You are probably right that Lonnie was the best talent we've had since the program came back, but he was far from the most impactful player we've had, and for that reason, I think his season here was disappointing. There is no question that we could have and should have done more to get him better scoring opportunities, but truly elite college basketball players should be able to impose their will and talent much more frequently than Lonnie did this year. He was far too willing to settle for step back jumpers rather than attack the basket. It seemed like he would only attack the basket off the dribble a couple times a game (like the sweeping drive for a dunk he had yesterday), and when he did he often was able to make something positive happen. But, those seemed way too infrequent for a guy with his athleticism.
I thought that last year, Bruce was significantly more effective at attacking the rim, and I expected (incorrectly) that Lonnie would be able to do the same but with even more ability. I didn't watch a ton of Lonnie's high school film, so my expectations were based largely around a few highlights I watched and the hype on this board and in other places, so maybe I was misinformed or uninformed. Ultimately, I thought that the highest rated player in program history, a guy many thought would be a program changer, would be able to help take us to a new level. Bruce's injury obviously made that more challenging, but I still hoped that Lonnie would be able to carry us further in the tournament, even after being a bit disappointed in the regular season (based on my expectations, however unfairly inflated they might have been). I obviously hope that Lonnie stays in the league, continues to improve, and is a great representative for the Canes in the NBA for many years. But, I would be lying if I didn't say that based on my hopes/expectations, Lonnie didn't perform, and help the team reach, the levels I thought he/the team would.
