We will have an outstanding 3 guard offense this year, last year we had an outstanding 3 guard offense and didn't go past 2nd round (of course thanks largely to NCAA scheduling). I feel if we are better this year and we go further this year, it will only be because of one dude - BAM. The season rests on his shoulders and I think he can carry the load.
It's All About Bam
- Thread starter WallMash
- Start date
I am most excited about Bam out of all the newcomers. I love Fox and Monk also but Bam will be the reason we are great, and not just good.
For us to make a deep run in March we need to have one or two consistent outside shooters. As far as I can see this is the only real question with the roster we have.
I think there are several reasons why we will be much better this year. Interior defense will help, along with better rebounding, but what I believe will really make us better is being able to go inside, for scoring. It will keep the opposing defense honest, and give our guards better opportunities. Plus, our bench should be stronger.
Every year it is an exciting time pre-season. Lots of hopes and dreams. However, it is a little dicey to read some of these posts where the belief is we will have this immediate awesome team. Perhaps and I hope so. But, guard play, won't be as good. Please don't suggest that Fox is more than Ulis or Monk is more than Murray. Let them prove it but seriously are you going to take two Freshman over those two, especially an experienced point guard in Ulis versus either Briscoe or Fox. Briscoe was good off guard but couldn't shoot the ball from the outside. It would be hoped that Briscoe of this year is better than Briscoe of last season but shooting the ball isn't always magically fixed and neither of these 3 guards are considered the greatest of reliable outside the paint shooters. So, a little weaker at guard than last season early on for sure.
The big problem last season was Labissiere. I don't care about his pro potential or how great he looked in NBA summer league, he stunk up the joint in College. He cost us games and could not defend even mediocre big physical inside players. Bam is the hope for a totally different interior but again he is a Freshman and that will have to be seen. Humphries was decent at times, but no superstar. Still, like Briscoe you would think Humphries of this year will be better than Humphries of last season.
Also, Matthews was a flop and didn't stand out in the front court so the other new bigs you would think would be a step up. Marcus Lee was a good defender with no offensive moves other than great hands to catch and dunk. So, again there was a deficit last year that hopefully one of the other bigs will help the front court improve. Perhaps that keeps Willis out there more as a senior.
The good news is that most of the teams, other than Duke, don't have great players with experience either and the talent for Kentucky certainly looks like it could develop. This team may have a better balance overall than last season with not as much superior offense as last season but much better balance offensively and defensively. I do agree that Bam appears to be a key.
The big problem last season was Labissiere. I don't care about his pro potential or how great he looked in NBA summer league, he stunk up the joint in College. He cost us games and could not defend even mediocre big physical inside players. Bam is the hope for a totally different interior but again he is a Freshman and that will have to be seen. Humphries was decent at times, but no superstar. Still, like Briscoe you would think Humphries of this year will be better than Humphries of last season.
Also, Matthews was a flop and didn't stand out in the front court so the other new bigs you would think would be a step up. Marcus Lee was a good defender with no offensive moves other than great hands to catch and dunk. So, again there was a deficit last year that hopefully one of the other bigs will help the front court improve. Perhaps that keeps Willis out there more as a senior.
The good news is that most of the teams, other than Duke, don't have great players with experience either and the talent for Kentucky certainly looks like it could develop. This team may have a better balance overall than last season with not as much superior offense as last season but much better balance offensively and defensively. I do agree that Bam appears to be a key.
We're gonna have a good time at Bam Adabeyo Lord. Sorry, I was trying to make an almonds brother pun.
We all know how important guard play is during the tourney. Last year we had one of the best backcourts, if not the very best backcourt in the entire country and it really didn't matter. Our frontcourt play was below average. I feel like if we could have at least got average frontcourt play from our bigs, our team could have went a lot further in the NCAA tourney than we did. You can have the best guards in the country, but if you don't know a big that can rebound the ball, good luck on winning games in March. Bam is a very important part of our team this year. I do think Humphries will take a big step up and will be a very good rebounder, but i like the fact we at least have one big that can jump out of the gym. When you have a big like that, it helps a lot all over the court. A frontcourt player like Bam can grab some rebounds that most frontcourt players would not be able to grab with the hops the kid has. Most of us know how awesome Fox and Monk will be together as a backcourt. We need at least one of our bigs to be among the best in the nation if we want to make it to the final four. Luckily for us i think Bam is that type of big. I do feel like early in the season we need to lower our expectations on Bam and let the kid get used to playing college basketball. see a few early season games from Bam that has him in early foul trouble. It takes some kids time to get used to the speed of the game of college basketball. By the end of the season, i believe the kid will be one of the best in the country.
It will be really hard for Fox & Monk to follow Ulis & Murray. They'll be relying on speed and athleticism more than craftiness like Tyler or shooting like Jamal.
But I think a HUGE difference will be the guys battling inside. Jamal's shooting 40% from three was awesome. But that also meant 6/10 times he'd miss and Skal, Alex, and Marcus looked like 9-year-old blind girls with scoliosis and prosthetic arms trying to rebound. Bam and Gabriel I believe will be huge upgrades. I could be wrong but I think we're better off with a guy shooting 35% with beast rebounders who box out than a guy shoot 40% without them.
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It can't be Monk. We haven't seen him play yet so he can't count.
Bam is so important. I hate to throw these names out there, but he has the potential to be a Dwight Howard/Shawn Kemp mix. I know that's a ridiculous thing to say, but man can he get up and man is he strong.
Cals system depends on a rim protector, and Bam is that guy this season. He MUST have his timing down, no jumping for head fakes. He's got to box out and not rely on athleticism for rebounds. He's got to stay out of foul trouble.
If he can, we will see a beast like we haven't seen in a while. He has the potential to be in the conversation with AD, Boogie, and KAT.
Cals system depends on a rim protector, and Bam is that guy this season. He MUST have his timing down, no jumping for head fakes. He's got to box out and not rely on athleticism for rebounds. He's got to stay out of foul trouble.
If he can, we will see a beast like we haven't seen in a while. He has the potential to be in the conversation with AD, Boogie, and KAT.
I think this team will be better than last years team. We were weak inside last season and this year we will be much better there. I think we will be fine at the guard spot, maybe not as good at shooting as last years guards but better at getting to the rim. Can't wait for the season to start.
Last year we had the weakest frontcourt we've had in 25 years. Hard to use that as a basis for comparison.
The inside game will improve our outside shooting as well. The opposition will have to pack it in, giving our perimeter guys open shots. Because of that we could have better overall shooting even though we don't have as good of shooters.
Ulis and Murray were a legendary backcourt to be sure, but Fox and Monk don't have to beat them at their own games to equal or exceed them. Fox is seven inches taller than Ulis (at least) and has an athletic ceiling much higher than Ulis for speed, reach, vertical, and strength. That's going to open up rebounding and offensive rim-attacking potential that Ulis did not have. It will also allow him to play from the sides of the arc, where Ulis struggled and often ended up camping out because of fatigue.
Monk also appears to be faster and more athletic than Murray. Which will give him some of the same advantages Fox has over Ulis. Additionally, Murray was a turnover factory when driving the lane and made a lot of poor tactical decisions with the ball in his hands. Monk's ball-handling and decision-making are untested in collegiate play, but there's plenty of room for him to be superior to Murray on that account. If Monk can manage 35% 3-PT shooting, we may remember him as the better guard overall.
And let's not understate the improvement we're likely to see out of Humphries, Willis, and Briscoe, who were already major contributors last season and some of our best rebounders and post players. Throw in Bam, SKJ, and Gabriel, and it seems likely the critical eye will fall on our backcourt, which for the reasons previously stated, has the potential to be stellar in its own right, held even against the standard of Ulis and Murray.
Taken together, I think it's safe to say we'll be better this year than we were last year. Most importantly, our strengths on the court will be diverse, and not isolated entirely in our shortest players, which will lead to greater flexibility against opponents and our own shooting droughts and slumps.
This team is Elite 8 quality minimum.
Monk also appears to be faster and more athletic than Murray. Which will give him some of the same advantages Fox has over Ulis. Additionally, Murray was a turnover factory when driving the lane and made a lot of poor tactical decisions with the ball in his hands. Monk's ball-handling and decision-making are untested in collegiate play, but there's plenty of room for him to be superior to Murray on that account. If Monk can manage 35% 3-PT shooting, we may remember him as the better guard overall.
And let's not understate the improvement we're likely to see out of Humphries, Willis, and Briscoe, who were already major contributors last season and some of our best rebounders and post players. Throw in Bam, SKJ, and Gabriel, and it seems likely the critical eye will fall on our backcourt, which for the reasons previously stated, has the potential to be stellar in its own right, held even against the standard of Ulis and Murray.
Taken together, I think it's safe to say we'll be better this year than we were last year. Most importantly, our strengths on the court will be diverse, and not isolated entirely in our shortest players, which will lead to greater flexibility against opponents and our own shooting droughts and slumps.
This team is Elite 8 quality minimum.
I can't wait to see BAM. It's gotta be weird for him to be BAM. You're 6'10 250+ and have physical strength and athletics that is inhuman. Folks. It's weird because he is 18-19 yrs old and he prolly doesn't trust himself yet. This is a monster waiting to happen.
I wholeheartedly agree! Guys are gonna feed off of the others creating a host of different scenarios. One thing for sure ..... It's gonna be exciting! Go Big Blue!!!
That is an interesting statement,really can't say it is too far off base,we did a lot of smoke and mirrors to get what we did out of them.This years edition will be better,probably a lot better.Offense could be an issue for this bunch,particularly early,rebounding and defense should be better right out of the gate and improve from there.
Has a high motor. Just doesn't use it at times, not a huge issue because Cal will make sure he uses it all the time. Uses it more so for offensive rebounding then lowers it for defensive rebounding and rim protection but like I said Cal should fix that
Relax! Bam Bam will be doing the Slam Slam at Rupp Man Man, and you will get to see it because your a Fan Fan!!!!! I love this crazy board. Everyone is so entertaining. I need basketball season do begin to regain my sanity.
Cal believes in what he calls "positionless basketball" and he will always take a more elite player who can play the SF spot over a less caliber player who may happen to naturally fit that mold.
Bam will be a beast this season for the wildcats. And also a top 5 pick in next years nba draft.
Yep on paper this team is more physical but we will see. I wonder what people were saying about last seasons team before the season started, I'll have to check out old threads
I agree with what you are saying, but Fox and Monk won't have to be as good as Tyler and Jamal. Fox has to be great, but not Tyler Ulis great.
If you were to replace Fox and Monk with Tyler and Murray this year, I would take it, this front court, COMBINED with Murray and Tyler, would be an incredible team, but the team could still be great in a different way with Fox and Monk…. I think, haven't seen these freshmen perform at this level yet.
But the bottom line is, as good as Tyler and Jamal were, they had a bad game in the tournament…. Both of them, and there was nobody else that was capable of digging the team out of the holes they kept finding themselves in.
Fox and Monk won't be as good at shooting or team leadership as last years duo, but they could very well be better at some of the other aspects of the game. Defense, rebounding and finishing at the rim immediately come to mind.
Idk what everyone was saying. I don't think anyone really expected us to get controlled on the boards or for Skal to bust in college. But everyone knew we were going to be more finesse inside and then it just didn't develop. I think a lot of people had hope for Tai as well b
Personally, I expected us to be more of a transition team and run and gun with a lot of DDMO.
Yeah, I thought back trying to come up with a weaker frontcourt and couldn't come up with one. We were weak in the pre-Cal era but Morris and then Patterson gave us one player better than anything we had last year, and Bobby Perry, Woo, and Stevenson were as good as most of the guys playing last year. You'd have to go to 1991, hear before Mashburn, IMO.
Not even debatable. But it's still amazing that this is true, considering Cal's usual luck with post players.