Basketball Articles
Crystal Ballin’ Texas Hoops: Part I – A Look at the Players
Posted by Trips Right on March 24th, 2009 under Basketball, Recruiting
Part I will be a look at the newcomers for next season and holdovers from last year’s squad (Part II is here). I was going to do this all in one article, but I have too much to say about next year and I don’t want the thing to get unruly. Part II focuses on scouting the Horns and what we can expect from them as a team. So…
Last season’s Horns squad seemed to be swimming up stream because quite frankly, they weren’t that talented especially after a couple of key cogs seemed to regress as the season went on. Throw in the fact that the Horns lacked players with complementary skills and an experienced catalyst to tie together what mismatched skills the players did have, and you had the makings for what ultimately was an up and down, frustratingly uneven season. Point blank, this Texas squad lacked players that can create offense for themselves and others and outside of AJ Abrams, they lacked shooters. But the purpose of this here blog entry, neigh, article, is to look forward so let’s start by telling you what Texas will look like next year by telling you who we’re adding.
Pittman is a 20 and 10 guy with a bit more conditioning.
Long story short we’re adding shooters and playmakers that like to defend. Jordan Hamilton, Avery Bradley, Shawn Williams and Jai Lucas are going to be just what the doctor ordered for finishers like Dex Pittman, Damion James (if he stays), Gary Johnson, and a distributor like Dogus Balbay. Injecting this kind of skill into the rotation will considerably improve the production of the pieces already on campus. If you’re a fan of tenacious defense. If you’re a fan of Alfordian bombs from downtown. If you’re a fan of spreading the floor, attacking the rim, and generally speaking, a fan of basketball made easy, you’re going to love these cats.
Avery Bradley is a 6-3 shooting guard, hell call him a scoring guard, out of Henderson, Nevada who thrives in the lost art that is the midrange game. He can blow by defenders off the dribble but Avery has tremendous upper body strength that allows him to ward off defenders and create space for his nice little pull up game. If he were two inches taller they’d be calling him the next Jimmy Jackson. He has a Jim Jackson midrange game, and like the Ohio State star, Avery has a similar type of mental make-up in that he leads his team on both ends of the floor. When it’s time to get buckets, he gets buckets. When it’s time to draw a foul, he’s getting to the line. Need a stop, he’s a ferocious defender that takes things personal when his opponent scores on him. Next year, when Texas is mired in a 4 minute scoring drought, Bradley’s going to find offense for the club and stop the opponent’s run. He’ll go into traffic and grab a big board, or he’ll penetrate and drop a dime to Dex who should own the weakside block. Bradley is that kind of player. He does it all and has a tremendous basketball IQ.
Jordan Hamilton is a 6-7 small forward from the City of Compton. Jordan’s a rare breed of pure shooter and playmaker who could put on an AJ Abrams’ like shooting display for a couple possessions, and then recognize an over contest and use his ability off the bounce to create offense for teammates. He can handle incredibly well for a young 6-7 wingman, but even more impressive is his willingness to get up in a guy’s chest and defend. The fact that Jordan can handle the basketball and attack opposing teams’ weaker on ball defenders will make the Horns very difficult to pressure next year. Remember how much success Mason had against the opposition’s third best defender? Hamilton’s skillset shooting from deep and finishing at the rim is the perfect compliment to what Bradley does on the floor.
Bradley reminds of Jimmy Jackson with his midrange game and leadership.
Jai Lucas is a diminutive sweet shooting one guard that transferred in from Florida. But don’t let his small stature fool you, the kid is as tough as they come mentally. Folks that have followed Jai’s career all his life, guys that I trust when it comes to evaluating basketball talent, all say the same thing about Jai. He’s not going to back down from anyone, and he has the ability to make his teammates better because he understands the game and where on the floor certain players need to get the basketball to be successful.
Mentally, you can categorize him as the “son of coach” type with plus quickness and the ability to consistently knock down deep jumpers that will open up the floor for the Texas offense. Jai would have played a huge role on this year’s squad had he elected to go to Texas instead of Florida. And, I know for a fact that Jeff Capel, while happy for Jai, hated to see him land in Austin. Defensively, Jai’s size might be seen as a liability from the standpoint that opposing guards may post him up, but I have two thoughts on that. First, this ain’t the NBA and you rarely see college teams butter their bread by completely going away from their offense to isolate a guard on a guard down low. It simply doesn’t happen for more than a possession or two. Secondly, Jai has more than held his own against current NBA players in pickup games over the years in this respect. Make no mistake, he’ll get significant minutes right off the bat after the fall semester. Good player. Great kid. With just the skill set this team needs next year.
Lucas can open up the floor with his shooting.
Shawn Williams is a 6-7 pure shooting wing out of Duncanville. He’s got great size for a shooter which enables him to rise up and get his shot over smaller players. Shawn really needs to get stronger with the dribble so he can use his perimeter credibility to put the ball on the deck and get to the rack. If he’s willing to work, he has the perfect frame to be the praying mantis on the wing defensively that all coaches covet.
As for the pieces of the puzzle coming back from last season, this is where I see them fitting in.
Dex Pittman is going to be the biggest beneficiary of this tremendous influx of perimeter skill and talent. Pitt has been fighting double teams all season long and mostly shrugging them off to the tune of double doubles game in and game out. Next year, I look for Dex to be a dominant counter on the weakside block to teams trying to defend strongside gaming we’ll do with perimeter drivers and scorers, but I’ll get to that in part II. Expect Dex to play the role of finisher on the weakside to the 3 or 4 penetrators we’ll have on the floor at any given time. Help a litte too much with your big to our penetrators on the strongside, and Dex will punish you by getting a weakside pin, a drop step and a dunk after a quick ball reversal or skip. You think he played big last season, I look for Dex to be a 20 and 10 guy if his conditioning allows him 30 minutes per.
Hamilton will own the 3 regardless of what Damion James does.
Damion James might be a pipe dream to come back, but I’m hearing whispers that he’s really considering it because he’s fallen out of the top half of the first round. If he does indeed come back, his ability to rebound like a 4, and blow by fellow defending 4’s will make the talent on this Texas team sick. If he’s allowed to roam the baseline, playing off of the playmakers like Lucas, Balbay, Bradley, and Hamilton the offensive game will come easier to the would-be senior forward. You’ll see a ton of power dribbles and finishes from James that he’ll end up Mike Mamula-ing some NBA franchise picking high in the first round with his inflated stats.
Dogus Balbay, next to Pittman, might enjoy the biggest positive impact from the newcomers because he’ll be playing on a better spaced floor in the halfcourt with the wings having to fan out to guard scorers like Hamilton and Bradley. Doge still needs to develop some semblance of a perimeter game otherwise defenders will continue to guard him with their heels on the foul line. If he can’t start hitting the little pull up from 15 consistently, he’ll be relegated to a defensive stopper or pressure role with talent coming in and the emergence of Varez Ward as a viable weapon.
Varez Ward certainly earned himself some credibility on both ends of the floor with his play in the tournament. Not only was he Texas’ offensive go-to-guy, but he slowed down a sizzling Gerald Henderson in the second half. Ward’s toughness will mesh well with players like Bradley and Hamilton, giving the Horns a junkyard dog mentality on defense, and plenty of fire power on offense. I also love his stroke from deep. It’s just a matter of time before he becomes an accomplished 3 point shooter. Form, elevation, touch. It’s all there.
Gary Johnson fits into this club as a high energy mix and match role player that can play in spots vs. various opponents. Gary isn’t big or explosive enough to give the Horns a true power forward, but he can give the right defenders fits with his face up game. Again, I’d love to see GJ playing out of the high post delivering the ball to Dex and Chapman down low when opponents worry about his 15 footer, but Gary has to knock down that shot more consistently for starters, and get a better knack for delivering the post entry to be effective as a true high post player.
Clint Chapman is an intriguing low post prospect because he has good size and tremendous athletic ability. And, other than the foul line, he showed good touch around the bucket down the stretch. Clint needs to get stronger, period, in order to play more than a handful of minutes on this club with or without Damion James.
Alex Wangmene gives Texas an athletic defender in the low block which is an element they sorely missed last season. Before the injury, the sophomore pivot man was starting to come on as a skilled low post player. He can give the Horns options at power forward alongside Dex Pittman, or answers as a 5 if the Horns wanted to go small and athletic to play a more up tempo, pressure style of game. When paired with Pittman or Chapman, Alexis can be a menacing defender and shot blocker from the helpside.
Justin Mason has gone from glue guy extraordinaire to no better than something first graders eat before snack time. Will he regain his stat sheet stuffing ways when he’s not one of the first 3 options? Who knows, that’s up to him. If he can’t enjoy a resurgence with the talent coming in, then there’s something else wrong with Justin.
Matt Hill and Harrison Smith, meh. Not going to be a ton of PT out there for them so why bother?
In Crystal Ballin’ Part II, look for a scouting report and analysis on what to expect from Texas as a team, both offensively and defensively. Next year should be a ton of fun.
Also, be sure to read Scipio’s take on how the pieces fit together.
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Activity
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ursa major wrote a new blog post: Baylor v. Sam Houston State Preview 4 hours, 3 minutes ago
If we can get past the statue alive, we have a chance…
(Sorry to Barking Carnival for stealing their meme.)
About the Bearkats
I will not waste your time extolling the various pros and cons of our team. Let’s learn a little bit about Sam Houston State.Seriously, who the #$@ spells Bearkats with a k? According to Wikipedia,
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Place Your Bets, Gentlemens 5 hours, 6 minutes ago
explain…
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 5 hours, 22 minutes ago
He played for New Mexico State.
We recruited him briefly, along with Louisville, Pitt and a host of others. Everyone ran when they realized he was a lunatic.
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 5 hours, 22 minutes ago
He played for New Mexico State.
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Jorgrama commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 5 hours, 24 minutes ago
Had some harsh words about Barnes in that podcast, that’s for sure. . . .
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dick commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 5 hours, 28 minutes ago
Didn’t we think we target him at one point?
He’s a good player, imagine UNM with him on their #3 seed roster.
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dick wrote a new blog post: FLV March Madness First Round Bets 5 hours, 30 minutes ago
Here we are, my favorite weekend of the year. I’ve taken sick days on the first two days of the tourney every year except my first and this year is no different (i’m feverish, which is true). My one goal for the gambling season (August thru first weekend of April) is to have enough money to bet on every
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 5 hours, 59 minutes ago
Pope was a real head case recruit, if I recall correctly.
Shot four times in high school too.
Transferred to the Hall from New Mexico St after all of the Big Schools gave him the cold shoulder for his recruiting antics.
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Scipio Tex wrote a new blog post: Place Your Bets, Gentlemens 6 hours, 6 minutes ago
First, if you’re not reading Fading Las Vegas or March to March, you’re missing out on the best college basketball prognostication available in the free market. The vast bulk of Kevin Berger’s basketball writing is going to be found there, so click accordingly.
The key delineation to make is that Fading Las Vegas
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admin commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 6 hours, 58 minutes ago
Baylor scares me. They have no idea what the bright lights feel like.
Huggins also has a horrible history with high seeds from his days at Cincy.
Bingo.
Bingo.
Yet Gary Williams has a ring. Maybe this is Huggy’s year and maybe Scott Drew can get laid in a morgue. Love to see what Huggy could have
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admin commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 6 hours, 58 minutes ago
Baylor scares me. They have no idea what the bright lights feel like.
Huggins also has a horrible history with high seeds from his days at Cincy.
Bingo.
Bingo.
Yet Gary Williams has a ring. Maybe this is Huggy’s year and maybe Scott Drew can get laid in a morgue.
I have these guys in my bracket. DEEP.
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dick commented on the blog post Early NCAA Tournament Bets 7 hours, 10 minutes ago
Travis,
63-58 on KenPom for 121. That’s still a really low scoring game
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 7 hours, 49 minutes ago
Thanks, dick. Interesting perspective.
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dick commented on the blog post The Definitive Bracket: 63 Guaranteed Winners! 8 hours, 12 minutes ago
KB,
You are going to be too smart for your own good. A common fault amongst Bracket makers. There’s a reason why the 55 year old admins win 80% of these things every year.
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dick commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 8 hours, 16 minutes ago
“which impresses me since I know he didn’t hear the podcast.”
You shouldn’t be, after reading both guys over the past year, KB knows more about basketball and gambling than Millman does and it’s not even close.
A little warning about Chad Millman. I was pretty excited when I heard that ESPN hired a
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Luke wrote a new blog post: Some perspective for a generation of Wildcats 8 hours, 17 minutes ago
Kansas State is beginning the NCAA tournament as a #2 seed with legitimate final four hopes (just ask the president) in less than 24 hours.
I’m going to need a moment to admire that sentence…….
OK, I’m good.
As the anticipation has built over the last few days, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has taken
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whiskey wrote a new blog post: Chalk Talk: The ND 3-4 Transition Part I- Expectations 8 hours, 42 minutes ago
Welcome to the first of what I hope will be many installments of “Chalk Talk” with LB Coach. I am excited to introduce LB Coach as a new contributor to One Foot Down. LB Coach has a significant amount of experience playing football at Notre Dame and on the professional level. He also has a
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dick commented on the blog post Early NCAA Tournament Bets 8 hours, 58 minutes ago
I’ll post all of my first day games tonight.
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srr50 wrote a new blog post: Now THAT’S Taking One For The Team 11 hours, 18 minutes ago
Aggie Corp with “Squeeze Army?”
POSERS
Texas Tech forward Darko Cohadarevic doesn’t just talk the talk — he walks the walk.
Tuesday night Tech faced Seton Hall in a first round NIT contest. With the game tied at 10, Seton Hall forward Herb Pope delivered two below-the-belt blows to Cohadarevic.
After Pope was ejected, Tech went on
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 13 hours, 2 minutes ago
Louisville has a great chance if Jerry Smith is healthy.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 13 hours, 3 minutes ago
Good team that took number 1 seeded Louisville to the wire in last year’s tournament. Start 3 seniors and two juniors, very athletic. Solid pass first point guard. Their leading scorer was player of the year in the conference.
Good club that plays multiple defenses.
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ghostofagroundgame commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 13 hours, 28 minutes ago
I just took Baylor going to the Elite 8. It’s a crazy mixed up world we live in.
Is it just me, or does it pain anyone else to not be able to determine who is going to beat Duke early? It’s bound to happen, but who will it be?
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Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 13 hours, 30 minutes ago
By “we” I meant the Horns. Kevin, why should I take Siena over A&M?
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 13 hours, 44 minutes ago
colorado ag, Utah State is as athletic as Nebraska. You’ll be fine as long as they don’t go 16 for 31 from three.
Siena, on the other hand, is going to beat you like you stole something. Maybe not, but the Saints should win.
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Kevin Berger commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 13 hours, 48 minutes ago
Great article Scipio. Also, thanks for the dime.
Looking at the Tournament futures market, Vegas is telling us what they think about Onuaku’s health. The Orangemen have the easiest region and road to the fianl four, yet they’re +700 to win it all, while UK and Kansas, teams with much tougher roads, are +250
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Art Vandelay commented on the blog post Final Four Prediction 13 hours, 53 minutes ago
My brackets are pretty much locked down except the South. Can’t get myself to take Baylor, and Duke doesn’t feel right. Nobody seems to be high on Nova. It’s all about the Big East and Big 12 this year.
It’s a crying shame we suck so bad. We are in a good
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James commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 14 hours, 4 minutes ago
Scip, like a peaceful Indian in the 1800’s, I never trust a Mormon that can shoot. Utah State has me worried.
If we escape the first weekend, things get very interesting with a potential Sweet 16 match-up with Duke. Ugly up the game and guard like hell on the perimeter in front of a
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 14 hours, 33 minutes ago
CJD -
Possibly. However, I’m telling you – the beauty of these intergame lines is that when you see that all-too-familiar big early game lead that you know will evaporate down the stretch as soon as the team starts regressing to their 3 point shooting mean, there’s some money to be made.
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Scipio Tex commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 14 hours, 35 minutes ago
uthookem-
I’d say you have your priorities straight.
colorado -
Anytime. How far do you think the Aggies go? A lot of people think Utah State is the most dangerous pure shooting team in the tournament.
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uthookem commented on the blog post Bracket Breakdown & Gambling Tips 14 hours, 46 minutes ago
Last year in Vegas, Friday morning, stumble to the line at 8:30 to make my bets, put $20 on a four-team parlay on the four 9:00 am games, nailed it! Three of the four games’ spread was determined in the final 0:30. Walked away with $220.
Yeah, so what if that is the only
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
This is awesome.
My two cents:
You have a higher opinion of Jai Lucas than I do. I do agree that he is an excellent spot up three point shooter and a smart kid. The lack of size, strength, and creativity with the basketball bothers me. However, if you can knock down open threes, you have a role on this team. I hope Barnes can manage him appropriately on and off of the court.
I think GJ is a warrior who leaves it all out on the floor, but he’s the guy that can drop 22/12 on SFA, but won’t show well against the elite. If we – and Gary – can appreciate that fact, we’ll be a better team for it. He should be our fourth or fifth option on offense against real competition and I fear that we’re going to try to make him our second.
He’s not a very sound defender either – he seems to believe that he’s a shot blocker against big guys and he can’t hang laterally with smalls.
A lot of people still compare him to PJ Tucker and it’s still the worst comparison being made on the Longhorn internet.
A returning Damion James free to roam at 4 would be amazing. I’m not that optimistic he comes back though.
Love what Varez is about.
Chapman is a legit 6-10 with some athletic ability. Todd Wright him. I’d love to see him add a three point shot to his bag of tricks. I always want one big on our roster who can play off of the screen and roll outside the arc.
I think Wangmene has huge upside – in many ways greater than that of Gary Johnson, though Gary clearly has more skills at this stage.
I think Pittman is definitely a 15-10 guy for us. You have to factor in the inevitable games where a team goes all small against us or Dexter fouls out in 19 minutes with 6 points and 6 boards.
Is Justin Mason on the outside looking in as far as playing time?
The General said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Balbay, Lucas, Bradley, Mason, Williams, Ward.
5 guys for two spots. How do Mason and Balbay get minutes?
the Bobs said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Next year really shapes up to be a terrific team…
This season was all a bunch of “if only…”
– we’d ended up with Tyreke Evans (I know, I know, it was always a long shot, but if…)
– DJ had stayed another year (though it was the right thing for him to go, but if…)
– Connor A’s 3-point stroke had not entirely abandoned him… last year’s Connor would have opened the floor a lot more, or made teams pay for it.
– Wangmene’s year had gone very differently – and I imagine he’d be even more fervent in that wish than we are… would have been nice to have his athleticism on both ends, and with continued offensive development would have given us another much-needed weapon.
– J’Covan Brown had gotten his head on straight… just one of Brown, DJ or Evans would have made this team SO different.
In the end, none of those things happened and we ended up a talented, but deeply flawed team. But, lest we forget, a team that did some good things – Nova, UCLA, OU… and even Duke was so, so painfully possible.
I hope that in addition to the talent influx, we develop a great team personality. It sounds like that would be entirely a reasonable goal, and if that collection of disparate talent can coalesce around a ‘team’ ethos, next year could be very special indeed.
Great article, Trips, and I’m really looking forward to Part II, where Damion goes back to doing what he does best, and Dex continues on the Wright path and keeps improving in all areas, and… well, I’m looking forward to it.
The General said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Uhh, that is 6 guys. Arithmetic, it’s fantastic!
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Williams fights to back up Jordan Hamilton with a displaced Mason. Or redshirts.
Mason and Ward can give you minutes at 3 against the right opponent.
I think people are reading too much into Ward’s last few minutes against Duke as a true PG. Balbay will get his minutes, IMO.
The General said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
We saw Ward do that (make key drives and get to the rim or foul line when we needed a bucket) in several games. The kid is fearless. I was scared shitless when Duke used a little full court pressure against him, but they did not pressure him very long so it was a non factor. He isn’t the pure ball handler that Balbay is, but in nearly every other facet I would pick Ward.
Doge was fearful in the tournaments.
Nordberg said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
We can mix and match. Think Ward doing his thing against Duke, but flanked by Bradley and Lucas.
The General said:
March 24th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
BTW, unfuckingbelievable work Trips.
The General said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
We can mix and match. Think Ward doing his thing against Duke, but flanked by Bradley and Lucas.
It would have made all those kick outs to the wing not nearly so painful.
Texoz said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Great stuff, Trips. I’m really pumped about the next few years.
I’m guessing the J’Covan Brown saga has finally ended? Feel bad for the kid, and for UT. We really could have used him this year. Might have gotten us to the Sweet 16 and maybe more.
anonymous said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
How is Bradley athletically? Is he a threat to finish at the basket?
CallKevin said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
If DJ doesn’t return, I think Wangmene becomes a key player. If DJ does come back, then I can’t imagine Hill or Chapman taking any minutes from Alexis. I thought this would be a strong year for him.
Course, looking back at his tournament minutes in 2008, I’m not sure what my basis was. 3 vs Memphis, 6 vs Stanford, 7 vs Miami, 9 vs Austin Peay, 10 vs Kansas. In those 35 minutes, he had 0 points and 6 rebounds combined.
I still say he’s going to have a great year.
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
What’s your opinion, anon?
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
That was Jordan Hamilton with the steal and assist, btw.
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
More Avery
A dust mite said:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
I once beat Jai in a leg wrestling contest, which I was pretty proud about because before we started we stood next to each other and he was half an inch taller than me.
anonymous said:
March 24th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Ha. I’ll take that as a yes, he is a threat to finish at the basket.
huge said:
March 24th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
are bradley and hamilton both going to stay 1 year?
Bartoncreek said:
March 24th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
There is only one problem with Hamilton. We are only going to have him for one year. He is the 2nd best player Texas has ever signed. I don’t see how he doesn’t average 20 a game on this team. He is a 6-7 two in the league and it’s not out of the question that he could end up playing point in the NBA in a few years. He has that kind of sick talent. He will be top 5 in the 2010 draft. Hopefully I’m wrong, but I doubt it.
He also plays with a high on court IQ for someone of his ability. If someone is open he dishes it, he actually plays defense. Can you tell that I love his game? I can’t wait to see him in burnt orange next year. Enjoy it while it lasts.
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
As Barton writes above, Hamilton could be one and done.
Bradley won’t be.
Bartoncreek said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Forgot to thank you for the writeup, Trips. First rate as always.
As for Bradley, I think we are all going to get to watch a good then great one for three years. I need to see some more film of him. I do like what I see, a talented gamer, nice elevation on his midrange j, solid enough ball skills/vision to play the 1 on this team if needed. I have not seen enough film of Lucas, but it sounds like he might be a little like BJ Tyler. Better shooter than distributer. Maybe he plays the two with Bradley at the one on O and switch on D?
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
BJ Tyler was a really good athlete. And also 6′.
Jai is barely 5-9 and not a great athlete.
Vasherized said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Great stuff, Trips.
Gerry Hamilton also did a nice breakdown over at BOB of what to expect next year. Throw in the General’s musings and Scipio’s scattershots and we got it pretty damn good when it comes to hoops coverage.
A few obvious thoughts:
Not only are Bradley and Hamilton elite level players, their skill sets mesh perfectly with the specific things our team needs next year:
A lock down defender on the perimeter.
A point guard with a mid-range game that can create off the dribble.
A forward with handles, toughness, hoops IQ, and some Compton flavor in Cooley Pavilion.
Throw in a pure scorer in Williams and Barnes will have some instant offense to inject as needed. I’m Jai alai on Lucas, meaning intently ambiguous. Who knows how he’ll fit intot he lineup.
Ward pretty much stole Justin Mason’s minutes and I don’t see that changing next year unless something profoundly changes in Justin Mason.
If I knew his middle name, I would have used it there.
Bartoncreek said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Holy crap, I didn’t know that. Like I said, I haven’t seen Lucas play. I assumed he was around 6 feet and at least a decent athlete. When Trips said diminutive, he meant it. Where are the AJ comparisons? He sounds like the anti-Balbay. Combine them and you’d have a hell of a point.
Texoz said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
FYI, I read that Hamilton and Bradley have already been building a relationship and that they had expressed a desire to play 2 years together so they could bring an NC to Texas. One of them stated that in an interview.
Take it for what it’s worth. If Hamilton really takes off it will be hard for him to come back as a soph.
However, it’s refreshing to hear that they are thinking that way now, as opposed to bling-bling talk.
Scipio Tex said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
NY Horn said:
March 24th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
There’s no way in hell Hamilton comes back for a 2nd year. I just can’t imagine a Texas basketball team with that much talent. We would have talent that would even make the UNC’s and UCLA’s of the world blush.
What would we do with these players?
Jordan Hamilton
Avery Bradley
Shawn Williams
Tristan Thompson
Jai Lucas
Daniel Bejarano
heyoooo said:
March 24th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Excellent! You have no idea how excited and antsy this made me.
Actually, you probably do.
Texoz said:
March 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NY Horn
March 24, 2009 at 3:58 pm
What would we do with these players?
Jordan Hamilton
Avery Bradley
Shawn Williams
Tristan Thompson
Jai Lucas
Daniel Bejarano
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Cut down the nets.
Another dipshit poster said:
March 24th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
This is an extraordinarily fun thread to follow. As always, great analysis Trips.
In the truth is stranger than fiction category, were I a handicapping man, which I happen to be, I would place the odds at less than 3 to 1 that we will have two players in the starting line-up next year who did not play organized ball this year. While I am sometimes prone to rambling incoherencies, this assertion happens not to be one of them.
Callkevin said:
March 24th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Any update on Hamilton’s qualifying status, or will this be a last minute thing?
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-sondheimer16-2009feb16,0,6529431.column
SkymonkeyHorn said:
March 24th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
Great article Trips , excellent points Scipio.
I also have doubts about Jai size and athletic
ability to finish at the rim. The Big dozen is a physical tough 16 games for big players let alone small one.
Hamilton is a very good defender but his lateral speed and footwork could use Todd Wright program for several months before the games start. This kid has all the shots known to mankind and rebounds out of his zone. He is also in a different league in the trash talking aspect of BB, reminds me a little of a cocky Larry Bird. Like SLX said in another site he is a Paul Pierce type of player. He also added about 10-15 lbs up to about 225lbs. or so.
I do not know if anyone has seen Avery play in person but he is faster then his tapes show, just amazing what he does in the mid-range game.
He should/could avg. 5-7 dimes per game and easy 15points or more. This kid is for the reals and like you said he takes it to heart when someone scores on him and talks to him. Whats that old saying about letting a sleeping dog lay. Some shit like that anyway , kid is quite and lets his hoops do the talking for him.
Both have the ability to be IMPACT players for us.
I have not seen Williams play other then on TV , and he did nothing outstanding. Has very good form on his J but his defense was matador type . But RB will make him a better defender.
Daniel Bejarano is as good now as most of the players in the BDozen and he is dive on the floor , jump into the stands and give it up for a 50-50 ball a real player.He could score 40-50 in a HS game if his coach would let him, but he can dish it when he wants to , great passer, plays great on an open floor. Love his game.
Callkevin said:
March 25th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Apparently sexy Dexy is considering an NBA move.
kevwun said:
March 25th, 2009 at 5:33 am
It’s always best for juniors with NBA ability to declare without hiring an agent so they can go through the pre-draft camps and get an idea where they stand.
The General said:
March 25th, 2009 at 6:26 am
There is some smoke that Hamilton intends to stay two years no matter what. I put very little stock in it, but the word is that he understands that he needs 2 years of Todd Wright to be ready for the NBA.
Vasherized said:
March 25th, 2009 at 9:01 am
I think we could all use two years of Todd Wright.
Dr. Pepper-tore said:
March 25th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Scipio, I agree. BTW- the write up is interesting because it looks to the future.
Eskimohorn said:
March 25th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Possible Depth Chart
C – Dex, Chap/Wingman, Matt Hill
PF – James, Johnson, Chap, Matt Hill
SF – Jordan, Williams, Mason/Ward, Johnson
SG – Bradley, Mason/Ward, Smith
PG – Lucas/Balbay, Mason/Ward, Bradley
We will have issues if James leaves having production at the 4. We’d be relying on Gary Johnson and he’s not really a traditional 4. If both Dexter & James leaves, then Barnes will need to get creative next year with smaller line-ups.
Still, a run-n-gun style w/ Gary Johnson at the 4 is suitable for his game. And, before his injury he had a very respectable intermediate game.
Should be fun next year.
Petey said:
March 25th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Great writeup.
I hope Mason asserts himself on the offensive end next season and doesn’t pass up open shots. He has the talent, he just needs to gain confidence.
I think Ward has a lot of talent. I wish Barnes would have unleashed him sooner.
I think Lucas is better than most are giving him credit for. He may be more, but the kid can shoot.
I can’t wait to see Lucas, Hamilton, Bradley and Williams in Longhorn uniforms.
Any chance still with J’Covan Brown and Texas or is that over with?
Petey said:
March 25th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
“FYI, I read that Hamilton and Bradley have already been building a relationship and that they had expressed a desire to play 2 years together so they could bring an NC to Texas. One of them stated that in an interview.”
WOW!-That would be freakin awesome.
Daniel said:
March 25th, 2009 at 4:28 pm
So assuming Pittman and James return, we would have 14 scholarship players. How are we going to make the 13-man scholarship limit?
Callkevin said:
March 25th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
With either a retirement or a transfer. It’s not complicated.
sl xpress said:
March 26th, 2009 at 12:59 am
Hamilton is qualified. Paperwork is at the clearinghouse. I don’t anticipate any problems.
J’Covan finally submitted his paperwork to the clearinghouse with a qualifying test score. Assuming the clearinghouse gives him the okay, Texas has told him they’re going to find a place for him.
Brown and Hamilton are who the “another dipshit poster” is referring to. Neither one of them played organized ball. Even if they do make it to campus, and somehow Barnes pulls a fishes and loaves trick to make available the necessary scholarships, I don’t think Brown will be in the starting lineup. He’s terrific, but the competition will be too fierce, IMO. At least for this first year. He’s really really good, though, so maybe — if he gets to campus, and then if he manages to stay there, two huge IFs in my mind — he figures out a way to insert himself in the starting lineup. He’s not a true point guard in the way Dogus Balbay is, but he has a lot of talent as a distributor, and he’s a scoring machine. If the possibility of him getting to play for Texas grows a little more possible, a starting lineup with Brown at PG, Bradley at 2, Hamilton at 3, James/Wangmene/Johnson at the 4, and Pittman at the 5…well, that sure looks devastating on paper, even if it is short on experience.
I also wonder if Varez Ward is still on campus next year. He had a good run late, so maybe that’s enough to keep him around. Alternatively, he may prefer going to a smaller school closer to home — a UAB type — where he knows he can earn a lot more playing time.
If getting on the court was important to Harrison Smith, that’s probably what he should have done. In many ways he’d be perfect for Penders’ chaotic miasma of a basketball strategy.
Anyway, I want to echo everyone’s comments to say kudos to Trips Right for another outstanding piece. I look forward to Part Deux.
Oh, and skymonkeyhorn, thank you for the credit on the Paul Pierce reference, but Gerry Hamilton of Burnt Orange Beat is the first person I ever saw use the comparison, and I’ve just globbed on to it as is my wont.
Ecurbmanchild said:
March 26th, 2009 at 4:47 am
Does our lack of height bother anyone except me?
The General said:
March 26th, 2009 at 4:59 am
What lack of height?
This will be the first time we have real wings and the option to play two guards over 6′ whenever we want. GJ is undersized, but Wangmene, Pittman, Chapman, and Hill aren’t
Dr. Venkman said:
March 26th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Ecurb is referring to the 4 and 5 spots. We have 3 guys legit 6′10″’s on the roster, of which, only Dex is a legit center. Matt Hill may never see the court here again. Chapman has shown some promise, but, I think we can all agree that, if Dex (foolishly, IMO) decides that he’ll risk falling to the second round and maybe even into the D-league, Chapman is not going to be a legit answer in the middle.
James and Wangmene are slightly undersized for power forward, but are athletic enough to make up for a lack of height.
The point remains, without Dex, Texas can’t win an NC without running up against a team that is substantially longer than they are.
It’d be nice to have an additional athletic 6′10″ type. Even someone without are real offensive game. Just someone to guard the rim when the going gets rough.
It’d also be nice to have my own private island. We can’t have everything, though that doesn’t mean you can’t ask…
dick said:
March 26th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Nobody in college basketball will be substantially longer than us. Alexi is not undersized at the PF at 6′9 230lbs, this is not the NBA. We’ll have two 6′7″ guys at the 3 and only Lucas will be a sub 6 footer in the backcourt. Everyone will be struggling to matchup with our length. That’s what she said.
Dr. Venkman said:
March 26th, 2009 at 8:39 am
Didn’t realize that Alexi was a 6′9″, I don’t think of him as being any bigger than James, though, of course, it’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of seeing him on the court. Hopefully he’s healed and ready to go next season. He’ll be a key player regardless of who else is on the roster.
I maintain the position that with Dex, next year’s squad is an NC contender (though by no means a pre-season favorite).
Without him, it’s just another edition of Chris Mihm and Maurice Evans(?) leaving as TJ comes in, TJ leaving as Aldridge and Gibson come in, Aldridge and Gibson leaving as Augustin and Durant arrive, Durant leaving as Augustin hits his prime, Augustin leaving as Pittman and James start to become a force down low, lather, rinse, etc…
It’s been a 7-8 year flirtation with greatness where there’s always a piece of the complete puzzle missing. Still, the challenge and uncertainty is part of what makes it fun to track.
dick said:
March 26th, 2009 at 9:20 am
Regardless, with Dexy and the rest of our 4/5 position players, we should be able to guard everyone else’s 4/5 with no issue.
We have to wait and see who declares for the draft but this team right now should be no lower than 10 preseason. I expect them to be 8-10 due to Hamilton and Bradley coming and nobody truly knowing how badass they are and their impact they’ll have on the team. Then we creep up the rankings during the preconf season despite our tough schedule.
JUICE said:
March 26th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Venkman has it.
Texoz said:
March 26th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Someone can correct me. I thought I read somewhere that Alexis may be 6′9″ tall, but his wingspan is over 7ft. I look forward to his development as a player. Next year’s team will be well suited for him to grow as a player.
Hopefully, Dex stays and this translates into Alexis getting time & space to improve. I can see him becoming a serious shot blocking threat that also gets a lot of offensive rebounds (and points) on the other end.
Petey said:
March 26th, 2009 at 10:43 am
“I also wonder if Varez Ward is still on campus next year. He had a good run late, so maybe that’s enough to keep him around. Alternatively, he may prefer going to a smaller school closer to home — a UAB type — where he knows he can earn a lot more playing time.”
I’ve heard that rumor as well. I hope it isn’t true. Ward has a lot of talent.
If Mason starts slow next season, I wonder if Barnes would put him on the bench in favor of Ward.
Chapman needs to get stronger and more aggressive.
Sean May said:
March 26th, 2009 at 10:54 am
I wish I had been a taller center so I could have won a national championship.
Lonny Baxter said:
March 26th, 2009 at 10:54 am
Yeah, you were a real shorty.
Carlos Boozer said:
March 26th, 2009 at 11:09 am
Both of you were fucking tiny
Dr. Venkman said:
March 26th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Scoff if you will, gentlemen. The roster the horns will put on the floor would look just as good with any of you three as it would with Dex. None of those teams were contenders without the guy in the middle.
Lonny Baxter said:
March 26th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
Alexis is 6′7. He’s not 6′9. He does have a freaky wingspan, however.
I know what you’re saying, Ghostbuster. Teams without an inside presence are going to find it tough sledding. However, aside from the smartass comments from the peanut gallery, last year’s KU team managed to win the whole thing with a few relatively good college big men like Sasha Kaun and Darnell Jackson, but no one other than Darrell Arthur was what I would call exceptional, and he was hardly a center. Cole Aldrich had a nice game against Hanbrough, but other than that he played limited minutes, and he wasn’t the offensive force as a freshman he turned into as a sophomore.
Look, Pittman leaving along with James would leave a huge hole inside, literally and figuratively. Chapman, Wangmene, Hill, and Johnson wouldn’t strike fear in anyone in terms of a frontline.
However, that’s still enough bodies to trot out there on a nightly basis without being too paranoid about foul trouble. Obviously, if Pittman leaves along with James it would put a big damper on any potential NC plans, but I don’t think it would eliminate them entirely.
Personally, I think Pittman is going to return, so I’m not willing to worry about it too much just yet.
Lonny Baxter said:
March 26th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Not only was I short, I wasn’t too smart, either.
Dr. Venkman said:
March 26th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Oh,I think Dexter will return. It’s certainly in his best interest.
In my opinion, he’s at a delicate point in his career. Leaving the program now and facing bench role with limited PT, or, worse still, a stint in the D-League, and he could drop off the map completely. He’s only just emerging as a player at all.
We’ve had other players leave early on limited NBA prospects, but none have had the lottery pick potential Dex has. He stays and plays 30 min a game next year and he’s top 10 pick material.
Right now, scouts are interested in the upside and terrified he’s back up to 350 before workouts start. He proves that won’t happen and there’s a gi-normous check waiting there for him.
The General said:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
If Mason starts slow next season, I wonder if Barnes would put him on the bench in favor of Ward.
I am wondering whether Mason would play at all. He certainly was not better than Balbay or Ward this year in any way.
4th&6 said:
March 26th, 2009 at 2:58 pm
Tripps, nice analysis. Can’t say i agree w/everything, but u know ur stuff. Now that the season is over…can you pontificate on a little MMA. Who’s your pick for Evans v. Machida?
Facebook User said:
March 26th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Trips is actually in Vegas with Scipio right now attending a muay thai cage fighting seminar. They should be back with some MMA stuff next week.
Bigbadjohn said:
March 26th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
Duke is the greatest team ever! I can totally understand losing to them! Rick Barnes is still the greatest coach ever! Wait..what’s that..? Villanova you say? More than 20 points you say? Oh man! UT SUCKS!
intellectual type said:
March 27th, 2009 at 4:39 am
Yawn, next hater please.
ballrific said:
March 27th, 2009 at 5:32 am
next year hopefully we’ll have the athletes to do what nova did to duke last night..
The General said:
March 27th, 2009 at 8:56 am
We had the athletes to do that this year.
Kafka said:
March 27th, 2009 at 9:37 am
Mason is probably going to be behind Ward and Balbay at point next year. Who wins out between Balbay and Ward is a good question.
Ward is the better passer and finisher. Balbay defends small PGs better and Ward defends big PGs better. Balbay seems to have figured out how to hit a 3 point set shot right at the end of the season. Ward took better care of the ball at the end of the season. Both guys have huge hearts. Ward is very athletic but Balbay may be even a bit more athletic than Ward. Ward is bigger, which makes it easy to just switch screens. Ward rose to the challenge during March Madness.
I give a very slight edge to Ward over Balbay but who wins out will be determined by who improves the most in the off season. That could easily be Balbay because he may have the bigger upside because he has spent less time playing American basketball (so he should improve with experience).
The key thing for Dex is to improve his physical conditioning. No matter how good his trainer is, only Dex can eat right and do the work. There is no way he is ready for the NBA yet, he simply does not run/move well enough. Would love to see Dex doing a lot more pick and roll next year.
The Mizzou O was a thing of beauty for the first 3/4 of the Memphis game. The Mizzou D was horrible. There could be 3 Big 12 teams in the elite 8.
Would like to see the horns use the backboard more on their shots next year. This permits the backward rotational energy of the ball to be partially converted into downward force on the ball, thus increasing the probability of hitting the shot.
Facebook User said:
March 27th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
We beat Villanova. Sports is kooky.
The General said:
March 30th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I am convinced that the level of coaching acumen throughout college sports is less than most people realize. The main evidence of this is the lack of success of college coaches going to professional sports. Another indicator for me is that teams are much better prepared for conference foes they face often than they are for foes they face rarely.
Hence, AJ massive overplay in conference hurts Horns. AJ played straight up in non conference doesn’t hurt Horns.
This is one area where Barnes emphasis on executing ‘our stuff’ makes sense. Time is allocated more towards executing our offense or defense with only slight tweaks for certain opponents, as opposed to installing packages for certain teams.
Ricky said:
March 30th, 2009 at 9:58 am
“The main evidence of this is the lack of success of college coaches going to professional sports.”
At first read I was in agreement, but then the more I thought about it the more I am not so sure. The reality is that most professional head coaches end up failing, though they seem to get recycled more often than failed college coaches. The lucky ones get by because they happen to get hired by a team with enough talent for them to keep their jobs for several years. The good ones actually dominate with superior talent or manage some success with mediocre talent. I have to admit I am not that big of an NBA guy, so feel free to put me in my place if I am wrong, but it seems there is a really high percentage of NBA firings compared to the guys who have long tenures.
That said I am not sure how the failure percentages compare between college and pros. I think pro coaches have less time to figure it out but have much more talent to work with, while college coaches have a greater responsibility to do more than just teach basketball to their players (most of whom will make a living doing something else) to win on the court which gives them more leeway on the W-L front.
Kafka said:
March 30th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
“…the level of coaching acumen throughout college sports is less than most people realize”.
Agreed.
“This is one area where Barnes’ emphasis on executing ‘our stuff’ makes sense. Time is allocated more towards executing our offense or defense with only slight tweaks for certain opponents, as opposed to installing packages for certain teams”.
Disagree. It is so painful to watch a Barnes’ offense. It is not common to see Barnes exploit mismatches and weaknesses (as you say, he just runs his offense). It may be necessary to tweak your offense (emphasize different plays, for example) every time there is a substitution.
I think coaching will probably improve a bunch with the younger coaches. When the older coaches started out, coaching paid much less than it does now (and so attracted less talented people). The older coaches reaped a bonanza as coaching salaries skyrocketed during their careers.
Coaching pays so much now that smart young men that would have gone into a more traditional, professional career in the past will now consider going into coaching.
The General said:
March 30th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
The talent in the NBA is much more evenly distributed than in college basketball. Therefore, the difference is often coaching.
In college, you can get by collecting talent and being better than most of your opponents.
I don’t think we will see massive improvement in college coaching with younger coaches. The money has been extremely attractive for 20 years, and there certainly has not been a massive improvement.
anonymous said:
March 30th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Andybody watching Avery Bradley in some dunk contest on ESPN right now?
He is in first after the 1st round. I think it is safe to say that he can finish at the basket.
98 said:
March 30th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
just saw that. awesome athlete.
B2 said:
March 30th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
He might be getting some minutes next year.
justaguy said:
March 30th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
Bradley showed some incredible explosion off the floor and I think Clack might be the last guy Texas has had with this type of ability to finish.
Jay Williams must not have been wearing a helmet in that motorcycle wreck.
Joe said:
April 2nd, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Coaching in the NBA is all about contracts. In the NCAA its about scholarships. One is guaranteed, the other is not.
That’s why most college coaches have no success in the NBA, they don’t have the leverage they did in college.
I think it might have been Chuck Daley who said “they have to LET you coach them”
ip said:
April 23rd, 2009 at 2:23 pm
This notion that Jordan Hamilton is more talented than Shawn Williams is the most asinine thing I have ever heard. The problem is that most of you who write this stuff have no basis for it other than what you’ve read on another website and based on rankings. I live in Cali and have seen Jordan Hamilton play numerous times and while he can play he is nowhere near as good as all you clowns on this site try to make him out to be. His own AAU coach told me that he was good but he wasn’t as good as he or other people think he is. Greg Hicks over at Scout.com has told me repeatedly that he is vastly overrated and he does all the scouting for the West Coast. Dave Telep who is the head scout at Scout.com told me point blank that there were kids who made the McDonald’s team who weren’t as talented as Shawn Williams and Telep has a vote on the committee. You take that for what it’s worth and stop all this crazy talking ya’ll doing man.
Trips Right said:
June 27th, 2009 at 6:45 am
I’m bumping this because Damion James is coming back and shit just got real. Plus, ip has an interesting take on Shawn Williams and it needs to be read. I don’t think I’m asinine for typing that Hamilton is more talented than Williams, but hey, I’ve been wrong before.