Isaiah Washington: “I didn’t come here to do anything but start.”

I really dislike his game and decision making. He struggles against pressure and traps. He is a rotation guy but I don't want him starting and being a primary ball handler. He can score and attack. He does well against other teams second units. I also don't think he plays great or even very good defense.

I never said I wrote him off. I said I think IW will take the starting spot by the start of the conference season. Someone asked me to expand on that so I did.

But he's not a primary ball handler... You can't judge his merits as a starter based on a role that he doesn't play. He definitely struggled against the press and traps as the second back court guy, and that's why he came out of the game in those situations. It's a flaw, but as others have said, he was only a sophomore last year. Guys tend to make improvements year to year, I think we all forget that in the age on one and done.


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But he's not a primary ball handler... You can't judge his merits as a starter based on a role that he doesn't play. He definitely struggled against the press and traps as the second back court guy, and that's why he came out of the game in those situations. It's a flaw, but as others have said, he was only a sophomore last year. Guys tend to make improvements year to year, I think we all forget that in the age on one and done.


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I think its funny how mad people are that I don't think Dupree McBrayer is as good as you all want me to think. I'm sure all of us have watched a lot of basketball and prefer different types of players. I don't like his game. I think playing him with Nate Mason makes Mason a lesser player. Even if Dupree is better than IW, I think he is better playing without Mason as they both are better with the ball in their hands.

As I said before, I think IW will be starting by the start of the conference season. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Not super worried about being correct on an internet message board.
 

I think its funny how mad people are that I don't think Dupree McBrayer is as good as you all want me to think. I'm sure all of us have watched a lot of basketball and prefer different types of players. I don't like his game. I think playing him with Nate Mason makes Mason a lesser player. Even if Dupree is better than IW, I think he is better playing without Mason as they both are better with the ball in their hands.

As I said before, I think IW will be starting by the start of the conference season. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Not super worried about being correct on an internet message board.

I'm not mad, it's just the nature of message boards. I agree that IW will probably start by season's end, but think it will have less to do with Dupree's flaws than you do.

I think you have an interesting argument in this most recent post regarding his compatibility with Mason. I'll be paying attention to that this season.

But man am I excited at this discussion, though. Talking about whether our top 50(ish) recruit will be good enough to take a starting spot from a productive upperclassman. We struggled through some dark years...



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He'll be starting as a sophomore. He can deal with coming off the bench and still getting 20 to 30 a night.
 

Dupree is a very valuable player.. Not sure when/how he turned into the new Carlos Morris of Gopherhole.

Saying IW has to start just because you don't think Dupree is and he isn't a viable starter for a B1G contender/national tournament run type of team is laughable.

Doesn't Pitino always say it isn't who starts, it's who finishes the game?.


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Doesn't Pitino always say it isn't who starts, it's who finishes the game?.


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IW will start and finish the game... he'll also be considered the greatest gopher of all time when it's all said and done... Yes, I'm actually being serious... bring it on GHers!!
 

from a defensive standpoint its stupid to play both Mason and Washington at the same time. It makes our team too short to defend taller 2 guards properly.
 

from a defensive standpoint its stupid to play both Mason and Washington at the same time. It makes our team too short to defend taller 2 guards properly.

Dupree has good length, especially compared to Washington, he's a pretty small guy.

If IW is good enough to beat out Dupree to start (and/or finish games) the season should be great.
 

from a defensive standpoint its stupid to play both Mason and Washington at the same time. It makes our team too short to defend taller 2 guards properly.

If the effort and ability are there I have no issue playing them together.


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I think he is better playing without Mason as they both are better with the ball in their hands.

I don't want him starting and being a primary ball handler.

Which is it?

I also don't think he plays great or even very good defense.
We'll fight on this one. While he did have some struggles in the beginning of the year with back-cuts, he is very long and can guard multiple positions.

To each his own. Good problem to have. DuPree is a good basketball player who got beat up against Iowa against the press and that's what we all remember.
 

Not saying you're wrong, but what are you basing this on?

The numerous online replays I've found of his junior and senior year of his HS season. I've watched probably 6-8 full length games of his HS games.

Also watched him twice in the pro am and it was pretty similar.

In most of those games, he'll end with with 25-30 points but on a very low percentage from the field, usually in the 30's. He was a very high volume guy and for stretches he'd get very hot and he was unguardable but for other stretches, he was a complete liability. Didn't guard the 3 that well either due to lack of effort but I think Pitino will fix that.

I can definitely see him having some trouble early on while trying to figure out the nuances of the college game and I have a feeling a lot of GHer's will be screaming and moaning for him to pass the ball or take better shots. We'll see.
 

If the effort and ability are there I have no issue playing them together.


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As I alluded to in my previous post, I saw Isaiah snoozing a lot on D while guarding his man on the perimeter and he gave up a lot of 3's that he should have been in a position to contest and it was due to a lack of effort. I do think Pitino will get on him more than his HS coach did about it but from the games that I saw, the effort was not there.
 

The numerous online replays I've found of his junior and senior year of his HS season. I've watched probably 6-8 full length games of his HS games.

Also watched him twice in the pro am and it was pretty similar.

In most of those games, he'll end with with 25-30 points but on a very low percentage from the field, usually in the 30's. He was a very high volume guy and for stretches he'd get very hot and he was unguardable but for other stretches, he was a complete liability. Didn't guard the 3 that well either due to lack of effort but I think Pitino will fix that.

I can definitely see him having some trouble early on while trying to figure out the nuances of the college game and I have a feeling a lot of GHer's will be screaming and moaning for him to pass the ball or take better shots. We'll see.

Gotcha. Full length games are infinitely more reliable than highlight videos, so there must be something to what you're saying. Hopefully playing on a team with more talent around him will result in him forcing things less and ultimately being more efficient.
 



As I alluded to in my previous post, I saw Isaiah snoozing a lot on D while guarding his man on the perimeter and he gave up a lot of 3's that he should have been in a position to contest and it was due to a lack of effort. I do think Pitino will get on him more than his HS coach did about it but from the games that I saw, the effort was not there.

Lack of effort on defense would likely affect his playing time.


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I think its funny how mad people are that I don't think Dupree McBrayer is as good as you all want me to think. I'm sure all of us have watched a lot of basketball and prefer different types of players. I don't like his game. I think playing him with Nate Mason makes Mason a lesser player. Even if Dupree is better than IW, I think he is better playing without Mason as they both are better with the ball in their hands.

As I said before, I think IW will be starting by the start of the conference season. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Not super worried about being correct on an internet message board.

People can have differing opinions but I don't get this one. Way more about game flow and play than just saying so and so is starting and the other isn't. McBrayer is a top 3 scorer on this team and is a 2 or 3 that had to play the 1 last year because we didn't have a backup ball handler. Jelly will get those backup minutes at the 1 and then hopefully come in when Dupree does get into those ruts that we did see a handful of times last year. I think we have a lot of position versatility this year regardless with Coffey, Fitz, Mason, McBrayer can all play 2 different positions but it can get tricky with how we match up with athleticism and size of the opponent.
 

I like the attitude. But if he's starting, it probably means Nate or Dupree is hurting.

I'm not sure him starting with Mason at the 2 and Dupree off the bench is a terrible idea. Either way, that combo is going to play together some, IMO.
 

I'd like to see IW play some team defense before I form an opinion. No doubt he can handle and score. Plenty of stud recruits have found the don't play as much as they thought they would because they've never been taught or asked, to play team defense before arriving on campus.
 

I'd like to see IW play some team defense before I form an opinion. No doubt he can handle and score. Plenty of stud recruits have found the don't play as much as they thought they would because they've never been taught or asked, to play team defense before arriving on campus.

If only it worked like that. You have to have ball handling and scoring on the floor. You make your coaching points and deliver your defensive lessons but if Joey can't guard anybody he's still gotta play because we need somebody/anybody to shoot 3's and spread the floor. (one example) Michael Hurt doesn't play and can't defend the perimeter, but that's not why he doesn't play. If he could score in bunches he's still play. He can shoot, he doesn't score. So how often IW and Harris play will be determined by their value on offense. There's only 10 or 11 candidates. As a coach you figure out how to hide your weakest defenders..that's team defense.
 

If only it worked like that. You have to have ball handling and scoring on the floor. You make your coaching points and deliver your defensive lessons but if Joey can't guard anybody he's still gotta play because we need somebody/anybody to shoot 3's and spread the floor. (one example) Michael Hurt doesn't play and can't defend the perimeter, but that's not why he doesn't play. If he could score in bunches he's still play. He can shoot, he doesn't score. So how often IW and Harris play will be determined by their value on offense. There's only 10 or 11 candidates. As a coach you figure out how to hide your weakest defenders..that's team defense.

A player has to have a certain level of unstoppable to them you can allow them to be hidden on defense. Think Carmelo Anthony. I doubt either of the new guards are that good.
 

If only it worked like that. You have to have ball handling and scoring on the floor. You make your coaching points and deliver your defensive lessons but if Joey can't guard anybody he's still gotta play because we need somebody/anybody to shoot 3's and spread the floor. (one example) Michael Hurt doesn't play and can't defend the perimeter, but that's not why he doesn't play. If he could score in bunches he's still play. He can shoot, he doesn't score. So how often IW and Harris play will be determined by their value on offense. There's only 10 or 11 candidates. As a coach you figure out how to hide your weakest defenders..that's team defense.

Maybe you're right, but I've watched plenty of guys score in bunches in the Summer Pulley league, only to watch them ride the line when actual basketball started and they had to play defense.
 

Maybe you're right, but I've watched plenty of guys score in bunches in the Summer Pulley league, only to watch them ride the line when actual basketball started and they had to play defense.

Well, typically nobody plays defense in summer league so lots of people score. I can't recall a Gopher who can score that didn't play....we haven't had many who can is the problem. I think the combination of scoring and ball handling is enough for IW to play a lot. IW is quick enough to defend, quickness is generally the reason guys don't play. Confidence is another reason guys who can score don't... I don't think IW is lacking there either.

Time will tell. Harris gets praised a lot by Pitino for his shooting but seems to maybe not be a great ball handler. He's a maybe a better study case...not sure if he can defend....which if ball handling is a problem...I'd say that means he might have to shoot really well to play a lot if defense is an issue too

I think it's bigger than just defense I guess is what I'm trying to say Costa Rican. Who else is on the roster? What else can't they do? How quick? Can they rebound? Can they handle? How well do they fit with other teammates? Competition at their position? How tall are they? How confident? What's their background? What are their expectations coming in? How high maintenance are they? How highly recruited/ranked were they? Etc etc

Hard to know without seeing some games, scrimmages, something.
 

I can't recall a Gopher who can score that didn't play....we haven't had many who can is the problem.

Devron Bostick is the only one... Believe it or not, most gophers can't just walk into the Pro-Am and dominate, only a select few can actually do that.

That style of play fit Bostick perfectly, and Tubby's offence and short leash, not so much.
 

Devron Bostick is the only one... Believe it or not, most gophers can't just walk in to the Pro-Am and dominate, only a select few can actually do that.

That style of play fit Bostick perfectly, and Tubby's offence and short leash, not so much.

Brostic has a perfect game for noon ball at the Y
 

Devron Bostick is the only one... Believe it or not, most gophers can't just walk into the Pro-Am and dominate, only a select few can actually do that.

That style of play fit Bostick perfectly, and Tubby's offence and short leash, not so much.

'Sunshine' Steve Esselink scored about 25 a game in the Summer league too.
 

Devron Bostick is the only one... Believe it or not, most gophers can't just walk into the Pro-Am and dominate, only a select few can actually do that.

That style of play fit Bostick perfectly, and Tubby's offence and short leash, not so much.

'Sunshine' Steve Esselink used to score in bunches in the Summer league too.

The problems IW is having right now, is precisely what I (and many others) meant in this thread.
 

If Dupree keeps shooting the 3 at nearly a 40% clip, Washington starting this year won't be a convo
 

'Sunshine' Steve Esselink scored about 25 a game in the Summer league too.

I was talking about gophers playing summer league during their time enrolled at the U.

Saw him play plenty in HP, he could score. He also improved his game quite a bit from when he was ~19 years old.
 

If Dupree keeps shooting the 3 at nearly a 40% clip, Washington starting this year won't be a convo

Agree.

That charge he took was a big, keep em rolling when we blew the lid off the game. Much better defender right now.

When he passed it to Reggie, slid over 5', got it back and drained the 3, that was a thing of beauty.
 

I don't think it really matters who starts. Pitino will play the hot hand.
 





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