That’s true.... and what we don’t know at this point is if Connor is better than Cwill. It all remains to be seen and that’s why I say it’s hard to be sure on anything at this point. Crazier things have happened than a college coach playing their son too many minutes, Iowa fans should know that.
There's probably a line in between those two things for sure. That's such a tricky thing. Especially if your kid isn't a superstar but a role player like CM will be. (I assume most of us feel similarly to that?) And I don't think Patrick will be a superstar day 1 at least. He's got 20 lbs at the least he'll need to put on till he can be that. Yet playing them is what develops them more than anything so Patrick will get PT early on too.
There was a time when half the NBA seemed to have that build-GeorgeHe might not be able to put a lot of weight on. Might affect his quickness if he did anyway. Sometimes that is a factor. The effects of his surgery could be a deterrent to gaining significant weight. Jamal Crawford and Penny Hardaway had similar builds......
Have been looking forward to Patrick and Joe on the court at the same time. Good Things Coming our way, Lads.....
This is my first year watching boys AAU ball and it is certainly fascinating to watch how rapidly some of those kids can improve any facet of their game. Of course those kids are at the age when their skills or physical maturation can improve rapidly anyway. The physical presence of coaches at these tournaments, in the window that they are allowed to attend, is pretty much an unwritten mandatory rule these days. Or they are behind the curve. If these kids weren't playing AAU they would be playing pickup ball at the YMCA. Detractors may point out that we are forcing kids to specialize in one sport too early and those are the ones who may or may not see the benefits of AAU. They're also wrong. There's plenty of time for those who choose to do so to play other sports. They just have to be smart about diet, rest and using different muscles for different sports.
Only if the coach doesn't give a shit.
If I'm not coaching my teams, I'm watching other teams play. There are good coaches and there are bad coaches. Just like in college basketball. There are coaches that demand their players play defense and there are coaches that don't. Just like college basketball (Izzo does - Fran doesn't). AAU basketball can have a lot of positive effects on a player's development. One of the benefits of coaching AAU vs high school, is little Johnny Rich Boy doesn't get minutes because his daddy donates money to the program! You get minutes on my team by playing defense, rebounding and embracing the team first concept. If mommy and daddy have a problem with it, they can kick rocks.
AAU games can get physical. That's another benefit I see. Way more physical than a summer program or pickup games. Players who get used to that kind of physicality and learn how to finish through it have a huge advantage when they get back to their regular school teams. I saw one our teams players last weekend get hammered on a drive, get up and get back on defense while snapping the cartilage from his dislocated nose back into place, and eventually end up taking a charge on the other end. Our coaches originally split minutes and crunch time minutes fairly evenly, but they're human and want to win as much as the next guy. Those who can execute in crunch time have been finding the floor more often in those situations and as incoming eighth graders it's not too early to learn to listen and execute-or sit. Hell, I see some coaches barely play seven, even though they have nine or ten on their team. Perhaps the others don't listen or loaf in practice. If that's they case they should sit.
I had a player turn the ball over 3 times in a row, so I pulled him out. He actually had the nerve to ask me why I pulled him out. Then he started talking back. I sat him the entire game after that. I pulled him aside after the game and explained it to him. Close your mouth and open your ears, if you want to play. Bottom line.
Wait until he screws up three times in a row on his job and has to answer to a pissed off boss. Or a pissed off wife. Depending on the nature of the turnovers, the kid may have to answer to me too if he was my son. I'd pull him aside in a hallway or under the bleachers and do it quietly but I'd get my point across. You don't talk back to a coach on the bench in public view. Not where other players can see.
