YoDeFoe wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:01 pm
Pelle Larsson was participating in shooting drills but not full contact drills this past weekend. His stroke is pure. Looking forward to his full return.
Think he's good enough to be a starter this season, or is 6th man probably his ceiling for now?
I thought he'd beat out Terry, but with the injury and Terry's improvements over the summer its probably Terry to start the season. That's the mechanics of it. I think Choo gave that same feedback with a higher degree of insight than I have. To answer your question though - yeah, I think he's plenty good enough to be a starter here (or anywhere else in college basketball) at the two or three. We're talking about a guy with the body of Josh Green and the stroke of Gabe York - not the athlete that Green was or the volume shooter that York was, but enough of both that I think Larsson could get his name called in the draft in 2023.
I love our wing rotation though - Terry, Benn, Pelle, Aiken, Kier, Shane - that's a lot of size, length, shooting, and passing. We'll start the season with a sixth and seventh man in Pelle and Aiken who could justify starting.
YoDeFoe wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:01 pm
Pelle Larsson was participating in shooting drills but not full contact drills this past weekend. His stroke is pure. Looking forward to his full return.
Think he's good enough to be a starter this season, or is 6th man probably his ceiling for now?
I thought he'd beat out Terry, but with the injury and Terry's improvements over the summer its probably Terry to start the season. That's the mechanics of it. I think Choo gave that same feedback with a higher degree of insight than I have. To answer your question though - yeah, I think he's plenty good enough to be a starter here (or anywhere else in college basketball) at the two or three. We're talking about a guy with the body of Josh Green and the stroke of Gabe York - not the athlete that Green was or the volume shooter that York was, but enough of both that I think Larsson could get his name called in the draft in 2023.
I love our wing rotation though - Terry, Benn, Pelle, Aiken, Kier, Shane - that's a lot of size, length, shooting, and passing. We'll start the season with a sixth and seventh man in Pelle and Aiken who could justify starting.
That's the wing depth analysis I'm here for! Let's go!!!
I hard disagree with that ranking. Tyger Campbell is the 35th best player in the country and Akinjo is the 93rd?
Campbell: 10pts / 5asts / 2rebs / 2 TOs on 43% / 25% / 77% shooting / 50% TS
Akinjo: 16pts / 5asts / 2rebs / 2 TOs on 38% / 36% / 82% shooting / 52% TS
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
by Olsondogg
So much wrong on that list
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:55 pm
by YoDeFoe
UCLA: 3 players in the top 50
USC: 1 player in the top 50
Arizona St: 1 player in the top 50
Oregon: 0 players in the top 50, 2 players in the top 100
Oregon St: 0 players in the top 50, 1 player in the top 100
Washington St: 0 players in the top 50, 1 player in the top 100
Colorado: 0 players in the top 50, 1 player in the top 100
Arizona: 2 players in the top 50
Hard to look at that and put Arizona outside of the top three in the conference (unless you believe Dana Altman or Andy Enfield is just that much better of a coach than Lloyd)
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:07 pm
by YoDeFoe
Olsondogg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
So much wrong on that list
I don't buy Johnny or Tyger at UCLA - they had a nice run last March but they're the same team that went 5-7 heading into the tournament, where they barely escaped three losses to advance.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:09 pm
by Olsondogg
It’s an opinion, and that’s fine. I think that Mathurin is set up for a very special year. I haven’t been as excited for a players second year since maybe RHJ or Nick Johnson—and I believe Benn will have one of the best soph seasons ever.
Olsondogg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
So much wrong on that list
I don't buy Johnny or Tyger at UCLA - they had a nice run last March but they're the same team that went 5-7 heading into the tournament, where they barely escaped three losses to advance.
Olsondogg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
So much wrong on that list
I don't buy Johnny or Tyger at UCLA - they had a nice run last March but they're the same team that went 5-7 heading into the tournament, where they barely escaped three losses to advance.
Juzang is for real imo
Juzang is for real not the third best player in the country
Olsondogg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
So much wrong on that list
I don't buy Johnny or Tyger at UCLA - they had a nice run last March but they're the same team that went 5-7 heading into the tournament, where they barely escaped three losses to advance.
Juzang is for real imo
I'm a little more bearish on that dude. He had his best stretch of the season in March, which was impressive, but prior to that, he was hot and cold all season. He also didn't impress NBA scouts this past spring. He's streaky as hell and dangerous when he's hot. I'll give him that.
I think Campbell is a much more important player for them. He's turned out to be a very good PG. He's made clutch plays for them many times.
Still, not sure I'd take either of those guys before Akinjo.
Olsondogg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
So much wrong on that list
I don't buy Johnny or Tyger at UCLA - they had a nice run last March but they're the same team that went 5-7 heading into the tournament, where they barely escaped three losses to advance.
Juzang is for real imo
I'm a little more bearish on that dude. He had his best stretch of the season in March, which was impressive, but prior to that, he was hot and cold all season. He also didn't impress NBA scouts this past spring. He's streaky as hell and dangerous when he's hot. I'll give him that.
I think Campbell is a much more important player for them. He's turned out to be a very good PG. He's made clutch plays for them many times.
Still, not sure I'd take either of those guys before Akinjo.
I thought this was an insightful study of Juzang's bad habits, which he was able to shake (largely) for the tournament run but reared again in his draft workouts:
Yeah, it wasn't juzang, it was Campbell and Jacquez that gave us fits in the regular season, Juzang I don't remember being that big of a threat until the tournament. Then he freaking couldn't miss.
Olsondogg wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 12:42 pm
So much wrong on that list
I don't buy Johnny or Tyger at UCLA - they had a nice run last March but they're the same team that went 5-7 heading into the tournament, where they barely escaped three losses to advance.
Juzang is for real imo
I'm a little more bearish on that dude. He had his best stretch of the season in March, which was impressive, but prior to that, he was hot and cold all season. He also didn't impress NBA scouts this past spring. He's streaky as hell and dangerous when he's hot. I'll give him that.
I think Campbell is a much more important player for them. He's turned out to be a very good PG. He's made clutch plays for them many times.
Still, not sure I'd take either of those guys before Akinjo.
I thought this was an insightful study of Juzang's bad habits, which he was able to shake (largely) for the tournament run but reared again in his draft workouts:
Wow. That’s an excellent scouting report on Juzang and really makes his deficiencies and bad habits quite clear.
Think you beat by Ucla by forcing Campbell to take more shots, keeping them off the offensive glass, limiting turnovers and making them run. This is not the fastest or most athletic team they’ve had recently.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:07 am
by Olsondogg
The media puts a ton of stock into late postseason runs in their preseason conference predictions.
That should make for some good locker room material
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:37 am
by gronk4heisman
The same Evan Battey who is 300 lbs and only averaged 5 rebounds as a Junior? The same Marcus Bagley who shot 38% from the field as a big man and has the same multitude of injuries as his big bro at "Guard U"? Neither who could guard anyone. Ok.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:38 am
by Chicat
Whenever UCLA has been predicted to finish first in the conference recently they’ve pooped all over themselves.
Here’s hoping that trend continues.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:50 am
by YoDeFoe
Love that the knocks on Arizona are like "well we don't know if Kerr Kriisa will be a GREAT point guard and if Tommy Lloyd is a GREAT coach" and then for USC it's just "none of these guys have ever passed the ball and the coach eats glue - #3 in the conference, lock."
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:26 am
by Beachcat97
Chicat wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 9:38 am
Whenever UCLA has been predicted to finish first in the conference recently they’ve pooped all over themselves.
Here’s hoping that trend continues.
Their roster is pretty stacked, and I think they finally have a halfway competent coach to keep things running smoothly. Cronin is obviously an improvement on Alford.
Still, this UCLA team isn't some kind of juggernaut. They narrowly avoided getting knocked out by Michigan State in the First Four last season. I'm looking at teams like Gonzaga, Kansas, Nova, maybe Texas...they're all more athletic than UCLA. Not that athleticism is the end all be all. Just pointing out that UCLA isn't going to win games just by showing up. They're beatable.
Wouldn't surprise me to see Oregon win the league.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:46 am
by YoDeFoe
Oregon is not going to win the league. They're a significantly worse team than last season. Pass it on.
Again: They lost 75% of their minutes and scoring. They lost their three best players including the Pac-12 POY / All American in Duerte, another first teamer in Omoruyi, and do-it-all man in Figueroa. I know we all get rocked to sleep by Altman constantly refreshing the roster up there and figuring it out, but nothing that Altman brought in is as good as what he lost in those three.
They return Will Richardson who is good but not great, N'Faly Dante who is a useful big, and Eric Williams who is good but not great on the wing. Nathan Bittle will get crowded out of PT in an older and stronger front court. The shooting is suspect. The guards they brought in are each 6'2" combo guards. The lost two Pac-12 first teamers and replace them with an All ACC third teamer and a Big XII honorable mention.
Someone tell me if I'm losing my mind and this is a tough roster because it looks like a downgrade to me.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 12:28 pm
by Beachcat97
YoDeFoe wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:46 am
Oregon is not going to win the league. They're a significantly worse team than last season. Pass it on.
Again: They lost 75% of their minutes and scoring. They lost their three best players including the Pac-12 POY / All American in Duerte, another first teamer in Omoruyi, and do-it-all man in Figueroa. I know we all get rocked to sleep by Altman constantly refreshing the roster up there and figuring it out, but nothing that Altman brought in is as good as what he lost in those three.
They return Will Richardson who is good but not great, N'Faly Dante who is a useful big, and Eric Williams who is good but not great on the wing. Nathan Bittle will get crowded out of PT in an older and stronger front court. The shooting is suspect. The guards they brought in are each 6'2" combo guards. The lost two Pac-12 first teamers and replace them with an All ACC third teamer and a Big XII honorable mention.
Someone tell me if I'm losing my mind and this is a tough roster because it looks like a downgrade to me.
No, that's a fair assessment, YDF. Let's just say I have a lot of respect for Altman. His teams almost always improve over the course of the season, and he's outperformed his team's preseason ranking many times.
YoDeFoe wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:46 am
Oregon is not going to win the league. They're a significantly worse team than last season. Pass it on.
Again: They lost 75% of their minutes and scoring. They lost their three best players including the Pac-12 POY / All American in Duerte, another first teamer in Omoruyi, and do-it-all man in Figueroa. I know we all get rocked to sleep by Altman constantly refreshing the roster up there and figuring it out, but nothing that Altman brought in is as good as what he lost in those three.
They return Will Richardson who is good but not great, N'Faly Dante who is a useful big, and Eric Williams who is good but not great on the wing. Nathan Bittle will get crowded out of PT in an older and stronger front court. The shooting is suspect. The guards they brought in are each 6'2" combo guards. The lost two Pac-12 first teamers and replace them with an All ACC third teamer and a Big XII honorable mention.
Someone tell me if I'm losing my mind and this is a tough roster because it looks like a downgrade to me.
No, that's a fair assessment, YDF. Let's just say I have a lot of respect for Altman. His teams almost always improve over the course of the season, and he's outperformed his team's preseason ranking many times.
Miller was a wizard. Altman continues to be a wizard. I'll never count him out.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:59 pm
by Beachcat97
By the way, UCLA hasn't won a Pac reg season title since 2013.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:32 pm
by TheCat
YoDeFoe wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:46 am
Oregon is not going to win the league. They're a significantly worse team than last season. Pass it on.
Again: They lost 75% of their minutes and scoring. They lost their three best players including the Pac-12 POY / All American in Duerte, another first teamer in Omoruyi, and do-it-all man in Figueroa. I know we all get rocked to sleep by Altman constantly refreshing the roster up there and figuring it out, but nothing that Altman brought in is as good as what he lost in those three.
They return Will Richardson who is good but not great, N'Faly Dante who is a useful big, and Eric Williams who is good but not great on the wing. Nathan Bittle will get crowded out of PT in an older and stronger front court. The shooting is suspect. The guards they brought in are each 6'2" combo guards. The lost two Pac-12 first teamers and replace them with an All ACC third teamer and a Big XII honorable mention.
Someone tell me if I'm losing my mind and this is a tough roster because it looks like a downgrade to me.
N'Faly Dante is more than a useful big. My prediction if he comes all the way back from injury he will be 1st team all pac-10. Oregon will have a great front line but it is the other folks that are a question mark.
People are losing their mind over a team that came in 4th in the pac (picked higher), lost 10 games (Ariz lost 9 but we played less games), were a .500 road team in conference, lost 1st game in the pac tourney, lost 4 in a row before the tourney, and was around 70 defensively but made an impressive run in the tourney where they won twice in OT. Can't see how that is a top team favored to go to the championship game this year. I guess we will know soon as they played what I would call a Lute Olson preseason schedule. Impressive and testing schedule. The real question is who is UCLA going to be.....the tourney team that was great or a fourth place pac-12 team the couldn't win a game in the pac tourney?
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 5:42 pm
by Beachcat97
TheCat wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 3:32 pm
People are losing their mind over a team that came in 4th in the pac (picked higher), lost 10 games (Ariz lost 9 but we played less games), were a .500 road team in conference, lost 4 in a row before the tourney, but made an impressive run in the tourney where they won twice in OT. Can't see how that is a top team favored to go to the championship game this year. I guess we will know soon as they played what I would call a Lute Olson preseason schedule. Impressive and testing schedule.
I think a lot of it has to do with them returning every key player from a team that reached the FF. That hardly ever happens these days.
So UCLA and USC are the only teams worthy of press for the upcoming season? Got it.
Meh. That's not how I read it. Those two teams have captured national attention because of UCLA's FF run and the Mobley bros. at USC; think that's it. I like knowing what we're up against and think we can surprise some people this season, particularly if we're fully healthy.
So UCLA and USC are the only teams worthy of press for the upcoming season? Got it.
Well, it is an LA Times article so....
I would expect an AZ Daily Star article to speak mainly about Arizona.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:35 am
by azgreg
There is a UCLA thread available.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:00 pm
by Beachcat97
azgreg wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 11:35 am
There is a UCLA thread available.
So just to be clear, this thread is only meant to be used for Arizona, not teams they'll be playing during the 2021-22 season?
Feels like any opponent on this year's schedule would be fair game for this thread, but I'm happy to be corrected.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:11 pm
by Dave
Here is the link for Arizona's Pac 12 media day interview. https://youtu.be/7PgFhQVJSgw
I loved the part where Tubelis said "personally for me, I just need to dominate".
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:37 pm
by 84Cat
Dave wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 1:11 pm
Here is the link for Arizona's Pac 12 media day interview. https://youtu.be/7PgFhQVJSgw
I loved the part where Tubelis said "personally for me, I just need to dominate".
29. Arizona: You'll get a spectrum of feedback from around the Pac-12 on what Arizona's forecast should be in Tommy Lloyd's first season. I can promise you this won't be the 29th best team in the sport in November, December or even January. But by the first week of March? Yeah, I'll take a chance and say U of A is playing at the level of a No. 8 seed. An ambitious ranking, I admit. Lloyd is playing with house money in year one, so look for Zona to be loose and free. The most productive player Lloyd did not retain was James Akinjo, but in the end I think that will serve Arizona better. U of A has six new players in the fold, but it's three particular guys still here -- from last season's roster -- who are the most important factors in getting Arizona to the Big Dance in '22: 6-11 Azuolas Tubelis (12.2 ppg), 6-7 Benedict Mathurin (10.8 ppg) and 7-1 Christian Koloko (5.3 ppg) will be an unorthodox trio that could grow into a tricky collective mismatch for many Pac-12 teams.
I don't think this is that bold of a take - there's a ton of talent on this team and its well constructed besides the PG depth - though any team that loses its lead PG will be in trouble, and thankfully we'll have a system that spreads the playmaking responsibility and a couple of guys who have experience playing PG behind Kerr. (No new comments from me, here)
Funny to list Koloko as the third leg of the stool instead of / at the exclusion of listing Terry but that's what you get when you sort by PPG
And yeah, I would talk about wing depth and shooting as a big advantage for Arizona. But there's only so many words you can write and so deep you can go in this kind of exercise. It'd benefit from a note on transfers segueing into the above note on wing depth, playmaking and shooting since bringing in Kier and Aiken and Larsson (along with recruits Nowell and Bal) provides a ton of size and length, playmaking ability and scoring (along with defensive potential).
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:31 pm
by Postmaster
Ryan Hansen (announcer) was on radio today and was really excited we were picked 4th.
It depresses me that being ranked 4th is a positive.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:29 am
by Beachcat97
Postmaster wrote: ↑Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:31 pm
Ryan Hansen (announcer) was on radio today and was really excited we were picked 4th.
It depresses me that being ranked 4th is a positive.
Think of what it's like for current UofA students who've yet to experience our domination in men's hoops. 4th probably doesn't sound so terrible.
I'm fine with where we're being pegged to start the season. Will be that much sweeter when we start winning.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:15 am
by TheCat
Arizona is a complete unknown except the freshman performance of a few players. 4th may be a gift or an underestimation but no one knows.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:30 am
by gronk4heisman
TheCat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:15 am
Arizona is a complete unknown except the freshman performance of a few players. 4th may be a gift or an underestimation but no one knows.
Um, we return 4 starters. I would not say we are complete unknown. In fact, I cant remember the last time we returned 3 starters. Maybe '14-'15 with TJ, Kaleb and B Ash.
TheCat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:15 am
Arizona is a complete unknown except the freshman performance of a few players. 4th may be a gift or an underestimation but no one knows.
Um, we return 4 starters. I would not say we are complete unknown. In fact, I cant remember the last time we returned 3 starters. Maybe '14-'15 with TJ, Kaleb and B Ash.
This.
I lol at unknown.
Re: The 2021-2022 Season Thread
Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 12:45 pm
by Beachcat97
TheCat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:15 am
Arizona is a complete unknown except the freshman performance of a few players. 4th may be a gift or an underestimation but no one knows.
This feels directed more at Lloyd than the players.
TheCat wrote: ↑Fri Oct 15, 2021 11:15 am
Arizona is a complete unknown except the freshman performance of a few players. 4th may be a gift or an underestimation but no one knows.
This feels directed more at Lloyd than the players.
Yup. Literally every one is afraid to go out on a limb on Arizona merely because of Lloyd. No one wants to call this wrong in either direction. That's the sports media for you.
