Not that it matters....
- Thread starter ru66
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Gavin Griffiths had wrist surgery and is not practicing for Nebraska. They say he'll be OK for the fall.
You have to guess he hurt it strength training … he needs it.
If Griffiths becomes a productive and steady contributor at Nebraska, the comments at this board will be interesting.
It’s funny how people call him a quitter. This is a different world nowadays. He got money to leave a program where he was not successful, even though Pike gave him plenty of chances. However, nothing was ever run for him here and he was kind of left to sink or swim…and he clearly wasn’t ready for it. Nebraska’s offense might do wonders for him. If he’s a quitter than virtually everyone else is too as these players are all on one-year contracts going forward. It would have been stupid for him to stay.
I would disagree that nothing was ever ran for him. But I agree that you can't call him a quitter. I wouldn't be surprised if pike suggested he find another program to develop. Team is obviously going for it THIS year and brought in nothing but one and done experienced senior transfers. He might have even been behind grant and dortch in the rotation depending on how they defend and how Gavin improved. I feel like I just made this post on the football board about Gavin Wimsatt lol. But I was hoping Gavin improved later in the season (both of them) and serious skill development during the off-season but this is a new era. Things move fast these kids have adjust to changing rosters. Did Derkack quit on his team? Did kaliakmanis quit on his team? No they are playing the hands they were dealt. I hope Gavin heals up and gets buckets at Nebraska. Good luck to him.........
Pike tried to convince Gavin to stay. But he was reportedly not happy about “the way he was used last year”. And had questions about “how he would be used” this year. In other words, he didn’t perform as well as he expected and he blamed the coaches for it.
Personally I feel the transfers brought in are better for this roster. But I didn't know pike tried to keep him.
While I don’t think he was a huge loss, I still rather would’ve kept him on this roster. He would’ve benefited from a lot of open looks due to Dylan and Ace being the focal points of the offense, much like Cliff would’ve benefitted from not being a top 3 offensive option this year.
Both are at fault. The kid was overrated AND Pike didn’t know what to do with him. Both can be true.
I keep forgetting Pike has no faults. Thanks. Regardless, our one high-pick then fend-for-yourself offense was never going to work for a kid like Griffiths last year, who, as I’ve said, was also clearly overrated as a recruit.
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Pike is human and has faults. If you were HC, what specifically would you have done to get more production out of Griffiths?
IMO, he needed to come off screens to shoot at least some of the time, and there would have been nothing wrong with running some pick and rolls with him or plays to get him open. He wasn’t capable of getting open himself, although when he found himself open, he didn’t shoot well. Personally, I think he needed confidence and some easy buckets. He looked like he was pressing all year. He was left to create on his own and wasn’t ready for that. Sometimes you can’t treat everyone the same, to get the best out of a particular player. Also, he forced 3’s whenever he was even remotely close to being open. Bad shots don’t do much for your numbers and that’s coaching. Just my opinion.
Why? He would have had more success this year if he stayed playing with Ace and Dylan.
Let’s see what Hoiberg gets from Griffiths with a lot less than Ace and Dylan on the floor with him. Griffiths contributed very little here last season, at either end of the floor.
Several opinions on my part:
1) I do not blame Griffiths for leaving (and yes, several people have indicated Pike tried to persuade him to stay). In this world, if a player is not happy they SHOULD leave, if they think they will be happier elsewhere.
2) I was EXTREMELY disappointed in Griffiths performance last season. Frankly, I put it all on him. First, he said he came to RU because he wanted to learn how to play defense ... and his play showed he had a lot to learn, as he was so bad defensively that even with his offensive potential Pike just couldn't leave him on the floor enough minutes earlier in the season to shoot his way out of slumps. Second, Griffiths is the type of player who needs to get 12-14 shots a game ... and you will have some games where he goes 2-12, and others where he goes 9-14 ... but to get that many shots, you need to be on the floor, and it was only in the last 4-5 games of the season, when the team had basically given up on itself, that Griffiths got enough time to take that many shots - and his defense was at least a little better by then, but still no more than average at best. Third, they did try to pick and roll at times, and to use his ability to beat his man off the dribble (which he did a little bit in the out of conference) to set up others ... but he tried to make too many hard passes and turned the ball over way too much. Fourth, he was very weak physically - he had way too many balls taken right out of his hands, rebounds taken right out of his hands, etc . - and it was really tough for him when RU reached conference games. Fifth, his supposed best skill, 3-point shooting, was not shown - he missed way too many shots ... and while early in the season he forced very few shots, by the end of December, as he struggled, he began forcing a LOT of shots, reducing his ability to make them even more,.
3) I am not sure what Pike could have done to persuade Griffiths to stay in their conversation. Pike could not promise him a starting job: Williams, Harper and Bailey were all ahead of Griffiths, and they will be the starters at the 1,2, and 3 slots - Griffiths is a 3, or MAYBE a 2. He might have been told he could compete to be the 6th or 7th man, the 1st player or second player, off the bench ... but to COMPETE for that only, without a promise. Obviously, that did not cut it for Griffiths ... what are you going to do, make him untrue promises?
4) Pike instead brought in players who he believed WANTED to be at RU, who understood their role would be off the bench (except maybe Martini), who WANTED a chance to play with 2 of the top 3 recruits in the country for one season. Griffiths was obviously NOT such a player.
5) Pike brought in MOSTLY Seniors, and players with only 1 year left - Derkack was a sophomore and has 2 years left ... and if he does well this year and improves his man defense and raises his 3-point shooting to the low 30's, has a chance to start next season.
6) I wish Griffiths well and success, except when he plays RU.
1) I do not blame Griffiths for leaving (and yes, several people have indicated Pike tried to persuade him to stay). In this world, if a player is not happy they SHOULD leave, if they think they will be happier elsewhere.
2) I was EXTREMELY disappointed in Griffiths performance last season. Frankly, I put it all on him. First, he said he came to RU because he wanted to learn how to play defense ... and his play showed he had a lot to learn, as he was so bad defensively that even with his offensive potential Pike just couldn't leave him on the floor enough minutes earlier in the season to shoot his way out of slumps. Second, Griffiths is the type of player who needs to get 12-14 shots a game ... and you will have some games where he goes 2-12, and others where he goes 9-14 ... but to get that many shots, you need to be on the floor, and it was only in the last 4-5 games of the season, when the team had basically given up on itself, that Griffiths got enough time to take that many shots - and his defense was at least a little better by then, but still no more than average at best. Third, they did try to pick and roll at times, and to use his ability to beat his man off the dribble (which he did a little bit in the out of conference) to set up others ... but he tried to make too many hard passes and turned the ball over way too much. Fourth, he was very weak physically - he had way too many balls taken right out of his hands, rebounds taken right out of his hands, etc . - and it was really tough for him when RU reached conference games. Fifth, his supposed best skill, 3-point shooting, was not shown - he missed way too many shots ... and while early in the season he forced very few shots, by the end of December, as he struggled, he began forcing a LOT of shots, reducing his ability to make them even more,.
3) I am not sure what Pike could have done to persuade Griffiths to stay in their conversation. Pike could not promise him a starting job: Williams, Harper and Bailey were all ahead of Griffiths, and they will be the starters at the 1,2, and 3 slots - Griffiths is a 3, or MAYBE a 2. He might have been told he could compete to be the 6th or 7th man, the 1st player or second player, off the bench ... but to COMPETE for that only, without a promise. Obviously, that did not cut it for Griffiths ... what are you going to do, make him untrue promises?
4) Pike instead brought in players who he believed WANTED to be at RU, who understood their role would be off the bench (except maybe Martini), who WANTED a chance to play with 2 of the top 3 recruits in the country for one season. Griffiths was obviously NOT such a player.
5) Pike brought in MOSTLY Seniors, and players with only 1 year left - Derkack was a sophomore and has 2 years left ... and if he does well this year and improves his man defense and raises his 3-point shooting to the low 30's, has a chance to start next season.
6) I wish Griffiths well and success, except when he plays RU.
…because standing in the corner watching ball dominant no-share guards force shots. At Nebraska he’ll have the benefit of a very good team offense and coach.
Damn right his talent was wasted. And it will be even more iso and two-man this year.
With all due respect, while I do hope Griffiths does well at his new home (again, except for vs RU), that is not what happened last season.
Let's start with Griffiths shooting just 28% from 3, and 32% overall, just 36% from 2 ... 36% from 2 is very poor. By the way, even in the last 4 games, where Griffiths got more playing time as Pike was desperate for any type of scoring, and let him loose a little, Griffiths was only okay. He did average 11 ppg in 26 mpg ... shooting 10-28 from 3 (36%), 5-16 from 2 (31%) and 15-44 overall (34%). He did turn the ball over less (just 3 in those 4 games), and had fewer assists also - passing less often (3 in those 4 games). Of course, that meant he shot 26% from 3 prior to that stretch (21-82) ... with very poor defense. Still, there was some offensive upside hope in those last 4 games ... of course, Simpson had a better stretch in more games at the end of the season the prior year ... and look where that led last season (hint: Nowhere).
He had just 20 assists to 30 turnovers ... pretty bad for a Wing/Guard type player. Griffiths had the 4th worst assist to turnover ratio on the team, better only than Omoruyi, Woolfolk and Austin Williams.
For perspective, there are plenty (not saying you) who have been saying J. Davis last season (also a frosh) forced the ball too much, turned the ball over too much, and took forced 2-pointers that missed too much. Yet Davis shot 41% from 2 point range, and had 58 assists to 39 turnovers. Davis and Griffiths had approximately the same turnover rate per minute, though Davis had the ball in his hands much more often per minute.
Just saying ... I do not think Griffiths' problem was Pikiell. That said, I would have liked to see him return.
From what I could see and what I heard from someone inside the program, Pike and staff tried hard with Griffiths, which is their job. I think a lot of this falls onto the player.
I guess we will see what Hoiberg can do with Griffiths and what Gavin does with the opportunity.
I recall a ton of missed wide open 3 point looks. If you're not hitting those you really have no reason to be on the floor. He was an unmitigated disaster last year. The kid was vastly overrated as the top 4* in that class.
He was a freshman and played like one. Poor defensively, was pressing when shooting and it spiraled out of control. He'll most likely take a big leap this year or next. Would have rather he stayed but it's his choice to move on. That's why you root for the team and not the player, IMO.
Not certain he’ll make a big leap. And that actually says a lot. It certainly is very possible that Gavin could explode!!!
But IMHO it seems just as likely that he could be a total bust.
And that’s the interesting thing about the kid
Just based on his supposed potential i also would have preferred if he stayed but I guess he wasn’t willing to take a step back and learn. Oh well.
I don’t think I’ll be actively rooting against him but any kid that leaves…..won’t break my heart if he falls on his face
Hoiberg had a press conference a couple weeks ago and stated that the surgery had been planned to happen now. He said he hurt it at RU last November but played through it but this was an opportune time to get it fixed and be ready for the start of Fall practice in September.
That’s the info out of NU on it anyway.
That’s the info out of NU on it anyway.
I still believe he can shoot and that wasn't some crazy hype. That should help him. It's crazy to me that there were a few people worried about him testing the pro waters early on in his career. Not everyone can be Jaden Jones ya know.Not certain he’ll make a big leap. And that actually says a lot. It certainly is very possible that Gavin could explode!!!
But IMHO it seems just as likely that he could be a total bust.
And that’s the interesting thing about the kid
Just based on his supposed potential i also would have preferred if he stayed but I guess he wasn’t willing to take a step back and learn. Oh well.
I don’t think I’ll be actively rooting against him but any kid that leaves…..won’t break my heart if he falls on his face
Yet never reported on by anyone covering RU but we all knew immediately when Paul, Caleb, Cliff and others were banged up the last few years. This one smells like a horse farm when the wind is blowing the wrong way...lol.
When Gavin signed with us, and especially after Paul and Cam transferred, knowing the PT that would be available, he should’ve been cracking two raw eggs with one hand, chasing chickens, running through the streets, bounding up the steps, doing one-handed pushups and punching frozen slabs of meat.
Instead he came in weak and meek, had no sense of how to play defense, got pushed around and got too rattled to make a shot.
Had he stayed, I still would have cheered for the kid to improve and make his mark here. But he chose to leave and I’m fine with that, no matter how his career evolves going forward.
Instead he came in weak and meek, had no sense of how to play defense, got pushed around and got too rattled to make a shot.
Had he stayed, I still would have cheered for the kid to improve and make his mark here. But he chose to leave and I’m fine with that, no matter how his career evolves going forward.
I was one of the few that said he had things to work on when he got here including putting on some real bulk. But the hype train on this board left the station once he got that 5th star and some were claiming he was a sleeper 1 and done. But it's not always easy for some to put on muscle without a dedicated S&C plan & even then it can still be a challenge.
They were right though, he was one and done.
This is a prime example of what college program development used to be . Freshmen have freshmen struggles. You get stronger, make faster reads, get more comfortable in the system and by junior and senior year it becomes a great story of perseverance and hard work.
Transfer portal and NIL basically made that life lesson and good story disappear from college sports.
Transfer portal and NIL basically made that life lesson and good story disappear from college sports.
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Very true. IMHO, the biggest change in college hoops is the fact players no longer have to sit out a season when transferring. If players had to sit out a year, there would be far less movement.
It's also why the USA has to send future NBA Hall of Famers to the Olympics instead of college players. Player development at the college level is not nearly what it once was.
What?? The US has to send NBA Hall of Famers because the world has improved drastically over the last 30+ years.
It wouldn’t matter how good college development is, no team of 18-22 year olds who haven’t played a second of pro ball is taking down the top international teams today