JCHoops Mailbag - July 17
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I asked for questions and you guys delivered, giving me plenty of material to work with. If you don’t see your question answered, feel free to reach out again or wait until the next mailbag. I plan on making this a regular endeavor. That being said, let’s jump into some of these great questions...
Who will be more of a factor than fans expect and who will be less of a factor than fans expect?
This is a tough one to answer because the season isn’t anywhere close to starting and there’s still a ton of practice time ahead of the team. I think fans are expecting a lot out of both Stanley Umude and Au’Diese Toney, although maybe more out of the former.
I personally think Toney will be the focal point of the team, but if fans already have that expectation somewhat, I feel like I should give another answer. For that I’ll go with JD Notae. A lot of fans seem to think he might get lost in the shuffle, but the reigning SEC Sixth Man of the Year has gained strength in the offseason so far and is entering his third full year with the program. His experience and familiarity with the system paired with his scoring ability will make him a reliable option for the season.
Similar to last season, I think KK Robinson will play less of a factor than fans expect. Robinson’s freshman season was cut short due to injury. Now getting close to fully healthy, he also has Notae and graduate transfer Chris Lykes in the backcourt with him. Robinson will definitely have a role, but coming off an injury and playing in a crowded position doesn’t help his case to meet or exceed fan expectations this year.
Eight players averaged 15+ minutes per game last year. Does that number go up or down and who averages 15+?
I think that number stays firm at eight players, but with the depth this team has, the 9th and 10th players will likely play 8-12 minutes while not appearing in every single game. As far as who those players are, I see the following:
Jaylin Williams
Stanley Umude
Au’Diese Toney
Davonte Davis
Chris Lykes
JD Notae
KK Robinson
Kamani Johnson
Down one with time expiring. Who takes the final shot for the season opener versus the Sweet Sixteen?
I really think there are three guys even in contention for this question, and it’s between Notae, Umude and Toney. Each brings something different, and a lot of it could depend on how the opposing team is guarding and matchups, but just as a general answer I’ll give the nod to Notae for the opener and Toney in the Sweet Sixteen, with a caveat that Umude would definitely get the call in an iso against a bigger defender.
Who will lead the team in each statistical category next season?
A lot of this will just be educated guessing based on play styles, fit, and past statistics.
Points: Umude or Notae
Rebounds: Williams or Toney
Assists: Davis or Notae
Steals: Davis or Toney
Blocks: Toney or Williams
What is the biggest weakness on the roster right now?
As good as this team is and as much depth as there is, I think the two biggest weaknesses are outside shooting and frontcourt depth. Toney, Umude and Williams are all serviceable at the 4 and 5 spots, with Johnson, Trey Wade, and Connor Vanover behind them, but Johnson and Wade are undersized and Vanover struggles on the defensive end. If Williams gets injured, that would either force the team to play small ball with Umude at the 5 or Johnson at the 5, or start Vanover like they did much of last season and struggle in defensive matchups.
On outside shooting, there is a good amount of solid shooters who have averaged 33 percent or better in their career, but there isn’t a single knock-down shooter in the upper-30s or 40 percent range. Robinson can be that player, Notae is high volume but can hit shots, and Lykes was headed that direction before injury, but a majority of the shooters on the roster fall into the 33-35 percent range from deep. There were times last season where the inability to hit shots from the outside limited the offense and that could be an area of concern again this year.
Where is Coach Musselman’s NBA experience felt most on the court or in the scheme?
From a roster building standpoint and the direction college basketball has gone, the first thing that comes to mind is how he utilizes a combination of graduate transfers, sit out transfers, and high school freshmen to minimize frustration with playing time while always having someone in the program gaining experience. A lot of the transfer recruiting stems from the free agency market, which Musselman has alluded to.
As far as scheme, offensively he draws up a bunch of quick-hitters like in the NBA, so when they need a bucket, they can get in a quick set and get an open look in 5-10 seconds. That, paired with his ability to relay his NBA experience to his players, allows him to coach in a more professional manner. He coaches the team as an NBA coach does, in other words. That comes with a level of mutual respect and an understanding that the ultimate basketball goals they take on in the program are to win and prepare players to play professionally.
Musselman also has the most detailed and in-depth scouting reports in the country. That’s both for game preparation and recruiting, where he will give recruits a full breakdown of their game and how he will develop and prepare them for the NBA. When the team comes to the locker room after a game, their scout for the next opponent is already waiting for them.