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NiJel Pack

JustAFanHTX said:
I’m of the belief we don’t have a NBA player on our roster. We have a bunch of really good guys who could develop into one eventually. With that being said pack would get picked up in the league first because what he does best is invaluable. The description I just seen for pack is really the m.o for zay wong.
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I agree with the route Miami is going. There’s no Lonnie Walker or Bruce Brown on this roster. Duke , UK , Kansas and the blue bloods get those types then reshuffle every year or two. This route is smarter , keep your nice , older college players around or add them in the portal. By the time the post season hits they’ve melded and as we know veteran teams do well in march. You don’t need a bunch of NBA players to make a run in cbb.
 
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hotshot said:
If you wanna apply the loftiest definition of what "special" is, we've had exactly one player in the history of the program who meets that high standard -- Rick Barry.
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Also, led the ABA in scoring.
 
Cribby said:
I agree with the route Miami is going. There’s no Lonnie Walker or Bruce Brown on this roster. Duke , UK , Kansas and the blue bloods get those types then reshuffle every year or two. This route is smarter , keep your nice , older college players around or add them in the portal. By the time the post season hits they’ve melded and as we know veteran teams do well in march. You don’t need a bunch of NBA players to make a run in cbb.
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I'd rather keep our guys for 3-4 years and bring in veteran portal guys. The teams that have had success over the years were much older teams. 2012-2013, 2015-2016, and last year. I believe we have had 4 guys leave early for the draft since 2012-2013. Larkin, Lonnie, Bruce, and Dewan.

If we only lose Miller after this year and bring in that big dude then this team could make a serious run next year. I do however see Wong testing the waters again and maybe a couple guys hit the portal.
 
Cribby said:
I agree with the route Miami is going. There’s no Lonnie Walker or Bruce Brown on this roster. Duke , UK , Kansas and the blue bloods get those types then reshuffle every year or two. This route is smarter , keep your nice , older college players around or add them in the portal. By the time the post season hits they’ve melded and as we know veteran teams do well in march. You don’t need a bunch of NBA players to make a run in cbb.
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I think Miami is built for a run because guard play in March is the formula. My x factor is actually wooga poplar. If we can refine him and find a balance to his game to make him consistent we’re cooking with grease
 
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Mklein13 said:
I'd rather keep our guys for 3-4 years and bring in veteran portal guys. The teams that have had success over the years were much older teams. 2012-2013, 2015-2016, and last year. I believe we have had 4 guys leave early for the draft since 2012-2013. Larkin, Lonnie, Bruce, and Dewan.

If we only lose Miller after this year and bring in that big dude then this team could make a serious run next year. I do however see Wong testing the waters again and maybe a couple guys hit the portal.
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I’d be shocked if Wong returns again.
 
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Cribby said:
Imo Shane Larkin was special his last year here. The intangibles finally matched up with the tangibles. He always had great physical traits minus height. He was the prototype college point guard. Great leader. Great ball handler. Really good passer. A very good athlete with great quickness. Very good shooter. Great IQ. Good enough defender.

He controlled the game without taking a shot, while shooting close to 50 % from the field. A floor general that scored when needed.

Going into the draft he graded out really good or better on every check list. The questions with him was height. His height is why he got the DJ Augustine ceiling from scouts.

Pack is nowhere in that stratosphere as an athlete or skill. Pack is a Jr now and with his physical attributes this is what he is. A nice college player and that’s just fine.
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Shane was/is elite. I take into account careers abroad and he’s a **** good pro, he was about 5 years too early to stick in todays nba tho
 
Cribby said:
I agree with the route Miami is going. There’s no Lonnie Walker or Bruce Brown on this roster. Duke , UK , Kansas and the blue bloods get those types then reshuffle every year or two. This route is smarter , keep your nice , older college players around or add them in the portal. By the time the post season hits they’ve melded and as we know veteran teams do well in march. You don’t need a bunch of NBA players to make a run in cbb.
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I will disagree that there are no NBA players on our roster.
I believe Omier with a significantly improved 3 point shot (hopefully this off season) can play in the league because rebounding is rebounding. But he has to play the 4 which means he has to be able to shoot.
I believe Wong will get a strong look. His athleticism is pretty good and his skills are there.

But the player that I believe is the most NBA ready on this roster is Jordan Miller. He can shoot the 3, he can defend multiple positions, he has length, can get to the basket and is a very good junk ball player. To me his comp In playing style is a modern day Cedric Ceballos.
 
AtlAtty said:
I will disagree that there are no NBA players on our roster.
I believe Omier with a significantly improved 3 point shot (hopefully this off season) can play in the league because rebounding is rebounding. But he has to play the 4 which means he has to be able to shoot.
I believe Wong will get a strong look. His athleticism is pretty good and his skills are there.

But the player that I believe is the most NBA ready on this roster is Jordan Miller. He can shoot the 3, he can defend multiple positions, he has length, can get to the basket and is a very good junk ball player. To me his comp In playing style is a modern day Cedric Ceballos.
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Wong has to significantly improve his outside shooting. At 6'4 he will need to shoot if he wants to play in the league.
 
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AtlAtty said:
I will disagree that there are no NBA players on our roster.
I believe Omier with a significantly improved 3 point shot (hopefully this off season) can play in the league because rebounding is rebounding. But he has to play the 4 which means he has to be able to shoot.
I believe Wong will get a strong look. His athleticism is pretty good and his skills are there.

But the player that I believe is the most NBA ready on this roster is Jordan Miller. He can shoot the 3, he can defend multiple positions, he has length, can get to the basket and is a very good junk ball player. To me his comp In playing style is a modern day Cedric Ceballos.
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I didn’t say there wasn’t any , I said ” you don’t need a bunch of Nba players”. The Lonnie and Bruce comment was more there’s no freakish prototypical nba types. That’s said I have doubts if any of these guys are hanging around long or making it.

Wong likely has the best chance because of his talent but even he struggles with longer , more athletic college players. Omier still has time to improve, he’s actually pretty **** raw now. He’s undersized but has good hands and footwork. If he adds a pretty consistent jumper he could maybe hang around.

It’s funny you mention Miller because he’s the one I wouldn’t be shocked about , I was actually thinking him. I see a Danny Green type if he keeps working. Long , athletic , good defender , hard worker and a good locker room guy. Three and D. You can make a lot of money playing great d and sitting in the corner hitting threes.
 
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JustAFanHTX said:
And by that standard there are no special freshman/draft eligible college basketball players this year. Just Wemby and scoot lol
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Yep. It is a shame though that when recruits visit our facilities, we really have few well-known "stars" from the past to show them and talk up (unlike most other schools) as part of our hoops heritage.

Seriously, after Rick Barry ... there are John Salmons (who was a fine NBA player who toiled in obscurity out in Sacramento), Brown and Lonnie (who really were here and gone in a flash), Tim James, James Jones, Larkin, and a host of good players we all recall fondly but who are hardly household names.
 
Cribby said:
No, I don’t think you have to be a great pro to be special college player. A lot of special cbb players were bums in the league or never even made it. A special
college player can put a team on his back weeks at a time or longer. And i’m
not just talking points , special players can control the game for stretches without even taking a shot.
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I agree. Do you have any such players in mind from among our UM hoops alumni? Or, just talking in general.

I could see McLinton, Rice and Larkin fitting among your two examples. Omier is a rare player for us (not used to double/doubles each time out). Prolly a few more as well. Consistency would also have to factor in.
 
Cribby said:
Imo Shane Larkin was special his last year here. The intangibles finally matched up with the tangibles. He always had great physical traits minus height. He was the prototype college point guard. Great leader. Great ball handler. Really good passer. Very good athlete with great quickness. Very good shooter. Great IQ. Good enough defender.

He controlled the game without taking a shot, while shooting close to 50 % from the field. A floor general that scored when needed.

Going into the draft he graded out really good or better on every check list. The questions with him was height. His height is why he got the DJ Augustine ceiling from scouts.

Pack is nowhere in that stratosphere as an athlete or skill. Pack is a Jr now and with his physical attributes this is what he is. A nice college player and that’s just fine.
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@hotshot
 
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Pentagon Cane said:
Also, led the ABA in scoring.
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That too.

I saw him play for the Oakland Oaks at the Washington Coliseum in 1968. Barry had bolted from the SF Warriors after being named NBA Rookie of the Year, being dissatisfied with the Warriors offer. He got $85,000 from the Oaks. A big salary for the time. Larry Brown, former UNC star and long-time college/NBA coach was the PG on that team.
 
Mklein13 said:
Wong has to significantly improve his outside shooting. At 6'4 he will need to shoot if he wants to play in the league.
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Agreed. With a better outside shot he can develop into a CJ McCollum or Brad Beal type; a combo guard who is more mentally suited to play off ball. But they are far superior shooters. He could try switching to PG but I think his mentality is too aggressive.
 
hotshot said:
That too.

I saw him play for the Oakland Oaks at the Washington Coliseum in 1968. Barry had bolted from the SF Warriors after being named NBA Rookie of the Year, being dissatisfied with the Warriors offer. He got $85,000 from the Oaks. A big salary for the time. Larry Brown, former UNC star and long-time college/NBA coach was the PG on that team.
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Yes, I saw the Oaks play the Floridians at the Miami Beach Convention Hall.
 
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Cribby said:
If you think he’s a special player I don’t know what to say lol. Nothing about him is special , from his athletic ability on down. He’s a nice college player. That’s not a knock that’s just truth. He put up decent stats on a crappy team last year.

I remember two years ago when people on this same board was saying Wong could be Curry at the next level lol. I don’t think some people understand what the difference in special / elite and a nice player.
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He had the 4th best 3P% in all of college basketball last year and was top 15 in 3p made AND averaged 17.4 ppg.

He has some flaws and limitations, but those stats are the literal definition of special.

You’re free to make whatever definitions you want for words, but top 4 3P% in all of college basketball with 217 3P attempts (7.5/gm) is special. Period. Dead stop.
 
Donny Donowitz said:
Nobody is saying he is bad, but I think we def overhyped him. I also think that him learning a new system/role could have played a part and am hopeful he takes off on the backend of the season.
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I think many expected him to come in and pick up where Charlie Moore left off.... Charlie was exceptional.
Pack might get to that level but not this season
 
Cribby said:
No, I don’t think you have to be a great pro to be special college player. A lot of special cbb players were bums in the league or never even made it. A special
college player can put a team on his back weeks at a time or longer. And i’m
not just talking points , special players can control the game for stretches without even taking a shot.
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Wong had a month long stretch where he put this team on his back. He delivered our biggest win of the season vs UVA and helped us avoid disaster vs Cornell.

I'm not sure I'd say he's truly "special", but by that definition, he has an argument.
 
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