Olaseni Wants To "Blow Up" This Year

[RocknRollface]

My point with Looby is the same with Gabe and its not a bad thing...all the athleticism in the world doesn't give a player a higher ceiling than another. It still comes down to knowing how to play. I think Gabe will be a solid contributor and made strides last season, but Woodbury is just better and will continue to improve at a higher pace than Gabe because of his total abilities.

Athleticism certainly plays a big factor in a players potential as does bball iq.The difference is one can be learned, theoreticaly, while the other wont change much.Gabe has a higher ceiling than woodbury even though adam can get allot better too. Whether or not gabe ever comes close to his potential is the question. Adam will likely remain the better player while they are at iowa.

 

[528646]

Although the Woodbury vs Olaseni debate (again) is fun, can I just point out that this is a situation where 2StarStan might make this board better (i.e. a guy with a foreign-ish sounding last name is making a claim he wants to "blow up"...dunno that could be "mandatory pre-game pat down" material).

 

[racerhawk]

This. Gabe has the higher ceiling of the two based on his athleticism. Woody is probably more likely to reach his ceiling on the basis of his more polished game. But I do think Gabe will be a major contributor as a senior.

Woody is a 7 foot tall kid who played significant minutes as a true freshman. He will continue to improve. I think Woody isn't done developing physically, so it's difficult to judge his athletic ceiling based upon his Freshman year.

 

[LASBUR]

Dave, if Woody is more like TD and Gabe is more like BG I guess thats settles it. Woody by a landslide

If you take talent level aside here. I would say Woody is a Tim Duncan type player and Gabe is more of a Blake Griffin type player from an athletic standpoint. Woody doesn't overly wow you but he is fairly sound in what he does. Gabe on the other hand is more of a high flying guy he makes better highlight reels than putting points and stats in the box score.

 

[JHHawk]

Woody is already saying that his vertical is improved due to his strength training,so I see him continuing to improve. He is already the best rebounder on the team,and one of the best passers. His touch out to 15 is improving. He runs the floor fine,just not like a gazelle like Gabe.

I like what I hear from Gabe...he is expanding his offensive game. If he can become a face-up 4,fine...he can play alongside Woody for stretches,when we want to go big.

Woody still has the higher ceiling,in my book. If his athleticism improves,he will get a look from the NBA.
Alex Len is now projected to be #1 in the draft overall...Woody could be a 2nd rounder.

 

[BasketballMan]

Woody is already saying that his vertical is improved due to his strength training,so I see him continuing to improve. He is already the best rebounder on the team,and one of the best passers. His touch out to 15 is improving. He runs the floor fine,just not like a gazelle like Gabe.

I like what I hear from Gabe...he is expanding his offensive game. If he can become a face-up 4,fine...he can play alongside Woody for stretches,when we want to go big.

Woody still has the higher ceiling,in my book. If his athleticism improves,he will get a look from the NBA.
Alex Len is now projected to be #1 in the draft overall...Woody could be a 2nd rounder.

Woody's vertical has improved? LOL. God I hope so.

 

[Tierney]

Woody's vertical has improved? LOL. God I hope so.

I think Woody could be a first rounder in a year or two.

 

[theboat]

I like Gabe's potential as much as anyone, but saying that he is or will be better than Woodbury at this point is just absurd.

 

[Casey388]

I don't care who's better I just want them both to improve. Gabe is going to look like a completely different player after ever off season due to him learning more and more about the game. I think he could be a d-league prospect when it's all said and done.

 

[PCHawk]

Woody is already saying that his vertical is improved due to his strength training,so I see him continuing to improve. He is already the best rebounder on the team,and one of the best passers. His touch out to 15 is improving. He runs the floor fine,just not like a gazelle like Gabe.

I like what I hear from Gabe...he is expanding his offensive game. If he can become a face-up 4,fine...he can play alongside Woody for sretches,when we want to go big.

Woody still has the higher ceiling,in my book. If his athleticism improves,he will get a look from the NBA.
Alex Len is now projected to be #1 in the draft overall...Woody could be a 2nd rounder.

I would think that when you're as tall as woody is you would only need to add a couple inches to your verticle to go from never dunking to always dunking.

 

[RocknRollface]

I don't care who's better I just want them both to improve. Gabe is going to look like a completely different player after ever off season due to him learning more and more about the game. I think he could be a d-league prospect when it's all said and done.

Agreed, Gabes potential for improvement is a much different than someone who has grown up playing bball.

Hes got an NBA body and athleticism right now.

Not just good jumping ability but good everything, incredibly quick feet and lateral mobility, and good hand eye coordination. The last two are what separates him from guys like Thomas and Looby IMO, hes much more fluid. Gabe was put at the head of the press to pressure the ball up the court in certain points, you would never see the other two doing that.

His mental grasp of the game and his mind set will determine everything for him. .

He certainly improved allot in a year, but he could continue to progress at an exponential level for the next 6 or 7 years or he continue to be the same player. Its just hard to say what he will turn into, where as Woodbury you can see what he will be when he gets stronger.

 

[sportstalent]

Athleticism certainly plays a big factor in a players potential as does bball iq.The difference is one can be learned, theoreticaly, while the other wont change much.Gabe has a higher ceiling than woodbury even though adam can get allot better too. Whether or not gabe ever comes close to his potential is the question. Adam will likely remain the better player while they are at iowa.

Every player that plays Division 1 basketball is athletic. Gabe happens to be much more athletic than Woodbury; that does not mean, to me anyway, that Gabe has a higher ceiling by any means.

If that was the case why is it that some "great" athletes can't play and be "great" or "good" in every sport? You can see it as early in high school or even junior high with kids and players. Some have a greater understanding of finer things in some sports than others. Sports are as much, or more of an athletes mental capacity than athleticism.

You can factor potential into athleticism if you like, but his mentality makes him a player more than his athleticism. Just look at who we are comparing and ask yourself who has had a greater impact on Iowa basketball to date? Not to say both players aren't going to have big impacts, but I feel Woodbury will have a far greater impact on Iowa than Gabe, he has so far and I don't see that changing.

I guess when I compare the two, there is far more than athleticism that separates the two at this point. Give Woodbury the athleticism that Gabe has and you may have a one and done player and that is just one attribute. How many of Woodbury's attributes would it take to get Gabe a one and done player...many.

As a basketball player, Woodbury is just better at this point. It doesn't mean Gabe won't get better, but Woodbury isn't going to regress either.

 

[BasketballMan]

I think Woody could be a first rounder in a year or two.

Without question.

 

[RocknRollface]

Every player that plays Division 1 basketball is athletic. Gabe happens to be much more athletic than Woodbury; that does not mean, to me anyway, that Gabe has a higher ceiling by any means.

If that was the case why is it that some "great" athletes can't play and be "great" or "good" in every sport? You can see it as early in high school or even junior high with kids and players. Some have a greater understanding of finer things in some sports than others. Sports are as much, or more of an athletes mental capacity than athleticism.

You can factor potential into athleticism if you like, but his mentality makes him a player more than his athleticism. Just look at who we are comparing and ask yourself who has had a greater impact on Iowa basketball to date? Not to say both players aren't going to have big impacts, but I feel Woodbury will have a far greater impact on Iowa than Gabe, he has so far and I don't see that changing.

I guess when I compare the two, there is far more than athleticism that separates the two at this point. Give Woodbury the athleticism that Gabe has and you may have a one and done player and that is just one attribute. How many of Woodbury's attributes would it take to get Gabe a one and done player...many.

As a basketball player, Woodbury is just better at this point. It doesn't mean Gabe won't get better, but Woodbury isn't going to regress either.

Obviously you have to be good at the game but athleticism is also a huge factor. If it wasn't getting older wouldn't matter.

Guys get old and have to quit because they are not as athletic as they used to be.

I too think Woodbury will have a greater impact at Iowa, thats not my point. Gabe has more potential because he is far more athletic but that also means he has allot further to go and may never come close. He is the quintessential diamond in the rough. All the attributes are there but they need allot of shaping.

The point is Gabe has potential to take enormous steps not seen by regular college players who played their whole lives, doesn't' mean he will but the potential is there. Even in the nba there aren't many 6'11 guys who are that fast and can dunk behind their back and between their legs. Gabe could continue to get better every year for a long time after college where most guys start to top out. I definitely don't think he will surpass Woody while they are here though.

We know Woodbury will continue to progress, you can just tell, but at a normal pace IMO. He will start to be dominant by the time hes a junior.

They are different players too, I really see Gabe as a 4 eventually as his game is mostly facing up on O and a help defense shot blocker. Where as Woody is a solid post defender and back to the basket player.

 

[sportstalent]

Obviously you have to be good at the game but athleticism is also a huge factor. If it wasn't getting older wouldn't matter.

Guys get old and have to quit because they are not as athletic as they used to be.

I too think Woodbury will have a greater impact at Iowa, thats not my point. Gabe has more potential because he is far more athletic but that also means he has allot further to go and may never come close. He is the quintessential diamond in the rough. All the attributes are there but they need allot of shaping.

The point is Gabe has potential to take enormous steps not seen by regular college players who played their whole lives, doesn't' mean he will but the potential is there. Even in the nba there aren't many 6'11 guys who are that fast and can dunk behind their back and between their legs. Gabe could continue to get better every year for a long time after college where most guys start to top out. I definitely don't think he will surpass Woody while they are here though.

We know Woodbury will continue to progress, you can just tell, but at a normal pace IMO. He will start to be dominant by the time hes a junior.

They are different players too, I really see Gabe as a 4 eventually as his game is mostly facing up on O and a help defense shot blocker. Where as Woody is a solid post defender and back to the basket player.

I guess my only rebuttle to that is this: How is it that players like Chris Kaman, Scott Pollard, Greg Ostertag, among others have had the careers they have and you see countless guys who have superior athleticism fizzle out at the next level.

Sometimes the word "potential" is very dangerous and people make that out to be far more important than what players can actually do. Brad Miller is another one that I can think of, not a supremely athletic guy, but just knew how to play...those guys stay around forever it seems.

You are right when you say they are different players. I would like to see Gabe and Woodbury on the floor at the same time a lot in the future, if and only if Woody improves his low post game and Gabe can hit a mid-range shot consistently. Defensively, Gabe is athletic enough to stay will guys a little smaller than him and nobody would get a rebound, plus every shot inside the FT line would be contested. Gabe is not really a Center, but Iowa needs him to play that while in college, if he improves enough overall he could be better in the long run than Woodbury, but I still don't see that until after college.

 

[dave3912]

Dave, if Woody is more like TD and Gabe is more like BG I guess thats settles it. Woody by a landslide

But BG is in Kia commercials, that counts for something!

 

[Stanzi]

Every player that plays Division 1 basketball is athletic. Gabe happens to be much more athletic than Woodbury; that does not mean, to me anyway, that Gabe has a higher ceiling by any means.

Have you seen that big guy on Nebraska? He's slower than an iceberg.

 

[tm3308]

I guess my only rebuttle to that is this: How is it that players like Chris Kaman, Scott Pollard, Greg Ostertag, among others have had the careers they have and you see countless guys who have superior athleticism fizzle out at the next level.

Sometimes the word "potential" is very dangerous and people make that out to be far more important than what players can actually do. Brad Miller is another one that I can think of, not a supremely athletic guy, but just knew how to play...those guys stay around forever it seems.

You are right when you say they are different players. I would like to see Gabe and Woodbury on the floor at the same time a lot in the future, if and only if Woody improves his low post game and Gabe can hit a mid-range shot consistently. Defensively, Gabe is athletic enough to stay will guys a little smaller than him and nobody would get a rebound, plus every shot inside the FT line would be contested. Gabe is not really a Center, but Iowa needs him to play that while in college, if he improves enough overall he could be better in the long run than Woodbury, but I still don't see that until after college.

It's not unusual. A player might have a tremendous ceiling (best-case) and not reach it. Players like those you mentioned are often referred to as "safe," high-floor type players (That's Woody. If both players' careers ended up in their worst case scenarios, Woody would be the better player). You can argue that too much is placed on potential all you want, but that's never been the point of this discussion. Gabe's potential as an individual player is significantly higher than Woody's, regardless of whether he reaches it or not. I don't think he will while he's at Iowa, personally. I think he'll develop into a very good player and maybe be a force as a senior. But I also think there's a good chance he'll leave here with his best basketball still ahead of him.

 

[RocknRollface]

I guess my only rebuttle to that is this: How is it that players like Chris Kaman, Scott Pollard, Greg Ostertag, among others have had the careers they have and you see countless guys who have superior athleticism fizzle out at the next level.

Sometimes the word "potential" is very dangerous and people make that out to be far more important than what players can actually do. Brad Miller is another one that I can think of, not a supremely athletic guy, but just knew how to play...those guys stay around forever it seems.

You are right when you say they are different players. I would like to see Gabe and Woodbury on the floor at the same time a lot in the future, if and only if Woody improves his low post game and Gabe can hit a mid-range shot consistently. Defensively, Gabe is athletic enough to stay will guys a little smaller than him and nobody would get a rebound, plus every shot inside the FT line would be contested. Gabe is not really a Center, but Iowa needs him to play that while in college, if he improves enough overall he could be better in the long run than Woodbury, but I still don't see that until after college.

Just because all those guys fizzle out doesn't mean they didn't have more potential to begin with. Allot of them absolutely did.

It two separate ideas, you are arguing the end result, its a different concept entirely.

 

[ibahawkeye]

Gabe has about half the MPG that Looby did and Gabe is playing on much better teams than Looby did.

Assuming Gabe's averages stayed the same but his minute increased to 18.3 per game:

4.59 PPG, 4.46 RPG, .342 APG, 1.71 BPG

Gabe would average 1 point more
Loobys RPG average would be higher by .2
Loobys Assist average would be higher .2
Gabe's block average would be higher by .7

I would say it's a pretty damn good comparison.