New Pitino blog - talks scheduling, changes to offensive/defensive playbooks and more

BleedGopher

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The first couple of fall practices have been very impressive. We have made a few minor changes to our offensive and defensive playbooks that I have really liked. I am really trying to have all of our guys play multiple positions. One of the biggest differences in college and pro basketball is the definition of positions. In college people seem to want to focus on what position everyone is playing. In the pros they boast about playing "positionless basketball." At the college level there seems to be a trend that a player has to be play a certain position in order to get to the NBA. That's simply not true. As Kevin Durant said after last season, "I can play any style, with any player, anywhere in the world."

Eric Curry - Looks really good! Played 24 minutes per game as a freshman on an NCAA tournament team that won 24 games. Clearly he was a big loss to our team. Primed for a big season. Has terrific leadership qualities when he wants.

Amir Coffey - Has that look in his eye like he wants to take the next step. Has had a lot of wow moments during practice. Love the direction he is headed.

Dupree McBrayer - Showed unbelievable heart playing through a difficult, nagging injury last year. The rest he got over the spring really helped and he currently looks 100%.

Jarvis Omersa - Infectious personality and a great pride for his home state. Clearly a great athlete who never gets tired. Doesn't care where he plays on the court. If he keeps up the junkyard dog mentality then he will be a force in the future.

Daniel Oturu - Has started doing non-contact drills in practice and has looked very impressive. The next step is seeing how he can do vs. contact. Was terrific in high school and AAU. I am happy we got his surgery over with in the spring so that he can be healthy for the season.

https://gophersports.com/news/2018/9/13/mens-basketball-pitino-blog-welcome-back.aspx

Go Gophers!!
 


Gabe Kalscheur - Has had a very productive summer and fall. That's Gabe, productive. Not just a shooter. He takes pride in doing the little things. Always comes early to practice and stays late. Terrific defender!

Impressive. Gabe has come in as a freshman and instantly become the whitest player on the team.
 

Impressive. Gabe has come in as a freshman and instantly become the whitest player on the team.

Is he also a high-motor coaches' kid who just lives in the gym?
 



Would have liked to have heard positive words about our point guard more than any other player. Hopefully just me being paranoid.
 

Would have liked to have heard positive words about our point guard more than any other player. Hopefully just me being paranoid.

Yes, I hope Carr gets his waiver to play this year.
 

Would have liked to have heard positive words about our point guard more than any other player. Hopefully just me being paranoid.

Yeah that’s weird. Why omit IW?


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It was only new players, players coming off injury or transfers.

Ah yeah. Seems like everyone but IW and Hurt, if you count that Dupree and Murphy at least got some mentions.


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Yeah that’s weird. Why omit IW?


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He said he just wanted to go over just the guys who are either new to the team or returning from injury, which is most of the team, but not Isaiah. Don’t think he mentioned Michael Hurt at all either, and just a brief tongue-in-cheek blurb about Murphy.
 


I always enjoy these blogs from Coach Pitino. It probably means nothing, but I found it interesting that the praise for Marcus Carr seemed to be more muted than for other players: "Marcus Carr - Steady and solid. Very good at getting to the basket going right. Has great substance to his game. Competes! Played over 30 minutes per game as a freshman in the ACC."

I love the idea of playing "positionless basketball", but I think that's something you have to recruit to and emphasize ball handling and shooting across all sized players.
 



Impressive. Gabe has come in as a freshman and instantly become the whitest player on the team.

I don't know about that. It talked about him being a good defender, not just a willing defender.
 

Most interesting note is that he says recruiting is going better than it ever has with the carrot of the new practice facility. He would know, of course, but it's hard to see that from the outside.
 

I always enjoy these blogs from Coach Pitino. It probably means nothing, but I found it interesting that the praise for Marcus Carr seemed to be more muted than for other players: "Marcus Carr - Steady and solid. Very good at getting to the basket going right. Has great substance to his game. Competes! Played over 30 minutes per game as a freshman in the ACC."

I love the idea of playing "positionless basketball", but I think that's something you have to recruit to and emphasize ball handling and shooting across all sized players.

I think we are starting to see that he is recruiting more shooting- Gabe, Willis, Stull and Stockman are all good shooters for their position. New recruit Jackson looks comfortable from outside in the videos.
 

Impressive. Gabe has come in as a freshman and instantly become the whitest player on the team.

Not sure follow...

Do you have a blackest player on your ranking list too?
 

Not sure follow...

Do you have a blackest player on your ranking list too?

I was confused initially too since he's at least half black. Then I realized he was referring to the common stereotypes we hear about white players.
 


Later on he calls Payton Willis a gym rat.

I don't find that encouraging. That's the same comment he made about Michael Hurt as a freshman and they both had similar advanced stat numbers as sophs.
 

I don't find that encouraging. That's the same comment he made about Michael Hurt as a freshman and they both had similar advanced stat numbers as sophs.

Yeah, someone who loves to be in the gym wanting to get better. Can't get rid of this guy fast enough lol
 

Yeah, someone who loves to be in the gym wanting to get better. Can't get rid of this guy fast enough lol

lol at yourself.

That's what he says about someone when he really can't say anything that good. Some of you appear to be utterly devoid of a healthy sense of cynicism.
 


Willis will be fine, has a decent handle can play 1-3, always room for a guy like that in the rotation

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That's what he says about someone when he really can't say anything that good.

Or sometimes, it just simply means they work their ass off and spend a lot of time the gym working on their game.
 




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