Kampfers said:
The Marksman said:
Kampfers said:
halfastros81 said:
I agree a post up game and perhaps even more importantly a rim protector on the other end is going to be important for matching up with top level teams. I don't believe we have that one guy right now that can offset a Tarris Reed for UConn or a Condon for Florida type player . Maybe we're not done yet tho. If we are it'll be by committee and do the best you can. Reliable post play is not a prime tenet of this style tho on offense imo, it's more a "nice to have" . I'd say having the rim protector that opponents have on their mind is more important .
I also think we haven't seen anything close to what a truly healthy Mgbako might bring to the table , not that I think he can be a premium post player or rim protector but I do think he can mix it up inside more than what we saw in very limited play last year
If I had to guess I'd guess they are working hard to try to get an experienced long armed big that can also run on the roster but maybe it's cost prohibitive . Someone on this board … may have been Luke … suggested the staff is happy with the bigs we have tho so I could easily be wrong
I don't think there's any "perhaps" about it - the lack of rim protection is by far the biggest deficiency on this roster. It's glaring.
We're going to try and outscore every opponent we face. It'll be a lot of fun. But it's also going to be frustrating watching teams score at the rim at will against us (unless Vinson just turns into the second coming of Robert Williams III overnight).
I'm a lot less concerned about being able to generate offense out of post-up sets. Offense won't be the problem with this roster.
I just don't think this is supported by any evidence. We didn't routinely allow teams to "score at the rim at will against us" last season, and we've gotten much bigger for next season. No, we don't have Robert Williams on next year's roster, but we'll have 2 forwards his size and 3 forwards/centers actually taller than him. Vinson is going to take a major step forward this offseason, and Phillips is a really good rebounder and defender in the paint. I just don't see where all this "we're gonna get dunked on every possession" paranoia is coming from. When we lost last season it was because we couldn't rebound(that problem has been solved in the portal in my opinion), we weren't as talented as the other team(also solved in the portal), or we didn't shoot at the level we needed to(solved in the portal). I think next season's roster is vastly better than last season, and I don't see lack of a true center as something that it's unrealistic to overcome. I'd love to add a center to the team(and maybe they will find a Euro for that last scholarship spot), but I trust Bucky and I really like this roster as it stands right now even without adding a center.
I'm not trying to be negative nancy here, but I'm also not going to pull wool over my eyes and just pretend everything will be fine.
If you want to assume that Vinson will take a major leap, be my guest. I'll wait to see it happen first. Phillips is a "really good rebounder and defender" - the jury is out here. He wasn't a crucial player for Tennessee, he wasn't highly valued in the portal, and he only averaged 4 boards. We have to replace 8.7 a game from Agee.
We're out here thinking we'll start Clemence at the 5. Clemence, who averaged 3 boards a game, hangs out at the 3 point line (taking him out of the battle for offensive boards), and gets pushed around like a twig on defense.
I don't see how anyone can confidently state we've solved defense and rebounding on this roster as currently constructed, even if I agree that this roster is better/more talented than last year's roster. Smells like pure hopium to me.
I definitely can see where you're coming from, I just see our roster construction very differently than you do.
Vinson averaged 3.5 PPG, 2.3 RPG, and 0.6 BPG in 6.6 MPG. I think an offseason spent developing his game and putting on more muscle should allow him put up solid numbers in an expanded role. Phillips actually was sought after in the portal; Tennessee did not want him to leave, and Alabama actually recruited him heavily. During his time at Tennessee, he earned a reputation as a high-motor player, and his career offensive rebounding percentage(almost 14%) is 21st in SEC history. If Zach does start at the 5 over Phillips(I think it could go either way, and who starts doesn't matter much in BuckyBall), I agree that he's not great on defense, but hopefully he'll at least be able to reduce his fouling over the offseason. Mgbako is also someone we can count on for 4-5 RPG, and he should be an athletic defender. We're also right in it for landing 6'8 Jalen Shelley, who averaged 6.6 RPG last season.
Rebounding will also take a huge step forward with having much bigger guards than last season, which is something most people way underestimate. Gone are the short Lane, Holloway, and Hill all of whom were under 6'1, and in are 6'3 Warren, 6'4 Haggerty, 6'5 Walls, and 6'2 Mundey/6'3 Green.
Defensively, next season's roster is way more athletic than what we had last year. Archie, Phillips, and Haggerty are all solid/above average defenders, Mundey is a great defender from what I've heard about his paly in practice last season during his redshirt year, and Reece was playing really good defense towards the end of last season at LSU.
So I definetly think our defense and rebounding will be vastly improved next season.
