Udoka

[Deleted User 75]

Per 40 points and blocks are up, rebounds the same.
FG% down.

I think the fg% being down is a direct result of no graham/newman (mostly graham). He's not getting as many uncontested lobs/dunks.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Maybe if he plays more than 12 minutes, we can get an idea of his improvement or lack thereof.

Saw this elsewhere:

Nov: 3.3 fouls/40

Dec: 4.4 fouls/40

Jan: 5.3 fouls/40

Feb: 5.6 fouls/40

Mar: 7.3 fouls/40

He's currently at 6.6 fouls/40 this year.

[pdub]

Agreed.
I also think that will change once our freshmen adjust to the flow of offense.
Dotson is shooting well from the perimeter but he's not taking a number of shots there - I think he'll shoot worse than he is but shoot more. And Grimes has shown he can hit from deep.

And when I say FG% is down, he is still shooting 67%.

[CrimsonNBlue]

Per 40 points and blocks are up, rebounds the same.
FG% down.

I think the fg% being down is a direct result of no graham/newman (mostly graham). He's not getting as many uncontested lobs/dunks.

Well sure a big guy is going to miss an AA PG unless it's replaced by another AA PG.

But more responsible for the very predictable drop in FG% is because he's shooting more. All he does is dunk, catch lobs and make one dribble post moves, just like last year. I'd be shocked if his FGA/40 isn't way up. It should be. It has to be for us to be a better team and for him to be a better player. What good is a 67% FG shooter if he only shoots 3x a game?

[Deleted User 75]

I had hoped that Dok would be a more skilled player this year. So far, I haven't seen much if any improvement.

You don't go from relatively raw to skilled in 5 months of off season where there is limited time allowed by the rules for coaches to coach. It takes years. Especially for guys like Dok who haven't played basketball that long.

Rapid improvement is a rare quality that not many basketball players have. It takes year and years. And sometimes that "potential" isn't fulfilled. And many times it's not due to lack of trying, "potential" is a projection, it's not always attainable.

[pdub]

I think people really undersell Dok's footwork/moves around the basket.
He's raw in aspects of the game still, sure, but I wouldn't label Dok as 'raw' just because he can't shoot a jumper.

[Deleted User 75]

I think people really undersell Dok's footwork/moves around the basket.
He's raw in aspects of the game still, sure, but I wouldn't label Dok as 'raw' just because he can't shoot a jumper.

Agree about the footwork.

He's raw in most aspects of basketball other than footwork and dunking though.

[pdub]

By the end of the year, Udoka will be averaging more points, more points and with around the same rebounds at a slightly lower FG%.

I don't think he 'rapidly improves' but 15 PPG, 7 RPG, 2 BPG when you're playing next to a dude attempting 14 shots a game is pretty damn good.

[PhDhawk]

I think people really undersell Dok's footwork/moves around the basket.
He's raw in aspects of the game still, sure, but I wouldn't label Dok as 'raw' just because he can't shoot a jumper.

Dok shows flashes of greatness with footwork, interspersed with clumsiness.

Similarly, there are times he moves laterally, stays vertical, and blocks a shot, then later swats at someone and gets fouled.

He has all the tools, just needs to use them consistently and stop the bad habits

[PhDhawk]

By the end of the year, Udoka will be averaging more points, more points and with around the same rebounds at a slightly lower FG%.

I don't think he 'rapidly improves' but 15 PPG, 7 RPG, 2 BPG when you're playing next to a dude attempting 14 shots a game is pretty damn good.

He'd have 6ppg more if we had ANYONE who could throw a decent post entry pass.

[Deleted User 89]

lotta truth there

[CrimsonNBlue]

I think people really undersell Dok's footwork/moves around the basket.
He's raw in aspects of the game still, sure, but I wouldn't label Dok as 'raw' just because he can't shoot a jumper.

Dok shows flashes of greatness with footwork, interspersed with clumsiness.

Similarly, there are times he moves laterally, stays vertical, and blocks a shot, then later swats at someone and gets fouled.

He has all the tools, just needs to use them consistently and stop the bad habits

Still wonder if it’s a fatigue issue.

[pdub]

He does always look tired.
Even after two minutes in.

[Soklous]

Self saying he would like to see Udoka get less offensive fouls. He doesn’t foul out defensively.

My take... Udoka is lucky at this point to not be called for more. While I like the fight and mean streak, he has literally been two hand shoving guys in the paint to get position. Even running down the court, he’s been full extension shoving. They’ve let it go so far, but it’s only a matter of time that All Star refs in the Big Dance call it completely different.

[pdub]

As said before, the rules apply differently to him.
If he extends his arm out for spacing like a guard might, he's getting called, because he's going to move the player, while the guard may not.
He needs to play smarter but officials should always keep that stuff in mind.

[Deleted User 62]

Dok got 2 fouls against Tennessee for standing upright.

[pdub]

The fifth foul was questionable.
The third foul was laughable.

[PhDhawk]

Even on the other three, there are plenty of plays where guys get away with that level of contact.

And I'm estimating, but he received contact equal to or greater than what he gave on his average foul something like 74 times.

[PhDhawk]

The fifth foul was questionable.
The third foul was laughable.

The fifth one, there was enough contact to not be upset that the call was made, and it was in a spot he shouldn't have been making contact anyway. But for sure, that amount of contact doesn't get a whistle at least 25 times a game.

The more informative part of that play was that Grant Williams gave a Marcus Smart level acting job on the flop to the floor. Everyone knows if you make contact with dok and act like you got hit by a mack truck you'll get the foul call.

[pdub]

Grant Williams got karma'd up not long later when he fouled out of the game.