CJSHawk
Well-Known Member
I, like most of you, are thrilled with the rebuilding job Fran and his staff have accomplished so far. While much still needs to be done I can't wait until next season as it should be a lot of fun. I thought I'd give my thoughts on some of our current players in the hope of starting a respectable conversation about next year's team.
Aaron White- No doubt he's a good player who can be excellent in transition. He also a solid rebounder. However, he's limited in a halfcourt offense. If he's going to take the next step as a player he's got to develop a mid-range game.
Melsahn Basabe- I think he's plateaued. With one year of eligibility remaining I don't see him getting much better than he already is. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad he's on our team, but the Basabe we saw this year is the Basabe we'll likely see next year. Which is a solid B1G role player.
Zach McCabe- Good role player, but if Uthoff emerges like we all hope he will I think McCabe's minutes are going down next year. Against good teams McCabe's lack of athleticism gets exposed. The Baylor game was a good example.
Mike Gessell- The future is bright for this kid. I love almost everything about his game. Especially the way he comes off screens. He struggled this year against quick, athletic guards but you could say that about the entire team. Let's hope his foot heals completely so he can take the next step as a player.
Anthony Clemmons- Although he's not as good as Gessell, I think he had a solid freshman season. He played great in the ISU game and was the difference in the ballgame. Ball security was an issue and that's a problem if your going to play point guard. That part of his game has to improve. He actually was a better perimeter shooter that I expected.
Adam Woodbury- Woodbury turned out to be what most of us expected. A basketball player with a lot of promise and A LOT of work to do. My biggest concern is an overall lack of strength. He's got to get stronger with the ball and just stronger altogether. While this offseason is important for all the players, it's most important for Woodbury. I like the mean streak he plays with though.
Gabe Oleseni- Really, really wish he could have been redshirted his freshman year. While I love the way he runs the floor and blocks shots, he's just so raw.
Devyn Marble- Clearly our best player and the improvement he continues to make each year is impressive. He should be one of the B1G's best players next year. I loved watching him use screens to set up his shots this year. His inability to create his own shot off the dribble continues to hold him back.
Josh Olgelsby- I just don't think Olgelsby is a B1G caliber basketball player.
Peter Jok and Jared Uthoff- The biggest weaknesses this year's team had was perimeter shooting and overall athleticism. While I think both will help with the shooting issue, I'm not sure if either will make a difference in this team becoming more athletic. However, I think both will get Olgelsby and McCabe's minutes.
Recruiting- As Fran and his staff hit the recruiting trail this spring and summer I really hope they emphasize quick/athletic players. We've got to get better athletes!!
Aaron White- No doubt he's a good player who can be excellent in transition. He also a solid rebounder. However, he's limited in a halfcourt offense. If he's going to take the next step as a player he's got to develop a mid-range game.
Melsahn Basabe- I think he's plateaued. With one year of eligibility remaining I don't see him getting much better than he already is. Don't get me wrong. I'm glad he's on our team, but the Basabe we saw this year is the Basabe we'll likely see next year. Which is a solid B1G role player.
Zach McCabe- Good role player, but if Uthoff emerges like we all hope he will I think McCabe's minutes are going down next year. Against good teams McCabe's lack of athleticism gets exposed. The Baylor game was a good example.
Mike Gessell- The future is bright for this kid. I love almost everything about his game. Especially the way he comes off screens. He struggled this year against quick, athletic guards but you could say that about the entire team. Let's hope his foot heals completely so he can take the next step as a player.
Anthony Clemmons- Although he's not as good as Gessell, I think he had a solid freshman season. He played great in the ISU game and was the difference in the ballgame. Ball security was an issue and that's a problem if your going to play point guard. That part of his game has to improve. He actually was a better perimeter shooter that I expected.
Adam Woodbury- Woodbury turned out to be what most of us expected. A basketball player with a lot of promise and A LOT of work to do. My biggest concern is an overall lack of strength. He's got to get stronger with the ball and just stronger altogether. While this offseason is important for all the players, it's most important for Woodbury. I like the mean streak he plays with though.
Gabe Oleseni- Really, really wish he could have been redshirted his freshman year. While I love the way he runs the floor and blocks shots, he's just so raw.
Devyn Marble- Clearly our best player and the improvement he continues to make each year is impressive. He should be one of the B1G's best players next year. I loved watching him use screens to set up his shots this year. His inability to create his own shot off the dribble continues to hold him back.
Josh Olgelsby- I just don't think Olgelsby is a B1G caliber basketball player.
Peter Jok and Jared Uthoff- The biggest weaknesses this year's team had was perimeter shooting and overall athleticism. While I think both will help with the shooting issue, I'm not sure if either will make a difference in this team becoming more athletic. However, I think both will get Olgelsby and McCabe's minutes.
Recruiting- As Fran and his staff hit the recruiting trail this spring and summer I really hope they emphasize quick/athletic players. We've got to get better athletes!!
