Why Simpson is not a Geo clone

[RUJonny1]

1. MUCH quicker release on his outside shots.
2. Foot speed quicker than Geo.
3. Doesn't need to shake and bake to get by people.


I actually don't get the Geo comparisons, other than they were both relatively lightly recruited.

 

[SBP]

Gonna be better… no doubt.

 

[Rufaninga]

Geo hit many clutch shots to win games & carried the team during early years.

I hope Simpson does great things, but I'm not over hyping just yet.

 

[RAC’emUp]

At the rate people have elevated Simpson and Cam above Geo what could be next? Have you already forgotten that Geo is an all-time great here?

 

[RAC’emUp]

1. MUCH quicker release on his outside shots.
2. Foot speed quicker than Geo.
3. Doesn't need to shake and bake to get by people.


I actually don't get the Geo comparisons, other than they were both relatively lightly recruited.

He Is faster than Geo. He does not have a “much quicker” release. Geo could both shake and bake and blow by people. Geo was a stud in his freshman year and throughout his career at RU. This implicit criticism is crazy.

 

[Knights 1212]

Geo was an outstanding player for RU and is near the top of so many statistics for RU basketball history. He made possible the turnaround in RU Basketball. Simpson is very good and I believe he should have a very good career at RU but so did Geo and he will always be remembered by me for what he did for RU. I think a few on here are writing off Geo which I feel should never be done.

 

[wheezer]

At the rate people have elevated Simpson and Cam above Geo what could be next? Have you already forgotten that Geo is an all-time great here?

Simpson looks a bit like Geo and some of his game resembles
Fans are pointing out some features of his game, speed etc, that might be better than Geo as time goes on

Geo was an all time great and no one should say that Simpson will be better

Geo hit game winners and could handle the big time pressure for the most part
We hope to see that in the future

 

[MV9000]

Outside of some looks and number their games are not similar at all.

 

[Mr. Magoo1]

The comparison to me is that both players are kind of combo guards who came in unfazed by the college game and looked ready immediately. Simpson should definitely be better, however.

 

[RUJonny1]

Let me qualify what I'm saying - just because IS different than Geo does (a) not minimize what Geo has done here and (b) that Simpson will end up being a better player after all is set and done. I'm only talking about skillset. The biggest thing Simpson HASN"T shown is the ability to be "Mr. Clutch," which of course, Geo was.

 

[MiloTalon13]

This Freshman class is tremendously underrated.
Love watching these kids play.

 

[ColonelRutgers]

My biggest concern about Simpson is his size. Geo didn't arrive on campus ripped like Lou Ferrigno but he was a tall guard and I think our size has been a major factor in our defensive success under Pikiell. I just worry about Simpson getting manhandled by veterans in this league like Xavier Johnson and tall Big Ten guards shooting over him from the perimeter.

The biggest similarity about Simpson and Geo I see is their maturity and, so far, how both arrived here completely at ease and self confident despite coming to campus as "unheralded". Beyond the #0 and a bit of a physical resemblance from a distance, Simpson and Geo look like completely different basketball players.

 

[MLBash93]

Let me qualify what I'm saying - just because IS different than Geo does (a) not minimize what Geo has done here and (b) that Simpson will end up being a better player after all is set and done. I'm only talking about skillset. The biggest thing Simpson HASN"T shown is the ability to be "Mr. Clutch," which of course, Geo was.

I’ll never forget my ND fan friend saying to me during the game last season saying.

I forgot geo and Ron turn into Michael Jordan with 2 minutes left

 

[ColonelRutgers]

Want to give a shout out for Antoine Woolfolk. I've been pleasantly surprised. I'm always concerned about big man depth especially in this conference but after two games, admittedly against vastly inferior competition, he looks like he's going to be a solid contributor. He may be a freshman but he's not built like your typical freshman big and it appears that we have another Pike Special that is going to play some important minutes when the Big Ten games roll around.

 

[RAC’emUp]

This Freshman class is tremendously underrated.
Love watching these kids play.

They are certainly not underrated by this fan base - at least on this board. To say with certainty that a player will, after 2 games, ultimately be better than one of RU’s all-time greats is certainly NOT to underrate him.

 

[ScarletKid2008]

Geo was a legendary player here. He changed the culture of this program at a time when it was exactly what we needed. Also his ability to create a shot and his many heroic style shots with the game on the line is going to be hard for any one player to ever match again. Maybe there’s a bigger stage ahead for the future guys , but Geo was a pioneer and program changer.

with that said it appears Simpson has a bit more of a fast twitch than Geo (or any player we’ve had except Jacob and Corey)

 

[Mr_Twister]

And Geo stuck around … unlike some other significant contributors.

 

[jerzeyguy]

Geo had elite leadership qualities and stepped over n over. Even when the best player (Eugene) up abandoned the program, in the middle of the night. Paul looks like a great leader now, hopefully Derek has that built in him

 

[BuggsyRU]

Geo was an outstanding player for RU and is near the top of so many statistics for RU basketball history. He made possible the turnaround in RU Basketball. Simpson is very good and I believe he should have a very good career at RU but so did Geo and he will always be remembered by me for what he did for RU. I think a few on here are writing off Geo which I feel should never be done.

Agreed! There is almost a push by some to criticize or diminish what Geo accomplished and did for RU....when discussing Simpson. Can Simpson eclipse 25 points, or hit at a few game-winners like Geo did before people say he is already better?

Very weird to me.

 

[Scangg]

Simpson has a higher ceiling than Geo due to his elite level quickness and athleticism

It's TBD to see how he develops, but he looks like he has the work ethic, attitude, and desire to get there

He has NBA level quickness

 

[MADHAT1]

Derek looks like he will have a great career
Geo proved to be one of the RU greats.
Let Simpson prove he has in him what Baker proved he had all through his RU career.
Simpson is just starting his and though I hope he has a great RU HOF type career , I can't say he has proven that yet and place him in Geo's class of greatness .
Time will tell and from first glance m Derek looks capable of achiving the same type of Greatness Geo proved he had when he played at RU

 

[MiloTalon13]

They are certainly not underrated by this fan base - at least on this board. To say with certainty that a player will, after 2 games, ultimately be better than one of RU’s all-time greats is certainly NOT to underrate him.

I meant by HS rankings and recruiting class rankings

EVERY fan base overrated their young guys

 

[RU848789]

Geo was a legendary player here. He changed the culture of this program at a time when it was exactly what we needed. Also his ability to create a shot and his many heroic style shots with the game on the line is going to be hard for any one player to ever match again. Maybe there’s a bigger stage ahead for the future guys , but Geo was a pioneer and program changer.

with that said it appears Simpson has a bit more of a fast twitch than Geo (or any player we’ve had except Jacob and Corey)

Very well said. Simpson is very good with loads of potential, but it's too early to say if he'll be "better" than Geo was, especially with regard to shooting and clutch performances. I'm just very happy to have him here and excited to watch his growth as a player.

 

[NewJerseyHawk]

I watched Geo at an All Star game in Connecticut this past spring with Nova commit Mark Armstrong, UConn commit Donovan Clingan and other high caliber 2022 kids. Simpson actually looks better now than he did this past spring.

What Simpson has in some places is fine, but Geo was an all-time finisher scoring at the basket against taller or stronger players. We hyper-focus on the end of shot clock 3s.....but there were many more 2s made in traffic at the basket that were critical.

Simpson missed some very makeable shots at the basket, but going against a 7' kid in Clingan from Connecticut, will make things difficult. If Simpson can get to the rim and make his chippies, he then can join that discussion. I think Simpson is more similar to Corey Sanders than Geo Baker, but either is more than sufficient. I don't see a path for RU winning B1G games without some reliable bench contributions from the freshman (Simpson, Woolfork specifically).

 

[zebnatto]

DS has FAR to go to be in a conversation with Geo.

That said, Derek combines his quickness with anticipation. If there's a gap in the defense, Derek is basically moving through it even as the ball hits his hands. Gonna need the short jumper and good interior vision esp. given his height.

 

[RUInsanityToo]

So far Simpson appears fearless - but itIts always good to see how a player handles adversity before anointing them to be the next star.

 

[Eagleton95.99]

Geo Baker was a clutch all time great. Simpson would be psyched to be able to put up a highlight reel that looks like this:

I hope it happens and more. But it's amazing how short people's memories are.

 

[kcg88]

Really hard to compare their freshman seasons because of their surrounding casts. Simpson does seem to want to get to the rim more than Geo who preferred the stepback.

 

[RU84]

I watched Geo at an All Star game in Connecticut this past spring with Nova commit Mark Armstrong, UConn commit Donovan Clingan and other high caliber 2022 kids. Simpson actually looks better now than he did this past spring.

What Simpson has in some places is fine, but Geo was an all-time finisher scoring at the basket against taller or stronger players. We hyper-focus on the end of shot clock 3s.....but there were many more 2s made in traffic at the basket that were critical.

Simpson missed some very makeable shots at the basket, but going against a 7' kid in Clingan from Connecticut, will make things difficult. If Simpson can get to the rim and make his chippies, he then can join that discussion. I think Simpson is more similar to Corey Sanders than Geo Baker, but either is more than sufficient. I don't see a path for RU winning B1G games without some reliable bench contributions from the freshman (Simpson, Woolfork specifically).

I agree, we don't always need 3's to win a game at the end. Geo forced 3's at the end of regulation and OT vs ND in the tournament when a 2 in the paint or foul shots would have been enough ... and a higher pct.

 

[Eagleton95.99]

Really hard to compare their freshman seasons because of their surrounding casts. Simpson does seem to want to get to the rim more than Geo who preferred the stepback.

Geo definitely had a stretch where he tried to win big moments with his stepback, reliving his glory from previous moments...and missed a few. Geo was an OK penetrator. Simpson looks like he has the potential to be better at it. Geo was clutch. CLUTCH in many big moments. We will all cry tears of joy if Simpson surpasses him, including Geo.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

Stop it!!!! Please

in 2 years

I don’t know who will have the majority in congress. I don’t know if Russia will stop the stupidity. I do know people will say the new freshman is better than Simpson. People will also be longing for Baker and Harper

Player get. 1 2/3 years before message board turns on them. 1 1/3 years after a player leaves message board gets fond of them.

 

[jerzeyguy]

In big pressue games, if Simpson is capable of playing like this as freshmen. Then yea, for sure we in for a special season

 

[Knight Ed_rivals]

In big pressue games, if Simpson is capable of playing like this as freshmen. Then yea, for sure we in for a special season

But Geo played more like this his last two seasons in pressure situations.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

Wait...who the heck is comparing Geo and Simpson? I don't see it at all (but think Simpson is going to have a PHENOMENAL career).

 

[richthedentist]

Want to give a shout out for Antoine Woolfolk. I've been pleasantly surprised. I'm always concerned about big man depth especially in this conference but after two games, admittedly against vastly inferior competition, he looks like he's going to be a solid contributor. He may be a freshman but he's not built like your typical freshman big and it appears that we have another Pike Special that is going to play some important minutes when the Big Ten games roll around.

I am very very impressed with Woolfolk especially since he has only been playing bball for 2 years since before that he was exclusivley a football player

 

[PiscatawayMike]

They are both guards, kinda look alike, and they both wear 0.

The comparison ends there.

 

[rudad02]

This Freshman class is tremendously underrated.
Love watching these kids play.

Yes especially Simpson & Wolfolk[sp].

 

[jerzeyguy]

Pike loves his players. You know when he went to see Derek, he saw young Geo lol. Theirs a light skin, skinny kid from Ohio, with braids who kinda resembles Calebs style on the court. Pike offered him too. But the Ohio kid was really high rated, maybe in 5 star I believe.

 

[Geo_Baker_1]

Can’t really compare Derek’s freshman year to mine. Such different cultures and level of talent. Kids gonna be a star. He reminds me of myself in terms of mindset and maturity as a freshman and maybe a little bit with the elevation on the midrange but that’s it lol. College basketball is not easy to play as a freshman. The mentality needs to be there. He has it. My freshman and sophomore year i was forced into a bigger role which probably helped me be a “star” quicker so even those few big games i had can’t really be compared either. Derek would’ve gotten the same amount of minutes on that team my frosh year. Either way i hope he ends up being better than me lol because then we’ll be pretty good

 

[DHajekRC84]

Can’t really compare Derek’s freshman year to mine. Such different cultures and level of talent. Kids gonna be a star. He reminds me of myself in terms of mindset and maturity as a freshman and maybe a little bit with the elevation on the midrange but that’s it lol. College basketball is not easy to play as a freshman. The mentality needs to be there. He has it. My freshman and sophomore year i was forced into a bigger role which probably helped me be a “star” quicker so even those few big games i had can’t really be compared either. Derek would’ve gotten the same amount of minutes on that team my frosh year. Either way i hope he ends up being better than me lol because then we’ll be pretty good

and he looks like you and Miller looks like Corey and if we get Dylan we could have the best "look alike team" ever of the three of you guys.