burky247
Well-Known Member
I'm just addin to the troll job I suppose. But what's a thread without the "Come Fly With Me" video.
Michael Jordan: Come Fly with me - YouTube
Michael Jordan: Come Fly with me - YouTube
White really needs to work on his shot.
- Thread starter Bigtenchamp
- Start date
This is correct. Shooting with your palm would be like throwing a baseball with your palm instead of finger tips...it just doesn't work. I pitched and caught in college and coach baseball and palm balls are not something you teach because of feel and control.
I wasn't the greatest bball player but I did shoot 90% for my free throws and I coach bball...I never have shot with my palm or taught a kid to do it...not good feeling.
wundergrape
Well-Known Member
I (kinda) started it, so I'll (kinda) end it.
I'm not sure that I'd say White is in a slump. I think it has more to do with Basabe's increased role in the offense. Before, when we were playing three guard sets consistently, it freed White up to drive to the hole and get fouled. Now, the lane is more congested and White can't find shots. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, just the way a team - and individual - evolves during a grueling Big Ten season.
I'm not sure that I'd say White is in a slump. I think it has more to do with Basabe's increased role in the offense. Before, when we were playing three guard sets consistently, it freed White up to drive to the hole and get fouled. Now, the lane is more congested and White can't find shots. This isn't a bad thing, necessarily, just the way a team - and individual - evolves during a grueling Big Ten season.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
I'm not looking at his points. His ppg during this stretch actually comes out to 13, just barely under his average. But he's been MUCH less efficient over the last month. Dropping from 55% on the season, to 39% in a 7-game stretch is pretty significant. It's not just been a one or two game anomaly.
I think a lot of this is tied to Marble's slump too. White is not going to get his own shot much, but he's great at cutting to the hoop or finding a soft spot in the defense. As Marble, and Iowa as a whole, has struggled to get dribble penetration, teams haven't had to help as much and some of those easy baskets aren't there for White anymore.
wundergrape
Well-Known Member
I know it isn't a one or two game anamoly. I didn't say it was. There are a lot of reasons a players FG% drops. I don't think it has to do with his shot...I think it has to do with better defense and new team spacing that makes it more difficult for him to create.
Basabe's minutes (coincidentally?) spiked at the exact time White's "slump" began. Just sayin'.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
A lot of slumps have more to do with shot selection than a guy's actual shot. If it's that much more difficult to create for himself, then the team should stick to team basketball and utilize good ball movement to create looks. It's not helping when White has to (or feels like he has to) force things. He's just not a strong half-court player right now; he wasn't good at creating for himself before Basabe entered the lineup, either. He had to have someone set him up, and he still does.
wundergrape
Well-Known Member
I think we're saying the same thing in different words. White isn't good at creating his own shot, and that's what he's been asked to do the past 7 games. You call it a slump. I call it something else. No biggie.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
That's fair. Either way, the big thing that puzzled me was the fact that NOBODY was talking about it. Whether it's a slump or not, that kind of dip in efficiency would seem like a worthy conversation topic.
wundergrape
Well-Known Member
Again, it's not a worthy topic because it's not a slump created in a vacuum. Fran is consciously robbing Peter (White) to pay Paul (Basabe). AW isn't getting garbage buckets because Mel is instead. AW isn't getting alley oops because Mel is down on the block. It's nothing to be concerned about; just a change in tactic.
sportstalent
Well-Known Member
I don't think it is a rob Peter to pay Paul thing at all.
AW has to improve his game in a lot of areas in order to be the player that some think he is already. He has struggled in crunch time with FT's, he struggles shooting the 3 and his ball handling is still suspect.
If AW is going to play the SF position, he has a lot to work on, that hasn't changed from last season. It is a process, he has things to work on, just a sophomore and he still has a lot of upside at the end of the day.
Good player, but incomplete at this stage in his career.
Basabe can hit the 12-ft jumper and has improved himself as a player from last year, something that I hope we see out of White next year.
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wundergrape
Well-Known Member
I agree with everything you just wrote. My "robbing Peter to pay Paul" statement wasn't intended to deflect his weaknesses, only to explain his recent struggles in a holistic context. There is absolutely no doubt that White needs to improve many facets of his game.
But, from where I sit his recent struggles are due mainly to him being on the floor with Mel more often than Sapp, which makes him play to his multitudinous weaknesses: primarily taking guys off the dribble and shooting outside of fifteen feet. Not from a "slump," which is just a euphemism for a guy doing what he normally does and doing it poorly. White isn't doing what he normally does, and it's because Mel's in there.
To wit:
Last 7 games: White's FG% goes from 56% to 39%.
Last 7 games: Mel's MPG goes from 17 to 25
I don't think that's a coincidence.
sportstalent
Well-Known Member
Another thing though, is White's shot selection and Iowa as a whole in general, is sketchy at best. White forces a lot and tries to get to the line, but that is a product of not being a complete player and forcing what he is "best" at.
Don't get me wrong, I like White's game, but he needs to make the same leap as Basabe has from outside three feet next season, he will be a scary player if he does so. Guys struggle the most in their sophomore years for a reason, mainly because coaches can take away what they did as freshman, but moreso because players still think they can do what they did as freshman and be just as or more successful. It is a "reality-check" season from kids that aren't in the same category as Burke/Zeller and others.
wundergrape
Well-Known Member
Word.
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
yeah ... after all the fine words exchanged - it goes back to my orginal point
He needs a jumper or he really won't progress - people are just laying off him and he won't shoot.
And occasionally forces a bad shot because he is unwilling to shoot a jump shot.
A 6'7" player has to have more shots in his game than just dunking.
He needs a jumper or he really won't progress - people are just laying off him and he won't shoot.
And occasionally forces a bad shot because he is unwilling to shoot a jump shot.
A 6'7" player has to have more shots in his game than just dunking.
wundergrape
Well-Known Member
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
/nod
sportstalent
Well-Known Member
I don't understand why more people haven't seen this all year?
White doesn't shoot well outside of three feet and takes a lot of bad shots, but goes to the FT line a lot by getting bailed out.
He has had some good games this year, but has to improve a lot from this year to next on his shooting.
Another question I have, how tall is White really? He seems to look a lot taller than Basabe who is 6'7" and isn't Uthoff listed at 6'8", he seems to look clearly taller than them, but a huge difference between him and Woodbury...
Bigtenchamp
Well-Known Member
White gets a ton of his points in open court situations, and with the court spread.
Our lack of outside shooting is also hurting him - not having gatens around to open it up a little is hurting him as well.
That being said - he has a lot of work to do offensively and defensively as well..
He is good at getting in the passing lane and making steals for dunks - but he also gets lazy at times and gambles then gives up something easy.
His shooting and defense were the two main reasons I thought the move to the 3 was not going to work for him. He would go up against smaller and quicker players. That means that they would sag off making it harder to drive. It would also allow for teams to get help to him quicker as he would be further from the basket. This in turn means he needs a midrange shot or a 3 pt shot and he has neither. If he can develop a 12 to 15 ft shot or become adequate from 3 pt then he could play the 3. Plus he isn't quick enough with his feet to defend a smaller 3 and gets caught gambling too much and gets exposed.
Uthoff and jok will give 2 viable options to play the 3 with marble next yr. This should allow white to play where he is strongest the 4. If he can develop that 12 to 15 ft shot like basabe it will make him even a tougher 4 to guard.
Uthoff and jok will give 2 viable options to play the 3 with marble next yr. This should allow white to play where he is strongest the 4. If he can develop that 12 to 15 ft shot like basabe it will make him even a tougher 4 to guard.
