You will see the real Sam Cassell jr this season.
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I was in attendance at the 2 exhibition games last year, and he was the best player on the floor for UConn collectively in those 2 games. At some point after that, he got hurt. I think it's pretty clear that we didn't see the real Sam Cassell Jr. last year.
My biggest concern about him is on the defensive side of the ball. He is not an elite athlete, although perhaps playing hurt made him look worse defensively than he actually is. We shall see. I think it was Sam who was slow to react on the winning, buzzer beating 3 point shot by Yale last year. It was a great set play by Yale, but the guy had a clean look at the basket.
I think it's a good bet that if he is healthy, he will give UConn a lot more than he did last year, which wasn't much.
My biggest concern about him is on the defensive side of the ball. He is not an elite athlete, although perhaps playing hurt made him look worse defensively than he actually is. We shall see. I think it was Sam who was slow to react on the winning, buzzer beating 3 point shot by Yale last year. It was a great set play by Yale, but the guy had a clean look at the basket.
I think it's a good bet that if he is healthy, he will give UConn a lot more than he did last year, which wasn't much.
Starting sounds sorta crazy. I didn't see the skills or work ethic to make such a prediction. He's not even in very good shape.
I remember Rothstein last year included Sam Cassell in his preseason starting 5 prediction after seeing some practices. However, barring any injuries, I don't see Cassell starting this year (Gibbs didn't come to UConn to use his last year of eligibility to come off the bench).
Best thing about Cassell, though, is that he still has two years of eligibility - can definitely see him starting next year as a senior alongside sophomore Adams.
Best thing about Cassell, though, is that he still has two years of eligibility - can definitely see him starting next year as a senior alongside sophomore Adams.
Sam I Am would be better served in a bench role regardless. As long as he can regain his stroke and his confidence he can provide some offensive punch off the bench.
We are a much deeper team offensively this year and that should help us avoid those horrible scoring droughts that plagued us a year ago.
We are a much deeper team offensively this year and that should help us avoid those horrible scoring droughts that plagued us a year ago.
Personally, and I don't know if I'm in the minority, I think this is Purvis' last year. He was quoted as saying he is working towards finishing all his credits so he can graduate in the spring (he's probably entering his senior year credit-wise, and usually when a player says that it's an indication they are planning on leaving) and he's going to be 22 years old by the time the season is over. We saw the player he could be in the last 10 or so games of the season and I expect (hope for) him to build off that for this upcoming season.
tcf,
Even if Purvis graduates. he would have one more year of eligibility. Are you suggesting he leave early for the NBA? Do any of you guys think that Purvis has a handle for a guard that is at the NBA level? Last year he could not put more than two dribbles on the floor against college defenders. He is also not a good enough shooter to be a stationary spot up shooter. Perhaps he can play some Euroball like Daniels for a few years but I don't see him as ready for NBA play just yet.
Even if Purvis graduates. he would have one more year of eligibility. Are you suggesting he leave early for the NBA? Do any of you guys think that Purvis has a handle for a guard that is at the NBA level? Last year he could not put more than two dribbles on the floor against college defenders. He is also not a good enough shooter to be a stationary spot up shooter. Perhaps he can play some Euroball like Daniels for a few years but I don't see him as ready for NBA play just yet.
Here is something else. Purvis in two college seasons is a 52.5% FT shooter for his career. In the NBA the worst qualifier at the guard position with more than 50 FTs (actually more than 100) is Andre Iguodala who is more of a swing man than a true guard but shot 60%:
http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/p...ified/false/position/shooting-guards/count/81
Of the guys who are true guards nobody in the NBA right now with more than 50 FTs is anywhere near as low as 52.5% in FT shooting.
http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/p...ified/false/position/shooting-guards/count/81
Of the guys who are true guards nobody in the NBA right now with more than 50 FTs is anywhere near as low as 52.5% in FT shooting.
I love the potential of Purvis but he is not an NBA player in my mind. His handle is terrible. Like really really bad. I don't know if he has small hands but he bobbles the ball on almost every drive and cups the ball to dunk. He is strong enough for the NBA but nowhere near polished enough YET. I would love to see him have a season that gets him in the NBA draft conversation, that would be nothing but great for UCONN.
As for Cassel. Count me out on him. I think he is a well mannered kid and a team guy but I don't see him being able to stay on the court with his defensive deficiencies and lack of athleticism.
I think Cassell is potentially a 15-20 minute per game bench guy, a 4th guard who can fill in at both spots. I see him getting more minutes than Omar Calhoun but who knows? Omar seemed to not be the same player he was before his hip surgeries. I thought he would be better because he had the same surgery that ARod had and look what ARod is doing at age 40 (and he blasted a 426 foot homer last night). Omar is half his age but maybe now that he has had a year he will be better. Cassell has more value as a bench player because he can play point guard as well although I think Cassell's strong suit like Omar's is his shooting. Both have strange jumpers, Sammy kind of fades away when he shoots whereas Omar has that funny release. I think if both are healthy Cassell will get more minutes off the bench.
The surgery sure didn't do anything for A-Rod's ability to run. He's worse now than he was before the surgery. Omar doesn't seem to have any explosiveness, and it obviously had some impact on his jump shot. I'm also hoping that being removed another year from surgery will help.
Yeah, NBA or Europe. I probably am in the minority, and probably wrong, too.
USNA90,
Funny that you should mention that but I have also noticed ARod running to first on a ground ball is a fairly pathetic sight. Apparently this came up recently in an interview and ARod claimed that he usually runs at 70% to avoid injury but if needed he can turn it up in a big situation and haul ass. However I wonder how much of that is pride talking. Never forget this line from Pulp Fiction:
Cassel has Gibbs, Purvis, and Adams ahead of him. I expect great guard play this year hopefully Sam will be part of the best 4 backcourt in the country. I was at Gampel when his father singlehandedly took apart UCONN but he doesn't have his fathers quickness. If he is just prepared to come in off the bench and produce it will give us a great lift.
I love Sam and everyone that is a Husky but to say a starter.... IDK about that... Would be a huge surprise
There would need to be an injury for Sam to compete for a starting job, in my opinion. But he could be a very good guy off the bench if he is healthy.
Craig Austrie now runs a basketball IQ skills camp. Here is his link in case you want to send your kids there:
http://www.craigaustrie.net/about-us/about-us
http://www.craigaustrie.net/about-us/about-us
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*Full read: UConn Men's Basketball Insider: Sam Cassell's Itching To Go
The pain in his right leg, which started out as a knot and a burning sensation and kept getting worse, made it impossible for Cassell to play to his capabilities last season, and by the end of January it was impossible for him to play at all. After 18 games, he was finally diagnosed with a stress fracture in the tibia, and he wasn't cleared to play until the end of June.
"He scored 27 points in the two exhibition games, and earned a starting assignment against Bryant in the season opener. But something was wrong. He was moving slowly, reacting slowly and his perimeter game disappeared."
"I'd never been injured before, so I didn't know what the pain was," Cassell said. "I just figured it was [soreness] from playing the games. I finally said something to [athletic trainer] James Doran in Puerto Rico about it [in late November]. We didn't know. "After the South Florida game [Jan. 25], I met with the doctor and he told me that would be it. We thought the pain was just going to go away, by icing it. But the pain just kept getting worse and worse, so we met with the team doctors. I had an MRI and the MRI said it was a small fracture."
The pain in his right leg, which started out as a knot and a burning sensation and kept getting worse, made it impossible for Cassell to play to his capabilities last season, and by the end of January it was impossible for him to play at all. After 18 games, he was finally diagnosed with a stress fracture in the tibia, and he wasn't cleared to play until the end of June.
"He scored 27 points in the two exhibition games, and earned a starting assignment against Bryant in the season opener. But something was wrong. He was moving slowly, reacting slowly and his perimeter game disappeared."
"I'd never been injured before, so I didn't know what the pain was," Cassell said. "I just figured it was [soreness] from playing the games. I finally said something to [athletic trainer] James Doran in Puerto Rico about it [in late November]. We didn't know. "After the South Florida game [Jan. 25], I met with the doctor and he told me that would be it. We thought the pain was just going to go away, by icing it. But the pain just kept getting worse and worse, so we met with the team doctors. I had an MRI and the MRI said it was a small fracture."
This also happened with Mark Teixeira of the Yankees. He actually had an MRI that did not pick up a small fracture which they called a bone bruise. He tried to play on it and it wasn't getting better. They sent him for more testing and found the small fracture. If the pain doesn't go away it's because it's broken.
This may explain why Sammy looked so bad on defense at times. I had thought UConn would get more out of him and I still think that for next year, if he healed.
This may explain why Sammy looked so bad on defense at times. I had thought UConn would get more out of him and I still think that for next year, if he healed.
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