DJ Wagner is not a Good Defender

[rob_47]

Wagner has been hurt for a month and a half and although he is still only about 75%, he is competing his butt off on both ends of the court to help the team win.

Guys always get "hurt" when their play doesn't reach expectations. He is moving fine as he ever has he just isn't the DAWG that the coaching staff and some say he is. I have played college level sports and I have seen instances where everyone gloats over a certain guy because of his reputation or his perceived abilities but in reality its kind of like a popularity contest and the guys reputation outweighs his actual skills. DJ has a long way to go to be an NBA player much less a good college player. This is obvious to any unbiased observer.

 

[IL Wildcat]

There was a play in which Hubbard overplayed Dilly’s left hand, and Dilly went in for an easy right-handed layup. That defense is reminiscent of something I see Wagner do a lot.

Yep, you're right. I don't think Wagner's issue is ability to defend but being a smart defender. Sheppard is the opposite. He's not the quickest guy defensively, but he nearly always takes the right angle and is in the right position to defend his man. Wagner needs Reed's intelligence, not more athleticism or ability.

 

[UKortho]

As I said…..I’m so done with this shit team. One step forwards multiple steps back. 12-13 losses coming this season.

 

[Tampa_cat54]

We get it you hate the guy . Not wanting him back is foolish

OP has hated Wagner since day 1, and is also not a real UK fan. It's pretty obvious to everyone at this point.

 

[fatguy87]

Wagner actually played well tonight, I thought.

 

[crashtestdummy]

He's not terrible, when he gets into proper position and takes the right angles.

Am I in the wrong chat room? Sounds like the ole lady...

 

[BigTyrone]

OP, your profile says you’re in Bangkok. Is that a joke or are you really there? It beats out Prague and Venice as my favorite city in the world.

 

[MegaBlue05]

Do we have to have a thread shitting on one of our players who did not play poorly tonight as soon as the buzzer sounded on a game we would’ve lost by 15 three weeks ago?

Can we not enjoy a nice comeback road win without finding something to bitch about?

It has to be exhausting to always he complaining about something.

 

[sluggercatfan]

At the 11:29 mark in the second half his man dribbled across midcourt, and then used a screen at the top of the key, and went all the way to the rim with no resistance.

I think people just like to say that Wagner can defend because they feel like he must be able to do something right.

He is absolutely terrible and we better hope that he goes to the draft because you do not want this guy back.

I do...

 

[NociHTTP]

At the 11:29 mark in the second half his man dribbled across midcourt, and then used a screen at the top of the key, and went all the way to the rim with no resistance.

I think people just like to say that Wagner can defend because they feel like he must be able to do something right.

He is absolutely terrible and we better hope that he goes to the draft because you do not want this guy back.

Cal wouldn't say it, but I bet he doesn't want him back, either.

 

[NociHTTP]

Do we have to have a thread shitting on one of our players who did not play poorly tonight as soon as the buzzer sounded on a game we would’ve lost by 15 three weeks ago?

Can we not enjoy a nice comeback road win without finding something to bitch about?

It has to be exhausting to always he complaining about something.

It goes both ways. It's also exhausting pretending to be rays of sunshine all the time, too. I mean, don't pass me on the street and ask me how I'm doing if you don't really want to know

 

[Mike-McD]

Wagner has been hurt for a month and a half and although he is still only about 75%, he is competing his butt off on both ends of the court to help the team win.

Wagner has been back for two weeks now. And he hasn't been able to shoot all year.

 

[CincyUKFan]

OP, your profile says you’re in Bangkok. Is that a joke or are you really there? It beats out Prague and Venice as my favorite city in the world.

It’s the truth. Been here with my fam for quite some time. Cost of living is still amazing.

I highly recommend moving to Thailand if you are able. Great launching pad to see the rest of the world.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

Nope. Don’t dig. Being able to feel the screen and stay with your man and keep him from driving right down the lane is very much in the category of “on ball defense” 🤣

Yeah, that isn’t how basketball works in this instance. Teams do this to teams now all the time.

The pick blocks the high route, which allows our big to guard or at least stutter the driving player while the player who got picked recovers. The defender cannot push through the pick because it would be a foul. That is how Reeves sat early in the LSU game, and on the road they are going to call that all the time.

Also, you can’t go low because that is a three-pointer.

So, DJ is doing what he should be doing and constantly getting picked is tough. You depend a lot on your bigs to recover.

Hope that helps you.

 

[sambowieshin]

Love DJ and glad he's on this team. He has had some great games this year and will be a big part of any post season success we have. Hope he returns next year.

 

[The_Answer1313]

UK Fans: I hate our constant roster turnover and guys jumping to the NBA
Also UK Fans: yeah no I don't want that guy returning a second year

lol

 

[The_Answer1313]

I never understood not wanting players back.

As if players cannot improve and get better. Sometimes it takes more than 1 year for the light to go on.

There was discussion about Oscar returning. Can you imagine Oscar's rebounding on this team that already shoots lights out and doesn't turn the ball over? Some didn't want that.

The offense would be unstoppable.

 

[Ky_Bred_Cat]

How about this...Cal doesn't want him back. It's just not part of the overall plan to get the next DJ and the next. Gotta make room for the next guy and showcase him for the NBA. The problem Cal has with DJ is his game is limited. He plays good D and can attack the rim going to his left and that's it. DJ to the NBA is a tough sell right now and for this system to work Cal has to play him as much as possible.

 

[CincyUKFan]

How about this...Cal doesn't want him back. It's just not part of the overall plan to get the next DJ and the next. Gotta make room for the next guy and showcase him for the NBA. The problem Cal has with DJ is plays good D and can attack the rim going to his left and that's it. DJ to the NBA is a tough sell right now and for this system to work Cal has to play him as much as possible.

The more he plays the more his stock falls. With him hitting a couple threes, after missing 15 in a row before that, he’d do well to just shut it down.

 

[nssdigitalchumps]

The more he plays the more his stock falls. With him hitting a couple threes, after missing 15 in a row before that, he’d do well to just shut it down.

“…he’d do well to shut it down.”

Also poster:

“Why did he quit the team??!! He is just like Sharpe! (Grunting caveman sounds)”

 

[cal=8]

Dj made a great play at the end of the game. A month ago he would've dribbled right into that trap and thrown up a prayer and it would have been overtime. Instead he defers to Shep. for the Dub. Dj's not 100% and he's a freshman.

Great, win for Ky! I've really enjoyed these past couple games. Lots to be positive about!

 

[The_Answer1313]

How about this...Cal doesn't want him back. It's just not part of the overall plan to get the next DJ and the next. Gotta make room for the next guy and showcase him for the NBA. The problem Cal has with DJ is his game is limited. He plays good D and can attack the rim going to his left and that's it. DJ to the NBA is a tough sell right now and for this system to work Cal has to play him as much as possible.

How do we know this is the case?

There has been several highly recruited guys that Cal has said in the past he felt they should have came back and didn't.

For a guy that wouldn't want DJ a second year, he sure doesn't mind sticking him in the starting lineup this season.

Of course ultimately goal he becomes good and makes the NBA. Then Cal says hey go. So in that sense if his stock falls too much, Cal would be disappointed.

But I think that's a bit different than not wanting him back. You think Cal wouldn't have loved having an Anthony Davis return a second year? A John Wall? A Karl Towns?

Having DJ back next year would make next year's team better IMO. Anyone coming back and having some kind of continuality here would be good.

 

[The_Answer1313]

Dj made a great play at the end of the game. A month ago he would've dribbled right into that trap and thrown up a prayer and it would have been overtime. Instead he defers to Shep. for the Dub. Dj's not 100% and he's a freshman.

Great, win for Ky! I've really enjoyed these past couple games. Lots to be positive about!

Yeah u know that's a good point. Because a lot of people here were worried about DJ and thought he would play "hero ball" and lose us big games. He had the ball in his hands that last possession. He could have drove it himself. Instead had enough sense to get it to the hot guy and while that's a small thing I don't think it should be understated either.

 

[CatDaddyJoe]

The haters are out in full force because this win goes against their agenda. It's quite hilarious reading them...

They don't realize how foolish they look

They’re so mad they come up with DJ Wagner is a bad defender because he didn’t teleport himself through a back screen. You just have to laugh at them at this point.

 

[Cal-4-Three]

And Matt Jones says nobody ever attacks the players.........

 

[CincyUKFan]

And Matt Jones says nobody ever attacks the players.........

Your username sucks.

 

[Cal-4-Three]

Your username sucks.

.....ok? According to most on this board....so does your opinion's.

 

[CincyUKFan]

.....ok? According to most on this board....so does your opinion's.

Most? Or the same 5 dudes with sock accounts?

 

[Cal-4-Three]

Most? Or the same 5 dudes with sock accounts?

I've been around just about as long as you and mostly just read. Trust me when I say, it's MOST. The fact the first thing you thought about doing after an exciting win like that was to get online and post negativity about one of our own players just shows what type of person/fan you are.

 

[CincyUKFan]

I've been around just about as long as you and mostly just read. Trust me when I say, it's MOST. The fact the first thing you thought about doing after an exciting win like that was to get online and post negativity about one of our own players just shows what type of person/fan you are.

Started the thread in the midst of the game as DJ played terrible defense. So you kinda screwed that up.

Your username tells us all that you’re a Cal fan, not a UK fan. You’re the troll, chief.

 

[CatPhight]

You haters just hope he’s not.

But you are just as wrong on Wagner as you are Cal.

So go suck on your loss tonight. The Cats are moving on without you.

Tell mom to make dad some more maui brownies...more flower next time.

 

[FilsonCat]

I don't think Wagner is as bad as he's made out to be on defense. He's typically good when squared up on his man. He does struggle to maintain contact with his man sometimes after getting moved around later in a possession. It is hard to maintain your position without ball watching past the second or third pass. That's a young player and a recurring problem the team has had as a whole all season.

 

[Catman100]

On a team full of bad defenders, he doesn't stand out to me as the worst. Not at all.

And that steal on the baseline late in the second half was the 2nd most important thing to happen in the second half other than Reed's heroics.

 

[dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane]

Cal has been trying to hide DJ Wagner for months now. It’s March now. Bring him off the bench.
Cal won’t do that. Gotta keep that NBA revolving door and those agents happy.

 

[ORCAT]

The haters are out in full force because this win goes against their agenda. It's quite hilarious reading them...

They don't realize how foolish they look

I'm not a real Cal supporter these days but agree with you very much on this one. I just barely tolerate the haters when we lose but they go out of their way to find fault when we win instead of enjoying a win a in a very exciting game. In this case the OP jumps on Wagner for getting screened out (he stated that himself) and his man going in to score as one single example to feed his agenda about hating on Wagner. Then makes statements about how unathletic Wagner is and can never even be a good college player. What???

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

At the 11:29 mark in the second half his man dribbled across midcourt, and then used a screen at the top of the key, and went all the way to the rim with no resistance.

I think people just like to say that Wagner can defend because they feel like he must be able to do something right.

He is absolutely terrible and we better hope that he goes to the draft because you do not want this guy back.

2 things that happened. DJ was screened. And I'm very positive that DJ doesn't have eyes in the back of his head. It was Oyenso's job to scream screen. Which it appears he didn't. Smith's a big dude. He blind screens you and your're going to be screened. Oyenso nor Reed switched, both had the opportunity to do so and then there was no one underneath to pick him up.

This was not DJ's fault. His only fault was not seeing Smith and not being bigger than Smith lol. DJ picked the guy up early, stayed in front of him until he was screened.

DJ is probably our best at fighting through screens.

That shows me that you know little about basketball. You have an agenda with DJ and I have my guesses on what that may be.

I hate it when you guys start picking on players. idiots

 

[The_Answer1313]

Cal has been trying to hide DJ Wagner for months now. It’s March now. Bring him off the bench.
Cal won’t do that. Gotta keep that NBA revolving door and those agents happy.

How is Cal trying to hide DJ Wagner exactly? He's literally starting games here LOL.

 

[dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane]

Hiding the fact that’s he’s just not ready. He’s a 3 year player. Needs to come back and work on shooting. I guess you’re not watching the games

 

[The_Answer1313]

Hiding the fact that’s he’s just not ready. He’s a 3 year player. Needs to come back and work on shooting. I guess you’re not watching the games

You're just speculating on what Cal thinks.

If Cal wanted to truly hide him, he'd put him on bench and protect whatever little draft stock he currently still has.

I must have missed where Cal was saying he needs to go to the NBA lol

 

[Montana81]

At the 11:29 mark in the second half his man dribbled across midcourt, and then used a screen at the top of the key, and went all the way to the rim with no resistance.

I think people just like to say that Wagner can defend because they feel like he must be able to do something right.

He is absolutely terrible and we better hope that he goes to the draft because you do not want this guy back.

People say he’s a good defender as a defense for Calipari’s insistence on starting him. We have a lot of posters here than can’t give you their opinion on UK basketball until they hear it from John Calipari. they’re basically cattle.