It still amazes me how we sorta lucked into Toppin. Kids such a great player and personality
Cal suggested TyTy, Oscar, and Wheeler will be starters. What other two players would you add?
- Thread starter Smashcat
- Start date
I don't get why some act like Brooks sucked.I believe he had about 20 points and 7 rebounds and shot the 3 very well.
Starting Wheeler would be a mistake.
Good post. I think we should play our game and make duke adjust. They'll have the rebounding edge, but guards win basketball games, especially in college. We have the better guards.
I would go Wheeler, Tyty, Mintz/Grady, Hopkins and Oscar. Have Mintz/Grady, Ware, Collins and Brooks at the ready.
The biggest key is keeping Oscar out of foul trouble.
Just keep rotating players and push the tempo.
Yikes, I forgot about Toppin. Damn, we're deep as hell and that's not even considering CJ or Sharpe.
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False…he’s a true PG. IMO just what the team needs.
Brooks is who he is. Role player.
I worry about fans’ expectations for Toppin.
I worry about fans’ expectations for Toppin.
I do think Cal will go with Brooks in the starting lineup though, he shouldn't start, but he will, which is fine, KB can hold his own, but Topoin, Collins and Hopkins will all pass him eventually.
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This was my thought all summer.... I used every analytic I could find to show Wheeler playing a lot of minutes would be detrimental to the team.
It's only one data point, but last night Wheeler showed he made people better. Brooks and Grady were M.I.A. the first ten minutes with Mintz as the point. When those two guys switched to Wheeler's team, they were better, much better.
That's either an indictment of Brooks/Grady or the positive affect Wheeler has when you're on his team.
Regards
The real question is who’s going to be able to guard Banchero the best? Cal seemed to suggest Hopkins got lost on defense a couple times , so it won’t be him. Oscar will be matched up against the other big. I think it’s either Brooks or Toppin .
I like Toppin and think he will be a solid player but some seem to think he will be a star and I just don't see it.I wonder if the high expectations would still there if his brother hadn't been a star.
I think Grady has to be in the lineup. Unlike others, this is his last year and he didn't come here to ride the pine. I'm expecting big things from him. After that, I would say Brooks or Toppin. However, that lineup could have some shooting issues if Wheeler isn't improved at knocking down shots. As long as he has improved and doesn't force it and Brooks has improved I think that could be a really solid lineup that gives you a little bit of everything.
Wheeler
TyTy
Grady
Brooks
Oscar
Wheeler
TyTy
Grady
Brooks
Oscar
Part of it is how the intrasquad lineups played out. Wheelies had numerous TOs and struggled at times with length. Things got bogged down at times. Against better teams and teams with length his strengths will be muted.
Grady was a bit passive and still was a scorer. And he has all around skills and good size.
TY Needs to be the lead guard. Need a guy who can shoot/score at the lead guard for this team to maximize its potential. Which is true for any really good team aiming for a national title.
Grady was a bit passive and still was a scorer. And he has all around skills and good size.
TY Needs to be the lead guard. Need a guy who can shoot/score at the lead guard for this team to maximize its potential. Which is true for any really good team aiming for a national title.
Sometimes stats are not the whole story....
The first 10 minutes were very revealing IMO.
Mintz Sr.
Grady Sr.
Brooks Jr.
Allen RS So.
Ware So.
Those 5 got their collective a$$'s handed to them by three Freshman, Sahvir/Oscar. They were so thoroughly beat (at one point being outscored 24-4) Calipari had to stop play and move Brooks/Grady onto the better team.
Brooks and Grady both played solid with Wheeler/Tshiebwe and it's why they both ended with good stats for the night.
If Cal leaves the teams alone, the VET's probably loose by 30-40.....and it also makes me wonder if platoon talk is premature.
Regards
The best 2 other players are Grady and Hopkins, I suspect Brooks will start
You're putting way too much stock in one scrimmage. Brooks 100 percent starts vs Duke.
Agree, except I think Hopkins starts over Brooks before the middle of the season. I predict that Brooks and CJ both play a lot as 6th and 7th men before we get to the end of the season. If we get Sharpe and he's as good as advertised, then he plays the wing instead of Grady. Then our 8 man rotation has Brooks, Grady and CJ coming off the bench by season's end.
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I think Brooks has to start beginning of the year. Not sure who should be in with him. Leaning Toppin just for athletic ability and rebounding. Wouldn’t be mad at swapping Grady in and playing smaller either, but against bigger teams that may not always be feasible.
End of the year I think it will be Grady because the team will have developed into a comfortable three guard lineup, with probably Hopkins as a small ball 4. Again, if it’s against a really big team, having a 5’8 PG and 6’6 PF would not be optimal, but I think that group of 5 would be the strongest collection of talent in one unit.
Collins is for sure a dark horse candidate though. Potential through the roof I just don’t have a good feel for his ability at the moment—let alone how fast he will be able to develop.
End of the year I think it will be Grady because the team will have developed into a comfortable three guard lineup, with probably Hopkins as a small ball 4. Again, if it’s against a really big team, having a 5’8 PG and 6’6 PF would not be optimal, but I think that group of 5 would be the strongest collection of talent in one unit.
Collins is for sure a dark horse candidate though. Potential through the roof I just don’t have a good feel for his ability at the moment—let alone how fast he will be able to develop.
That is literally all we have to go by in terms of comparing the players on this squad.
Brooks may start, but I think Collins outplayed him (or at least equaled him) in this scrimmage and has way more potential.
Brooks, as someone else posted, is what he is, a very solid role player. Collins could be a first round pick.
Cal didn’t mind playing Jackson over Brooks last season and this is a very similar situation.
We will see how it goes in the next month or so. I won’t be shocked either way, I’m just trying to predict a lineup based on what Cal normally does. He rarely plays experience over talent.
I know one thing, the competition for the 3 and 4 spots is going to be tremendous, especially once Toppin gets back into the mix. Hopkins, Grady, Toppin, Brooks, and Collins all fighting for those minutes should be fun to watch. Guys better bring it every day or they are going to be riding pine.
Brooks is what he is at this point. But he can be a good glue guy and role player, plus he has experience so I don't mind if he starts. I just want him to rebound and not float around on the perimeter.
Let's face it, Oscar's going to be in foul trouble a lot and there's going to be a lot of bitching on here about it. Me included. Referees are already practicing their "charge flex" in the mirror and working on their biceps knowing they'll be back in front of full crowds this year. Ware needs to be a strong backup for us. And I like the idea of Hopkins playing beside him a lot for some extra muscle. Hopkins has some PJ in his game. He's got a good build and has the look of a mean MF, which I love.
Let's face it, Oscar's going to be in foul trouble a lot and there's going to be a lot of bitching on here about it. Me included. Referees are already practicing their "charge flex" in the mirror and working on their biceps knowing they'll be back in front of full crowds this year. Ware needs to be a strong backup for us. And I like the idea of Hopkins playing beside him a lot for some extra muscle. Hopkins has some PJ in his game. He's got a good build and has the look of a mean MF, which I love.
I’m all for Brooks starting, if he earns it. I had him penciled in as a starter since back in the summer when the roster was finalized.
But based on what Cal has done in the past, it should not shock anyone if Collins or Hopkins or both start over Brooks. Cal has never ever shied away from starting Freshmen talent over veterans.
I will say this, Brooks did look way better playing with Wheeler, Washington, and Tshiebwe. Same with Grady.
The next two exhibition will tell us a little more about who should start. Regardless I think Cal has 7 guys that he really likes right now plus Ware as a decent post sub. We will see where Toppin and Fredrick land once they get cleared.
But based on what Cal has done in the past, it should not shock anyone if Collins or Hopkins or both start over Brooks. Cal has never ever shied away from starting Freshmen talent over veterans.
I will say this, Brooks did look way better playing with Wheeler, Washington, and Tshiebwe. Same with Grady.
The next two exhibition will tell us a little more about who should start. Regardless I think Cal has 7 guys that he really likes right now plus Ware as a decent post sub. We will see where Toppin and Fredrick land once they get cleared.
I think Brooks and Grady will be the starters all season long, Brooks is a leader and Grady will compliment TyTy on the wing. I like the idea of Mintz as the sixth man. It will be fascinating to see how Cal divides minutes between Brooks, Hopkins and Toppin. Feels like someone is going to be the odd man out and not because they are underperforming.
I think Grady is the most likely guy at the 3 spot. I find it interesting though that Cal didn't just say he's likely to start with the other 3.
I think Brooks is the most likely to start at PF to open the season. Who starts in a couple months is hard to say.
I think Brooks is the most likely to start at PF to open the season. Who starts in a couple months is hard to say.
Me too.
Will be TY, Mintz, Grady, Brooks, Oscar
Good minutes for Wheeler, CJ, Collins, Hopkins, Ware.
Jacob and Allen with specialty roles. But both will find some decent minutes at times.
I actually like the platoon idea but with the 2nd team playing, say, 30 percent or so. 15 minutes a game
The problem is, Keion doesn't have the handles to take anybody off the dribble. His lack of improvement in this area was my biggest disappointment from the blue/white game.
He seemed to be the only one on the team last year that could create his own shit. He was hurt, so he didn’t do as much as he should have.
Even if that were true, it’s not saying much on last year’s team. But I don’t remember him creating much for himself or anybody else last year.
he would have needed to play defense on offense to steal the ball from Boston. LOL
I agree with Shawn's lineup prediction. Once Grady got going in the BW game he looked good. I just kind of assume Brooks gets the starting nod until someone comes up behind him and takes it, if he doesn't elevate his game further.
Me neither...lack of ball skills combined w/ average, at best, athleticism makes experience the only thing he has over any of his competetors for playing time at the 3 or 4.
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