ASKEW,
- Thread starter deep3
- Start date
He will be 19 in July. He reclassed but graduated with his starting class.
No crap! I thought he played well today. I have stuck with this kid while others have bashed him and I think with only 2 PGs he has to play a lot of minutes and playing them will pay off down the road this season and next. He drained a 3, knocked down his FTs, played solid D and had some good passes. 15 point road win and people want to go after a hard fighting kid who went 3 of 4 and had 4 assist to 1 TO. Dam some of you guys are just miserable. The kid had a solid day.
I couldn’t believe that we didn’t even try to break the press by passing over it. Someone had to be open when 3 defenders are rushing you.
I am willing to cut him slack because it isn't like his teammates were coming to his aid. Well, except for Boston who was extremely frightening with the ball. It is hard to be extremely critical of someone with the ball when as the primary ball handler he only had one turnover.
Last edited:
The kid played well and with lots of heart. He doesn't back down.
Agree with both the sentiment of OP but also agree that it wouldn't have been first thing I'd have written after today--this was a great game for this year's team and first half was best basketball that UK has played since the 2nd Half of last year's LSU win in Baton Rouge.
Askew shouldn't be starting at UK--but there's no other option this year. Can go with Mintz as PG but that is only effective when BJ Boston makes some shots because if he doesn't he literally doesn't compete at anything else. Mintz threw Boston a perfect pass ahead and Boston wasn't sprinting--he rarely does--and it ends up a TO. So you play Askew/Mintz and rotate the forwards.
Best thing to do if you want to evaluate a player--record the game-2nd time you watch it--just watch that player in his time in the game. It's going to be surprising both positively and negatively regarding some players and how they play. Emotions get in way watching live and most of us all follow the ball during a game--but watching off the ball and how players run up/down the floor and more often then not with this team who doesn't run/sprint is telling. You earn being 8-13 just as you earn being great. Always stats and words to speak as to why you should/could be something but it usually comes down to player evaluations-be it recruiting or who is playing the most minutes on a team. Askew is trying like hell, he's just not very good and it will be addressed after the season.
Askew shouldn't be starting at UK--but there's no other option this year. Can go with Mintz as PG but that is only effective when BJ Boston makes some shots because if he doesn't he literally doesn't compete at anything else. Mintz threw Boston a perfect pass ahead and Boston wasn't sprinting--he rarely does--and it ends up a TO. So you play Askew/Mintz and rotate the forwards.
Best thing to do if you want to evaluate a player--record the game-2nd time you watch it--just watch that player in his time in the game. It's going to be surprising both positively and negatively regarding some players and how they play. Emotions get in way watching live and most of us all follow the ball during a game--but watching off the ball and how players run up/down the floor and more often then not with this team who doesn't run/sprint is telling. You earn being 8-13 just as you earn being great. Always stats and words to speak as to why you should/could be something but it usually comes down to player evaluations-be it recruiting or who is playing the most minutes on a team. Askew is trying like hell, he's just not very good and it will be addressed after the season.
Askew is not skilled enough yet to create shots for himself or others. Coming into this season we thought the guards around him would be elite in Clarke and Boston but that hasn’t happened which has put a lot more pressure on askew. He has struggled at times but he has been improving and has always played hard and handled poor performances about as well as you could ask of anyone much less a kid. I don’t know how you can not root for him
You got that right.
Kid played a solid game tonight:
7 points on 3 of 4 and 1 of 1 from 3.
4 assists a rebound and only 1 turnover in 31 minutes.
Listen, he is no Fox but Ill take that stat line every night and who else we have on this team, Ill beat you 9 out of 10 times.
Oh and how bought his straight line drive to the basket for 2?
But but we cant beat anyone off the dribble.
:flush:
Last edited:
Askew is getting better, I guess, but he could have easily had 5 or 6 turnovers today. There were several passes that our guy had to rip it away from them. And how many times did he get bailed out with timeouts. He constantly picks up his dribble with nowhere to go. I just hope he continues to improve.
Sarr's play is the season's biggest disappointment to me; esp. now that Boston's starting to play better. I expected a huge year out of a senior who was 3rd team all ACC as a jr.
Wood3 of 4 shooting. Hit his only three. 4 to 1 turnover ratio...yep he sucked...or you are high. One or the other.
We want four year players that will develop over the course of their career, at least primarily.
He's going to have competition to fight to get minutes. If you saw the look on Cal's face in the last 2 minutes watching the circus that was Askew attempting to handle a press it is priority #1 to improve the PG position by all avenues possible.
The guy threw a 3 hop bounce pass across from his own basket against a full court press. Why teams don't pressure Kentucky is beyond me--but thankful they don't because I think this team would wilt. Then breaking the pressure and dribbling to worst areas on the court/picking up dribble...it was painful to see considering it's the 21st game of the season. This is one of the poorest recruiting evaluations in the Cal era. It happens to everyone/every program. Just don't compound things by assuming it'll get better with experience. Time to bring in athleticism/speed to the backcourt again. '22 is loaded with it as is '23. This should never happen again but in meantime--you look at transfers to come and help Hickman-who isn't a jet-but isn't this bad.
Maybe Askew just needs more time and he's developing like a normal 4 year college basketball player.
This is ine of many things that worries me about next season. The pg position. It can't just be Askew. He can't be option #1 if our goal is a national title. He will be really good in year 3, but it's going to take more than one summer to get him right.
Who do you think Cal can get to run the 1 next year? I'm hoping we can get a Pippen type guard through the transfer portal.
Only thing I've noticed with Askew is he doesn't know when to continue driving the ball and when to back out.
He actually beats his man quite a lot but he picks up his dribble and doesn't challenge the inside. In the same breath he also drives too deep and gets into trouble. With confidence and experience he will get that worked out.
He actually beats his man quite a lot but he picks up his dribble and doesn't challenge the inside. In the same breath he also drives too deep and gets into trouble. With confidence and experience he will get that worked out.
You give credit where credit is due. Askew played a good game today. Boston did not have that great of a game today. I am just happy we beat Tenn. on their floor by 15 points. I really enjoyed this game today.
We'll see if he's around by JR year. If you watch the guard options in '22 and '23, you would be hard pressed to see him measure up. Hickman is going to push him enough, but it's time to get playmaking and someone who makes it easier for teammates.
We all know Cal's going to do what he does--so you need guards who can break down opponents and repeatedly score at rim or get fouled because the offense becomes so stagnant.
I usually focus on him when watching the replays. I'm not seeing him beat his man straight up. He lacks speed on the sprint and does not have a quick first step from a dead standstill. Couple that with not having much lift when he jumps and there is rarely separation from his defender. The most open he gets is when he goes into the lane with his defender parallel to him and then fades away from the basket/defender to get his shot off. He does not have the speed to go PAST his defender. But smart players will figure out how to be effective and make up for disadvantages. We'll see how that goes as he gets more time at this level.
Here's the issue, if Cal brings in a guy that can go by defenders, we'll only have him for 1 year. Askew is a typical college pg. A guy that stays 4 years in college and a guy that is very similar to the point guards that are winning national titles. Look at the last 4 title teams. Look at the point guards on those teams. Arcidiacono, Joel Berry, Kyle Guy/Ty Jerome & Jalen Brunson. Devon Askew is a guy that can ultimately be better than all of those guys if he stays 4 years.
It's beyond time to get away from these one and done kids, we need good college players. Don't judge Askew on his performance this year, that's not fair, give him time.
Understand your point but disagree that Askew will ever be on the level of the players you mentioned. All of them were MUCH better ball handlers and knew how to use their bodies. I'd also venture that Askew will never be as athletic as any of those players, even though none of them would be considered high level athletically. He is a plodder who is off balance quite a bit. What will contribute to him being a serviceable PG at the DI level is if he is teamed with players who are at a tremendous advantage versus who is lining up for them. And he will have to learn to use his body like an Andre Miller. But again Miller had a very good handle to do what he did.
If you watch what Aaron Craft did to be effective on D was crowd the ball handler and not allow them to turn the corner and go past him. He got burned more when he gave his defender space to make a move on him. Askew has size and I'm going to guess some strength. He will have to learn to use that to control the player who he is guarding. And to bully the players who are defending him. Squaring up at the top of the key and crossing someone over or blowing by from a standstill just won't be something he can count on. But if he puts his shoulder in enough defender's chins they will back off a bit and let him take them into the lane some. To do that he'll have to work on his handle non-stop until next year. LOL
He can learn to be effective. He'll just have to stop looking at the uber athletes as his models and consider some less sexy players to pattern his game after.
I get the feeling you're comparing freshman Askew to Junior and Senior Aaron Craft. But he doesn't need to he Aaron Craft good. Not only that, but Calipari has more than proven himself when it comes to coaching point guards. I have no doubt Cal will turn Askew into a legit game manager in short order. I give Cal a lot of grief, but I will also call a spade a spade, that guy can coach point guards.
Also, are you really sure on your opinion that Arcidiacono, Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome, Jalen Brunson and Joel Berry are more athletic than Askew? Again, don't compare them as Juniors and seniors to Askew as a freshman. Look at their freshman stats.
Askew played his best game as a Cat today. In a normal year he would be about 7 in the rotation, but with Clarke” hurt” we had no choice but play him. He stays he will be a solid player by Junior season.
He’s a freshman. And yes you can improve physical attributes. Despite what many seem to think on this board, people can get faster, stronger, better. It’s called conditioning and weight training.
He can also improve his court vision, decision making, shooting, defense, and ability to score in the lane. It’s called practice.
I‘m not predicting him to become John Wall all of a sudden but he can make major improvements to his physical limitations and overall ability if he sticks it out. Posts such as the OP are an embarrassment. We need guys to come back and improve.
Remember Aaron Craft? Short white dude who played PG at Ohio St with Jared Sullinger? Dude wasnt very athletic but was considered one of the nations best college point guards his senior year. I can see Devin making a similar leap even quicker than Craft. Easily getting to or exceeding his level of play by his junior season.
He can also improve his court vision, decision making, shooting, defense, and ability to score in the lane. It’s called practice.
I‘m not predicting him to become John Wall all of a sudden but he can make major improvements to his physical limitations and overall ability if he sticks it out. Posts such as the OP are an embarrassment. We need guys to come back and improve.
Remember Aaron Craft? Short white dude who played PG at Ohio St with Jared Sullinger? Dude wasnt very athletic but was considered one of the nations best college point guards his senior year. I can see Devin making a similar leap even quicker than Craft. Easily getting to or exceeding his level of play by his junior season.
Players can develop at every other school in the country but at Kentucky you have to be ready made. Weird.
Askew played a good game today. Missed one shot and had 4 to 1 assist to TO and that 1 TO came at the very end up big and we made a couple of dumb plays running the clock out. I thought everyone played solidly except for Boston and Sarr. Sarr seems to really struggle just to hold onto the ball. He lost the ball 3 times early on. Once a loose ball right there he drops out of bounds, once it was just taken from him and I can't remember the other, but I remember thinking 3 F***ups early. He really needs to come back and work on his craft. If we can get him going with everyone else watch out.
In the last few games, I look at the box score and say IJ only played around 20 minutes WTF. It feels like he is out there almost the entire time. I guess that is just because he is so dominant. All these minutes Askew is getting are going to pay off this year down the road and next year. He has a smooth shot, he looked better on D today and he always hustles. The kid is proud to be a Kentucky player and fights his *** off. I really don't get what people ***** about him so much for. Isn't this what most say they want?
In the last few games, I look at the box score and say IJ only played around 20 minutes WTF. It feels like he is out there almost the entire time. I guess that is just because he is so dominant. All these minutes Askew is getting are going to pay off this year down the road and next year. He has a smooth shot, he looked better on D today and he always hustles. The kid is proud to be a Kentucky player and fights his *** off. I really don't get what people ***** about him so much for. Isn't this what most say they want?
Thats a very good point but I just don't see the skill set of those mentioned, that said I hope like hell Im wrong.
I fully believe Cal will develop Askew to be better than all of the guys I listed with the exception of maybe Jalen Brunson.
Remember, this is just year 1. Just think, we could have him 3 more years, 4 actually. Askew's issues are easily fixable. He forces it too often and he picks up his dribble constantly. He can shoot and he can defend. He just needs experience.
Kyle Guy, Ty Jerome, Arcidiacano and Villanova's current pg, Collin Gillispie, all have one thing in common with Askew, they can't/couldn't beat good defenders off the bounce either. But what they could do, was manage the game. This is college, we don't need a flash in the pan NBA level guard that can get by his man, but can't shoot.
I'll throw another point guard at you, Cassius Winston. He was small and very unathletic, but he diced defenses up like a surgeon. He knew where to go and how to get there without the need to beat his guy one on one. He just got himself into space and created. That's all Askew needs to do. He is a good kid and if we want to get out of this stupid one and done cycle, we need to get more players like Askew. He's talented enough to eventually be damn good, but not talented enough to go to the NBA.
I'm excited, this shows me that Cal is starting to change. If he stays with the current offense we are running and he gets more guys like Askew, Brooks, Mintz and Toppin, I'm good. You can win with those guys. You get multi year kids and you still get really good length and athleticism. And guess what, Cal could STILL satisfy his NBA itch by getting guys drafted through development. To me, that should be MUCH more satisfying than getting guys drafted that were ALREADY getting drafted no matter what they did in college.