After contemplating transfer, Charles Buggs finds his role

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station19

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"Charles Buggs strongly considered leaving Minnesota when Tubby Smith was fired as the Gophers' coach last March.

But a close look at the fast, fluid style under new coach Richard Pitino convinced Buggs that he might have a chance to thrive in a system that seemed to fit his skill set perfectly.

"It was the kind of style I wanted to play, and I used to play back in the day," Buggs said. "I really enjoyed doing it. That's why I stayed."

http://www.twincities.com/gophers/c...er-contemplating-transfer-charles-buggs-finds
 

Helps explain things a little

station19 said:
"Charles Buggs strongly considered leaving Minnesota when Tubby Smith was fired as the Gophers' coach last March.

But a close look at the fast, fluid style under new coach Richard Pitino convinced Buggs that he might have a chance to thrive in a system that seemed to fit his skill set perfectly.

"It was the kind of style I wanted to play, and I used to play back in the day," Buggs said. "I really enjoyed doing it. That's why I stayed."

http://www.twincities.com/gophers/c...er-contemplating-transfer-charles-buggs-finds
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Thank you for sharing that. He will likely be similar to the rest of our guys, very inconsistent.
 

A 19 year old talking about "back in the day." I love this guy!
 

"His issue more than anything is he gets down on himself when he makes mistakes," Pitino said. "He gets really, really frustrated. When he's playing, he'll get a little wacky. But when you talk to him after, he knows it right away.

"He could be like one of the smartest kids on the team and people wouldn't know that. He knows every play we're running. It never screws him up. He could do it from any position. He's a smart, smart kid. He just gets a little immature on the court at times."
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Sounds like we can put to rest the notion that Buggs wasn't playing because he was "lost" or didn't know what he was doing on the court. It sounds like it was primarily his weight and his immaturity which led to poor confidence when he made a mistake. Also sounds like Pitino definitely sees him as a PF.

It's refreshing to hear Buggs dad tell him to be patient, work hard, and not worry about lack of playing time right now. Wish the Ellenson clan was a little more like that.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Sounds like we can put to rest the notion that Buggs wasn't playing because he was "lost" or didn't know what he was doing on the court. It sounds like it was primarily his weight and his immaturity which led to poor confidence when he made a mistake. Also sounds like Pitino definitely sees him as a PF.

It's refreshing to hear Buggs dad tell him to be patient, work hard, and not worry about lack of playing time right now. Wish the Ellenson clan was a little more like that.
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I've heard too many conflicting reports from other members to put the notion to rest. Coach P. is a master at coachspeak. He needs 15-20 pounds of muscle to play PF in the B1G? I believe Coach P. will play his best 5 next season. I wouldn't be surprised to see McNeil and Buggs battle for the 3 next season.
 



howieramone said:
I've heard too many conflicting reports from other members to put the notion to rest. Coach P. is a master at coachspeak. He needs 15-20 pounds of muscle to play PF in the B1G? I believe Coach P. will play his best 5 next season. I wouldn't be surprised to see McNeil and Buggs battle for the 3 next season.
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Yeah, if Buggs doesn't put on 20 pounds of muscle and exhibit a legit post game I'd love to see him get a shot at the 3. Whatever happens the team is a little more interesting going into next year now that we know Buggs has the potential to become a key piece. It almost feels like we got a commit from another good player.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Yeah, if Buggs doesn't put on 20 pounds of muscle and exhibit a legit post game I'd love to see him get a shot at the 3. Whatever happens the team is a little more interesting going into next year now that we know Buggs has the potential to become a key piece. It almost feels like we got a commit from another good player.
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+1
 

i've always wanted him at the 3 just so we can say our starting SF is 6-9, not very many NBA SFs that have the size and length Buggs has, but his game is more of a 3 then a post anyway.
 



You guys do realize Buggs is the age equivalent of a college junior?

I would think he is 20 or 21 now.
 

Yeah, of course. Prep school + redshirt. He has 3 years of eligibility after this season, that's all I care about.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 


I would like to see Buggs at the 3 as well. Martin, King and Oto will all be at the four.
 






station19 said:
You guys do realize Buggs is the age equivalent of a college junior?

I would think he is 20 or 21 now.
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Coach P. had mentioned how intelligent he is...I just assumed he had skipped third grade.
 

MadtownGopher said:
Yeah, if Buggs doesn't put on 20 pounds of muscle and exhibit a legit post game I'd love to see him get a shot at the 3. Whatever happens the team is a little more interesting going into next year now that we know Buggs has the potential to become a key piece. It almost feels like we got a commit from another good player.
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Im not saying he wont play the 3 next year, but all signs point to him playing the 4. Coach P saying 205 is too light to play the 4, his first B1G opportunity came with Oto out and both bigs in foul trouble, a lack of a true 3 on this team, recruiting 2 wings that we know of, etc...
Howie, Edit: McNeil is not a 3!
 

Tommy Flanagan said:
Im not saying he wont play the 3 next year, but all signs point to him playing the 4. Coach P saying 205 is too light to play the 4, his first B1G opportunity came with Oto out and both bigs in foul trouble, a lack of a true 3 on this team, recruiting 2 wings that we know of, etc...
Howie, Edit: McNeil is not a 3!
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He would be a nice three defensively when we are in the 2-3. ARMS all over the place, think of this length next year.

1- McNeil 6'3" very active defender
2 - Morris 6'5" Howie says he's an active defender because he cannot make shots. Nice and long
3 - Charles Buggs 6'9" Very lengthy and active based on small samples
4 - Josh Martin 6'8" Has a high end motor
5 - EE 6'11" One of the best defenders in the B1G at the 5 spot...

That's a lot of length and a lot of size to compete against in the B1G. Teams would not be used to those kind of arms all over the place.
 

Buggs will be a PF IMO. Pitino wants him to add 20 pounds yet and Richard likes "stretch" 4's who are effective in the press. That describes Buggs perfectly. Adding weight should help him in the rebounding department. I think Pitino wants someone who can handle the ball more effectively at the 3. I haven't seen any evidence of Buggs being able to put the ball on the floor and make something happen.
 

jaymil said:
Buggs will be a PF IMO. Pitino wants him to add 20 pounds yet and Richard likes "stretch" 4's who are effective in the press. That describes Buggs perfectly. Adding weight should help him in the rebounding department. I think Pitino wants someone who can handle the ball more effectively at the 3. I haven't seen any evidence of Buggs being able to put the ball on the floor and make something happen.
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Thank you. No idea why people think he is a 3 in this particular system.
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
Thank you. No idea why people think he is a 3 in this particular system.
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Look at Syracuse roster for a minute and tell me why you can't have a 6'8" and a 6'9" 210 and 240 3 and 4 playing in a 2-3 zone.

I'm not saying it's ideal, or where Pitino may want him. But its not like he's a lumbering giant out there, he seems to be quite nimble and would be a huge advantage on the wing of a 2-3 zone and the front of a 1-3-1 press if we chose to employ one.
 

GophersOnTheRise said:
Thank you. No idea why people think he is a 3 in this particular system.
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Jaymil brings up very good points. I recall when he was originally recruited he said he was brought in as SF. We asked Jimmy Chitwood and he said he thought he would start as a SF and over time grow into a PF. I believe he came on campus at 185 lbs. and his playing weight, not quite 2 years later is roughly 205-210 lbs. I'm not sure any one really knows, but I believe we need to see him on the floor next season in some capacity.
 

If Buggs can put on 20 pounds of muscle then yeah he can probably play the 4. The only thing is that he is not 19, he's 20 or 21 and he still hasn't put on the weight you'd hope expect of a kid his age with a redshirt year under his belt. Some guys just can't put on weight very easily and based on what we've heard it seems like that could be the case with Buggs. If he can't put on the weight necessary to play PF then I think there is no harm in playing him at the 3 with a little improvement in his ball handling. Hopefully he puts on the required weight AND improves his ball handling so we can have him play the 3 and the 4!
 


MadtownGopher said:
If Buggs can put on 20 pounds of muscle then yeah he can probably play the 4. The only thing is that he is not 19, he's 20 or 21 and he still hasn't put on the weight you'd hope expect of a kid his age with a redshirt year under his belt. Some guys just can't put on weight very easily and based on what we've heard it seems like that could be the case with Buggs. If he can't put on the weight necessary to play PF then I think there is no harm in playing him at the 3 with a little improvement in his ball handling. Hopefully he puts on the required weight AND improves his ball handling so we can have him play the 3 and the 4!
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+1 That is my guess also.
 

howieramone said:
Jaymil brings up very good points. I recall when he was originally recruited he said he was brought in as SF. We asked Jimmy Chitwood and he said he thought he would start as a SF and over time grow into a PF. I believe he came on campus at 185 lbs. and his playing weight, not quite 2 years later is roughly 205-210 lbs. I'm not sure any one really knows, but I believe we need to see him on the floor next season in some capacity.
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that is correct. I think you can call him a stretch 4 or a big 3...either one. Offensively, he reminds me most of Kevin Durant (not saying that good - style) and Quincy Miller. but I think he will need to defend more in the post with strength than either of those players were asked to. the BiG is very physical.

the keys to me are that:

Pitino felt that he needed additional weight to defend and rebound at the 4, which is accurate.

Offensively, he is going to be best/most effective facing up, not necessarily back to the basket. not to say that he shouldnt be continually improving in that area, just that I personally would not be looking to isolate Charles in the post (although there could certainly be match ups where this could be a favorable mismatch).

Overall, he has needed to add weight in order to handle the physicality of the league and to defend. Offensively, I dont think that Pitinio necessarily means that he needs weight so that he can start posting up. Most of his points will still come from jumpers and face ups, and I believe most of his scoring around the rim will be off passes, rebounds, and running the floor (as opposed to isolations in the post)

I can also totally understand the "bad wow" moments that they have seen along with the good wows - 100%. he was dunking and hitting 3's one minute, and making some very poor errors and losing confidence the next when we coached him. it appears that he has continued to progress and progress, and hopefully is ready to reach that full potential that many coaches/fans have seen glimpses of at various times.

these were my comments on position in 2011:

GH: What kind player is Minnesota getting in Charles Buggs?

SD: I would say that for someone his size he is extremely skilled and versatile. His best basketball is ahead of him. He can shoot and score, but he’s often too unselfish. He’s a very good passer. He needs to put on weight to bang in the Big Ten. But he’s a very hard worker and always getting better. He has a lot of upside. His development has professional potential. He’s a very good kid, super nice, very quiet.

GH: What position will he be at the Big Ten level?

SD: Offensively he’s more of a face up guy. To defend at the PF he needs to get bigger. He’s very long and that helps. He’ll start out more at the 3 but as he progresses he’ll be able to guard 4s. Offensively he is ready to play both. Mike Anderson and Tubby Smith both really wanted him because he can run the floor very well.
 

MadtownGopher said:
If Buggs can put on 20 pounds of muscle then yeah he can probably play the 4. The only thing is that he is not 19, he's 20 or 21 and he still hasn't put on the weight you'd hope expect of a kid his age with a redshirt year under his belt. Some guys just can't put on weight very easily and based on what we've heard it seems like that could be the case with Buggs. If he can't put on the weight necessary to play PF then I think there is no harm in playing him at the 3 with a little improvement in his ball handling. Hopefully he puts on the required weight AND improves his ball handling so we can have him play the 3 and the 4!
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Pitino said this was the case in his interview with Judd and Mackay yesterday. He also said on at least two or three occasions that Buggs still has a long, long way to go.
 

Also about Buggs play, I think he went 19 minutes in the Iowa game and only picked up one foul while having to guard Aaron White when the Gophers were in man. I was impressed with that. A lot of first year players would have had to go to the bench with 2 or 3 quick fouls in that situation.

Concur that it feels like the Gophers have a new recruit.
 

Isaiah Austin is another player to compare for a variety of reasons.

1. they are both from Arlington, TX - Buggs from Arlington Martin and Austin Arlington Grace Prep. Austin was highly ranked and on a top, known team. we added Buggs to our completely unknown team during the Spring of his senior year of HS.

2. However, we faced Austin not long after. his team also had several D1 recruits like Emmanuel Mudiay and Jelon Hornbeak. Charles held his own and we won the game straight up. there is a little bit of video on youtube and Charles does a great job on one particular defensive series of harassing Austin when Austin has the ball.

3. both are long and athletic (6'8/7'), but tend to prefer to face up.

4. both have bodies that may be difficult to add a large amount of bulk to. It seems that Charles may have more ability based on Austin's even longer and more wiry frame.

last night, Texas pounded Austin inside with Cameron Ridley - a BiG type post man. I feel that this lack of defensive strength holds Austin back, and is something that Charles needs to do what Pitino wants from him in his style of play. some Baylor fans were calling for Rico Gathers to body Ridley, in fact.

I personally would take Charles if I could only take 1 player of those 2. some would call that crazy based on the name alone and past rankings, etc. I think it can be argued that Charles has as much or more long term potential. in some ways, 6'8 and Charles abilities can be more effective than 7' and less explosive/agile.

I also coached North Texas/Detroit Piston Tony Mitchell. Now there is an under the radar star.

I compared Charles to Tony when we first saw Charles - though Mitchell had about 30 pounds on Charles then. however, both can do some incredible things with the basketball for a 6'8 player, both are explosive leapers with length, etc.

When Tony Mitchell gets extended NBA minutes he will wow people like Charles was able to vs. Iowa. he also may appear to be raw at times, but I fully expect people to be shocked with Tony's productivity once he plays extended NBA minutes. I honestly have no idea what the Pistons are doing with him and still cannot believe he was a 2nd round pick. Dennis Rodman rebounding abilities but with guard type ball handling skills, and an explosive shot blocker. decent outside shot - Charles has a much better outside shot than Tony.

that is a lot more rambling on than I intended, but I am excited to see more going forward. I expect some of the down wow moments too, and it seems very likely that Charles may not play much in some other games. that is completely understandable from a coaching perspective.

Long term, I think he compares very favorably to some current and future professionals, many that we have seen extensively here in Texas. both Tubby and Pitino have stated that in the past, so I dont think it is an outlandish statement.
 

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