Rick Pitino has questions about his son's point guard situation with the Gophers

BleedGopher

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per Marcus:

If anybody knows championship-level point guards, it’s Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino.

After all, the former Louisville coach mentored college stars like Tony Delk, Russ Smith, Peyton Siva, Terry Rozier and Donovan Mitchell.

That’s why his opinion about the Gophers’ point guard position being “the only weak spot right now” on their team was so interesting to hear on a recent podcast from recruiting expert Evan Daniels.

“He had a terrific team last year and lost three starters,” the elder Pitino said about his son, Richard. “I like his team this year. I’m not crazy about the point guard position. I think he needed … now if Isaiah Washington can mature out of the social media world and into the real basketball world of how to get it done, then they’ve got great promise. If not, he’s just got to find a different point guard and move in a different direction.”

Gophers coaches were frustrated last year with Washington being more focused on his social media identity as the face of the Jelly Fam movement than learning to do the things to be consistent as a freshman. So it’s no surprise Pitino's father shared a similar sentiment. Problem is the Gophers really don’t have many options if Washington doesn’t turn the corner this season.

Richard Pitino mentioned recently that both junior Amir Coffey and senior Dupree McBrayer were competing with Washington for the point guard spot in practice. Pittsburgh transfer Marcus Carr would be in the mix, but he’s still waiting to hear back from the NCAA about a waiver to play right away this year.

“I’ve been working Amir a lot at the point,” Pitino said. “I’ve been working Dupree a lot at the point, as well as Isaiah. Amir’s looked great. Isaiah’s getting better. Dupree’s getting better, as well as Marcus. He’s comfortable with it, but you don’t know with him.”

On a different topic, Rick Pitino said on Daniels' podcast that he and his son are “very, very different coaches” when asked to make a comparison.

“Richard is different than me,” Rick said. “He’s much more like (former Florida coach) Billy Donovan than he is me. We coach differently … We’re both very passionate. But his style of play is different than mine. He has a different way of teaching. Obviously, he’s not a veteran coach. He’s a young coach. He recruits different than me. We’re very, very different coaches. But where we’re similar is how we prepare, our organization, how much we care about the game. But he’s different than me.”

http://www.startribune.com/rick-pit...t-guard-situation-with-the-gophers/495892511/

Go Gophers!!
 


I don’t think it’s a bad thing that Isaiah hears these critiques from different places. He either will “get it” or it will be as Rick P stated, time to move in a different direction. He will have every opportunity to prove he’s the right guy and I hope he’s matured enough to prove it.


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Rick's concern will be alleviated quite a bit when Marcus Carr is granted immediate eligibility.
 



Rick's concern will be alleviated quite a bit when Marcus Carr is granted immediate eligibility.

When you say? I hope so. The idea of Coffey as a back-up pg is a bit like having Tebow as a back-up QB. It could work but it's a big change for everyone else.
 

When you say? I hope so. The idea of Coffey as a back-up pg is a bit like having Tebow as a back-up QB. It could work but it's a big change for everyone else.

He is just getting ready for his NBA job.


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Rick's concern will be alleviated quite a bit when Marcus Carr is granted immediate eligibility.

You're not the gas lighting type, Selection. Are you in on something the rest of us are not? I'm hard to shock, but I would be absolutely shocked if Carr had his sit out year waived with no discernible reason other than his coach being fired.
 




You're not the gas lighting type, Selection. Are you in on something the rest of us are not? I'm hard to shock, but I would be absolutely shocked if Carr had his sit out year waived with no discernible reason other than his coach being fired.

Maybe SS is his long lost uncle he wanted to be move closer to....
 

Isaiah better get down to serious basketball quickly or Carr or another new PG recruit can surpass him. If he ain't got game, there is no jelly.
 

Kind of funny that this board lauded Washington's play down the stretch last year in nearly every other post regarding our PG position. Suddenly Rick says he's immature and needs to get off the social media, and we've got a problem at the position.

I follow a lot of the ballplayers on Instagram. Washington posts are not a significant difference in frequency or quality to his teammates. I would say he's normal and you might be able to convince me that he's slightly greater than a normal kids utilization of the app and significantly less than an average teenagers.
 



Kind of funny that this board lauded Washington's play down the stretch last year in nearly every other post regarding our PG position. Suddenly Rick says he's immature and needs to get off the social media, and we've got a problem at the position.

I follow a lot of the ballplayers on Instagram. Washington posts are not a significant difference in frequency or quality to his teammates. I would say he's normal and you might be able to convince me that he's slightly greater than a normal kids utilization of the app and significantly less than an average teenagers.

I took the comment to mean his style of play rather than actually spending time on Social Media.
 

I'm not worried about Washington. What worries me about PG is after Washington. Carr spinning the NCAA wheel of eligibility correctly would do wonders

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I think Richard P has admitted that "Jelly" is not a finished product, and he will have to earn his playing time. I remember an interview in which Richard P said Jelly will be evaluated heavily on what he does when he doesn't have the ball - in other words, looking at his total game.

If Jelly plays well, it's better for the Gophers. If he doesn't play well, then the Gophs are looking at some combination of Coffee and McBrayer at PG - a proposition that would have me very nervous going into conference games.
 

Kind of funny that this board lauded Washington's play down the stretch last year in nearly every other post regarding our PG position. Suddenly Rick says he's immature and needs to get off the social media, and we've got a problem at the position.

I follow a lot of the ballplayers on Instagram. Washington posts are not a significant difference in frequency or quality to his teammates. I would say he's normal and you might be able to convince me that he's slightly greater than a normal kids utilization of the app and significantly less than an average teenagers.

The people who were lauding his play down the stretch were the people who actually watched the games for the full season. The people who have no faith in him are the ones who didn't watch the last 9+ games and aren't aware of how much he improved. They were being somewhat vocal even before this interview.
 

The people who were lauding his play down the stretch were the people who actually watched the games for the full season. The people who have no faith in him are the ones who didn't watch the last 9+ games and aren't aware of how much he improved. They were being somewhat vocal even before this interview.

+1.

Go Isaiah Washington!!
 

The people who were lauding his play down the stretch were the people who actually watched the games for the full season. The people who have no faith in him are the ones who didn't watch the last 9+ games and aren't aware of how much he improved. They were being somewhat vocal even before this interview.

Agree, he has work to do, just as all younger players do, but he will be fine.


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The people who were lauding his play down the stretch were the people who actually watched the games for the full season. The people who have no faith in him are the ones who didn't watch the last 9+ games and aren't aware of how much he improved. They were being somewhat vocal even before this interview.

Agreed. Very similar to the fire PJ, Fire Tubby Fire TC fanboys on here. Just merchants in misery.
 

I'm not worried about Washington. What worries me about PG is after Washington. Carr spinning the NCAA wheel of eligibility correctly would do wonders

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+1
 

I hope Dad finds a hobby now that he is done as a college basketball coach other than watching his son coach.
 


I hope Dad finds a hobby now that he is done as a college basketball coach other than watching his son coach.

I think this is his hobby. And it could help us. Getting an OV already from Mashburn Jr has Rick Pitino’s fingerprints all over it Iyam. Pitino Sr is still highly respected by some and still has deep connections in the bb world besides the shoe connections that got him in trouble.
 

I think this is his hobby. And it could help us. Getting an OV already from Mashburn Jr has Rick Pitino’s fingerprints all over it Iyam. Pitino Sr is still highly respected by some and still has deep connections in the bb world besides the shoe connections that got him in trouble.

I would guess he’ll also get into announcing at some point, which also could help us.
 

I hope Dad finds a hobby now that he is done as a college basketball coach other than watching his son coach.

He'll be the T-Wolves coach within a matter of weeks. :cool:
 

Jelly's defense, body language and tendency to go 1 on 5 makes me nervous. But he made big strides last year and his talent is undeniable. I think he's going to have a good year, but there will be games that Dupree, Coffey and Stull are going to need to step up with PG duties. Especially if Carr does not get a waiver.
 

Jelly's defense, body language and tendency to go 1 on 5 makes me nervous. But he made big strides last year and his talent is undeniable. I think he's going to have a good year, but there will be games that Dupree, Coffey and Stull are going to need to step up with PG duties. Especially if Carr does not get a waiver.

I didn't see the last nine games last year so I can't comment on his improvement, from what I saw earlier he is a great athlete that just needs to learn to play PG, he might have made great strides in that direction, he can be good no doubt about that.
 




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