Michael Rand: "we're seeing far more dramatic player development under Pitino."

Michael Rand: "we're seeing far more dramatic player development under Pitino."

per Rand:

Elliott Eliason, in both demeanor and performance, is like night and day between his sophomore season under Smith and his junior year under Pitino. Whatever buttons he is pushing are the right ones. Same goes with Oto Osenieks, an afterthought on last year's team who is now a starter and very useful player in Pitino's system. Mo Walker famously shed a ton of weight and perhaps provided the biggest stretch of play last night for the Gophers.

Whether we can attribute this to coaching, natural progression or a little of both is debatable. But it sure seems like we're seeing far more dramatic player development under Pitino.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/blogs/240810341.html

Go Gophers!!

Whether we can attribute this to coaching, natural progression or a little of both is debatable.

Click to expand...

My personal opinion is just a bit of common sense: Most, if not all, high division athletes are special in the way we just overlook: They are highly gifted physical specimens. I don't think it's exclusive of Tubby Smith but far too many coaches put the reigns on their players and thus limit their gifts. Pitino has just cut them loose to be the athletes they are.

Its almost like Richard gets it...to score you have to shoot. Generally speaking the more you shoot, the more you score. To win games you have to play defense...which if done properly will also get you more and easier shots. Round ball in the round hole.