both picked OU so their parents could see them play basketball instead of going to a school that could actually make them better players and give them a supporting cast of teammates. There is no telling how much better Trae’s college experience could have been if he had played with better players and coaching. This kid missed out. He is really good but has to do way too much.
What does Blake Griffin and Trae Young have in common
- Thread starter Oklabama
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He could be much better is he slowed his game down. Wreckless is the word that comes to mind.
Bama,
I don't think your to far off. His supporting cast just can't seem to step it up when they are needed. This team is doing much better than I ever expected this season especially after last season and even though they will likely make the NCAA field I doubt they go beyond the 2nd round. Maybe they will surprise us all but these defensive lapses are killing them just as going cold does.
The similarities between Tres and Baker are interesting...Both breathe 'The Rare Air'...
Not to take anything away from Lon...He has proven himself, repeatedly, but once in a while, a player comes along that doesn't fit the norm and it seems it would be VERY difficult to UN-coach the thing that he has always done so successfully. Tres can't be put in a picture frame, without having his arms and legs still sticking out. To me, he can't have his roll slowed, or dialed back, and still be Tres...His game can be 'Tweaked', but probably not in his first year...Hope he sticks around long enough for us to see that develop...
And Baker? IMO, Riley tried to Leash-the-Beast, and Cage-that-Wild-Thang, and we saw how that worked out...We won Second Place in the Rose Bowl...
Not to take anything away from Lon...He has proven himself, repeatedly, but once in a while, a player comes along that doesn't fit the norm and it seems it would be VERY difficult to UN-coach the thing that he has always done so successfully. Tres can't be put in a picture frame, without having his arms and legs still sticking out. To me, he can't have his roll slowed, or dialed back, and still be Tres...His game can be 'Tweaked', but probably not in his first year...Hope he sticks around long enough for us to see that develop...
And Baker? IMO, Riley tried to Leash-the-Beast, and Cage-that-Wild-Thang, and we saw how that worked out...We won Second Place in the Rose Bowl...
Winning on the road is tough but losing last night at home to those thugs from WV was hard to deal with. Letting that kid free to hit 5 threes early was on Kruger. Sooners never recovered.
I’m ready for the Lady Sooner softball team to get started. This team will be better than last years NC team.
I’m ready for the Lady Sooner softball team to get started. This team will be better than last years NC team.
Trae doesn’t need to be “caged”. He needs more talented teammates. If he were playing at a true basketball power school he would get a lot more good looks at the basket and most likely be more successful. That all I’m saying. Lon is a very good coach but he isn’t going to attract enough talented players to support a kid like Trae Young at OU. Where would this team be without Young? I doubt he will hang around another year. He appears to be frustrated.
If he's getting frustrated at the college level from just some tough defense, he's going to blow his lid in the NBA when he has guys like Patrick Beverly and the likes guarding him.
I don't think he's getting enough help from the refs when he's getting bumped and shoved repeatedly off the ball in transitions, but that's just going to keep happening, so he needs to dig deep and blow it all off.
Yep, I agree.
I read a USA Today article about his family’s decision process. Here is the short version. Washington, Kansas, Kentucky, Texas Tech, Okie State, and OU were in the mix. Washington had just signed a good friend of Trae’s that would have been great for him to play with; however, the family felt strongly that the other kid was a sure one and done player and then Trae wouldn’t have the supporting cast he needed. OSU and Tech weren’t much in the running. Ray liked Kentucky a lot and thought Trae would always have players around that were 4 and 5 stars kids which would be the best scenario for Trae. Mom didn’t want him in Kentucky or Kansas. She liked Lon because he had been around the family since Trae was in the 8th grade. Her words. She wanted him near home. Ray and Trea thought having a good “team” was more important in selecting a school. At the time the article was published Trea had not made a decision, but my take was that he would end up at Kentucky. Well, evidently Mom was more influential. Also the family seemed to feel Trae would play for more than one year of college ball.
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More successful in what way? He's likely going to be the national player of the year, he's going to be a lottery pick, and he followed his heart and stayed home with his family and his hometown school. If you're referring to team success, sure he could have had more of that at a better basketball school, but I admire him for the challenge he took on at OU and making his own way.
Looking at NCAA-NBA history, Trae's choice to follow his own path rather than team success actually jives more with NBA stars.
I found this nice SI article from 2015 that shows the NBA contributions of stars from the previous 12 NCAA championship teams.
Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony are it. Then you've got a few NBA contributors/role players.
Danny Green
Ty Lawson
Kemba Walker
Joakim Noah
Al Horford
Corey Brewer
Raymond Felton
Emeka Okafor
Ben Gordon
https://www.si.com/nba/2015/03/23/ncaa-tournament-march-madness-nba-players-carmelo-anthony
I found this nice SI article from 2015 that shows the NBA contributions of stars from the previous 12 NCAA championship teams.
Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony are it. Then you've got a few NBA contributors/role players.
Danny Green
Ty Lawson
Kemba Walker
Joakim Noah
Al Horford
Corey Brewer
Raymond Felton
Emeka Okafor
Ben Gordon
https://www.si.com/nba/2015/03/23/ncaa-tournament-march-madness-nba-players-carmelo-anthony
This team is very young. Only one senior. We are in the lead for a 5 star guard who would enroll this fall. If Trae stays and he moves to 2 guard with the new guy at the point you'd have the college equivalent of Harden and Paul. MANEK as an improved and physically stronger soph. has to be better.
Lattin is the only senior. This team could be fantastic next year if Trae comes back. Obviously a big if.
I don't think Trae stays as a Top 10 pick. I doubt he falls out of the Top 10. Definitely not out of the lottery.
Rookie contracts for the last lottery pick #14 average their first 3 years; $2M, $2.5M, $2.9M. The NBA is patient with players, so that's guaranteed money almost. That's $7.5M you're talking about gambling on risking your health for another year. Does anybody take that chance?
The upside of staying is becoming the #1 pick (huge if) and then averaging a 3 year contract like; $6M, $7M, $8M. $21M.
Rookie contracts for the last lottery pick #14 average their first 3 years; $2M, $2.5M, $2.9M. The NBA is patient with players, so that's guaranteed money almost. That's $7.5M you're talking about gambling on risking your health for another year. Does anybody take that chance?
The upside of staying is becoming the #1 pick (huge if) and then averaging a 3 year contract like; $6M, $7M, $8M. $21M.
In addition, I think the NBA this year has more parity than it has in the past decade or so. Trae is probably appropriately a #5-10 pick. At that point, you're looking at more like a $12M contract, and he'll be going to a team that has good pieces and on the cusp.
Buddy's having a slow start in the NBA, but he's trending up. His player efficiency rating is finally above the league average. His +/- is still negative, but that's more from being on a losing team. He's shooting great though.
Given the Kings roster, I'm really not sure why Hield doesn't start more often and play way more than half the game (25 mpg).
Given the Kings roster, I'm really not sure why Hield doesn't start more often and play way more than half the game (25 mpg).
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