking of Chris Piper, the man who claimed that the Octagon was/is louder than AFH.  We have to pay him, then the recruits will flow to us like the salmon of Capistrano.

I don't remember that, Clams. However, I do agree with you. We lost Witherspoon the second I made him my avi (same thing happened with Kadji, fwiw). Luckily though....that won't happen again. As you can see, I've put myself in my avi. I just hope Frank Martin isn't looking for any 5'7" white guys that can't play a lick of basketball.

http://www.ksufans.com/forums/index.php?topic=13365.msg160231#msg160231

[KSU4ME]

It would be nice if NCAA coaches had unlimited time to work with players so they could take someone who couldn't hit the broad side of a barn and turn them into pure shooters.

HS coaches as well in most states, and they're further hampered by AAU coaches who may not be teaching the same thing or using the same methods during the off season.

Right thread?

[WavetheWheat]

EBoss had a very interesting update on spoon in phog premium.  I don't want to get in trouble for posting premium info, but I will just say...you all will be happy.

[michigancat]

pm plz thx.

[catzacker]

 

[catdude33]

pm plz thx.

[TheWildcat]

EBoss had a very interesting update on spoon in phog premium.  I don't want to get in trouble for posting premium info, but I will just say...you all will be happy.

So can you sum it up? 

[michigancat]

No PM.

[steve dave]

Is this bait?   

[WavetheWheat]

Not bait, but I am not going to PM it either (I can't PM it to everybody and one of you guys will just turn around and post it, same difference as me posting.)

He is not committing to K-State yet, so don't get too excited.

[michigancat]

No one reposts PM's here.

[steve dave]

No one reposts PM's here.

QFT

psst...Rusty...PM me if he PMs you!

[michigancat]

No one reposts PM's here.

QFT

psst...Rusty...PM me if he PMs you!

Not enough GMA comments.

[steve dave]

Not enough GMA comments.

 

I rated it you glory loving bastard!