smitharooney
Well-Known Member
Cook is not more athletic than White . Not even close
The Breakdown: Hawkeyes’ Comeback Falls Short at Minnesota
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dahlhawk
Well-Known Member
I've been harping all year that if you score 17 pts a game and have 6 plus turnovers a game its pretty much a wash. It's unfortunate that Cook is our most athletic player but also our least "clutch" player. He is best when used to open up the center for Garza, but his turnovers are just poison. His turnover and missed free throw was just devastating to the team after cutting the lead to 4. I just can't imagine him making an NBA team with the holes in his game. The NBA just doesn't use his type of player anymore. A long career in Greece or Turkey is in the cards right now. Moss is looking more and more like a player with a future in the NBA.
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dahlhawk
Well-Known Member
Maybe athletically, but not a better basketball player.
AIRHAWK
Well-Known Member
Cook thinks he is an audition for the NBA and they want high flying Lebron types. He wont get a sniff in the NBA
dahlhawk
Well-Known Member
I think he's out of here but your right, not gonna make a roster. About every player in the D-League can dunk the ball. If Cook concentrated on being a glass eater and snagging double-digit rebounds every night with an occasional power dunk thrown in he might have a long career in the league, but that's not what he tries to do. He plays very hard and is a good teammate so it pains me to say this.
I'll try to watch it. If nothing else, it was sure an entertaining game and could be worth re-watching.
I was up close and personal when Cook looked past multiple outlet-pass options and took a defensive rebound end to end, only to easily turn it over with ~ 1 min left in the game, essentially icing it for Minnesota and losing the game. This was not a cool moment and reflects everything we're talking about.
But I simply want to emphasize the stark difference in these two arguments. 1) We'd be better off with Cook playing within himself. 2) We'd be better off without Cook. One is true, two is false.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
I understand the difference and I understand that Cook is probably the most talented player Iowa has but it seems like the team played better in the 2 games they had without Cook. When Cook is in the game he becomes the focal point of the offense, and perhaps he should be, but when he's not hitting those 3 foot shots, missing free throws, and turning the ball over he becomes a liability real quick. But when he's on he can carry the team.
I totally agree. But I think we're viewing this from our own perspective (as Iowa fans) and not from his perspective. In his view, he can and will be a glass eater, workhorse rebounder, energy guy, etc. - he can and will turn that on when needed. Examples of this are when he's working out for NBA teams, when he's trying to make a roster in the NBA, when he's trying to show himself in the G League or whatever they call it these days.
But right now he's at Iowa. hHe's on full ride scholarship, getting national exposure in the Big10, and he's certainly among the very best (most physically developed) athletes on the court at any time... he's taking a drastically different approach. He's trying to face the basket, he's trying to handle the ball, he's trying his jumpshot, testing out moves with both hands, etc. These aren't skills he's going to develop in the NBA. If he dribbles it off his foot on a fastbreak in the NBA, they'll cut him.
He's making a conscious effort to work on the secondary (skill) aspects of his game, while he feels like he can. Right now, it would be better for today's Iowa team if Cook molded his game into his current strengths. There's no doubt about it. His adventurous play has it's consequences. But I don't blame him for playing this way at all.
It is indeed puzzling and I totally acknowledge your point. Can we agree that instead of debating Cook, or for example, complaining about Iowa's guard situation and lack of production from the PG position... it's clear that Iowa is an under-coached team?
I like Fran. I like his staff. But why can't they mold Cook into his best self and this roster into a more polished product? Isn't the nature of this debate really on the shoulders of Fran and Iowa's coaching staff? FWIW, I think Iowa is getting a lot of production and good basketball out of the talent they have. But it's still frustrating.
ssckelley
Well-Known Member
lol...sure get me started on that!
The lack of a true PG has been puzzling me for 2 years now. People on here used to debate me saying that JB was fine at the point, I don't see too much of that anymore. Connor is better defensively at the point than JB.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Or they rebound like a monster.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
This is the right question. When you look at this roster compared to other BIG rosters, it's easy to see how much talent it lacks. That's on the coaching staff. Cassius Winston's ceiling is so much higher than any guard on our roster. There are several other examples, I just picked his name out.
Not trying to be a troll here... but this is back to the very nature of what Dolph "leaked" into a live mic earlier this year. We all want to see Iowa make a Sweet 16 run. Does anyone think Iowa has the PG play or talent to make that happen?
NikeHawk21
Well-Known Member
Winston is likely going to be conference player of the year and 1st Team All American. Iowa doesn’t have that.
Iowa does have some talent, Cook and Garza are likely 2nd team to HM type level, Joe W will be 1st Team All Freshman, and Moss is playing like a borderline HM player recently. We are one guard short, and most of us knew that.
He had zero offensive rebounds vs Minnesota.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
I'm not throwing Cook under the bus. He just needs to calm down a bit. And I would like to see him slap the floor a couple times on defense like he was earlier in the year. Kind of letting the team know it's time to do the dirty work.
But I don't agree at all that Iowa is under coached. We are 16-5...with zero bad losses. I suspect Fran is trying to let Cook be Cook while also trying to get Cook to do this within the framework of the offense. I'm pretty sure Fran tackling Cook as he comes barreling down the floor is breaking some kind of rule. And I highly doubt Cook has been coached to take it coast to coast against 3 defenders with no path to the rim, no one to rebound, etc.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
I do. I think this year's Iowa team...the one being discussed in all of these different threads...can make it to the Sweet 16. There are about half a dozen teams that are really good. Then there are about 25 teams that could get hot in the NCAA Tournament and win multiple games...including Iowa. This is not a prediction. But I think our PG play and talent is adequate to make that happen.
WindsorHawk
Well-Known Member
I was one of the guys and still think JB is fine at the point. We could certainly do better. And I like having CM so JB can play some at the 2. But we are 16-5 and bouncing in and out of the rankings with JB starting at the point and playing the majority of the minutes at the point. I certainly acknowledge that there are better point guards in the country, conference, etc. But I also know there are teams that would love to have JB. I'm glad he's on our team rather than Wisconsin or UNI like his brothers.
Edit - And I love having 2 starting guards that can make 85% of their FTs and hit an open 3. How far back do we have to go to find an Iowa team that had this.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
No. We don't have the talent to get there. Not in my opinion.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
Of these players, only Joe W has the ability and desire to play defense like an All BIG level player. Period. Moss still disappears for entire games. That's far more than "1 guard short". We have some talent. Not enough. And not enough talent on the staff either.
