Smith & Durham looking for NBA Feedback
- Thread starter hoosierraven
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I think this is great. Hopefully the experience and the feedback they get puts them on the right track. I wonder if all 3 will be invited to the group workouts/camp.
Is it? I get it for Juwan last year, and I'm glad they are looking ahead and have goals, but c'mon. How relevant can the feedback be if every D1 program is sending 3-5+ kids to be evaluated? Frankly it's a trip and time away from campus that I'd rather see them working on SHOOTING (and dribbling and effort for Smith)!!! This isn't rocket science, and guess what they're going to hear from their NBA evaluations: "you need to shoot better, have a better handle and give more consistent effort..." There, I saved them a trip, now get to the gym boys!
At the risk of sounding like a grumpy old man (oh f_ _ _ it, I am what I am!), isn't it the coaches job to provide feedback and put them on the right track?
I'm all for these guys trying to get feedback and taking advantage of what is being offered. The concern is they come back and instead of trying to get better within the team, it becomes only and all about them.
To start this past season Justin Smith was given a green light to go 1x1 from the perimeter and it quickly blew up. Not enough handle, not enough of a jumper, leading to drives where he literally jumped as high as possible and tossed up whatever crazy shot he could get off.... when he didn't turn it over first. Archie had to take the ball out of his hands and put him back into the role he succeeded at late in his freshman season.
The best teams have players who want the same things but they find a way to put the team first more often than not.
To start this past season Justin Smith was given a green light to go 1x1 from the perimeter and it quickly blew up. Not enough handle, not enough of a jumper, leading to drives where he literally jumped as high as possible and tossed up whatever crazy shot he could get off.... when he didn't turn it over first. Archie had to take the ball out of his hands and put him back into the role he succeeded at late in his freshman season.
The best teams have players who want the same things but they find a way to put the team first more often than not.
I just think it's run its' course as providing any real value and now kids are doing it because it's a reputation think: "look at me, I'm testing the NBA waters!'". Just like the big staged announcement ceremonies now. As I said, for Juwan, there was a decision to make, for AD and JS what they need to do is pretty clear and if every AD and JS out there declares, I think it waters down any real value that might be obtained. I think athletically both COULD play in the NBA, but they are a long way away from that right now and what they need to do is obvious to most everyone, and should be to them. It's like me seeing a financial planner about my "future lottery winnings", when I'd be better off financially investing the money I spend on lottery tickets and working harder at my day job. Their day job is a college bball player and they'd be better off working on their bball skills, imho.
I think they need to hear the obvious from someone at the next level, especially Green and Smith. I hope the feedback to Green is quit trying for the spectacular and just go for consistently good. Smith's feedback should be play harder on both ends and develop a jump shot. There were times that both seemed to have this staff on the pay no mind list because they knew the roster was too thin to have them riding the pine.
Weird. You and I have the same opinion, and last time I checked, neither of us were NBA scouts. Quit grandstanding and get your ass in the gym boys, that's where the answers lie.
I think it may be too late to correct Green's poor BB IQ and decision making. And I am not convinced that Smith will ever be a consistent perimeter shooter. That said, IU will not get better until certain players are no longer playing meaningful minutes. How Archie finishes this recruiting season and the health of Hunter and Race are vital to next season's success.
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This whole thing is getting ridiculous. Just to back to you either declare or you do not.
That assumes Hunter plays. Anyway I thought most of you called Smith and Green cancers and wanted them gone anyway?
Not too dissimilar from this forum, where everyone thinks they’re a head coach and top notch recruiter.
“I don’t know what the fvck Archie is doing, but let me tell you how I’d run this shit...it’s so simple!!!”
You may be right about it being too late. I hope not, but I don't know for sure either.
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A parent can tell a kid something 100 times and they don't listen and then a stranger says the same thing and gets instant results. I expect any evaluation will have some parallels to what our staff has already told them. There will be some new things, but they could come back with a better focus on what to work on over the summer and a motivation for why it is important.
I would expect they are working harder than ever to make a good showing for the NBA people. It don't see how it will hurt development.
i also just declared for the draft. i want the nba to evaluate my game, too. hell, if durham and smith can, so can i.
So here is the thing about entering the pre-draft...
Though IU coaches can not conduct or oversee, It's a chance to workout with feedback and coaching in an organized fashion that would not be allowed otherwise. I am sure that Durham, Smith, Green all have a pretty good understanding of what skills they need to work. But by working out for professional teams, they have someone who can provide feedback on if they are doing the mechanics correctly. So yes... they would still be working on their "ball skills."
Also, if IU players get selected for the combine it then does allow players to work up to 12hrs/week with the IU coaching staff to prepare. So yes, there is another possible benefit to Durham, Smith, Green to declare during the pre-draft process.
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