I wish Cal would play Big Z at the wing and UGO at the 5. I think Big Z would score more as a wing instead of trying to play him in the 5 position. Agree or disagree ?
Big Z out of position ?
- Thread starter westerncat
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Ugo has hands of stone. He would drop every pass from Big Z.
Leave Z at the 5 and let him run the floor. He clearly has passing ability and can stick the 3 very easily. Not to mention he is much better at putbacks and doesn't get the ball taken away from him as much as Ugo does.
Yeah, I mean if you can’t see that Ugo is still a project I don’t know what to tell them.
The 5 fouls in 12 minutes needs to be addressed. But he can do a lot of things for a dude his size. He can play either the 3/4/5 positions. And he always looks like he's having fun.
I noticed he has a lot of grown man Euro tricks such as grabbing the guy he’s screening and keeping his arms above the rim as often as he can when boxing out.
Kid is so skilled. I wish we got him for multiple years.
Kid is so skilled. I wish we got him for multiple years.
He doesn't move his feet on defense and reaches a lot. Very rarely does he keep arms vertical when he jumps and is out of position on defense because he doesn't move his feet
You guys are conflating being able to pass and shoot with "being able to play the 3". Big Z is a 5. Maybe occasionally a 4 if we also have UGO or Bradshaw in there. He can't stay in front of 3 - and I'm not sure he can stay in front of a 4 or even 5. That said, offensively he looks like the next Arvydas Sabonis (who was a center).
Yeah, I feel like the NBA guys have seen all they needed to see. The things they don’t like about him can be corrected and he’s just too reminiscent of the kind of big that everyone’s after right now.
I’m not sure where he will go in the draft, but I do believe he’ll have a guaranteed contract next year.
Do you watch the NBA? Being tall and able to shoot is great if you can move your feet. If you can drag people out on the floor, being tall, quick and a good shooter is great. But if you are a spot up shooter at 7'2" that can't move your feet or guard someone else, not so much.
Can’t teach 7’2”. Kid gonna get paid.
The skinny Arvydas who worked David Robinson like a rented mule, or the James Donaldson-esque Arvydas who lumbered up and down courts in the NBA?
Nice Donaldson reference. You don’t see that much.
I’d rotate him at the 4 with Tre.
He’s learning. SEC refs are quite a change from Euro league.
He should rotate at the 4 to spell Mitchell. We have to get Mitchell's minutes under 28 a game. You have Z, Thiero, Burks, and Edwards who can cover there. No need for Mitchell to play so much, or anyone on this team.
Let Z play the 4 or the 5. His passing in a high-low set is phenomenal. Especially with an athlete like Bradshaw for lobs
Let Z play the 4 or the 5. His passing in a high-low set is phenomenal. Especially with an athlete like Bradshaw for lobs
Z is a scoring/assist machine regardless of whether it is at the 4 or 5. The only thing keeping Z off of the court is the fouls-he takes himself out of the game. He doesn't understand this aspect of American basketball. He needs to watch lots of tape and emulate what he sees.
Ugo is not playing for his offense. He plays for his defense which is really needed on this team.
I see this as well. Mitchell doesn’t need to play more than 32 mpg even when healthy. So Z needs those 8 minutes and probably steals another 10 ad center and there you ha e 20-ish minutes
If he can shoot as well as he has….he needs to play more then Ugo/Bradshaw
He’s constantly out of position and has bad mobility. He’s a step late a lot of times. Getting more clock should help. He’s a typical euro kid in a lot of ways. Kinda soft. I wish he had a mean streak
Am I seeing people suggesting we play 2 bigs together? Are my eyes deceiving me?
Yes, and he fails to get into an athletic defensive stance on too many occasions....but he has company on this team in that respect.
Better rebounder: Adou
Better handles: Adou
Better defense: Adou
Better driver and finisher: Adou
Hell, Mitchell is barely above Adou in 3PFG% at this point.
Still don't think Adou is 100% looked better last night need him back to how he played against Kansas
This. Cal always grinds these older guys into dust and has every year since we started getting heavy transfers. Oscar was the only one that didn't break down but at times you wondered if he was even human.
Z provides the same tools on offense and is a way better rebounder. He has amazing agility for his size but still half a step slow to guard a true stretch. All cal has to do is play some zone. Will be do it?
Cal is going to play 2 bigs he just can't help himself so we might as well except it .
Oh please. Cal himself said Big Z didn't practice for 2 weeks due to being sick. If you believe that, then you understand why he looked a little slow. And he still had 3 blocks and 7 boards in 12 minutes.
Maybe i saw this incorrectly but felt like the Cats switched a ton on D. Which is great and what you have to be able to do in todays game at all positions really. It’s such a game of pick and rolls and high ball screens. I thought Z did pretty well guarding smaller guys and at least using his feet and length to alter shots or disrupt things a little bit for drivers. He’s not AD but I think about Edey at Purdue. He isn’t exactly known for his footwork and quickness but still will switch to guards on pick and rolls and make them drive and be somewhat disruptive.
I just don't see how it makes the team better.
There's only so many points a team can score. All this does is redistribute who gets them.
Z now shooting 3s that Reeves or Rob were going to take in the possession.
I understand we'll never be a good defensive team. But we're so bad, there's a lot of room to get better. We do not need him guarding a four unless the other team is also playing two bigs.
Z at 4 is how you beat Vandy by 35 and lose to Illinois on Saturday of first weekend.
There's only so many points a team can score. All this does is redistribute who gets them.
Z now shooting 3s that Reeves or Rob were going to take in the possession.
I understand we'll never be a good defensive team. But we're so bad, there's a lot of room to get better. We do not need him guarding a four unless the other team is also playing two bigs.
Z at 4 is how you beat Vandy by 35 and lose to Illinois on Saturday of first weekend.
I would just let him play till he fouls out. We have more centers to go to. Maybe that will help him learn not to reach.
Not using Z for pick/pop jumpers is criminal coaching ... he was BUILT for that, athletically. Porzingis 2.0.
I'd argue a poor man's Porzingis instead of Porzingis 2.0.
Cal always pigeon holes his bigs down in the lane, look at Skal, he forced him to play post and the kid sucked but made an NBA team and did okay playing facing up.
I think Big z would do much better facing the basket but Cal won't do that but he will Bradshaw and Bradshaw is not that great of a shooter.
Most of those fouls were 💩
This team needs alot of things but no more than Z playing minutes.
